Country Bhoys Iceland

This week its Iceland

CELTIC Football Club is a name known throughout the football world, while in just about any country you care to mention, you’re guaranteed to find Celtic supporters proudly wearing the green and white Hoops.

And as well as having universal appeal, the Celtic first-team squad has a global look to it, with players from 13 countries playing their part in the historic success the club has enjoyed in recent seasons.

Over the course of this season we’ll be taking a closer look at these countries and their current Celtic links, as well as other nations who have played their part in our unique story.

This week it’s Iceland…

AND IF YOU KNOW THE HISTORY

In the middle of the 1970s, Celtic drew FC Valur in the first round of the European Cup-Winners’ Cup and had little trouble dismissing the Icelandic minnows. The Hoops travelled to Reykjavik on September 16, 1975, and won the first leg 2-0 with goals from Roddy MacDonald and Paul Wilson. It could have been more but for Celtic’s Icelandic star Johannes ‘Shuggie’ Edvaldsson missing a penalty. Despite that, Celtic’s passage to the next round seemed assured and the Bhoys finished off the job in the second leg with a 7-0 demolition of their hapless opponents. Goals came from Edvaldsson, Harry Hood (2), Dixie Deans, Tommy Callaghan, Kenny Dalglish and Pat McCluskey – rounding off a 9-0 aggregate win.

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