Match Pictures | Matches: 1971 – 1972 | 1971-1972 Pictures
Trivia
- Christmas Day fixture
- Celtic’s last game played on Christmas Day.
- Lou Macari was still receiving treatment for his ankle knock. On the plus side Bobby Murdoch was fit again and playing for the Reserves but he could not get back in the first team.
- A completely unchanged team for Celtic from the one that played Motherwell the previous week. The main squad spent till Wednesday down at Seamills and were then given the Thursday off.
- Kenny Dalglish was chosen Evening Times Player of the Year.
- On Tuesday 21st December Celtic defeated Hearts 3-1 in a Reserve League Match at Tynecastle. The Celtic team was Marshall, McGrain, Watt, McCluskey, Craig, Brogan, McLaughlin, V. Davidson, Hancock, White and Wilson Sub Franchetti. Paul Wilson scored the three Celtic goals.
Review
It wasn’t considered odd in the past to play on Christmas Day but it was getting to look completely out of step with the times. However the crowd this year were served up some special Christmas fare with an excellent game in which Hearts were prepared to bide their time, but which was always going to be Celtic’s game.
Celtic got off to a flier with Harry Hood scoring in the opening minute. Celtic piled on the pressure and pinned Hearts back into their own half and playing on the break. But Hearts worked their way back into the game and equalised on the half hour.
Jimmy Johnstone had a cracking game and got the second. He was back to his jinky dribbling best. Harry Hood too was back on form and he provided the cross to Dixie for him to keep up his goal-a-game record.
Still neck-and-neck at the top of the table between Celtic and Aberdeen.
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
| Celtic | 17 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 55 | 15 | 31 |
| Aberdeen | 17 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 53 | 10 | 30 |
| Rangers | 17 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 40 | 18 | 24 |
| Hibernian | 17 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 30 | 14 | 23 |
| Dundee | 17 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 30 | 19 | 21 |
| Hearts | 17 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 31 | 24 | 21 |
Teams
Celtic:
Connaghan, Hay, Quinn, Dalglish, McNeill, Connelly, Johnstone, Lennox, Deans, Callaghan, Hood Substitute: Craig
Scorers: Hood (1), Johnstone (36), Deans (70)
Hearts:
Cruickshank, Sneddon, Oliver, Brown, Veitch, Thomson, Fleming, Renton, Ford, Winchester, T Murray. Substitute: Wood
Scorers: Renton (31), Brown (77)
Referee: A F J Webster (Falkirk)
Attendance: 34,000
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
