CELTIC were 3-0 down from the first leg of the European Cup Quarter Final against Ajax and set about attempting to recuperate from this heavy defeat in Amsterdam, on this day in 1971.
The game was played at Hampden to accommodate the enormous audience, Celtic had sold around 90,000 tickets and there were approximately 5000 Ajax fans in Glasgow for its eagerly anticipated tie. They later complained about licensing legislation which prevented them drinking in the day and saw the bars close too early in the day.
The Celtic Wiki described the game as follows:
Celtic gave it their very best shot but seriously overlooked the influence of Bobby Murdoch from the midfield. Despite Celtic attacking Ajax were dangerous on the break and Williams failed to keep the Dutch forward at bay as Muhren struck a post.
In 75 minutes McNeill’s header was brilliantly saved by Stuy. Five minutes later Hughes scored from a different McNeill header but was just offside. Before the complete time that the fans were frustrated by Ajax players feigning injury to waste time. At the time the Ajax coach Rinus Michels complained of rough tackles by Celtic players throughout the game.
Ajax tactics were put on as they flooded the midfield and gave Celtic no space and their full-backs shut down Celtic’s wingers as well as the overlapping Gemmell.
However, the damage was done in the 3-0 defeat in Amsterdam in the first leg and the atmosphere was in the end that a number of the Celtic team were currently on the decline so far as playing at the maximum level in Europe is concerned.
Ajax went on to win the final at Wembley by beating Panathinaikos 2-0 and won the European Cup for the next three years.
24th March 1971, Celtic beat Ajax 1:0 at the 2nd leg of the European Cup Quarter-Final.
Jinky with the winner on the night but Ajax undergo following a 3:0 win in the first leg and go on to win the championship.
Celtic: Williams, Hay, Gemmell, McNeill, Brogan, Johnstone, Hood, Wallace (Davidson), Auld (Lennox) and Hughes
Scorer: Johnstone (28)
Stuy Suurbier Vasovic Rjinders Muhren Krol Hulshoff Blankenberg Cruyff Neeskens Rep Keizer Subs: Van Dijk Haan Surrendonk Wever.
Referee: Concetto Lo Bello (Italy)
Attendance: 83,684
