Less than three months after Chicken George and the Blessed Tommy had lit up Celtic Park to deliver the 81/82 League Championship, there was great excitement at Cairn CSC HQ, as we prepared for our first-ever European Vacation as a club, a trip to Rotterdam to watch Celtic defend the Feyenoord tournament won the previous season.

Clark W. Griswald and his dysfunctional family had nothing on some of the characters on our Crazy Gang, as Joe Nolan dragged his old Grangeburn coach down the motorway to Sheerness in Kent, to catch the overnight ferry to Vlissingen. From there we drove to Rotterdam and our base in Florisstraat, the imaginatively-named Hotel Floris.

The 1981 tournament had seen Celtic beat old European foes Feyenoord and Dukla Prague to lift the trophy. This year, our first opponents were Austria Vienna on the Friday night and there was a healthy Hoops support in the De Kuip Stadion to watch the double-header, the hosts up against Arsenal in the later kick-off.

Celtic were tremendous on the night, goals from the aforementioned McCluskey and Burns bookended by a McGarvey double in a 4-0 victory. We stayed on to watch the second match, as the Dutch side easily beat the Gunners 2-0 to set up a rematch of last year’s final, and a rather more important final in Milan some eleven years earlier.

Bizarrely, whilst we were segregated from the home crowd, the Celtic and Arsenal fans were thrown in together in a section behind one goal. We got talking to some of them, I recall a brother and sister in particular, the girl’s hero being John Hollins. We met them several times over the weekend. None of us would know at that time the significant role Arsenal would play later in Celtic’s season. She would have a new hero next year.

Saturday was a Celtic day off and so the Cairn ran a cultural trip to Amsterdam, another first for most of us. In charge of proceedings that day was our secretary, Gerry Leonard. Gerry was a fierce union man and worked with me for many years in SSEB/ScottishPower, however he should have been a lawyer, such was his ability to negotiate and debate. His skills came in handy that day, as he bargained with the owner and agreed a discount deal which enabled the entire bus to stay together in one of the city’s clubs for the evening. That has to be the most memorable Celtic singsong ever, given the context of the entertainment. I laugh and cringe even now, thirty-something years later, thinking of some of the shenanigans from Amsterdam. God bless you Gerry.

It was never straightforward travelling with the Cairn and that night was to be no exception. We arrived at the main railway station to discover we had just missed the last train to Rotterdam. It’s a similar distance to Glasgow-Edinburgh, so not exactly an ideal taxi ride. However, needs must and so we piled into some waiting cabs with the immortal line, “Rotterdam, mate!” As we arrived back in the port, stopped at traffic lights, we noticed Jimmy Kelly and a few of the boys having a beer in a pavement bar. “This’ll do us here, driver.” And so the evening continued.

On the Sunday morning, I awoke to find the world’s largest flagpole, complete with Dutch tricolour, on the floor at the foot of my bed. How it got there from its normal position, flying proudly from the front of the hotel, remains a mystery to this day. We were at the top of a tall, narrow building not dissimilar to Ann Frank House. Tight, steep stairs. There were several of us sharing a room but no-one owned up to this feat of engineering and logistical genius. Not surprisingly, the owner wasn’t best pleased and poor Gerry’s communication skills were once again in demand to smooth things over.

With Flag-gate resolved, it was back to the serious matters in hand, the final of the Feyenoord tournament. There was a cracking atmosphere in De Kuip as the teams ran out, the 1500-strong Celtic army in full voice.

There was one survivor from San Siro 1970, the wonderful Wim van Hanegem, however, it was a player at the other end of a brilliant career who opened the scoring, a young Rudd Gullit tapping home from close-range to give the hosts the lead on seven minutes. But Celts hit back with two goals in ten minutes just after the half hour, McCluskey blasting home a fierce shot before a classic Burns run and chip put us in front.

There was time for a moment of real controversy before the break, the Belgian officials presumably being the only folk in the stadium who felt Housman was onside as he made it 2-2.

The second half was more of the same glorious fare. Vermeulen made it 3-2 early on, for once getting the better of McGrain to beat Bonner. Then Burns went down following a challenge and referee Charles Corver atoned for his earlier mistake by awarding a penalty, which Mark Reid dispatched with aplomb for 3-3.

The Dutch then had their own chance from the spot, twenty minutes from time, when that man Houtman was felled in the box, however, Bonner saved the weak effort from Dutch defender Valke. As play raged from end to end, it looked more and more like one more goal would decide it. And so it did, sadly it was Feyenoord who stole it with just four minutes remaining, Bulgarian striker Andrej Jeliazkov volleying home from a cross to send the bulk of the 40,000 crowd wild.

Despite the defeat, it had been a positive few days for Celtic. The brand of football on show was of a high standard and it was played the Celtic way, based on attack and flair. In Tommy Burns, we had the player of the tournament. I always felt this period saw Tommy at his peak, a fabulously-gifted footballer with Celtic in his heart, a wonderful combination in any player.

There was much to look forward to as we contemplated the season ahead on the long journey home to Glasgow.

Continued on the next page…

With the pre-season tours to the USA, Germany and the Netherlands complete, the Celtic team were primed for their attempt to land a third successive title. It had been eight long years since the day at Brockville when King Kenny’s goal gave us THE nine-in-a-row, with the evergreen McGrain the last remaining playing link to the glory days under Jock Stein.

In the interim, Jock had delivered one final title, in 1977, his namesake Wallace had won three at Ibrox and Billy McNeill three since his return to Paradise, a clean sweep prevented by losing out on the final day to Ferguson’s Aberdeen in 1980.

Before that campaign could commence, there was the small matter of the League Cup to be addressed. The newest component of the domestic treble had proved elusive to Celtic over the years, with memorable triumphs such as Hampden in the Sun and the 6-2 victory over Hibernian in 1969 countered by a succession of lost finals, including the infamous 4-1 defeat by Thistle in 1971 and the surreal lunchtime game against Tommy Gemmell’s Dundee two years later.

It had last been won by Celtic just a few months after that game at Brockville, when Dixie Deans hit his second hat-trick in seven days against Hibernian in a game which ended 6-3, Joe Harper creating the unenviable record of scoring three goals in a final but still finishing on the losing side.

Dixie had achieved the same 3-goal feat against the same side in the Scottish Cup Final of 1972 and remains the only player in history to score a hat-trick in both of Scottish football’s Hampden showpieces. His final goal on this day was both brilliant and hilarious, as Jinky’s intended volley for goal was prevented from landing in the North Enclosure by the diving head of Deans, which diverted it fiercely into the net. This would be Jinky’s final purple patch in the Hoops and he was immense on the day.

Fabulous memories.

The group stage section for 82/83 saw Celts face lower-tier opposition in the shape of Dunfermline, Alloa and Arbroath and, as expected, it provided a goalfest for the Champions, who scored 29 goals for the loss of just 3 across the six games. Highlight was a 7-1 trouncing of the Pars at East End Park, with Charlie Nicholas returning from his broken leg ordeal of the previous January to score four.

The two-legged Quarter-final tie against local rivals Partick Thistle was equally comfortable, Celtic’s frightening array of attacking talent filling their boots as we recorded a 4-0 victory at Parkhead and a 3-0 win at Firhill, a game where recent signing from Dumbarton, Graeme Sinclair, made his debut.

The ante was raised for the Semi-final though, with Jim McLean’s excellent Dundee United side providing the opposition. The Arabs came to Celtic Park for the first leg defending an unbeaten 19-match run and secure in the knowledge that they had been victorious in both previous League Cup last-four ties between the sides. However, on the night it was Celtic who seized the initiative, first-half strikes from Nicholas – his 22nd of the season – and McGarvey providing a two-goal cushion for the visit to Tannadice.

Two weeks later, the packed Tayside ground witnessed a classic cup-tie. The wonderful Paul Sturrock had levelled the scores just after the hour with a typical double, the first bouncing in cruelly off Roy Aitken, and we feared the worst as they piled on relentlessly towards Packie Bonner’s goal.

However, with extra-time looking inevitable, there was one final, dramatic twist in the dying minutes which settled the issue, as Burns’ exquisite pass left Nicholas one-on-one with McAlpine and there would be only one outcome, the ball nestling behind him and the Celts were in the Final.

With Rangers overcoming Hearts in the other tie, there would be a chance for Celts to exact revenge for the three previous League Cup Final defeats by their Glasgow rivals. In 1970, the 16-year-old Derek Johnstone had jumped between Jim Craig and Cesar to head the only goal of the game and kick off a run of seven defeats in eight finals for the Hoops.

The season after Dixie’s heroics against Hibs, Alex MacDonald’s header had removed the trophy from our grasp and in Jock’s final Hampden appearance, in May 1978, a Johannes ‘Shuggy’ Edvaldsson double had only delayed the inevitable, as Latchford’s extra-time fumble meant that ‘Smith must score’, and sadly on this occasion he did. Fourteen successive finals since 1964 had provided only six wins.

So it was with a certain trepidation that we made our way to Hampden on the first Saturday in December 1982, my dad’s birthday, for the latest episode in the Celtic League Cup Final saga.

It was a horrendous afternoon, with the fans in the uncovered East Terracing soaked to the skin as we kicked off. The dark sky and the empty North Enclosure, still undergoing renovation, added to the slightly weird setting as we made our way down the stairs to seek some relative shelter in the packed terrace.

We had no sooner took our spot when Charlie danced in from the South Stand wing to fire a glorious shot behind Jim Stewart and give Celtic the lead, his 29th goal in what was becoming a triumphant return to the first team.

And the celebrations were still in full swing when Murdo MacLeod delivered the coup de grace, with a blistering drive following a cleared corner, which exploded off the underside of the bar into the net, for a fabulous cup-winning goal.

It was all Celtic, with Davie Provan unplayable on the right flank, however, the third goal was not forthcoming and Bett briefly gave the Ibrox side some hope with an excellently-taken free-kick early in the second half.

But this was to be our day, as Celts successfully played out the remainder of the game and the immortal Danny McGrain finally lifted the elusive trophy as Celtic captain to the delight of the drenched green-and-white hordes, singing in the rain, within the 55,000 crowd.

It was a bedraggled, wet but happy Cairn bus which arrived back at the Celtic Northern Area Social Club in Springburn that night. The place was bouncing as Jackie Stewart belted out the Willie Maley song, the lyrics now changed from Jimmy McStay to honour his great-nephew Paul. It was a magical time to be a Celt.

With the ‘bogey’ trophy already in the bag, there was a real feeling that this could be a very special season, for a young attacking side playing football the Glasgow Celtic way. Match highlights can be viewed below.

Continued on the next page…

For the third consecutive calendar year, European royalty visited Celtic Park in the Champions Cup. March 1980 had seen the Real Deal of Madrid beaten in Glasgow but victorious in the Santiago Bernabéu, whilst eighteen months later it was a similar story when the millionaires of Juventus came to town. Close but no cigar. In the First Round of the 82/83 European Cup, Billy’s young Hoops side were drawn against old foes Ajax of Amsterdam, in a repeat of the Quarter-final tie of March 1971.

On that occasion, the great Cruyff had masterminded a 3-0 win in the old Olympisch Stadion in the first leg, and despite an 80,000+ Hampden crowd roaring them on in the return, a solitary Jinky goal was all Celtic could muster. So for the second season in a row, our European hopes were ended by a Dutch side, Feyenoord’s great rivals going on to win the first of three successive Big Cups, by beating Panathinaikos in the Final at Wembley.

Johan had left Amsterdam in 1973 to help restore the fortunes of Catalan sleeping giants, Barcelona, becoming the most expensive player in world football in the process. However, he had returned at the start of this season to his first love, interestingly replacing his good friend Wim Jansen as the future Celtic manager ended his playing career with yet another Eredivisie title. Cruyff would now play at Celtic Park for the first and only time.

If he was the master, then many of his pupils would soon forge their own glorious careers. As always with Ajax, the conveyor belt of academy talent was in full production. This year’s models were the teenage Gerard Vanenberg and Marco van Basten and whilst the former would play a role in this tie, Marco would need to wait for his chance to shine, remaining on the bench in both legs.

The spine of the team was distinctly Danish, with Jan Mølby supporting Søren Lerby and the flying winger, Jesper Olsen. This was the advent of Denmark’s Golden Generation, a decade which ended with a surprise European Championship success in neighbouring Sweden and included the best Scandinavian side I ever witnessed, the fabulous Great Dane team who lit up the ‘86 World Cup Finals in Mexico.

The first leg at Parkhead saw one of the best opening half hours of football in the history of the old ground. There were 56,000 screaming supporters packed in to watch the most open European tie in years.

The Dutch, clad in all-blue just like Real and Juventus previously, drew first blood in the fifth minute, Olsen waltzing past several despairing challenges to beat Bonner with a fierce low shot.

However, within ten minutes, Celtic were level, Tommy Burns deceiving Cruyff on the edge of the box to earn a penalty kick, which Nicholas calmly side-footed home. Just four minutes later, came a football sequence from heaven, which I will never forget. Ajax worked the ball down the stand side through Olsen, who found Cruyff with a pass inside. The old magician then took out two Celtic defenders by playing the most exquisite cushioned pass first time into the stride of the onrushing Lerby, who then produced his own special moment by ‘dinking’ the ball over Bonner into the Celtic net. A quite sublime goal.

2-1 down at home, we briefly feared the worst before Celts again struck back.

This time, in contrast to the Dutch Masterpiece, it was a Route One special, as Moyes’ headed clearance was flicked on by Nicholas to find McGarvey running in on goal. A beautiful sliding finish under the goalkeeper and we were all square again. Celtic Park was in a state of frenzy.

Whilst the match continued to ebb and flow and chances were made and missed at both ends, there would be no further scoring, leaving Celtic to face the daunting prospect of a ‘must win’ return leg in Amsterdam a fortnight later.

At Cairn HQ, we were gutted. The pre-season trip to Rotterdam meant that the running of a bus to Amsterdam so soon afterwards would not be viable. A small number of the Bhoys received subsidies to put towards the cost of flights. They would represent us in Holland.

I remember the night of the return game well. There was no live coverage on TV, however, bizarrely, my pessimistic/superstitious approach involved avoiding the score until the game was over. Something I do to this day.

Hence, I wasn’t best pleased when I walked into my parents’ house in Balornock and my dad broke off his telephone conversation to advise me that “last I heard, Celtic were winning 1-0.”

If looks could kill! Checking my watch, I worked out that there wouldn’t be long to play, but that this good news had probably come too soon.

Celtic were indeed 1-0 ahead in Amsterdam, one of Charlie Nicholas’ finest moments in a Celtic shirt, as he played a 1:2 with McGarvey then weaved away from two defenders to score with the most delicious, impudent chip from the edge of the penalty box on the half-hour mark.

-This night was also a career-high for recent signing Graeme Sinclair, charged with man-marking the great Cruyff for the toughest challenge he would ever face on the field, a challenge he coped with admirably. He had been involved in the build-up to Charlie’s goal and would set up McGarvey for a late header which excruciatingly came back off the crossbar to safety. Not bad for a guy signed just three weeks before.

Another notable performance came in the shape of goalkeeper Pat Bonner, who time after time defied the Dutch forwards to keep Celtic level, with a little help from his woodwork. However, as is often the case, he was finally beaten by the softest and cruellest of efforts, a cross from the young prodigy Vanenberg eluding everyone to sneak into the corner of the net at the far post and suddenly it was advantage Ajax again, as we moved into the final third of the game. The majority of the 65,000 sell-out crowd roared their team forward and surely Celtic were facing elimination.

The game and ultimately the tie hinged on two substitutions. As the clock ticked down and the feeling increased on the Dutch bench that the job had been done, the call came for the removal of Cruyff. Off he went slowly, limping, still complaining about the treatment afforded to him by the aforementioned green shadow, Sinclair.

It was a decision that with hindsight would come back to haunt them. A few minutes earlier, Celts had made their own change, George McCluskey replacing Davie Provan to leave all three main strikers on the field, as Billy went for win or bust.

We’re into the final minute as the ball is played across the Ajax defence to find McCluskey on the left corner of the box. He shuffles past his marker to find a yard of space then angles a left-foot shot low across the face of the goal. It beats the keeper and finds the inside of the far post and both players and Hoops supporters, some 3,000 packed into the opposite corner of the stadium, go berserk.

I first saw this goal thanks to a kind friend, who mentioned that he had a VHS video copy of the Dutch footage of the match, a few days later. I’ve rarely been so popular, as a succession of pals arrived to watch the tape, complete with Dutch commentary where the only recognisable words were the players’ names. I can still see and hear it vividly to this day. I wonder how many of those sacred video cassettes are tucked away in Celtic collections after all these years?

This was a wonderful scalp for Celtic, following the disappointments of the previous years. Ajax would go on to win a domestic double that season, although they would implode soon afterwards. Cruyff fell out with the club and in a remarkable turn of events, signed for fierce rivals Feyenoord, where he won the double the following season. Talk about twisting the knife?

The three Danish stars moved on also. First to leave was skipper Lerby, at the end of that season. Having won five Eredivisie titles with Ajax, he joined Bayern Munich, where he would win two Bundesliga championships, before returning to the Netherlands and PSV, capping off a marvellous career with a further two Eredivisie medals and a European Cup.

The following season saw the departures of both Molby and Olsen. Molby moved to Liverpool and had a successful eleven-year career there, winning the Double under Kenny in 1986 and a further Championship and FA Cup. Whilst at Anfield, in a sort of ‘reverse Steve McClaren’, he also developed the world’s most bizarre Scouse accent.

Olsen also moved to England, in his case along the East Lancs Road from his friend to Old Trafford, to sign for Ron Atkinson’s United. Strangely, in my opinion the most talented of the trio achieved the least post-Ajax. His spell in Amsterdam had seen his stock soar with a series of spectacular goals and assists, as we had witnessed first hand at Celtic Park.

He was famously involved with Cruyff in the innovative 1:2 penalty shortly after the return leg in Amsterdam, Johan shaping up to take the kick but instead knocking the ball to Jesper, who played it back allowing Cruyff to pretty much walk the ball into the net. All perfectly legal, certainly at that time. His stay in Holland would sadly be his zenith, five years in England producing a solitary FA Cup medal, in 1985, before his career petered out in France with Bordeaux and Caens. He retired whilst barely in his thirties.

Back at Celtic Park, as Paul McStay would often say, there was a real buzz about the place as we awaited our next opponents in the European Cup and contemplated further glory on the domestic scene.

Exciting times indeed, for those of a green and white persuasion.

Continued on the next page…

With the League Cup section safely navigated, Celtic thoughts turned to the quest for three-in-a-row. It seems incredible now but there were only 19,000 supporters in the ground on the first Saturday in September to watch Lady Kelly, widow of Sir Robert, unfurl the 1981/82 Championship flag above the Jungle, ahead of the opening fixture with Dundee. When the main feature got underway, Davie Provan continued his sparkling run of form, scoring the opener on the half hour then setting up the second for Roy Aitken, just before the break.

There were almost as many at Love Street the following weekend to witness a much tighter fixture, Celts trailing for the best part of an hour to a tremendous Richardson strike, before a late penalty double from Nicholas secured the points. This was a Saint’s side full of characters, featuring future Centenary Bhoys Stark and McAvennie in their line-up, together with that scourge of Celtic, Frank McDougall and current Kilmarnock manager, Steve Clarke.

On the Saturday after the epic home clash with Ajax, the Hoops produced one of the best displays of Billy’s first tenure, against Motherwell at Fir Park. The game was finished as a contest by half-time, by which point goals from McGarvey, MacLeod and Nicholas had Celtic three up. However, for me it is the second half that lives long in the memory, as Celtic ran riot, playing down towards us in the ‘high end’, now the visitors’ South Stand. Roy Aitken, revelling in a midfield role, rampaged through the middle to score an identikit double, whilst Nicholas completed his own hat-trick, his final goal a thing of rare beauty, as he toyed with the Well defence before blasting the ball past Sproat for 7-0.

It was a reality check for the new Motherwell boss, former Ibrox manager Jock Wallace, who had replaced David Hay in the Fir Park dugout. He was taunted mercilessly, with shouts of ‘Wallace for Rangers’ intensifying as the goal tally climbed higher.

The Celtic fans would get their wish, albeit not until the following year, when he replaced John Greig to commence a second stint there, the Ibrox board having failed to entice both Alex Ferguson and Jim McLean with job offers. There was more sympathy for two members of Jock Stein’s last double-winning team, Johannes Edvaldsson and Alfie Conn, who could only watch on helplessly as their former colleagues romped to victory. The home side also featured a young teenage midfielder called Brian McClair, but more of him later.

The month was closed off with maximum points, following a 2-0 home victory over stuffy Hibernian, goals in either half from midfielders MacLeod and McStay securing the win, with the second, a fabulous strike from outside the box by the emerging Maestro, being the highlight of a dull game.

October began with a mouthwatering fixture, as Celts visited Tannadice, both sides on a major high following memorable midweek victories in Holland, against Dutch giants Ajax and PSV Eindhoven. Over 20,000 were crammed into the ground, with many more locked out, the 50/50 crowd split creating a very special atmosphere. And they were rewarded with a match worthy of such an occasion, young McStay setting the tone with yet another glorious strike on twenty minutes, the ball flying high into the net to our right, past the despairing McAlpine.

In the early minutes of the second half, Aitken again went on the rampage, finishing off an excellent team move by sliding the ball home and Celts were in control. However, not for the first or last time did a two-goal lead evaporate at Tannadice late on.

The prolific Dodds gave the Arabs hope with fifteen minutes to play with a typical poacher’s finish and the unlikely comeback was complete with just five minutes left, United’s lightning-fast winger, the late Ralph Milne, scoring an excellent goal for 2-2. A tremendous game and the highlights are just below.

The atmosphere was drastically different the following Saturday, as Aberdeen came to town. 30,000 rolled up to Paradise for the clash between Scotland’s top sides and they witnessed a tough midfield battle with neither side giving an inch. The breakthrough finally came early in the second half, when a needless hand ball by Mark Reid gave Strachan his chance from the spot, an offer he gratefully accepted. And with Celtic still regrouping from this loss, McGhee set up Simpson for an easy second.

Nicholas pulled one back from a corner with twenty minutes remaining but the game changed on two decisions from the dreadful Andrew Waddell. First he sent off McGrain for a robust tackle on Weir, the inspirational defender’s only red card in a 600+-game career, then he allowed the clearly-offside McGhee to run through to net a third and clinching goal for the Dons.

The crowd were incensed, as was manager McNeill, who unfortunately took his protests too far. We then had the distasteful scene of Cesar and Waddell going ‘head-to-head’ on the pitch, with Billy then dispatched to the stand to watch the closing minutes play out. A sad end to a really disappointing day.

There was a sense of hangover in the air as Kilmarnock visited Celtic Park the next week, only 11,000 hardy souls braving a horrendous afternoon. Celtic, minus the suspended McGrain and the injured Burns, toiled throughout and Clarke’s second-half header looked like inflicting a second successive home defeat on the Champions. Cometh the hour, cometh the young prince, as once again Nicholas came to the rescue with a late double, both following corners, in the last ten minutes.

In the midweek, the focus returned to Europe. Following the glory of Amsterdam, Celts had been handed another tough draw, this time in the shape of Real Sociedad, champions of Spain for the past two seasons. Nevertheless, hopes were high of another positive result and with fifteen minutes to play in San Sebastián, things were looking good. The crowd packed into the old Atocha ground had been silenced and the game remained goalless. Then the roof caved in, two wicked deflections leaving Bonner helpless and Celtic’s European hopes hanging by a thread, 2-0 down to the Basques.

There was further gloom following the game, when it was revealed that the incomparable Jimmy McGrory, Celtic’s greatest-ever goalscorer, had passed away earlier that day, aged 78. Jimmy had served Celtic with distinction for most of his life, the Garngad-born Bhoy following a glorious 15-year playing career, where he broke or set every top-flight scoring record in the UK, with a 20-year stint in the manager’s office, in the dugout for the 1953 Coronation Cup Final triumph, the following year’s League and Cup Double – a first in 40 years – and of course, Hampden in the Sun, in 1957. On Jock Stein’s appointment in March ‘65, he picked up a role in the PR side of the club, a role he served faithfully until retirement. We will never see the like of McGrory of the Celtic again. God bless him.

There was a game in every port that week, as Celtic moved from San Sebastián to Greenock for the league fixture with Morton. Despite the European disappointment and sadness at the passing of a legend, Celts started the game well, McGarvey’s marvellous opener the latest in a long line of goal-of-the-season contenders by Celtic’s young stars. When Nicholas then netted a second from the spot just before half-time, it looked all over. However, a combination of spirited Morton fight back and increasing Hoops’ tiredness brought about a nervous ending, happily Rooney’s 70th minute effort being the only concession as the points were narrowly saved.

There would be one final challenge in October, a home match with Rangers in front of the UK’s biggest crowd that season, more than 60,000. In difficult underfoot conditions, Rangers started brighter and struck first when a Prytz corner deceived Bonner at his near post and crept into the net.
Back came Celtic, forcing an equaliser within three minutes, McStay continuing his rite of passage with his first goal in this fixture, following an excellent break by MacLeod. Just before half-time, the game took another twist, Cooper heading home at the far post for 2-1.

The match probably turned early in the second-half, when a long-range effort from the Swede Prytz beat Pat Bonner but rebounded to safety off the crossbar. As often happens in football, the next goal then went to the opposition, the wonderful McStay setting up McGarvey, whose aim was true, 2-2. As legs tired on the sodden turf, there was one final moment of drama remaining, and thankfully it went the way of the Bhoys. A fast counter-attack saw the ball transferred quickly through Nicholas to MacLeod, bearing through in the inside-left position on the Jungle side. Summoning on his last reserves of strength, the prolific midfielder remained composed to fire the ball past Stewart with his left foot, securing a much-needed and memorable victory for Celtic. A wonderful day for the Hoops.

Extended and nostalgic Scotsport highlights are below, and if you watch tremendous praise is due to Davie Provan for his role in the winning goal.

Later that night, I met up with some of the Bishopbriggs Bhoys from the Cairn bus for a pint. In the era of, by today’s standards, early closing times, the Torrance Inn held an ace card, an extra hour’s licence on a Saturday night. And so we piled in, trying hard to keep the smug smiles from our faces in what was very much a mixed bar. We then had the surreal sight of Gregor Stevens, the ‘hard as nails’ Rangers centre-half from earlier that day, standing, pint of lager in hand, watching these highlights of the game on a TV above the bar. I can only imagine his thoughts as he watched Murdo’s late winner find the net. But for us there was only joy and for that night anyway, the quiet village of Torrance was most certainly green and white.

Continued on the next page…

The midweek following the dramatic late win over Rangers saw another huge crowd roll up to Celtic Park. This time there were 55,000 screaming souls crammed in to watch Celtic attempt to claw back a two-goal deficit against Spanish Champions, Real Sociedad, in the Second Round of the European Cup.

The difficult task soon became a forlorn hope, as the wonderfully-named Lopez Ufarte arrowed a cross to the far post, where Uralde darted in to head home and put a third Basque score on the board, a treble from which Celtic would not recover.

Murdo MacLeod restored some hope and pride with a tremendous shot past the legendary goalkeeper Luis Arconada just on half-time, repeating the feat late on with a low drive. However, the home victory felt little more than scant consolation on the night. Long before the end we all knew that the European dream was over for another year.

The Basques were a decent side, eliminating Sporting Lisbon before a late goal in Hamburg saw them lose narrowly to the eventual winners in the Semi-final. Nevertheless, it was difficult to escape the feeling that we had beaten a better team in Ajax in the previous round.

If Celts were feeling sorry for themselves on the Saturday at Dens Park, then they masked it well, a masterclass from Davie Provan setting up goals for Nicholas, Burns and McGarvey as the contest was ended before the interval. Former Hoops winger Peter Mackie tried his best to rescue a point for the home side in the second half, setting up a double for Cammy Fraser, however the game finished 3-2.

And the damage was done early again the following Saturday, at home to St Mirren. This time, four goals in a devastating six-minute spell, including a brilliant hat-trick from the young prince Nicholas, finished off the Buddies. Roy Aitken put the icing on the cake in the final minute, with yet another lung-bursting run and finish, this quickly becoming a trademark for the Bear in his new midfield role.

Motherwell were the next visitors to Celtic Park, this time the goals all coming in the last half-hour, following the introduction of George McCluskey from the bench. He quickly set up the teenage McStay for Celtic’s first, another glorious strike from outside the box. Nicholas then had a bizarre minute, missing the chance to score his eighth penalty of the season before immediately redeeming himself with a low shot past Sproat. Burns cheekily chipped the keeper for 3-0 with five minutes remaining, before Flavell nipped in for a late consolation goal for the Steelmen.

The 100% league record in November was completed at Easter Rd, the 3-2 victory being much more comfortable than the scoreline suggests. In a peculiar feature of those times, the 17,000 attendance in Leith was higher than the previous two crowds at Celtic Park. In a day of firsts, Alan Rough made his Hibernian debut, Celtic’s white pin-stripe kit made a maiden appearance and Charlie didn’t score! Strike partner McGarvey stepped up to the plate with a double, either side of another great effort from McStay. Murray replied twice for Hibs, who trailed for most of the match but never gave up.

The feel good factor continued into December, the League Cup Final triumph serving as an appetiser for the clash of Scotland’s giants at Pittodrie. At a venue where I’ve witnessed many a hard-luck story, this day would be different, as two wicked deflections settled the issue in Celtic’s favour.

The Dons announced their intentions from the outset, as Nicholas was clattered by the late Neale Cooper (no disrespect intended) straight from kick-off, in what must be Scotland’s fastest-ever booking. Fifteen minutes later, Celtic took the lead, McGarvey’s clever dummy allowing MacLeod to hit a trademark piledriver from outside the box, the ball hitting Miller to wrong foot Leighton in the home goal.

Within five minutes, Aberdeen were level, when McGhee was quickest to react in the box to fire past Bonner. The winning goal came on the hour, Provan beating Rougvie for the umpteenth time before shooting for goal. This time, current Scotland manager McLeish was the unfortunate defender, the ball striking him before changing direction and again Leighton could only look on helplessly as it rolled into his net.

Provan was again on the mark the following Saturday at an icy Rugby Park, his first-minute free-kick providing the perfect start for McNeill’s in-form Celtic side. The conditions made life difficult for the players, with fresh-air swipes the order of the day. However, McAdam’s header just shy of the hour settled Hoops nerves and later strikes from McGarvey and Burns rounded off a satisfying 4-0 victory.

The final match of the calendar year took place at Parkhead on the Monday after Christmas, Murdo MacLeod entering into the festive spirit by gifting visitors Morton an own goal after half an hour.

Just before half-time, the moment the 20,000 fans had been waiting for finally arrived, as Charlie Nicholas struck home another penalty, for his 30th goal of the season. A national newspaper had been running a competition for the first player to achieve this feat in Scotland, a case of champagne being the reward. Thus a nickname, which you still hear referred to occasionally some 36 years later, was born, as Nicholas became Champagne Charlie.

Celts took care of business in the second half, an early Macleod strike, another McGarvey brace and a rare non-penalty goal from substitute Mark Reid enabling them to declare at 5-1. By any standards, it had been a tremendous first half to the season for Billy’s exciting young team, the first domestic trophy in the bag, a commanding lead at the top of the table and the first major European scalp taken in many years.

Experienced players such as McGrain, Aitken, MacLeod, Provan, McGarvey and Burns were at the top of their game and the Fresh Young Princes of Parkhead, McStay and Nicholas, were maturing with every game into top-class talents.

Only the earlier-than-hoped European Cup exit at the hands of the Spanish champions had been negative.

There was surely much to look forward to and better to come in 1983.

Continued on the next page…

Day one of 1983 saw a return of the traditional Glasgow Ne’erday derby for the first time in seven years, when a Derek Johnstone header had soured my first visit to Ibrox.

Thankfully, my second trip there had been more productive, the goal of Joe Craig’s life on that cold, November night being a major turning point in what would eventually become a double-winning season.

Celtic came into this vital game on a high, having dropped only three points in the first half of the season, the draw at Tannadice and home defeat by Aberdeen.

By contrast, John Greig’s Rangers were toiling, ten points behind the Champions and already out of this season’s title race before the festive break. Only history was on their side, the Bhoys being without a win on this particular date at Ibrox for over sixty years.

There were Celtic fans in three sides of Ibrox stadium within a 42,000 crowd, as Celtic started strongly, a fierce drive from McStay giving them the lead within fifteen minutes.

Ten minutes later though, Rangers equalised, despite an excellent save from Bonner, the big keeper stretching to touch a MacDonald header onto the post, only to watch Black knock in the rebound. With twenty minutes to play, the old rivals were still in stalemate, until a flash of genius from Nicholas.

Receiving a throw-in from MacLeod on the main stand side, he weaved one way then another before crashing a drive past Stewart in front of the watching hordes in the Free Broomloan. It was a goal fit to win any game, Charlie becoming the first Celt since Joe Cassidy back in 1921 to score a winning Ne’erday goal at Ibrox.

Highlights from this game are below and are well worth watching.

Nicholas was again on target two days later, as Dundee came to town for the Holiday Monday fixture, his weak shot deceiving keeper Kelly to give Celts a two-goal lead on the hour mark. Earlier, Burns had scored with a classic effort, playing ‘one-two’s with Saturday’s young heroes, McStay and Nicholas, before blasting the ball past the luckless stopper.

With the main topic of conversation for the bulk of the 16,000 crowd being just who would score the 100th goal of Celtic’s season, there was a cruel sting in the tail, Sinclair notching a late double to salvage an unlikely point for the struggling Tayside men.

Murdo MacLeod was the man who finally achieved the Hoops’ centenary counter, his early, trademark 25-yard strike sailing high past Thomson for the winning goal at Love Street the following Saturday, on a day where the gale-force conditions created the definitive game of two halves.

And he was at it again in the next game, a visit to Fir Park, sliding the ball home midway through the first-half to invoke hopes of a repeat of the seven-goal slaughter at the same venue some four months earlier.

Sadly, this match would have a different ending and would produce a new hero, teenage striker Brian McClair building on his Holiday Monday hat-trick against Rangers by hitting a double, an early second-half penalty followed by an agonising last-gasp winner, after Bonner had misjudged a cross from the left.

Following that setback, normal service was resumed against Hibernian at Parkhead, Provan the creator-in-chief as the three striking amigos, Nicholas, McCluskey and McGarvey, were all on target in a 4-1 victory. Defender McAdam was also on the scoresheet with a fine effort, albeit at the wrong end.

The month ended with a trip to Kilbowie to face Clydebank in the Third Round of the Scottish Cup. A capacity crowd of 10,000 saw McCluskey give Celts the lead on twenty minutes, following good work from MacLeod. A second-half double from Nicholas ensured no shocks at the first hurdle for Celtic, against a Bankies side featuring a youthful strike force of Bobby Williamson and Tommy Coyne.

Continued on the next page…

First up in February 1983 was a third visit to Tannadice, scene of an earlier defeat for Celtic in the League Cup Semi-final and the classic ‘2-2’ encounter in the League.

Nicholas notched his 35th goal of an incredible season in the fourth minute to fire the Bhoys ahead. However, rather than build on this lead, Celts found themselves up against it for the remainder of the game.

Dodds scored his traditional goal just before half-time, Bannon then having a glorious chance to add a second, two minutes later. Fortunately for the Bhoys, Bonner produced a fabulous save from his spot kick and despite relentless second-half pressure from United, Celtic held on for the draw, grateful for what was considered at the time to be a valuable point won.

The title tide started to change the following Saturday, when Alex Ferguson’s Dons visited Celtic Park.

A crowd of 43,000 turned up for the most important game of the season to date, Aberdeen’s impressive winning run enabling them to get within touching distance of the Champions, following Celtic’s recent spate of dropped points.

Things looked promising for Celts as the interval approached, a brilliantly-worked free-kick involving McStay and McGarvey setting up Nicholas for yet another fine goal.

But it was a young striker at the other end of the pitch who would prove decisive on this day, teenager Eric Black netting twice within a minute on the stroke of half-time, then completing a classic hat-trick of left foot, right foot and header with twenty minutes to play.

Black became the first opposing player to score three against Celtic at Parkhead since Willie Johnston of Rangers, in a 4-3 Glasgow Cup Semi-final win back in April 1969. In one of those strange twists of fate, so beloved by the football gods, the fourth Ibrox marksman that night was Alex Ferguson.

Two weeks later, the same Ferguson lost his marker at a second-minute corner at Hampden in the Scottish Cup Final, the unmarked Billy McNeill then heading in the first Celtic goal in a magnificent 4-0 victory, a result which sealed both a second treble for Jock’s Hoops and the end of Ferguson’s Rangers career.

Now Ferguson the manager was proving to be a problem for Billy, particularly at home. This latest setback rendered his Celtic Park record against Aberdeen as a miserable two wins and two draws from twelve games in all competitions, since returning to Paradise in 1978.

More worryingly, the 3-1 victory saw the Dons leapfrog Celtic at the top of the table, the first time in over two years this had happened. With Dundee United also hitting top form at just the right time, there was now a real dogfight developing for the title.

There was a welcome break for Scottish Cup business the following week, 12,000 supporters in the ground to see Celts dispatch Dunfermline 3-0 at home rather more nervously than the scoreline would suggest, in a game which saw the debut of young left-back Jim McInally.

Having missed numerous chances to score, McGarvey finally broke the deadlock midway through the second half, then striking a second on 80 minutes before McCluskey completed the scoring just before the final whistle.

It was much more comfortable the next weekend, where struggling Kilmarnock were the visitors on the end of a 4-0 hammering, in front of less than 11,000.

Murdo MacLeod was fouled by his brother Alistair after 20 minutes, allowing Nicholas to convert his tenth penalty goal of the season. Charlie’s day did not end well though, carried off on the hour after a challenge by Paul Clarke, brother of the current Rugby Park manager.

Clarke was then send off for a second booking within ten minutes, having repeated the treatment on substitute McCluskey. A second half double by McGarvey either side of a fantastic MacLeod strike earned a very welcome two points for the Bhoys.

Continued on the next page…

March began with a trip ‘doon the water’ to Cappielow, Murdo MacLeod with another excellent long-range shot to put Celts two ahead within fifteen minutes against doomed Morton.

Dom Sullivan had opened the scoring five minutes earlier with a deflected effort, his final goal for the club before being freed that summer and joining the Greenock side, where he would spend two seasons then head to Alloa.

An injury-time header from George McCluskey rounded off a good afternoon for the Champions.

The next Saturday brought a much-anticipated Scottish Cup Quarter-final tie, against First Division leaders, Hearts.

The Edinburgh side were co-managed by former Ibrox idols Alex MacDonald and Sandy Jardine, who both played, as did a third ex-Ranger, the aforementioned Willie Johnston. The ‘ex-factor’ added an extra edge, attracting a larger-than-usual crowd of 25,000, including a sizeable Hearts support, who solely occupied the East Terracing for the first time.

There would be no repeat of the 1969 Parkhead hat-trick for Johnston, instead his game was ended by a moment of madness, as he followed through whilst taking a throw-in to head-butt Davie Provan, who collapsed to the ground, the linesman then advising referee Brian McGinlay to administer the nineteenth red card of a volatile career.

Incredibly, Johnston had just returned to the side following a three-match ban for an ordering off in the previous round. Amidst all the madness there was some football played, McLeod, McGarvey and a Nicholas double having Celts home and dry, before player-manager MacDonald replied late on.

The remaining March fixtures would not go so well for the Champions and would be instrumental in the final outcome.

As the media speculation regarding the future of prized-asset Nicholas increased, so the performances on the field seemed to suffer. Future Hoops hero, Albert Kidd, played a different role in the next game at Dens Park, opening the scoring midway through the first half, with Scrimgeour then adding a second ten minutes later.

McGarvey did pull a goal back within two minutes, following great work by Aitken, however, that was as good as would get for Celtic on the day and another critical two points were carelessly shed in the race for the flag.

In midweek, the final Glasgow derby of the season took place at Celtic Park, Nicholas going closest for Celts with a late shot which crashed back off the bar, in an uninspiring goalless draw.

Nevertheless, this point enabled the Bhoys to replace Aberdeen at the summit, courtesy of a marginally- better goal difference, Dundee United tucked a single point behind both with just nine games remaining.

That slender advantage was then lost at the weekend, where it took a late Provan goal to salvage a home draw against St Mirren, Fulton having earlier given the Buddies a shock lead.

Continued on the next page…

April began more positively, visitors Motherwell disposed of by three goals to nil, McGarvey, McAdam and a Harrow own goal doing the damage. Willie McStay made his debut, replacing McGarvey late on.

The previous midweek, Charlie Nicholas had made his international debut against Switzerland at Hampden, his fantastic goal only adding to the clamour for his signature, a potential transfer scenario now feeling more like ‘to whom’ rather than ‘if’. An unexpected Aberdeen defeat by St Mirren allowed Celts to reclaim top spot, now one point clear of both North-East rivals, with seven games to play.

There was a huge game in midweek, as United travelled south for the first of two visits to Celtic Park. The 35,000 crowd witnessed a titanic struggle, with Celts finally taking the lead through McGarvey on the hour, following an error by the normally-dependable Hegarty.

With twelve minutes remaining, Nicholas sealed the points with a wonderful finish, his 42nd goal of the season no doubt impressing the watching scouts. With Aberdeen tied up on European business, Celtic now had a three-point lead at the top of the table, albeit the Dons now with a game in hand.

Easter Saturday saw Celtic, appropriately enough, travel to Easter Road for another vital match.

Scoring machine Nicholas again came up trumps, opening the scoring early on before repeating the feat in the second half, his double book-ending a brilliant Provan volley.

Whilst Celtic eyes were still very much focused on a first domestic treble since 1969, Aberdeen’s quest for their own version virtually ended the same day at Ibrox, a surprise 2-1 League defeat meaning that their season would now almost certainly depend on success in either the Scottish or European Cup-Winners Cup.

There was a blow for Celtic and a boost for the Dons as the clubs prepared for the following week’s Scottish Cup Semi-final. Already missing suspended captain Danny McGrain, rumours of an injury to star striker Nicholas proved correct as the teams were announced, to groans from the Celtic fans in the 51,000 crowd.

Celts would badly miss the duo in what was a brutal encounter, a match of few chances being decided in two minutes midway through the second half. First McCluskey, clean through on Leighton, contrived to miss the target completely with a wild swipe.

Aberdeen took full advantage of this let-off, striding up the park where Black was allowed to play on after a clear handball, before crossing for unmarked substitute Weir to head past Bonner for the only goal of the game.

There would be no treble for Cesar and his exciting Bhoys, as a season which promised so much began to unravel.

The next two League games then, if anything, assumed even greater importance, involving as they did both Dundee United and Aberdeen.

First up, in midweek, were the Arabs, facing a must-win game from their perspective. And they got off to a great start, in front of a disappointing Parkhead crowd of just 24,000, Hegarty making amends for the error on his previous visit by scoring a fine goal.

Back came Celtic, the restored Nicholas scoring from the spot for No. 44 of the season, after Stark had fouled Burns in the box.

Early in the second half, United regained their lead, again from the spot after an untidy MacLeod challenge on Dodds, Bannon making his usual expert job from twelve yards.

On the hour mark came the decision which should have turned the title in Celtic’s favour, Gough, booked earlier, then seeing red after a tussle with Provan. With fifteen minutes remaining, Burns equalised following great work from McCluskey and at this stage, the Championship was in our own hands.

That all changed with just six minutes remaining. Again, Bannon was involved, this time setting up Milne, who controlled his cross and finished beautifully, to the dismay of the vast majority inside Celtic Park.

There was no time for the licking of wounds, as Celts headed to Pittodrie three days later, for their second meeting in a week. And, sadly for those of a green and white persuasion, the outcome was the same as the Hampden Semi-Final, a scrappy first-half goal from future Celt Mark McGhee proving to be the winner in a tense match.

A third Celtic defeat in a week enabled Dundee United to go top for the first time that season, whilst Cup-Winners Cup finalists Aberdeen now re-emerged as potential title-winners, should they win their two games in hand.

So, it was in the unfamiliar role of chasers that Celtic travelled to Ayrshire the following Saturday, to face Kilmarnock. The first goal came from that most unlikely source, skipper Danny McGrain scoring what would prove to be his final Hoops goal within seven minutes, converting a Nicholas cross.

MacLeod effectively ended the game as a contest ten minutes later, with a beautiful chip over goalkeeper McCulloch for 2-0. The second half was fairly routine, Nicholas getting his customary goal with a neat header before MacLeod, with his second, then Burns made the final score 5-0.

Continued on the next page…

Morton were the visitors for the last home game of the season, as we moved into May. The crowd of under 13,000 probably reflected the majority view that the title had gone.

Nevertheless, there was still a job to be done, and first-half goals from Aitken and Nicholas, the latter from the spot, kept the flag race going to the final day.

And what a final day it would be, with all three teams still in with a realistic chance of glory. United were in pole position, one point clear of both rivals and with a slightly better goal difference.

If they could win at Dens Park, home of their fiercest rivals, then they could not be caught. However, any slip-up would allow either Celtic or Aberdeen to pip them to the title, should one better the Arab’s result.

Celtic also faced a derby, Rangers at Ibrox, and in that pre-social media age, we were dependent on radio updates as we took our seats in the Broomloan.

It was the worst possible start, as news filtered through of an early goal at Dens for the visitors, quickly followed by a second and then a goal for Rangers, Cooper blasting home a free-kick.

And when Clark deflected a shot past Bonner for 2-0 six minutes later, Hoops fans could perhaps have been forgiven for heading for the exits there and then.

But this is Celtic and as Billy McNeill often said, “there’s something very special about this club”.

I will never forget the reception the team received on returning to the field for the second half.

Ibrox was a sea of green and white scarves as the most wonderful rendition of ‘You’ll never walk alone’ filled the Govan skies.

The players looked on entranced and suddenly the mood changed.

Within a few minutes of the restart, a clumsy McLelland challenge on Provan earned Celtic a penalty, which Nicholas coolly converted. Suddenly, it was one-way traffic towards us and on the hour, a McAdam header made it all-square.

Still Celts pressed and with twenty minutes remaining, McGarvey somehow beat the giant McCloy to a cross and the Bhoys were in front for the first time. We then had that classic moment, which I will never understand, when someone passed on the message that Dundee had equalised, and there is brief hysteria before ‘tranny-guy’ corrects that, spoiling the brief, impromptu party.

With a few minutes left, the roar from the other end signifies that United have won and our comeback, to some extent, has been in vain. However, there is still time for a fourth Celtic goal, a second penalty for Nicholas, in what many predict will be his final game for the club.

It sneaks in below the keeper and seconds later the whistle blows, a superb second-half performance has delivered a victory on the day but not the third successive title we crave.

It is one of the most bittersweet days of my Celtic life.

There is a real show of strength and defiance from the support as the team take a bow.

As so often that season, particularly away from home, the fans have been incredible. It will be later before we reflect on just how much of an opportunity lost this has been.

Against two of the best Scottish sides in the post-war era, we had the title in our grasp, playing fantastic free-flowing football, scoring a barrowload of goals the Celtic way.

The dynamics at full-time are a concern, with Charlie Nicholas appearing to say his farewell, as are the rumours that all is not well between Billy and his board.

The events over the coming weeks will be critical in shaping the immediate future of our beloved Celtic.

Hail Hail!

Matt Corr

Follow Matt on Twitter @Boola_vogue

HUGE SAVINGS IN THE CELTIC STAR’S SUMMER SALE! 

The Celtic Star’s Father’s Day Promotion has been so successful, with hundreds of books at great prices being posted to Celtic fans all over the world, that we’ve decided to continue with the sale until the end of July. We’ve reduced all six books currently available from their usual retail price of £20 and prices are as low as £6 (see below).

All books are high quality hardback, with some signed by the author. And it’s also worth noting that you only pay postage on one book, so it’s free for the second, third and so on. ORDER HERE or click on The Celtic Star image above…this is how it feels to be Celtic!