| Match Pictures | Matches: 1972 – 1973 | 1972-73 Pictures | Forum |
Trivia
- Ex-Celt John Hughes, who had left the club for Crystal Palace along with Willie Wallace (now at Dumbarton), signed for Sunderland.
- Celtic signed goalkeeper Ally Hunter from Kilmarnock for £40,000 on the 24th January. He made his debut in this game. Apart from Hunter coming in for Evan Williams the same side played as had taken the field against Ayr. Vic Davidson and Pat McCluskey were in the squad and Bobby Lennox was again on the bench. Davie Hay was still not ready to make his comeback.
- Airdrie were bottom of the league at this point.
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Review
A dramatic last minute goal gave bottom-of-the-table Airdrie the points in this tough game.
After a goalless first half Dixie Deans opened the scoring after a great Jimmy Johnstone run. But newly-signed Hulston equalised. A minute later Deans was upended in the area. Murdoch hit the post with the penalty after 61 minutes. From that point Celtic piled on the pressure but Airdrie too fought back and Hunter made some crusial saves. In the last minute a melee in front of the Celtic goal gave Airdrie the winner.
Battle stations at the end. Celtic insist Whiteford pushed Connelly over to let McCann in for the winner.
Stein out of the stand to stop Jinky and Airdrie coach Ian Reid from grappling. And the police intervened in minor altercations around the pitch after the final whistle. Sean Fallon had words with the referee. McNeill refuses Whiteford's handshake at final whistle – 'It was his attitude.'
It was all tight at the top with the weather meaning games in hand and a sense of false positions. For Celtic it was a mixed month with two lost games in the League.
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
| Rangers | 23 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 46 | 21 | 35 |
| Celtic | 20 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 54 | 22 | 32 |
| Hibernian | 21 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 54 | 21 | 31 |
| Dundee Utd | 22 | 13 | 1 | 8 | 41 | 36 | 27 |
| Aberdeen | 20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 41 | 24 | 26 |
| Dundee | 22 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 38 | 26 | 26 |
| Hearts | 22 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 33 | 30 | 25 |
Teams
Airdrie:
McKenzie, Caldwell, Jonquin, Fraser, Menzies, Whiteford, McCann, Thomson (Clarke), Hulston, Cowan, Wilson
Goals:- Hulston (60), McCann (89).
Celtic:
Hunter, McGrain, Brogan, Murdoch, McNeill, Connelly, Johnstone, Deans (Lennox), Dalglish, Callaghan, Hood.
Goal:- Deans (52).
Referee: J R Grant (Larbert)
Attendance: 18,000
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
