Celtic Clips

Friday, 1 October 2010

Dundee 0 Celtic 3 - 12th February 2000

Celtic took to the field at Dens Park at the end of a calamitous week which had brought about the sacking of manager John Barnes. With Kenny Dalglish in temporary charge all eyes were on how the players would respond to the embarrassment of their cup defeat to Inverness - and to their half time shenanigans in that game.

It would be a hard fought victory in the snow at Dens, with all three goals coming in the final quarter of the match. Johann Mjallby opened the scoring, heading home from close range from a Moravcik cross. Two minutes later and it was 2-0 - Mark Viduka creating the space for himself to fire in from the edge of the box. And the victory was wrapped up with some fine opportune play from Colin Healy, placing the ball high over a stranded Rab Douglas from 25 yards for his first Celtic goal.

Highlights (~9mins)

Just The Goals (2m30s)

Celtic 4 Dundee Utd 1 - 18th December 1999

Celtic went in against Dundee Utd on the back of some good scoring form, having found the net 10 times in their previous two outings. And with a game against Rangers just nine days away, a win was vital in order to keep in touch at the top of the table.

However, things didn't go quite to plan in the 1st half - Joaquim Ferraz giving United a 26th minute lead, and Mark Viduka missing a penalty to round off a poor overall performance.

But Celtic came out with all guns blazing in the 2nd half. It took just two minutes for John Barnes' men to find the equalizer - Regi Blinker latching on to a Lubo Moravcik through ball and dinking the ball past Combe in the United goal. Three minutes later Celtic were in front, Viduka heading in from close range after good work from McNamara down the right.

And Viduka turned provide for the third, setting up Moravcik to volley in at the near post. The scoring was wrapped up by Mark Burchill's customary late goal, the youngster turning in the rebound from his own shot, having been put through on goal by Eyal Berkovic.

Highlights (~12mins)

Aberdeen 0 Celtic 6 - 11th December 1999

The previous weeks 4-0 thumping of Hibs seemed to restore some confidence in a Celtic side which, since the injury to Henrik Larsson, had been struggling for form. Or perhaps the opponents had something to do with that - Celtic had scored 12 times in the two games against Aberdeen already that season.

Whatever the reason, Celtic turned in another goalfest of a performance. Paul Lambert started the rout, a wonderful strike into the top corner, finishing off a nice little 1-2 with Viduka. Stephane Mahe added a second only minutes later- right footed, no less - to give Celtic a 2-0 half time lead.

The third came courtesy of Lubo Moravcik midway through the second half - the Slovak picking the ball up wide and drifting past a couple of defenders before firing past Leighton from the edge of the box. And the Aberdeen keeper's day got worse, when he completely misjudged a harmless ball through the Aberdeen defence, leaving Mark Viduka with a tap in for Celtic's 4th.

Regi Blinker grabbed the fifth with just 10 minutes remaining, a fine finish to an absolutely outrageous cross from Morten Wieghorst. And with only minutes remaining, Ian Wright finished things off with his third and final goal for the club.

Highlights (~10mins)

Just The Goals (~5mins)

Celtic 4 Hibs 0 - 4th December 1999

John Barnes' Celtic went in to this match against Hibs trailing Rangers by four points, having played a game more. With Rangers trip to St Johnstone postponed this was a chance to close the gap at the top of the table and get points in the bag.

However, having lost 3 of 6 league games since Henrik Larsson's leg break in Lyon, and having scraped through a midweek League Cup game against Dundee thanks to a 90th minute Morten Wieghorst winner, Celtic's form was patchy at best.

But this would turn out to be a comfortable victory, inspired by the skills of Lubo Moravcik. Mark Viduka opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 18th minute - a dubious award, it has to be said. Moravcik then added the second with a sublime turn and shot from the edge of the box. It may take a deflection on the way in, but it takes nothing away from the little Slovak's brilliance.

Moravcik adds a third, with a header which gives Paul Elliot's League Cup Final goal a run for it's money in the "how low can you head the ball" stakes. And Morten Wieghorst rounds things off near the end, pouncing on a mistake in the Hibs defence and sending a delicate chip over the keeper.

Highlights (~10m)

Just the goals (3m34s)

Saturday, 4 September 2010

Celtic 5 Kilmarnock 1 - 30th October 1999

Nine days after losing Henrik Larsson to a season ending injury Celtic took to the field against Kilmarnock sporting the Swede's replacement, Ian Wright.

The Arsenal legend, just a month shy of his 36th birthday, had arrived at Celtic Park three days earlier on a free transfer from West Ham - on a day Celtic would lose at home to Motherwell and miss out on the chance to move to the top of the league.

Wright's signing would fail to make any real impact on the season as a whole. But for one day at least there was a genuine air of excitement inside Celtic Park and a temporary lifting of the gloom which had fallen over the club after Larsson's injury.

Wright would score on what would be an eventful debut for the veteran striker, adding Celtic's fourth to Mark Vidukas hattrick. Craig Burley would supply the fifth goal of an emphatic second half performance.

Just the goals (~4mins)

Highlights(~10mins)

St Johnstone 1 Celtic 2 - 24th October 1999

Three days after losing Henrik Larsson to a horrific leg break in a UEFA cup match at Lyon John Barnes' Celtic side returned to SPL action, taking on St Johnstone in Perth.

With Rangers not in action the Hoops had a chance to close the gap at the top of the table to just 1 point. And despite struggling without their talismanic Swede they would do just that. It was, however, anything but a convincing win.

Slackness at the back gave St Johnstone a 1st half lead from their first serious attack of the game - Nathan Lowndes the scorer. Mark Burchill levelled the scores early in the 2nd half. And It would take a controversial injury time goal from the head of Morten Wieghorst for the win to be secured. Judge for yourself whether his header crossed the line.

Highlights (~6mins)

Friday, 3 September 2010

Hibs 0 Celtic 2 - 25th September 1999

Celtic travelled to Easter Road to face a struggling Hibs side who had won just one of their first seven league games of the season. Despite trailing Dick Advocaat's Rangers by 3 points John Barnes' side were in decent form, having kept a clean sheet in seven of their nine games before the trip to Edinburgh.

That record would become eight in ten, as a Mark Viduka double gave Celtic the victory. However, it would be a hard fought match with Hibs proving stubborn opponents. The match would swing on the sending off of Hibs Frank Sauzee in the lead up to Celtic breaking the deadlock. Hibs would be reduced to just 9 men before the end.

The footage shows only the 2nd half action.

Just the goals (<2mins)>

Highlights (7mins)

Thursday, 2 September 2010

Celtic 7 Aberdeen 0 - 16th October 1999

Going into this home match against Aberdeen John Barnes' Celtic were in fine form, having won 11 of 12 games in all competitions to start the season - a 2-1 league defeat at Tannadice in August the only blip. Unfortunately for Barnes Dick Advocaat's side across the city were going even better, maintaining a 100% record in their opening 8 SPL fixtures.

Six points adrift of Rangers, and up against a team rooted to the bottom of the table and who had been thrashed 5-0 on the opening day of the season, a win was not only required but expected.

The Celtic fans were not to be dissappointed. A 7-0 rout, on the back of an Eyal Berkovic opener and hattricks for both Henrik Larsson and Mark Viduka, kept the Hoops in touch at the top of the table.

But this was the calm before the storm. Within a week Henrik Larsson would suffer a leg break which would rule him out for the rest of the season. Within two weeks Barnes' side would lose at home to Motherwell to fall further behind Rangers. And within three weeks the first Old Firm game of the season would be lost at Ibrox. This was, unfortunately, as good as it got in season 1999-2000.

Just The Goals (6mins)