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The Herald (Glasgow)
October 5, 1995
Celtic spring a McNamara signing surprise. Hughes head man against old mates
BYLINE:Ken Gallacher, Chief Football Writer
JOHN Hughes returned to Brockville in triumph last night with the goal which gave his new club,Celtic, victory overFalkirk– the team he skippered until his tran fer to Parkhead at the start of the season.The goal was a long time in coming, but that scarcely mattered to Hughes who raced to theCelticsupporters behind the goal, kissing his jersey in celebration. Earlier, Hughes had been jeered by the Brockville support who had once idolised him.The goal which gaveCelticall three points must have been all the sweeter for him as the fans who had taunted him fell silent.
It was little enough reward for the Parkhead men who had subjectedFalkirkto fierce spells of pressure throughout the game — but particularly in the second half. There must have been times when the players wondered if they would ever score.Then in stepped HughesHe was up in the penalty box when Andreas Thom swung in a corner from the left. He rose above the challenges from theFalkirkdefenders and powered a header down and over the line. The ball was struck with such power that it bounced high into the roof of the net as Hughes turned away, punching the air.
Poor Billy Lamont, who had been brought back into the Brockville goal, had no chance. Indeed few goalkeepers would have been able to stop the header.
Lamont, freed byFalkirkin the summer, was recalled by manager John Lambie in a bid to solve his goalkeeping crisis. And the keeper, still without a club, played superbly. AskCelticabout that.It was only that special header in the 78th minute which finally defeated him. As if that was not enough forFalkirkto bear, they had Jamie McGowan sent off six minutes from the end.McGowan had been yellow-carded earlier in the second half for a foul on Pierre van Hooydonk. When he tripped the Dutchman again after 84 minutes, the referee had no alternative but to caution him again — and off he went.
Celtichad surprised their support before the start by fielding their latest signing Jackie McNamara, who had been bought from Dunfermline in the afternoon.Manager Tommy Burns paid £600,000 for the Scotland Under-21 defender, who will be 22 later this month. McNamara has now followed his father, also Jackie, into a Celtic team.
The youngster settled in comfortably and forced Lamont into a save after only seven minutes with a long-range shot which the keeper fumbled before pushing away for a corner. At that early stage Lamont seemed nervous, uncertain of himself, on his Brockville comeback.It was the second half before he displayed some heroics. By thenFalkirkhad been able to hang on desperately, keeping the score level at half-time.
But even their most loyal fans must have wondered how they could continue to do so. They managed for long enough and Lamont was partly responsible for their survival.
In 50 minutes he came from goal to block a low shot from van Hooydonk with his knees after Andreas Thom had sent the Dutchman free in the penalty box. In 58 minutes he foiled the giant striker once more when he saved a low, vicious free kick from 35 yards at the second attempt. Then, just three minutes later, he hurled himself to his left to hold a fierce drive from John Collins.
By now Falkirk were on the ropes, with few attempts at attacking play coming from them. In 72 minutes, Gordon Marshall did save a low shot from Mo Johnston, and then the keeper held a speculative long range try from David Elliot under the bar.
But Celtic kept throwing men forward until eventually they got their reward.
By that time Falkirk had lost both John Clark and Steve Fulton through injury with Joe McLaughlin and Brian Rice taking over. They also had Scott McKenzie booked for a foul on Collins and McGowan collected his first yellow card as they desperately tried to stem the tide.There were times when it seemed as if they might succeed in holding on, times whenCelticlooked as if they would be frustrated by the defiant Lamont and by their own careless finishing.
However, McNamara was given a winning debut and said afterwards: "It took me some time to become used to the pace of the game. Everything happened very quickly. I signed at lunchtime and then was here playing tonight. The manager simply told me to play the way I had been playing with Dunfermline, to get the ball down, and play football.Celtichad gone into the game without skipper Paul McStay and international left back Tosh McKinlay. Both players failed late fitness tests but Peter Grant returned, and Jamie McQuilken took over at left back.
The victory was important for the Parkhead side especially following the disappointment of their Old Firm defeat at the weekend.
The result means they remain chasing Rangers at the top of the table.
The Scotsman
October 5, 1995, Thursday
Hughes back to hauntFalkirk
BYLINE:David Mckinney
CELTICrequired a trademark goal from John Hughes to secure full points in a game when 90 minutes of attractive football again failed to produce the kind of penetration which was so obviously missing against Rangers on Saturday.A corner in 78 minutes was aimed at the penalty spot by Brian McLaughlin, and Hughes, the formerFalkirkdefender, came storming in to score with a powerful downward header. It may not have been pretty, but it gaveCeltica victory their overall dominance had deserved.
The Glasgow side showed several changes from Saturday.
There was no Paul McStay in theCelticmidfield and Jackie McNamara took the field after signing from Dunfermline hours before kick-off in a £ 600,000 deal.Falkirkhad a disappointing night, struggling to break free of the shackles imposed by a busyCelticside, and only late in the game did Gordon Marshall have to look sharp to save twice, from Maurice Johnston and David Elliot.
With five minutes remaining,Falkirk'sJamie McGowan was sent off for his second bookable offence, completing the Brockville's side's night of misery.
The changing face ofCelticwas evident when the teams took the field, McNamara and Jamie McQuilken both making their debuts, McQuilken having been promoted from the reserves to cover for the absent Tosh McKinlay at left-back.
McNamara sent in the first on-target effort of the game, forcing Billy Lamont, an emergency signing byFalkirkmanager John Lambie, to push a powerful shot round the post.
Celtichad begun in customary style, pinging the ball around at pace. John Collins shot across the face of the goal in 15 minutes, but gradually, and predictably, the storm blew over, the first half drifting to a close withCelticonce again displaying the lack of bite up front which was highlighted by manager Tommy Burns after Saturday's defeat by Rangers.
Falkirkmay have offered little offensively in the first half, but at the back they were solid until the loss of John Clark to injury in the 43rd minute.
Celtic'sDutch striker, Pierre van Hooijdonk, took it upon himself to search for the opening goal as the second half got under way, but theFalkirkdefence remained solid, forcing the visitors to look for openings from set pieces.
Van Hooijdonk tried his luck with three free kicks, the first finishing over the crossbar, the second being deflected for a corner and the third forcing a save from Lamont. By that stage,Celtichad encamped around theFalkirkpenalty area and were raining in shots.
On a rare excursion towards theCelticgoal, Johnston saw a low shot well saved by Marshall.
Then Hughes stepped in.
Afterwards, Burns praised his young players in what he thought was a "well-deserved and hard-worked" win.
"We had four players under the age of 21 in our team and one on the bench, so it says a lot for the young players who are always under pressure to get results forCeltic. I thought Jamie McQuilken was magnificent and Jackie McNamara settled in well.
"At the moment we are getting the goals we maybe didn't score last season, and although we hadn't scored late in the game, I was always reluctant to take off either Andreas Thom or Pierrie van Hooijdonk.Matchwinner Hughes said: "I felt the goal was coming all night because crosses were being collected by the front-post man but on the occasion of the goal it was missed at the front post and I attacked it.
"This was another indication of the character atCelticPark now because we make sure above all else that we get three points. Tommy Burns and Billy Stark demand that."Falkirkmanager John Lambie said: "They didn't look as if they were penetrating our defence although we don't look like scoring goals. We defended well in the second half but created nothing.
"Injuries didn't help us with John Clark coming off. He can hardly walk and I feel if he had been on the field he would have been the man to mark John Hughes at the goal."
Lambie suggested that players would be leaving: "There's a lot of spadework to do here and players might not arrive overnight, but they will definitely be moving."
McNamara revealed that he had made his debut in a pair of borrowed boots. The player had signed in the early afternoon after undergoing a medical and returned to his father's car to find it had been broken into and his boots stolen.
"I don't know whose they are but I'm thankful for them anyway," said McNamara.
"This is a great chance for me, something I dreamt about as a youngster."
The player, 22 next month, signed a three-year contract and in doing so brought to an end a chase for his signature.
Burns indicated that he had been keeping an an eye on the player's progress at East End Park for some time.
"We looked at him last year at the start of this season, but have really been chasing him for the past ten days. It's taken a lot of negotiating but I feel both parties are happy with the deal."
Dunfermline had originally turned down an initial approach for his services, but with debts of £ 3.5 million, the First Division side felt they were not in a position to turn downCeltic'soffer.
Burns added: "I'm delighted to have the lad here and it's important to get him up and running as quick as possible."
Dunfermline assistant manager Dick Campbell was disappointed to lose the player he has coached for several years.
"The lad definitely wanted to play forCelticin fact there was no other team he wanted to talk to, and that helped to swing the deal.
I believe he is a top-class quality player who will improve with better players around him.While I'm happy for the lad himself, I'm sick for our supporters."
The Glasgow-born player has operated in both defence and midfield for Dunfermline, whom he joined four years ago, and will be out to make theCelticright-back slot his own."I'm still a bit shocked about the whole thing," said the Under-21 internationalist, but it has been a brilliant start."