The day Celtic denied a stonewall penalty at Ibrox by Kenny Clark

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The Celtic Star

·17 December 2024

The day Celtic denied a stonewall penalty at Ibrox by Kenny Clark

Celtic on this Day Gravesen stuns Ibrox as Neil Lennon denied a stonewall penalty by referee Kenny Clark, now an after dinner speaker at theRangers supporters events…

Thomas Gravesen celebrates after scoring for Celtic at Ibrox on 17 December 2006. Photo The Celtic Wiki

17 December 2006

Rangers 1-1 Celtic. In an era of conspiratorial nonsense and denial of penalties, nothing comes quite close to the stonewall spot-kick Celtic weren’t awarded by Kenny Clark at Ibrox 18 years ago, today.

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Neil Lennon was completely taken out inside the box by Steven Smith which much to the bemusement and anger of the Celtic players, travelling support and management team, was waved away by Clark. Even without VAR, it is baffling why not one official onfield came to the conclusion it was a clear penalty.

With Gordon Strachan’s men leading the charge in the title race, the onus had been on Rangers to take the game to the visitors. Tommy Gravesen’s unique half-volley strike moments before half-time seemed to be the only goal in the game.

However, Brahim Hemdani’s deflected long-range effort with minutes to play beat a helpless Artur Boruc in the Celtic net and sealed an undeserved point for Paul Le Guen’s side. Despite only beating Rangers once in the title-winning 2006/2007 campaign, the Hoops still won the league by a comfortable margin of 12 points over their rivals.

17 December 2009

SK Rapid vs. Celtic Glasgow F.C., VIENNA, AUSTRIA – DECEMBER 17 SK Rapid plays 3:3 to Celtic Glasgow on December 17, 2009 in Vienna, Austria. Shown are midfielder Branko Boskovic (#27, Rapid) and striker Marc-Antoine Fortune ( #10, Celtic). Photo IMAGO (The Celtic Star)

Rapid Vienna 3-3 Celtic. The Hoops re-met their old nemesis at an absolutely freezing cold evening in Vienna. The game was a deadrubber between the bottom two of their Europa League group section, therefore it was all about playing for pride.

It had snowed all day in Vienna on the lead-up to the match with temperatures reaching as low as -8°. Celtic’s European exploits during this period were summed up by Tony Mowbray’s men conceding after 30 seconds, and then being 3-0 down after 20 minutes. Remarkably, Celtic fought back courtesy of a Marc-Antoine Fortune double, and a last minute equaliser via Paul McGowan. The comeback at least gave the hardcore Celtic support something to cheer about in truly horrible conditions. As for the Europa League campaign itself, it was one to forget.

17 December 2022

IMAGO / PA Images Aberdeen v Celtic – cinch Premiership – Pittodrie, 17 December 2022. Callum McGregor celebrates scoring the late winner for Celtic. Photo Steve Welsh

Aberdeen 0-1 Celtic. It had been Celtic’s first competitive match in over a month following the conclusion of the unordinary winter Qatar World Cup which Lionel Messi’s Argentina went onto famously win. On the match at Pittodrie, Jim Goodwin’s Aberdeen produced one of the most negative performances from a Dons’ side against Celtic you are ever likely to ever see.

Callum McGregor’s sublime late winner was the Hoops’ 33rd shot of the game. Prior to the World Cup, the Celtic skipper had been out for two months with a knee injury, therefore, to have him back fully fit for the upcoming congested period had been a massive boost for Ange Postecoglou.

Postecoglou’s scintillating Celts victory at Pittodrie meant they had accumulated 45 points from a possible 48 stretching their lead at the top of the table to nine points over Michael Beale’s Brazil-1970 Gers. Post-match, Postecoglou was delighted with the way Celtic played in the North-East, “you’re always looking at what our approach was like, our football, our mentality,” he said. “And I thought it was first rate in every department. Getting the goal is great because it rewards the players.”

Conor Spence

Celtic in the Thirties

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