The Celtic Star
·7 August 2022
The Celtic Star
·7 August 2022
Celtic thrash Sunderland 5-0 at Roker Park in a pre-season friendly. This is a clear indication of what Jock Stein’s Celtic intend to be like this season. The pleasure of this victory is intensified by the fact that Jim Baxter ex-Rangers is now with Sunderland and barely kicks the ball today, and of course Sunderland’s manager is Ian McColl, also ex-Rangers.
A bad point of this day however is the hooliganism of some of Celtic’s so-called fans. Throwing an orange at Jim Baxter may perhaps be put down to high spirits and even has its funny side; breaking of windows of houses near the ground and fighting with Sunderland fans is a different matter, and rightly condemned by Jock Stein.
Aberdeen beat Celtic narrowly 2-1 in the final of the pre-season Dryburgh Cup (a trophy now relegated to its deserved obscurity) at Pittodrie. John Hughes equalised for Celtic with a header, but a penalty sunk by Joe Harper was enough to win the Cup for the Dons.
Celtic open the season with a respectable 2-2 draw at Motherwell with goals from Stuart Slater and Frank McAvennie. The discontent about the Board however has not gone away, and everyone knows that they are on their last chance – to produce the goods this year or face the consequences.
John Barnes is given a rapturous reception by a huge crowd of 60,282 on the occasion of his first home SPL game. The team responded to this with a competent 3-0 win over St. Johnstone with goals by Johan Mjallby, Mark Viduka and Morten Wieghorst.
Brendan Rodgers’s domestic career as Manager of Celtic begins with a 2-1 win over Hearts at Tynecastle. The goals are scored by Scott Sinclair and James Forrest.
David Potter
David Potter’s new book, Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style is featured in the new edition of the Celtic View which is out now and available from the Celtic Stores. You can also pick up the Willie Fernie book there too or order direct from Celtic Star Books, link below…
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