On This Day – April

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April

1st 1970: Celtic beat Leeds 1-0 at Elland Road in the first leg of the “Battle of Britain” European Cup Semi-Final. George Connelly scored within 40 seconds of kick-off. Celtic dominated so much that they had 16 shots on target compared with Leeds’ 6 attempts.
2nd 1958: Willie Maley dies in Glasgow at the age of 89. Heserved Celtic for 53 years as Player and Manager – 43 years of which he was the Celtic Manager.
1984: Celtic 3-0 Rangers, 21 year old English Celtic fan, Alan Preston, was killed in Partick train station after a scuffle involving Celtic and Rangers fans when he was pushed under a train.RIP
3rd 1965: Celtic 1-0 Third Lanark, League. Celtic’s last ever game v Third Lanark. Third Lanark in time were to go into administration.

1994: Fergus McCann and Rebels finally oust Kellys & Grants to takeover Celtic

4th 1986: Aiden McGeady born, Glasgow, Nationality, Ireland

1989:Celtic win the Dubai Super Cup beating Liverpool 4-2 on penalties. As it was the last year the Cup was played for Celtic were allowed to keep the Cup.

5th 1969: Bobby Lennox scores a hat-trick as Celtic cruise to a 6-2 victory over Hibernian in the League Cup final. In the sectional games of this League Cup Celtic scored a record 41 goals including a 10-0 victory over Hamilton and two clean sheets against Rangers.
6th 2002:Celtic secured their second consecutive title under Martin O’Neill with a 5-1 destruction of Livingston at Celtic Park. Henrik Larsson scored a hat-trick and John Hartson got a double.Chris Sutton returned from injury and again proved his versatility by playing in Central Defence.The victory coined the “2 Good” slogan of the time.
7th 1996: Celtic lose 2-1 to Rngers in the Scottish Cup; Jorge Cadete missed game in what turned out to be over deliberate delay in his registration. Missed six games due to the admin issues, and led to removal of SFA Chief Exec Jim Farry after legal action by Celtic.

2001:Tommy Johnson scores in a 1-0 win over St.Mirren at Celtic Park to ensure Martin O’Neill won the League Championship in his first year as Celtic Manager.The Bhoys then went on to win the Treble.

8th 1911: Celtic draw 0-0 with Hamilton at Hampden in the Scottish Cup final.
9th 1892: Celtic defeat Queen’s Park 5-1 at Ibrox, to lift their first Scottish Cup.The first Major Honour won in Celtic’s illustrious history.
10th 1974: Celtic draw 0-0 with Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the European Cup semi-final. The game is marred by the disgraceful antics of the Spanish side who have three men sent off.Atletico were fined £14000 and had six players banned for the second leg for their terrible antics.

2010: A gutless Celtic performance sees the Bhoys crash to a humiliating 2-0 Scottish Cup semi-final defeat at the hands of Ross County at Hampden.

11th 1925: The Hoops claim the Scottish Cup with a 2-1 defeat of Dundee at Hampden.The Patsy Gallacher somersault goal!!!!
12th 1980: George Best is in a Hibernian side beaten 5-0 by Celtic in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup at Hampden.

1982: Gary Caldwell born, Stirling, Scotland

13th 1889: James McLaren becomes the first Celtic player to captain Scotland when he skippers the side to a 3-2 victory over England.
14th 1900: Celtic defeat Queen’s Park 4-3 in the Scottish Cup final.
15th 1916: Celtic play two games in one day due to fixture congestion. They defeated Raith 6-0 at home before travelling to Motherwell where they record a 3-1 victory. Joe Dodds scored in both games.

1967: Bobby Lennox scores for Scotland in the 3-2 win over England at Wembley. Fellow Celts Ronnie Simpson, Tommy Gemmell and Willie Wallace were also in the Scotland line-up.

1970: Celtic defeat Leeds United 2-1 in front of a tournament record 136,505 crowd at Hampden to reach the final of the European Cup.

1978: Mike Conroy makes his debut in a 4-1 defeat to Hibs at Easter Road.

1992: The Celtic board unveil plans to depart Celtic Park for a “state-of-the-art” purpose built stadium in Cambuslang.

16th 1893: Patsy Gallacher born in Ramelton, County Donegal, Ireland.

1904: Jimmy Quinn scores a hat-trick as Celtic defeat Rangers 3-2 in the Scottish Cup final.

1977: Celtic clinched their first Premier League title by beating Hibs 1-0 at Easter Road. Joe Craig scored the goal.

17th 1915: Brother Walfrid dies and is buried in Mount St.Micheal Cemetery in Dumfries.1909: After a 1-1 draw in a Scottish Cup final replay against Rangers, both sets of fans invade the pitch and start a riot. The cup is later withheld, and ends Celtic’s chances of a third successive double.

1950: Jock Weir scores a hat-trick as Celtic win 3-1 against Dundee at Dens Park to ensure their survival in the First Division.

18th 1925: At the age of 41 years and four months Alec McNair becomes the oldest player to represent Celtic. The 1-1 home draw with Queen’s Park was his 604th and final game for the club.

1908: Celtic defeat St Mirren 5-1 in the Scottish Cup final.

19th 1988: Paul Caddis born, Irvine, Scotland
20th 1907: Celtic claim the first league and cup ‘double’ in Scottish football history by defeating holders Hearts 3-0 at Hampden in the Scottish Cup final.

2004:Lisbon Lion’s goalkeeper Ronnie Simpson died in Edinburgh aged 73.

2011: Parcel bombs sent to Celtic manager Neil Lennon, lawyer Paul McBride and Trish Godman (MSP).

21st 1917: Celtic lose 2-0 at home to Kilmarnock to bring an end to their run of 62 league games unbeaten.
22nd 1899: Celtic defeat Rangers 2-0 in the Scottish Cup final.

1981: Celtic defeat Dundee United 3-2 at Tannadice to clinch the Scottish Premier League title with two games to spare.

2019: Billy McNeill, Lisbon Lion & former manager, passed away. RIP

23rd 1955: Celtic and Clyde draw 1-1 at Hampden in the first Scottish Cup final to be broadcast live on TV

1988: Celtic beat Dundee 3-0 at Celtic Park and secure the league title in their centenary year.

24th 1937: A European-record crowd of 146,433 see Celtic lift the Scottish Cup with a 2-1 defeat of Aberdeen at Hampden.

1965: Celtic beat Dunfermline 3-2 in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden to take the trophy for the first time in 11 years.

25th 1868: Willie Maley born in Newry, County Down, Ireland.
26th 1904: James McGrory born in the Garngad, Glasgow.

1969: Celtic demolish Rangers 4-0 in the final of the Scottish Cup.

27th 1974 : Celtic win their 9th consecutive league title at Brockville with a 1-1 draw.

2017: Plaque on 50th anniversary season for Lisbon Lions triumph

28th 1919: Celtic win 3-2 at Tynecastle on the march to another league title.

1973: Celtic won their 8th consecutive League title under Jock Stein by beating Hibs 3-0 at Easter Road in front of an incredible 48,000 crowd.

29th 1978 : Jock Stein’s last competitive match as Celtic manager results in a 3-1 defeat to St Mirren at Love Street.

2001: Lubomir Moravcik hits a double and Henrik Larsson nets his 50th goal of the season as Celtic demolish Rangers 3-0 at Ibrox.

30th 1937: Celtic suffer their record league defeat as they are thrashed 8-0 at Motherwell.

1968: George Connelly makes his Hoops debut as a substitute in the 2-1 league victory at Dunfermline in front of a record crowd of 27,000 at East End park..

1988: The gala premiere of ‘The Celtic Story’ is staged before a sell out audience at Glasgow’s Pavilion Theatre.

1989: A crowd of 60,437 watch Celtic play Liverpool in a game in aid of the Hillsborough Disaster Appeal.

2023: Celtic defeat Sevco 1-0 in Scottish Cup semi-final, heading for the treble. Clips of Celtic fans anti-Coronation chants go viral!