1988-04-16: Heart of Midlothian 2-1 Celtic, Premier Division

Match Pictures | Matches: 1987 – 1988 | 1987-88

Trivia

  • Celtic needed two points to win the title but blew their chance at Tynecastle.
  • Comes a week after Celtic defeated Hearts with late goals in a 2-1 victory in the Scottish Cup. So some revenge for Hearts.
  • Lord Provost Robert Gray and Glasgow city council hold a civic reception for Celtic officials to commemorate their 100 years.
  • Frank McAvennie is found not guilty in the Old Firm court case after he had got himself in an on-field altercation in a match v Rangers. Butcher and Woods of Rangers are found guilty. Roberts was not proven.

Review

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Teams

Celtic:
Bonner, Morris, Whyte, Aitken, Rogan, Stark (Baillie 77), McStay, Burns, Walker, McAvennie (Miller 58), McGhee.
Goals: McGhee (74)


Hearts:
Smith, Murray, Whittaker, Macpherson, Black, Berry, Mackay, Galloway, Colquhoun (Clark 77) Foster, Gavin.
Goals: Galloway (25), Mackay (71)

Referee: A. Ferguson (Giffnock)
Att:

Articles

  • Match Report (see below)

Pictures

Articles

Posted Image
The Toronto Star
April17, 1988, Sunday,
Hearts stall Celtic’s bid to lock up 35th title

LONDON (Reuter) – GlasgowCelticfailed to secure the one point it needed to clinch its 35th Scottish soccer league title when it was beaten 2-1 yesterday by second-placedHearts.With the English league not in action because of a special 100th anniversary festival tournament at Wembley,Celtichad the spotlight to itself.
Hearts,whose Scottish Cup ambitions were shattered in a 2-1 semifinal defeat at the hands ofCelticlast week, took revenge by wrecking the Glasgow club’s party.

The result ended an unbeaten run byCelticof 31 games and it now has to wait another week for the single point it needs.Heartscan still catchCelticby winning its last three games, but to be denied the titleCelticwould have to lose all three of its own while surrendering the eight-goal difference advantage it now enjoys overHearts.
Mike Galloway’s 26th minute goal, following a fumble by goalkeeper Pat Bonner, putHeartsinto the lead.

Captain Gary MacKay fired in a second goal with the help of a slight deflection in the 71st minute to make it 2-0.
Celtic’sMark McGhee, who had scored three times againstHeartsthis season, made it four with a 74th minute effort in which goalkeeper Henry Smith looked at fault.
Rovers surprise
The equalizer never came butCelticcould collect the point it needs next Saturday at home to mid-table Dundee.