Two Great Celts, rare footage from Paradise, principled Celtic force UEFA’s hand

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The Celtic Star

·11 settembre 2024

Two Great Celts, rare footage from Paradise, principled Celtic force UEFA’s hand

It’s not too often that Celtic hit double figures but that is exactly what Jock Stein’s Celtic side did on this day back in 1968…

There were only two goalscorers for Celtic at Parkhead for the visit of Hamilton Academicals, Stevie Chalmers and Bobby Lennox. Unfortunately for the Lanarkshire side both Lisbon Lions scored FIVE goals each in a thumping 10-0 victory!

Incredibly by today’s standards, the crowd was just 26,000 to see that wonderful Celtic team of Simpson, Craig, Gemmell, Brogan, McNeill, Clark, Macari, Lennox, McBride, Chalmers, Hughes who was replaced by Johnstone on 65 minutes.

OneFootball Video

Stevie Chalmers five goals came in the 26th 43rd, 61st, 75th and 87th minute while Bobby Lennox scored in the 27th, 37th, 80th 83rd and 88th minute.

Here’s how the papers reported on this double digit Celtic victory…

The Celtic support, thrilled by reaching double figures, referred to their next opponents at Celtic Park at the weekend when chanting ‘Bring on the Rangers’. That didn’t work out very well as Celtic were on the wrong end of a 4-2 defeat, with Willie Wallace getting both Celtic goals. He liked a goal or two against Rangers did Wispy.

Here’s a video from that disappointing afternoon which shows some rare footage and comes from a Rangers perspective. It’s still worth having a look…

Here’s an interesting photo of the supporters making their way into the Old Firm match on 14 September 1968. Changed days indeed…

That disappointing result was followed by a European Cup away match in France against St Etienne the following Wednesday and Celtic lost again, this time 2-0. Celtic at that stage might have been regretting forcing UEFA to re-draw the ties after the 1967 European Champions refused to travel to Hungary to play their Champions Ferencvaros.

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Celtic were protesting against the Russian invasion of Czechoslovakia and other clubs soon backed Celtic’s principled stance. This led to multiple Eastern European countries boycotting the European Cup that season and in the second take of the draw Celtic were given a much sterner test against the French Champions. St Etienne had six French internationals in their squad and they helped secure a 2-0 advantage to take to Glasgow. Jock Stein was less than pleased with his side’s performance in front of 35,000 French supporters and around 350 Celtic fans who had made the trip.

On the same night Jock’s former club Dunfermline defeated APOEL Nicosia 10-0 in the Cup Winners Cup, matching Celtic scoreline against Hamilton from the week before.

Jock Stein worked his magic for the return leg against St Etienne with Celtic, playing in all white, turning round the 2-0 deficit with an impressive 4-0 win against the French Champions. The crowd that night was 75,000 that’s around 50,000 fewer that went along a few weeks before to see Celtic score TEN goals against Hamilton!

Here’s a press cutting showing the four Celtic goals…

You can watch the game with French commentary below, there’s a highlights video followed by the full match!

ON THIS DAY 11th SEPTEMBER 1968 Celtic 10-0 Hamilton Academicals, League Cup Steve Chalmers and Bobby Lennox score an incredible 5 goals each. Scorers - Chalmers 26, 43, 61, 75, 87 Lennox 27, 37, 80, 83, 88 ☘️☘️☘️
– mercoledì 11 settembre 2024

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