| Match Pictures | Matches: 1979 – 1980 | 1979-80 Pictures |
Trivia
- Both teams prepared for the game by the sea, Celtic travelling to Inverclyde Sports Centre and St Mirren also heading to Largs.
- Dom Sullivan and Davie Provan who had both been carrying injuries were fit for the game.
- Murdo MacLeod's late goal keeps Celts in the cup.
- Celtic played in green socks.
- The game is watched by Vujadin Boskov, the Real Madrid manager who heaps praise on Davie Provan after the game.
Review
With two minutes left Celtic were heading out of the cup.
However Davie Provan crossed from the left touch line and Murdo MacLeod leaped to head downwards past Billy Thomson to earn Celtic a replay.
Thomson had an inspired game for Saints to keep Celtic at bay but Saints gave as good as they got and and could count themselves unlucky not to win.
The Celtic fans in the large crowd were delighted with the late goal.
Teams
Celtic:
Latchford, Sneddon, McGrain, Aitken, MacDonald, McAdam, Provan, Sullivan (McCluskey), Lennox, MacLeod, Doyle . Subs: Casey
Goals: MacLeod (88)
Saint Mirren :
Thomson, Young, Munro, Richardson, Fulton, Copland, Bone, Stark, Somner, McDougall (Docherty), Weir. Sub: Beckett
Goals: McDougall (37)
Referee: I Foote (Glasgow)
Attendance 32,000
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Articles
Celtic 1-1 St Mirren
MacLeod 88…..McDougall 37
Attendance 32,000
A large crowd turned out on a fine sunny day with perfect underfoot conditions.
Billy Thomson the Saints' keeper had to change his top due to a colour clash and took the field in a green Norwegian international keeper's jersey. Celtic took the field in unfamiliar green socks.
Newspaper reports linked Celtic with a move for Liverpool striker Frank McGarvey. Celts were still missing the injured Tommy Burns.
Saint Mirren started brightly and played with great confidence and it was richly deserved when Frank McDougall fired them in front with a glorious volley. At this point Latchford saved Celtic with some fine handling when under pressure. However Johnny Doyle thought he had equalised before half time only for the referee to controversially disallow the goal for offside against Bobby lennox.
Celtic fought there way back in the second half and Saints' keeper Thomson looked unbeatable as he kept out efforts from Doyle and Lennox. Celtic threw an extra forward on, McCluskey, and their pressure paid off with only two minutes remaining. Provan took an inswinging corner and a Saints defender headed it back to him. He jinked along the bye line and picked Murdo MacLeod out with his cross and Murdo sent a glorious, powerful header past the despairing Thomson. The Celtic fans roared a sigh of relief at this goal knowing a replay was the least they deserved.
Celtic – Latchford Sneddon McGrain Aitken MacDonald McAdam Provan Sullivan (McCluskey) Lennox MacLeod Doyle
Saint Mirren – Thomson Young Munro Richardson Fulton Copland Bone Stark Somner McDougall (Docherty) Weir
