| Match Pictures | Matches: 1977 – 1978 | 1977-78 Pictures |
Trivia
- Jock Stein's last Old Firm game as Celtic manager.
- The all-ticket game kicked off at 1pm to avoid crowd disorder.
- Both Frank Munro and George McCluskey were out injured from the losing League Cup final side a week previously. Joe Craig dropped to the bench and in came Doyle and Burns from the start.
- After the game it was announced that Danny McGrain would miss the World Cup in Argentina. However, Roddy MacDonald made the initial 40-man squad for the tournament which would be cut down nearer the time.
Review
At last Celtic find some form against Rangers this season. Their first half performance was splendid and they deserved to be double their 2-0 lead at the break. After the interval Celtic were content to see the game out. Glavin scored one and created the other and the frustration was that both he and his team mates had not shown this form more during the season.
Teams
Celtic:
Latchford, Sneddon, Lynch, Aitken, MacDonald, Dowie, Glavin, Edvaldsson, McAdam, Burns, Doyle.Subs: Craig, Wilson.
Goals:- Glavin (32), MacDonald (39)
Booked:- Lynch.
Rangers:
Kennedy, Jardine, Greig, Forsyth, Jackson, MacDonald, McLean, Russell (Miller), Johnstone, Smith, Cooper (Parlane).
Booked:- Greig
Referee: I M Foote (Glasgow)
Attendance: 50,000
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Articles
Evening Times 27th March 1978
Glasgow Herald 27th March 1978
GLASGOW HERALD REPORT – CELTIC 2-0 RANGERS
CELTIC TURN THE TABLES
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As one metaphorical curtain came down at Parkhead on Saturday, another was raised. Celtic won the final Old Form clash of the season in a canter and at the same time set the stage for a blistering finale to the Premier League championship.
Rangers, for so long favourites to regain the title. now face themselves with a nail biting run in, just one point ahead of Aberdeen.
Celtic salvaged a lot of pride in Saturday's match and in the first half turned on their best football of the season. As a spectacle the game was a vast improvement on the previous week's League Cup final but as a contest it fell far short.
Rangers were two down at the interval but it could have been four or five. The first goal came in 32 minutes after some amazing Celtic misses. Ronnie Glavin hit a shot from 25 yards , Stewart Kennedy seemed to have it covered but the ball dropped through his arms and landed in the net. 'It was probably my worst effort of the match', said Glavin afterwards. 'But I'm not complaining'.
Glavin also had a hand in the second goal seven minutes later. He sent in a low free kick into the heart of the Rangers defence. Johannes Edvaldsson laid it off with a cheeky backheeled pass and Roddy MacDonald steered the ball high past Kennedy. When the fact is recorded that the sweeper and the centre-half worked a 1-2 in the opposing penalty box to produce a goal, enough has been said about the opposing defence.
The half time break and, no doubt, some sharp talking by Jock Wallace made a difference after the interval. Rangers at last began to show some urgency and drive, and when Derek Parlane and Alex Miller replaced Davie Cooper and Bobby Russell, they began to get through. But it was to be Celtic's day and some fine saves by Peter Latchford – one in particular from Parlane late on – prevented any chance of a Rangers fightback.
Both captains, Andy Lynch and John Greig, were booked but the game was comparatively free from the ugly needling that has spoiled so many Old Firm matches.