| Matches: 1947 – 1948 | 1947-1948 Pictures | League Table | Statistics |
The near miss…
The 1947-48 season has to go down as one of the worst season's ever for Celtic and certainly the worst League performance. It required a win in the last League game in the season to be sure of avoiding relegation to League B and this was only achieved with an 88th minute goal by Jock Weir, who came away from the game with a hatrick and justifying the £7000 Celtic had paid Blackburn Rovers for his transfer in February 1948. What were the reasons for this poor performance and how did it come about? To a certain extent it can be explained by a degree of complacency that had crept into the Celtic thinking, and part of this was a hangover from the thinking that prevailed through the war years when football was less directly on people's minds.
The older veteran playing staff had either been allowed to leave and take their experience with them, and the remaining veterans were not up to the standard to give encouragement and leadership to the remaining younger but less experienced players. There had not been enough forethought as to the quality of players that had been, and needed to be brought in. Certainly there was still a good solid core within the team but at times it appeared that the will to battle back from a position of adversity had disappeared from the team.
The season started badly with a loss to Airdrieonians and went on to be a terrible league season. Only 10 games were won – 5 home and 5 away. 56 goals were conceded whilst scoring goals proved to be a problem from the start and was not addressed soon or seriously enough. When the situation was recognised Tommy McDonald and Frank Walsh were acquired from Third Lanark and Kilmarnock respectively. Both made such an impression that they were to be released at the end of the season, though Tommy McDonald did end the season as top scorer in the League with 7. Both Glasgow Derby games against Rangers were lost, and lost convincingly. Jock Weir arrived as a big money signing in February but he failed to have the impact one might assume until the very last game of the season.
Celtic were unfortunate to be drawn in a tough League Cup group and duly failed to qualify for the quarter finals, finishing third behind Rangers and Dundee.
In the Scottish Cup Celtic went as far as the semi-final before losing to a single extra time goal against Morton with the team looking tired.
All this would need to be addressed but at least there were signs that the problems had been identified. At the end of the season a raft of players was released including the recently acquired McDonald and Walsh. Joe Rae was released and promptly got himself in a pickle having signed a contract with Rosario of Argentina without understanding the contract. George Hazlett was freed and left for Belfast Celtic. Rab Quinn, who had never showed his full potential, moved on to Arbroath. Jim McLaughlin, another acquired 'with potential' eventually made his way to Walsall. Bernie Cannon was surplus to wing requirements and also departed for Ireland. Those that were left was given the knowledge that certainly a lot more was required from a Celtic side.
The first steps toward recovery were taken between the seasons with the acquisition of Charlie Tully from Belfast Celtic for what was then a huge fee. And legendary coach Jimmy Hogan was hired to work with the first team.
It might have been a poor season – but at least it was recognised as such and steps were taken so that it would not happen again.