21st Jan 1995 Partick Thistle 0 Celtic 0 (SFL Premier Division - game 22)

matches:1994-95: ← 26game 2728 →

53y, 10m, 19d	John Lambie	Tommy Burns

no changes
no changes



Derek McWilliams (Rod McDonald, 57 mins); Alex Taylor (Ian Cameron [i], 86 mins)

32y, 3m, 23d	Nicky Walker	Pat Bonner
31y, 8m, 7d	Alan Dinnie	Tom Boyd
27y, 6m, 3d	Stevie Pittman	Stuart Gray
24y, 4m, 0d	Gregg Watson	Brian O'Neil
26y, 9m, 2d	Steve Welsh	Mark McNally future Jag
31y, 3m, 10d	Tommy Turner	Peter Grant
31y, 4m, 10d	Wayne Foster	Brian McLaughlin
33y, 0m, 18d	Albert Craig	Phil O'Donnell
29y, 0m, 5d	Derek McWilliams	Pierre Van Hooijdonk
31y, 7m, 10d	Chic Charnley	Willie Falconer
32y, 7m, 8d	Alex Taylor	John Collins

30y, 1m, 19d

25y, 3m, 27d	Mark Cairns	Gordon Marshall
28y, 4m, 28d	Ian Cameron [i]	Andy Walker future Jag
27y, 10m, 1d	Rod McDonald	Tosh McKinlay

notes

Bobby Orr took over from Jim Herald (strained muscle) as referee for the second half. A member of the crowd came forward to run the line.

TTA report

Walker played one of his best games of his career to keep a rampant Celtic at bay. He had one of those rare daft days as Celtic did everything but score. Welsh was excellent in the centre of the defence and it was a well-earned point. Thistle even had the audacity to go close twice on the break. Point stolen.

Media report

23-Jan-1995, Glasgow Herald

MAYBE if they had nailed him to a post, Celtic might have found a way of getting the ball past Nicky Walker in the Partick Thistle goal, but it would not have been odds-on. The much travelled goalie has never had a better game than his inspirational show in the no-scoring draw at Firhill but, as he pointed out, he has paid his dues. “After 15 years in the premier division, I was due a daft day. Every keeper gets one.” His was magnificently daft. There was nothing much more Celtic could have done to score. They had a whole array of shots and headers on target, but were defied by the feet or hands of Walker. His opposite number, Pat Bonner, nodded his head in that fashion which indicates that only keepers really understand these things. “That is the way it happens sometimes and the next week you can go out and lose a soft one,” he said with the wisdom of 16 years in the game. Of course there were Celtic fans arguing that the team blew it, that no side should miss so many golden opportunities. And, to some extent that has a validity, but there are occasions when a goalkeeper in brilliant form is admired and supported by the guardian angel of all goalies. Luck was handed out along with the plaudits in large dollops. But Bonner could well be right when he says that Celtic, in this form, will give some side a hard time of it one day. Unquestionably, the Parkhead lot were as good as they have been any time since Tommy Burns took over. They conquered difficult conditions with some fine passing movements and, despite Thistle’s courageous and willing defensive stand, looked certain to win by a few goals. That would not have been an unfair reflection. Even Thistle’s assistant manager, Gerry Collins, had to describe his team’s show thus: “We stole a point.” Stuart Gray and Brian O’Neil were outstanding players for Celtic, but Peter Grant, Phil O’Donnell and Willie Falconer were not far behind. Yet all their smart play did not persuade the Jags to throw in the towel.

They are stubborn at Firhill and, even while they were losing the battle, they never hinted the war was over. Steve Welsh rallied his men time and again as Celtic threatened to run them into Maryhill Road, and they had the audacity to come close to snatching a goal themselves in a couple of breakaway thrusts. But, overall, they will still wonder how they emerged unscathed with another point added to their total. It would be pointless listing every wonderful save or stop made by Walker, but some were extra special, like one from O’Donnell in the early part of the game, another before half time from Falconer, a fine stop from O’Donnell again after the break, and the piece de resistance near the end, when he halted a Hooijdonk header at the far post. Burns was philosophical afterwards, acknowledging that the keeper was simply unbeatable. He was genuinely pleased, however, with the display of his team and, compared with many efforts this season, he had every justification. He was a bit miffed by loud criticism of his side by two female Celtic fans who gave him a hard time from the enclosure. The manager has offered to buy them lunch and continue the debate with them, should they make themselves known to him. It is perhaps not an innovation he should pursue long. On all known recent form, there are queues of Parkhead critics ready to offer their views. If he is not careful Tommy might need to use a large slice of his transfer bankroll to feed the multitude.

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