Hibee History: Temperley ends nine-year Parkhead drought

Hibs football players Colin Campbell and Willie Temperley at Easter Road in September 1978.

The home fans turned up at Parkhead with a swagger, but left with collective tails between their legs as a product of their youth system came back to haunt them.

When Willie Temperley drilled home the only goal of the game it was a sweet moment for the 22-year-old. Indeed, his celebration was memorable: running towards the dugout and somersaulting in front of Celtic manager Jock Stein.

It was Hibs’ first win in the east of Glasgow in nine years and it was achieved through pragmatism. Hibs manager Eddie Turnbull played winger Arthur Duncan at right-back and put Jackie McNamara sweeping behind the back four.

And they had four players booked for a series of fouls on Alfie Conn and Tommy Burns which were nothing short of disgraceful.

Celtic, for their part, missed a penalty and didn’t appear capable of getting to grips with the defence-in-depth of the visitors.

The goal in 25 minutes was a disaster for the home defence. Peter Latchford took a short free kick to Johannes Edvaldsson but, incredibly, he gave the ball away to Tony Higgins who in turn steered it to Temperley. With the keeper out of his goal, the ex-Celt took great delight in steering the ball into the net.

That was bad enough for Celtic but worse was to follow. George McLuskey went down in a tackle with Ally MacLeod and a penalty was awarded from which Ronnie Glavin smacked the ball off an upright, so close to making it 1-1.

The four booked were all Hibees: Rikki Fleming, Duncan, George Stewart and MacLeod but Hibs increased their defensive efforts as the game wore on and fended off an increasingly frantic Celtic team.

Hibs had their moments, the best was a shot from Higgins and a Temperley drive which went wide of the Celtic goal.

Celtic: Latchford, Filippi, Lynch, Aitken, Edvaldsson, Glavin (Doyle), Conn, Conroy, McAdam, Burns, G McCluskey. Subs: Sneddon

Hibernian: McDonald, Duncan, Smith, Fleming, Stewart, McNamara, Temperley, McLeod, Rae, Callachan, Higgins. Subs: Campbell, O’Brien

Goals: Temperley (25)

Referee: Mr H Alexander (Kilmarnock)

Attendance: 27,000