Celtic Park

12^th September 1998

Celtic 1-1 Kilmarnock

This match was only my second visit to Parkhead, since Celtic and I had divorced 15 years earlier – see Preamble for details.  There was no feeling of returning to an Old Flame – this being in no small way due to the fact Celtic Park had changed out of all recognition since I was last there.  

The terracing had been demolished and replaced by three massive linked stands, with the old stand incorporated into the structure so that the arena was now an oval shape.  You can say what you like about Fergus McGoo’s man management skills, but he certainly knew how to build a stadium.  Although I did miss the elegant, almost feminine curves of the old stand.

The buzz around Parkhead was whether Ally McCoist was going to turn out for Kilmarnock, but in the event injury prevented him doing so, although fellow ex-Ranger Ian Durrant was there to provide a focus for the home fans’ ire.  

That being said, much of the Celtic supporters’ spleen was vent at their own side, especially during an inept second period, when the visitors’ Jerome VAREILLE’s 50^th minute strike cancelled out Regi BLINKER’s 29^th minute opener.

Celtic Park - 1998

In 2021, there are now large picture panels on the side of the Jock Stein Stand,
a star atop the main entrance, which I assume is in reference to 1967.
And nae cars.

Panorama of Celtic Park - 1998

Not quite the same angle, but not a whole lot has changed in 23 years,
other than the installation of a large scoreboard.

Celtic v Kilmarnock - September 1998

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Celtic 2-0 Ferencvaros

19th October 2021

Celtic v Ferencvaros - October 2021

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It is not terribly easy to take any sort of original pix of Celtic Park, as it is such an iconic venue.  So before the match, I wandered into the Janefield Cemetery/Eastern Necropolis which abutts the North Stand, and snapped away.

Most of the headstones in this area had a conch shell placed beside them. 

A row of Commonwealth War Graves overlook the rear of The Jock Stein Stand.

I came across this one further in the cemetery, and was intrigued that someone had taken the time to re-paint some of the wording.  A bit of internet digging found me an Edward McCaig, who had been sent to France with the Royal Engineers in November 2015.  Wounded in Belgium, he was sent back to Glasgow where he died of his injuries.

Odd that his name has either been mis-recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, or mis-spelt by the stonemason.

 

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Another Celtic Park pic - taken from the North Stand before Scotland v England in 2014