Scottish Cup Final Classics – “I would love to see Celtic v Dunfermline in 1965,” David Potter

It wasn’t the worst half hour I’ve ever spent watching this excellent game of football and listening to Tam Cowan, Stuart Cosgrove, Stephen Thomson and Michael Stewart talk about it.

As I predicted, Tam got his dig in about “family” and the managers being brothers, but at least did not say that it was the first such Cup Final. Maybe I missed it, but Stuart Cosgrove never got an answer to his question about the hoardings which said things like Dundee United v St.Johnstone. Why?

The flow of the game was good with Motherwell 3-1 up, then United taking it back to 3-3 just after the 90 minutes had gone, and then Motherwell scoring early in extra time. It was good entertainment, and how I winced at that knock that Ally Maxwell picked up which apparently ruptured his spleen. It was a heroic Cup final performance to rival that of Bert Trautmann in the English Cup final in 1956 who played on with a broken neck!

So Motherwell won their second Scottish Cup and Dundee United kept losing Cup finals, so much so that their supporters produced a fanzine called “The Final Hurdle”, (which was where they kept falling until they beat Rangers in 1994). Sadly quite a few have departed this vale of tears since that game – Phil O’Donnell, Davie Cooper, Jim McLean and a few others. RIP gentlemen!

And so who will we get next week? My guess will be St Johnstone v Dundee United in 2014, for it will be on the eve of this year’s final and of course, St Johnstone are in it. Not only that, but Stuart Cosgrove is a Saints fan. At least that game was at Celtic Park. For myself, I would love to see Celtic v Dunfermline in 1965, but we don’t always get what we want, do we?

David Potter

About Author

I am Celtic author and historian and write for The Celtic Star. I live in Kirkcaldy and have followed Celtic all my life, having seen them first at Dundee in March 1958. I am a retired teacher and my other interests are cricket, drama and the poetry of Robert Burns.

1 Comment

  1. was there with my dad [dave kenny the baker] you knew well.
    at final whistle said to him ” will we go now” he said wait to see them get the cup.
    i was in tears whe billy lifted the cup. knew i was a celtic supporter for life then.
    best wishes cmoon the loons