| Match Pictures | Matches: 1943 – 1944 |
Trivia
- Celtic & World War Two
- “[Albion Rovers] were ‘Blue Devils’ to Celtic’s harassed defence” (Sunday Post)
- Jock Stein was in the Albion Rovers side
- Scorer for Albion Rovers was ex-Celt John McIlhatton. He eventually left Coatbridge in April 1946 to sign for Everton in a hefty £5,000 transfer deal where Everton secretary Theo Kelly said: “In Johnny McIlhatton we have as good a player as Stanley Matthews”. Sadly he passed away prematurely at only 33 years of age. RIP.
Review
“[Albion Rovers] were ‘Blue Devils’ to Celtic’s harassed defence”
(Sunday Post)
The Coatbridge Express had the headline ‘ROVERS SURPRISE CELTS’ and reports McIllhatton’s winning goal staggered the Celtic supporters while the Rovers fans danced with joy. Good for the Rovers! Attendance reported by them as 6000-7000.
An even game until a late winner for Albion Rovers after a defensive error. Jock Stein tamed Jackie Gallacher.
Some might underplay this victory but as Celtic had thumped both Hearts & Third Lanark 4-0 in the previous two matches, this was quite a result!
Teams
Albion Rovers:
Anderson, Savage and Picken; Sharp, Stein and McLetchie; McIlhatton, McInally, Keeble, Smith and Mooney
Goals: McIlhatton 2
Celtic:
Miller, Hogg, P McDonald; M MacDonald, McLaughlan and McAuley; Lynch, McPhail, Gallacher, Divers and Long
Goals: McPhail
Referee: R Calder, Rutherglen
Attendance:8000
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
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Links
Articles
Sunday Post:
