Ten Celtic horror shows for Halloween guaranteed to give you nightmares

The clocks are back and it’s Halloween on Tuesday, a time we’ve come to associate with ghosts and goblins, witches and monsters, and a host of other scary things including, of course, zombies.

But what’s been the Celtic match which most gives our supporters nightmares? What has been the worst game in Celtic’s history? Here’s a selection of ten infamous Celts’ moments. Is one of these the worst, or do you have your own Celtic terror?

1. ARTHURLIE 4-2 CELTIC – 9 January 1897

Long before ‘Super Caley went ballistic’, the early Celts suffered their own Scottish Cup horror show. By the late-1890s, Celtic were a dominant side in Scotland, having won everything there was to win. When they were drawn to play Junior side Arthurlie in the Scottish Cup, it was expected to be a routine victory.

But before the match, problems arose. A players’ strike left Celtic with only seven first team players, and so reserves had to be drafted in. When the match – played at Dunterlie Park in Barrhead – started, the home men had some hopes of causing an upset.

They took the lead and even a Celtic equaliser couldn’t hurt them. By half-time, the score read 2-1 to Arthurlie. It would soon be a lot worse. Twenty minutes into the second half, it was 4-1, and a late Celtic goal did nothing to change the overall result of 4-2. The outcome caused a seismic shock in Scottish football. Indeed, some historians have described it as Celtic’s worst ever result. The only blessing for Celtic fans is that no-one old enough to have witnessed it is still alive!

Continued on the next page…

2. MOTHERWELL 8-0 CELTIC – 30 April 1937

Season 1936-37 was a hugely exciting one for the Bhoys, winning the Scottish Cup (in front of a European record crowd) and the Glasgow Charity Cup. But it also contained an infamous Celtic moment. In the last league game of the season (the Celts finished third), Glasgow’s green-and-whites went to Fir Park. Even with Celtic playing a weakened team, the result was a shock to everyone, not least Motherwell!

The home side went ahead after nine minutes, perhaps not too surprisingly given that Motherwell ended the season only one point behind Celtic. But then came a second, then third and by half-time, the scoreline read 4-0. Things, unfortunately, would not improve, especially as Celtic finished the match with nine men due to injuries.

Motherwell proved that scoring four in one half was no fluke. They repeated this feat in the second period, giving them a huge 8-0 win. This remains Celtic’s all-time record competitive defeat.

Continued on the next page if you dare!

3. DUNDEE 5-1 CELTIC – 19 April 1980

Not just a scary game, more a scary ending to the season. Celtic finished one point behind Aberdeen in the title race, having failed to win half of their final eight games, including three defeats. Playing against a Dundee team that would eventually be relegated, Celtic were confident of a win to get the title quest back on track. Instead, it was a disaster at Dens Park.

It all started so well. Roy Aitken put the Hoops ahead after only seven minutes. Surely the expected easy victory would now happen? Instead, by half-time, Dundee had rallied and led 3-1. And with twenty minutes still to go, it was 5-1 to the Dark Blues and game (and ultimately title hopes) was over. Before the game, a 5-1 score might have been predicted. But the team who lost wouldn’t have been! And so this stands as another very bad day for the Celts.

Continued on the next page…Where more Celtic horrors await!

4. NEUCHATEL XAMAX 5-1 CELTIC – 22 October 1991

The early-1990s were not an auspicious era for Celtic – but even this result manages to stand out as a true low point. Playing in the UEFA Cup, Celtic went to Switzerland in a match that most fans still expected to win. Instead, a collapse of unthinkable proportions took place.

Neuchatel – managed by Roy Hodgson – started well, taking the lead after only nine minutes. General malaise through the entire Celtic team meant that by half-time it was 3-0. Things got even worse on 55 minutes when Hossam Hassan got his hat-trick and Celtic were four behind.

Brian O’Neil’s goal four minutes later gave Celtic some hope, especially in the days of the ‘away goals’ rule. But rather than shutting up shop and fixing things in Glasgow, Hassan got his fourth and it ended 5-1. It proved too big a score to overcome in the second leg and, in many ways, was a shadow that hung over Liam Brady’s remaining two years at the club.

Continued on the next page…where things are just are terrifying…

5. CELTIC 2-2 RAITH ROVERS (Rovers win on penalties) – 27 November 1994

This was supposed to be the match that changed Celtic’s fortunes. The club hadn’t won a trophy for more than five years so when facing First Division Raith Rovers in the League Cup Final, surely only one result was possible.

However, the Fife team hadn’t read the script, taking the lead after 19 minutes. Still, Andy Walker’s 32nd minute equaliser and Charlie Nicholas’ 84th minute strike meant that normal service was surely resumed. Until a defensive horror show let Rovers equalise two minutes later.

No more goals in normal or extra time meant penalty kicks were needed. The rest of course is history, with captain Paul McStay missing the all-important shot which ensured there would be “dancing in the streets of Raith”, but not Glasgow’s east end.

Continued on the next page where our Halloween horror show continues…Can it get even worse? You bet it can..

6. CELTIC 1-3 INVERNESS CALEDONIAN THISTLE – 8 February 2000

Inspiring a still famous newspaper headline, this match proved to the death knell for John Barnes’ time in charge of the club. Celtic’s home draw against Inverness was expected to be a standard victory for the Bhoys. The first sign of problems came when the original game was postponed owing to high winds and stadium problems.

The replayed match was held midweek in front of a less than capacity crowd. Things started badly – ICT lead after 16 minutes – but that seemed to wake up Celtic who equalised a minute later through Burchill. But seven minutes later, a Moravick own goal made it 2-1 to the visitors, the same story at half-time.

Any hopes of the second half bringing improvement were forlorn. Unbeknown to the fans, a half-time fight meant Mark Viduka refused to play in the second half. And when Inverness went 3-1 ahead on 57 minutes, the writing seemed to be on the wall. And so it was for Celtic’s Scottish Cup hopes – and Barnes’ time at the club.

You thought that was bad? Well our Halloween horror show reaches it’s peak on the next page…only the bravest will dare take a peak!

7. MOTHERWELL 2-1 CELTIC – 22 May 2005

The stage was set for another Celtic title, which could then become a Scottish Cup double the following week. Celtic arrived at Fir Park knowing a win would guarantee them the League’s top spot, but also under a shadow as Martin O’Neill was to leave to look after his wife, who was having serious health problems at the time.

29 minutes in and all seemed well when Chris Sutton put the Bhoys in front. Celtic continued to dominate, although worryingly, Gordon Marshall in the ‘Well goal was having a great game. Craig Bellamy in particular should have scored to kill off the game.

But with two minutes left, surely Celtic would see out the match? Sadly, enter a future Celtic hero, Scott McDonald. His equaliser caused panic amongst the Celts who now had to push for a winner (Rangers were winning at Easter Road). And then, of course, McDonald made it a double, and the title was gone. Never was the title ‘Black Sunday’ more aptly applied.

Continued on the next page where there seems to be no end to this Celtic nightmare….

8. ARTMEDIA BRATISLAVA 5-0 CELTIC — 27 July 2005

Just a few months after ‘Black Sunday’, the clouds had not lifted from Celtic. Martin O’Neill had gone – replaced by Gordon Strachan – and still feelings of disappointment remained. But the new boss had the perfect chance to get off to a winning start.

Travelling to Slovakia, this Champions League qualifying match should have been standard fare for Celtic, certainly across two legs. Even at 1-0 down at half-time, there seemed to be little need for worry. That is, until the second half began.

Within 12 minutes, it was 2-0. And just when Celtic needed to defend, the roof caved in as the Bhoys lost three goals in the final 15 minutes. The scoreline of 5-0 was catastrophic in footballing terms, and an insurmountable hurdle. Even a fighting 4-0 win in the second leg couldn’t change things, although raised valid questions about how the first leg disaster had manage to happen.

Still, Strachan’s team soon improved and claimed a League and League Cup double that season. And his European record went on to be very impressive, including two Last-16 appearances in the Champions League.

Continued on the next page with yet another Celtic horror show…

9. LINCOLN RED IMPS 1-0 CELTIC – 12 July 2016

A new wave of hope came over Celtic in the summer of 2016. Brendan Rodgers arrived at the club, intent on taking the Bhoys to the next level. He was to face a Rangers team in their first year in the top league since liquidation and was a genuine ‘big name’.

His first competitive match was little more than a friendly. Playing in a Champions League qualifier, he was away to Gibraltar side Lincoln Red Imps. Their ground looked like a Junior pitch and it was surely only a matter of ‘how many?’ for Celtic. And then came the game.

As the minutes went on, it was difficult to tell who were the part-timers and which side was representing former Kings of Europe. Celtic struggled to create meaningful chances and when the home side took the lead in the second half, it was not a shock based on how the match had been going.

A 1-0 loss to a team including a taxi driver and fireman was up there with Celtic’s most embarrassing moments. But of course it proved to be irrelevant as Celtic won the second leg 3-0, and Rodgers’ team delivered an Invincibles season.

Continued on the next page for the last match in our Halloween horror show…

10. BARCELONA 7-0 CELTIC – 13 September 2016

Even when Celtic’s home European results were something that stood in positive comparison with top Euro sides, the club’s away record remained (and remains) poor. But in pure numbers terms, this stands out as a particular nightmare match.

Celtic had previously done well in 21st century Nou Camp visits, including a Champions League draw and putting Barcelona out the UEFA Cup. And of course, Celtic famously beat Barcelona in 2012. This was to be just as memorable a match, but for very different reasons.

Even after falling behind, some fans still had hopes of achieving a positive outcome – although Moussa Dembele’s penalty miss quickly ended those hopes. And then things became very grim. 2-0, then a third, and fourth and so on until the score read 7-0 to the home team. Celtic’s worst post-war defeat is one that should only be watched whilst hiding behind a couch.

These ten examples are all scorelines and games to scare even the bravest of Celtic fans. Is one of these that one that most terrifies you, or do you have your own Celtic horror match? Please feel free to add to the list of Celtic horror stories in the comments section below.

Matthew Marr

Matthew’s debut Celtic book – The Bould Bhoys Glory to their name which tells the untold story of Celtic first ever league title win was published earlier this year by Celtic Star Books and is available in hardback HERE and also on Amazon Kindle for just £3.49 HERE.  Follow Matthew on X/Twitter @hailhailhistory