Away Days

IN this season’s Celtic View we are taking a trip each week to grounds where the Hoops have played on their travels. This week we are visiting Motherwell

- Joe Sullivan

FIRST VISIT

Motherwell first appeared in the top tier in season 1903/04 when Celtic wore the Hoops for the first time, and the new arrivals kicked off with seven straight losses before they won their first game, a 2-0 home win over Partick Thistle. However, Celtic’s first ever visit to Fir Park was the Lanarkshire side’s final game of the term. Two goals from Alec Bennett on March 26, 1904 in a 2-1 win ensured that the Celts won their first game there and added to the points already won against Motherwell that season. On January 16 of that year, the clubs met for the first time ever at Celtic Park and the Hoops won 6-0 thanks to a Jimmy McMenemy hat-trick and goals from Davie Hamilton, Peter Somers and Sam Gilligan.

MOST RECENT VISIT

It was on March 18 last season when Celtic last visited Fir Park and there wasn’t much to write home about in the 0-0 draw, apart from a red card for Cedric Kipre in the 41st minute and the fact that despite dropping two points, the Hoops still moved further ahead at the top of the league. With Celtic still basking in the glory of their 10-man comeback win at Ibrox the previous weekend, a Kris Boyd goal gave Kilmarnock a 1-0 win over Rangers just 24 hours before Celtic’s trip to Fir Park and the draw there moved the Hoops 10 points in the clear. Celtic’s other trip to Fir Park last season also ended in a draw, 1-1, while the Hoops won 5-1 at Celtic Park and also prevailed in the two games that really mattered against Motherwell last term – winning 2-0 in both the League Cup and Scottish Cup finals at Hampden.

CUP TRAVELS