'Rudi Vata, the first Albanian player to wear the Hoops, scored, on this day in 1994,' Jim Craig

On 5 March 1994, Celtic had beaten St Johnstone 1-0 in Perth in a Premier Division match.

It was first game of what would be called the ‘Fergus McCann’ era.

24 hours later, on this day in 1994, a Celtic squad, under the leadership of manager Lou Macari, travelled to the west coast of Ireland to face Sligo Rovers – at that time managed by ex-Celt Willie McStay – in a friendly at Showgrounds.

The Celtic eleven was Pat Bonner, Mark McNally, Mike Galloway, Gary Gillespie, Lee Martin, Paul Byrne, Brian O’Neill, Paul McStay, Wille Falconer, Rudi Vata and Wayne Biggins.

8,000 turned up for the occasion and Celtic won 1-0, the goal coming from the first Albanian player to wear the Hoops – Rudi Vata.

Jim Craig

LISTEN TO SIMON WEIR ON THE CELTIC STAR PODCAST: A CELTIC STATE OF MIND:

‘Rudi Vata, the first Albanian player to wear the Hoops, scored, on this day in 1994,’ Jim Craig

{{title}}