| Match Pictures | Matches: 1996 – 1997 | 1996-1997 Pictures |
Trivia
- In the aftermath of Tommy Burns sacking, Billy Stark determined to fulfil his contract with the club and see out the season as caretaker manager.
- For this game Jackie McNamara and Paolo di Canio were suspended; Kerr, Stubbs, Annoni, O’Donnell, Wieghorst and McStay were all on the injured list; youngster Paddy Kelly was included in the squad.
- Bobby Williamson and Kilmarnock were fighting their own rearguard action to stay in the Premier Division whilst at the same time preparing for a Scottish Cup final.
Review
After all the trials and tribulations , finally the fall-out affected the team. With both Paolo and McStay out the team drive and fight also went. All this in spite of a pretty much full house of supporters.
Teams
Celtic:
Marshall; Boyd, McKinlay, Hannah, MacKay, Grant, Donnelly, Gray (Hay, 73), Johnson, Thom (McLaughlin, 64), Cadete.
Non Used Subs: Kelly.
Bookings: Boyd ,Mackay (Celtic)
Kilmarnock:
Lekovic; McPherson, Kerr, Anderson, McGowne, Reilly, Bagan (Mitchell, 73), Prytz (Findlay, 84), McIntyre (T Brown, 43), Holt, Burke
Bookings: Anderson ,Kerr (Kilmarnock)
Referee: J Rowbotham (Kirkcaldy).
Attendance: 42,994
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
Stats
Kilmarnock edge nearer safety zone
The Scotsman 08/05/1997
Celtic0
Kilmarnock 0
NO goal rush, no glorious victory in defiance of circumstances and events elsewhere. Simply a game which will fade from the memory just as Celtic's championship challenge fizzled out in unfulfilled promise.
Their recent signing, Tommy Johnson, and youngster Simon Donnelly were the only players who could claim credit during a goalless draw which says much about a season which will be judged an abject failure.
On a night when Rangers claimed a share of what Celtic and their fans have always viewed as one of their prize possessions, the home side were booed from the pitch after producing a fittingly frustrating performance.
Johnson was bright and enthusiastic, Donnelly demonstrated why he should have a place under the new regime -whoever and whenever it is put into place – but as for the rest, there was and is little to suggest that anything other than major change over the summer will put Celtic in a position to challenge Rangers afresh.
For Kilmarnock, a well-deserved and precious point could well be enough to secure their Premier Division survival since they go into the final game of the season one point clear of Hibernian and Motherwell, who now look the two most likely to be fighting it out to avoid the play-off spot.
While Rangers were caught napping and complacent against Motherwell, Celtic made it clear from the start that they were not going to lack anything in endeavour whatever the final outcome.
Within four minutes, Johnson had fired two shots goalwards and the player, who seems to have known nothing but disappointment and uncertainty since he arrived at Parkhead, looked determined to impose his own sense of order on proceedings.
His break down the right and carefully weighted cross in the 11th minute set up a clear chance for Andreas Thom, but the German hesitated just as swiftness of thought and action were called for.
While Celtic were looking to play their part in delaying what seemed inevitable, the imperative for Kilmarnock was all too real and immediate.
Bobby Williamson's players went into their final away match of the season knowing that to emerge with no points could cost them dear.
Pick up nothing but a second successive defeat and they would go into the final day of the season level on points with Hibernian and Motherwell, but trailing them on goal difference.
The return from injury of teenage winger Alex Burke was, therefore, a major boost, especially in the absence of top striker Paul Wright.
Burke was nearly the catalyst for a goal against the run of play when his dash down the left was followed by a cross swung into the path of Jim McIntyre. The striker produced a powerful header, but Gordon Marshall produced a fine fingertip save.
Having stormed to a bright start, Celtic then proceeded to frustrate the devoted fans who have stuck by them as their championship challenge evaporated in inconsistency.
Slackness and a lack of control and vision in midfield was once again exposed as Kilmarnock overcame their nervous start.
As the first half drew towards a close, Kevin McGowne smashed one free-kick perilously close to Celtic's goal, while Johnson, by far the brightest of the home team, brought a smart save out of Drago Lekovic at the other end.
The story of the half, though, was of missed chances and some would say that would be a fitting epitaph on Celtic's season.
While they dominated possession, the irony was that the team who needed a hatful of goals in the unlikely event of Rangers losing their last two games, could not find the subtlety needed to prize open Kilmarnock's defence.
What Celtic cried out for was the invention of Paolo Di Canio, but the Italian who had been the brightest spark in a gloomy season is suspended and, apparently, uncertain if he will even be playing at Parkhead next season.
A point was always going to represent a tremendous result for Kilmarnock, but their ambition in the second half suggested they believed they could make it two consecutive victories over Celtic.
They were aggrieved when Tom Boyd hauled down Mark Reilly as he burst through towards the box, but the Celtic defender was only yellow-carded when red seemed a more appropriate colour.
If Celtic wanted a sign that it was not going to be their night, they got it on the hour-mark. First, Thom blasted the ball wide, then Donnelly brought a fabulous save out of Lekovic, before Johnson headed on to the bar seconds later. Chances continued to be weighted in Celtic's favour, though it was Kilmarnock who created the clearest-cut opportunities and only a fine save from Marshall denied Reilly
- Manager Interview
Billy Stark, post match:
"I was obviously very disappointed with the performance because if it hadn't have been for our goalkeeper Gordon Marshall, we would have lost this game.
"We looked like a team which didn't have anything to play for."
"All we can do now is try to atone for this performance on Saturday. Kilmarnock came here fighting for their lives and fully deserve their point.
"I can't explain why we were so flat."
Kilmarnock Manager, Bobby Williamson:
"Every one of them worked their socks off. It wasn't just a great team effort, it was a great squad effort.
"I think we created the clearest chances overall, but we just couldn't put the ball in the back of the net.
"I said before the game that we needed four points from our last two games so now we've kept our fate in our own hands.”