I've got a programme from 1954 for a game between Caledonian and Celtic in aid of the 'stand reconstruction fund'. It was played on  Monday afternoon with a 4.30pm kick off.

Does anyone have any knowledge about this game, score, money raised, attendance etc?

I believe Charles Bannerman sclimmed over the wall at this game and collected a few empty bottles. I wasn't born at the time, but my Caley book says it was October 1954, a Monday holiday. Caley's stand burned down along with a lot of the club's history in 1950. Crowd was about 5000, score was 2-2 with a typical Caley fighting performance, coming back from 2 down. Alex Main and Baillie scored for Caley, Evans and Walsh for the tims, who also had Jock Stein, Charlie Tully, Willie Fernie and Neil Mochan in what looked like a strong visiting team.

Mantis, I'm sure my dad would have been at the game.  I'll let you know if he can remember it.

You weren't born at the time!? Don't give us that cr@p! You were taking the entrance money at the stand that day with your ex schoolmate Dunc MacGregor!

However in 1954 what Charles Bannerman actually did was to bounce out of his pram and over that wall to collect a bottle of National Dried Milk.

As for grandstands, I find it intriguing that the those at Telford Street (1950), Grant Street (1988) and Kingsmills (1995) all suffered the same fate of burning down. I find the Grant Street episode seems to come up in conversation in the Social Club every so often with Hamish Munro and Brian "Striker" Munro post match on a Saturday night, most recently just over a week ago.

Interesting to see that this Celtic game was almost a prototype for the fightback against St. Johnstone 38 years later. Alex Main... in glorious retirement in the Black Isle and also one of the best editors the Courier ever had. Wonder what Malcolm Baillie's doing with himself these days?!

I can remember that game, although not too much about it.  Certainly the score was 2 all,  and Celtic did have a strong team out.  I remember some typical Willie Fernie dribbles.  Can't remember the whole Caley team but probably something like Bruce, Mcgillivray, Maronski, Bolt McKinnon McIntosh, Mcbeth Jamieson, Mitchell, Mckenzie and Fraser.

You must have been old enough to get blootered CMIB if that's the team as you remember  it :023:

And Charles, remarkably, now I think about it, I must have literally been a twinkle in my father's eye at the time, as it was 9 months later that the famous mandibles first saw the light of day :015:

Anyway, the gospel according to Alex Main's book is:

CALEDONIAN: Smith, Morrison, Doc Mackenzie, Bolt, Farmer, Mackintosh, Macfarlane, Baillie, Forrest, D. Mackenzie, Main.

CELTIC: Bonnar, Haughney, Fallon, Evans, Stein, Ryan (Baillie sub), Tully, Boden, Walsh, Fernie, Mochan.

Maybe Caley stars like Jupie Mitchell and Peter Mackinnon had to work that day? Otherwise Caley would have slaughtered them....

You're right ,Mantis, it does look as though I'd had a skinful to suggest the team I did.  But I was only 12!  The team I quoted was the Caley all conquering team of c1951/52, when I first started watching them, so it is dear to my heart.  Going back to the Celtic game, the Caley keeper, Jimmy Smith, was very well rated and moved to play for Stirling, when they were much stronger than they are now.  A propos nothing at all, another memory I have from the early 50's is Caley playing 2 league games in one day (and winning them both) due to fixture congestion at the end of the season.  That happened on at least 2 occasions.

Thanks to all who responded.

The teams in the programme were given as:

'the eleven will be chosen from the following':

      GLASGOW CELTIC                                    CALEDONIAN

1.    BONNAR                                                  BRUCE

2.    HAUGHNEY                                              FARMER

3.    FALLON                                                  MACKENZIE

                                                                      FRASER

4.    EVANS                                                    BOLT

5.    STEIN                                                      MORRISON

                                                                      McFADYEN

6.    PEACOCK                                                MACKINTOSH

      BAILLIE

7.    COLLINS                                                McFARLANE

      HIGGINS

8.    WALSH                                                  BAILLIE

      BODEN

9.    MOCHAN                                                FORREST

10.  FERNIE                                                    McKENZIE

11.  TULLY                                                      MAIN

                                                                      JAMIESON

REFEREE: MICHAEL BOYLE (INVERNESS)  LINESMEN:  C. KANE and D. MACKENZIE  (INVERNESS)