Happy Birthday Dear Celtic – The Celtic Wiki

(by TheHumanTorpedo)
Celtic’s Centenary season, 1987-88, was a year to remember. Centenary Double

Before a ball had been kicked that season the media had hastily dismissed the Bhoys hopes of silverware with Graeme Souness’ big-spending Rangers expected to steamroller their way to the major honours. But the Birthday Bhoys were not going to let anyone gatecrash their party.

With Billy McNeil back at the helm Celtic deservedly claimed the league title after a vintage championship campaign in which those traditional Celtic attributes of flare and fight had been displayed in abundance. They stood on the verge of writing a fairytale ending to a most incredible century of tears and cheers. Victory over Dundee United in the Scottish Cup final on Saturday May 14th would be the perfect final chapter.

Cup final day saw the sun shining from early morning. A perfect day to make Celtic history and not even the presence of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher could cloud the occasion.

As the Tory leader took her seat in the stand their was piercing boos and whistles as virtually the whole stadium united in their abuse of the PM. Then from the terraces boomed the chant of ‘Maggie, Get to ****, Maggie, Maggie get to ****’. For a few minutes Hampden’s slopes became a blanket of red as supporters throughout the ground waved red cards in protest at Thatcher’s presence. Fun in the sun, indeed.

But things didn’t go exactly to plan on the pitch. A poor clearance from keeper Alan McKnight was headed straight back towards the Celtic goal. United striker Kevin Gallagher outpaced Roy Aitken to reach the ball first and from the edge of the area lashed an unstoppable shot high into the goal.

For a moment doubt crept into the mind. But this Celtic side simply didn’t know when they were beat and while there was a second remaining on the clock there was hope. Slowly Celtic began to push United back further and further and by the hour mark the Hoops were seemingly launching constant raids towards the mountain of green and white which was the Kings Park terracing.

An unstoppable momentum was building and the Celtic support didn’t just sense it, they knew it. In terms of Celtic’s hunt for an equaliser it was now a question of not if, but when.

With twenty minutes to go left-back Anton Rogan jinked past a United defender and swung a perfectly weighted ball into the area. The United defence were suddenly struck by stage-fright and the ever alert Frank McAvennie pounced at the back post to head home the equaliser. Pandemonium.
United’s resistance was looking increasingly futile. They were not just taking on a fine Celtic side but also a century of proud football tradition and fate was now demanded a happy ending.

So as we entered the final minutes of a century of Celtic FC Joe Miller trotted over to the main stand side to take another Celtic corner. Both teams piled men into the box. Miller’s tired low cross trundeld towards the edge of the area where Billy Stark connected with his right leg to divert the ball towards goal. As the ball bounced past the penalty spot the unmarked McAvennie again reacted first and in a flash had smashed the ball into the net.

The whole of Glasgow rocked as the Celtic support errupted. The final whistle signlled more bedlam as did skipper Roy Aitkin leading his team up the stairs and liftinng the cup proudly above his head.

The players danced on the pitch and the fans partyed on the terraces. Tommy Burns skipped across the turf, a Celtic scarf proudly draped around his neck and the Scottish Cup, twinkling in the late afternoon sun, cradled in his right arm. Celtic history had been made. Just 14 days short from the date a hundred years previously when a Celtic team kicked a ball for the first time Billy McNeill and his men had given this world-wide green and white family the perfect birthday present – ‘Happy birthday dear Celtic, Happy birthday to you!’

Links