Jock Stein took charge of Celtic for the first time as manager at Airdrie on this day in 1965, and things would never be the same again. The Celtic Rising was underway and while no-one at the time realised it, we were on the road to Lisbon…
ON THIS DAY 10TH MARCH 1965
Celtic cruise to a 6-0 league win at Airdrie in Jock Stein’s first game as Bhoys https://t.co/RXbR3luQdK future Lisbons Lions in the team line-up – Gemmell, Clark, McNeill, Chalmers, Murdoch, Lennox, Auld.
Bertie Auld scored 5 goals. ☘️☘️ pic.twitter.com/AKsyUihkKu— Willie Collow (@CollowWillie) March 10, 2023
Here’s how the papers reported on Jock Stein’s first match as Celtic manager…
WATCH THE CELTS AND SEE CLASS!
‘Now new Celtic manager Jock Stein knows all the good reports about Bertie Auld’s form since his return from England are perfectly true. With Jock on the trainer’s bench watching his first game as manager of Celtic, Bertie turned in a five-star, five-goal display in the 6-0 rout of Airdrie in the postponed game at Bloomfield last night.
To Airdrie’s credit it must be said they played 44 minutes of the second half with only 10 men after right back Paul Jonquin, injured in the first half, retired with damaged knee ligaments.
‘When Jonquin left the field Celtic were leading 2-0, Hughes and Auld having scored in the first half.
After the restart Auld really went to town – scoring four goals, two of them from the penalty spot. The smiles on the faces of Bertie Auld and manager Stein as they entered the dressing-room after the game were as wide as the difference between the teams in finishing power.
‘Airdrie, even with their ranks depleted, played neat football. But it was football without punch. An Auld head in the Airdrie team might have paid off. Certainly the hard-shooting Bertie is Celtic’s trump card these days. Now Jock has watched his team win their first game since the new management sign went up and there are many more victories to come for this crest-of-the-wave outfit,’ Peter Hendry, Evening Times, 11 March, 1965.
FIVE AULD GOALS FOR CELTIC
‘One of the biggest crowds at Broomfield this season saw Celtic run Airdrieonians into the ground, Auld scoring five of their goals.
Jonquin, injured in collision with Hughes just before half time, resumed on the left wing but was forced to retire after only two minutes of the second half, which increased Airdrie’s troubles. Once or twice in the first half Ferguson looked dangerous on Airdrie’s right wing. One of his passes led to a near miss by McMillan.
‘Not until 25 minutes had elapsed did Hughes open Celtic’s account. Earlier, Samson had smothered an Auld header on the goal line, but he had no chance with a 25-yarder from Auld after 41 minutes. Before half time Auld headed home Celtic’s third and lennox had the ball in the net but was ruled offside. Auld’s third goal came after 62 minutes, and he added two more from penalties after 82 and 86 minutes. Lennox was the player brought down on both occasions,’ Glasgow Herald, 11 March 1965.
The Celtic team that played Airdrie on this day in 1965 was Fallon; Young, Gemmell; Clark, McNeill, Brogan; Chalmers, Murdoch, Hughes, Lennox, Auld.
David Potter’s outstanding book – The Celtic Rising ~1965: The Year Jock Stein Changed Everything tells the story of how Jock Stein set about turning Celtic from also rans in Scottish football into the Champions of Europe in just over two years, with seven of the team starting in Lisbon on 25 May 1967 coming from the team that beat Airdrie in Jock Stein’s first match in charge of Celtic on this day in 1965….
The Celtic Rising ~ 1965: The Year Jock Stein Changed Everything
David Potter’s bestseller The Celtic Rising ~ 1965: The Year Jock Stein Changed Everything is available now in print on Celtic Star Books, and also on Amazon kindle, links below…
