| Match Pictures | Matches: 1976 – 1977 | 1976-77 Pictures |
Trivia![[Untitled]](https://wikifoundryimages.s3.amazonaws.com/Ld1Suvw4Go36vzfc6pZyfg27564 "[Untitled]")
- Alfie Conn's first return to Ibrox as a Celt. He is the victim of constant abuse from Rangers supporters in this all-ticket game.
- Tommy Burns plays at left back with Andy Lynch succumbing to 'flu.
- Celtic fans throw a hail of bottles after 80 minutes after Latchford is injured. Jock Stein has to come over to restore order.
- Highlights were shown on Scotsport next day.
- In the Reserve League on the same day Celtic drew 4-4 with Queen of the South at Celtic Park. The Celtic team was Barclay, Gourlay, McGrane, McLaughlin, Keay, Innes, G. McCluskey, Casey, Henderson, Hannah, Temperley Subs Fairley and Cunningham. The Celtic scorers were McLaughlin 2, Henderson and Gourlay.
Review
Celtic started as if they were going to blow Rangers away and Conn hit the post with a fine shot during that spell but Parlane's equaliser jolted Celtic's momentum.
In the second half Aitken's fine goal cancelled out another Parlane goal. Aitken sent in a glorious volley from Doyle's driven cross.
Near the end Latchford was injured and had trouble with his mobility. Despite this he made an excellent save from Greig and this gained a point for Celtic.
Celtic were pleased with the point and were now strong favourite's to win their first premier league.
Teams
Rangers:
Kennedy, Jardine, Greig, Forsyth, Jackson, Watson, McLean, McKean, Parlane, MacDonald, Johnstone. Subs: Robertson, Miller.
Goals:- Parlane 2 (21, 79)
Celtic:
Latchford, McGrain, Burns, Stanton, Edvaldsson, Aitken, Doyle, Glavin, Craig, Dalglish, Conn. Subs: Wilson, Gibson.
Goals: Aitken 2 (12, 84)
Referee: J Paterson (Bothwell)
Attendance: 51,500
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKmTcyWIFSo
Pictures
Articles
Evening Times 21st March 1977
Glasgow Herald 21st March 1977
GLASGOW HERALD MATCH REPORT BY JIM REYNOLDS
CELTS HAVE THE TITLE IN THEIR GRASP
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Rangers and Celtic showed on Saturday that Scottish football at it's best is still the best 70 pence worth in the sporting world. The two Glasgow rivals served up the best Old Firm match in years…a game that set the pulses racing and left everyone limp from excitement at the end.
It was a match Rangers had to win to keep their championship hopes alive and, although they narrowly failed, all the signs are there that Jock Wallace's men are moving into top gear at just the right time for that other domestic honour, the Scottish cup.
Of the two sides, Celtic were obviously the best pleased with the Ibrox draw. Both Wallace and Stein both agreed that this latest Old Firm confrontation was a classic – and, not surprisingly, both thought their respective sides just about deserved to win. But if either side had lost it would have been a travesty of justice and taken away from a great occasion that was marred only by a mini crowd invasion from the Celtic end of the ground after Rangers had scored their second goal.
The mindless morons who showered bottles and cans down from the terracings would have done well to take their example from the players on the pitch who behaved impeccably and set the mood for a relaxed match from which the football flowed like water from a mountain stream.
In the first 20 minutes Celtic's performance was almost brilliant. They scored through Roy Aitken in 12 minutes and should have scored a couple more. Just one goal was scant reward for the best football they have played this season.
I am sure that more than a few Rangers fans had turned to the exits after 15 minutes when Alfie Conn jinked his way inside the penalty area and curled a shot round Stewart Kennedy towards the net. Even Alfie turned round to receive the congratulations of the Celtic players, but the ball came back off the post and Rangers took over.
Derek Parlane equalised with a great drive from the edge of the area in 21 minutes and the Ibrox men continued to dominate right through until the second half. Kenny Watson had another fine match. Bobby McKean was everywhere trying to push his team mates on, and little Tommy McLean did everything with the ball except make it talk.
It was no great surprise when Parlane scored his second goal eleven minutes from time. A neat dummy by Derek Johnstone, a slide rule pass from McLean and there was the Rangers striker in a perfect position to hammer the ball past Peter Latchford. It was a goal worthy of winning almost any game…but not this one.
The match was held up for five minutes as the Police and Jock stein moved the fans back on to the terracing and Neil Mochan attended to Peter Latchford, badly injured in an attempt to prevent a goal. After order was restored and Latchford staggered back into his goal in agony, Celtic hit back in championship fashion.
Watson fouled John Doyle out on the right wing and when the winger's free kick came over, Aitken met it in mid air and sent a tremendous drive high into the Rangers net. Everyone would have settled for that to signal the end of the excitement but there was more to come in the closing minutes.
Alex MacDonald scored what he thought was the winner, but after signalling a goal, referee Bill Paterson spotted his linesman with his flag in the air and disallowed the goal. Rangers still claim the goal should have stood, but it must be said that the flag was up before the ball reached MacDonald. Johnstone, was in fact the man in an offside position when McLean crossed, so the decision was the correct one.
Then the game finished with two wonder saves from the respective keepers. …the crippled Latchford touching a John Greig pile driver round the post, and Kennedy throwing himself full length to palm away a great Joe Craig shot.
Rangers – Kennedy Jardine Greig Forsyth Jackson Watson McLean McKean Parlane MacDonald Johnstone – subs Robertson Miller
Celtic – Latchford McGrain Burns Stanton Edvaldsson Aitken Doyle Glavin Craig Dalglish Conn – subs Wilson Gibson