1973-08-18: Rangers 1-2 Celtic, League Cup

Match Pictures | Matches: 1972 – 1973 | 1972-73 Pictures

Trivia

George Connelly appeared before the Scotland International Selection Panel to explain his walk out from the Scotland party at Glasgow Airport in June prior to departure for Switzerland. The Panel took a lenient view as George's wife was ill and expecting their first child and George's mind was unsettled.
Deans was out with the fractured jaw. This allowed a fit again Kenny Dalglish to step back in at centre forward. The rest of the team remained unchanged.
Jock Stein's seventh victory at Ibrox as Celtic manager.
In the reserves a team of Connaghan, Jim Davidson, Quinn, McNamara, MacDonald, Murdoch, McCluskey, Wilson, McCool, Ritchie, Lynch with subs O'Hara and Welsh lost 3-1 to Rangers at Celtic Park.
The result of the bottle throwing and pitch invasion saw two Glasgow baillies recommend the closure of ALL Glasgow pubs before a Glasgow derby and that these games should have a 10:00am kick off.

Report

Celtic played a controlled passing game against the contrast of Rangers' aggresive running style although Rangers created the better chances and only Hunter's fine goalkeeping prevented Conn and Young from scoring.

Young McLaughlin gave a fine account of himself in his first Old Firm match and he, along with Murray and Hay in the Celtic midfield, had fine games. The deciding factor was the appearances of Hood and Callaghan in the 57th minute and 67th minute, respectively.

Callaghan's strong running began to loosen the Rangers defence and Hood opened the scoring in 82 minutes with a fine low drive after Hay had cut a ball across goal from the right hand side. In 86 minutes it was all over when Hood turned the Rangers right flank inside out and cut the ball back for Lennox to finish splendidly.

The Celtic fans (chanting '8 in a row…! 8 in a row….! hello !….hello….!') went into dilerium after the second goal and this prompted a lavish display of can and bottle throwing from the Copland Road end and ultimately a pitch invasion with Ally Hunter having to evacuate towards the centre circle.

After a short delay Rangers scored a scrappy goal by Ally Scott past a clearly unnerved Ally Hunter. Hunter took out his frustrations on his defenders for their laxness which caused the goal.

In the other game
Arbroath 3-1 Falkirk