Hibee History: Celtic are floored by McBride

NEW Hibs chairman Tom Hart was handed the perfect start to his reign after a double from Joe McBride saw the Easter Road side beat champions Celtic to boost their own title challenge.

It was the Edinburgh outfit's first win over the Glasgow side for over a decade.

"A good start for the new Hibs," was the verdict of an ecstatic Hart afterwards.

Manager Willie Macfarlane was delighted to give his new paymaster such a day to remember.

"It was essentially a team victory," he said. "They fought like they had never fought before."

McBride, who joined Hibs for 9000 from Celtic, was the hero and he received glowing praise from his manager.

"What a kicker of a ball," continued Macfarlane.

"It is a lesson to any young player to watch Joe hit that ball."

McBride's first goal after 51 minutes was quite superb. John Hamilton crossed from the left but it seemed to fall behind McBride and the Celtic defence started moving out as a unit.

McBride, some 20 yards out, wheeled, met the ball waist high and cracked it into the roof of the net.

The turning point of the game came minutes later when Celtic's Bobby Lennox had the ball in the net.

The referee Bert Henderson, however, ruled that it was offside, although it looked a tough one to call.

The rest is history, though, and McBride took advantage of this hairline decision as he rattled in the second in 67 minutes.

McBride, then a business partner of Celtic's Billy McNeill, said afterwards: "That first goal must have been one of my best.

"It was great to score these two but some of my best friends play for Celtic..." The two-goal show ended what was a great week for McBride as he had just become Hibs' highest goalscorer in Europe following his hat-trick against Malmo in the Fairs Cup.

While McBride took all the plaudits, and was given a rapturous reception from the home support after his two-goal display, the Hibees also needed big performances from the likes of John Blackley and John Hamilton.

Every Hibee present enjoyed a day to remember as McBride staked a strong claim to lead the Hibs attack.