There was then the opportunity for both player and club to complete the domestic treble in midweek, as Celts welcomed Dundee United to Parkhead for a rearranged League fixture on Wednesday, 3 May 1967. With the Hoops requiring just a single point to retain their Championship crown, there was a carnival atmosphere in the east end, as the majority of the 44,000 supporters turned up for the party.
Dundee United had been the only team to beat Celts domestically that season and had added another huge scalp with their home and away victories over Inter-Cities Fairs Cup-holders, Barcelona. There are times when football just defies logic and tonight would be another of those. As in the Hogmanay game at Tannadice, Celtic would lead 1-0 and 2-1, this time with goals from Tommy Gemmell and Willie Wallace, before two late United goals produced the same 3-2 outcome. There would be no point and no title party for Celtic that evening.
Both would follow three days later, as Celtic travelled to Ibrox needing a draw for the flag. On a miserable day, 78,000 supporters made their way to Govan, including James Bond and our arch-villain, Inter Milan boss Helenio Herrera, whose side awaited the Hoops in the European Cup final, due to be held in Lisbon later that month. Having made two changes from the Cup Final team against Dundee United, Jock reverted to the Lions eleven once again, the fifth outing for this band of very special brothers.
Four minutes before the interval, Sandy Jardine broke with script, lashing the ball past Ronnie Simpson from the edge of the box, however, within seconds, Jimmy Johnstone had equalised, following up after the ball had come back off the post to force it home. With 16 minutes to play, the little genius won the title for Celts with a truly iconic goal, weaving in from the right touchline before exploding a shot high past Norrie Martin in the Rangers goal with his standing foot. It was a goal fit to win any game and the memory of the ball coming back out of the net to stick in the mud will live with me forever. The Ibrox side now required two goals to stop the party. They would get one from Roger Hynd late on, however, as the final whistle blew, Celtic’s first-ever Treble had been secured at Ibrox.
Four nights later, Willie found himself on the bench for the first time as an international player as Scotland took on the USSR in a friendly match at Hampden, Wallace one of an unprecedented seven Celtic players in the twelve who would take the field. One of those, Tommy Gemmell, had the misfortune to open the scoring at the wrong end in the 17th minute, the Soviets than making 2-0 just before the interval, as Medvid beat Ronnie Simpson.
Wallace would replace the great Denis Law at half-time, however, try as he might, neither he nor any of the other Scottish forwards, Jimmy Johnstone, Jim McCalliog or Bobby Lennox, could find a way past the wonderful Lev Yashin in the USSR goal, as Willie’s fifth full cap ended in a disappointing defeat. Billy McNeill and John Clark had been the other two Celts to start at Hampden that evening.
There would be one more domestic game before Lisbon, a Monday night home fixture with Kilmarnock on 15 May 1967, to complete the League programme. An unusual-looking Celtic team, featuring Billy McNeill in number eight shorts, would win 2-0, Bobby Lennox and Willie Wallace on target for the green-clad Bhoys, the latter’s 21st goal in just 29 games for Celts. As an aside, Gerry Queen played in the Kilmarnock team that night. He will feature in Willie’s career summary later.
Ten days later, it was the big one. The biggest of them all.
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