Morning of the Match
This match was a much-anticipated contest in all the dailies that Saturday morning. One of them published a headline which summed up the Celtic management’s attitude to the clash with the Pars ;-
Celtic Respect the Fifers
Celtic had every reason to do that. When Jock Stein took over the East End Park in the late 1950s, he rejuvenated the whole place, won the Scottish Cup, took the club into Europe and generally made Dunfermline a difficult team to cope with. And those who followed the Celtic Boss as manager maintained that standard. At this stage of the 1966-67 season for instance, the Pars were lying 5th in the table and were dangerous opponents – especially at home.
As the players arrived at Celtic Park for the trip to Fife, the reserve guys, like myself, were having a pre-match meal at home before making the journey to the ground for that afternoon’s match against the Pars’ reserves. I suppose you could say that many a player would be pleased to get a game for Celtic’s reserve side but frankly, if you have been lucky enough to pull on a first-team jersey, I am afraid that the lesser game just does not match up at all. Indeed, all during that afternoon’s encounter at Parkhead, while my physical energies would be fully committed to the cause of the reserve sidea, at the same time, my thoughts would inevitably stray – fairly frequently – to how things were going at East End Park. And particularly how the fullbacks were doing?
The Teams
Dunfermline: Martin, W Callaghan, Totten, Thomson, McLean, Barry, Fleming, Paton, Delaney, Ferguson, Robertson. Sub: Hunter
Celtic: Simpson, Gemmell, O’Neill, Murdoch, McNeill, Clark, Johnstone, Chalmers, McBride, Auld, Lennox. Sub: Gallagher
The Play
Many regular supporters that I have spoken to over the years have told me that this was one of the most exciting games during that season. And when you consider all the other good moments that occurred that season, then that is quite a compliment. As I was, of course, involved in the reserve game at Celtic match, I have merely used the reports in the papers to give an idea of the action.
The start was delayed for 12 minutes to allow the crowd of around 22,000 and when the match did get underway, it was the Pars who looked the likelier side;
31 Minutes: a fine burst of speed down the right wing by Alex Ferguson gave him the chance to send over a good cross, which Robertson knocked in. 1-0 Pars
33 Minutes: a bouncing ball in the penalty area was not cleared by the Celtic defence and Delaney raced in to score. 2-0 Pars
34 Minutes: this time it was the Dunfermline defence who looked a bit static and Bobby Murdoch was there to slide the ball home. 2-1 Pars
38 Minutes: a long ball through the Celtic defence and Paton was quickest to it to beat Ronnie. 3-1 Pars
43 Minutes: A strong shot by Bobby Lennox was blocked by keeper Martin, the ball broke free and Jimmy Johnstone was there to pull another one back. 3-2 Pars
And that was the score at the interval. Right from the whistle at the re-start, Celtic came out blazing but ironically, it was Dunfermline who went further ahead;
48 Minutes: .a low ball was swept across the Celtic penalty area from the right; three defenders all appeared to leave it to each other and Alex Ferguson reacted quickest to prod the ball home. 4-2 Pars
67 Minutes: Bertie Auld tried a quick shot and it went through the Pars defence and hit a post before going into the net. 4-3 Pars
69 Minutes: A strong run and a powerful shot from Joe McBride. 4-4
From this point on, both sides were giving their all but it appeared to everyone present that Celtic were the side with more stamina. Just when it looked like a draw would be the outcome, though, a shot from Stevie Chalmers was flicked over the bar by Roy Barry but unfortunately, he used his hand and a penalty was awarded.
Up stepped Joe McBride and he made no mistake to give Celtic a wonderful 5-4 victory in an absorbing match.
Full Time Dunfermline 4 Celtic 5
Reserve Match
Back at Celtic Park, the Reserve side were beating Dunfermlines Reserves by 3 goals to 2. The team was Bent Martin, Ian Young, Jim Brogan, Davie Cattenach, John Cushley, Davie Hay, John Taggart, George Connelly, Jimmy Quinn, Jim Craig, Sammy
Henderson. No, I wasn’t playing up front, I was at centre-back alongside Wilbur Cush. Our goals were scored by Sonny Henderson, Cush and a penalty from Davie Catt.
In the Pars side was ex-Celt, Hugh Maxwell; six years later, Hugh and I would be up against each other in South Africa, he with Port Elizabeth and me with Hellenic of Cape Town.
Other Results
| Aberdeen |
5 |
– |
2 |
Partick Thistle |
| Clyde |
1 |
– |
0 |
Airdrie |
| Dundee |
2 |
– |
1 |
Hibs |
| Hearts |
4 |
– |
0 |
St. Mirren |
| Kilmarnock |
3 |
– |
0 |
Falkirk |
| Motherwell |
1 |
– |
1 |
Dundee United |
| Rangers |
4 |
– |
0 |
Ayr United |
| Stirling Albion |
2 |
– |
1 |
St. Johnstone |
Good Win
The touring Australian international rugby team beat a combined Glasgow/Edinburgh select by 18 points to 11 at Hughenden in Glasgow.
Cleared
A 42-year-old man wept as a court cleared him of the 12-year-old murder of his wife, a crime for which he has spent 9 years in prison.
The jury of 7 men and 5 women at the re-trial at Cleveland, Ohio took 12 hours to find osteopath Sam Sheppard innocent of bludgeoning his pregnant wife Marilyn to death.
Double Your Money
A motion was put forward in the Commons by Mrs Renee Short, Labour MP for Wolverhampton North East and other back-benchers, deploring the increase of 100% – from £15,000 to £30,000- in Prince Charles’ income now he is 18.
Morning of the Match
Celtic: