| Match Pictures | Matches: 1968 – 1969 | 1968-69 Pictures |
Trivia
- John Hughes was the only doubt for the game. He was suffering from a slight groin strain. Bobby Murdoch who had been subbed in the rout of Partick Thistle was fit.
- Tommy Callaghan escaped injury when his car was in collision with a lorry on the Friday when returning to Kelty after training at Celtic Park.
- With Hughes out and Tommy Callaghan in a lucky escape, in came Steve Chalmers and Bertie Auld for a run out. The match was played in heavy rain.
- At Tynecastle in the Reserve League Celtic defeated Hearts 1-0. George Connelly was the scorer.
- Celtic issue a special match programme to commemorate Sir Robert Kelly's knighthood.
Review
A 5-0 win and a sparkling display for the Bhoys. Celtic were never in danger once Bobby Lennox had netted the opener in 13 minutes. That proved to be the only goal of the half but Celtic were let off the leash in the second half and scored four more times. Wallace scored with a snap shot. Bobby Murdoch followed with an 18 yarder. Jimmy Johnstone popped up to make it four and Jim Brogan added a fifth just before the whistle. Jimmy Johnstone was in sparkling form despite the waterlogged pitch and the conditions, but in the end it was the superior fitness and all round skill of the team that won this game. Jim Brogan was also a stand-out for the Bhoys and on his present form it did not look like John Clark would get a chance of reclaiming his place.
For Hearts, Fleming was carried off injured in the first half and Arthur Thomson was booked in the second.
The table looked like this
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
| Celtic | 23 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 58 | 16 | 37 |
| Rangers | 22 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 51 | 21 | 33 |
| St Mirren | 23 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 33 | 27 | 30 |
| Dundee Utd | 23 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 43 | 36 | 30 |
| Kilmarnock | 23 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 40 | 25 | 30 |
| Dunfermiline | 23 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 48 | 33 | 30 |
Teams
Celtic
Simpson, Craig, Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill, Brogan, Johnstone, Lennox, Wallace, Chalmers, Auld. Substitute: Callaghan
Scorers: Lennox (13), Wallace (55), Murdoch (68), Johnstone (77), Brogan (89)
Hearts
Cruickshank, Holt, McAlpine, Anderson, E. Thomson, A. Thomson, Traynor, Hamilton, Ford, G. Fleming (McDonald), Jensen.
Scorers:
Referee: I. K. Bain (Bankhead)
Attendance: 37,000
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
