| Match Pictures | Matches: 1968 – 1969 | 1968-69 Pictures |
Trivia
- Both sides announced their teams on the Friday. For Celtic Bobby Murdoch had a late fitness test but was not ready. Wallace, Connelly, Johnstone and O'Neill were all restored to the first team with 5-goal Chalmers left on the bench.
- Rangers restored Penman to the side.
- Celtic's first defeat in 34 league games since 16 Septemeber 1967.
- On the same day Celtic Reserves beat Rangers Reserves 1-0 with McBride the scorer. The Celtic team was Fallon, McGrain, Gorman, Cattanach, Craig, Dalglish, Jim Clarke, Gallagher, McBride, McMahon, Macari. Sub W. Murdoch.
- Jock Stein arranged an under 14's game between Celtic youths after full time and requested that Celtic fans stay behind to watch to allow Rangers fans to disperse and therefore avoid confrontation and trouble outside the ground. This was regarded as a success afterwards.
Review
There is no doubt that Rangers and their Board had been worried by the dominance of Celtic shown the previous season and through the League Cup qualifying group stage. They had taken steps to bring in new players and after their League Cup demise against Celtic had announced that Willie Thornton, then manager of Partick Thistle would leave the Maryhill Magyars to become assistant manager to Dave White at Ibrox, who was seen as competent but no real match for Jock Stein. Rangers had prepared intensely for this game.
Celtic were out of luck on the day. They fought back from 0-2 and 1-3 down but the turning point was when a Lennox goal was disallowed for offside even though most observers thought the goal should have stood. To add to Celtic's ire Hughes had a claim for a penalty when he was hauled down in the area.
Celtic missed Murdoch's composure in midfield and Willie Johnston was a constant danger with his pace on the flanks and through the middle.
Johnstone and Johnston were both booked.
The headline in the Glasgow Herald on Monday stated: 'Rangers victory gives Scottish football new life.' which speaks more about Scottish life than Scottish football.
Teams
Celtic:
Simpson, Gemmell, O'Neill, Brogan, McNeill, Clark, Johnstone, Lennox, Wallace, Connelly (Chalmers 67), Hughes
Scorers – Wallace 2 (28, 66)
Rangers:
Martin, Jackson, Mathieson, Greig, McKinnon, Hynd, Henderson, Penman, Jardine, Johnston, Persson Sub – D. Smith
Scorers: Persson (15), Johnston 2 (17, 89), Penman (65)
Referee: R.H. Davidson (Airdrie)
Attendance: 75,000
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
