Willie Henderson fit for final – Daily Record
In the papers on the eve of the final, the headlines caught the eye;-
Willie Henderson Will Play
The good news for Rangers fans was that their right-winger had recovered from his muscle injury and would definitely play in the final. The not so good news was that George McLean was still having pain from his ankle and would miss out.
Celtic Stick By Their Semi-Final Heroes
Odds Favour Celtic………
…….if they can stop ‘Touchline Terrors’
The report which followed this headline tended to suggest that the wingers for Rangers – Willie Henderson and Willie Johnston – would be too hard to handle for Celtic fullbacks Tam Gemmell and Ian Young. If Rangers fed their wide players, then they would do some damage and that would be the best way for the Light Blues to best use their possession.
However, the journalist also warned that he expected things to be tight and that the watching public should not expect to see too many goals.
Problems at Parkhead
There might have been a big match due at Hampden the following day but for the reserve side, the more crucial moment came that Friday night at Parkhead, when Dundee were the visitors for the second team’s 12th league match of the season.
I never actually spoke to them about it but for two of our named team at least – John Divers and Bertie Auld – it must have been quite a galling experience. With the amount of senior matches the two of them had under their belts, they must have been hoping for a place in the first team the following day. Instead, they would have to play before a crowd of only a few hundred and try to put their disappointment behind them. The absence of Steve Chalmers, who had been in our side the previous two games, was noted by the team and we wondered if there was a sudden doubt about the fitness of one of the first-team forwards on the eve of the match.
The side was;
John Kennedy, Jim Craig, Frank McCarron, Davie Cattenach, John Cushley, Jim Brogan, George Connelly, Jimmy Quinn, Henry Quinn, John Divers and Bertie Auld.
Now, whether it was a lack of concentration, too much thinking about the match the following day, or perhaps under-estimating the opposition, I am not sure but I can say with some certainty that we were awful on the night and lost by a single goal. As it was our first defeat of the season, you can imagine afterwards that the dressing-room was like a morgue, with the players as quiet as mice and the coaching staff going about with faces like stone. To make it worse, the Boss had been there and I could imagine him mentally putting a black mark against everybody’s name. I had been hoping for an invite to be in the main party for the final and get another of those great bus trips across the city but after that performance ( although, and I must whisper this, I actually played well ) no invitations were forthcoming!
The 8 Just Men Play Watchdog
‘8 men will be in the Centre Stand tomorrow at Hampden – on a special mission at the League Cup Final.
All are magistrates, instructed to keep a special watch on the Old Firm fans’.
Top of the Tops – Friday 22nd October 1965
1 Tears….Ken Dodd
2 Almost There….Andy Williams
3 Eve of Destruction……Barry McGuire
4 If you Gotta go, Go Now…….Moody Blues
5 Hang on Sloopy…..The McCoys