Such was the interest that over 72,000 rolled up to Celtic Park four nights later, a record at that time for a midweek fixture, with the kick-off delayed to allow the fans entry. The Hoops support in that crowd would lap it up as Celts raced into a 3-0 lead through Jimmy Johnstone, Bobby Murdoch (how often did he score against Hearts?) and Stevie Chalmers. With seven minutes remaining, Willie Wallace added yet another goal to his growing collection against Celtic, Simpson again badly at fault, however, the Bhoys progressed comfortably to the semi-final by 3-1, the two games watched by a combined attendance of almost 120,000 supporters.
Within a few weeks, Willie would be lining up alongside several Celts for the biggest match of his career to date, the Home International against England at Hampden in front of 123,000.
The Scotland team who took to the field for Willie’s second international cap on Saturday, 2 April 1966, lined up as follows:
Bobby Ferguson (Kilmarnock)
John Greig © (Rangers)
Tommy Gemmell (Celtic)Bobby Murdoch (Celtic)
Ron McKinnon (Celtic)
Jim Baxter (Sunderland)Jimmy Johnstone (Celtic)
Willie Wallace (Hearts)
Denis Law (Manchester United)
Billy Bremner (Leeds United)
Willie Johnston (Rangers)
Scotland would find themselves constantly chasing their tail in the game which marked Tommy Gemmell’s first appearance for his country, after falling two goals behind to Geoff Hurst and Roger Hunt within the half-hour. A trademark head-flick from Denis Law brought the Scots back into the tie before the interval, only for Hunt to add his second and England’s third two minutes into the second period. We then had the wonderful sight of Jimmy Johnstone darting in to score his first goals in Scotland navy, however, sandwiched between those was a special from Bobby Charlton, as England prepared for their own magical summer by winning 4-3.
Ten days after that momentous occasion came another one, this time off the field as baby Lynn joined the happy Wallace clan.
Daddy Wallace would make his third start for Scotland before that 1965/66 season was out, turning out in a friendly against the Netherlands on Wednesday, 11 May 1966 in front of a rather smaller Hampden crowd of 17,000. The Dutch team that evening featured two players who Willie Wallace would come up against in the next decade whilst wearing different colours, goalkeeper Eddy Pieters Graafland of Feyenoord and the great Pete Keizer of Ajax.
So Willie is scoring regularly for his club and is now making his name as an international player.
There are rumours of interest from clubs in England, with Newcastle United and Stoke City listed as possible suitors amidst talk of a record transfer fee in the region of £80,000 involved.
And most importantly, he has a new baby girl for he and Olive to enjoy.
Life couldn’t get much better as season 1966/67 loomed on the horizon.
Could it?
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