CELTIC arrived at Ibrox for the league encounter of 21 March 1992 in good form. Despite this Rangers were expected to put paid to that run and were strong favourites on the day. Liam Brady’s Celtic side had other ideas.
A much maligned Celtic defence limited the powerful strikeforce of Ally McCoist and Mark Hateley to one strike on goal all afternoon, and even that one was saved comfortably by Gordon Marshall in the Celtic goal, as Celtic extended their unbeaten run to 13 games.
Even now, with this great Celtic side we are getting to witness carve Scottish football up, that’s impressive. For this rather inconsistent to say the least Celtic side, under rookie manager Liam Brady, it was a miraculous run of form.
Brady’s tactics were often criticised, however his decision to swap pace for experience by dropping out Gary Gillespie and replacing him with the youthful Derek Whyte in the centre of defence should be commended. Whyte took the Man of the Match award and fully vindicated Brady’s gamble.
Though Celtic’s defence was uncharacteristically for the time, very solid on the day, the game was won in midfield with Paul McStay running the show from the centre of the park. With rumours abound of the captain’s exit there were requests to put the building of a new stadium on the backburner and use the money to ensure Paul McStay remained at Celtic Park. Not many would have argued after The Maestro’s performance that day at Ibrox?
Even by half-time a Rangers support fully expecting Celtic to be put back in their box were boo-ing their side from the stands. In part due to their own inability to impose their game on Celtic but also because Celtic had gone in at the interval a goal to the good, and it was Rangers defence who looked porous when it happened.
In the 34th minute Celtic right back Chris Morris lofted a pass to Gerry Creaney on the left hand side, Rangers defender Scott Nisbett unbalanced and stretching, couldn’t get the connection on his header he hoped for and as the ball dropped at the edge of the box Charlie Nicholas volleyed the ball home first time, past Goram in the Rangers goal. It was a genuinely world class finish, reminiscent of the Champagne Charlie from his first spell at the club.
Rangers supporter may have expected a half-time rocket would ensure Celtic were under the cosh second half but that wasn’t the case. With a scent of victory in their nostrils Celtic picked up where they left off in the second half.
In the 55th minute McStay turned on the style, picking up the ball with little room for manoeuvre near the touchline, he strode past first Sandy Robertson then Stuart McCall before then getting shaking off Nigel Spackman and releasing a typically cute McStay pass to Gerry Creaney coming in the opposite direction. The creation in tight space was wonderful, it was then matched by Creaney dropping the shoulder and fashioning just the half yard of space he needed to fire a fine low drive past Andy Goram in the Rangers goal to win the game for the Celts.
Celtic’s 2-0 win at Ibrox on this day in 1992 was the First Celtic win at Ibrox since March 1988. A 43,000 crowd and a full Broomloan Road Stand at Ibrox watched a Celtic side consisting of:
Marshall; Morris, Whyte, Mowbray, Boyd; O’Neill, Miller, McStay, Collins; Nicholas, Creaney. (Subs: Galloway for Miller, Coyne for Nicholas.)
Goals: Nicholas (34); Creaney (55)
It was a wonderful and fully deserved win for Celtic. However anyone expecting to pick up their Sunday Mail the following morning and hoping to see Celtic get the plaudits in print, were left disappointed.
‘Celtic Fans Uproar’ was the back page headline as a bitter bluenose press deflected from the Ibrox win and onto the damage of seats at Ibrox. Match reporters Don Robertson and Dexter Blackstock must have owed David Murray a wee favour with that one.
Once again if you are going stir crazy at home. Pour yourself a cuppa and reminisce. A 2-0 win at Ibrox is always worth revisiting.
And if you were at Ibrox that day we’d love to hear from you and we’ll share all the stories with fellow Hoops fans, something that will be useful to keep spirits up in this difficult time for everyone. Stay safe everyone. Email your memories of this game – or indeed any other Celtic related topic, to editor@thecelticstar.co.uk and remember we have a great wee Celtic community over on Celtic Noise – signing up is quick and easy (takes 30 secs), your details are never shared and you’ll be able to join in the conversations straight away. Give it a try.
Niall J
The Day Dundee FC Snatched our Flag – 'So they started Celtic Football Club and they raised the flag up high'…https://t.co/3rqlOiIsU0 @Roberts1521 @CelticFCSLO
— The Celtic Star Editor (@CelticStarMag) March 21, 2020
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