Just like today at any friendly played by the hOOps in England, the Celtic fans were there in force to swell the huge crowd that turned up for this post-WW2 friendly between Aston Villa of England and Celtic FC of Scotland. Aston Villa scored first as described in a Celtic programme issued shortly after the match "Spirits (Celtic) were dampened somewhat in the first minute when good play by the Aston Villa left wing finished in a great goal from Dorsett the inside man who gave Willie Miller no chance with a low ground shot." After Villa scored Celtic surged forward and "showed the Birmingham crowd Scottish football at its best but had little luck in front of goal." Celtic equalised before half-time, Centre-forward Kiernan scored a header from a Quinn cross. In the second-half Celtic kept up the pressure and got the winner through Gerry McAloon.

Celtic: Miller, Hogg, Mallan, R. Quinn, Corbett, Milne, F. Quinn, McAloon, Kiernan, Evans, Cannon.

Scorers:Kiernan, McAloon.

Aston Villa: Rutherford, Potts, Cummings, Suevson, F.Moss, E.Lowe, Edwards, Martin, Ford, Dorsett, Smith.