On 26 April 1969, in the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden, Rangers were well and truly put to the sword as Celtic beat them 4-0. Billy McNeill scores with a header in the first few minutes, Bobby Lennox and George Connelly score before half time, then Steve Chalmers puts the final nail in the coffin.
It was a rough, unpleasant game of football as Jim Craig has already referred to on The Celtic Star, but Celtic rose above all provocation and they had now won the Scottish Cup 20 times.
“Jim Callaghan was the referee for the occasion and he had plenty to do as, to be perfectly blunt, the tackling was intimidating if not downright brutal,” the Lisbon Lion recalled.
“In the morning’s sporting press, more than one correspondent had tipped Rangers for a surprise win and this rankled with us, every player determined to ram such prognostications down the oppositions’ throats.
“We got off to a perfect through a Billy McNeill goal in 2 minutes, followed by two more by Bobby Lennox (44) and George Connelly (45), which put us 3-up at half time, it was the happiest dressing room I was ever in at a cup final,” Jim Craig remembered about that half-time Hampden breather.
“The Boss impressed on us that Rangers would come back but we were very confident and just refused to let that happen. Another solo effort by Stevie Chalmers in 76 minutes wrapped the game up and everyone connected with Celtic could start the celebrations.”
Some Rangers fans – Scotland’s Shame – tried to get the game stopped when it is 4-0 for Celtic.
The Trivia points for this Cup Final win on The excellent Celtic Wiki include the following:
*Celtic seal the treble in emphatic style! They have now won the three domestic trophies in the space of 28 days.
*Referee Jim Callaghan used a new 50 pence coin to use at the toss. Sports mimister Denis Howells allowed the new coin to be used even although it would not become legal tender for another 6 months.
*Rangers were strong favourites having demolished Aberdeen 6-1 in the semi-finals so this was not expected to be as one-sided as it became.
*Jimmy Johnstone and John Hughes were missing and Harry Hood was cup tied. Hughes had recovered from his ankle injury but was not match fit. Jimmy Johnstone was suspended (for two weeks) having picked up three yellow cards during the season.
*Celtic’s first win in a Scottish Cup Final over Rangers since 1904. Rangers first Scottish Cup Final defeat since 1930.
*Rangers so confident they had arranged a post match party at Ibrox with accordian bands….it was cancelled afterwards.
*Newspapers report that 200 arrested during and after the match after Rangers fans tried to invade the park at 4-0.
*Celtic fans were criticised in the press for booing during the pre match national anthem (God save the Queen) and waving Irish flags throughout it’s duration.
*At the end of the game the jubilant Celtic players ‘presented’ goalkeeper John Fallon to the supporters in view of his tremendous performance in goals.
*In the 1971 film, Dulcima, John Mills, for no plot reason, sits watching the goals from this game on the tv news. The Director must have been a Celtic man!
The final score was Celtic 4 Rangers 0.
The teams on this day at the 1969 Scottish Cup Final were as follows:
Celtic; Fallon, Craig, Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill, Brogan, Connelly, Chalmers, Wallace, Lennox, Auld.
Rangers; Martin, Johansen, Mathieson, Greig, McKinnon, Smith, Henderson, Penman, Ferguson, Johnston, Persson.
Didn’t know that about John Mills! Some game that one, though!