The game itself was not the story here, an instantly forgettable 0-0 draw on a freezing, cold night overshadowed by an incredible show of support from the 10,000 Celtic fans in the Clock End, making up around half of the Highbury crowd paying tribute to the Irish defender.
There was a bizarre moment the following morning, in that well-known Hoops haunt the Blochairn Inn, better known as the Budgie, in Garngad’s Fruit Market. Having travelled back to Glasgow overnight, the Wolfe Tones were given a brief break whilst the Troops descended on the Budgie for a breakfast pint. Whilst waiting to be served, I was asked by the barmaid to remove the Arsenal scarf I was still wearing, presumably to avoid upsetting any Spurs fans in the pub at that time. I guess there are football colours and football colours, however, it gave us all a laugh at the time.
The feel good factor from Highbury continued over the coming weeks, a strong second-half showing at Tannadice producing an excellent 3-0 win, John Weir scoring his only first-team goal whilst next-door neighbours Nicholas and Duffy shared the substitutes’ bench, as a degree of revenge for the League Cup reverse was taken.
Narrow victories at Firhill and at home to Hearts and Airdrie followed, attendances at all three games being worryingly in the 12-14,000 category, despite Celts clawing back to within a point of Aberdeen at the top of the table.
The final match of 1980 featured the top two at Pittodrie, a sell-out festive crowd of 24,000 watching as the defending champions blew Celtic away with an attacking performance which produced three goals without reply by the early moments of the second half.
That man Strachan then inflicted his own personal dose of pain, earning then converting a penalty for 4-0, before Nicholas gave the noisy and faithful Celtic support something to cheer at least on the day, with a consolation goal. It was not a happy bus on the long journey home, as we contemplated Celtic’s position at the end of a long, dark day. Now three points behind having played a game more, it seemed a forlorn hope that the flag would be flying above the Jungle come the summer.
However, as the old song goes, night is darkest just before the dawn…
