The Sweetest Thing – If you were there, you’ll know

The Celtic Star

·21 November 2024

The Sweetest Thing – If you were there, you’ll know

26 years ago today saw Celtic pull off an Old Firm victory that is still fondly remembered…

21/11/98 SPL CELTIC v RANGERS (5-1) CELTIC PARK – GLASGOW. Lubomir Moravcik beats Antti Niemi in the Rangers goal to score to open the scoring. Photo The Celtic Wiki

We took on Rangers at Celtic Park and it’s safe to say that we were considered as rank outsiders. Even as reigning champions and the match being played at Paradise, they were ahead in the league and very much seen as firm favourites for this one

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The Ibrox side had completely reshuffled their side after the pain of seeing us stopping them doing the dreaded ten in a row.

Walter Smith along with the majority of his playing staff had gone, and Dutchman Dick Advoccat was now in charge and he had been allowed to build a side with Dodgy David Murray’s ill gotten gains, secret side letters payments and ultimately unlawful payments, as eventually determined by the Supreme Court in London.

21/11/98 SPL CELTIC v RANGERS (5-1). CELTIC PARK – GLASGOW Henrik Larsson celebrates after scoring for Celtic. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Celtic had lost at McDiarmid Park

Going into the game they sat top of the table seven points ahead of Celtic. We had lost the previous week at McDiarmid Park to St Johnstone and the pressure was on us to get a result to stop us falling further behind in our bid to defend the title. A defeat wasn’t an option, neither was a draw, we had to win, but it looked like a difficult task.

Celtic Park was rocking as usual for the 3pm Saturday kick off, indeed it would be the last ever time the two sides would start a league match on the ‘traditional’ Saturday afternoon kick off slot.

Recent signing Lubo Moravcik started ahead of Mark Burchill

Recent signing Lubo Moravcik took his place in the side playing just off Henrik Larsson up top. It was a decision that caused some ‘controversy’ amongst some sections of the media, who reckoned Dr Jozef Venglos had ‘blundered’ by not playing an in form Mark Burchill.

21/11/98 SPL CELTIC v RANGERS (5-1) CELTIC PARK – GLASGOWVidar Riseth (left) rushes to congratulate Celtic goalscorer Lubomir Moravcik. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Johan Mjallby made his Celtic debut

Johan Mjallby would also make his debut for the club not long after signing from Swedish side AIK, whilst on loan Tony Warner continued in goals.

What happened in the following 90 minutes took everyone by surprise, including the scorer of the opening two goals Lubo Moravcik. After his magnificent opener in the 11th minute the Slovakian looked shell shocked as Paradise went absolutely bonkers.

Ten minutes later Rangers were reduced to ten men after Scott Wilson received a red card and Celtic took complete ascendancy of the game. The vital second goal didn’t arrive until four minutes after the restart and it was that man Moravcik again. Similar to his first goal he looked stunned, as he more than justified his manager’s decision to start him.

The David Murray Moonbeans Response

David Murray’s immediate response to losing 5-1 to Celtic seen here in Scotland on Sunday. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Henrik Larsson then grabbed a brace inside the next ten minutes in between a Giovanni Van Bronckhorst goal for the visitors as we further exerted our authority on proceedings. Substitute Mark Burchill put the icing on the cake by scoring a fifth right at the death as we secured a famous victory.

The choice of song ringing out on the PA at the end summed it all up. It sure was U2’s The Sweetest Thing.