EMPIRE EXHIBITION CUP
1938

CELTIC AT 50 YEARS

The Empire Exhibition Tournament was played in the pre-war summer of 1938 to mark the Empire Exhibition being held in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow. Eight teams took part in the tournament held at Ibrox - Aberdeen, Celtic, Hearts and Rangers represented Scotland and Brentford, Chelsea, Everton and Sunderland (Champions of England) for England. Celtic had already won the Scottish League Championship (for the second time in three years) and winning this cup would be a fine bonus to celebrate a 50 years milestone in the club's proud history. Celtic legend Jimmy McGrory, finally giving in to years of abuse, retired at the age of 33 and the Park's record attendance of 92,000 was set versus Rangers in a 3-0 victory on New Year's day 1938.

Celtic played Sunderland in the first round and won a replay 3-1 after a 0-0 draw in the first match. Hearts were disposed of in the semi-final 1-0 through a Johnny Crum goal. Everton, destined to win the English championship in the following season, were Celtic's opponents in the final. They had beaten Rangers 2-0 and Aberdeen 3-2 to advance to the final and were the favourites to triumph. Once again, Johnny Crum scored the vital goal 5 minutes into extra time and Celtic won the match 1-0 and the tournament. The trophy, to be kept permanently by the winning club, was a silver replica of the Exhibition Tower.

The Celtic team in the Exhibition Cup final as follows: Kennaway, Hogg, Morrison, Geatons, Lyon, Paterson, Delaney, Macdonald, Crum, Divers, Murphy.

A4 colour photographs of Celtic FC's trophies appear in THE GLORY OF THE GREEN - The Celtic Trophies (Traynor & Russell published by Holmes McDougall Publishing & Print Ltd 1991. ISBN 0715728504 (ISBN 0715728482 pbk). Illustrated are the 1901 Glasgow International Exhibition Cup (won after the Ibrox Disaster 1902), the Empire Exhibition 1938 Tower trophy and the St Mungo Cup (Festival of Britain 1951).

CHARITY CUP 1949

This match was played at the end of a terrible season for Celtic - 6th in the League, out of the Scottish cup in the 3rd round, failed to qualify from their league cup section and beaten three times by R******.

CORONATION CUP 1953

"The Coronation Cup

"Said Lizzie to Philip as they sat down to dine

I've just had a note from a good friend of mine

His name is big Geordie, he's loyal and true

And his big dirty nose is a bright shade of blue

He says that the Rangers are right on their game

And he asks for a trophy to add to their fame

We'll send them a trophy that the Rangers can win

Said Philip to Lizzie, `Watch the Celts don't step in'

Said Lizzie to Philip they don't stand a chance

I'll send up my Gunners to lead them a dance

With the Celtic defeated, the way will be clear

And a trophy for the Rangers in my crowning year

Alas, and alas, for the wearers of blue

The Celts beat the Arsenal and the Manchester too

Beat Hibs in the final, and to and behold

All of Hampden was covered in green, white and gold

Said Lizzie to Philip when she heard the news

So tell me dear Philip, for you ought to know

How to beat Glasgow Celtic and keep them below

Said Philip to Lizzie, there's only one way

And I've known the secret for many a day

To beat Glasgow Celtic, you'll have to deport

All the fighting mad Irish that give them support"

Eight teams took part - Aberdeen, Celtic, Hibernian and Rangers from Scotland and Arsenal, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur represented England. All matches were played between Hampden and Ibrox with the final at Hampden. Four programmes were issued for the tournament, only three of these are of interest to Celtic Collectors.

Celtic beat Arsenal 1-0 on the 11th of May 1953, Bobby Collins scoring the only goal of the match direct from a corner kick in the 23rd minute. Arsenal were the newly-crowned Champions of England but were swept aside as the Arsenal goalkeeper played the game of his life to keep the score to 1-0. On the Saturday, Celtic beat Manchester United 2-1 in front of 73,000 fans to advance to the final. Charlie Tully made both goals, one for Neil Mochan and the other for Bertie Peacock.

In the final, having seen off the best that England had to offer, Celtic now had to beat the best in Scotland. Hibs made it to the final through the genius of their Famous Five forward line of Smith, Johnstone, Reilly, Turnbull and Ormond.

117,060 fans watched as Celtic took the lead in 28 minutes through a Neilly Mochan 35 yard rocket. Celtic held out until 3 minutes from time when Jimmy Walsh scored a second goal and the cup was won.

Celtic: Bonnar, Haughney, Meechan, Evans, Stein, McPhail (J.), Collins, Walsh, Mochan, Peacock, Fernie.

Hibernian: Younger, Govan, Paterson, Buchanan, Howie, Combe, Smith, Johnstone, Reilly, Turnbull, Ormond.

This tournament and the programmes produced for it were the subject of an article (published 2001) called "The Coronation Cup Tournament 1953" that appeared in the August 2001 edition of Programme Monthly (No 245). You can order back copies of this mag at the Programme Monthly Web site. All four programmes are included in the table below.

THE DUBAI SUPER CUP

The first Dubai Cup was played for in 1986. The cup was contested by the Champions of Scotland and the Champions England. In 1986 that meant a Liverpool v Celtic clash. The match was played at the Al Wasl Sports Club on Tuesday 9 December.

Celtic were the first to score through a first half strike from Owen Archdeacon but Liverpool managed to claw their way back into it with an equaliser in the 89th minute by that big tube Alan Hansen. A penalty shoot-out decided the winners and Liverpool finally emerged as winners by 5 goals to 3. Traitor, Mo Johnston missed his penalty kick for Celtic.

GLASGOW CELTIC 1986/87

LIVERPOOL FC 1986/87

The next time Celtic played in the Dubai tournament was 1989. Billy McNeill had returned to Paradise and led Celtic to a league and cup double in the clubs centenary year. The tournament had been renamed "The Dubai Champions Cup" and again the opponents were our friends in the south - Liverpool. Like the first game, the score ended 1-1 but this time it was Celtic that came out on top, scoring 4 penalties to Liverpools 2. John Aldridge scored for Liverpool but we've no idea who scored for the Hoops. Referee: Mr Neil Midgley (England). Attendance 12,000.