| Match Pictures | Matches: 1887 1888 1889 | 1887-1900 |
Trivia
- “Friendly” match played on Easter Road, Edinburgh.
- Before 3,000 spectators.
- The game was held up in the second half when several hundred Hibernian supporters got on to the field and surrounded the Celtic players.
- Celtic’s first ever match in Edinburgh
Review
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Teams
Hibernian:-
Cox, McPhee, Brown, Clifford, McGhee, Cavanagh, Black, Kirkwood, Clark, Mulvey, Mularvie.
Celtic:-
Dunning, McLaughlin, McKeown, Gallagher, Kelly, W Maley, McCallum, Coleman, Groves, Dunbar, O’Connor.
Goals:- Coleman 10, Dunbar, Dunbar 40.
Att:- 5000
Ref:- Mr Muirhead (Edinburgh Football Association)
Articles
- Match Reports (See Below)
Pictures
- Match Pictures
Articles
Edinburgh Evening News 22nd October 1888
Glasgow Herald 22nd October 1888
The Hibernians received a visit from the Celtic. The fact that a large majority of the members of the Glasgow team formerly belonged to the Hibernians caused a considerable amount of interest to be attached to the match, and there was consequently a large gathering of spectators.The Glasgow team, although including a number of Hibernian old favourites, was coldly received, while the newly-constituted Hibernian team was accorded a warm reception.
The play generally was of a very scrambling nature. In the first half the Celtic scored three goals, the contributors being Coleman and Dunbar (2).
In the second half although the Glasgow team did most of the pressing, there was no further scoring, and the game resulted in favour of the Celtic by 3 goals to 0.
At the commencement of the second half the crowd broke into the field, owing to a dispute at the goal, and delayed the game for some time.
From newspaper reports from the time.
Report 1
There was a large attendance at Easter Road to witness the first meeting between the Glasgow Celtic and the Hibernians. When the Celtic men – the majority of whom are old Hibernian players – appeared on the field, it was at once apparent from the demeanour of the crowd that their desertion from the ranks of the Edinburgh club was not looked upon with anything like friendly feelings.
The newly constituted Hibernian team was, on the other hand, warmly received. As the game progressed and the excitement increased the Hibernians were greeted in terms the reverse of complimentary. Such choice expressions as “Renegade”, “Judas”, and “Deserter” being freely levelled at heads of players who used to be prime favourites on the Easter Road ground. At one period of the game the crowd broke into the field, and some apprehension existed regarding the safety of the Celtic men.
It may be noticed that McLaren, the old captain of the Hibernian, was conspicuous by his absence.
The result was a win for the Celtic by three goals to nothing, after a very poor exhibition of football.
Report 2
When the circumstances leading to the formation of the Celtic Club are remembered, it is not to be wondered at, that their meeting at Easter Road caused so much excitement among the Hibernian’s supporters. Although the first appearance in Edinburgh of a club like the Celtic would in ordinary circumstances, have attracted a large crowd, the numerous counter-attractions reduced the gate to 5000. McLaren and T Maley were absent from the ranks of the Celtic, their places being taken by W Maley and Connor of the Vale of Leven Hibernians respectively. The home club had a rather mixed team, but they made a fairly creditable appearance, considering that they were only beaten by three goals to nil. The Celtic were coldly received on entering the field, there being a few hisses and groans. They were attired in white cricket shirts, with green collars and badge on the right breast. At 3:35 the Celtic kicked off to the pavilion end. After a lot of scrambling play in mid-field, Groves got away, but McPhee returned finely. Gallagher and Clark had a tussle, the excitement being intense. McKeown placed a free kick grandly, but McGhee kicked out. The latter passed out finely to his left wing, but McLaughlin headed away smartly. McCallum made a good run and centred nicely, but Connor headed past. Connor put in a nice shot just afterwards, but no one was up, and the ball bounded over. The visitors’ forwards came back again, and, from a clever centre by Connor, Coleman scored the first goal after ten minutes’ play. The point was received in silence. After this the home forwards got up, and from a long try dunning was called on for the first time. The ball was skied in front of the goal and headed past by one of the defenders. From the corner kick, Mack sent in a good shot, which Dunning fisted out. McPhee then pulled up the Celtic right wing in brilliant fashion, but they came back again, and from a centre of McCallum’s, Cox gave a corner. This was fruitless, but Kelly gave McCallum a nice pass, which enabled the latter to give Dunbar a chance, which was taken. A claim for offside was disallowed, and the centring of the ball was followed by loud booing. The Hibernian right wing made a good run, but Mulvay shot past. Groves got away with a rush down the centre and looked like doing something sensational, but Brown took the ball from his toes. This feat was received with deafening applause, which was renewed when Kirkwood sent in a beauty, which missed by inches. Groves ran the ball right up to Cox, who kicked it away, while just afterwards the same player saved a grand shot from McCallum. From a corner kick, five minutes from half-time, Dunbar popped the ball through for the third time. There was no more scoring up to half-time, when the score was:- Celtic, three goals; Hibernians, nil.
McCallum looked like getting away at the start of the second half, but he fouled the ball, the free kick was returned, and McPhee headed out the shot, while just afterwards, Cox saved a daisy cutter, Clark got it away, but found McLaughlin a stumbling block. McCallum had the goal at his mercy from a cross of Dunbar but he made a bad miss. Clark and Mulvey came away on the left, and Clark bowled over McLaughlin, while Mulvay centred. The ball, however, was headed out, but a free kick to the home team followed right in front of goal. No advantage accrued, although McGhee made a good effort. Clark and Mulvey gave McLaughlin a lot of trouble and gained a corner. This however, was fruitless, but another followed just afterwards. This was after fifteen minutes play, but before the corner could be kicked; some disturbance took place in the crowd at the back of Dunning’s charge. In a few minutes several hundred people had swarmed into the field and it seemed improbable that the game would be resumed. Each of the Celtic players was surrounded by a crowd, but after about eight minutes’ interruption the ground was cleared and the game resumed. Clark made a run down the left and the ball cannoned off McLaughlin, but dunning saved. The Celtic got a free kick in front of the home goal, but Cox saved finely. The Hibernian began to show improved form with Clark on the left, but the forwards did not lie far enough down the field. Again the home team were compelled to act on the defensive, and Cox twice saved shots from Coleman. From a long shot McLaughlin his kick, and Maley skied the ball right in front of goal. None of the home forwards, however, were up, and Dunning got the ball away. Thirty five minutes from the start of the second half the whistle, to the surprise of the onlookers, sounded time. Arrangements had been made, it appeared, that the full time should not be played, although the Hibernians were averse to this.