1970-03-21: Celtic 3-0 Ayr United, League Division 1

Match Pictures | Matches: 19691970 | 1969-70 Pictures

Trivia

  • Celtic had asked the SFA for a postponement of this fixture coming three days after the away trip to Fiorentina. However the SFA ruled against this and the match went on as planned.
  • The draw was made for the semi final of the European Cup with Celtic drawing Leeds Utd (the tie Stein did not want). The first leg would be away in Leeds. 60,000 tickets went on sale for the Hampden game on this day and all went in two hours.
  • Jimmy Johnstone was a casualty from the Fiorentina game picking up a calf knock which kept him out of this side. Macari came in on the right wing. Jim Craig came in for Davie Hay and Tommy Callaghan for Bertie Auld.
  • The players wore black arm bands as a mark of respect for ex-Celtic player Pat McAuley who had just past away on the 16th March.
  • In the Reserve League Celtic were away to Ayr United and won 1-0 with White getting the goal. The Celtic team was Fallon, McGrain, Gorman, Dalglish, Cattanach, Clark, Gallagher, Davidson, Quinn, White, Wilson Sub McBride
  • With Rangers losing all Celtic needed was a draw in the next game against Aberdeen to be certain of the title.

Review

Ayr were far from overawed by the European Cup semi finalists and put up a good show in the first half defending well and attacking when they could. Billy McNeill required treatment early in the first half which eventually led to his substitution by Bobby Murdoch with George Connelly going to centre half..
For the second half Harry Hood went to outside right with Macari inside and Wallace at centre forward. Despite pressing hard it was still difficult to break down that final brick in the Ayr defense. But on 50 minutes Callaghan put Lennox through and he went on to crash the ball home. A further ten minutes saw Wallace cooly score and then get a second even more cooly.

Teams

Celtic
Williams, Craig, Gemmell, Connelly, McNeill (Murdoch), Brogan, Macari, Wallace, Hood, Callaghan, Lennox .
Scorers Lennox (50), Wallace 2 (61, 63)

Ayr United
Stewart, Malone, Murphy, Fleming, Quinn, Mitchell, Young, Ferguson, Hood, Aitken, McCulloch Sub McColl

Referee: J.C. McRoberts (Wishaw)
Attendance: 27,000

Articles

  • Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

Articles

Celtic v Ayr Utd, League, 21/3/70