Scottish Cup

THE biggest shock in Scottish Cup history.The greatest-ever headline on the nation’s sports pages.The crazy Celtic Park upset took place 25 years ago on February 8Credit: Times Newspapers LtdIt was a game which led to the famous Scottish Sun headlineCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdThe headline is still remembered to this dayCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdCharlie Christie will never forget the game – or the iconic headline!Credit: Ken Macpherson – Commissioned by The Sun GlasgowTwenty-five years ago today, Super Caley went ballistic — and Celtic were atrocious.And Highland great Charlie Christie, the ex-Celt who was man of the match in the 3-1 win, admits the legendary headline in The Scottish Sun has become just as famous as the game itself.Christie, now 58, told SunSport: “The headline is synonymous with the game. I use the word ‘ballistic’ all the time now and it’s not a word I’d ever used before then.“Sky Sports showed the headline the next day when we were celebrating, our fans have used it in chants — it summed it up at the time, and it still does.”Ryan Christie’s first-ever trip to Celtic Park revolved around tantrums and tears.For dad Charlie, it was all about souvenirs.The one he kept, the one he lost and the one he missed out on.Twenty-five years ago today — long before he would star for Inverness Caley Thistle or Celts — four-year-old Ryan cheered his father on the Highlanders’ greatest night.Most read in FootballA club just two years older than the little boy stunned John Barnes’ all-stars in one of the most famous giantkillings in Scottish Cup history.Super Caley did, indeed, go ballistic — and so did Ryan when the original tie was called off due to storm damage at Parkhead.Celtic board is getting pelters from fans but that’s NOT where blame lies for transfer flopCharlie recalled: “Ryan threw a bit of a tantrum when the game was called off ten days earlier.“To calm him down, his mum Sharon promised him that when the game was rescheduled he would definitely get to it.“Little did we know it would be a rain-soaked Tuesday night. He was delighted.“You see how his career has panned out with his time at Celtic, it was quite fitting he was there that night.“He remembers the celebration. He doesn’t remember much of the game — typical for a four-year-old.“But he remembers the feeling of euphoria with the 4500 fans that something special had occurred.”Caley Thistle’s celebrations peaked when Steve Paterson’s heroes linked hands and charged towards their jubilant fans.But Christie was absent from the iconic image.Caley Thistle players celebrateCredit: Times Newspapers LtdHe explained: “I missed out on the most famous photograph in the club’s history.“Some idiot took me to the sidelines and grabbed me and gave me the man of the match award.“I think Ryan and Sharon were down there, too, and I sort of lost what was happening behind me.“I ran over to them after they’d finished and said, ‘Thanks a lot lads, you could have waited!’“I was a bit disappointed I’m not in the photo but it was great the fans stayed behind. It was another layer on that night. That picture, like the Scottish Sun’s famous headline, is quite synonymous with the game — the lads with their arms out-stretched going over to the fans.”Along with his man of the match award, Christie kept the No 10 shirt he wore in the great giantkilling.But it was then LOST on the night of the club’s 25th anniversary celebrations in 2019 — and he’s never been reunited with it.The Highland great revealed: “It was the 25-year anniversary dinner at the Kingsmills Hotel.“We selected a few strips which meant something and that, of course, was one of them.“Some of the young lads were wearing them around the room.“I took my shirt down and I was on the microphone that night.Paul Sheerin scores penalty.Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd“When we collected all the strips at the end of the night, it was gone.“Dan Mackay, who was an academy player I had coached and later went to Hibs, wore it and laid it out with the rest at the end of the night.“But it disappeared and I’ve never got it back.”And twenty-five years on from their greatest night, Christie has revealed boss Steve Paterson had to change his team at the last moment.He said: “Davide Xausa was unavailable for the game because there was a late problem with his registration.“He was Canadian and I don’t know if it was something to do with his international clearance.“It led to Barry Wilson playing in the No 10 role behind Dennis Wyness, which would never otherwise have happened.“Barry scored one and won the penalty and I’ve often thought it was another little thing, like the first game being postponed, which worked in our favour.“Steve was at our game last week and we were speaking about the Celtic game.“He said that was the game that planted Inverness football on the map. Those were his words.“He’s right. It laid the foundations. It gave a six-year-old club the belief that it could really go places.“We were sixth in the First Division at the time. And coming through the divisions, we always felt we could make it to the First Division but we weren’t sure about making the final step.“I just feel that night gave everyone around the club that extra bit of belief.“John Barnes was a fantastic player but it just hadn’t worked for him at the club.The monumental shock defeat led to John Barnes’ exitCredit: PA:Press Association“Things weren’t great at the time because they were trailing Rangers by quite a bit, which is never a good thing.“You could actually feel that the tide was turning and the fans were getting fed up with the way the club was run.”Christie recalls the wild celebrations on the way home to the Highlands — and for a few days afterwards.He said: “You can imagine the journey home from Glasgow.“Celtic were good enough to put some beers on the bus.“We stopped on the way up the road at Pitlochry, a usual haunt after away games.“The next day — and it was said as an off-the-cuff comment — ‘let’s meet for a bit of lunch at the golf club’.“It was Fairways Golf Club, who were a sponsor of the club at the time, and a wee bit out of the centre.“What you thought might be three or four turned into 12 or 13.“It was just a great day.“We had Sky Sports on the telly and we were all over the headlines.“It was a Caley Thistle stronghold and a lot of the fans were coming in.“Word got out we were in there and it was a special feeling where you know you’ve done something special.”THEY returned up the A9 as Highland heroes after the greatest win in the club’s history.But Charlie Christie feared Inverness Caley Thistle would have been on the road to ruin if they had not won at Celtic Park.Life-saving cash from one of Scottish football’s biggest shocks allowed them to pay for the tarmac outside their own ground.And 25 years on — with the club now in the grip of administration — Christie has told the current squad to summon the spirit of 2000 to get on the road to recovery.He revealed: “People forget we were really struggling financially, mainly because of the road which we had to put money towards when the stadium was built.“It was a legacy of debt we had.“Dougie McGilvray, the chairman, did a great job and his successor David Sutherland, too.”Duncan Ferguson left his role as manager after Inverness were plunged into administrationCredit: Kenny RamsayMcGilvray and Sutherland were on the pitch at the end and Christie added: “It was quite a turnaround at the club. We restructured the debt and we were able to step on.“I spoke to the boys when we went into administration. I brought up 2000.“These are young guys of 20 or 21 years of age.“They probably didn’t know me but I speak to them intermittently to update them on where we are as a club.“I said to them, ‘Guys, we can come out the other end. We did it in 2000’.“A lot of it in 2000 was down to that one result.“The boys in that team, the majority of them were pals.“After the win, we had contact from ex-pats in Australia and South Africa to congratulate us.“But people don’t realise — and we kept it undercover to a degree at the time — how bad the financial problems at the club were.“I told the players we can bounce on again. Make no mistake, there’s no reason that we can’t.“Whether we go back to Parkhead and beat Celtic again, I’m not so sure. But we can certainly get back to the Premiership again.“It’s good for the young lads to hear because a lot of them weren’t born when the game took place. It’s good for them to see where the club has been in the past.”Head coach Scott Kellacher takes his young squad to Arbroath today as they look to recover the 15-point penalty for plummeting into administration last autumn.Scott Kellacher and assistant manager Gary BollanCredit: SNSThey lie in ninth place, two points from potential safety, after back-to-back wins over Queen of the South and Alloa.Most of Kellacher’s players weren’t even born when the club went ballistic in 2000.But walking through the corridors at the Caledonian Stadium, they are given reminders of some of the heroics of previous teams.Dennis Wyness, one of the stars at Celtic Park, scored the only goal to eliminate Seville-bound Celts from the Scottish Cup in 2003 under boss John Robertson.Greg Tansey, Edward Ofere and David Raven scored in the 2015 Hampden semi-final win over the Hoops — one remembered for a handball on the Caley Jags goal-line which the officials amazingly missed.Virgil van Dijk and John Guidetti scored for Celtic but John Hughes’ Caley Thistle reached the final with Marley Watkins and James Vincent netting against the Bairns and captain Graeme Shinnie lifting the trophy.Highland legend Christie added: “The 2000 game was, for many years, our best result.“But I do think we usurped it in 2015 when we beat Celtic in the semi-final at Hampden.“I know we beat Celtic in 2003 with John, and I played in that game too.“But to go to Hampden to play a Celtic team that was going for the Double — and, yes, we got all the breaks that were going with the handball — it usurped us.READ MORE SUN STORIES“We won the Cup in 2015 against Falkirk at Hampden but that semi-final was special.”Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page More

THIS is the remarkable moment Rangers let Partick Thistle walk the ball down the pitch to score an equaliser in an incredible Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox.Light Blues boss Michael Beale ordered his players to let Scott Tiffoney make it 2-2 after Thistle were left enraged by Malik Tillman’s goal that put the Gers in front.
Tillman’s goal led to chaosCredit: PA
All hell broke loose after Tillman scoredCredit: VIAPLAY
Thistle boss McCall acknowledged Beale’s act of sportsmanshipCredit: VIAPLAY
Tiffoney walked the ball into the net after the dramaCredit: Willie Vass
The chaos unfolded in the 70th minute of an incredible cup clash when Rangers knocked the ball out of play so Malik Tillman could get treatment on an injury knock.
Partick then resumed with the throw-in, with Kevin Holt preparing to launch the ball down-field to return possession to Rangers.
However – Tillman himself didn’t seem to get the memo and he dramatically nicked the ball off of Holt, ran clean through on goal and scored.
All hell then broke loose.

Tillman was bundled to the ground as tempers boiled over, with Thistle absolutely enraged with what had gone on.
Referee David Munro was powerless to intervene – but Light Blues gaffer Beale certainly wasn’t!
Stop what you’re doing right now and watch this! 🤯Malik Tillman gives Rangers the lead in controversial circumstances which infuriates the visitors 😠Michael Beale then steps in and orders his side to allow Partick Thistle to score 👏🔵#ScottishCup | @ScottishCup pic.twitter.com/iUOtLalNGO— Viaplay Sports UK (@ViaplaySportsUK) February 12, 2023

Once things began to calm down, Beale instructed his players to allow Thistle to level things up.
Scott Tiffoney ran the entire half of the pitch completely uncontested – that was until he got to Allan McGregor.
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Appearing none too pleased with the decision to let Partick score, McGregor made things tricky for Tiffoney before eventually allowing him to knock the ball into the net.
The Rangers fans weren’t impressed, with huge boos greeting the goal.
Beale and Ian McCall shook hands on the touchline, with the Thistle boss acknowledging his opposite number’s act of sportsmanship.
It was an absolutely incredible, unprecedented moment in a game that was full of absolute drama from start to finish.
Holt had given Thistle a shock first-half lead from the penalty spot after a controversial VAR intervention.
Antonio Colak, penalised for handball, levelled the game up early in the second-half.
James Tavernier then saw a penalty saved by Sneddon, before the incredible goal drama unfolded.
And then four minutes from time, there was an own goal to add to the bedlam.
James Sands then headed-in a late winner – that may eventually go down as a Connor McAvoy own goal – as the Gers won an incredible match.
After the game, Gers skipper Tavernier said: “We are high on standards as Rangers, it was the right thing to do to let them score the goal.
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“It was about carrying on after that.”
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EFE AMBROSE was once a title hero for the Celtic fans.This time it was the Scottish Cup he was cruelly appreciated by them – penalised for a hand-ball for Aaron Mooy’s first and then blundering badly for Celtic’s second.
Kyogo scored twice for the HoopsCredit: PA
Ange Postecoglou’s side are through to the fifth round of the cupCredit: PA
But you had to feel for the well-travelled Morton stopper.
The VAR dictated penalty decision was harsh in the extreme.
Overall, though, it was hell back in Paradise for the affable Nigerian.
Mooy later claimed a second while Kyogo Furuhashi also celebrated a double – moving to 20 goals for the season – and David Turnbull netted again for a ruthless Celts display to seal a 24th victory from 26 domestic games so far.

It was four changes for the champions from midweek but it was hardly a weakened side put out by Ange Postecoglou given the depth of his squad.
Three internationals came in – Mooy, Turnbull and Daizen Maeda – plus the £3.75 million Alexandro Bernabei.
Giorgos Giakoumakis and Cameron Carter-Vickers were again missing entirely through injury while Greg Taylor is another fighting back to fitness.
It was as tough as it could get for Imrie’s Morton – fifth in the Championship and five games without a win.
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But they had an impressive 2,500-strong support backing them, the largest for domestic opposition this term.
And they were excellent until a shocking penalty decision – not even claimed by Hoops players –  sent them on their way to an ultimately crushing defeat.
But a sensational repeat of their legendary 2013 League Cup win at Parkhead – courtesy of a Dougie Imrie penalty and ironically from a hand-ball by Ambrose – was never on the cards.
On a poor looking pitch Celts captain Callum McGregor fired a shot narrowly wide after five minutes and you thought it would be completely one way traffic.
But then Morton took over, keeping the Hoops pinned in their own half and often their box.
Lewis Strapp’s long throw-ins caused discomfort for a home defence once again including Yuki Kobayashi.
And the left-back should’ve opened the scoring for ‘Ton in the eighth minute – left with a clear shot at goal from just 12-yards following a neat one-two with Robbie Crawford but only managing a scuffed effort which was easy for Joe Hart.
But it was good pressure from the underdogs.
Thejn the roof caved in for them out of absolutely nowhere.
A Liel Abada shot had taken a deflection, come off Ambrose and gone straight to keeper Brian Schwake – and NOBODY thought anything untoward about it.
Play had carried on.
Suddenly, though, ref Kevin Clancy halted proceedings and it was announced there was a VAR check for a possible hand-ball and penalty.
After three minutes and Clancy racing across to check the TV monitor at the tunnel, the whistler confirmed it was a spot-kick with pictures actually showing the ball had, strictly speaking, come off the hapless Ambrose’ right hand.
But it felt a poor decision.
Mooy stepped up and blasted an 18th minute right foot shot beyond Schwake.
There was no way back for Morton after that.
And just three minutes later veteran Ambrose – 169 games for Celtic over four years with four league medals – was once more at the heart of his former club’s second goal which truly knocked the stuffing out of the visitors.
His shocking touch from a Grant Gillespie pass, right in front of the Morton box, was seized on by Abada who quickly slipped in Furuhashi – and the Japanese ace clinically shot past Schwake.
It was a howling mistake from the Nigerian who, truth be told, has had a career littered with them albeit also with plenty of glory.
Morton responded immediately with a dangerous ball across the Celtic box from Jai Quitongo which found Strapp six yards out. But his shot was brilliantly blocked by Alistair Johnston.
Then we got told there was a VAR check for a possible hand-ball – presumably against Johnston – but that only took seconds to be dismissed.
Celtic resumed complete control and Abada, twice,  McGregor and Maeda all had efforts on goal before a superb third goal was notched.
A neat passing move ended with Abada and Furuhashi combining and from the striker’s lay-off Turnbull brilliantly passed a right foot shot into the corner from 20-yards for a second goal in as many games.
Postecoglou stated pre-match the Scotland international was going nowhere and had a big part to play in the second half of the season. This was further evidence why.
Schwake saved from the lively Abada but Celtic’s fourth came in first half added time.
Furuhashi pounced at close range with an emphatic shot after some intricate Hoops play.
It had taken him until May of his stunning debut campaign with Celtic to reach 20 goals, admittedly injury also keeping him out for nearly three months.
But to have already managed the tally is still outstanding.
With the tie finished Postecoglou sensibly took off Furuhashi and McGregor at the break and put on Sead Haksabanovic and new capture Tomoki Iwata for a debut, the fourth Japanese player tasting action.
Celtic, of course, never ease off under their manager.
Mooy had a right foot shot come off the post and then Schwake pushed away another fine Turnbull shot.
Celtic attacked at will and Schwake comfortably smothered a close range Johnston effort just after the hour.
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The final half hour was deadly dull as a contest as Postecoglou used it for game time for more subs, James Forrest and Matt O’Riley, and Mooy struck an 84th minute fifth goal.

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