Burns Night in April 1981 – Celtic’s Title Party at Tannadice | OneFootball

WEDNESDAY 22 APRIL 1981 – The Scottish League Championship is clinched at Tannadice Park with a hard-worked 3-2 win over Dundee United. Murdo MacLeod, Frank McGarvey and Tommy Burns score the goals for Celtic, but Dundee United make them work hard and score through Willie Pettigrew and Paul Sturrock. A lap of honour is held at the end, and substitute Johnny Doyle throws his tracksuit into the Celtic crowd.

David Potter

Celtic’s Tannadice Title Wins – 1981

Celtic emerged through the pack in 1979 to hit the top just before the finishing post the Monday night when ten men won the league. The next season the opposite happened when Celtic finished poorly and gifted the title to Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen..

Celtic celebrations – The Bhoys celebrate the title win as Celtic beat Dundee United 3-2 at Tannadice on 22 April 1981 to win the league. Photo The Celtic Wiki

A Scottish Cup final win over Rangers was some consolation but it was hard to shake the title loss that was all our own fault.

The next season Celtic played the best football of since Billy McNeill took over from Jock Stein as Celtic manager and after winning at Ibrox we travelled to Dundee to face Jim McLean’s Dundee United knowing that a win would make us Champions.

Billy McNeill celebrates the title win as Celtic beat Dundee United 3-2 at Tannadice on 22 April 1981 to win the league. Photo The Celtic Wiki

It was a midweek match and all roads to Dundee were packed with our buses heading to Tannadice and we certainly didn’t pay £42 to stand on the terraces on what was a chilly evening for the time of year. Not that we noticed.

The official attendance was given as 15,349 (yeah right!)

The official attendance was given as 15,349 but there seemed many more than that there with so many managing to get in via alternative means. The Celtic support was huge, much more than the 3776 who will be there this weekend as Celtic look to stage another title winning party in the City of Discovery.

Tommy Burns celebrates the title win as Celtic beat Dundee United 3-2 at Tannadice on 22 April 1981 to win the league. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Dundee United had a decent side too. McAlpine, Holt, Kopel, Phillip, Hegarty, Stark, Bannon, Milne, Pettigrew, Sturrock, Addison. Sub:- Payne, Gough.

The Bhoys celebrate the title win as Celtic beat Dundee United 3-2 at Tannadice on 22 April 1981 to win the league. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Murdo MacLeod scored with a brilliant header!

Murdo scored with a brilliant header in the opening few minutes as the Celtic support went wild but after around a quarter of an hour Pettigrew had levelled the score before the wonderful Frank McGarvey put Celtic ahead on 35 minutes played and it was 2-1 to Celtic at the break.

Murdo MacLeod, Danny McGrain and Davie Provan celebrate the title win as Celtic beat Dundee United 3-2 at Tannadice on 22 April 1981 to win the league. Photo The Celtic Wiki

On the hour mark Tommy Burns scored an iconic Celtic goal and a goal of the season contender and Celtic looked home and dry Champions at 3-1. But Jim McLean’s sides never gave up and when Paul Sturrock made it 3-2 with 20 minutes to play our nerves were shattered counting down the minutes.

The Celtic celebrations were extra-special

The Celtic celebrations were extra-special with Tommy Burns the title winning hero, Danny McGrain the leader on the park and just magnificent and of course Cesar himself, so proud of his young team that looked to be on the verge of something very special.

Danny McGrain and Charlie Nicolas celebrate the title win as Celtic beat Dundee United 3-2 at Tannadice on 22 April 1981 to win the league. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Fate seems to like Tannadice as the venue for Celtic title winning parties

An absolutely brilliant night, as fate decided not for the last time, that Tannadice would be the venue for a title winning party. They’re all special but this one for me topped the lot. A wonderful memory. If you too were there please share your stories in the comments below.

Billy McNeill celebrates the title win as Celtic beat Dundee United 3-2 at Tannadice on 22 April 1981 to win the league. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Jim McLean quote on Celtic supporters at Tannadice on 22 April 1981.

The Celtic goals

The final whistle and the celebrations

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