| Match Pictures | Matches: 1977 – 1978 | 1977-78 Pictures |
Trivia
- The fans were surprised to see Celtic run out with a new jersey which had the club crest on the centre of the jersey for the first time in a competitive match. This was a controversial move and some of the older fans were up in arms over this as the hoops were seen as sacrilege, but the badge was to stay for commercial reasons.
- Dundee United played in their modern,new tangerine and black adidas strip.
- Two fans were arrested during the flag ceremony with Mrs Jean Stein after they ran on the pitch with an Irish tricolour flag.
- Highlights were shown on Sportscene that night. Highlights of the charity shield game between Liverpool and Manchester Unitedat Wembley were also shown and when Dalglish was interviewed afterwards he looked peeved when John Motson informed him of Celtic's result.
- On the same day Celtic drew 1-1 with Dundee Utd in a Reserve League match at Tannadice. The Celtic team was Baines, Ward, Kay, Mackie, McGrane, Casey, Gibson, Wilson, G. McCluskey, McLaughlin, Temperley Subs Clifford and Godzik. The Celtic scorer was G. McCluskey.
- Pat McCluskey left Celtic for Dumbarton in a £15,000 move.
- On the eve of the opening game of the season the bookmakers had Celtic as odds on favourites to retain the championship.
- Danny McGrain had his beard shaved off at Harold Kramer's salon in Glasgow the day before this game. He had let it grow on Scotland's tour games in South Anerica but said 'I have to shave it off as club policy is no facial hair.'
Review
This day was a mixture of celebration and disappointment at Celtic Park. The League flag was unfurled by Mrs Jean Stein, wife of Jock Stein, to the joy of the Celtic fans on a warm afternoon. However, Kenny Dalglish had departed for Liverpool only 48 hours previously and the fans were, understandably, still in a state of shock.
Celtic did not play badly but could not break through the disciplined United defence who had Narey and Hegarty making their first appearance as a central defensive partnership. Without the guile and craft of Dalglish Celtic had no cutting edge and although Glavin and Craig continued to take up good positions the final ball was always wasted.
It was to prove an expensive day for the Celts as Pat Stanton was taken off injured in the first half and Alfie Conn in the second. Stanton, sadly, was never to return in senior football and was to be a huge loss and Conn would not be back in the team until November. On a brighter point, young Tommy Burns was Celtic's best player on the day.
Teams
Celtic:
Latchford, McGrain, Lynch, Stanton (Doyle), MacDonald, Aitken, Glavin, Edvaldsson, Craig, Burns, Conn (Lennox).
Dundee Utd:
McAlpine, Rolland, Kopel, Fleming, Hegarty, Narey, Sturrock (Dodds), Addison, Wallace, Kirkwood, Payne Sub: Smith
Referee: W Anderson (East Kilbride)
Attendance:- 37,000.
Articles
- Match Report(see below)
