Just back from a tour of North America – where, after their victory over Partick Thistle, they had shown off the League Cup to their fans – the Celtic players started well in that same competition in season 1957/58, reaching the final after beating Third Lanark in the quarter-final and Clyde in the semi-final.
On this day in 1957, at Hampden Park, where 83,293 had crowded in, the players of Celtic and Rangers ran out for another epic clash in the long history of their Glasgow rivalry…and on this occasion, Celtic dominated.
In 23 minutes, Billy McPhail headed the ball down from a corner and Sammy Wilson was on the spot to fairly blast the ball into the net from 12 yards. Just before half-time, Neilly Mochan cut in from the left and drove a scorcher past George Niven in the Rangers goal.
Eight minutes after the interval, McPhail made it 3-0.
Rangers then pulled one back but McPhail was quick to score another to make it 4-1. Then McPhail again and Mochan, also for the second time, raised the score to 6-1, before Willie Fernie, right on the whistle, got the 7th from the penalty spot.
It was a great day for every Celtic fan and well remembered in verse and song – ‘Oh! Hampden in the Sun- Celtic 7 Rangers 1’.
Many Happy Returns to Paul Hartley, born on this day in 1976 in Hamilton.
Jim Craig
Why not order David Potter’s new book Celtic – How the League was Won 49 Times. It’s packed full of Celtic history from James Kelly to James Forrest and everyone in between!
Have you visited the new Celtic fans forum yet? It’s called Celtic Noise and gives you a great opportunity to join in the Celtic conversation…
