CELTIC clinched their second successive title in the original triumphant nine-in-a-row procession on May 6 1967.
And Jock Stein’s rampant Hoops did it with a certain amount of style – they won it at Ibrox, home of bitter rivals Rangers.
Celtic, watched by Inter Milan manager Helenio Herrera ahead of the European Cup Final in Lisbon 19 days later, travelled to rain-lashed Ibrox that memorable afternoon with a game in hand over their rivals.
They knew a draw would be good to enough to be crowned champions of Scotland for a second successive season. And Jimmy Johnstone was the little big man during an unforgettable and unrelenting Glasgow derby.
READ ALL ABOUT IT…how the leagues were won.
Afterwards, the incomparable goalscoring left-back Tommy Gemmell smiled: “The performance from Wee Jinky that afternoon was simply unbelievable. Helenio Herrera’s first act when he left his seat in the stand afterwards must have been to change his trousers!
“The pitch was an absolute sea of mud and there was our five feet nothing outside-right terrorising the Rangers defence. That surface plus the fact the heavens opened up from start to finish made it difficult for even big guys such as myself, Jim Craig and Billy McNeill, all six-footers, to wade through the quagmire.
“It was exhausting stuff, I can tell you. Old Firm games were always difficult enough, but Rangers, who were a very good team back then, were doubly determined that we would not win the league on their ground.
“To emphasise the enormity of the task we faced, you only have to note that our old foes had also won through to the Final of the European Cup-Winners’ Cup and would face Bayern Munich in Nuremberg only a week after we had played Inter Milan.
“Our old rivals must have thought they were on their way to avenging the earlier league and League Cup defeats from us that season when Sandy Jardine lashed an unstoppable shot high past Ronnie Simpson.
HIGH AND MIGHTY…Jimmy Johnstone is hoisted by Tommy Gemmell with Bertie Auld about to join in after the wee winger’s first goal in the 2-2 title-winning draw at Ibrox in May 1967.
“Their advantage was nullified minutes later when Bobby Lennox struck the post and Wee Jinky skipped through the rain and glaur to prod the rebound past Norrie Martin.
“Into the second-half and the conditions continued to be miserable, the rain still teeming down. And, yet in this impossible situation, Wee Jinky conjured up a magical moment that is still as vivid today as it was back then.
“Our wee winger weaved his way in from the right. Their left-back Davie Provan seemed quite happy to see our player meander across the pitch as opposed to attacking him down the flank. Jinky was on his ‘weaker’ left foot and the defence didn’t come out to meet him.
“They must have wondered who he was going to pass to. Then the Wee Man took aim from about 25 yards and sent a scorching left-foot drive high past Martin into the roof of the net. I have absolutely no idea where he summoned up that energy or power from.
“Rangers got a late equaliser through Roger Hynd, but the game remained at 2-2 and we celebrated the title on the ground of our oldest enemy.”
* READ the full inside story of Celtic’s extraordinary 1966/67 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.
