Dateline 66-67: Celts open League Cup defence at Tynecastle

The Football Specials will be packed today with optimistic Celtic fans ahead of their opening competitive game of season 1966-67 at Tynecastle.  The Glasgow club hope to win the League Cup for the fourth time in their history. They face a Hearts team looking to win the League Cup for the firth time, which last season became increasingly dependent on lightning-fast striker, Willie Wallace.

By comparison, the reigning Division One and League Cup champions have two of the best wingers in the country. Bobby Lennox and Jimmy Johnstone were the only Celtic players to score in their final eight competitive games of last season, as Jock Stein’s team’s fitness proved crucial with a barrage of late goals.

St Mirren visit Clyde in the other Group 4 game, the only group with all Division One teams, but it’s the two giants who meet in Edinburgh who are favourites to produce the group winner.