| Match Pictures | Matches: 1955 – 1956 | 1955-56 pictures |
Trivia
- Talk in the papers was of a possible shuffle in the Celtic forward line. Mochan was top scorer so far with 17 goals and Jim Sharkey had also scored some classy goals this season. But with a ‘crisis’ in the goal scoring department in the last few games there was talk of bringing in John McAlindon from the reserves who had hit four against Raith Rovers reserves the previous week.
- Rain, snow and fog covered Scotland in the week prior to the game. The snow was allowed to stay on the pitch till Saturday morning in order to stop the ground freezing. Despite icy conditions around the ground the pitch itself was playable but soft underfoot and soon cut up into a muddy mess.
- Stein was back at centre half but Sean Fallon was out and Peter Goldie stepped up from the reserves to the left back spot; up front the supposed shuffle amounted to switching Bobby Collins back to outside right with Jimmy Walsh taking over his place at inside left.
Review
The game could not have started worse for Celtic in what was put up as ‘Celtic’s last chance’ to retain a look in at the league championship, with Hearts scoring in the first minute. Young scored from a corner with the Celtic defense asleep. The early play was all Hearts but gradually Celtic got back into it through Collins and Mochan on the wings. The first half was a good even tussle with Hearts just getting the better of it and at half time they still held their 1-0 lead.
Celtic scored early in the second half after Walsh shot high into the net following good approach work by Fernie and Collins. Some of the poise went out of the game in the second half which was played at a terrific pace and full of desperate tackling and rather poor shooting. Stein was injured and ended up on the left wing for the last twelve minutes.
Teams
Celtic:
Beattie; Haughney, Goldie; Evans, Stein, Peacock; Collins, Fernie, Sharkey, Walsh, Mochan
Scorers: Walsh (48)
Hearts:
Duff; Kirk, McKenzie; MacKay, Glidden, Cumming; Crawford, Conn, Young, Wardhaugh, Urquhart.
Scorers: Young (1)
Referee: W Davidson (Kirkaldy)
Attendance: 40,000
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
Glasgow Herald 30/1/56
28 January 1956. Celtic 1 Hearts 1…
Peter looks on as Alec Young’s shot beats Dick Beattie to give Hearts a first-minute lead at Celtic Park. Bertie Peacock and Jock Stein are the other Celts in the photo plus Alfie Conn of Hearts. Jimmy Walsh equalised for Celtic early in the second half.
The sides would contest the Scottish Cup final less than three months later, Peter told he was in the team and was listed in the match programme, only to find out when he arrived at lunchtime that Eric Smith was in his place. Typical of the man, Peter says that he would have selected Eric at wing-half that day himself!
This photo is close to Peter’s heart as it shows both he and Jock in action together for Celtic. Jock of course would later sign Alfie Conn’s son of the same name for Celtic.
The photo below from The Celtic Wiki shows the goal from the opposite angle. The players from left to right are as follows; Jock Stein, Alec Young, Bobby Evans, Jimmy Wardhaugh, Mike Haughney, Dick Beattie (mostly hidden on ground) and Peter Goldie. Note the ballboy’s distinctive jersey in front of the old enclosure.