Morning of the Match
It is always amazing what football players can learn from the papers. In that Wednesday’s offerings, we all found out that the injury suffered by John Hughes against Rangers would keep him out of the Stirling match. We all knew that the big guy had received a knock but the decision to keep him out would have been taken later on the Tuesday afternoon, by which time we had all left for home. That would be good news for either Stevie or Charlie.
When we reported for the match in the last afternoon, we discovered that another guy was out! This time it was Bobby Lennox, with a heavy cold. Even better news for Stevie and Charlie. I quite enjoyed the time before the team was read out, as I suspected that I was the only one of the players who knew that I was the sub. And, to my delight, when the eleven was read out and then my name added as sub, I got a smile from more that a few faces in the dressing room. I could not wait to get stripped and ready for action….but would I get a chance?
The Teams
Celtic:
Simpson, Gemmell, O’Neill, Murdoch, McNeill, Clark, Johnstone, Gallagher, McBride, Chalmers, Auld. Sub: Craig
Stirling:
Murray, Cunningham, Caldow, Reid, Rogerson, Thomson, Kerray, McKinnon McGuiness, Peebles, Symington. Sub:Orr
The Play
There was a tremendous roar from the crowd of around 21,000 as the League Cup was paraded round the ground with the ball boys doing the honours. And the excitement never let up as the guys went on to score 6 in the first half.
The first came in 6 minutes from Jinky, who got his head on to a cross from Chopper; then we got another three, through Joe (13 mins), Stevie (18) and Bertie (24). One minute later, though, I got the chance I had been waiting for. Charlie went down after a challenge and was helped off the field; I was waved on. Boy, did I feel good and Jinky, like a real pal, gave me a nice couple of passes to get me into the game.
We continued to fire on all cylinders and got another two before the interval – through Joe and Stevie ; although the Binos also pulled one back when Tam deflected a shot by McGuiness past Ronnie.
“Just keep going” was all the Boss said at the interval and we did in the second half but as so often happens at a time like that, the goals did not come, even if the drive and commitment were still there. We got one more – Joe getting his hat-trick in 48 minutes – but they also had two breakaways and scored in both of them, though Reid ( 65) and Kerray (87).
Final Score Celtic 7 Stirling Albion 3
I was happy at getting on for nearly 70 minutes and was equally pleased with my performance. I felt that I had fitted into the team pattern well and got a couple of good runs in. The problem was, though, that when you are 7-1 or 7-2 up, everyone wants to get involved in the action and chances are taken that would normally be undertaken in a closer match.
Still, I did not do my chances any harm and it would be interesting to see if I had created a problem for the Boss as regards team selection.
Good Night/Reasonable Night in Europe
Over at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock were in action in a Fairs Cup second round second leg tie against Antwerp. 1-0 up from the first leg, Killie thrashed the Belgian visitors 7-2 to go through on an 8-2 aggregate.
In Holland, West Bromwich Albion drew 1-1 with DOS Utrecht in a second round first leg tie in the Fairs Cup.
Early Present
Almost 1500 children had an early Christmas treat today when they were present at a special breakfast with Santa Claus at Lewis’s store in Argyle Street. Two sittings had to be arranged to cope with the numbers in two of the restaurants.
Cheers resounded round the store as Santa made his entrance.
Disaster
The floods, landslides and violent winds which ravaged north and central Italy for the past two days began to recede today, leaving at least 31 dead and hundreds injured.
:Pisa, near the mouth of the overflowing Arno river, was partially flooded but the Arno did its worst damage further inland at Florence.
The White Stuff
Snow lay deep over wide areas of America after the blizzards, which caused 32 deaths in 6 states.
Snowdrifts 4 feet deep were reported in Michigan and parts of Kentucky were under a 15-inch snow blanket.