| Match Pictures | Matches: 1955 – 1956 | 1955-56 pictures |
Trivia
- A keenly awaited match between first and second in the table. Celtic had lost the top spot to Hibs when they were defeated by Kilmarnock at Celtic Park, only to regain it the following week following Hibs loss to Rangers at Ibrox in a game of clearly biased refereeing.
- John Higgins was out injured again and Jimmy Walsh was restored to the front line up at outside right. Peter Goldie kept his place at left back after making his debut in the previous game.
- During the week Jimmy Docherty and John Reid were loaned to Alloa, a not unusual but not common arrangement at that time in Scottish football. Both had already made first team debuts. Jimmy Rowan had also gone out on loan to Stirling Albion.
- Snow had fallen over Scotland during the week and conditions were far from ideal for the game. However the winter sun shoe and the ground though slippery underfoot was not frozen.
- During the week the Scottish Football League had bowed to pressure and allowed games under floodlights to go ahead in all competitions already authorised provided that a) prior consultation had been made with the authorities by the clubs involved, b) both clubs were mutually agreed, c) emergency lighting was available, d) cooperation from local police and transport. This meant that there was now no official inhibition to the playing of games under floodlights and gave official sanction for night and evening games and the use of lights in winter. Celtic maintained their stance of putting the comfort of punters ahead of floodlighting by continuing with the roofing project of the terraces.Meanwhile Motherwell, Airdrie, Hearts and Dundee moved to acquire floodlights.
Review
Celtic kicked off and started well but were the first to receive warning when Hibs went close through Turnbull with Beattie rooted to his line. Jock Stein's presence kept control of the Hibs attacks and Collins and Mochan started to open up with some good football. MacFarlane had to head a goalbound shot from Jimmy Walsh off the line. Neil Mochan opened the scoring on twenty minutes with a low shot to the left hand side after a Sharkey shot had been cleared. Play was fast and exciting with Walsh also playing well and Hibs finishing described as erratic. Goldie was luck not to give away a penalty. Fernie switched to outside right. Just before half time Hibs were level after a neat move was finished by Combe. An excellent first half of fast and entertaining football.
Both teams seemed evenly matched in all areas but Fernie was starting into his mazy runs and Sharkey too appeared to be following in his mould. Mochan had a shot come off the bar before scoring again in 59 minutes firing in a corner taken by Walsh. Jim Sharkey soon added a third when he beat Plenderleith and cooly slotted the ball home. Hibs though were not a beaten side and fought back. Turnbull pulled a goal back and the end of the game was tense with both sides striving for another goal. As an aside it was noted that the referee lost track of time and blew ther final whistle on 86 minutes.
Described as the best Celtic form of the season.
Teams
Hibernian:
Younger; MacFarlane, Paterson; Thomson, Plenderleith, Preston; Smith, Combe, Reilly, Turnbull, Ormond.
Scorers: Combe (43), Turnbull (76)
Celtic:
Beattie; Haughney, Goldie; Evans, Stein, Peacock; Walsh, Fernie, Sharkey, Collins, Mochan
Scorers: Mochan 2 (20, 59), Sharkey (61)
Referee: E Youngson (Aberdeen)
Attendance: 29,000 (though said to look like 40,000 at kick off time)
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
Glasgow Herald 26/12/55
