27^th January 1969

The draw for the next round of the Scottish Cup came out as –

Motherwell/Clyde v Celtic/Partick Thistle              Rangers v Hearts

Dundee United v Ayr United                                        Stranraer v Morton

East Stirling v St Johnstone                                          Airdrie v St Mirren

Aberdeen v Dunfermline                                              Montrose v Kilmarnock

20^th January 1969

For most of the guys in the squad, this was a week of some light training which meant, at this time of year, some sprints, some shooting practice and some tactical innovations. The hard work to get fit had all been done already; from now till the end of the season, it was just a question of maintaining that fitness. And we were in that Monday morning, apart from any of the squad who were in the party for the match against Carlisle. They turned up in the afternoon, ready for the trip over the border.

13^th January 1969

The headline and comment in one of Monday’s dailies after the Aberdeen match was right on the button –

   That Celtic Gold -Mine!

‘This was a triumph of teamwork by a Celtic side confident in their own ability and that of their colleagues’.

6^th January 1969

This was a nice day for all the troops, neatly summed up in one of the evening papers –

3^rd January 1969

It was a bunch of fairly disheartened players who came in for training the day after the Rangers match. We were not only feeling low but also seething over the penalty decision by the referee the previous afternoon.

Morning of the Match

There had been some discussions beforehand apparently among the managerial and coaching staff about just what to do before this match.

30^th December 1968

The reports from all the matches on Saturday were clumped together under the headline                                     

Urgh!  Those Frozen Pitches

23^rd December

In for training after the draw with Kilmarnock the previous Saturday and in spite of Christmas approaching, Parkhead was not the happiest of places at that time. Of the 10 matches played since the beginning of November, we had won 7 and drawn 3, a record that might have regarded as excellent for a number of teams; Celtic were supposed to be different. Dropping a point against Red Star Belgrade might be accepted but to lose points against Falkirk and Kilmarnock – the latter at home – was not what the manager or the fans expected.

16^th December 1968

All the players got the day off from training but there was plenty for the fans to read about in the press-

What Could Maldini Think?

9^th December 1968

Some of the guys were involved with the Scottish party getting ready for the World Cup tie against Cyprus; three were getting treatment at Parkhead; and the rest of us got the day off.