In a League Cup tie on this day in 1955, Celtic put on a brilliant display against Rangers at Ibrox, in front of a crowd of some 75,000.
Billy McPhail scored the first goal in 16 minutes, turning round Rangers left back Eric Caldow and sending a fierce shot over the head of George Niven in goal.
Twelve minutes later, Eric Smith made it two when he scored from a Neil Mochan pass. Ten minutes from the interval, Rangers got one back through an O.G. by left-back Sean Fallon but four minutes from the break, Eric Smith knocked in his second with another powerful strike.
3-1 then at half-time for the Hoops and that was raised to four in 52 minutes through a bullet-like screamer from Mochan. Celtic held out comfortably till the end and took the two points to lead the league cup section ( Falkirk and Queen of the South were the others) but with the infuriating inconsistency that really rankled with the fans of the time, four days later, in the second Glasgow Derby clash in the section, Celtic lost 0-4 at Parkhead to Rangers and then drew the final match with Falkirk to let Rangers through to the quarter-finals.
Many Happy Returns to Jim Conway, born on this day in 1940. After a short spell with Coltness United, Jim joined Celtic in 1956 and scored 13 goals in 43 appearances over the following 5 seasons before moving to Norwich City.
Jim Craig
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