Celtic must ensure there’s no singing and dancing in ‘Raith’ tonight

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The Celtic Star

·8 de febrero de 2025

Celtic must ensure there’s no singing and dancing in ‘Raith’ tonight

Celtic Must Ensure There’s No Singing And Dancing In Raith Tonight!..

We’ll never forget it, we of a certain vintage of course, and poor old Paul McStay will still be having nightmares about it. Twas the day of the Scottish League Cup Final on 27 November, 1994, and Celtic crossed the city to do battle on the ground John Brown ‘played for’, Ibrox Stadium.

Raith Rovers v Celtic League Cup Final ticket. League Cup Final at Ibrox on 27 November 1994. Photo The Celtic Wiki

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On this occasion though, the colour blue of our opponents would be worn by surprise finalists, Raith Rovers, who had a plethora of seasoned pros in their ranks. Of course, the name Raith was not one to instil fear into a rather complacent Celtic support, but, should due diligence have been applied, they/we might have thought twice before prematurely printing flags with the name ‘Celtic’ as Cup Winners.

David Narey – he of the famous “toe-poke” stunner against Brazil

Why? Well, for starters, the Fifers were marshalled by David Narey – he of the famous “toe-poke” stunner against Brazil in the World Cup Finals. David was a gem of a player, one of my all-time favourites, and the silky defender enjoyed a terrific career with Dundee United during the reign of ‘wee’ Jim McLean in that wonderful era of the ‘New Firm’.

Stevie Crawford had joined their ranks, and anyone who witness this guy play will remember his work rate and goal threat. Stevie had a solid journeyman’s career through Millwall, Hibernian, Dunfermline, Plymouth Argyle, Dundee United and Aberdeen, amongst others. The hit-man also represented Scotland 25 times.

Gordon Dalziel – an ex-Ranger with an eye for goal and a desire to put one over on his old nemesis in a Cup Final, on his ‘home’ ground. He would have his day under manager, Jimmy Nicholl.

And…Colin ‘Mickey’ Cameron. A genuine Fifer amongst the Fifers; a livewire who orchestrated Raith six months later when they took a shock lead against Bayern Munich in Germany. Jurgen Klinsmann and his Deutch superstars put paid to that fantasy, however, they only lost 2-1 but gained the hearts and admiration of every Scotsman that night.

I’m still starry-eyed at some of the names on the Celtic team-sheet

Celtic? We had had Gordon Marshall, Mickey Galloway, Tom Boyd, Mark McNally, Tony Mowbray, Brian O’Neill, Simon ‘Sid’ Donnelly, Paul McStay, ‘Champagne’ Charlie Nicholas, Andy Walker, and John Collins.

I’m still starry-eyed at some of the names on the Celtic team-sheet, so, surely that would have been enough to send the upstarts from Kirkcaldy scurrying back to their fiefdom, trophyless?

Well, as we now know, that was OUR fantasy. The men from across the Forth came first, and Celtic fans were left as despondent as I’ve ever seen them – Black Sunday aside.

An older, less bubbly version of Champagne Charlie

Celtic started as if they already had the Cup in the trophy room and gave Raith too much respect. Rovers took the lead through Stevie Crawford, (told you!), Andy Walker equalised, an older, less bubbly version of Champagne Charlie scored with only six minutes left on the clock and the commentator announced, “Surely that’s the goal which wins the Cup for Celtic!” You can hear that in your head, right? It wasn’t.

Gordon Dalziel made his own fantasy with a sweet strike merely two minutes later before a laboured extra-time fizzled out. Penalties then.

Paul McStay’s penalty is saved in the shoot-out at Celtic’s League Cup Final defeat to Raith Rovers at Ibrox on 27 November 1994. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Raith scored their first six, Celtic scored their first five, and then the unthinkable happened. Paul McStay, one of the finest exponents of the arts in a Celtic strip during my lifetime, struck his penalty into the diving body of Scott Thompson. As Raith Rovers celebrated wildly, the vast majority in Ibrox went into shock. We had lost the Cup to these so-called ‘minnows’.

Charlie Nicholas and Paul McStay after the League Cup Final defeat to Raith Rovers at Ibrox on 27 November 1994. Photo The Celtic Wiki

This defeat went down in the annals of history alongside the 4-1 defeat at the hands / feet of Partick Thistle in the same Final in 1971, another I witnessed, and will never live down. A shock no one saw coming also coined this phrase from the co-commentator, one which has lasted the test of time; “There’ll be singing and dancing in Raith tonight!”

The budget of a breadcrumb compared to our full loaf

Tonight, Celtic face Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup, fifth round. Brendan Rodgers’ men will have to be a little sharper, and a lot more focussed at Parkhead if we are to avoid the excruciating pain of defeat against a side with the budget of a breadcrumb compared to our full loaf.

There may, or may not, be an eye or two on Wednesday’s Champions League crunch against the aforementioned Bayern Munich. For my money, all eyes must remain firmly on the prize, and the Scottish Cup is the only realistic challenge we face domestically this season.

Europe is a bonus since, in the words of one sports journalist recently, Celtic have been put on a downwards treadmill with a remit to run upwards, financially.

It’ll be good to see Viljami Sinisalo

Celtic Glasgow vs. Young Boys Bern YB – Celtic Park : Viljami Sinisalo Celtic Glasgow, Photo JOERAN STEINSIEK

It’ll be good to see Viljami Sinisalo wear the No.1 jersey for a change, just to give the Finn game time in Kasper’s enforced absence. His role may be a moot one since Celtic are on a roll and should be out of sight by half-time if previous games are an indicator.

The only singing and dancing anticipated by Celtic fans is expected to originate from the Green Brigade and extend all the way towards the Jock Stein stand. Let’s hear you Bhoys and Ghirls!

Hail Hail!

Eddie Murray

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