Celtic in the Eighties – Celtic v Sporting Lisbon, UEFA Cup, November 1983

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The Celtic Star

·10 October 2025

Celtic in the Eighties – Celtic v Sporting Lisbon, UEFA Cup, November 1983

EARLY EIGHTIES CLASSICS – CELTIC v SPORTING LISBON…

Summer 1983 was a depressing time for Celtic fans. The agony of losing the league title on the last day of the season was compounded by the departure (albeit long expected) of Charlie Nicholas to Arsenal for a reported fee of £650 000. This was followed by a further shock of truly seismic proportions- the resignation of manager Billy “Caesar” McNeill.

New Arsenal players Charlie Nicholas (r) and goalkeeper John Lukic pictured with manager Terry Neill on the Highbury pitch after their summer moves from Glasgow Celtic and Leeds in July, 1983. (Photo by Murrell/Allsport/Getty Images/Hulton Archive)

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Caesar’s departure was completely unexpected. Whilst he had always experienced a somewhat fractious relationship with the Board, no one could have predicted how events would unfold in the summer of 1983. The loss of a much-loved club legend, and the incredibly acrimonious circumstances which surrounded it, cast a long, dark shadow over the following season.

David Hay (Celtic Glasgow Manager) Photo IMAGO / Ferdi Hartung. 27.07.1983

His successor was Davie Hay, who had been an outstanding player for Celtic a decade earlier. Hay’s apparently laid-back manner was in stark contrast to McNeill’s charismatic and passionate demeanour.

It was Hay’s misfortune to be offered the job at a time when a general air of disillusionment and depression hung over the club. Celtic would go on to finish season 1983/84 as runners up in all three domestic competitions and it would be fair to say that, at the end of his first season, the jury was still out regarding Hay’s suitability for the job.

Season 1983/84 would, however, provide one truly memorable European result – the 5-0 thrashing of Sporting Lisbon at Celtic Park in the second round of the UEFA Cup…

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Danny McGrain lead out Celtic. Celtic v Aarhus, UEFA Cup. First round, first leg. 14 September 1983. Photo The Celtic Wiki

In the first round, Celtic had eliminated Aarhus of Denmark 5-1 on aggregate. This disguised a poor first leg at Celtic Park, when Celtic struggled to find fluency but eventually scrambled to a 1-0 victory. They were helped in this by Aarhus missing a penalty when the match was still tied at 0-0, and by a goalkeeping blunder which allowed Aitken’s header to squirm over the line for the only goal.

The second leg was a completely different story. Celtic took control of the game from the start and produced an impressive performance of attacking football. “The green machine was in top gear”, gushed Chick Young in the Evening Times, as Celtic ran out comfortable 4-1 winners. This was also the first outing of Celtic’s new change strip of lime green jerseys, emerald shorts and emerald socks, which would later become synonymous with a certain glorious day at Love Street in May 1986.

The second round produced a tie against Sporting Lisbon, who were based in the city which for Celtic fans will be forever linked with the greatest day in the club’s history in 1967. Sadly, in the first leg of the second round, the gulf in quality between 1967 Celtic and their 1983 counterparts was cruelly exposed.

After a decent opening half hour, Celtic simply collapsed after two superb goals by Jordao. The match ended 0-2 but could easily have ended in a much heavier defeat for Celtic. A thoroughly demoralising return to Lisbon was captured by a cartoon depicting two Celtic fans, with one saying to the other: “I’ve gone off Lisbon – booze was dearer, birds were older and the other team scored the goals..”

Danny McGrain, Sporting Lisbon v Celtic, UEFA Cup, second round, first leg, 19 October 1983. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Incidentally, the Sporting Lisbon manager at that time was a certain Dr Josef Venglos, who would go on to manage Celtic in season 1998/99.

Celtic went into the second leg on 2 November knowing that only once before had they overturned a two-goal deficit from the first leg, against St Etienne in 1968.

The match was not all-ticket, and the official attendance of 40,000 was significantly smaller than those for the matches only a year earlier against Ajax and Real Sociedad. Celtic again wore their lime green change kit, whilst Sporting wore their green and white hoops.

Those who were present witnessed one of the greatest-ever European nights at Celtic Park. Celtic were at their magnificent best. It was one of those games where every Celtic player was excellent, and some were brilliant.

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02/11/83 UEFA CUP 2nd ROUND 2nd LEG CELTIC V SPORTING LISBON (5-0) (5-2 agg) Celtic’s Tommy Burns (right) opens the scoring with a header past

Playing with pace, power and skill, Celtic launched into attack from the outset. After 17 minutes, Tommy Burns headed home a cross from McGarvey. Two more goals just before half time sent the crowd into rhapsodies and left Sporting dazed and shell-shocked.

In 43 minutes, Tom McAdam controlled a Provan corner and volleyed into the net. Then, two minutes later, and with the raucous celebrations still in full swing, Brian McClair latched on to a clever pass from Burns, created space for himself and then bore down on the goalkeeper. He finished clinically, and the noise level rose even higher.

02/11/83 UEFA CUP 2nd ROUND 2nd LEG CELTIC V SPORTING LISBON (5-0) (5-2 agg)CELTIC PARK -GLASGOW Celtic’s Tom McAdam (top) out jumps Virgilio

02/11/83 UEFA CUP SECOND ROUND CELTIC V SPORTING LISBON (5-0) Celtic’s Brian McClair (right) celebrates his goal with teammates Frank McGarvey, Paul McStay and Davie Provan

Just after McClair’s goal, the whistle sounded for half time. It was greeted by deafening cheers. The Celtic fans were in raptures and the Sporting players looked absolutely stunned. The first half had been literally breathless, for players and spectators alike.

In the TV highlights on Scotsport later that night, commentator Arthur Montford prefaced the half time break by saying, “I certainly need a break. I’m sure you do too!”

Despite the euphoria, the tie was still delicately balanced. Celtic were 3-2 ahead on aggregate but one goal from Sporting would restore their advantage. Thankfully, and unusually, Celtic started the second half as they had ended the first, continuing to charge forward with speed and purpose.

Murdo MacLeod makes it 4-0 to Celtic against Sporting Lisbon. Photo The Celtic Wiki

In 58 minutes, MacLeod made it 4-0 on the night and then, a minute later, McGarvey scored number five after he ran on to a long pass from Burns. Even at 5-0 up, Celtic continued to threaten and could have added more goals.

Celtic celebrations after Frank McGarvey made it 5-0 to Celtic

Chick Young, never one for understatement, summed it up in the Evening Times: “Celtic conjured up as glittering a performance ever seen in their diamond-studded European heritage.” For once, Chick was not guilty of hyperbole. It was indeed one of Celtic’s best-ever European performances and demonstrated the quality of which the players were capable.

It could be argued that it was the finest-ever performance by Tommy Burns, Brian McClair, Davie Provan and Frank McGarvey. However, it was above all a supreme team performance, and one wonders why this side could not produce similar on a more regular basis.

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In the euphoria of the Sporting performance, Celtic players and fans once again began to dream of a lengthy run in the tournament. These dreams were dashed by Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest, who Celtic met in the third round. Celtic were the better side in the first leg at the City Ground and should have come away with more than a 0-0 draw.

Celtic fans at the UEFA Cup match at City Ground Nottingham in November 1983. Photo The Celtic Wiki

The second leg on 7 December was watched by an all-ticket crowd of 67,000. Forest were a far more experienced side than Celtic at this level, and they had learned their lesson from the first match. Celtic started well without ever reaching the heights seen against Sporting, but Forest adapted quickly, using their tactical awareness to frustrate and nullify Celtic’s efforts.

Then, in the second half, they showed their quality on the counter by scoring twice from quick breakaways. The first, in 54 minutes, came after a long run down the right by Steve Wigley, who crossed into the box for Steve Hodge to score past Bonner. The second, twenty minutes later, came after another long run, this time by Peter Davenport down the left. His cross was met perfectly by Scottish Under 21 internationalist and one-time Celtic fan Colin Walsh to effectively kill the match and the tie. A late Murdo MacLeod goal was no consolation for the massive deflation felt by the Celtic players and fans.

07/12/83 UEFA CUP THIRD ROUND SECOND LEG CELTIC V NOTTINGHAM FOREST (1-2)Murdo MacLeod retrives the ball from the back of the net after pulling a goal back for Celtic late in the game.

It must be remembered that Forest at that time were a very decent side. Their victory at Celtic Park was their third consecutive away victory in that season’s UEFA Cup. They would go on to reach the semi-final, where they would lose 2-3 on aggregate to Anderlecht in highly controversial circumstances. Years later, it would be discovered that the referee for the decisive second leg had been bribed. To this day, this remains a source of anger for Forest fans old enough to remember.

Regardless of Forest’s strengths, the overriding feeling among Celtic fans was one of supreme disappointment. Yet again, Celtic had failed to progress in Europe. Yet again, they had fallen just short when coming up against a well-organised and tactically aware side.

There was still a feeling that, with just a bit of luck, Celtic could make a real impact in European competition soon. Unfortunately, luck – and natural justice – would desert Celtic the following season, when they would be on the receiving end of one of the worst decisions ever made by UEFA…

We’ll talk about that next time.

James McDevitt

Loving the ‘Celtic in the Eighties’ memories? Well don’t miss the chance to purchase the late, great Celtic historian David Potter’s final book. All remaining copies have been signed by the legendary Celtic captain Danny McGrain , who also wrote the foreword for Celtic in the Eighties. And you’ll also receive a FREE copy of David Potter’s Willie Fernie biography – Putting on the Style, plus you’ll only be charged for postage on one book. Order from Celtic Star Books HERE.

Celtic in the Eighties and Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style both by David Potter. Photo The Celtic Star

Danny McGrain has signed the remaining batch of David Potter’s outstanding final book Celtic in the Eighties so hurry to get your signed copy!

Ordering is simple, just place your order for Celtic in the Eighties at celticstarbooks.com/shop and we’ll do the rest, ensuring your copy is signed by Danny PLUS you’ll also receive a complimentary Willie Fernie book dispatched by the next working day, whilst stocks last.

Danny McGrain signing copies of Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Photo: Celtic Star Books

Please note that stocks are now running very low indeed and the book will NOT be reprinted. Click on the image below to order. Also postage will only be charged on ONE book, not per item so if you are in Britain or the six counties you will pay £24.50 for both books – one side by Danny McGrain and that includes the postage costs for speedy delivery. As always the books are hardback and are of the highest quality.