Great Celtic-Rangers Cup Finals: Hampden in the Sun!

By: Matt | March 12th, 2009

With Celtic poised to take on arch rival Rangers this weekend, it is appropriate to look back on the great moments in this rivalry being played with the highest of stakes. A Celtic-Rangers league match is hostile and aggressive at it’s tamest, so with silverware on the line these matches become the stuff that legends are made of. Perhaps the most memorable Celtic-Rangers cup final for Celtic fans occurred in the 1957 League Cup Final (now the CIS Cup, in which the two teams will compete for this weekend), which is commonly referred to as “Hampden in the sun”. In this memorable match, the Bhoys dominated their bitter rival 7-1 that day. The glorious day for the green and white has inspired songs, poems, and books.

82,293 fans packed into Hampden Stadium for the match on the 19th of October 1957. For the first time in the history of the League Cup, the two Glasgow giants would face off for the Cup. Celtic came in as the holders, after beating the oft forgotten third team of Glasgow Patrick Thistle the year before. However, despite the Bhoys being the holders, Rangers actually came into the match as favorites.

Right from the opening kick off, Celtic were clearly trying to take the match to Rangers and enjoyed most of the attacking opportunities. Within the first twenty minutes of the match, Celtic were unlucky to get onto the scoreboard, hitting the post twice. Celtic’s perseverance payed off in the 22nd minute when Charlie Tully sent in a cross that found Sammy Wilson and Wilson was able to finish. Rangers were on the back foot after that, but seemed to be destine to go into the locker rooms at halftime only down a goal. However, in the 44th minute, Neil Mochan spoiled those Rangers’ hopes when he took the ball down the left wing as was able to beat Rangers keeper George Niven. Celtic had all the momentum going into the locker room, going in with a 2-0 lead.

Just eight minutes after the start of the second half, Celtic added a third goal when Billy McPhail headed in a cross from Bobby Collins. Billy Simpson was able to get a goal back for Rangers in the 58th minute. However, it would be the only time Rangers would get onto the scoreboard. Many seemed to think that the Rangers goal seemed to reinvigorate the Celtic attack. In the 67th minute Billy McPhail got his second goal of the match, and then eight minutes later Neil Mochan did the same to push the score to 5-1 in the Bhoys favor. McPhail then put a header into the back of the net in the 80th minute to get his hat-trick and put Celtic up 6-1. As the match inched towards completion, it seemed that Celtic would end the day with a five goal lead, but in the 90th minute Billy McPhail was brought down in the penalty area and Celtic was awarded a penalty to try and slot home their seventh goal. Willie Fernie stepped up to the spot and converted, finishing off Celtic’s historical victory and League Cup win.

The match was a record defeat for any major British football final, as well as a record goal margin in the Celtic-Rangers rivalry. While in most cases, a keeper that gives up 7 goals in one match usually finds himself the scape goat, most of the press seemed to believe that Rangers Center Back John Valentine was to blame. Bobby Collins told The Sunday Post “I don’t know if Valentine had no faith in George Niven or Niven had no faith in Valentine, but ultimately they had no faith in themselves, something you can sense very quickly on a football field, and inevitably the game became a rout.”

Strangely (*ahem*) the television feed of the match cut out during the game and viewers could not see the match. Video of the goals during the match were not seen until the 1990s. Legendary Celtic coach Jock Stein would have played in this game, but hurt his ankle before the match and sat it out. Lisbon Lion Bertie Auld was considered to play in this match as well, but was dropped for some reason and didn’t even make it to the stadium to see the match.

Celtic:
Beattie, Donnelly, Fallon, Fernie, Evans, Peacock, Tully, Collins, McPhail, Wilson, Mochan.
Goals: Wilson 23, Mochan 44, McPhail 53, 69, Mochan 74, McPhail 81, Fernie 90 pen.

Rangers:
Niven, Shearer, Caldow, McColl, Valentine, Davis, Scott, Simpson, Murray, Baird, Hubbard.
Goal: Simpson 59.

Referee: Mr. J.A.Mowatt, Burnside.
Att: 82,293

Tomorrow I will discuss another Celtic Cup victory over Rangers, but this match is more infamous for other reasons. This is the the 1980 Scottish Cup Final. Saturday, I will discuss the Sunday’s match and my predictions for it. Until then…

TAL