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Wembley is a name synomonous with English football history and it was in the north London suburb that Celtic became the only Scottish club to win the Daily Express Five-a-side Challenge Cup.

However it was under the roof of the Wembley Arena rather than in the shadows of the now demolished Twin Towers that the Hoops made this tiny piece of football history back in the winter of 1981.

On November 28th a relatively young and inexperienced Parkhead squad – managed by youth team coach Jim Lumsden - took part in this once popular annual competition. The Bhoys squad was made up of Peter Latchford, Willie McStay, Charlie Nicholas, Danny Crainie, Willie Garner and John Weir.

Unlike most of their rivals for the trophy the Hoops squad was short on first team experience and only the up and coming Nicholas was at that stage a regular first team member, although keeper Latchford had plenty of big team experience. On their march to the final Celtic defeated Watford 3-0 and then a Manchester United side featuring Lou Macari plus big money buys Ray Wilkins and Bryan Robson were brushed aside in a 2-0 victory.

A talented Ipswich side could not find a way of stopping the youthful Hoops who sealed their place in the final with a 3-1 win. A vastly experienced Southampton waited in the final and the south coast club were able to call upon veteran World Cup winner Alan Ball and twice European Player of the Year, Kevin Keegan.

So far though the talent that had really shone out during the tournament – which would be aired throughout the UK on the BBC’s midweek ‘Sportsnight’ show - belonged to that of the young Nicholas whose confidence and ability made everyone sit up and take notice of a very real talent. It was only right then that the Bhoys’ striker should score the only goal of the final – his fourth of the tournament – to claim the trophy for the Celts.



A summary of Celtic's visits to Wembley Arena:
06.11.1969
1st Round Fulham ?-? (Celtic won 9-8 on penalties)
2nd Round Chelsea 1- 3
04.11.1970
1st Round Manchester United 1- 1 (Celtic lost 3-4 on penalties)
Squad: Lally, Quinn, Dalglish, Davidson, Macari, Wilson
03.11.1971
1st Round Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 (McCluskey)
2nd Round v Leicester City ?-? (lost)
Squad: Connaghan, McGrain, Quinn, McCluskey, Wilson, White
Coach: Willie Fernie
15.11.1972
1st Round West Ham United ?-?
Squad: Williams, McCluskey, McLaughlin, V. Davidson, Wilson, Hancock
Coach: Willie Fernie
07.11.1973
1st Round Stoke City 1- 0 (Wilson)
2nd Round QPR 2- 0 (McNamara, Wilson)
Semi-Final Manchester City 1- 0 (Davidson)
Final Derby County 1- 3 (Wilson)
Squad:Connaghan, J. Davidson, McNamara, O'Hara, V. Davidson, Wilson
Coach: John Clark
??.11.1974
1st Round Wolves 1- 0
2nd Round Tottenham Hotspur 0- 1
1975
Did not compete.
1976
Did not compete.
1977
1st Round ??
1978
1st Round ??
1979
Did not compete.
1980
Did not compete.
25.11.1981
1st Round Watford 3- 0 (Nicholas, Crainie, McStay)
2nd Round Manchester United 2- 0 (Crainie 2)
Semi-Final Ipswich Town 3- 1 (Nicholas 2, Crainie)
Final Southampton 1- 0 (Nicholas)
Squad: Latchford McStay, Garner, Nicholas, Crainie, Weir
Coach: Jim Lumsden
see the above article.
24.11.1982
1st Round Aston Villa 0- 1
23.11.1983
1st Round Arsenal ?- ?
1984
Did not compete.
1985
Did not compete.

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