Match Pictures | Matches: 1968 – 1969 | 1968-69 Pictures
Trivia
- Celtic’s second game in 24 hours.
- And so onto Ibrox. The game had been in doubt through the previous week with the pitch frozen. However the thaw had helped and the pitch had not been played on, Rangers game the previous day being away to Partick Thistle.
- Jock Stein threw Rangers off foot at the start by playing Bobby Murdoch at inside right, moving Jim Brogan to the right side and bringing in John Clark on the left. Tommy Callaghan dropped out.
- 50 people were hurt when a barrier in the Rangers end of the ground collapsed. 24 had to be taken to hospital for treatment. This was the third incident on what would become the infamous Stairway 13 after the death of so many in January 1971. It was later revealed at the damages claim by a widow of one of the deceased in the later, 1971 disaster that in this incident the Ibrox board met on 29 January 1969 and offered those hurt two complimentary tickets by way of compensation but this offer was later withdrawn.
- BBC Scotland news announcer on radio causes controversy after the game when he announces ‘Here is the result all Scotland has waited for…Rangers 1-0 Celtic.‘ Celtic officials not happy with the innuendo.
- Bob Kelly was knighted, the first club chairman in Scotland to be knighted for his services to football.
- On 2 January 1969, Celtic visited Ibrox to play Rangers in the traditional New Year’s fixture… and Mr Bob Kelly (now SIR Robert Kelly) was greeted warmly, congratulated, and toasted by the Rangers’ directors. Later, when he took his place in the Directors’ Box for the match, he was applauded politely by those nearby in the stand. It was in marked contrast to the abuse that he had frequently encountered at that venue in the past.Kelly himself stated that the honour had been bestowed upon the club rather than to himself; one Celtic historian commented acidly that Sir Robert had been knighted “for Jock Stein’s services to football”. However, it would have been suitable recognition of how far Celtic, once described and dismissed as ‘the Irish club’ had come to be accepted. Perhaps not too much had changed on the pitch, however; in a typically hard-fought match Rangers won by 1-0, having been awarded ‘a soft penalty’ by the referee
Review
Rangers started well and Fallon had to be alertr in goal. He was beaten by a free kick but just managed to get his fingertips to the ball to deflect it onto the crossbar.
Willie Wallace had the ball in the net but was adjudged offside. Rangers then had a goal knocked off for a foul when Persson clipped the ball into the net. Wallace should have scored on 25 minutes when he received a pass from Hughes but managed to shoot wide with an open goal. Rangers were playing a fast pressing game and Celtic were having to play on the break. It stayed level at 0-0 at half time.
In the second half Rangers continued to press and Celtic to counter with John Hughes in really good form. On 60 minutes a shot from Henderson hit Billy McNeill’s arm and surprise, surprise a handball was given despite it clearly being ball-to-man. Up stepped Greig and Rangers were in front.
Chalmers came on 18 minutes from the end for Wallace but despite all their best efforts the Bhoys could not pull the goal back.
Teams
Rangers:
Martin Johansen Provan (Jardine) Greig McKinnon Watson Henderson Penman Stein Johnson Persson
Scorer: Greig 60 pen
Celtic:
Fallon, Craig, Gemmell, Brogan, McNeill, Clark, Johnstone, Murdoch, Wallace (Chalmers), Lennox, Hughes.
Scorers:
Referee: R J Webster (Falkirk)
Attendance: 85,000
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
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