1956-10-27: Celtic 0-0 Partick Thistle, League Cup Final

Match Pictures | Matches: 19561957 | 1956-57 pictures

Trivia

  • Both Celtic and Partick Thistle had had indifferent starts to the season, partly due to their continued advance in this, the League Cup competition. Neither club had won the League Cup before and neither wanted to give up the Cup without a sincere fight.
  • Willie Fernie continued his international role and stayed out on the left wing. Jimmy Walsh played on the right wing. For Thistle George Smith had fought back from injury to make the final.
  • During the week Rangers had embarked on their first foray into Europe playing Nice in the first round of the European Cup at Ibrox winning 2-1.
  • In world events, The Hungarian Uprising was in full sway and Russian forces were being sent into the country to put down a popular uprising by the Hungarians in Budapest.

Review

Described in the Evening Times as nine fit Thistle men against a feather duster Celtic attack! Smith, who had won a fitness battle, but was injured again just before half time and was closely followed by Davidson for Thistle. After an all-Celtic first half Thistle had to reorganise their defense in the second half and Kerr went to centre half and did a good job shackling Billy McPhail, who still came out of the game as the best Celtic forward.
Celtic pressed hard for a winner from the off with Fernie and Walsh having chances and Ledgerwood having to be alert in the Thistle goal. Collins hit the crossbar after a pass from McPhail but Fernie was unable to connect with the rebound. Smith damaged his ankle when going for a high ball against Peacock and Evans. He had to be helped off as Fernie went on a run and Celtic made a good appeal for a penalty when the Thistle full back scooped the ball back to Ledgerwood. Just on half time Davidson had to go off with blood streaming from a cut eyebrow.
At the start of the second half Davidson was still missing and Smith went to outside left limping. Davidson reappeared after ten minutes with a big plaster over his eyebrow and went to centre forward but Smith was virtually immobile. Thistle escaped when Mathers just managed to touch a ball away from Collins with the Celtic man going in for the kill. Davidson almost won it for Thistle five minutes from normal time with a shot from fully 18 yards . McPhail had a chance cleared off the line in the last minute. So the goal-less 90 minutes went into extra time. Smith had to go off leaving Thistle now definetly down to 10 men on the park. In the first period Beattie saved a good shot from McKenzie and in the second Walsh and Fernie had chances which were missed.

The tie went to a replay on the Wednesday.

Teams

Celtic:
Beattie; Haughney, Fallon; Evans, Jack, Peacock; Walsh, Collins, McPhail, Tully, Fernie.
Scorers:

Partick Thistle:
Ledgerwood; Kerr, Gibb; Collins, Davidson, Mathers; McKenzie, Smith, Hogan, Wright, Ewing.
Scorers:

Referee: J A Mowat (Rutherglen)
Attendance: 58,794

Articles

  • Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

Articles

Glasgow Herald 29/10/56
Celtic v Partick Thistle, League Cup Final; Glasgow Herald 29/10/56