40 years on, debate is still raging about Danny’s goal
If an Aberdeen player can hit the net in spectacular style against Celtic this afternoon, he will be toast of the Granite City for many years.
Forty years ago today, Danny Kellachan of Partick Thistle scored a goal at Celtic Park that is still spoken about.
One of the biggest talking points concerns whether or not the Jags’ defender should be credited with the strike – or does it go down as an own goal by Peter Latchford?
In The Sunday Post of March 2, 1975, chief football writer Doug Baillie wrote that he had never seen anything quite like it.
The scores were tied a 1-1 when Celtic skipper Billy McNeill conceded a free-kick just inside his own half.
Up stepped Danny to casually chip the ball goal-wards.
It sailed into the penalty box and over the outstretched arm of goalie Peter Latchford.
The keeper was clearly too far off his line to stop the kick, but the big question was whether or not he managed to get as much as a fingernail on the ball?
Celtic manager Jock Stein believed referee Rollo Kyle had awarded an indirect free-kick, which Latchford hadn’t got a touch to, so the goal should not have stood.
Thistle boss Bertie Auld was adamant a direct kick had been the decision, and his defender should be given the credit for scoring.
Some newspapers recorded it as an own goal, others awarded it to the Partick man.
Danny confirms that many supporters still haven’t made up their mind 40 years on.
He said: “It’s amazing how many people remember that goal, and I still get ribbed about it on a regular basis.
“My version of events is that I believed it was a direct free-kick, saw Peter Latchford off his line and took advantage of his position. “I’m definitely claiming the goal. “I have been known to tell friends that Ronaldinho of Brazil must have seen my goal on You Tube and decided to do a similar thing against England at the 2002 World Cup!
“I had been brought up as a Celtic fan, and some people wondered how I could be delighted scoring against them.
“For me, it was a good feeling to score there and I wanted Partick Thistle to win every game I was involved in.
“The disappointment of that day at Parkhead was that Harry Hood scored in the last minute to give Celtic a 3-2 win.”
Danny joined Thistle in 1971 and spent five seasons at Firhill.
He recalled: “I signed just after Thistle had won the League Cup, and arrived at the same time as other youngsters like Bobby Houston and Joe Craig.
“The manager, Davie McParland, was really good with the young players.
“A couple of highlights were making the League Cup semi-final, where we unfortunately lost 1-0 to Celtic, and winning the First Division in 1976.”
Danny went on to serve Hamilton Accies for three years before spending a number of seasons in Junior football.
Now aged 61, he took early retirement from his job as a sales manager and spends as much time as he can on the golf course. RON SAUNDERS led his Aston Villa side to victory in the League Cup Final against Norwich City at Wembley.
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Morton fielded 19-year-old midfielder Ray Hudson on loan from Newcastle when they realised they only had 11 fully-fit men available to face Motherwell.
The Greenock side went down 3-0 at Fir Park after Willie Pettigrew hit a hat-trick for the Steelmen. CHARLIE FLEMING (below) scored two goals for Sunderland – one of them a last-minute winner – as the Roker Park men beat Newcastle 2-1. The man known as ‘Cannonball’ had moved from East Fife earlier in the month.
Paddy Buckley and HarryYorston hit doubles as Aberdeen beat Queen of the South 6-2 to stay top of Division One.