Celtic on this Day – Three narrow Celtic wins over Aberdeen, possibly an omen for Wednesday night at Pittodrie?
Brendan Rodgers with the trophy
Brendan Rodgers with the League Cup after the 1-0 win over Aberdeen in the final at Hampden on 2 December 2018. Photo Vagelis Georgariou
2 December 2018
Celtic 1-0 Aberdeen. The Hoops won their seventh straight domestic trophy in a row, and the club’s 18th Scottish League Cup triumph. It had been the first leg for Brendan Rodgers’ side [soon to be Neil Lennon’s team]winning another Treble, this time an historic Treble Treble. Former Aberdeen loanee Ryan Christie who had enjoyed a remarkable breakthrough into the Celtic team in late 2018 scored the winning goal in the first half.
Ryan Christie with the cup
Goalscorer Ryan Christie with the League Cup after the 1-0 win over Aberdeen in the final at Hampden on 2 December 2018. Photo Vagelis Georgariou
The Dons lost out to Celtic yet again in a domestic final, and it had been Derek McInnes’ men fourth final in five years under his stewardship. Prior to the millennium, the Scottish League hadn’t been Celtic’s most prolific trophy, but it was their eighth triumph in the competition since 2000, and it was the first time the Celts’ won the trophy for three years running since Jock Stein’s dominant era.
However, one concerning moment occurred in the game when there was a clash of heads between ex Celtic winger Gary Mackay-Stevens and Hoops defender Dedryck Boyata. Subsequently, GMS was substituted, but Boyata played on with the Belgian providing the assist for Christie’s winner.
Celtic team with the cup
Celtic team celebrates after League Cup Final win over Aberdeen, on 2 December 2018. Photo Vagelis Georgariou
Brendan Rodgers expressed his delight post-match about winning another trophy, “I take great pride, and it feels great. My happiness is more for the players and the supporters. It was a very satisfying day for us and the players, they deserved a huge amount of credit because they’ve been amazing since I’ve come in,” he said.
2December 1989
Andy Walker scored
Andy Walker scored from the spot to give Celtic a 1-0 win over Aberdeen on 2 December 1989. Photo Celtic Wiki
Celtic 1-0 Aberdeen. Season 1989/1990 is quite rightly consigned into the history books for Celtic supporters. The Hoops only won 10 matches from 36 league games during a tortuous season, and this was one of them. Andy Walker scored from the spot after David Robertson bizarrely pushed the ball with his hand inside his own box. Even Aberdeen boss Alex Smith post-match admitted that Robertson’s actions were “a rush of blood.”
The action did not stop there. With nine minutes remaining Pat Bonner was the Hoops hero as he saved a Hans Gillhaus penalty. Bonner rightfully took the credit, but it was a woeful spot-kick from the Dutchman. Notably, Charlie Nicholas received a warm reception by the Celtic supporters and was actually given a standing ovation from the home crowd when he was substituted. He would of course return to Paradise just months later.
2 December 2006
Matchday Programme
Matchday Programme , Celtic v Aberdeen, 2 December 2006. Image The Celtic Wiki
Celtic 1-0 Aberdeen. Maciej Zurawski scored the games all important goal with 20 minutes to go after a teasing cross from Lee Naylor. Gordon Strachan’s side had an enduring start to the season with tough outings in the Champions League against Manchester United, Benfica and Copenhagen. The victory against Aberdeen had been an important one. Celtic bounced back in the league as Strachan’s men had drawn 2-2 at Easter Road the week prior. Notably, the Hoops had one eye on Wednesday’s crucial Champions League matchday six encounter with Copenhagen in Denmark.
Conor Spence
A nice wee offer which runs from now until midnight on Wednesday 4th December. Order any two books from celticstarbooks.com then select a third book FREE OF CHARGE. Just put the two you are buying into the shopping cart and then in the notes section just mention the third book that you’d like. And if you want us to send that book to a different address, perhaps as a Christmas gift, in the UK then we’ll happily do that too!
Choose from the books shown below, although we are out of stock on The Celtic Rising and also Walfrid & The Bould Bhoys but the rest are available.
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