Tonight it’s Top v Bottom as Hearts visit Celtic Park, just like April Fools Day 1981

IT’S TOP versus bottom in the Scottish Premiership this evening when Hearts are the visitors to Celtic Park. I remember being in the Jungle in the early 1980s – 1 April 1981 actually – and Celtic thrashed Hearts 6-0 with the Jungle signing “April Fools, April Fools, April Fools…Hearts I think were bottom of the league then too, oh and they stayed there and got relegated.

This was Celtic’s highest ever victory over Hearts until December 2013 when we beat them 7-0 at Tynecastle.

Celtic might not hit Hearts for six this evening (although it would be nice, Bhoys!) as that exciting Celtic team in 1981 did, or seven as the 2013 Hoops managed through at their place, but five would do nicely.

The Celtic team that April Fools night was

Bonner

McGrain, McAdam, Aitken, Reid

Sullivan, MacLeod, Burns

Provan, McGarvey, McCluskey

Subs – Conroy, Nicholas (coming back from injury)

Scorers were McCluskey 23 pen, 48, MacLeod 62, 75, McGarvey 29, Provan 24. The crowd was just 13,300 although arithmetic was never a strong point for the old board. This was a fine Celtic side.

Let’s assume that the Celtic team this evening is 3-5-2 and looks like this., ie the same side that won so convincingly at Motherwell last Wednesday night.

Forster

Simunovic Ajer Jullien

Forrest, Ntcham, Brown, McGregor, Taylor

Edouard, Griffiths

And since there were only two subs in 1981 let’s include Christie and Rogic for tonight’s bench.

I wonder how the Celtic team listed above would do against this Celtic team from 1981?

Your task is to email us your combined team from these two sets of Celtic teams from the class of 1981 and 2020 and – email us your choice of 13 names please!

Anyone else remember that game? Please Tell us about it. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk and we’ll do a feature on these this later this afternoon before heading to game.

Here’s a match report from that Top versus Bottom Celtic v Hearts match from April fools Day 1981.

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About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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