Celtic on this Day – Cesar crowned Willie O’Neill with the League Cup

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The Celtic Star

·29 October 2024

Celtic on this Day – Cesar crowned Willie O’Neill with the League Cup

Celtic on this Day 58 years ago, Celtic defeated Rangers 1-0 in the Scottish League Cup final to win their first of five trophies in the club’s greatest ever season…

Celtic players celebrate after their League Cup Final victory over Rangers at Hampden on the day in 1966 Willie O’Neill is crowned with the cup by Billy McNeill after his brilliant goal-line clearance denied Rangers an equaliser. . Photo The Celtic Wiki

The 1966 Scottish League Cup final had been contested by both Glasgow sides for a third consecutive season. It was the League Cup’s 21st final, and Jock Stein’s side were looking to retain the trophy having defeated the Ibrox club 2-1 in the previous season thanks to a Yogi Hughes double.

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Celtic first in an incredible trophy haul

Little did Celtic supporters know that Bobby Lennox’s winning goal would complete the first of an incredible quadruple trophy haul of the iconic 1966/1967 campaign and don’t forget that this remarkable Celtic side also won the Glasgow Cup too!

Stein’s heroes had made a truly special start to the season. Across domestic and European action, Celtic had won 20 from 20 heading into the League Cup final clash with Jock Wallace’s Rangers.

Nantes scouts on a spying mission

On a special spy mission to Hampden Park, Celtic’s performance against Rangers was analysed closely by four delegates from French side Nantes who Celtic would go onto face in the second round of their glorious European Cup run to Lisbon.

With 19 minutes on the clock, Bertie Auld’s beautiful cross was put on a plate for Joe McBride, flawlessly cushioning a header back to Bobby Lennox, Lennox smashed the ball past a helpless Norrie Martin. Watching the goal back, it is a perfect summation of Jock Stein’s side’s technical skill, and calmness in front of goal. A joy to behold.

Bobby Lennox scores the winning goal for Celtic in the 1966 League Cup Final against Rangers at Hampden on 29 October 1966. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Willie O’Neill the Celtic hero

Celtic showed another side to their game in the second half. They had to remain determined defensively as Rangers fought back and pressurised, creating some clear-cut opportunities. Willie O’Neill took the shining light off Lennox with a goal line clearance with virtually little time left on the clock.

Goal-line clearance from Willie O’Neill prevents a Rangers equaliser in the 1966 League Cup Final at Hampden on 29 October 1966. Celtic won 1-0. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Like on many occasions in the second half of the sixties and into the early seventies, Celtic came out on top, and showed their resilience. Despite claiming their second League Cup title in successive seasons, it was only the fourth time in the club’s history they had won the tournament.

Rangers told “you get nothing for hard lines!”

Gair Henderson in the Evening Times wrote after the match that, “you get nothing for hard lines! Rangers learned how this painful fact of life at Hampden Park on Saturday when they had to leave the Scottish League Cup in other custody.”

Celtic players with the League Cup after the 1-0 win over Rangers at Hampden on 29 October 1966. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Jock Stein’s starting XI on 29 October 1966 in front of a 94,532 crowd was; Simpson, Gemmell, O’Neill, Murdoch, McNeill, Clark, Johnstone, Lennox, McBride, Auld, Hughes.

Conor Spence