The relationship involving Billy McNeill and Celtic Football Club was always destined to be a marriage made in heaven. The captain of the Lisbon Lions, McNeill then went on to enjoy a successful spell as manager, winning three League titles and a Scottish Cup and League Cup between 1978-1983.
Managing City until September 1986, McNeill moved on to Aston Villa, but come the end of the season, both would suffer relegation. Out of work and seemingly out of fashion, McNeill faced an uncertain future. Enter Celtic and a meeting in a Clydebank car park.
Trophyless in the 1986/87 campaign, Celtic parted company with manager David Hay at the end of May, but chairman John McGinn had something up his sleeve. Contacting McNeill, who was back celebrating the 20th anniversary of Celtic’s European Cup win, McGinn arranged to meet the club legend in a car park in Clydebank, away from the prying eyes of the media.
Discussing whether McNeill would be interested if the job became available, McGinn was delighted when McNeill responded positively. But the task ahead was far from straight forward. After their disappointing 1986/87 campaigns, both manager and club had a few points to prove ahead of Celtic’s centenary season.
With Graeme Souness’ Rangers winning the title, bridging the gap seemed a tough job, especially when Danny McGrain, Davie Provan, Murdo MacLeod, Brian McClair, Mo Johnston and Alan McInally departed. McNeill set about bringing in new bodies, although at first the signings made were hardly likely to send pulses racing in the green half of Glasgow.
Linked with a bid for Charlie Nicholas, the unspectacular signings of 31-year-old Billy Stark, and full back Chris Morris, heralded the start of the new McNeill era. Forward Andy Walker also arrived from Motherwell, with two key signings to follow later during the memorable season.
Taking the squad on a 17-day pre-season tour of Scandinavia, McNeill and his assistant Tommy Craig embarked on a tough training regime, which also acted as a perfect bonding tool for the squad. Despite the departures, McNeill had an experienced set of players at his disposal, most regulars in their national teams.
The Republic of Ireland was represented in the squad by goalkeeper Pat Bonner, Morris,and Mick McCarthy (signed by Hay prior to his exit); Northern Ireland international Allen McKnight provided back-up to Bonner, joined in the squad by compatriot Anton Rogan.
Roy Aitken and Paul McStay were Scotland regulars, the latter about to enjoy a stellar season that saw him crowned as SPFA and Scottish Football Writers Player of the Year. Young defender Derek Whyte would make his Scotland debut in October 1987, and when you add the likes of Stark, Tommy Burns, Peter Grant, and Mark McGhee to the mix, it was clear to see that Celtic had potential as the new season neared.
Needing a fast start, a 4-0 win at Morton provided encouragement, Walker netting a brace and Stark also scoring. Home wins over Hearts and Motherwell followed, but the first setback occurred at East End Park, a 2-1 defeat against Dunfermline hard to take after Celtic dominated for large periods.
Inevitably, the games against Rangers would prove key clashes throughout the season, and a 1-0 victory over their rivals proved the ideal response to the Dunfermline defeat. Stark scored the winner and would later be on the end of a flying tackle from Souness that saw the Rangers player manager sent off.
Dismissals in the Auld Firm matches would become a theme during the season. The 2-2 draw at Ibrox in October deserves a blog of its own, new boy Frank McAvennie one of three given his marching orders in a day of controversy that would see four men end up in court. McAvennie would later be cleared. “It was the season where they couldn't even beat us in court,” he would later comment.
Signed for £750,000 from West Ham, things were rarely dull with McAvennie. But on the pitch, he would form a lethal partnership with Walker. Aided by the £650,000 signing of Aberdeen’s Joe Miller – beating off interest from Liverpool and Manchester United – McNeill’s Celtic were about to begin their charge to the double.
There were disappointments. September saw the club exit the League Cup and UEFA Cup at the hands of Aberdeen and Borussia Dortmund respectively. And the week after the aggro at Ibrox, Dundee United inflicted Celtic’s only home league defeat of the campaign. Yet from this point on, the centenary party truly started.
Between October 28, 1987 and April 5, 1988, Celtic’s league form left Hearts, Rangers and Aberdeen desperately trying to cling on. A 26-match unbeaten run in the Fine Fare Premier Division, containing 21 wins and 5 draws, featured so many highlights.
Crucial McAvennie strikes in season-defining wins at Aberdeen and Hibs, the latter involving a superb display from Bonner; McAvennie netting all four against Morton; late Walker and McStay goals earning a 2-2 draw against Hearts; a first win at Tannadice since October 1984; late winners at Dundee and at home to Morton.
Naturally, the Old Firm wins would provide the most satisfaction. With the crowd singing a rendition of ‘Happy Birthday Dear Celtic’ for the New Year fixture at Parkhead, two McAvennie goals proved the difference. In March, McStay and Walker strikes saw Celtic win 2-1 at Ibrox in a gritty and determined performance.
Combined with their great league form, Celtic also embarked on their Scottish Cup run from January onwards. A terrible 1-0 win over Stranraer got the ball rolling, and a drab 0-0 against Hibs in front of a bored live TV audience resulted in a difficult replay at Easter Road. Stark's late header would separate the teams, and after a 3-0 win at Partick Thistle, a semi-final date with Hearts awaited.
The match at Hampden perfectly illustrated the character of McNeill’s Celtic. Trailing 1-0 with two minutes to go, the double dream appeared in tatters. Somehow McGhee fired an equaliser through a sea of bodies, and when Walker struck an injury-time winner, the thousands of Celtic fans inside the ground were sent into ecstasy.
Hearts may have got a modicum of revenge, beating Celtic 2-1 a week later in the league, but a 3-0 win over Dundee gave Celtic the title, in front of a crowd that was officially recorded as 60,800 (most estimates put the figure nearer 70,000).
“It’s just too much to take it all in,” McNeill admitted. “When you’ve been sacked as I have, it’s marvellous to come back and win something like this. I’m indebted to all of them [the players] for making life come good again.” Cesar had claimed his fourth title as a Celtic manager, to go with the nine he won as a player.
There was more to come. Trailing 1-0 to Dundee United in the Scottish Cup final, questions were again being asked of McNeill’s men. But, after McNeill made a crucial double substitution, bringing on Stark and McGhee, they went to the well once more. McAvennie, who had not scored since March 2, chose the big occasion to make his mark. His 76th minute equaliser and last gasp winner sealed the double.
As Aitken collected the trophy from Margaret Thatcher – a strange booking to say the least – already the journalists were penning their praise. “Celtic’s extraordinary capacity for rescuing seemingly lost causes surfaced again yesterday to help them clinch a centenary season League and Cup double,” noted Jason Tomas in the Sunday Times.
“They [McNeill and Craig] have revived a team which had been in danger of becoming lost in the shadow of Ibrox,” declared James Traynor in the Glasgow Herald. Very true. Rangers may have been about to start their domination of Scottish football, but for McNeill and Celtic, at least there was one last season in the sun to bask in.
McNeill and Celtic needed each other before the start of the club’s centenary season. It was perfect timing for both. Come May 14, 1988, anyone with Celtic connections must have been thankful for that car park rendezvous in Clydebank.
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