| Match Pictures | Matches: 1973 – 1974 | 1973-74 Pictures |
Trivia
- Billy McNeill was definetly out for this game. Subbed at half time in the previous game and concussed and with a chest injury after an accidental collision with goalkeeper Ally Hunter, he couldn't play. Roddy MacDonald was brought into the squad for the game. Celtic prepared for the game at Seamills.
- In the end the team ended up a mish-mash to account for the missing captain and bizarre tactical switches to give what was thought would be an attacking team. Jim Brogan was out but there is little mention of why – so one assumes for tactical reasons as he came right back in again; Hay dropped back to left back and ended up playing with Connelly in the centre; Callaghan was pushed up front and McCluskey came in at left midfield. Nothing worked.
- Jimmy Johnstone, having served his suspension is made captain for the night in the absence of Billy McNeill
- Vejle are an amateur team and on the day of the game their players went shopping in Glasgow instead of training.Jock Stein had stressed to the players that they were not to be taken lightly. They had got to the second round by right which meant they were decent.
- Celtic fans jeer the team loudly at the end of the game.
Review
Celtic badly missed the leadership and drive of missing captain Billy McNeill.
They lacked imagination and created little in the way of clear cut chances. The Danes were well organised but nothing special and the Celtic fans were perplexed at this performance. It was reckoned to be Celtic's poorest ever Euro performance.
It could have been worse. In 17 minutes only the alertness of Hunter prevented Markussen from scoring when he was clean through.
Celtic only needed three more goals to score their hundredth goal in Euro competition but there was little chance of that happening on the night.
Stein tinkered with his formation as time went on but nothing seemed to work. For the second half Callaghan was pulled back and Hay moved forward but this didn't help especialkly with the forwards misfiring up front.
With thirteen minutes left McGrain made a great run to the bye line and cut the ball back to Lennox three yards from goal and he hammered it over. This summed up Celtic's night.
Celtic fans were criticised for booing the team at time up as they have had so many great Euro nights to celebrate in the past.
Teams
Celtic:
Hunter, McGrain, Hay, Murray, Connelly, McCluskey, Johnstone, Hood (Wilson 60), Dalglish, Callaghan, Lennox. Substitutes:
Goals:
Vejle:
Wodsku, J Jensen, F Hansen, Serritslev, G Jensen, Sorensen, T Hansen, Markussen, Huttel, Pedersen, Norregard (Johansen). Substitutes:
Goals:
Referee: A Van Gernert (Holland)
Attendance: 30,000
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
Evening Times
25th October 1973
