1983-05-14: Rangers 2-4 Celtic, Premier Division

Trivia

• Last game of the season
• Celtic lose the league title by just 1pt to Dundee Utd.
• Nicholas plays his last competitive match for Celtic before his transfer to Arsenal.
• Despite beating Rangers Celtic lose the league by one point to Dundee Utd who win 2-1 at Dens Park.
• Had Dundee equalised against United at Dens there would have been a title play-off: Incredibly, United and Celtic would have had identical records.
• Celtic fans pack into the Broomloan stand, Govan stand, main stand and enclosure.
• McNeill sends players out early for the second half for them to witness a rousing rendition of 'You'll never walk alone.'
• McNeill sends them out again at full time to salute the fans for their tremendous support and despite the loss of the title the fans cheer the players to the rafters.

Review

Celtic fans looked on in horror as two wicked deflections gave Rangers a 2-0 half time lead.

Celtic battled back to overturn this defecit with two successful spot kick conversions by Charlie Nicholas and goals from Tom McAdam and Frank McGarvey, sadly Dundee United's win over their city neighbours and rivals meant that the ribbons on the League Championship trophy would be tangerine instead of green and white but that shouldn't detract from a truly heroic performance.

The few Rangers fans who were leftcheered loudly before Nicholas' late penalty when news of United's victory filtered through.

Celtic fans stayed afterwards to salute the players efforts but Nicholas looked subdued and meekly saluted the fans leading to rumours of his imminent departure.

Teams

Rangers:
McCloy, Dawson, McClelland, MacPherson, Patterson,Bett, Cooper, McKinnon (Russell), Clark, Redford, McDonald (Dalziel)
Scorers: Cooper 16 Clark 23

Articles

• Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

• Match Pictures

Articles

Glasgow Herald 16th May 1983