| Match Pictures | Matches: 1891 – 1892 | 1887-1900 |
Trivia
- Played on Celtic Park.
- Before 10,000 spectators.
- Defender Mick McKeown was back at Celtic Park, playing for his new club, after his recent transfer from Celtic.
- Blackburn were FA Cup holders.
Review
From a newspaper report from the time
Played at Celtic park before 10,000 spectators. The Celtic, in addition to their ineligible players, were without Maley and McMahon – in all, five of their usual eleven.
The Rovers played with the wind during the first half.
In ten minutes a mistake by Dunbar and duff gave the Rovers a goal. The severe handicap which the loss of their men entailed upon the homesters was early shown in the play.
Celtic scored but were promptly disallowed, to the disgust of the crowd. The Rovers were not showing any superiority. Forbes got hurt and retired.
Celtic played up surprisingly, and against the wind, became aggressors twice. They missed a good chance at the goalmouth.
In thirty-five minutes they equalised amidst a demonstration. The play could not be termed brilliant, the merit lay in the crippled home eleven. The Rovers almost scored before the interval.
Half-time – Celtic, one goal; Rovers, one goal.
The Rovers resumed without Forbes, The Celtic were first to attack, and they had a grand chance under the Rovers' bar. It was got away, but they came again and experienced hard lines.
Rovers then had a good look in but a sturdy watchful defence drove them back, and in the next minute both goals had narrow shaves.
The quality of the play improved. In ten minutes Madden put the home team one up, the Rovers' defenders missing. Celtic were having the best of it, but Forbes' absence helped them.
In twenty minutes Lofthouse equalised for the Rovers and the score seemed to improve their play. They took up the attack, but had again to give up to the homesters. Several hot attacks were made on the visitors stronghold, and corners were conceded in abundance.
Five minutes to time, Celtic again scored.
Result – Celtic, three goals; Rovers, two goals.
Teams
Celtic:-
C Kelly, Reynolds, Hannah, T Dunbar, Kelly, Dowds, Devlin, Cunningham, Madden, Campbell, Coleman.
Goals:- Devlin 35, Madden 55, Madden 85.
Blackburn Rovers:-
Horne, Forbes, McKeown, Harsley(sic), Dewar, Forrest, Lofthouse, Campbell, Southworth, Hall, Walton.
Goals:- Walton 10, Lofthouse 65.
Att:- 10,000.
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
- Match Pictures
Articles
From a newspaper report from the time.
For the first time this season Rovers paid a visit to Glasgow, engaging in a "friendly" with the Celtic at Parkhead. The visitors were strongly represented, but the home team, owing to the decision of the English Association, were deprived of the services of Doyle, McCallum, and Brady. McMahon, Maley, and Duff being unable to turn out, handicapped the crippled team considerably – C Kelly, Hannah, T Dunbar, Coleman, Devlin, and Cunningham, all from the reserves, occupying their respective places.
The ground, notwithstanding the heavy rain which fell the previous day, was in splendid condition, and the weather being all that could be desired, the attendance of spectators numbered fully 10,000.
starting with the sun and wind at their backs, the Rovers went off with great dash, the Celtic being compelled for a time to act entirely on the defence, but the steady play of Reynolds, Dowds, and Kelly, coupled with erratic shooting of the visitors' forwards, enabled them to keep their fortress intact.
Gradually the home forwards set to a nice passing game, and Campbell twice in succession narrowly missed scoring.
Taking full advantage of every opportunity, the Rovers were at last successful in beating Kelly. Walton doing the needful. Shortly after this Forbes met an accident, and had to retire for the remainder of the game.
The game was brimful of excitement, the play of the Celtic forwards being characterised with great dash. Devlin, with a scorcher, placed the teams level, and to the close of this half neither team could claim any superiority, the teams crossing over 1 goal each.
Throughout the second portion the play was a repetition of the first, the attack and defence of both teams being equal. In speed, however, the Englishmen showed up best, Lofthouse, Walton, and Hall fairly electrifying the vast crowd with their speedy runs; whilst the defensive play of McKeown, Dewar, and Forrest was all that could be desired.
With a low, swift shot madden placed the Celts in the ascendancy; but their success was short lived as Lofthouse fairly beat Kelly with a long shot from the right.
Five minutes from time Madden scored the third, and what proved to be the last point of the game, the Celtic being returned winners of as hard a match as ever played on Celtic Park by 3 goals to 2.
Dowds, Reynolds, Madden, Cunningham, and Devlin deserve special mention for their grand play, and in them is due to a great extent the bringing about the downfall of the English Cup Holders