Diamond branded a traitor for goal against Celtic
It’s a rare occurrence for a Scot to score a winning goal against Celtic these days.
The Hoops were unbeaten for 69 domestic matches, before they lost to Hearts at the end of last year.
They didn’t slip up very often during their run of nine league titles in a row under Jock Stein, but it looked like a shock result might see them only make it to seven at the start of 1973.
Celtic were unexpectedly beaten 2- 1 by basement club Airdrie – and the winning goal was scored by a Celtic fan playing in only his third game for the Diamonds!
The result gave Rangers a three-point lead at the top of Division One, although Jock Stein’s men had three games in hand. Airdrie were involved in a fight for survival. They had only taken seven points from 20 matches when the champions came to Broomfield on January 27, 1973.
The game looked to be heading for a draw when Dixie Deans scored to cancel out a goal by Billy Hulston.
Bobby Murdoch then missed a penalty before Airdrie struck in the last minute.
Kevin McCann scored against his boyhood idols after being given his chance by manager Ian McMillan, a former Rangers legend.
He was a top-flight footballer, but things were very different 45 years ago.
“I worked full-time at a factory in Chapelhall and I worked until midday on Saturday when we had home games,” he recalled.
“I’d finish my shift and jump on a bus to Broomfield.
“I worked seven days a week at that time, so I’d be back in on the Sunday.
“All I remember about the winning goal against Celtic was that I took a swipe at the ball with my left foot – my standing foot – and it went in through a forest of legs.
“Ian McMillan was a real gentleman, and I’m grateful to him for giving me my chance.
“Mind you, he used to often give a talking to when he caught me smoking!”
It was a modest celebration for the 19-yearold overnight sensation.
He said: “I went to the pictures that evening, and I remember a friend of mine walking past as I stood at the bus stop.
“He only said one thing to me: ‘Traitor’ – and walked on.
“The next day I had photographers up at my parents’ house in Coatbridge, asking me to pose with Celtic scarves.”
Kevin scored against the Hoops again two years later. This time it was in the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden.
His thunderous shot briefly made the score 1-1 before the Parkhead men went on to score two more.
He said: “I honestly can’t remember much about that day.
“The time seemed to just fly by. It was like the game was over in a minute.
“I remember the feeling of playing in front of 75,000 when we came out, and then the game was finished in a flash.”
Kevin spent seven years with Airdrie before moving to Queen of the South.
“I didn’t want to leave but Bobby Watson took over as manager and forced me out,” he went on.
“We had a good result in the Scottish Cup when we beat Motherwell and I scored one of the goals.
“They took us to Portugal in 1981, where we played Vitoria Setubal.
“SFA secretary Ernie Walker came on the trip. I think he was looking at places where Scotland might train during the World Cup in Spain the following year.
“We were well beaten in the game. There was a 15-minute spell where we hardly got a kick.”
Kevin went on to play for Stenhousemuir and Workington before returning to Scotland, spending a spell as player-manager of Lanark United.
Now 64, he has spent the last 25 years as a social worker.