CELTIC edged to within one triumph in their astounding first nine-in-a-row title sequence when they overcame Hibs 3-0 at Easter Road on April 28 1973.
Dixie Deans fired in a double and Kenny Dalglish added the other to clinch the Hoops’ 28th crown in their glorious history.
By legendary manager Jock Stein’s admission, it “had been the most difficult to win”.
In the penultimate league fixture of the campaign, Celtic were due to face Arbroath at Parkhead while Jock Wallace took his Rangers side to Aberdeen.
READ ALL ABOUT IT…how the leagues were won.
The visitors to Parkhead had flirted with relegation throughout the season and would eventually finish fourth from bottom, but they were safe by the time this game came around.
There was no pressure on them and they actually played well enough to have the score locked at 0-0 by the time the interval crept around. Davie Hay recalled: “I seem to remember Big Jock had some words of caution during the break.
“Basically, it went along the lines of: ‘Don’t bother coming back in here if you haven’t won.’ Thankfully, we won!”
Hay wasn’t a noted goalscorer, but he claimed one in the second-half alongside Hood, Deans and Dalglish for a 4-0 victory. Transistor radios were the order of the day to discover the outcome of the game in the north east.
Aberdeen had been winning 2-1 until the fading moments when future Celt Alfie Conn claimed a dramatic leveller.
So, it was onto Edinburgh for a last-day duel with Hibs at Stein’s old stomping ground of Easter Road. A draw would suffice, but Celtic had a reputation for doing things in style and, yet again, they did not disappoint.
CROWNING GLORY…Kenny Dalglish slips the ball past Hibs keeper Jim McArthur for Celtic’s second goal in their 3-0 victory at Easter Road to seal eight in a row. Dixie Deans, who claimed a double, hovers menacingly in the background.
The prolific Deans fired them ahead, Dalglish capitalised upon a blunder by keeper Jim McArthur for the second and Deans knocked in the third for a rampant 3-0 success. The flag would be flying in the east end of Glasgow for the eighth consecutive year.
A relieved gaffer Stein reflected: “It felt just as good winning it for the eighth time as it did away back in 1966 when we clinched the first one at Fir Park.
“I reckon this one was the most difficult of all the championships and I thought at one time it was slipping away from us.”
* READ the full inside story of Celtic’s extraordinary 1972/73 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.
