CELTIC have been triumphant 14 times in League Cup Finals – the first against Partick Thistle in 1956 and the most recent in 2009 with an extra-time victory over Rangers.
Here is the Hoops’ record in their Hampden victories:
1956/57
CELTIC 3 PARTICK THISTLE 0
(McPhail 2, Collins)
THE Parkhead side’s first appearance in a League Cup Final against the Maryhill outfit ended in a goalless stalemate after extra-time. However, they stepped up a gear in the replay and Billy McPhail opened the scoring four minutes after the break. He added a second three minutes later and Bobby Collins netted the third just after the hour mark.
1957/58
CELTIC 7 RANGERS 1
(McPhail 3, Mochan 2, Wilson, Fernie pen)
THE Hoops retained the trophy with one of their most famous victories over their age-old rivals. Billy McPhail was again a goal hero for Celtic, netting a second half hat-trick. Sammy Wilson hit the opener while Neilly Mochan thumped in two. Willie Fernie completed the rout in the last minute with a penalty-kick. Jimmy McGrory’s side hit the woodwork THREE times!
1965/66
CELTIC 2 RANGERS 1
(Hughes 2, both pens)
CELTIC kicked off a run of five consecutive League Cup triumphs with a 2-1 win over their Ibrox foes. Jock Stein’s team were 2-0 up inside 30 minutes with John Hughes netting both via the penalty spot. The fans’ favourite, known as ‘Yogi, fired two efforts beyond Billy Ritchie. Rangers got a consolation goal six minutes from time when Ian Young turned the ball into his own net.
1966/67
CELTIC 1 RANGERS 0
(Lennox)
THE Stein Machine swept all before them in the magical 1966/67 season.The League Cup was the first trophy to be lifted. A typical whizzbang effort from Bobby Lennox in the 19th minute settled it. He first-timed a Joe McBride header past Norrie Martin and it was one down with three to go, including the European Cup success.
1967/68
CELTIC 5 DUNDEE 3
(Chalmers 2, Hughes, Lennox, Wallace)
AN eight-goal thriller saw Celtic make it three-in-a-row with a pulverising win over Dundee. The Hoops took a two-lead after just 10 minutes through Stevie Chalmers and John Hughes. Chalmers added another late on in the second-half. Bobby Lennox and Willie Wallace also got in on the act. George McLean (2) and Jim McLean netted for the Dens Parkers.
1968/69
CELTIC 6 HIBS 2
(Lennox 3, Wallace, Auld, Craig)
BUZZ BOMB Bobby Lennox claimed a hat-trick in a one-sided encounter. Jim Craig also managed to net a rare goal. Willie Wallace and Bertie Auld had given Celtic a two-goal lead before Lennox scored his first on half-time. He was unstoppable after the break with two more goals before Craig hit Celtic’s sixth. Jimmy O’Rourke and Eric Stevenson netted late on.
1969/70
CELTIC 1 ST.JOHNSTONE 0
(Auld)
MIDFIELD schemer Bertie Auld scored in two minutes to make it a fifth consecutive League Cup triumph. The Hoops were without Ronnie Simpson, Tommy Gemmell, Bobby Lennox and John Clark, while Stevie Chalmers was carried off with a broken leg. Jimmy Johnstone took his place. John Hughes had a ‘goal’ disallowed in mysterious circumstances.
1974/75
CELTIC 6 HIBS 3
(Deans 3, Johnstone, Wilson, Murray)
TWO players claimed hat-tricks – Dixie Deans for the victors and Joe Harper for the vanquished. The win was Celtic’s first League Cup triumph in five seasons. Deans, who had scored a trio in the 6-1 thrashing of the Edinburgh side in 1972 Scottish Cup Final, staged an action replay. Harper matched the feat, but to no avail. Jimmy Johnstone, Paul Wilson and Steve Murray also scored.
1982/83
CELTIC 2 RANGERS 1
(Nicholas, MacLeod)
CELTIC had to wait eight years for another success in the competition and it arrived with a 2-1 win over Rangers at a rain-lashed Hampden. Charlie Nicholas hammered in the opener in the 22nd minute and Murdo MacLeod blasted in a second goal just after the half-hour mark. Jim Bett pulled one back with a free-kick after the break, but it wasn’t enough.
1997/98
CELTIC 3 DUNDEE UNITED 0
(Rieper, Larsson, Burley)
WIM JANSEN got the party started in his sole season in charge of Celtic with this triumph over Jim McLean’s United at Ibrox. Marc Rieper gave the Hoops the advantage in the 21st minute and shortly afterwards Henrik Larsson doubled the lead. Craig Burley scored the third after the turnaround. Later, Jansen’s team won the title to prevent Rangers from lifting 10 in a row.
1999/00
CELTIC 2 ABERDEEN 0
(Riseth, Johnson)
IT was a tumultuous season at Parkhead with John Barnes, only six months into the manager’s job, sacked after the humiliating 3-1 Scottish Cup exit against Inverness Caley Thistle. Kenny Dalglish was put in temporary charge until Martin O’Neill arrived in the summer. Goals from Vidar Riseth and Tommy Johnson ensured some silverware at Parkhead.
2000/01
CELTIC 3 KILMARNOCK 0
(Larsson 3)
(Larsson 3)
THIS was known as the Larsson Final when the Swede turned in a spectacular three-goal display to give Celtic the first part of an impressive treble in Martin O’Neill’s debut season. Henrik broke the deadlock two minutes into the second-half. Chris Sutton was sent off on the hour mark, but Larsson hit No.2 in in the 74th minute and wrapped it up nine minutes from time.
2005/06
CELTIC 3 DUNFERMLINE 0
(Zurawski, Maloney, Dublin)
GORDON STRACHAN claimed his first trophy as Celtic boss with an emphatic win over the Fifers thanks to goals from Maciej Zurawski, Shaun Maloney and Dion Dublin. It was an emotional day for all concerned. The game was named ‘The Jimmy Johnstone Final’ coming just days after the Celtic legend’s funeral following his sad passing at the age of 61.
2008/09
CELTIC 2 RANGERS 0
(O’Dea, McGeady)
IRISH eyes were smiling when Darren O’Dead and Aiden McGeady claimed the extra-time goals to ensure the trophy was heading for the east end of Glasgow. Central defender O’Dea got the opener with a glancing header from a corner-kick and his Republic of Ireland team-mate McGeady made sure with an unstoppable penalty-kick
