Match Pictures | Matches: 1987 - 1988 | 1987-1988 Pictures | Forum

Quick Review

First game of the season, first game of the re-appointed Billy McNeill, first game back in the Premier Division for newly promoted Morton and debuts for new Celtic signings Chris Morris, Billy Stark and Andy Walker


Trivia

• Celtic, who had not long returned from the Pre-Season tour of Scandinavia, played 3 games in 5 days; this game against Morton on the Saturday, Tommy Burns' Testimonial on the Sunday against Liverpool and the Wednesday night game against Hearts. The Testimonial game was lost 1-0 but both te premier League games were won.
• The fourth new recruit, Mick McCarthy, was injured and recovering from a torn stomach muscle picked up in the first game of the Ptre-Season tour of Scandinavia. He would make his debut in the away leg of the UEFA Cup tie against Borussia Dortmund.
• Of the new Celts; Chris Morris was a former English Schollboy International before opting to play for his mother's country of birth and play for the Republic; he had been bought from Sheffield Wednesday for £225,000
• Billy Stark had come from Aberdeen for a mere £75,000. Aberdeen thought he was past his best at 30 but McNeill felt thaere were still a few moree miles left in the engine though he still only gave him a 1 year deal.
• Andy Walker was the fledgling striker who had started well at Motherwell but still had much to prove - £350,000 worth of proving to do - and had to fill the huge gap left from the departure of the previous season's scoring aces McClair and Johnston
• Owen Archdeacon, the Celtic sub came from Greenock and would eventually return to Morton in 1997 after spells at Barnsley and Carlisle
• Billy Stark would return to manage Morton from 1997 to 2000 and was the manager that brought Archdeacon back to Cappielow for £100,000.
• McNamara for Morton is indeed Jackie McNamara Senior, ex-Celtic and Hibs by this time working as player-coach at Morton.
• Alexander for Morton is Rowan Alexander who would go on to manage Queen of the South and Gretna
  

Venue: Cappielow, Greenock
Referee: Jim McCluskey
Attendance: 16,000 (estimate)


Teams

Morton:
Wyllie, Clinging, Holmes, Hunter, Doak, McMaster, Turner, McNamara, Alexander, McNeill, J Robertson
Non-Used Subs: D Robertson, Boag

Celtic:
Bonner, Morris, Rogan, Aitken, Whyte, Grant, Stark, P McStay, McGhee, Walker, Burns (Archdeacon)
Non-Used Sub: McGugan
Scorers: McGhee (12), Stark (54), Walker (62), Walker (70)


Articles

• Match Report
• Manager Interview

Pictures

• Match Pictures
• Fans