1904 - 05

NOTE: Irrespective whether it is a home or an away game Celtic's (and Scotland's) score is always listed first.

1904-05 saw the creation of the great Celtic forward line: Bennett, McMenemy, Quinn, Somers and Hamilton.   Alec playing on the right wing  was partnered with  Jimmy McMenemy, his friend from Rutherglen Glencairn, who was the classic Scottish inside-forward, a clever dribbler and a supreme playmaker whose sense of strategy earned him the nickname 'Napoleon. The left wing of this famous forward line was almost a carbon copy of the right, with Peter Somers, a 'will o' the wisp' inside-left providing the sorcery; he could avoid rough-and-tumble challenges to slide through a pass that opened up any defence. On the right wing was David Hamilton 'the Dancer' a player with great ball control and the ability to fire over a  dangerous cross. The main burden of goal scoring lay on the broad shoulders of Jimmy Quinn who mowed down defences with powerful dashes through the backs, and whose shots came from every angle, leaving his foot 'with the speed of a rifle bullet'

However despite the legendary status  attributed to  this formation it appears only to have played in half the league matches this season.

LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL

				Played	Scored	Position
11/03/05	SCOTLAND V ENGLAND	L	2-3	Y	0	RW

LEAGUE

At the end of the season Rangers and Celtic were tied on equal points  (41) at the top of the table.   Goal difference was not counted at this time so a playoff took place on 6th May 1905 which Celtic won thereby becoming League Champions and giving Alec Bennett his first League Championship medal.  It was to be the start of a golden era for Celtic.

				Played	Scored	Position
20/08/04	Partick v Celtic	W	5-0	Y	1	CF
27/08/04	Prt Glasgow v Celtic	W	4-1	N	-	-
03/09/04	Celtic v Hearts	D	1-1	N	-	-
17/09/04	St Mirren v Celtic	W	3-2	?	?	?
19/09/04	Hearts v Celtic	L	0-2	N	-	-
26/09/04	Celtic v Th Lanark	W	2-1	?	?	?
01/10/04	Qu'ns Park v Celtic	W	3-2	Y	1	-
15/10/04	Celtic v Rangers	D	2-2	Y	2	RW
22/10/04	Th Lanark v Celtic	W	2-1	Y	0	RW
29/10/04	Celtic v Qu'ns Park	D	1-1	Y	0	RW
05/11/04	Kilmarnock v Celtic	W	3-0	?	?	?
12/11/04	Hibs v Celtic	D	2-2	N	-	-
19/11/04	Celtic v Dundee	W	3-0	Y	2	CF
26/11/04	Airdrie v Celtic	W	3-1	Y	2	CF
03/12/04	Celtic v Motherwell	W	4-2	Y	1	CF
10/12/04	Morton v Celtic	W	1-0	Y	0	CF
17/12/04	Celtic v Partick	D	2-2	Y	0	CF
24/12/04	Celtic v St Mirrren	W	1-0	Y	0	RW
31/12/04	Celtic v Kilmarnock	W	3-1	Y	0	CF
01/01/05	Rangers v Celtic	A	x	x	x	x
03/01/05	Celtic v Airdrie	L	2-3	?	?	?
07/01/05	Celtic v Prt Glasgow	W	3-0	Y	0	CF
14/01/05	Dundee v Celtic	L	1-2	Y	0	CF
21/01/05	Celtic v Hibs	W	2-0	Y	0	RW
04/02/05	Celtic v Morton	W	5-2	Y	1	RW
08/02/05	Rangers v Celtic	W	4-1	Y	0	?
04/03/05	Motherwell v Celtic	W	6-2	?	?	?
06/05/05	Rangers v Celtic	W	2-1	Y	0	RW

According to Celtic's records Alec played in 22 games and scored 8 goals. According to Alan Brown for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Alec played in 21 games and scored 10 goals. 10 goals have been identified above and 18 appearances but there are of course still 5 gaps in the record. 

Alec's skills were particularly displayed in the game against Rangers on the 15th of October.  His first goal was direct from a corner and the second was a 'a long drooping shot from the touchline' !

New Year's day game against Ranger's was abandoned due to pitch invasion - replayed on 8th February.

SCOTTISH CUP

				Played	Scored	Position
28/01/05	R1 Dumfries v Celtic	W	2-1	Y	1	RW
11/02/05	R2 Celtic v Lochgelly	W	3-0	?	?	?
25/02/05	R3 Celtic v Partick	W	3-0	Y	0	RW
25/03/05	SF Rangers v Celtic	L	0-2	Y	0	RW

The semi-final was poised at 0-0 when, in the second half, one of the Celtic full backs left the field injured.  Rangers promptly scored two goals.  Celtic's centre forward Quinn was then sent off having lashed out at a Ranger's defender.  In protest several Celtic supporters climbed the fence and invaded the pitch. To make matters worse some of the invaders attacked and assaulted the referee.  After a short interval the police managed to restore order and the game restarted.  However a second pich invasion took place and, in the interests of safety, the match was abandoned.  Quinn was suspended for four weeks and the tie was awarded to Rangers.

GLASGOW CUP

				Played	Scored	Position
10/09/04	R1 Celtic v Q'ns Park	W	3-0	N	-	-
24/09/04	SFCeltic v Partick	W	2-0	Y	0	RW
08/10/04	F Rangers v Celtic	W	2-1	Y	1	RW

GLASGOW LEAGUE 

				Played	Scored	Position
01/04/05	Partick v Celtic	L	1-2	Y	1	CF
15/04/05	Celtic v Partick	D	3-3	?	?	?
22/04/05	Q'ns Park v Celtic	D	2-2	Y	0	CF
06/05/05	Rangers v Celtic	W	2-1	Y	0	RW

FRIENDLIES

				Played	Scored	Position
17/08/04	Stenh'smuir v Celtic	W	4-2	?	?	?
24/08/04	Rangers v Celtic	L	0-1	Y	0	CF
29/08/04	Hearts v Celtic	L	1-2	?	-	-
01/0905	Middlesbro' v Celtic	L	0-1	?	?	?
02/09/05	Millwall v Celtic	D	1-1	?	?	?
11/03/05	Kilmarnock v Celtic	D	1-1	N	-	-
08/04/05	Clyde v Celtic	W	2-1	?	?	?

These 'friendly' games were in the most part benefit matches for individuals who had served their clubs for many years.

Alec injured his left foot during the Rangers game and had to be taken from the field.