1974-05-04: Celtic 3-0 Dundee United, Scottish Cup Final

Match Pictures | Matches: 19731974 | 1973-1974 Pictures

Trivia

  • As usual Celtic prepared for the game at Seamills taking a squad of 17 there. George Connelly was back in training after recovery from his broken ankle sustained against Basel.
  • Celtic win first Hampden cup final in six attempts.
  • Denis Connaghan is unlikely hero with several great saves.
  • Harry Hood gives a vintage performance.
  • Celtic go on lap of honour before receiving the cup thus beating the SFA ban on laps of honour with the trophy.
  • Davie Hay plays his last game for Celtic before a summer move to Chelsea.
  • First Scottish Cup winners medals for Connaghan, McGrain, Murray and McCluskey.
  • On the same day Celtic drew 1-1 with Partick Thistle in a Reserve League match at Celtic Park. This was Celtic Reserves fourth match in four days. The Celtic team was Williams, J. Davidson, Quinn, McCool, Welsh, Ritchie, McLaughlin, McNamara, Bone, Wilson, O’Hara. Subs Little and Leonard. The Celtic scorer was Wilson.
  • During the week Rangers fans had again been involved in a riot, this time in an away Friendly against Everton at Goodison Park.
  • Future Rangers & Scotland manager Walter Smith is in the Dundee Utd side.

Review

1974 Celtic v Dundee Utd SCFCeltic killed the game after 25 minutes with two goals. Only briefly after the interval did United threaten when Connaghan made a fine point blank save from the much vaunted Andy Gray and then McNeill blocked a shot by Knox.

In the final seconds Celtic made it three when Callaghan sent Dalglish through on a fine long pass from the right back position (he had replaced Danny McGrain who was showing the first signs of a diabetic problem) and Dalglish teed Deans up to fire the ball past Davie.

The Celtic players went on a lap of honour after the game the first after a Scottish final since the 1965 League Cup final when Rangers supporters invaded the park in anger after their defeat at the hands of Celtic.

Dixie Deans: ‘No cup final is ever straight forward. We may have won this one 3-0, but, until I knocked in our third goal, nothing was certain.

Jim McLean had not long taken over as manager at Dundee United back in 1974 and he had put together a good side. They had a very young Andy Gray playing up front for them, as well as experienced players like Archie Knox and Walter Smith in their ranks.

But we were a pretty useful side ourselves. The Quality Street Kids had started to break into the first team at Parkhead, and George Connelly, Davie Hay, Danny McGrain and Kenny Dalglish were all involved. There were still a lot of the Lisbon Lions there, too. Bobby Lennox, Billy McNeill, Jimmy Johnstone and Bobby Murdoch, too – God rest his soul – were all in the team.

But my most important contribution to that final was setting up Harry Hood for our first goal. In fact, I laid it on a plate for him. Then Stevie Murray scored our second and I knocked in our last goal to make sure of the silverware. It was the seventh consecutive Scottish Cup Final we had been in and the fifth time we had won it on that incredible run’.

Teams

Celtic:
Connaghan, McGrain (Callaghan), Brogan, Murray, McNeill, McCluskey, Johnstone, Hood, Deans, Hay, Dalglish. Sub: Lennox.
Scorers: Hood (20), Murray (24), Deans (89)

Dundee United:
Davie, Gardner, Kopel, Copland, D Smith (Traynor), W Smith, Payne (Rolland), Knox, Gray, Fleming, Houston

Referee: J Paterson (Bothwell)
Attendance: 75,959

Articles

Pictures

Articles

Evening Times 6th May 1974

shug sludden

1974 SCF Celtic 3-0 Dundee Utd report

Glasgow Herald 6th May 1974

1974-05-04: Celtic 3-0 Dundee United, Scottish Cup Final - The Celtic Wiki