| Match Pictures | Matches: 1984 – 1985 | 1984-1985 Pictures |
Trivia
- 100th final of the Scottish Cup.
- Sponsored by the Scottish Health Education group.
- All previous winning captains are invited on to the field before the game. Stein, McNeill and Dalglish are given rousing ovations by the huge Celtic support in the stadium.
- Celtic earn £22,655 from the sponsors for winning. they are docked £1500 for the bookings of Danny McGrain and Willie McStay.
- Celtic end at Hampden dangerously overcrowded. SFA criticised afterwards for not making game all ticket.
- Turnstiles at the Celtic end had moved from street level to top of the stairs and this caused confusion and crushing before the game starts.
- First trophy for Davie Hay as a Celtic manager.
- The McStay brothers create history by winning the cup together in the same team.
- First Scottish cup winners medals for Bonner, W McStay, McAdam, P McStay, McGarvey, Johnston, McClair and O'Leary.
Review
A milestone was reached in Scottish football in 1985 when Hampden Park hosted the 100th Scottish Cup Final. Although the first final had taken place in 1874 the competition had not been played during the First and Second World Wars.
Davie Hay had controversially left top scorer Brian McClair on the bench before hand. The first half was dull and uneventful but when Beedie scored for United in 54 minutes the Dundee side now looked in complete control.
However it was only David Hay's courageous substitution of Pierce O'Leary for the disappointing Paul McStay which changed the course of the game. This allowed Roy Aitken to move up into midfield and was a master stroke. McClair also replaced the out of sorts Tommy Burns and suddenly Celtic had more attacking options and they pressed United back.
Aitken was a total inspiration in his new midfield role and his strength and determination unnerved United. In 76 minutes Provan equalised with a spectacular bending free kick and the massive Celtic support inside Hampden roared the team on in search of a winner.
Both McGarvey and Johnston missed good chances before Aitken charged down the right and swung over a cross for McGarvey to score with a spectacular flying header. United looked a beaten side after this goal.
Celtic held on until full time and in the end were worthy winners.
Davie Provan:
The Scottish Cup Final against Dundee United in 1985 was special because it was the Centenary Final and also because of the manner in which we won it.
It also stands out for me because I scored probably my most important goal. It is as well as I ever struck a freekick.
We used a different ball for that match from the one we used for league games and it flew about all over the place. I had actually been practising my free-kicks with Murdo MacLeod and I must have missed the target with every kick. So we agreed, if the opportunity arose, he would take the kicks.
But, with time running out – and at 1-0 down – we were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the penalty box and I fancied it.
Archie Macpherson was commentating on television, and said: "Only twice in the history of the Scottish Cup have goals been scored direct from free-kicks. I wonder if this will be another." I was happy to oblige my friend.
Once I had scored the equaliser, I felt there was only going to be one winner. And, right enough, Frank McGarvey got in a wonderful diving header to seal the win.
Frank McGarvey:
I had two dreams as a boy. One was to score the winning goal for Celtic in the last minute of an Old Firm game. I did that in my first appearance.
I realised the second dream when I scored the winning goal in the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden in 1985.
It was the 100th cup final and we were trailing 1-0 to Dundee United going into the final minutes.
But Davie Provan netted a superb free-kick to equalise.
And then I contributed probably the best goal I scored in my entire life. Roy Aitken had gone up the right wing and put in a terrible cross away from goal to make my life difficult.
But I ran past David Narey and jumped as high as I could in the air. The ball just seemed to come straight to me and I managed to make good contact with it.
I fell to the ground and did not see the ball go into the net. I just heard a tremendous noise and I realised I had scored.
I am not a particularly religious man, but I did thank God after that for letting me score because I had managed to make so many people happy.
There must have been about 50,000 of our supporters in the ground that day and they were loving every minute of our victory.
Afterwards, Davie said to me: "Enjoy this, Frank, because we won't get many more moments like it."
Those proved to be prophetic words as we both took ill the following season, resulting in my release.
David Hay took over as manager when Billy McNeill left, and I always feel I was unfairly treated by him.
Although I played well for him, he wanted his own players.
I was 29 and wanted to spend the rest of my days at Celtic, but he sold me on, even though the cup final goal made his job a lot safer.
Paul McStay:
My brother Willie and I played in the 100th Scottish Cup Final against Dundee United in 1985.
It was a tough, tough game and they went a goal ahead through Stuart Beedie.
Tommy Burns and I were substituted in that one. Our manager, Davie Hay, had to go for the jugular and he made the necessary changes.
Davie Provan scored a fantastic free-kick and then Frank McGarvey bagged the winner.
It was a fantastic day for my family to have two brothers playing for Celtic in the same cup final. It is not very often that happens.
Everybody was very proud.
Teams
Dundee United: McAlpine, Malpas, Beedie (Holt), Gough, Hegarty, Narey, Bannon, Milne, Kirkwood, Sturrock, Dodds Sub: Coyne
Dundee United scorer: Beedie (54)
Celtic: Bonner, W McStay, McGrain, Aitken, McAdam, MacLeod, Provan, P McStay (O’Leary), Johnston, Burns (McClair), McGarvey
Celtic scorers: Provan (76), McGarvey (84)
Referee: B.R. McGinlay (Balfron)
Attendance: 60,346.
Goals
Articles
- Match Report (see below)
Pictures
KStreet
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My First Cup Final
(by Tinsoldier of the KStreet forum Jan 09)
My first cup final was as unexpected as it was exciting.I got a call from a mate to say that he and his Father were heading to Glasgow to watch Celtic play Dundee United at Hampden and it was pay at the gate for £3.I didn't need asked twice and after securing £3 from my Dad I headed to his place double quick.
Its funny but I can remember silly details about getting to Hampden – I can remember parking at red ash playing fields and my mates Dad bemoaning the fact that these things still existed – this was 1985 remember when I would imagine they were still pretty common. I can remember an old man stopping us as we walked up to the ground and asking us what number of bus he could get to Cambuslang. I can remember passing Dundee Utd fans and some pretty good natured banter – they probably felt more confident than we did that day.This was a good United side.
My abiding memory though was the crush at the turnstiles before we eventually got in. A massive crowd had turned up and the mounted police had arrived making the situation worse,with an already agitated crowd getting more and more angry. I heard once we were in the ground that many had gained free entry as gates were thrown open to alleviate the situation. Not us law abiding Fifers though,our £9 was duly paid!
And so the game duly kicked off, with United looking dangerous. They had a very good side and sure enough they scored first through Beedie, who showed pace and power to send the ball past Packie Bonnar in goals. To be honest I can't really remember if they deserved to be winning or not. I do remember the covered end being very noisy as the United fans sensed a win.
It was well into the second half when we got the free kick outside the box that was to change the game. Davie Provan stepped up and planted a beauty of a kick past McAlpine to send myself and 50,000 others wild with delight.It was a goal fit to grace any final in the world.It was game on. I remember Roy Aitken driving the side forward and the Celtic support trying to almost suck the ball into the net for the winner.And when the winner arrived it was courtesy of Big Roy,who fired in a cross that McGarvey somehow arched himself backwards to get to.His header was a thing of beauty as it sailed into the net.He collapsed to his knees at the Celtic end and we knew then we had won it!
We stayed for the presentation of the famous trophy then made our way back to the car,soaking up the post match celebrations going on all around us.What a day it had been.Celtic,in typical fairytale fashion,had won the 100th Scottish Cup Final, which just happened to be my first as well.
What a team!
Evening Times 20th May 1985
Glasgow Herald 20th May 1985
