THE TOMMY BURNS STORY: CUP CRACKER AND DERBY DEADLOCKS: Part Eleven

INTRODUCING THE HERO – WITHOUT SCORING A GOAL... Jorge Cadete made his debut in February 1996.

Exciting moments occurred at Parkhead the next Saturday as Jorge Cadete was greeted by the Celtic supporters in a crowd of 37,017 before the league game against Partick Thistle. The curly-haired Portuguese player was still dealing with negotiations with his current club Sporting Lisbon regarding his transfer.

Celtic soon learned that dealing with this person was not easy. The rain was pouring down from dark, angry clouds above Glasgow's east end as Cadete entered the field, waving and smiling brightly at his soon-to-be adoring fans. Celtic won 4-0, but the biggest cheer came when Cadete knelt down to kiss some blades of grass. Without even playing, Cadete quickly became a hero to the fans.

When it came to playing football on that day, Morten Wieghorst, who had just been bought from Dundee, played in his first game for the team as a substitute in the second half for John Collins. He made a strong start by scoring his first goal for the club five minutes before the end of the game. Pierre van Hooijdonk scored two goals and Peter Grant also scored, making it easy for Celtic to win at that time.

The Captain's Responsibility...Paul McStay rejoices a goal scored against Hearts.

The strong performance carried over to the next game, where Celtic won 4-0 against Hearts in Glasgow. The fans were eager to see Cadete play, but the deal was taking longer than expected. Tommy Burns promised that the situation would be sorted out soon and Cadete would be playing for Celtic.

While he wasn't there, Celtic were dominating and Tynecastle's team was struggling before the first half ended, with Burns' team leading by three goals. Paul McStay, who had been criticized for not scoring enough, proved everyone wrong with a powerful 25-yard shot that went past Craig Nelson for the first goal.

Pierre van Hooijdonk scored a header that flew past the Hearts goalkeeper for the second goal. Brian McLaughlin, who is highly regarded by his manager, scored the best goal of the day with an amazing solo run down the left wing before calmly finishing his shot like a seasoned veteran. Simon Donnelly sealed the victory with a fourth goal near the end, sending the fans home happy.

Happy Star Wars Day! Simon Donnelly scored the fourth goal against Hearts, with defender Paul Ritchie unable to stop him during a match at Parkhead.

After eight days, the game completely changed when two quick goals were scored in just a minute and a half during the Scottish Cup quarter-final against Dundee United. It was a very exciting finish at Parkhead, unlike anything seen in years. Dundee United was winning 1-0 until the 88th minute, and it seemed like Celtic might lose their hold on the team's only trophy in six years.

Tannadice was winning 1-0 at halftime and the holders had no reason to complain. The referee, Andrew Waddell, could have sent off the keeper, Gordon Marshall, for bringing down Craig Brewster and giving away a penalty. Waddell took his time to make a decision, receiving advice from United players on how to handle the situation.

He thought a penalty kick would be enough punishment and didn't give Marshall a yellow card. Owen Coyle took the kick and struck it with power straight down the middle of the goal. The ball then bounced to Gary McSwegan, who couldn't control it well and it ended up back with Coyle. This time, Coyle made no mistake in scoring.

WAKE UP AND GET EXCITED! Pierre van Hooijdonk jumps high to score the tying goal against Dundee United in an intense Scottish Cup match at Parkhead.

And that's how it stayed as the seconds ticked away on the clock and Celtic struggled to score against Ally Maxwell, the ex-Rangers goalkeeper who was playing great. With just a minute and a half left, Jackie McNamara sent a free kick from the right wing into a crowded penalty area, and Pierre van Hooijdonk's timing was perfect.

He used every inch of his tall frame to jump above everyone and his powerful header from 12 yards out went into the top of the net. Maxwell had no chance of stopping it.

United may have felt some comfort knowing they would have another chance in a rematch at Tannadice. However, their initial disappointment quickly turned to despair as McNamara made a quick challenge on Coyle, allowing Thom to advance with the ball.

The German player sprinted towards the penalty area with great speed, dribbling the ball ahead of him. He then struck a powerful shot past Maxwell's outstretched left hand, leaving United with no chance to recover possession.

Van Hooijdonk calmly stated, "We were aware of the time ticking away, but with this team we always have confidence in our ability to score." Thom, the player who scored the winning goal, smiled and said, "When I got the pass, all I could think about was putting the ball in the net. That was my only focus."

CELEBRATE THE VICTORY...Simon Donnelly is getting ready to praise Andreas Thom as he excites the Celtic supporters with his late goal against Dundee United.

Celtic were soon to face off against Rangers in the semi-finals, while Hearts would be playing against Aberdeen. However, Tommy Burns was now shifting his attention back to the league and the chance to finally beat Rangers after four previous attempts.

Their previous match in Govan in November was filled with goals, resulting in a thrilling 3-3 draw in one of the most exciting Glasgow rivalry games in recent memory.

Thom quickly became the main focus of the game at the beginning, skillfully scoring a goal from a pass by Simon Donnelly and scoring from a distance of 30 yards with his right foot. Brian Laudrup managed to score just before halftime to equalize the game, but John Collins regained Celtic's lead by scoring a penalty after Richard Gough fouled John Hughes.

Ally McCoist scored the tying goal after a free-kick from Paul Gascoigne on the right side, but things got even worse. In the 70th minute, Tommy Boyd made a rare mistake which allowed Oleg Salenko to pass the ball to the left. Gordon Marshall missed the low cross from the Russian, and Tosh McKinlay accidentally scored an own goal while trying to clear the ball in front of McCoist.

TWO PLAYERS CLASH...Andreas Thom and Rangers midfielder Stuart McCall battle for the ball in an Old Firm game.

Shortly after, the score was even again when McKinlay quickly made up for his mistake by delivering an excellent cross while sprinting down the left side. Van Hooijdonk managed to outmaneuver Gough and redirect a header into the goal off the far post.

The players couldn't recreate the amazing football from before, and this time it ended in a 1-1 tie. There were some exciting moments, including Jackie McNamara getting a red card in the 78th minute for two fouls. Rangers were ahead at that time after scoring a goal four minutes before halftime.

Gascoigne delivered another perfectly placed free kick from the left, and Alan McLaren barely grazed the ball with his head to redirect it past Marshall. A remarkable reaction save from the Celtic goalkeeper denied Gordon Durie from scoring a second goal for his team as he managed to deflect a header onto the post and out of danger.

Soon after, Durie stepped in as a defender to clear a shot from Brian McLaughlin off the goal line. With only four minutes remaining, Celtic finally scored a goal and earned a well-deserved point. Peter Grant delivered a free-kick into the box and Hughes was quick to react with a powerful header from 12 yards out. Despite the outcome, Rangers maintained a three-point lead in the championship race.

SHOUTING IN EXCITEMENT... John Hughes is ecstatic after scoring a late goal against Rangers, and Pierre van Hooijdonk joins him in celebrating.

Tommy Burns mentioned that our main focus today was to avoid losing the game. We were really happy to score a goal towards the end, and I believe we earned it through our hard work. We performed really well in the second half, and it would have been upsetting if we didn't get any points from this match. We had control of the ball for a lot of the time after halftime, and that's when Rangers can turn things around.

"Our team gave everything they had, especially Tommy Boyd who stood out the most. The fans in the Broomloan Road stand motivated us to keep pushing until the very end. Even with only 10 players, we couldn't give up. We had to keep going and scoring goals for their support as well as our own."

Last-minute hero Hughes explained, “It was amazing for me to score the goal, especially after letting McLaren score their goal. That was my job, but everyone makes mistakes. Lately, we have been scoring late in games. After our two goals against Dundee United last week, it proves that we never give up. That's just the way Celtic plays.

"My aim helps us stay in the game, and it would have been a huge disappointment if we hadn't gained anything from it. It would have been a tough situation if we had been defeated. The matches between these two rival teams are always full of highs and lows, but this season we keep managing to achieve positive outcomes. We have a feeling that there will be a reward for us in the end. If Rangers continue to win all their games, we will give them credit. Our focus is on staying organized and determined in our own team."

Three players, Tommy Boyd, Paul McStay, and Brian McLaughlin are focusing on stopping Rangers' star player, Paul Gascoigne.

The Guardian reporter's perspective at the game didn't quite align with Burns or Hughes. He stated: "The outcome of the game showed that Celtic still lack the confidence and determination needed to beat their biggest rivals in crucial matches."

Their three ties and one loss during this intense championship season are expected to play a key role in determining the eventual winner of the trophy when the season ends in seven matches. The three-point gap in the local matches is the exact advantage that Rangers hold onto at the top of the standings.

The writer finished by saying: "If a tie made both sides happy, it was the Celtic fans who were left with the nagging concern that their team still needs to show they can pass the toughest challenge."

The next Saturday, March 23rd, Celtic did not win against Motherwell at Parkhead and their chances of winning the title were decreasing, even for the most hopeful supporters. They did not score any goals in this game. At the same time, Rangers won 3-2 against Falkirk at Ibrox, with Erik Bo Anderson scoring the winning goal 11 minutes before the game ended.