1973-10-29: Celtic 3-2 Motherwell, League Cup

Match Pictures | Matches: 19731974 | 1973-74 Pictures

Trivia

  • A Monday night for this second round League Cup replay after the teams finished equal on aggregate after two legs and extra time. The game was played at Celtic Park because Billy McNeill had won the toss to determine the ground.
  • The dilemna was whether to play the same team as had played against Hearts on the Saturday. In the end David Hay who despite being on the transfer list was playing well for the club and team as well as for Scotland was left out and in came Tommy Callaghan with Paul Wilson and Vic Davidson on the bench. Both McNeill and Lennox were ready to make their comebacks after injuries. Jim Brogan captained the team.
  • Celtic face Aberdeen in the next round after 500 minutes of football against Motherwell.
  • McCluskey bravely plays on with a suspected broken nose with blood pouring down his jersey.

The Government (and the local Glasgow Baillies) finally got their way when a bill was set to be introduced which would make it a necessity for all grounds to be licensed in the future. This would potentially increase safety and give the authorities to revoke a license should any club or it's support (and the emphasis at the time was on combatting football hooliganism) step out of line.

Review

Motherwell gave as good as they got in this encounter and the game could have went either way.

Celtic took the lead twice and twice Motherwell pulled it back.

With only 15 seconds left McGrain made a driving run to the bye line. He cut the ball across goal, Deans dummied it and Johnstone slotted the ball in at the back post. Motherwell protested furiously that the goal was offside but it stood.

Deans scored the best goal in 65 minutes when he received the ball on the left side, looked up, and sent a glorious shot swerving past Rennie.

Celtic now have to play Aberdeen 48 hours later.

Teams

Celtic:
Hunter, McGrain, Brogan, McCluskey (Wilson), MacDonald, Connelly, Johnstone, Murray, Deans, Callaghan, Dalglish. Substitute: Davidson
Scorers: Murray (5), Deans (65), Johnstone (89)

Motherwell:
Rennie, W Watson, Wark, R Watson, Jim Muir, Millar, Campbell, Graham, Goldthorpe, Martin, McClymont. Subs: Pettigrew, Main
Scorers: McClymont (59), Graham (70)

Referee: E Thomson (Edinburgh)
Attendance: 26,000

Articles

  • Match Report (see below)

Pictures

Match Pictures 1973 Celtic 3-2 Motherwell report

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