| Match Pictures | Matches: 1972 – 1973 | 1972-73 Pictures |
Trivia
- George Connelly withdrew from the Scotland party due to face Denmark on the Wednesday in a World Cup qualifier.
- Jim Brogan had been subbed during the game against Partick Thistle and was under treatment for an ankle injury. He was the only change in the team with Danny McGrain replacing at right back and Davie Hay moving to left back.
- Lou Macari and Kenny Dalglish played for Scotland in midweek in the World Cup qualifier in Denmark. Scotland won 4-1 with macari scoring a goal.
- On the same day Celtic defeated East Fife 1-0 in a Reserve League match at Bayview. The Celtic team was Connaghan, J. Davidson, Watt, McNamara, McDonald, McCluskey, Johnstone, V. Davidson, Hancock, White, Wilson. Sub O'Hara. The Celtic scorer was V. Davidson.
Report
Bobby Murdoch still playing sweeper but damages his knee after 30 minutes and is replaced by Harry Hood.
The game followed the same course as a number so far this season – Celtic facing a side that put up the shutters and with a goalkeeper playing well. Harry Hood, who was on for the injured Murdoch scored right on half time. In the second half Dixie Deans and Bobby Lennox added further goals after stiff resistance from East Fife.
The Scotsman, Monday 23 October 1972.
Jock Stein reported yesterday Bobby Murdoch was "better than l thought" after injuring a knee against East Fife. While the others went to Seamill to prepare for the European Cup tie against Ujpest Dozsa at Celtic Park on Wednesday, Murdoch and Jim Brogan waited behind for treatment. They will join the rest of the party tomorrow (writes John Rafferty). Murdoch's injury looked serious when he limped off after only half an hour. The knee was heavily bandaged yesterday, but much of the pain had gone from it and he was walking fairly firmly. Stein said he was calling him "hopefully” to Seamill tomorrow.
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Teams
Celtic:
Williams, McGrain, Hay, Murdoch (Hood 30), McNeill, Connelly, Dalglish, Macari, Deans, Callaghan, Lennox
Goals:- Hood (45), Deans (80), Lennox (83).
East Fife:
Gorman, Duncan, McQuade, Hamilton, Martis, Clarke, Hegarty, Dailey, Green (Honeyman), Borthwick, McPhee
Goals:
Referee: J R P Gordon (Newport-on-Tay)
Attendance: 20,000
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Articles
Glasgow Herald Monday 23 October 1972
Inevitability made it no contest
By William Hunter
Celtic 3, East Fife 0
Although Celtic played enough football for six Scottish Saturday afternoons, it took them half the game to go one up over East Fife, to whom, as to other ordinary folk, Europe remains only a remote political argument.
With much entertaining, explosive energy, and the expenditure of many skills right on the threshold of what is possible in football — not to mention an injury to Murdoch bad enough to bring him off after only half an hour — Celtic proved mainly that it takes two to tango.
This was no match at all. There was an inevitability about the occasion which took it out of the realms of sport and into — well, what? Bullfighting, maybe. It was certainly cruel stuff to watch. Even Jock Stein could not stand it. He turned his back on what was happening and walked back into the stand before the ball had stopped rolling.
PROBLEMS
Yet the result poses many more problems for his team than for Pat Quinn's. Celtic ought to have won by nine goals, or 19, or whatever is the decent total at which youngsters in the Wolf Cub league are now told it is gentlemanly to stop at.
But it was right on the stroke of half-time before Hood put Celtic into the lead and at the third time of asking; his drive followed in quick succession efforts by Macari and Callaghan to have a go at Gorman.
Celtic's second goal from Deans looked of dubious legality — he surely fouled the goalkeeper first — while their third, by Lennox, came six minutes from the end and mainly meant to many supporters that it was time for them to try to beat the crowd home.
If Celtic had any faults they were only little local ones at the back caused by the persisting lack of understanding or trust, or whatever it is, between McNeill and Williams. It would be harsh, perhaps, to blame the goalkeeper; Williams had a long arduous afternoon of it just trying to keep warm.
Gorman had another heroic game for East Fife. Clarke played an efficient spoiling match that was thoroughly right in the circumstances. Hegarty and Borthwick showed up well enough at the front. East Fife, in short, are a most workmanlike team.
It was not their fault, any more than it was Celtic's, that the game did not add up to anything much. The two teams simply were not on the same park.
Celtic — Williams; Hay and McGrain; Murdoch, McNeill and Connelly; Dalglish and Macari; Deans, Callaghan and Lennox. Substitute—Hood.
East Fife—Gorman; Duncan and McQuade; Hamilton, Martis, and Clarke; Hegarty and Dailey; Green, Borthwick and McPhee. Substitute—Honeyman.
Referee — J. R. P. Gordon (Newport-on-Tay).
Glasgow Herald Monday 23 October 1972
Injured pair stay behind as Johnstone joins Seamill party
By Ian Archer
Jimmy Johnstone’s today goes to the unobtrusive Ayrshire hotel where Celtic traditionally lie in wait before their major European matches with no guarantee at all that he will be needed this week.
Celtic's tie against the Hungarians of Ujpest Dosza would normally be the kind of platform that might almost, have been erected especially for this magical winger to display his whole repertoire of talents. But not this time.
In the next 48 hours Johnstone must convince Jock Stein that he has the appetite and the application for a tie that will test Celtic to the limit — and that may be too much to ask in too short a time.
MORE TREATMENT
Already Stein has his problems for his European Cup match. He takes a party of 16 players with him to the coast, but Bobby Murdoch and Jim Brogan will wave their colleagues goodbye from the steps of Parkhead.
These two senior professionals face more treatment on their injuries and Celtic will not involve them in their preparations until tomorrow at the earliest, Murdoch, who hurt his knee against East Fife, was heavily bandaged yesterday, but Stein does not rule him out of the tie.
"Bobby is moving more freely than I hoped— and Jim Brogan is also coming on." Stein said, "They will have more treatment — and that outcome will determine whether they come down and join us on Tuesday."
BADLY NEEDED
Both men could be badly needed, Murdoch for his experience either in midfield or moving behind the defence. Brogan's place in the side would save Stein from risking youngsters hardened in this peculiarly searching type of football.
But Johnstone’s position is more intriguing. He was sent off to play in the reserves at East Fife on Saturday which is rather like asking Andre' Previn to conduct the London Symphony Orchestra in the middle of Central Station on Friday of Fair-Week.
The report, according to Stein, was not particularly encouraging. They do not respect reputations overmuch at Methil and the defenders were not inclined to stand back in awe at the sight of the little winger. In short he had a hard time of it.
Johnstone has played only three league games, two league cup ties, and a single European, contest so far this season. The impression grows that Celtic have discovered the art of playing without him and that opinion will be hardened further if he is not in the side that faces Ujpest.
It is tempting, with such a controversial player, to look for hidden meanings for Johnstone's absence. In fact, the reason is probably more prosaic. Celtic have changed their style dramatically in the last two seasons and wingers are out of fashion at Parkhead.
In the present Celtic plan, three midfield players provide the service to three strikers. The club no longer use attackers placed wide in the style that Johnstone likes best. When he does play, he is increasingly asked to become more mobile and this role does not always suit a footballer whose talents have rarely been exercised over a full 90 minutes.
HANDY MAN
Stein is hardly likely to discard Johnstone completely. The Hungarians have heard of him by reputation, and he made a brief appearance against them as substitute in last season's European Cup quarter-final. He would remain a handy player to keep on the substitute's bench, ticking slowly away like some kind of delayed fuse.
Ujpest arrive in Glasgow today and their first glance, will be at the skies; if they remain heavy, Celtic will have the kind of surface for which they have been looking all season and their chances in this tie will increase. Stein will spend some time this week, listening for the weather forecasts, praying for rain, and hoping for a wet, greasy Parkhead surface on Wednesday.
