| Match Pictures | Matches: 1952 – 1953 | 1952-53 Pictures |
Trivia
- See the relevant linked page for details of the Coronation Cup
- The game was played at Hampden in excellent weather and played under rules which would see extra time in the event of a draw and a replay if there was still no outcome with the replay continuing until there was a score.
- Arsenal came to Hampden as champions of the English League; Joe Mercer their captain, had stated that he was to retire from the game as a player and these wouyld be his last full time games.
- In the other game at Ibrox, Hibernian drew 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur after extra time and a replay followed.
Review
Described as ‘a sparkling game’ and one which had people calling for a British League and asking why Celtic had performed so badly during the season just finished.
Every player on the Celtic side was said to have had an outstanding game but Evans and McPhail in particular were singled out for the brilliance of their play in both defence and attack. Celtic’s goal came directly from a corner kick from Collins and he curled the ball directly into the net deceiving the Arsenal keeper with the curve on the ball. Rather than hold on to a one goal lead Celtic continued to press and attack throughout the game and this kept it open and made for exhibition football between two of the best passing sides in the British game.
The game was not without incident and Arsenal appeared to object on more times than one to the ‘robust’ nature of the tackling in the Scottish game and Evans and Roper appeared to have a grudge all match which at one point needed Forbes to step in between them.
However all the reports suggest a fine game and Celtic coming out as deserved winners.
Teams
Celtic:
Bonnar, Haughney, Rollo; Evans, Stein, McPhail; Collins, Walsh,Mochan, Peacock, Tully
Scorers : Collins (23)
Arsenal:
Swindin, Wade, Chenhall, Forbes, Dodgin, Mercer, Roper, Goring, Holton, Lishman, Marden
Scorers:
Referee: A Bond (London)
Attendance: 59,500
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles.
Evening Times, 12 May 1953
Celtic have brought back the “chicken bree”
We Will Demand a British League After This!
(BY ALAN BRECK)
Will somebody please tell me how I am going to stick, suffer, thole, or endure the average Scottish League game after seeing the Celtic and Arsenal game at Hampden? There was more sparkling football here than in a dozen of our own matches.
I think too we are entitled to ask Celtic to give and account of themselves!
Here was the team – and the presence of Neil Mochan does not account for it all – who drove their supporters to despair just a few weeks ago coming up, and putting on a display which was a credit to themselves and the Scottish game.
They must have been giving them chicken bree or some such delight.
“The match showed that we have the football, and if we don’t win any more Coronation games the victory over Arsenal must give our players all the confidence in the world” said Chairman Bob Kelly, of Celtic.
“It was the worst game we played this season,” said Alec Forbes, “but we were without three of our regular men.”
But Celtic were without a number of their established players too.
The Real Forbes
Celts refused to be daunted by the leisurely, almost lordly, ways of the Arsenal. They could pass the ball just as well too and hey could pass it and make for it at twice the speed of the London men.One or two of the Arsenal players did not like the wholehearted tackling of the Celts. The sort of thing one imagined the selectors had seen from him in which case we do not blame them for putting him in the Scottish team.COLLINS, from one of his side’s 13 corner kicks—Arsenal had five—must have “cut” across the ball.
Assisted by the wind it flashed into goal so suddenly that all Swindin could do was help its progress into the net.And let it be recorded that the Hampden roar was turned on in a volume we have not experienced for many years.Now Then Parkhead!In congratulating Celtic may I express the hope that next season they will cease their “kidding” and take their proper place in the game. I will not forget to tell them if they do not!
Never was a match of this standard more needed. It was a game which lifted Scottish football from the doldrums.
IT was an astonishing evening, for it had been so difficult to see a Celtic team which had won only three league games this year holding up the English League champions.
In comparison the effort at the Scotland-Sweden game was not even a whisper.
That was after 23 minutes play and one has to hand it to Celtic for not holding on to that goal. Right to the very end they attacked with refreshing zeal.
What a Man”
THERE was not a single weakling in the Celtic side but one cannot get away from them without paying yet another tribute to Evans. Arsenal must have thought a cyclone was at right half
It was Evans and McPhail who executed the best move of the game. The ball came right out of the Parkhead defence and thence McPhail and Evans, who passed to Collins whose cross was picked up by Walsh.
The inside right gave the ball all he had only to see Swindin bringing off a wonderful save – wonderful considering the keeper had been injured earlier.
The goal which took Celtic into the semi-final on Saturday against Manchester United or Rangers was not one of those great football goals, but it seemed to emphasise the Celtic relish for adventure.
The “Roar” Too
There was one stage too when Roper did not seem to like the colour of Evans’ hair and Forbes stepped in to comfort Evans and reassure him that Roper really liked Scotsmen quite well!
Hampden saw a new kind of Forbes last night. The man who has the reputation of being a “tough guy,” put on some of the most delightful touches of the match.
