| Matches: 1895 – 1896 | 1887-1900 |
Celtic’s record domestic home defeat.
Trivia
- League match played at Celtic Park, Parkhead.
- Before 18,000 spectators.
- Celtic’s record domestic home defeat
Review
What was generally regarded as one of the most crucial of the matches to be played by the Heart of Midlothian in their series of League engagements was taken part in on Saturday against the Celtic at Celtic Park.
Another defeat to the Hearts would have been rather a serious matter, but they entered upon play with a determination to do all in their power to come out victorious. The measure of their success, it must be said, exceeded all expectations, as they inflicted defeat upon the Glasgow men to the tune of five goals to nothing.
Teams
Celtic
McArthur, Meehan, Battles, O’Rourke, Kelly, Dunbar, Blessington, Madden, Martin, Crossan, Ferguson.
Hearts:-
Fairbairn, McMillan, Mirk, Begbie, Russell, Hogg, McLaren, Chambers, Michael, King, Walker.
Goals:- King, King, King, Hogg, McLaren
Att:- 18,000.
Articles
- Match Report(s) (See Below)
- Official Site
Pictures
- Match Pictures
Stats
| Teams | Played | Won | Drew | Lost | For | Ag | Pts |
| Hibernians | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 10 | 9 |
| Celtic | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 12 | 8 |
| Dundee | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 12 | 7 |
| St Bernard's | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 10 | 7 |
| Hearts | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 5 | 6 |
| Rangers | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 6 |
| Dumbarton | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 19 | 4 |
| Third Lanark | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 3 |
| St Mirren | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 2 |
| Clyde | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 8 | 15 | 0 |
From newspaper reports from the time
Report 1
The game excited a great deal of interest in Edinburgh, and about 500 supporters of Hearts travelled westwards by special train to the scene of the contest. In Glasgow also, the match proved a strong attraction for others than the immediate followers of the Celtic, and when play started there would be quite 18,000 persons present.
On appearing on the field and throughout the game the Edinburgh men were exceedingly well received by the crowd, their various successes being recognised by hearty cheering. From start to finish the Hearts played in the most brilliant fashion, their combination and dash being of the first order, and their decisive majority was simply the result of superior ability.
It can be said for the Celtic that once or twice they had hard lines in not scoring, but taken all over they were completely overmatched. The Hearts’ front line naturally had a great deal to do with the victory, their passing, dribbling, and shooting for the most part being superb. King was undoubtedly the hero of the match, the first three goals credited to him, two scored in the first half, and the third, a splendid shot, early in the second period.
The half backs also had a large share in the victory, checkmating their opponents successfully time after time. The backs and goalkeeper are also deserving of great praise, Fairbairn in goal playing a remarkably effective game.
On the Celtic side, there was nothing like the same combination observable, the half backs and forwards being especially weak as compared with those of their opponents.
In addition to the three goals scored by King, one was put through by Hogg, and the remaining one by McLaren, in the order named.
There was a demonstration at the finish in favour of the Hearts, and a very cordial reception awaited them on their arrival at the Caledonian Station, Edinburgh, a large crowd of enthusiastic supporters meeting the special train which conveyed the team and followers home.
Report 2
This match was played on Celtic Park, Parkhead, before 18,000.
Michael kicked off against the wind for the Hearts. Russell made a mistake at the start, and allowed Blessington and Madden to get away, but they were soon pulled up, and the Hearts spurted, when Battles conceded a corner. The ball was well placed by McLaren, and King scored the first goal of the match for the Hearts.
The whole of the Hearts’ defence were in grand from, repeatedly checking and repelling the Celts’ attack. The Celtic raised a bit of enthusiasm by Blessington pluckily leading the way. Fifteen yards out he shot right into goal, but Fairbairn cleared ere Martin was down on him.
In less than 10 minutes the Hearts scored their second goal. The Hearts seemed to be doing pretty much as they liked with the Celts, who had a listless, jaded, worn-out appearance.
Walker, at any rate, was proving far too much for Meehan, and from one of his centres into goal the Celtic narrowly escaped meeting with another disaster. The Hearts’ half back line were playing a very strong game, while the backs were doing all that was required of them.
The Celtic, realising their position, wakened up a bit and put on some pressure, but without effect. Ferguson got the first corner kick for the Celtic, but the Hearts, vigorous as ever dashed away, Dunbar came to the rescue, and the Celtic, led on by Martin, put in a rare bit of passing. Madden shot into goal, and, the whole of the Celtic forwards rushing in, the ball was sent through. The referee disallowed the point.
King proved himself a clever forward, and was full of resource and dash. Kelly seemed the only one of the Celtic’s back division who was thoroughly in trim, and some of his play was as clever as ever, and loudly cheered.
At half time the score was – Hearts, 2 goals; Celtic, 0.
The Hearts had the wind in the second half, and were expected to maintain their substantial lead. The Celtic made anything but an auspicious start, and seemed totally unable to cope with the clever concerted play of the Hearts’ forwards, with the result that King scored the third goal for the Edinburgh combination with a magnificent effort.
Hogg with a banging shot scored the fourth goal for the Hearts. McArthur caught the ball, but the shot was too strong for him. The Celtic had hard lines from a shot by Madden.
McLaren scored the fifth goal for the Hearts, who had fully the game in hand.
The result was – Hearts, 5 goals; Celtic, 0 goals.