1973-09-29: Saint Johnstone 2-1 Celtic, League Division 1

Match Pictures | Matches: 19731974 | 1973-74 Pictures

Trivia

  • During the international week, Celtic indulged in a little showmanship and PR of their own inviting members of the dance compan London Contemporary Dance Theatre to train with them. The dancers were appearing at the King's Theatre.
  • Hunter, McGrain, Connelly, Hay and Dalglish all played for Scotland against Czechoslovakia in a World Cup qualifier at Hampden. Scotland won 2-1 thus qualifying for the World Cup in Munich later in 1974. Scottish football overcome by World Cup mania with the qualification.
  • Back in came Deans following recovery from his fractured jaw and also ready again was Kenny Dalglish having recovered from the ankle injury that had saw him out of the European Cup game. Lennox was still out injured as was McLaughlin.
  • Not an entirely bad day as Rangers lose 3-0 at Ibrox to Hearts with a Celtic free transfer, Bobby Prentice, scoring the first.
  • In the Reserve League on the same day Celtic defeated St Johnstone 4-0 at Celtic Park. The Celtic team was Williams, J. Davidson, Quinn, McNamara, McDonald, Welsh, McCool, Ritchie, V. Davidson, McCluskey, O'Hara. The Celtic scorers were J. Davidson, V. Davidson, McCluskey and McCool.
  • Ex Celtic and Scotland full back and captain for Celtic was reported to be playing at the age of 33 with St Anthony's

The Cod War taking place off the coasts of Iceland came to a head with Iceland threatening to break off diplomatic ties with the United Kingdom unless the Navy and tugs were removed from the newly declared 50-mile fishing limit around their waters. The 'war' had resulted when British trawlers broke the newly imposed limit and had their nets cut or impounded bring the Royal Navy in to protect the trawlers.

Review

Celtic fielded the five who had played for the Scotland side which had beaten Czechoslovakia 2-1 at Hampden on the Wednesday.

They looked as if they were still hung over from the celebrations even although Deans opened the scoring in two minutes after Murray had headed across the goal. Saints deserved their won as they made better use of the strong wind at their backs in the second half.

Pearson scored the winner and he was promptly pursued by English clubs and valued at £100,000 plus.

At the end of the month the table looked like this

Team P W D L F A Pts
Hearts 5 3 2 0 14 7 8
Motherwell 5 2 3 0 9 3 7
Celtic 4 3 0 1 10 4 6
Dunfermiline 5 2 2 1 9 5 6
Aberdeen 4 2 2 0 5 2 6
Hibernian 4 3 0 1 9 8 6
Ayr Utd 5 2 2 1 8 7 6

Teams

St Johnstone:
Donaldson, Lambie, Argue, Rennie, MacDonald, Ritchie, Hall, Smith, Pearson, Muir, Aitken, Subs: McQuade, Kinnell
Scorers: Muir (5), Pearson (84)

Celtic:
Hunter, McGrain, Brogan, Murray, McNeill, Connelly, Johnstone, Dalglish, Deans, Hay, Hood (Callaghan). Substitute: Wilson
Scorer: Deans (2)

Referee: A McKenzie (Larbert)
Attendance: 12,000

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1973 St Johnstone 2-1 Celtic