BILLY McNEILL was 90 minutes away from guiding Celtic to the club’s first back-to-back championship triumph since 1974.
He had played during the conclusion of Jock Stein’s nine-in-a-row heroics. Now he was standing in the Celtic dressing room with his players assembled in front of him and the destination of the club’s 33rd title was within touching distance.
It was Saturday, May 15 1982 and it was crisp, bright afternoon in the east end of Glasgow. St Mirren were the opposition and the situation was clear-cut. If Celtic lost by a goal and Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen side won by five, the title would be wrenched out of the Parkhead trophy cabinet and delivered post haste to Pittodrie.
The Dons were also at home that day with Rangers the visitors.
READ ALL ABOUT IT…how the leagues were won.
McNeill, known to everyone as Caesar, was forced to make plans without crocked striking double-act Charlie Nicholas and Frank McGarvey. Their presence was obviously missing in an anxious and goalless first-half against the Paisley outfit.
The club legend fretted somewhat in the dug-out; a transistor radio was keeping the manager and his backroom abreast of what was happening in the north east. As he headed for the dressing room at the interval, he was aware the Dons were winning 4-0.
The Celtic players, naturally, were curious of events elsewhere. McNeill had no intention on bundling additional pressure on his team. Years later, he recalled: “I told them I hadn’t heard anything and pointed out that it didn’t matter, anyway.
“It was what we did on the day that would determine everything. We had our destiny in our own hands. I wanted them to focus completely on the second-half.”
McNeill could afford a smile at the recollection. “I deliberately kept them in the dark and, just as they prepared to leave the dressing room, someone on the staff came in. Before I could prevent him from breathing a word, he blurted out: ‘I see Aberdeen are beating Rangers 4-0’.
“I could have strangled that guy!”
MAC THE KNIFE…George McCluskey celebrates another Celtic goal.
McNeill could sense apprehension engulfing the room. The players realised they were in a somewhat vulnerable position. Now there were only two goals in it. Celtic could concede one and Aberdeen could score another to take their tally to 5-0. That’s all it would take.
“I could see my players looking at each other,” said McNeill. “I had to lighten the mood immediately. I chipped in: ‘Well, you didn’t expect any favours from that mob from Govan, did you?’ That did the trick.
“The players had a wee laugh and, shortly afterwards, they were back out on the pitch knowing what they had to do. And that was to win. Aberdeen could score ten and it wouldn’t have mattered a jot.”
After 63 minutes, it was still a scoreless stalemate and then George McCluskey pounced on a pass from Tommy Burns to drill a low shot past Billy Thomson for the barrier-breaking strike.
Ten minutes later, Tom McAdam headed No.2 as he put the finishing touches to a delightful free-kick from Davie Provan.
Anything Aberdeen might be able to conjure against Rangers was rendered completely irrelevant in the 76th minute,. The elegant Burns swooped onto the ball in the middle of the park, breezed past two challenges, rolled a pass to McCluskey and he cracked a left-foot drive past the despairing Thomson.
A beaming McNeill immediately saluted the team’s followers.
“These fans of ours are something special. I can’t claim to have seen every set of supporters in the world, but ours are the best.”
* READ the full inside story of Celtic’s extraordinary 1981/82 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.
