The manager paid the ultimate price in a results-driven business as the Hoops limped through a trophyless season.
Three years earlier, the European Cup-winning captain had been celebrated for leading the club to a memorable league and Cup double in their centenary year.
Author Alex Gordon, who wrote the Billy McNeill tribute book, *In Praise of Caesar* published in 2018, looks back on a shameful day in Parkhead history when the man voted the Greatest-Ever Celtic Captain by the fans was dismissed in heartless fashion.
In another *CQN* exclusive, Alex presents an edited extract from his book, *Caesar and the Assassin*, which focuses on the momentous decision by the board to axe their iconic gaffer.
Behind the scenes at Celtic Park, Billy McNeill was well aware a conspiratorial mood was developing. The team was struggling to make an impact during the 1990/91 season, and McNeill admitted, “It was obvious that certain elements in the boardroom wanted me out.”
Many thought the manager’s days were numbered when Rangers won 2-0 at Ibrox on January 2. It was Graeme Souness’ side’s third successive win over Celtic in 10 weeks, including a League Cup Final victory in October. The Parkhead men were now a massive 14 points behind their rivals, and for many exasperated followers, it was not the last straw but the one after it.
The rumblings weren’t lost on McNeill. He disagreed with the notion that he had been put in front of the firing squad after the New Year loss.
“I believe my fate was sealed the previous month with the appointment of the board’s hatchet man, Terry Cassidy,” said McNeill. “Cassidy was given the title Chief Executive. A more appropriate title would have been Chief Executioner.”
The Press got wind of a clandestine meeting of the Celtic board shortly after the January defeat to Rangers. If their intention was to relieve their manager of his duties around that period, they were well and truly scuppered. Astonishingly, McNeill managed to turn things around despite the dire circumstances.
EXTRA-TIME TALK-IN…Billy McNeill gets a point across to his Celtic players as they await an added-on half-hour in the League Cup Final in October 1990.
The team went on an 11-game unbeaten run, including two consecutive wins over Rangers at Parkhead in March. Celtic knocked Rangers out of the Scottish Cup with a 2-0 victory in a heated match that saw Rangers’ Mark Hateley, Terry Hurlock, and Mark Walters sent off along with Celtic’s Peter Grant. The following week, Celtic won 3-0, and Ibrox defender Scott Nisbet was also sent off.
Although the league was out of reach, there was still a chance to win silverware and possibly prevent the board from dismissing an individual whose loyalty to the club was unquestionable—a fact evident to everyone except some board members.
Celtic faced Motherwell in the Scottish Cup semi-final, while Dundee United met St Johnstone in the other semi-final. On April 3, McNeill saw his team held to a goalless draw by Tommy McLean’s Fir Park side.
Six days later, in the replay, Celtic led twice but eventually capitulated 4-2 in shocking, unacceptable circumstances. Tommy Coyne and Anton Rogan scored for Celtic, but their efforts were nullified by a double from Motherwell’s fiery attacker Dougie Arnott.
CENTURY BHOY…Billy McNeill in happier times at Celtic with the league and Cup double won in 1988.
In the 67th minute, Colin O’Neill unleashed a speculative shot from an improbable distance of 35 yards, and to everyone’s surprise, the ball found its way unerringly into Pat Bonner’s top left-hand corner. It was a moment of sheer serendipity; O’Neill would never replicate such accuracy again. The game was effectively sealed four minutes from the end when Steve Kirk calmly slotted in the fourth goal.
The League Cup had provided a glimmer of hope, but Celtic’s performance matched the dreary conditions at Hampden on a gray afternoon of October 22 as they succumbed to a 2-1 extra-time defeat to Rangers in the Final. Once more, there were no excuses for their failure.
Paul Elliott had given Celtic the lead with a well-placed header from a John Collins corner-kick seven minutes into the second half. However, the defense was caught off guard as Ally McCoist set up Mark Walters for the equalizer in the 66th minute, exposing their vulnerability.
AIR RAID…Celtic centre-back Paul Elliott outjumps Rangers striker Mark Hateley.
The winning goal came in the 104th minute, and once again, Richard Gough capitalized on some woeful Celtic defending. Trevor Steven delivered a routine free-kick from the right that shouldn’t have posed any threat.
Alarmingly, Pat Bonner and Chris Morris found themselves in a dreadful mix-up, leaving the Rangers captain with a simple tap-in from close range.
If any goal highlighted the glaring deficiencies in Celtic’s defense, it was that one. A lack of communication, awareness, courage, and positivity all contributed to the surrender of a trophy.
Throughout the error-ridden season, Celtic’s defense was a liability waiting to be exploited. Ultimately, it would cost Billy McNeill his job.
Celtic managed to win their last four league games against Dunfermline (5-1), Hearts (1-0), St Mirren (1-0), and St Johnstone (3-2), securing a place in Europe for the upcoming season.
However, McNeill conceded, “I knew deep down that winning those four matches and securing a place in the UEFA Cup would not be enough to save my job.”
THE FANS’ No.1…Billy McNeill holds aloft a Celtic shirt.
On Wednesday, May 22 – 11 days after the final league game of the season against St Johnstone – McNeill, having been forewarned by friends in the Press, was called to Celtic Park for a 10 am meeting with the directors.
He was promptly dismissed upon arrival. Jack McGinn expressed deep regret that the board had been compelled to make such a “painful” decision.
A brief statement was relayed to the waiting journalists, who had been hastily summoned to a press conference, announcing the club’s decision to terminate Billy McNeill’s employment.
“That day was the lowest point of my life,” admitted McNeill. “I had no qualms about the directors deciding I was no longer the man for the job, but I don’t think I deserved to be sacked in that manner. The fact is, if a manager fails to produce the results, then he deserves to be let go.
“If the board wanted to part ways with me, all they had to do was come up and tell me to my face that my time was up. All the manipulation and scheming was so unnecessary.
“I was very disappointed by the directors’ treatment of me, but I was not surprised. I felt the people running Celtic at that time had lost the ability to behave with dignity.”
It was a cruel, sorrowful, and ignoble end to a career that had spanned 18 years as a player and nine as a manager.
Billy McNeill often spoke of the “fairytale aspects” of the club he loved. Unfortunately, there was no happy ending to his tale at Celtic.
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