| Match Pictures | Matches: 1960 – 1961 | 1960-1961 Pictures |
Trivia
- Something was going on in the minds of the Celtic management and trainers and Bob Kelly. Fernie, Hughes and Auld were all out injured which forced a rethink in the forward line-up. Carroll had been tried out at outside right in the Reserves and in the last two games though this appeared to be Stevie Chalmers true position. The little-used Johnny kelly had been brought in to do a job at centre forward, but though fast he lacked the further requuirements of control and shooting accuracy. Jim Conway who had fallen out of favour looked a decent shout at centre forward and had played well in the mud of the Boxing Day game against Dundee. Even Johnny Divers who had seemed a rock at inside left was now being changed around. For this game Charlie Gallacher was given a step up from the Reserves at inside left rather than the right side he normally patrolled..
- South of the border attempts were made to avert a football strike by players in January with the English Football League urging clubs to pay players a minimum £30 per week wage. The demands of the players went further than this however, wanting contracts where they would be free to move to any club at the end, a right to negotiate their own wages and onward moves and new contracts, a share of any transfer fees and a committee to help negotiate in contract disputes between clubs and players. This was a first real attempt by players to move their contracting system forward into a modern age and it would have major implications for the game, as all parties came to see.
- The Scottish league clubs met and threw out proposals for a change of League structure – to two leagues of 16 clubs – in favour of the status quo. Had the proposals have gone through it would have perhaps been a spark for Scottish football through the 60's.
Review
A major fight back from the Bhoys against a Kilmarnock side sitting in second spot in the League. Celtic were two down after 50 minutes but fought back with two goals from Stevie Chalmers and Charlie Gallagher scoring a late winner.
Haffey had a shock start when a long range shot rebounded off McNeill and brown slotted home for Killie. They recovered from this early setback and started to hold their own against a more than competent and confiident Kilmarnock . Celtic pushed the game but were met by good defending and an on-form McLaughlan in the Killie goal. Kille went further ahead in the second half when a high ball was missed by both McNeill and Kerr and Kennedy collected to shoot home. Two goals down Celtic upped another gear and in the 59th minute the pressure finmally paid off. A low shot by Byrne was collected and flicked home by Chalmers. He got his second and Celtic's leveller when he again collected a Byrne pass to beat his man and send in a sharp shot which McLaughlan could not hold.
And before the end Gallacher scored an individual goal sprinting with the ball and lashing an unstoppable shot past Mclaughlan.
Celtic finished the first part of the season in a very similar situation to the previous season. With 18 games played they were in 8th position with 19 points, having won seven games, drawn 5 and lost 6. They had conceded less goals than the previous season – their defensive record was only surpassed by Rangers – but the goals for total was way under the previous season – 31 as opposed to 40.
| Team | P | W | L | D | F | A | Pts |
| Rangers | 18 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 57 | 19 | 30 |
| Kilmarnock | 18 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 38 | 29 | 24 |
| Aberdeen | 18 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 43 | 36 | 23 |
| ThirdLanark | 18 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 51 | 48 | 20 |
| Motherwell | 18 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 38 | 29 | 20 |
| PartickThistle | 18 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 29 | 23 | 20 |
| Airdrie | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 37 | 38 | 19 |
| Celtic | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 31 | 26 | 19 |
Teams
Celtic:
Haffey; MacKay, Kennedy; Crerand, McNeill, Peacock; Chalmers, Divers, Conway, Gallacher, Byrne.
Scorers: Chalmers 2 (59, 80), Gallacher (85)
Kilmarnock:
McLaughlan; Richmond, Watson; Davidson, Toner, Beattie; Brown, McInally, Kerr, Kennedy, Muir
Scorers: Brown (2), Kennedy (50)
Referee: A Cook (Edinburgh)
Attendance: 30,000
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
