Fait Accompli in Champion League Group Stages, December wins en route to title triumphs | OneFootball

Celtic on this Day – A famous face returns to Paradise as Celtic secure Champions League glory, plus two December league wins in  the 1980s on the way to double title joy…

Aiden McGeady back at Paradise. Celtic v Spartak Moscow, Champions League group stages Celtic Park on 5 December 2012. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

5 December 2012

Celtic 2-1 Spartak Moscow. Famously, Celtic qualified for the Last 16 of the Champions League knockout stages for the third time. Radios and phones were out in every corner of the stadium throughout the 90 minutes as the Hoops were relying on Barcelona who played a B team against Benfica to produce a result which would send Celtic through [if they completed their job]. What didn’t help was that Lionel Messi came on as a sub versus the Portuguese champions at 0-0, and was then taken off with an injury.

Gary Hooper gave Celtic the lead Celtic v Spartak Moscow, Champions League group stages Celtic Park on 5 December 2012. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Neil Lennon’s side took the lead through Gary Hooper’s excellent finish, but Ari’s delightful chip over Fraser Forster equalised for the Russians just before half-time. Celtic’s £10 million goal came with 10 minutes remaining when Samaras was softly fouled in the box, with experienced referee Felix Brych pointing to the spot — it had been the luck Celtic deserved given their wonderful campaign.

Kris Commons puts Celtic 2-1 up during the Celtic v Spartak Moscow, Champions League group stages Celtic Park on 5 December 2012. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Kris Commons stepped up and gave 60,000 Celtic fans palpations as the ball hit the underside of the bar and thankfully went in. Had Celtic hung on at the Nou Camp in October, and did not concede a late-winner via Jordi Alba and had gained a point, they would have finished top of their group ahead of Barcelona.

Doing the Huddle in the Champions League. Celtic v Spartak Moscow, Champions League group stages Celtic Park on 5 December 2012. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

More importantly, Lennon’s men would have been seeded for the knockout stages. Fine margins. Amazingly, exemplifying how inconsistent this Celtic team was, they had drawn to Scottish Second Division side Arbroath 1-1 at Paradise in the Scottish Cup 4th round only four days prior to the memorable Spartak Moscow victory.

Barcelona held out for a 0-0 draw, giving Celtic a guiding hand in qualification. Meanwhile, theRangers watched on as they prepared to face Stirling Albion in the league on the Saturday. Celtic would go onto face Serie A title holders Juventus in the last 16 where they were convincingly beaten, but that night against Spartak is added to the long list of special European occasions at Celtic Park.

Celtic v Spartak Moscow, Champions League group stages Celtic Park on 5 December 2012. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Celtic v Spartak Moscow, Champions League group stages at Celtic Park on 5 December 2012. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

5 December 1987

Frank McAvennie scored all four goals in Celtic’s 4-0 win at Cappielow Park on 5 December 1987. Press cutting

Morton 0-4 Celtic. Billy McNeill’s men had dropped a number of points in the league up until their visit to Renfrewshire, but between mid-November until this encounter at Cappielow, the Hoops had won five consecutive matches. Memorably, news filtered through before the game that Paul McStay had signed a new five-year deal. Interestingly, in McNeill’s return season as manager, his opening league fixture was a 4-0 victory away to Morton, a victroy which would be repeated 37 years to the day. Celtic played in their iconic centenary yellow shirts, green socks and yellow socks. It was the Frank McAvennie show as the striker struck four times in the game destroying the Ton’s backline.

5 December 1981

Mike Conroy on the ball as Tommy Burns watches on. Celtic v Dundee, Scottish Premier Division, 5 December 1981. Photo The Celtic Wiki

43 years ago today, Celtic 3-1 Dundee. This would be the Hoops’ last match of 1981, and would be our last home game until 2 February 1982, a 0-0 draw against Hibs at Paradise. By the start of December the combination of McGarvey and McCluskey was thriving. Indeed, it was the late great Frank McGarvey that grabbed a double, with Mike Conroy making it 3-0. Billy McNeill was comfortably going through his most enjoyable spell of the season, and the best was yet to come. A sparse crowd of 14,570 watched on as the Scottish champions secured an important victory.

‘There’s only one Frank McGarvey’ – Celtic v Dundee, 5 December 1981. Press cutting

Conor Spence

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