1988: Celtic 1 Dunfermline 0

Memorable Match #83
Scottish League Premier Division
Celtic Park
Saturday 7th May 1988

Over the years, Celtic has featured prominently in the history of Dunfermline Athletic but rarely has there been an atmosphere at a match between the two clubs as there was at Celtic Park on the final day of the 1987/88 season.

The Pars were supposed to be there to fulfil their fixture list and look on as the home side was presented with the Premier League Championship trophy in what was their centenary year. Instead, 1200 supporters travelled through to Glasgow to salute the players and manager who had given them a roller coaster ride through their first ever season in the Premier League. It may have ended in relegation but the fans were in no mood to be downhearted, not only giving their own team a fantastic relegation but going out of their way to congratulate Celtic and create a wonderful afternoon’s entertainment.

As the crowd of 44,482 packed onto the terraces, a group of Athletic supporters unfurled a large banner proclaiming “Jim we will be back. PS Happy Birthday Celtic.” The good humour continued as the presentation table was prepared and two rows of cheerleaders formed a tunnel towards it. With the Celtic fans ready to acclaim their heroes and the atmosphere at fever pitch, out ran Jim Leishman, arms upraised, to howls of laughter from all sides of the ground.

The Dunfermline followers were forced to take a back seat as the trophy was presented and Celtic Park turned into a boiling cauldron of green and white but they responded magnificently when their own team emerged, joined by sympathetic applause from many of the home crowd.

With nothing to play for, the match was a typical end of season affair that saw Leishman hand a first team debut to youngster Shaun Strang. Not surprisingly, he looked a touch overawed by it all but fought hard against a defence not prepared to give anything away.

The only goal came in 11 minutes and was good enough to win any game. Irishman Chris Morris, a £125,000 signing from Sheffield Wednesday, curled in a beauty from outside the box that left Dave McKellar helpless.

Celtic may have had their thoughts on the impending Scottish Cup Final but the Pars only really created a couple of chances. Stuart Beedie brought a good save out of Pat Bonnar while Craig Robertson, the club’s top scorer, actually has the ball in the net before it was disallowed for offside.

However, most of the play was at the other end where John Holt had an outstanding game, marshalling his defence superbly and at the same time keeping Frank McAvennie quiet. Bobby Smith did a similar job on the nippy Joe Miller and also popped up to make a couple of goal line clearances.

It was largely an uneventful match but as the Dunfermline Press rightly noted “there was nothing the 22 players could do to upstage the 44,482 paying customers”.

CELTIC: Pat Bonner: Chris Morris, Anton Rogan, Roy Aitken, Mick McCarthy, Derek Whyte, Billy Stark (Peter Grant), Paul McStay (Tommy Burns) Frank McAvennie, Andy Walker, Joe Miller
SCORER: Morris (11)

DUNFERMLINE: Dave McKellar: Bobby Robertson, Bobby Smith, John Holt, Gary Riddell (Norrie McCathie), Davie Irons, Mark Smith, Ross Jack, Shaun Strang (Stevie Morrison), Craig Robertson, Stuart Beedie

REFEREE: W. Crombie, Edinburgh
ATTENDANCE: 44,482

The Aftermath

The scenes at Celtic Park clearly demonstrated that the Pars supporters had chosen to celebrate their season in the Premier League. After an absence of 12 years their long awaited return to the spotlight meant so much to them that there was no way they were going to let the matter of relegation spoil the party.

A full ten minutes after the final whistle the players emerged for one last curtain call and were amazed to see that hardly a single Dunfermline fan had left the ground. They were quickly followed by the man they had all been waiting on, Jim Leishman.

The tremendous reception made the manager all the more determined to make a quick return to the Premier League. Those sentiments were echoed by Celtic supporters deeply impressed by the devotion shown by their Dunfermline counterparts.

In the days following the match Dunfermline Athletic received around two dozen letters from Celtic fan’s complimenting the club on its fantastic support and hoping to see them back in the top flight before too long. Jack McGinn, the Chairman of Celtic, praised the “special contribution made by the Dunfermline supporters. He went on to say:- “I cannot record similar celebratory scenes at Parkhead including a standing ovation for the visiting side and their supporters.”

It’s often said that winning is the most important thing in football but any Pars fan who went to Celtic Park that day knows that isn’t true. There were 1200 Pars supporters who didn’t care what the score was - they only wanted to demonstrate their loyalty to their club, their faith and belief in the management and players and to let everyone know that they would be fully behind them come what may. One season later, those devoted fans earned their reward.

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