Football: Celtic champions in all but name
Times, The (London, England)
April 6, 1988
Author: RODDY FORSYTH
Estimated printed pages: 1


Celtic ........ 2 St Mirren ..... 0

A crowd of 45,465, which included the Liverpool manager, Kenny Dalglish, and the Scotland coach, Andy Roxburgh, say Celtic saluted as Scottish champions at Parkhead last night after a subdued but effective victory over St Mirren. Only the Celtic manager, Billy McNeill, was willing to acknowledge the highly improbable alternative when he said: 'We won't claim the title until it is mathematically impossible for us to be caught.'
In fact, Celtic would now require to lose their remaining four League fixtures and Heart of Midlothian would have to win their five outstanding games before the title could go east to Tynecastle.

Despite the mood of anticipation, Celtic started nervously and even managed to miss a penalty after Wilson had tripped Miller in the 31st minute; Walker directing his kick straight at Money, the St Mirren goalkeeper.

When the breakthrough at last arrived, 13 minutes after the interval, it was Miller, with a dramatic turn of speed on the right, who created the goal. He swept past Martin and delivered a cross which McGhee nodded on to Walker, who stopped to divert it past the diving Money.

Eleven minutes from the end Celtic sealed their victory when McGhee prompted McStay for an 18-yard drive which struck the unfortunate Martin and flew over the stranded Money to trigger celebrations throughout the colourful terracings.

---------------------------------------------- CELTIC: ---------------------------------------------- P Bonner, C Morris, A Rogan, R Aitken, L Baillie, D Whyte (sub: B Stark), P Grant (sub: T Burns), P McStay, M McGhee, A Walker, J Miller. ----------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------- ST MIRREN: ---------------------------------------------- C Money; B Martin, T Wilson, N McWhirter, P Godfrey, B Hamilton, F McGarvey, R Dawson, P CChalmers, T Fitzpatrick, I Cameron. ---------------------------------------------- Referee: J Renton. ----------------------------------------------