1994-12-26: Aberdeen 0-0 Celtic. Premier Division.

Match Pictures | Matches: 1994–1995|1994-95 Pictures

Trivia

Review

Teams

Aberdeen: Snelders; McKimmie, Wright, Kane, Inglis, Hetherston, Smith, Grant, Miller, Dodds, Glass. Subs: Shearer, Jess, Watt (gk).
Celtic: Bonner; Boyd, McKinlay, O'Neil, Mowbray, Grant, Hay, McStay, McLaughlin, Walker, Collins. Subs: Falconer, Donnelly, Marshall (gk).
Referee:H Dallas (Bonkle)
Attendance:21,000.

Articles

  • Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

Articles

The Herald (Glasgow)
December27, 1994
Plenty grit asAberdeen and Celticdraw a blank

BYLINE:Graeme Smith

WITHCelticlooking to end the worst run in their 106 year history, andAberdeendesperate to get out of the relegation zone, it should have been worth leaving John Wayne and True Grit on telly for a Pittodrie cracker.
Although both sides showed the grit of which big John would have been proud, this was not an oscar-winning performance.
The managers suggested there was much to be pleased with, but the fans went home disappointed.

Aberdeenmanager Willie Miller andCelticassistant Billy Stark both said they were happy with the chances created, and that on "another day" they might have scored.The boos of he fans at the end, however, suggested their patience is wearing thin waiting for the good days.
Willie Miller kept faith with the side who had defeated Motherwell and Duncan Shearer, out virtually since August with a knee injury, started the match on the bench, as did Eoin Jess.
In just two minutes Tony Mowbray was booked for a tackle from behind on Billy Dodds, who had not left his own half when he was felled.
In six minutes, John Collins tried a 25-yard shot from a free kick on the left which forced Theo Snelders to dive low and deflect the ball for a corner asCelticapplied early pressure.
In 10 minutes, Gary Smith was booked for a body check on 20-year-old Chris Hay, who had earned his first appearance this season after good displays in the reserves. He acquitted himself well yesterday.
Dodds was first to have a clear chance when he collected a long ball from Inglis, but from just inside the box, he sent it straight to Pat Bonner. At the other end, Snelders easily held a Hay header.
A tremendous tackle by Tosh McKinlay in 29 minutes savedCelticas Dodds raced in.
Aberdeenhad another opportunity to go ahead in 36 minutes. Dodds crossed to Paul Kane who headed down and as Brian O'Neil tried to clear the ball it hit Kane, ricocheted across the goalmouth, and went just past. In 38 minutes, Brian Grant was booked for a foul on Stephen Glass.
The first half ended with Brian McLaughlin missing a Hay cross by a hairsbreadth and then Andy Walker forcing a great save from Snelders. Immediately, a Billy Dodds run and shot forced Bonner to give away a corner.
The second half had few high spots, but the main one was in 50 minutes.
Aberdeenhad an amazing escape as three timesCeltictried to net from a McLaughlin corner. First Miller cleared from the line, then Kane saved the day before Snelders finally smothered a third shot from the midst of the melee.
In 60 minutes the chants of the crowd were answered when Duncan Shearer replaced Glass, and in 69 minutes Simon Donnelly took over from Chris Hay who appeared to be carrying an injury.
In 71 minutes a Stephen Wright ball gave Shearer his first opportunity but his looping header went wide.
Snelders and Walker were lucky not to be sent off in 73 minutes. Walker collided with the keeper as they challenged for the ball and they hit the ground tangled together with Snelders underneath.
The Dutch keeper rolled over and dragged Walker to his feet but the incident went no further. Referee Hugh Dallas decided they merited only yellow cards.
Billy Stark said he knew the talk would be about the 11-match run without a victory but he had told the players not to read the papers and he was confident that if they kept plugging away they would come good sooner rather than later. There were many things within their bad run to give cause for optimism. Willie Miller's message was the same.
It wasn't a classic but it was another shut out by the Dons.


The Scotsman
December27, 1994, Tuesday
A record Burns does not want

BYLINE:By Scott Davie

TOMMY BURNS must have been hoping to rewrite the his tory books when he took over asCelticmanager, but the first record established was one that he will want to forget asCeltichave now gone 11 league games without victory for the first time in their history.It was the season-long prob lem of an inability to convert pressure into goals that led to this inevitable stalemate as the visitors registered their seventh straight draw against a team who have not scored in three league and cup meetings between the clubs this term.
Burns opted to play young sters Chris Hay and Brian McLaughlin on the wings with Andy Walker through the middle, and though they caused constant problems for theAberdeenback four, Theo Snelders was rarely troubled.
In fact Walker missed by far the best chance of the afternoon early in the second half after some quick thinking by McLaughlin had caught the home defence napping. The for mer Bolton striker stabbed the ball past the post from six yards when it seemed simpler for him to steer it into the net. That summed up the game.

Minutes later, Walker did get a header on target only for the formerCelticwinger, Joe Miller, to scramble the ball off the line.The result leavesCeltic17 points adrift of Rangers with a visit to Ibrox looming, but despite that and the unwanted record run, Burns did take heart from the performance.
"What I am interested in is the long-term good of the club, and there were encouraging signs in the performance of young play ers such as Chris Hay and Brian McLaughlin."
Aberdeenstuck with the start ing 11 that secured a rare win at Motherwell in their previous match, but they too are finding it difficult to convert possession into goals at the moment.
Manager Willie Miller did at least have the consolation of seeing Duncan Shearer safely negotiate the final 30 minutes of the match after replacing young Steven Glass.
Shearer's robust style has been badly missed by the strug glingAberdeenside, and he posed more of an aerial threat to theCelticdefence.
Celticbrought back Pat Bon ner in place of Gordon Marshall because of his organisational and motivational skills. The Ire land goalkeeper had plenty to shout about in the first period as the pace of Dodds through the middle continually embarrassed Tony Mowbray, but the striker's parting shots rarely threatened.
In the 22nd minute he sent a weak effort straight into Bon ner's midriff, and five minutes later hesitated long enough to allow Tosh McKinlay the chance to make a fine blocking tackle at the edge of the box.
Most of the subtle play came fromCeltic, with Hay parti cularly impressive on the wing, showing some neat close con trol, though he could do with some heading practice.
Twice in the first half Tom Boyd picked him out with well- flighted crosses, but the first header flew well wide of the post, while the second looped harmlessly into the arms of Theo Snelders, whose main moment of worry came in an off-the-ball incident late in the game.
In 73 minutes he clashed with Walker, who was chasing a pass- back, and when the ball went out of play the two were in volved in a wrestling match that led to both being shown the yellow card.