| Match Pictures | Matches: 1972 – 1973 | 1972-73 Pictures |
Trivia
- Celtic fans in joyful mood as 7 In a row league flag is unfurled by Adele Daly, sister of Celtic chairman Desmond White.
- George Connelly who had been nursing a knee injury was out. Callaghan dropped back and in came Dixie Deans.
- Killie beat Rangers 2-1 at Rugby park to add to the fans' party spirit.
- Rosenborg goalkeeper goes to Parkhead for three months. Goalkeeper Geir Karlsen (23) of Norwegian club Rosenborg is to join Celtic for a trial period. Karlsen impressed Jock Stein when Rosenborg met Celtic in the first leg of their European Cup tie in Glasgow on September 13. In the course of the match Karlsen broke a leg but when he is fit again he will join Celtic for at least three months. Stein said yesterday “We are looking forward to having Karlsen with us. Rosenborg have agreed that we can have him as long as we want.”
- Celtic turned down an invitation from Athletico Madrid of Spain to play in a testimonial there next month. Stein feels they have too many other commitments. 2-10-72 Scotsman
- On the same day Celtic defeated Ayr Utd 2-1 in a Reserve League match at Somerset Park. The Celtic team was Connaghan, Watt, Brogan, McNamara, McDonald, Welsh, McLaughlin, Wilson, Franchetti, O'Hara, Lennox. Sub Hancock. The Celtic scorers were Wilson and Hancock.
Review
Although only the 5th game of the season, this was a top-of-the-table clash with Ayr having gone top the previous week when Celtic were beaten by Dundee. The flag unfurling and being back at Celtic Park put everybody in a better mood. Celtic started strongly and Dixie Deans headed home after 15 minutes. They had plenty of chances to go furether ahead but Ayr fought back and it was just the early goal that separated the teams.
Top of the table at the end of September looked like this
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
| Celtic | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 8 |
| Aberdeen | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 8 |
| Dundee Utd | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 8 |
| Dundee | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 6 |
| Hearts | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
| Ayr Utd | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Arbroath | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
Teams
Celtic:-
Williams, McGrain, McCluskey, Murdoch, McNeill, Callaghan, Johnstone, Dalglish, Deans, Macari, Hood. Sub: Quinn
Goals: Deans (15)
Ayr United:
Stewart, Fillipi, Murphy, Fleming, Rogerson, McCulloch, Doyle, Stevenson, Ingram, McLean (McGovern), Graham
Goals:
Referee: T. Marshall (Glasgow).
Attendance: 25,000
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
Glasgow Herald Saturday 30 September 1972
Flag day marks Celtic’s home-coming
By John Downie
It is back-to-normal day for everyone today in Scottish football after Wednesday’s European and Texaco Cup matches, but especially so for Celtic, who happily return to Parkhead for their first real home match since they beat Stirling Albion in the league cup on August 26.
Since then alterations and repairs to their stand have forced them to play at Hampden Park where their supporters have not turned up in their usual numbers.
There can be little doubt that the return to Paradise will draw a fair number, for the visitors are Ayr United, who after a somewhat unhappy league cup have made an excellent start to the Scottish League, in which they share the leadership with Celtic and five other clubs on six points.
In addition Celtic have chosen this occasion to unfurl for the first time their seventh successive league championship flag, which with the six others also aloft will contribute to a gala home-coming.
FIRST DEFEAT
Not all Celtic’s troubles are over with their return to their home ground. Their list of injured defenders has now been joined by George Connelly, who damaged a hip in last Saturday’s match against Dundee at Dens Park, where the champions took their first league defeat. He turned out in Wednesday’s European Cup win over Rosenborg, but Jock Stein will wait until today to decide whether or not to play him.
Ayr too have defensive problems after a run of injuries and the suspension of Alex McAnespie. But their manager, Ally McLeod, points out that they have a habit of playing well at Parkhead and that they gave Celtic two hard games last season.
Ayr’s pool of 13 comprises the Newcastle team with the addition of Phil McGovern and Alex McGregor. As both of those are forwards it can be taken that Drew Rogerson, the centre half signed by Ayr after Stenhousemuir had released him last week, will retain his place.
The Scotsman Monday October 2 1972
Celtic flag decision puts pressure on Ibrox
Celtic did not fly the Eire tricolour at Celtic Park on Saturday and it is most unlikely that it will appear again this season. And so a 50-year tradition ends which is in line with the request from the Glasgow Magistrates, but the decision will put pressure on Rangers to make a reciprocal gesture.
Ten flags—all brand new—were flown at Celtic Park. There were seven league championship flags, representing the clubs seven successive victories, a special flag of Celtic’s own design with a massive seven in the middle, acknowledging the record set by these seven wins, and over the main stand, a Union Jack and the Rampant Lion.
The eight “championship” flags on the roof of what used to be known as The Jungle made an impressive and proud background which is fast becoming one of the finest stadiums in Britain.
Celtic officials declined to say whether this flag arrangement would be a permanent feature, but it seems reasonable to assume that the Parkhead club did not buy all these flags just to put them in a cupboard.
Jock Stein said that the eight new flags would be flown for at least a month though it can be taken that they will be there all season. Celtic are after number eight to complete the set.
Doubtless Celtic will reserve the right to fly any flag they care but it does seem that they have accepted the advice of the magistrates. Whether such an action will have any appreciable effect on the partisan fanaticism of certain sections of both sides of the “Old Firm” support remains to be seen. But it is a step in the right direction; one which confirms that Celtic are anxious to do all in their power to reduce hooliganism.
But if flags have any significance it would appear that Celtic will be hard-pressed to win an eighth title in a row. Because of a little mix up in a charmingly home-spun ceremony one of the two flags unfurled on Saturday fell to the ground. The seven championship flags fluttered gracefully in the gentle wind and during this spell Celtic played methodical and commanding football.
Tommy Callaghan was a success as he operated largely on the left wing, far outshining his more illustrious colleague Jimmy Johnstone. It was a cross by Callaghan in the 10th minute which gave Dixie Deans the chance to head a slick goal.
Soon after the eighth flag was hauled into position however Celtic struggled. They got cluttered up in midfield and Ayr with speedy little men like Ingram Doyle and Fillipi came near to dominating the game. This was a very ordinary Celtic far removed from the exciting team of a couple of seasons back.
Of course George Connelly was an absentee and Celtic have been without their regular backs for several games but the spark has gone. This Jock Stein realises better than anyone and he warned in the club programme—“We have recently been lacking in application to the job in more than one position. This will not be tolerated if there is a chance of it continuing. We have sufficient talented young players at Parkhead to make their seniors give all-out effort.”
[photograph with this article in Pictures section]
Glasgow Herald Monday October 2 1972
No commemoration day sparkle from Celtic
From a Special Correspondent
Celtic 1, Ayr United 0
Celtic having decorated Parkhead with flags to commemorate the Jock Stein era, contrived to squander an opportunity to provide further embellishments on the pitch.
They gained two points against Ayr United while at the same time managing to conceal most of the repertoire that has taken them to seven consecutive championships and which makes them favourites for the title again.
Perhaps the tone for the afternoon was set in the little ceremony that Celtic staged before the start of their first home league match of the season.
Stein, the club chairman Desmond White and their wives were driven slowly round the ground in a vintage limousine to unfurl the flags. Unfortunately as they arrived at the special pennant which marks the seven titles, the flag blew down and was seized by the crowd on the terraces.
The official party retreated to the grandstand with the flag pole unadorned and workmen had to wait till halfway through the match before they could hoist this souvenir.
The team could not get it quite right either. In small patches they interwove some magnificent patterns in midfield, but always they hesitated in front of goal. Individually, Hood, Callaghan, Dalglish and Macari had their moments without finding any sustained form.
Celtic’s task was not made any easier by an Ayr side who seemed to have been given the kind of tactics talk that the British Expeditionary Force had been told on the beaches of Dunkirk some time in 1940.
They retreated with a huge weight of numbers into their own half leaving McCulloch to sweep behind a line of four solid defenders. Their elevated position in the first division seemed to make them intent on surviving this match and fighting on easier fronts later.
Significantly their best work was produced in the second half when Ally McLeod replaced George McLean—who had earlier been booked—with McGovern. Unfortunately for Ayr the substitute missed the best opportunity of the match when he sliced a shot wide of goal only seconds after having come on and before he could pick up the pace of the match.
But on the grounds of chances created Celtic were the only possible winners and they did seem to demonstrate their manager’s conviction that they would feel better for being back at Parkhead.
The only goal came after 15 minutes. Callaghan, whose sudden bursts of speed down the left wing always worried Ayr, picked up a short corner and clipped the ball neatly towards the near post. Deans saw the pass a split second before any Ayr defender and ran forward to glance the ball neatly into the net.
Thirteen minutes later it became apparent that Celtic were not going to run up a cricket score. A cute flick from Macari left Johnstone with all the time to sidefoot the ball into the net. Maybe the winger wondered which side of the goal would best suit the cameramen. In any event Stewart was able to come out and pick the ball off his feet. From that time Celtic appeared willing to settle for a single goal victory.
BRIGHT FUTURE
Stein will be glad of the points. But he will be sure to remind his strikers this week to leave the clever stuff to the providers and settle down to the job of reminding their challengers of the task that awaits them by claiming some large propaganda victories of their own.
Ayr can certainly look forward to a satisfactory season. Murphy, McCulloch, Doyle and Ingram all played their parts in this match. And possibly at their own Somerset Park they will be more ambitious and score the goals that can keep them on the heels of the leaders.
Celtic—Williams; McGrain and McCluskey; Murdoch, McNeill and Callaghan; Johnstone and Dalglish; Deans, Macari and Hood. Substitute—Quinn.
Ayr United—Stewart; Fillipi and Murray; Fleming, Rogerson and McCulloch; Doyle and Graham; Ingram, McLean and Stevenson. Substitute—McGovern.
Referee—T. Marshall (Glasgow).
