1978-01-29: Ayr United 0-5 Celtic, Friendly

Match Pictures | Matches: 19771978 | 1977-78 Pictures

Trivia

  • On the 17th January John Clark, who had been working as a Reserve team coach at Celtic Park, was appointed Assistant Manager to Billy McNeill at Aberdeen.
  • Celtic were due to play Clydebank at home in the League on Saturday 21st but snow and ice threatened the whole of the Scottish programme that weekend. The following weekend was the 3rd Round of the Scottish Cup against Dundee at Celtic Park. That too was postponed.
  • In the mean time Celtic installed the extra crush barriers in the East End terracing and applied to rasise the ground limit to 67,000.
  • The CSA stopped selling souvenirs from their shop in Kinloch Street and closed it down when it was again broken into and over £1000 worth of merchandise stolen.
  • Celtic were said to be interested (again) in the Newcastle midfielder Tommy Craig who was valued at £250,000. As Celtic had yet to break the £100,000 limit for buying a player he eventually went to Aston Villa.

Review

With no game for two weeks Jock Stein organised a quickly arranged practice match at Somerset Park which was played in snow and freezing temperatures. Ayr had defeated Celtic as recently as December 31st and one could only wonder why as Celts brushed them aside.

Recent signing from Larkhall Alan Sneddon was given a start and Roy Aitken tried in the unusual position of left back and captain for the day.

Teams

Ayr Utd:- Sproat, Rodman (Wells), Connor (Murphy), Hyslop, McAllister, McAnespie (Hannah), McCall, McSherry, McCutcheon (Masterson), McLaughlin, Christie (Sim)
Goals:

Celtic:-
Latchford (Baines), Sneddon, Aitken, Edvaldsson, MacDonald, Munro (Casey), Glavin, McAdam (Craig), McCluskey, Burns, Conn (Wilson)
Goals:- McAdam (21), McCluskey 3 (22,50,82), Craig (89).

Referee: H Alexander (Kilmarnock)
Attendance: 2,300

Articles

  • Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

Articles
1978 Ayr 0-5 Celtic report

Ayr Utd v Celtic, Friendly, 29/1/78