League Cup Final: “Celtic just tend not to lose when they go in front,” Collins

John Collins has a foot in each camp as the League Cup Final on Sunday is going to be fought for by two of his former clubs Celtic and Hibs. Collins moved to Celtic in July 1990 for a fee of £1million and in doing so he snubbed Graeme Souness who was pushing and to bring the cultured midfielder to Ibrox.

John Collins in 1996 Photo: Allsport UK

Collins played alongside Paul McStay but they were always short of enough quality in the side to compete during what was a difficult time for the club and the supporters. He left on a free transfer joining Monaco in August 1996 much to the annoyance of Fergus McCann.

Collins also had a short but eventful stint managing Hibs, a club where the players seem to always have too big a say in whether the manager stays or goes, as we have seen with Jack Ross recently. Indeed Hibs go into the Final in Sunday after thrashing theRangers in the semi-final with Ross masterminding that win, without a manager and with former player David Gray leading the side out to face Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side.

Ronny Deila (left) Celtic manager with John Collins his assistant and the two trophies  Jeff Holmes/Getty Images)

Collins reckons that Celtic will have too much quality on Sunday and that around 5pm Callum McGregor will be lifting a trophy for the first time as Celtic captain.

“I think Celtic will win on Sunday and score three goals. I’ll go 3-1. If Kyogo is on the pitch he’ll score. Turnbull and Rogic won’t be far away from the scoresheet as well,” Collins stated, as quoted in Herald. “That’s the challenge for Hibs, to stop those players in the final third. Hibs will need a top-class performance from all of their players.”

Collins reckons that the Hibs players have nothing to lose as no-one outside their on support reckons that they have much of a chance against the Hoops. The Celtic Fans over the years have seen enough disappointments at Hampden – less so more recently admittedly – to dismiss any ‘no chance’  claims for the opposition. My own first League Cup Final was in 1971 when a very fine Celtic side lost 4-1 against Partick Thistle!

Partick Thistle 1971 Scottish League Cup winners. Alan Rough is holding trophy in dressing room after a shock 4-1 win over Celtic.

Here’s Collins’ advice for the Hibs players: “I believe they will go into the cup final with no pressure. Nobody expects Hibs to win it, except maybe the die-hard Hibs fans. The pressure is on Celtic, the expectation is on Celtic.

“As a Hibs player going into the final, they’ve got to go for it, be brave…If you get beat 1-0 or 5-0 it’s the same thing. Be brave, go and try and get that first goal and don’t be too cautious. To win the game, Hibs have got to score first. If Celtic score first, it’s very unlikely Hibs will come back and win the game. Celtic just tend not to lose when they go in front.”

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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