| Match Pictures | Matches: 1996 – 1997 | 1996-1997 Pictures |
Trivia
- On 2/5/97 following a meeting with Fergus McCann Tommy Burns was sacked as manager. Billy Stark took control of the team for this game and to the end of the season.
- During the week following the Falkirk semi final defeat Burns toyed with resigning then publicly announced that he would not do so.
- Paolo di Canio had stated he had a ‘leetle problem’ which would affect him seeing out his contract
- One ray of light in the previous week was the Youth team winning the Glasgow Cup. Mark Burchill scored a hatrick (his third in 5 games) in a 5-0 defeat of Partick Thistle. Gerry Crossley and Kevin Queen got the other two goals.
- Paolo di Canio was voted the SPFA Player of the Year.
- Willie Haughey, who joined the Celtic Board of Directors when Fergus McCann took control resigned from the Board – or rather he didn’t but was pushed – who knows, but he no longer was a Board member. In the light of his departure and treatment, Dominic Keane, club Secretary, also left the Board.
- Gordon Marshall took over in goal as Stewart Kerr had dislocated a finger. Stubbs, Annoni, O’Donnell, Wieghorst, and Chris Hay were all out and Di Canio played his last game of the season with a two match suspension pending.
- This was a live televised game
Review
Following an unbelievable week of events off the park, the team won convincingly against Hibs despite the incompetence of officials Willie Young and Eric Martindale, before the mayhem fall-out continued with Di Canio throwing away his shirt, Cadete suggesting he wouldn’t be back and Billy Stark saying that he was considering his own position.
Teams
Hibernian:
Leighton, Renwick, McQuilken, Dods, McLaughlin, Grant, Tosh, Power, Lavety, D Jackson, C Jackson (Elliot, 14).
Non Used Subs: Wright, Welsh.
Scorer: Power (35)
Bookings: Joe McLaughlin (Hibernian)
Celtic:
Marshall, Boyd, McKinlay, McNamara, MacKay, Grant, Di Canio, Hannah, Johnson, Gray (Thom, 84), Cadete.
Non Used Subs: Donnelly, McLaughlin.
Scorers: Cadete (12), Di Canio (43), Cadete (65)
Bookings: Grant ,Hannah ,Johnson (Celtic)
Referee: W Young (Clarkston).
Attendance: 10,603
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Stats
| Hibernian | Celtic | |
| Bookings | 1 | 3 |
| Fouls | 7 | 13 |
| Shots on Target | 6 | 6 |
| Corners | 1 | 9 |
| Offside | 6 | 7 |
This one's for Burns
The Scotsman 05/05/1997
Hibernian 1 Power (35)
Celtic 3 Cadete (12, 65), Di Canio (44)
THE chaos at Celtic was made worse to the point of despair yesterday when Paolo Di Canio threatened to leave the club, Billy Stark announced his intention to quit as assistant manager and Jorge Cadete hinted at further problems with his employers.
The Italian forward threw his jersey to the crowd at the end of the Parkhead side's victory against Hibs, which was his last appearance of the season due to suspension.
The gesture reflected Celtic's inner turmoil, as did Di Canio after the game when he said he believed Celtic's owner, Fergus McCann, had made a mistake by not retaining Tommy Burns as manager. Events after the final whistle overshadowed the match itself in which Cadete scored twice and Di Canio once to put Rangers' championship celebrations on hold for 24 hours at least.
Stark, who had been Burns' assistant since they left Kilmarnock together three years ago, will leave the club out of a sense of loyalty. "I came with Tommy Burns to Celtic and it was a privilege to work with him. It was not a difficult decision to make when I made up my mind to leave with him."
Stark will decide today, after talks with McCann, whether to stay for the two home games which will end Celtic's season.
Di Canio, meanwhile, repeated his claim that he has an internal problem with Celtic. The player, who has recently deputised as team captain in Paul McStay's absence, initially highlighted his difficulty the morning after the defeat by Falkirk in the Scottish Cup.
Although a club statement subsequently said that the player's words had been misinterpreted, yesterday's development suggests a deep-rooted problem. "I am very unhappy and I don't know if I will return after the summer," Di Canio said.
McCann was quick to respond. "The player has a four-year contract which was the length he stipulated. He has also bought a house in Glasgow and I expect to see him back in time for next season," he said.
Celtic's performance had suggested more unity than the factors which motivated it. Di Canio dedicated the team's victory to Burns and Cadete his goals to the former manager.
The Portuguese striker hinted at further disruption when he said that his agent had tried eight times, without success, to meet McCann in Glasgow.
However, heavy hearts did not come complete with leaded feet for Celtic. The players who had each called at their former manager's home on Saturday morning to commiserate with him, earned the kind of result Burns could have done with when he was in Celtic's employ. A team who had lost when they had no excuse on several occasions this season, contrived to win when they might have been able to claim themselves the victims of an unsettled club.
Perhaps it was the need not to give Rangers the championship on a plate which drove on the beleaguered side.
Whatever the reason, there were signs of renewed commitment. Cadete's opening goal highlighted the predatory instincts which have recently lain dormant while he argues over money with Celtic.
A long clearance by Gordon Marshall was accidentally glanced backwards by Joe McLaughlin and the forward pounced on the ball before delivering a low shot to the right-hand corner of Leighton's net.
Hibs were allowed back into the game with an equalising goal which had its origins in a mistake by the referee.
When Boyd tackled Lee Power, the ball broke off the Hibs player and went back to Marshall.
The referee inexplicably ruled that a passback had been executed and, while Hibs failed to take advantage of their free kick, the ball was sent back into the box after it had rebounded from the Celtic defensive wall.
Power seized on his chance and, with Celtic's defence claiming for off-side, efficiently struck the ball away from Marshall.
Thus, two officials who have already been involved in serious incidents concerning Celtic players and officials this season were once again embroiled in controversy.
Willie Young, the referee, had booked Di Canio for allegedly diving in order to get a penalty kick in the Falkirk cup tie. The Italian subsequently suggested to the official that when he next returned to Ibrox he might like to be Rangers manager.
Eric Martindale, the assistant referee, was the man who was chased along the track by Burns during the Old Firm game which caused him to receive a six-months ban from the touchline.
The game was lifted out of its belligerence, though, by the Italian's goal in 44 minutes.
Di Canio shielded the ball from Michael Renwick on the edge of the penalty area until he could see a space between Leighton and his post.
The finish was accurately placed and Hibs goalkeeper was motionless as Di Canio's invention got the better of him. The game was effectively finished after 65 minutes when Cadete scored another goal which showed that, if he can be made to adhere to the terms of his contract, the Portuguese player is a valuable commodity.
Peter Grant's ball behind Hibs defence found Cadete with a firm idea of what he was going to do with it and, once again, Leighton was given no hope of preventive action.
It was the 16th goal of the season for Celtic against Hibs in the Premier Division and the four defeats suffered by the Easter Road side will mean a nerve-ridden end to their league programme at Stark's Park on Saturday.
- Manager Interview
Billy Stark, post match:
"I was delighted with the result and the way the players were committed to the game.
"Hibs had a lot to play for, but we fought well and it took a little bit of magic from Paolo at a crucial time to set us on the way. The defence played well and we threatened going forward."
"I came to Celtic with Tommy and leaving is not a difficult decision to make. I will speak to Mr McCann regarding when I will go in the next few days.
"I was asked to look after the team and I was mindful of Tommy and I always had the fans' interests in mind, so I thought it was the right thing to do.
"The events had an effect on everyone but the players knew they had to stand up and be counted after the semi final result and Tommy leaving.
"They have taken some stick in recent weeks, some of it deserved, but after this game they deserve credit."
Paolo di Canio, post-match:
"Fergus McCann has made a mistake and I am very unhappy that my gaffer Tommy Burns was not on the bench today.
"Now I don't know about my future. I don't know if I will be back in the summer."
"I was very happy with Tommy Burns. I liked him very much.
"I've been very unhappy for days. I don't know if I will stay here now. Tommy was a good manager.
"I have a little problem with my contract and I don't know if I'll be back."
Jorge Cadete, post-match:
"My agent has had eight meetings with Fergus McCann in Glasgow and not much progress has been made.
"I have been loyal to this club but some things about the contract are not good."
Hibernian Manager Jim Duffy:
"Unfortunately our season is now going right to the last day.
"We had the chance to make ourselves safe this afternoon but I suppose if you don't defend you don't win.
"And if you don't defend against a team like Celtic you certainly don't win.
"When you defend the way we did against Celtic you are asking for trouble."
"There's no doubt they responded to the circumstances. Jorge Cadete put in more tackles today than he has done all season.
"Their players worked very hard because of the Tommy situation. They decided to prove a point.
"We expected that but when you've got a finisher like Cadete in your side you take advantage of these situations.
"We now have to win on the last day and not many of my players have experience of going into a game like that.
"We will be watching the match between Rangers and Motherwell but basically it's down to the players next Saturday."