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Trivia
- A huge crowd turned out in the night and fans were still queueing outside after the game was 30 minutes old. The official attendance was 45,465 and this was laughed at when it was announced.
- Frank McAvennie suspended
- Celtic now need only one point to clinch the title
- Alex MacDonald and Sandy Jardine of Hearts, Seville manager Jock Wallace and Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish are all in the stand.
- On the Thursday night after this game Celtic drew 0-0 with St Mirren in the semi-final of the Reserve League Cup. Celtic won the match 4-3 on penalties. The Celtic team was McKnight, Traynor, Elliot, Shepherd, McCarthy, Balmer, Mathie, Murray, McCarrison, Christie, Archdeacon. Subs Britton (McCarrison 45), R. McStay. Mick McCarthy scored the winning penalty.
Review
Teams
CELTIC:
P Bonner, C Morris, A Rogan, R Aitken, L Baillie, D Whyte (sub: B Stark), P Grant (sub: T Burns), P McStay, M McGhee, A Walker, J Miller.
Goals: Walker (58), McStay (79)
ST MIRREN:
C Money; B Martin, T Wilson, N McWhirter, P Godfrey, B Hamilton, F McGarvey, R Dawson, P CChalmers, T Fitzpatrick, I Cameron.
Goals:
Att: 45,465
Referee: J Renton.
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Articles
Football: Celtic champions in all but name
Times, The (London, England)
April 6, 1988
Author: RODDY FORSYTH
Estimated printed pages: 1
Celtic …….. 2 St Mirren ….. 0
A crowd of 45,465, which included the Liverpool manager, Kenny Dalglish, and the Scotland coach, Andy Roxburgh, say Celtic saluted as Scottish champions at Parkhead last night after a subdued but effective victory over St Mirren. Only the Celtic manager, Billy McNeill, was willing to acknowledge the highly improbable alternative when he said: 'We won't claim the title until it is mathematically impossible for us to be caught.'
In fact, Celtic would now require to lose their remaining four League fixtures and Heart of Midlothian would have to win their five outstanding games before the title could go east to Tynecastle.
Despite the mood of anticipation, Celtic started nervously and even managed to miss a penalty after Wilson had tripped Miller in the 31st minute; Walker directing his kick straight at Money, the St Mirren goalkeeper.
When the breakthrough at last arrived, 13 minutes after the interval, it was Miller, with a dramatic turn of speed on the right, who created the goal. He swept past Martin and delivered a cross which McGhee nodded on to Walker, who stopped to divert it past the diving Money.
Eleven minutes from the end Celtic sealed their victory when McGhee prompted McStay for an 18-yard drive which struck the unfortunate Martin and flew over the stranded Money to trigger celebrations throughout the colourful terracings.
CELTIC: P Bonner, C Morris, A Rogan, R Aitken, L Baillie, D Whyte (sub: B Stark), P Grant (sub: T Burns), P McStay, M McGhee, A Walker, J Miller.
ST MIRREN: C Money; B Martin, T Wilson, N McWhirter, P Godfrey, B Hamilton, F McGarvey, R Dawson, P CChalmers, T Fitzpatrick, I Cameron.
Referee: J Renton.
