1969 Scottish Cup Final

George of the Jungle looks back on a cup final which ended not so much in a riot but in a rout.

Saturday 26th April 1969 was the day Celtic thrashed Rangers 4:0 in the Scottish Cup final in front of a crowd of 133,000, a scoreline which even today brings a smile to my wrinkled and weather-beaten old face (get on with it you silly old fart - ed).

Although Celtic were slight favourites at the bookies, the papers at the time thought it might take a replay to separate the teams given that we were without our two wingers Johnstone (suspended) and Hughes (injured).

Despite this obvious handicap, Celtic took the lead after two minutes with a headed goal by McNeill from a Lennox corner. The Celtic defence then held firm under pressure from the Huns before victory was sealed with goals from Lennox and Connelly before half-time.

For Connelly, the aged 20 and playing in his first final, this must have been a magical moment. His contribution to the victory was acknowledged by everybody, including reporter Don Morrison; "The game was apersonal triumph for young George Connelly who at 20 was the babe of the Celtic team. With his goal and assist just before half-time he did more than most to finalise the destination of the silverware."

The socond half was a stroll, and a further goal from Chalmers in 76 minutes (to make up for the disallowed one in 25 minutes) merely emphasised Celtic's superiority.

Thus the treble was won for the second time in three years. Little did we realise it wouldn't be done again until 2001.

In the build up to the match the media had urged fans to be on their best behaviour as the image of Glasgow was at stake. The game had to be stopped for five minutes following Celtic's fourth goal in order to let the police clear Rangers supporters off the pitch after an attempted invasion.

Interestingly, the Rangers team which took the field that afternoon was the most expensive ever to play in Scotland up to that time. Indeed, it cost manager Davie White five times what the Celtic team cost. Not surprisingly, with big money buys such as Alex Ferguson, it was the least successful Hun team ever in terms of trophies won.

Well known hacks like Candid Cameron, Don Morrison and Allan Herron were the stars of the tabloids in those days, and Herron couldn't contain himself; "Thank goodness that one is out of the way! Of all the ill-mannered greetin' faced games I've seen this season this topped the lot." More the reaction of a bad-tempered greetin' faced Hun than anything I suspect. After describing Celtic's fourth goal he just couldn't go on; "After that the end just couldn't come quick enough."

I bet it couldn't.

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Putting On The Agony: 1969 Cup Final Remix

Oh Hampden Park was crowded
The fans began to roar
The Rangers fans were singing
Of the sash their father wore.
But very soon
The changed their tune
When the Celtic plan was set,
For Lennox crossed to Billy McNeill
And the ball was in the net!

Chorus
Putting on the agony
Putting on the style
One, two, three, four lovely goals
Scoring all the while.
There's nothing in this whole wide world
That makes you want to smile
Like watching Glasgow Celtic
Putting on the style

Now Lennox he caused trouble
With his running through
And from a long ball from defence
He made it number two.
All that day he worked his way
To make the Rangers prance
And the Celtic End went round the bend
Doing the victory dance

Chorus

Now just before the interval
Came goal number three
And this time it was slotted in
By young george Connelly
in his first cup final
A day he'll not forget
When he walked the ball round big John Greig
Into the Rangers net.

Chorus

Chalmers was our centre
He gave his all and more
And to him fell the honour
Of scoring number four.
A dribble down the left wing
A shot which goalward sped
And once again the Scottish Cup
Was resting at Parkhead.

Chorus

 

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