Five days later, Celtic returned to Prague, to the adopted home of Johnny Madden, the revered ‘Father of Czech football’, who had revolutionised the game with Slavia, in the opening decades of the century, after appearing in the first-ever episodes of Celtic Football Club in 1888.
The game took place on the Tuesday afternoon, an unseasonably cold day for the most vital game in our history, a place in the Final of the European Cup at stake.
It was a third Semi-final in four seasons for Celtic in continental competition, both having previously ended in disappointment, at the hands of MTK Budapest and Liverpool. But in front of a noisy Juliska crowd, this would be our day. A defensive approach from Stein, as unusual as it was necessary, took the sting out of the early Dukla pressure, Simpson making some crucial saves to defy the Czech forwards. Celtic gradually settled into the game, occasionally hitting on the break themselves, primarily through lone striker Chalmers.
With fifteen minutes remaining, Johnstone revived his Nantes cameo, dragging defenders across the pitch as their legs tired and their spirits sank. The Swiss referee finally blew for time, the cue for an eruption of joy from the Celtic bench. There were iconic scenes, which remain fresh in the memory, more than fifty years later, Tommy Gemmell hoisting Jinky aloft, both wearing the distinctive red-and-yellow Dukla jersey, which would become a cult-purchase in the next Millennium. I know…I was that Santa!
Editor’s Note – Tommy had this photograph on his wall until he died and regarded it as one of his most cherished possessions.
As the news filtered home, the reality of the moment would take some time to sink in…Celtic would play in the European Cup Final in Lisbon, the greatest show on earth, the following month. Our opponents that day were as yet unclear, as the second leg of the other Semi-final would take place the following day. As things stood, Herrera’s Inter Milan, twice World Club Champions in the previous three years and Quarter-final conquerors of the six-time winners and current holders, Real Madrid, had been surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw in the San Siro by Bulgarian champions, CSKA Sofia.
The Celtic team in Prague
That could wait for now. In the meantime, we had a Scottish Cup Final date with Aberdeen to look forward to at the weekend, and we were a point away from claiming a second successive League title.
It was a very special time for those with Celtic in their hearts
Hail, hail!
Matt Corr
