CELTIC legend Tommy Burns took centre stage when Billy McNeill’s team clinched the league title in a rousing 3-2 triumph over Dundee United at Tannadice on April 22 1981.
The Parkhead outfit were on the brink of the club’s 32nd championship as they travelled to Tayside for what turned out to be an epic encounter against Jim McLean’s team.
CHAMPIONS FOR THE 32nd TIME…skipper Danny McGrain is hoisted onto the shoulders of his jubilant Celtic team-mates after an epic 3-2 triumph over Dundee United at Tannadice in April 1981.
McNeill’s players knew a point would be enough to see them crowned the nation’s best team for the third time in five years. As ever, though, the manager’s desire was for his side to win it with flair and a bit of a flourish.
He got his wish at an unseasonably chilly Tayside that evening. Murdo MacLeod opened the scoring with a soaring header in the second minute from a Davie Provan angled right-wing cross.
Wille Pettigrew snapped onto a half-chance to hit the equaliser, but Frank McGarvey, with his 29th goal of the campaign, knocked one over the line from four yards after Tom McAdam had nodded down a corner-kick.
Then came the goal that was fit to win any championship. Just before the hour mark, Murdo MacLeod, busy as ever in the middle of the park, surged over the halfway line to push a pass in front of Tommy Burns on the edge of the box.
JUST CHAMPION…Billy McNeill celebrates Celtic’s title success as he springs from the Tannadice dug-out.
In a brief spellbinding moment, the midfielder bamboozled an entranced opponent, performed a perfect shuffle of which the great Muhammad Ali would have been proud, took the ball to his left foot and lashed an unstoppable effort wide of Hamish McAlpine.
Tannadice erupted.
Paul Sturrock pulled one back, but that title was on its way the moment Burns’ drive exploded high into the net.
Once the dust had settled on an awesome campaign, with Celtic title winners with seven points to spare, Billy McNeill, sitting in the manager’s office at Celtic Park, offered a dreamy smile and said:
“You’ve got to aim for the sky. If you only get to the clouds, you’ve not done too badly.”
* READ the full inside story of Celtic’s extraordinary 1980/81 championship triumph – and FIFTY other title successes – in ‘CELTIC: 50 Flags Plus One’ on sale now in CQN’s special Christmas sale. Just click below.
