| Match Pictures | Matches: 1958 – 1959 | 1958-59 Pictures |
Trivia
- The Celtic players reassembled for the start of training for the new season on the 15th July. Included in the group were Charlie Tully, Bertie Auld and John Higgins, who had all been training since the end of the previous season, as well as newly promoted Pat Crerand and Billy McNeill. Dick Beattie had recovered from a hand operation. Sean Fallon had got engaged to ex-Celt Billy Craig's sister. Billy McPhail and Bertie Peacock had recovered from knee knocks, Bertie having picked his up playing for Ireland in the World Cup.
- Following the Celtic 'trials' on 1st and 4th August both Sean Fallon and Billy McPhail picked up further knee knocks which would keep them out of the game for some time. Eric Smith playing for the reserves or 'Whites' also picked up a leg strain. Fallon went off to see a specialist. McPhail's injury was more serious and considered 'career threatening'. he was due to report again to the Royal for a make or break decision on the 25th August.
- In the pre-season trials there was no place for John Higgins, John Donnelly (National Service), Jim Kennedy, John Jack, and Matt McVittie (recovering from a broken arm).
- This curtain opener to the new season was an open ground game with a pay-on-the-gate start. Celtic and Clyde were drawn in a group with St Mirren and Airdrieonians. Pre-season injuries to Sean Fallon and Billy McPhail saw the immediate introduction of Duncan MacKay and Jim Conway. Bertie Auld's intensive pre-season training paid off and he started at outside left.
- Admission fees for First Division games were increased from 2 shillings to 2s 6d. This caused a general meeting of the Celtic Supporters Association to vote on whether to boycott away games.
- The Celtic reserves were active in the reserve league Cup playing Clyde. The team was Haffey, Meechan, Kennedy, Crerand, McNeill, Smith, Colrain, Jackson, Byrne, Divers, Murphy. The Celtic reserves led 1-0 at half time.
- In world news, Britain and the US sent troops to Lebanon and Jordan following a coup in Iraq and the alignment with Nasser's plan for a pan-Islamic Middle East. In Cyprus British troops began arresting suspects as Turkish and Greek Cyriots engaged in a ***-for-tat round of killings and kidnappings.
Review
Celtic duly won the game with superior skill against a Clyde team that appeared to give up the ghost after losing the lead despite looking good in the opening exchanges. Neil Mochan played out much of the second half injured and limping. Tully equalised on 29 minutes after Ring's opener for Clyde. This was Tully's first goal in nearly two years since the tour of America. Collins put the Celts furrther ahead before half time. In the second half goals from Wilson and Auld were made by passes from Jim Conway who generally had a good game and was the lynchpin at the centre of the Celtic forwards but the game was made by the excellent play of the inside forwards in Collins and Wilson.
| Team | P | W | L | D | F | A | Pts |
| Celtic | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| St Mirren | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Airdrieonians | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| Clyde | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
Teams
Clyde:
McCulloch; Murphy, Haddock,; White, Finlay, Clinton; Herd, Currie, Coyle, Robertson, Ring.
Scorers: Ring (26)
Celtic:
Beattie; MacKay, Mochan; Fernie, Evans, Peacock; Tully, Collins, Conway, Wilson, Auld.
Scorers: Tully (29), Collins (39), Wilson (49), Auld (61)
Referee: H Phillips (Wishaw)
Attendance: 26,500
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
