Celtic’s Fifth Manager – Billy McNeill, Cesar

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The Celtic Star

·30 November 2025

Celtic’s Fifth Manager – Billy McNeill, Cesar

Celtic’s Fifth Manager (1978-83, 1987-1991) – Billy McNeill, Cesar

Billy McNeill arrived back at Celtic Park in summer 1978 via Aberdeen for whom he had had a successful season (something perhaps for which he is not given enough credit). The shoes that he had to fill were large ones, but Billy in his first five seasons won a trophy per year, an achievement that is at least acceptable, especially as two new forces in the shape of Aberdeen and Dundee United were now appearing on the scene.

Billy made two major signings in Davie Provan from Kilmarnock and Murdo MacLeod from Dumbarton, and his first season saw a major triumph in the never to be forgotten climax at Celtic Park in the game known for ever more as “Ten Men Won The League”. Billy came across as confident, reassured and very definitely a man on a mission that spring as the team played off their backlog of fixtures caused by the bad weather in the winter, and it was a great moment for us all.

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The final whistle goes at the 4-2 game in May 1979

It was not all rosy. The League titles of 1980 and 1983 were frankly thrown away by players failing to produce their best when they needed to, and Europe, apart from one spectacular first leg win over Real Madrid in 1980, was a predictable disappointment. But this has to be balanced against the marvellous form shown in early 1981 when, starting from New Year, the team suddenly turned over a new leaf, and defeats and feckless draws suddenly became victories, with Frank McGarvey proving his worth.

14.05.1988 Copyright: imago/ColorsportBilly McNeill (Celtic Glasgow) – at Hampden for the Scottish Cup Final against Dundee Utd

And there was the young man called Charlie Nicholas who could have been the new Patsy Gallacher (yes, he was that good!) but his head was turned by the bright lights and siren songs of London, and Billy was unable to dissuade him, to the distress of all concerned. All this possibly had something to do with the Board’s amazing refusal to offer Billy a contract is summer 1983 (AT THE TIME THE CELTIC MANAGER WAS THE FIFTH HIGHEST PAID IN THE SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE!). Billy threatened to leave to Manchester City (WHO WERE SKINT)…and his bluff was called.

Celtic manager Billy McNeill with some of his young stars in what looks like 1982 – A current contender for the next manager of Celtic is bottom right…

Four years later, everyone seemed to admit that a mistake had been made, and Billy was back to lead the club to the spectacular Double in the Centenary Season of 1987/88. It was as if God was back in his heaven once again, and the future looked rosy. But then sadly, the team went down 1-5 to Rangers at the start of the 1988/89 season – and never really recovered as that defeat dominated everyone’s thinking for the next few years, and infected performances.

Photo imago/Colorsport Roy Aitken hands over the Scottish League Championship trophy to coach Billy McNeill. Celtic v Dunfermline 7/5/88.

To Billy’s credit, there was a partial recovery in the Scottish Cup including a fine win over Rangers in the 1989 Scottish Cup final, and Celtic also removed them in 1990 and 1991. But both these seasons ended trophyless (1990 a desperately unlucky penalty shoot-out) as Billy’s marquee signing of the Polish Dariusz Dziekanowski failed to deliver when he had to. Roy Aitken was lost to Newcastle United, and the team was, basically, not able to stand up to Rangers as Billy was not given enough to spend on players. Billy departed sadly in 1991, and the club’s decline now began to accelerate.

A day of infamy at Celtic Park as Billy McNeill is sacked by the old board

“Too much of a supporter to be a Manager” was the way one fanzine put it about Billy, and that really sums him up. To his death in 2019, Billy remained Celtic to the core.

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