History's replay means revenge is required for the goal that wasn't

Goals were a constant companion of Bobby Lennox's career. Everywhere from Wembley to the Bernebeu. However, it is the one that got away which still rankles. On Thursday night, he hopes to see Celtic even the score.

Even after 37 years the memory of the goal that wasn't still burns as brightly as the 318 that were. Watching Celtic take a step further in Europe at Liverpool's expense would represent closure for their greatest living marksman. Of the 60,000 spectators inside Parkhead for the Uefa Cup quarter-final first leg, no one will match Lennox's understanding of this latest episode of the Battle of Britain. The man, who will remain in the Glasgow club's hall of fame for being part of the first British side to win the European Cup, in 1967, played in two such encounters.

The contest which truly earned the Battle of Britain tag came when Jock Stein's celebrated team denied Leeds United the trophy Don Revie craved when they triumphed home and away in the semi- finals of the European Cup in 1970. Yet the meeting with Bill Shankly's Liverpool in the semi-final of the Cup- Winners' Cup in 1966 is what sticks in Lennox's mind. Were it not for a Belgian referee, then he might have got his hands on a European trophy 12 months ahead of schedule.

The little forward found the net in the last minute at Anfield, seemingly to put Celtic into the final on away goals, only to be cruelly let down. "We had won the first leg at Parkhead, when I scored," recalls Lennox, "and Liverpool were the better team at Anfield and were 2-0 up, but the tie boiled down to that decision in the last minute.

"I took a pass from Joe McBride, flicked it past Ron Yeats [Liverpool's Scottish captain], went round the keeper and then knocked it in just as someone slid in. We went mad, we thought we were in the final. Then the referee came over and wagged his finger, saying it was offside." The Celtic fans, not surprisingly, failed to agree. A hail of bottles came down and the game was halted for a few minutes until order was restored. When play resumed, though, there was no time to fashion another goal.

Celtic lost the battle, but they won the war. Their epic defeat of Internazionale in May 1967 secured Europe's biggest prize. However, Lennox still feels robbed. "The Cup-Winners' Cup final was in Glasgow that year, and it was a bit sore to watch Liverpool come up to Hampden Park and lose to Borussia Dortmund. We felt we could have won."

Celtic, however, would use that disappointment on Merseyside wisely. They built up a head of steam in 1966-67 that began with a friendly against Manchester United and ended – some 201 goals later – at Real Madrid. "I scored the first goal of that season, against United, and then the last, in the Bernebeu," Lennox says proudly. "We had gone there the week after we had beaten Inter Milan for a testimonial match for Alfredo Di Stefano. We were applauded on to the pitch because we had won the European Cup, but when I scored the winner, the place went silent."

Certainly 1967 was a vintage year for Lennox. He scored in another little best-of-British spat, when Scotland went to Wembley and won 3-2 to inflict the first defeat on Sir Alf Ramsey's world champions. "It was only my second cap," he recalls, "and it was also a special goal because it was a shot from 18 yards. Most of my goals were from inside the box – but I always said that a toepoke counts just as much as a 30-yarder."

If the defeat of another much-vaunted side, Revie's Leeds, was equally satisfying, the 1970 final was an anti-climax. Defeat in extra time against Feyenoord represented the beginning of the end for Stein's side. However, Lennox, now 59, senses that Martin O'Neill is restoring Celtic's reputation with the defeats of Blackburn, Celta Vigo and Stuttgart. "European nights at Parkhead have always been great, and since Martin has come, the club have enjoyed more of them. It's not just been this season's Uefa Cup run; last season we had a great campaign in the Champions' League, and the 4-3 win over Juventus was incredible.

"I don't think the Celtic lads will be bothered by the pressure. They were in a no-win situation against Blackburn and went down to Ewood Park and ran the game. They've also beaten top sides from Spain and Germany. He's got a similar spirit to the one we had under Jock Stein, and they won't be scared of Liverpool."

Ironically, Lennox did return to Anfield. Celtic provided the opposition for Yeats's testimonial in 1974 and thrashed Liverpool 4-1, with Lennox scoring twice. It was only part-payment on the debt: he hopes Celtic collect the rest over the next two Thursdays.