Best Old Firm hat-tricks as Dembele dominates in 5-1 drubbing
Robbie Purves | September 10, 2016
In Celtic’s 5-1 demolition of Rangers during the first Old Firm league match in five years, Moussa Dembele became one of a select bunch of players to hit a hat-trick in the ferocious fixture.
WATCH: Moussa Dembele completes a hat-trick in the Old Firm derby. Watch on SS2 or follow https://t.co/Jmpka4ocJE https://t.co/7jfu6ExvuJ
— Sky Football ⚽️ (@SkyFootball) September 10, 2016
Not only did he bag three, he did it in perfect fashion, netting with his left foot, right and head. With this in mind, Coral football experts pick out some of the best Old Firm hat-tricks…
Ally McCoist (1984 and 1986)
Legend McCoist made his competitive debut for the Ibrox side in 1983 and would go on to become Rangers’ all-time leading goalscorer with 355 goals in all competitions. A huge 27 of which came against Celtic.
In the 1984 Scottish League Cup final against the Hoops, McCoist wrote himself into Gers folklore with one of his 28 hat-tricks, against the Bhoys.
His trio of goals emulated Celtic’s Billy McPhial by netting three times in a national cup final played at Hampden. Rangers went on to win 3-2 and lift silverware.
Two years later McCoist was at it again, this time in the Glasgow Cup final at a packed Ibrox.
This was the game that was heralded as the start of the Graeme Souness revolution. McCoist again hit a hat-trick against Hoops, who had just been crowned Premier League champions.
The Scottish striker lifted a superb nine league titles in his Rangers career. Gers are 4/1 with Coral to put their derby disaster behind them and claim the Scottish FA Cup.
Harry Hood (1973)
Prior to Demebele’s heroics, Hood – signed from Clyde for Celtic in 1969 – was the last Celtic player to stick three past Gers.
On a muddy December afternoon, Hood ran riot, sending Hoops through to the Scottish League Cup final.
The Glasgow born striker from then on, was adored by Celtic fans and scored 123 for the Celtic Park club.
Hood finished his career having claimed five consecutive league titles with Hoops in a period of unrivalled success.
Stevie Chalmers (1966)
The setting was a freezy, misty December day for Chalmers’ famous trio. In a repeat of the Celtic’s recent scoreline, the league game finished 5-1.
Rangers netted first, but Hoops gradually felt their way into the game and punished Gers with slick passing and relentless speed.
Chalmers’ treble saw the arrival of a Jock Stein era in Scottish football and a snapshot of the success to follow.
What makes this particular hat-trick special, is the fact Chalmers went on to score the goal that saw the European Cup lifted by a Scottish side, for the first and only time.
He retired a legend and winner of six league titles and of course, Europe’s top-prize with the Lisbon Lions.
Celtic are favourites to taste trophy success this season at 13/8 to lift the Scottish FA Cup.
Jimmy Duncanson (1949)
Forward Duncanson ended his Ibrox career as the club’s highest goalscorer against Celtic with 22 goals and now sits third, behind Robert Hamilton and McCoist.
Little is known about the 147 goal man born in 1919, but sits firmly amongst the club’s greats with his record against the Bhoys.
Duncanson became the fifth player in Old Firm history to hit a hat-trick and first post-war, with a dazzling display against Celtic on their way to a league and cup treble.
He won two league medals with Rangers, three Scottish Cups and two League Cups.
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