IF I EVER feel that little monster called complacency attempting to invade my senses, I think back to one result.
CELTIC 1 PARTICK THISTLE 4.
Connoisseurs of calamity and dilettantes of disaster gorged on a regal feast of woe and mayhem during the League Cup Final at Hampden on the Saturday afternoon of October 23 1971. Even rain drifted from grey skies to play its part in the gloomy setting.
I was in the old enclosure that extraordinary day to witness Jock Stein’s side being turned over by a team the bookies were laying odds of 8/1 against before kick-off.
I was also among the bulk of 62,740 fans who traipsed out of the national stadium at the completion of 90 minutes of unanticipated reversal. As I recall, most of my fellow-fans were in a zombified condition, including your humble scribe.
CONSOLATION…Kenny Dalglish scrambles Celtic’s solitary strike past Partick Thistle keeper Alan Rough.
Celtic had beaten Rangers home and away in the old-style sections earlier in the competition while the Maryhill club had made hard work of dismissing struggling Falkirk 2-0 in their semi-final.
As we made our way to the Mount Florida ground, we discussed how many goals Kenny Dalglish, Lou Macari and Harry Hood would be expected to stuff into Alan Rough’s net. Complacent? You better believe it.
Our optimistic mood was somewhat deflated by the interval, dear reader. There was little concern among the supporters where I was standing in the tenth minute when Alex Rae launched one behind a startled Evan Williams.
There was mild irritation five minutes later when Bobby Lawrie, a postman who had been working that morning, cut in from the left and thumped a low drive past the despairing Hoops keeper.
We may have had slight traces of adversity on the way when Jimmy Johnstone limped off in the 20th minute, kicked by of all people Ronnie Glavin, a future Celtic team-mate.
Off went Wee Jinky, a world-class right-winger, and on came the team’s only substitute, Jim Craig, a more than competent right-back. Hardly an ideal exchange.
A HEAD-SCRATCHER…Jock Stein looks puzzled.
Eight minutes later, Dennis McQuade knocked in No.3 from almost under the crossbar and the defence, missing the commanding presence of the injured Billy McNeill, was posted missing when Jimmy Bone practically walked in the fourth in the 36th minute.
Four goals inside the space of half-an-hour had us witnessing inexplicable events as they unfolded, our eyes bulging and mouths gaping.
Thistle went in at the interval a ridiculous four goals ahead, but, believe it or not, no one around the area where I was standing reckoned Celtic would lose. We reasoned if the Jags could score four goals against us in one half, we could score five against them over the same period of time.
Optimism waned just a tad when Celtic huffed and puffed, but made little impact on Rough’s goal. The Hoops’ only consolation came in the 70th minute when Dalglish scrambled one in from close range.
HAMPDEN HOORAYS…Daizen Maeda is congratulated by Adam Idah after completing his hat-trick in the 6-0 destruction of Aberdeen in the League Cup semi-final in November.
I can reassure everyone the supporters around me remained all the way to the final shrill of referee Bill Mullen’s whistle and we also applauded the Jolly Jags who had just decimated our heroes.
Without argument, it was the most perplexing and puzzling game I have ever witnessed and complacency has never been entertained since that damp autumnal experience in the south side of Glasgow.
This afternoon at the same venue almost 54 years later, Celtic play an Aberdeen team they steamrollered 6-0 when they last locked horns in the national stadium six months ago.
Celtic have also beaten the Dons 5-1 twice this season while registering 19 goals in five encounters, four of which have ended in triumph with the other drawn.
What can possibly go wrong?
Far be it from me to even attempt to catastrophise a possible outcome today. Brendan Rodgers doesn’t need me to remind him that anything less than 100 per cent commitment will get the job done.
FOOTNOTE: Celtic played Partick Thistle in a league game at Firhill shortly after the Hampden debacle. Stein’s side won 5-1. Alas, it was one month and four days too late to rewrite history.
ALEX GORDON
*DON’T miss the unbeatable match report and best action images from Celtic v Aberdeen this afternoon – only in your champion CQN.
