A new landmark dominates the east end of Glasgow as Celtics four new floodlight pylons crane high into the smokey air of that murky area. They tower 210 feet above the grass of the playing field, their great rectangular heads tilted inquisitively over the pitch. From each steel head, light beams form a tremendous battery of lamps- 10 rows of five, fifty lamps per pylon. The upper rows are charged with 2000 Watt bulbs, the lower with 1500 Watt. When they are switched on for the first time tomorrow night to illumine the Celtic v Wolverhampton Wanderers match, they will provide the best and brightest lighting in Britain. Celtic have waited for the best in floodlighting. They have been criticised for being behind others in installing lights. Few know just how wrong was such criticism. Celtic, in fact, were the first with lights- in the world. How many know that this is their second installation? They played a match under electric light at Celtic Park as long ago as 1893. The date is not wrong; it was Christmas Day, 1893. The opponents were Clyde. The score Celtic 1 Clyde 1.
Electric light was all the rage as the Ninteeth Century neared its close. The Committee of Celtic Football and Athletic Club saw its possibilities quicker than most. At a meeting on 5 Dec 1892 it was suggested that 'we introduce the Electric Light to Celtic Park with the object of having evening matches and holding other athletic meetings'. That was indeed far sighted enough, but the ideas did not stop there. At the same meeting, ' it was considered most advisable to have the park covered to protect it from the frost, and as one gentleman thought that this could be done with a tarpaulin at a cost of £70, another kindly consented to advance money in the meantime for that purpose'. The moderns have still to get round to protecting pitches.
As we can well imagine, illuminating Celtic Park presented many difficulties. There were trouble with shadows and fears the lights might fail. A minute of 3 October 1893 records; ' 'Arrange for the putting up of 100 gas jets in the Park to be used should the electric light fail at any time- cost not to exceed £15'. Finally the lights were ready for the great experiment. East end neighbours , Clyde, were invited to be the opposition on the evening of Christmas Day, 1893. The financial arrangements were that the contestants would share the gate, and the stand drawings were to go the electrical contractor as payment for his labour. They were canny too. The newspapers carried advertisements for ten year old Whisky 3s 6d per bottle or 24s per dozen-it was 84% proof too. If that was not your drink then Lipton was advertising tea at 1s per LB.
The match went on and the Evening Times of 26 Dec reported under a headline, FOOTBALL UNDER THE ELECTRIC LIGHT: ' The novelty of a football match by the aid of electric light combined with the fact that the competing teams were such keen rivals as Celtic and Clyde, last evening attracted some 5000 spectators to Celtic Park, Glasgow. Football has previously been played at night under the artificial light, particularly at the Edinburgh and Glasgow exhibitions, but this was the first match of its kind on a private field. Sixteen arc lamps are used to illumine the playing pitch, the lights being hung from high poles erected inside the racing track with a row suspended up the middle of the field.
Last evening the atmosphere was foggy and not very favourable to the experiment, but there appeared to be sufficient light for the players to follow every movement of the game'. The Evening news tells us a bit more about the play: ' Each team got a goal in the first half and in the second some strong play was witnessed, both teams working hard for the winning point. Clyde scored twice but both goals were disallowed and the game ended in a draw'. At least there seemed to enough light for the referee and, it is safe to say, for the Clyde supporters at the back of the terracing to see he was wrong to knock of those goals.
One cannot help wondering what was the fate of those lights which were strung across the park Tommy McInally used to say, 'Keep the ball on the ground, leave the air to the birds'. Perhaps that historic night the players with their whiskers and Long Johns were instructed to leave the air to the lights.
John Rafferty, The Observer 1959
Electric light was all the rage as the Ninteeth Century neared its close. The Committee of Celtic Football and Athletic Club saw its possibilities quicker than most. At a meeting on 5 Dec 1892 it was suggested that 'we introduce the Electric Light to Celtic Park with the object of having evening matches and holding other athletic meetings'. That was indeed far sighted enough, but the ideas did not stop there. At the same meeting, ' it was considered most advisable to have the park covered to protect it from the frost, and as one gentleman thought that this could be done with a tarpaulin at a cost of £70, another kindly consented to advance money in the meantime for that purpose'. The moderns have still to get round to protecting pitches.
As we can well imagine, illuminating Celtic Park presented many difficulties. There were trouble with shadows and fears the lights might fail. A minute of 3 October 1893 records; ' 'Arrange for the putting up of 100 gas jets in the Park to be used should the electric light fail at any time- cost not to exceed £15'. Finally the lights were ready for the great experiment. East end neighbours , Clyde, were invited to be the opposition on the evening of Christmas Day, 1893. The financial arrangements were that the contestants would share the gate, and the stand drawings were to go the electrical contractor as payment for his labour. They were canny too. The newspapers carried advertisements for ten year old Whisky 3s 6d per bottle or 24s per dozen-it was 84% proof too. If that was not your drink then Lipton was advertising tea at 1s per LB.
The match went on and the Evening Times of 26 Dec reported under a headline, FOOTBALL UNDER THE ELECTRIC LIGHT: ' The novelty of a football match by the aid of electric light combined with the fact that the competing teams were such keen rivals as Celtic and Clyde, last evening attracted some 5000 spectators to Celtic Park, Glasgow. Football has previously been played at night under the artificial light, particularly at the Edinburgh and Glasgow exhibitions, but this was the first match of its kind on a private field. Sixteen arc lamps are used to illumine the playing pitch, the lights being hung from high poles erected inside the racing track with a row suspended up the middle of the field.
Last evening the atmosphere was foggy and not very favourable to the experiment, but there appeared to be sufficient light for the players to follow every movement of the game'. The Evening news tells us a bit more about the play: ' Each team got a goal in the first half and in the second some strong play was witnessed, both teams working hard for the winning point. Clyde scored twice but both goals were disallowed and the game ended in a draw'. At least there seemed to enough light for the referee and, it is safe to say, for the Clyde supporters at the back of the terracing to see he was wrong to knock of those goals.
One cannot help wondering what was the fate of those lights which were strung across the park Tommy McInally used to say, 'Keep the ball on the ground, leave the air to the birds'. Perhaps that historic night the players with their whiskers and Long Johns were instructed to leave the air to the lights.
John Rafferty, The Observer 1959
