Dubai Champions Cup
Dubai Super Cup
Tournament details
Host countryUnited Arab Emirates
CityDubai
TeamsTwo:
England Football League champions
Scotland Scottish Football League champions

The Dubai Champions Cup (originally called the Dubai Super Cup) was an annual association football match contested between the champions of the English and Scottish leagues. The competition took place for three consecutive seasons from 1986–87 to 1988–89 in the United Arab Emirates port of Dubai,[1] during the time when English football clubs were banned from taking part in UEFA club competitions as a result of the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985.[2]

History

The first match took place on 9 December 1986 at the Al Wasl Stadium between English champions Liverpool and Scottish champions Celtic. The match finished 1–1, with Liverpool winning 4–2 on a penalty shoot-out.[3][4]

English champions Everton and Scottish champions Rangers played the match the following year in December 1987. Rangers came from two goals behind to level the match after 90 minutes at 2–2. This was despite referee Keith Cooper disallowing six goals for the Ibrox club during the game. Rangers went on to win 8–7 on penalty kicks.[5][6][7]

The final match took place on 4 April 1989 at the Al-Nasar Stadium. The competition was now renamed the Dubai Champions Cup and featured the same sides that took part in 1986; Liverpool and Celtic. Once again the match finished level after 90 minutes, 1–1; this time Celtic won 4–2 on penalty kicks.[8][9][10]

1986–87

Celtic Scotland1–1England Liverpool
Archdeacon 50' Hansen 89'
Penalties
2–4
Attendance: 15,000
GK Republic of Ireland Pat Bonner
DF Scotland Danny McGrain
DF Scotland Roy Aitken
DF Republic of Ireland Pierce O'Leary
DF Scotland Derek Whyte
MF Scotland Peter Grant
MF Scotland Tony Shepherd
MF Scotland Paul McStay
FW Scotland Alan McInally
FW Scotland Mark McGhee
FW Scotland Owen Archdeacon
Substitutes:
DF Scotland Willie McStay
FW Scotland Mo Johnston
Manager:
Scotland Davie Hay
GK Zimbabwe Bruce Grobbelaar
DF Scotland Gary Gillespie
DF England Barry Venison
DF Scotland Alan Hansen
DF Republic of Ireland Jim Beglin
MF Scotland Steve Nicol
DF Republic of Ireland Mark Lawrenson
MF England Steve McMahon
MF Republic of Ireland Ronnie Whelan
FW England Paul Walsh
FW Wales Ian Rush
Substitutes:
FW Scotland Kenny Dalglish
Player/Manager:
Scotland Kenny Dalglish

1987–88

Rangers Scotland2–2England Everton
Fleck 80'
McCoist 87'		 Sheedy 24'
Watson 65'
Penalties
8–7
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Keith Cooper
GK England Chris Woods
DF Scotland Scott Nisbet
DF England Jimmy Phillips
DF England Graham Roberts
MF England Ray Wilkins
DF Scotland Richard Gough
MF England Trevor Francis
FW Scotland Robert Fleck
FW Scotland Ally McCoist
MF Scotland Ian Durrant
MF Scotland Derek Ferguson
Substitutes:
GK Scotland Nicky Walker
DF Scotland Stuart Munro
DF Northern Ireland Jimmy Nicholl
MF Scotland Dave MacFarlane
MF Scotland Graeme Souness
MF Scotland Davie Kirkwood
Player/Manager:
Scotland Graeme Souness
GK Wales Neville Southall
DF England Gary Stevens
DF England Neil Pointon
DF Wales Kevin Ratcliffe
DF England Dave Watson
MF England Peter Reid
MF England Trevor Steven
FW England Adrian Heath
FW Scotland Graeme Sharp
MF England Ian Snodin
MF Republic of Ireland Kevin Sheedy
Substitutes:
MF Scotland Ian Wilson
MF England Neil Adams
GK England Bobby Mimms
Manager:
England Colin Harvey

1988–89

Celtic Scotland1–1England Liverpool
McGhee 12' Aldridge 74'
Penalties
4–2
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Neil Midgley
GK Republic of Ireland Pat Bonner
DF Republic of Ireland Chris Morris
DF Northern Ireland Anton Rogan
DF Scotland Steve McCahill
DF Republic of Ireland Mick McCarthy
MF Scotland Peter Grant
MF Scotland Joe Miller
MF Scotland Paul McStay
FW Republic of Ireland Tommy Coyne
FW Scotland Mark McGhee
MF Scotland Steve Fulton
Substitutes:
GK England Ian Andrews
DF Scotland Lex Baillie
MF Scotland Billy Stark
FW Scotland Andy Walker
Manager:
Scotland Billy McNeill
GK Zimbabwe Bruce Grobbelaar
DF England Gary Ablett
DF England David Burrows
DF Scotland Steve Nicol
MF Republic of Ireland Ronnie Whelan
DF Scotland Gary Gillespie
FW England Peter Beardsley
MF England Barry Venison
FW Republic of Ireland Ray Houghton
MF England John Barnes
MF England Steve McMahon
Substitutes:
MF England Mike Marsh
FW Republic of Ireland John Aldridge
DF Republic of Ireland Steve Staunton
FW Scotland Kenny Dalglish
DF England Alex Watson
Player/Manager:
Scotland Kenny Dalglish

References

  1. ^ Campbell, Tom; Woods, Pat (1992). A Celtic A - Z. Greenfield Press. pp. 46–47. ISBN 095195010X.
  2. ^ Bloomfield, Craig (18 October 2011). "Celtic's Hillsborough tribute, rare footage of Rangers v Everton and more Old Firm matches with English clubs". talkSport. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  3. ^ Cameron, Alex (10 December 1986). "Celts in a spot". Daily Record. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Celtic rise to challenge but lose on penalties". The Glasgow Herald. 10 December 1986. p. 24. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  5. ^ Hilton, Nick (7 December 2012). "Battle of Britain". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  6. ^ Reynolds, Jim (9 December 1987). "Rangers strike 16 times for gold". The Glasgow Herald. p. 24. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
  7. ^ Wilson, Fraser (20 March 2018). "The day Rangers defeated Everton in Dubai despite having SIX goals disallowed to become unofficial champions of Britain". Daily Record. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  8. ^ McNee, Gerry (7 April 1989). "Stark spot-on in the desert". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  9. ^ "Stark finds a sweet spot for Celtic's desert kings". The Glasgow Herald. 5 April 1989. p. 28. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  10. ^ Young, Graeme (17 March 2018). "When Celtic faced Liverpool in the Middle East and became British champions". Daily Record. Retrieved 19 December 2021.

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