Here is the sixth part of my story for The Celtic Star: “Supporting Celtic from Near and Far.”
1968-69
The 1968-69 Reserve League Cup provided a glorious memory. The sections reflected those for the first teams and we had drawn Rangers, Partick Thistle and Morton but the last named did not run a reserve side at that time.
Celtic Reserves and Rangers Reserves had beaten each other once but were slaughtering the others home and away Rangers more so. On Saturday 24 August Ronnie Simpson had been injured in the home first team tie against Rangers. On the Wednesday evening John Fallon played in goal at Cappielow and then retained the jersey at Firhill on the Saturday.
There had been speculation as to Ronnie’s fitness for that match. Jock Stein explained that he just wanted to be sure that Ronnie was okay before bringing him back to the first team and so as a precaution he would play for the Reserves on that Saturday. My pal John Woods and I wondered about that. Through his dad Pat who worked at Celtic Park John would sometimes have little items of interest. With Rangers Reserves having completed their fixtures (no Morton Reserve team) the position was clear and we had already calculated that the Celtic Reserves had to win by twelve goals to better Rangers Reserves goal average as it was then.
The story was that Jock had told the players, “You will have to win twelve nil on Saturday and to make sure it is nil you are having Simpson.” Of course we will never know but it would have been typical of Jock to pull such a stroke especially if it gave us one over on Rangers.
John and I were at Firhill and were going straight out after the game. We couldn’t wait to buy an evening paper for news, any news, of The Reserves. In those days at the foot of one of the columns on the front page there was usually a report of a few lines with the half time score in the Second Team’s match and we danced for joy when we saw that we had been leading 6-0. We had to wait a day or so for confirmation that we had done what was required. Wonderful! We won that trophy which in many ways was better than the First Team doing the same while winning all 12 matches.
We all know that some football fans are never happy. We can all fall into that category now and again. One of mine was the first leg of the quarter final when we slammed Hamilton 10-0 with five goals each for Stevie Chalmers and Bobby Lennox. On the way home I was still moaning because my hero Joe McBride had failed to score.
Another interesting point is that because of a fire at Hampden Park the League Cup Final had to be postponed until 5 April 1969 which meant that at the end of the season we would create another small piece of history. The early rounds in the European Cup had been superb. A loss 0-2 at St. Etienne caused a little concern but a comprehensive 4-0 victory rectified that position which paired us with Red Star Belgrade on yet one more never to be forgotten night. The story, related so many times, has become legend and rightly so. Particularly in the second half Wee Jimmy was unplayable. To say that he tore the Yugoslavians to shreds would be a major understatement. It is one of the finest memories that I have.
That 5-1 home win plus a 1-1 draw away set up a February meeting with A C Milan. A glorious 0-0 result in the San Siro gave us a great chance for what we hoped would be the completion of the task at home but on 12 March a first half defensive error gifted the Rossoneri the type of opportunity that Italians do not pass up and despite repeated efforts we could not break them down and we were out. Even in those days the top European club competition was totally unforgiving!
After the clean sweep in the League Cup section we opened the championship campaign with a 3-0 victory away to Clyde which was followed by that hammering of Hamilton. Next Rangers came calling with two early goals from the visitors putting us on the back foot. Willie Wallace pulled one back before half time. Rangers went 3-1 up and as he awarded the goal Bobby Davidson, Big Jock’s bête noir and no friend of Celtic, turned to return to the centre of the field with his arms raised and waving in what I can only assume was triumph.
Willie Wallace pulled another back in what had been a pulsating game. As time ticked down we were ruing the disallowing of what earlier had looked like a legitimate goal by Bobby Lennox as well as a huge penalty claim when The Bear was brought down. In a late breakaway, Rangers grabbed a fourth to settle matters. This was our first league defeat in twelve months our last being to the same rivals.
We earned a hard fought point at East End Park, won four in a row and then drew 1-1 at Morton. We were top a point clear of St. Mirren with Rangers a further three places and one point behind as October closed.
In November we won all six league matches scoring 24 and conceding 3. We led Dundee United by two points with Rangers another four places and four points adrift.
December was frustrating despite a comprehensive 5-0 home win over St. Mirren. On icy pitches the other three matches were draws with only one goal scored. We were still top by two points from Dundee United with Rangers a further three places and three points behind.
1969 began well with a 5-0 victory against Clyde at Paradise but disappointment and controversy awaited at Ibrox on 2 January. Possibly Rangers were the better side on the day but Celtic missed an open goal and then Rangers won it with a highly debatable penalty seeming to be very much a case of ball to arm. Although Dundee United had closed the points gap we had a superior goal average and so remained on top with Rangers still three points behind. Three more league victories closed the league action for the month and left us four points clear of Rangers who had a game in hand. Dundee United had dropped away to fifth six points behind us.
The Scottish Cup started at Firhill where we led 2-0 and 3-1 but Thistle would not be denied and in an excellent game fought back and secured a replay with a late Jimmy Bone goal. They paid a price for that as we won the replay 8-1.
The weather in February was atrocious so much so that we only played four matches and three were in midweek. On Saturday 1st we thumped Hearts 5-0. Incidentally, the match programme had a front page photograph of and contained a tribute to chairman Sir Bob Kelly whose knighthood had been announced in the New Year’s honours.
Wednesday 12th saw a goalless cup tie at Shawfield and a week later the visit to Milan mentioned above. Monday 24th brought a 3-0 victory in the cup replay and that was the action for the month. We remained top and in the same position relative to Rangers but Kilmarnock and Dunfermline had managed to play some matches and had moved into 2nd and 3rd spots.
Eight fixtures in March brought two Scottish Cup wins and only one match where we failed to score which, crucially, was the home leg against A C Milan. Five league games yielded four successes, one draw and fifteen goals with three conceded. At the head of the table we had a three point lead over Rangers both having played 28 matches.
April would be crucial. A hard fought victory at Muirton Park was only sealed in the last minute by Harry Hood after St. Johnstone had been two up at half time. On the Saturday we picked up our first silverware of the season slamming Hibs 6-2 in the delayed League cup Final. While that was taking place Dundee United beat Rangers 2-1 to move us five points clear with five games to play.
A 5-2 home win against Falkirk as Aberdeen and Rangers played out a scoreless draw put us 6 points clear with four matches left. The next round of fixtures saw us involved in a very controversial match at home to Airdrie as Rangers beat Morton 3-0 at Ibrox. Tommy Gemmell opened the scoring from the spot after a defender was adjudged to have fouled Jinky. Very debatable! In the second half we threw away two goals due to appalling defending. We battled back and Bobby Lennox equalised on the rebound after the keeper made a fine save. At the end Billy McNeill had the ball in the net but the linesman’s flag cancelled the cheers in another highly debatable incident.
We were five points clear with three games to play and had a very superior goal difference. On Monday 2 April we were at Kilmarnock needing a point to clinch the championship and found ourselves two down at half time as the home side took advantage of the wind on a foul night. An own goal gave us hope as we tried furiously to claw back the deficit. Just when it looked as if we would have to wait for that all important point Tommy Gemmell crashed in a very, very late equaliser to send the fans into ecstasy as they made their way home. (Technically with Rangers having three games remaining they could still catch us points wise but our goal difference was so superior that the title was ours. On the Tuesday night they lost 2-3 at Dundee and so we had confirmation of 4-in-a-row.)
Two trophies in the cabinet and the Scottish Cup Final on Saturday!
It’s funny how perspectives can change over the years. Leading up to the match John Woods and I had reached the conclusion that we were not playing well and so half expected to lose. Looking back now, especially with the benefit of putting all the results in that period immediately prior to the final into the mix, I start to question those thoughts. In April we played five matches before the cup final. We came back from the dead in Perth. We beat Hibs (League Cup Final) and Falkirk comprehensively. In the two draws we fought back to earn a point each time. I have not looked at Rangers’ results in that period too closely. That is not my purpose but they made little in the way of inroads into our lead and so perhaps John and I had overlooked that they were not necessarily firing on all cylinders.
Whatever the truth of the matter Cup Final day had arrived and we were walking into Hampden. With us were my cousin Jim, God rest him, his brother-in-law Mike both originally from Dumfries, two other friends John Kerr and Michael O’Hara (God rest him) and possibly one or two other lads. We won a corner and when Big Billy slammed in a trademark header after about two minutes and we went crazy. This was a battle all right, with many brutal challenges but we were ready.
Just as I was thinking, “Hold this lead until half time,” Bobby Lennox breaks clear on the right with an uninterrupted run on goal. Albeit defenders are chasing and starting to snap at his heels but he is coolness itself as he awaits his moment and slams the ball into the net. Cue delirium! Two up at half time, surely the cup is ours.
We have hardly had time to finish the celebrations when with Rangers having kicked of again we won possession and mounted another attack. The ball went out for a goal kick. Martin in Rangers goal played a short one to Greig who was just on the edge of the box and was looking around presumably deciding what he was going to do with it. George Connolly made that decision for him by nipping in to rob him. Bobby Lennox was cool? Think again! Big George just sidled past the onrushing keeper, turned to face goal and rolled the ball into the empty net. A total eruption of joy!
I grabbed my cousin and screamed, “We’ve won the cup, Jim. We’ve won the cup.” We were all going nuts. Well I thought we were but suddenly I’m looking at John who is looking at Mike who is looking totally despondent. I’m absolutely perplexed but John is the one who twigs and says to Mike, “You’re a Rangers supporter, aren’t you?”
Poor old Mike just nodded his head. Jim hadn’t told us, Mike had kept quiet and we had just assumed that he was a Celtic fan. He is a lovely guy but it certainly did not stop us celebrating all through halt time, the second half, the presentation and long into the night. For days afterwards too if I am being honest! I still keep in touch with Mike. He will resurface in 1996-97.
A second treble in three years! Utterly amazing!
That other small piece of history? When we achieved the treble we won the three domestic competitions in the same month. The first time that had been done. Bhoy do we love creating records!!
I looked forward to as much of this as my beloved Celtic could provide but as late Spring turned to Summer I had no inkling that in three months time I would be supporting from afar having moved to Manchester.
DidsburyCelt
11/06/2018
