 Friday, May 25, 2007
Timeline: Thursday, 25 May 1967
Lisbon.
Glasgow Celtic Football Club are champions of European after beating Inter Milan 2-1 in one of the most exhilarating football matchs ever seen.
Goals from Tommy Gemmell and Stevie Chalmers overturned a Mazzola penalty as Helenio Herrera’s previously imperious catenaccio, defensive football, was torn asunder. In 90 minutes Celtic made 42 attempts on goal, 24 of which were saved by the inspired Sarti, compared with only 5 attempts from Inter.
Overlapping full backs, Craig and Gemmell became positionally indistinguishable form the wingers they were supposed to be playing behind. Lennox and Gemmell surged relentlessly at the Inter Milan right flank, while Johnstone and Craig setup camp on the opposite wing.
As the game wore on, Bobby Murdoch and Bertie Auld enjoyed increasing amounts of freedom in the central midfield area as Inter were forced to defend deep. Omnipresent Murdoch allowed Inter no relief, his passing and industrious running was key to Celtic controlling the game.
After saving a bullet header in the opening minutes and picking the ball out of the net when Mazzola scored his penalty, Ronnie Simpson was a virtual spectator. Late in the first half he ventured 30 yards from his goal and when closed down by Mazzola, showed daring composure to back-heal the ball to safety.
With eight of their team mates laying siege to the Inter penalty box, captain, Billy McNeill and John Clark were asked to deal with Inters’ occasional forays forward, which they coped with comfortably.
The Inter penalty box as crowded as the streets of Glasgow were quiet during the game; Willie Wallace and Stevie Chalmers got little space or opportunity. Early in the second half Chalmers snatched at a loose ball before Sarti could collect, forcing the goalkeeper to hold Chalmers legs, the only clear penalty of the night, but one which was not given by the West German referee.
The bulk of Celtic’s goal attempts throughout the evening came from shots around the 18 yard line. Gemmell, Murdoch and Auld pummelled the Inter defence and the increasingly frantic Sarti.
Early in the first half, Auld collected from Murdoch, who had turned defence into attack with a 30 yard run, and smacked the ball against the face of the crossbar. A Wallace shot from 22 yards was well saved by Sarti, a consistent feature of the game. Gemmell also latched onto the end of a Murdoch move and thundered a right foot shot low to Sarti’s left, which the keeper saved brilliantly.
Tommy Gemmell then hit the crossbar early in the second half, which must surely have Inter manager Helenio Herrera concerned that his defence would soon fail.
Celtic thought they had equalised when an indirect free kick inside the box was played back to Tommy Gemmell, surely the biggest goal threat in any defence in Europe. His deflected shot was stopped on the line by Sarti, who looked to be beaten, but reached behind him to make the save of the game.
On 63 minutes, John Clark passed to Bobby Murdoch, who fed Jim Craig on the edge of the Inter penalty box. Craig feigned to commit his defender with a run to the goal line, before knocking the ball inside to the onrushing Tommy Gemmell.
Gemmell sent a thunderous shot, which would have split the stone infrastructure of the stadium had it not been harnessed by the net. Sarti, who may have been unsighted, was as much a spectator as the millions of television viewers throughout Europe.
Goal! Celtic were level.
Concerns that Inter would stir on losing their lead were soon dispelled as Murdoch and Auld found their second wind. The goal reinvigorated Celtic, who knew the trophy was theirs for the taking.
The winning goal arrived with five minutes remaining. Tommy Gemmell once more foraged into the Inter box. Just as Craig had done earlier, he feigned to run to the goal line before cutting the ball back to Murdoch, who’s shot from 22 yards was turned into the net by Stevie Chalmers on the six yard line.
Perhaps illustrating the stress of football management, perhaps wanting a moment of solitude to contemplate the life changing moment he was about to experience, with seconds left on the clock, Jock Stein turned from the pitch and made his way towards the tunnel.
As he walked away, the roar of the crowd would have told him all he needed to know; John, you’re immortal.
How did it happen? How were the most formidable team in the history of European football, who cast a shadow of dull defensive football, brushed aside by a team born within 30 miles of Celtic Park? By a club who won only four Scottish league titles in the forty years before their brilliant young manager took over in 1965?
Sitting in the now empty Estádio Nacional I am lost for words to explain what just took place. The history books of this club, of European football, have been torn asunder in one afternoon. Cattenaccio, a plague of negativity, no longer holds an advantage over spirited, inventive athletes.
We are lucky to have experienced this historic event. Our memories of this day, how our friends and neighbours react, how we celebrate with our family, will become some of the most profound memories we will ever have.
Who knows how many times Celtic will win the European Cup in the decades to come, but one thing is for sure, for your and I, our children and our children’s children, supporting Celtic Football Club will never be the same again.
Man of the Match: Bobby Murdoch, though Sarti and Gemmell may ask for a second opinion.
Inter Milan: Sarti, Burgnich, Faccetti, Bedin, Guarneri, Picchi, Corso, Bicicli, Mazzola, Cappellini, Domenghini.
Goal, Mazzola, pen. 8 mins.
Celtic: Simpson, Craig, Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill, Clark, Johnstone, Wallace, Chalmers, Auld, Lennox.
Goals, Gemmell, 63 mins. Chalmers, 85 mins.
Ref: Kurt Tschencher, West Germany.Labels: Match Report
176 Comments:
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Get in there
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Brilliant Paul Absolutely Brilliant!
Happy Anniversary!
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Podium?
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Brillian Paul, just brillaint.
42 shots at goal. I don't think I've ever seen that many in a game since. We massacred then 2 - 1!
Hail Hail, the Lisbon Lions.
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Paul,
excellent stuff on the blog this week. Have a great day, everyone.
Just so you know, in my office, I have a framed photo of the Lions and the Cup....autographed by every single player. Oh yes I do.
I'm not bragging, though. But, as a 9 year old for the day, I just thought you all should know.
:)
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They won the big cup
and they brought it back
it's the first time it had been
on British Shores
annnnnnnnnndddddddddddddddd
tttttthhhhhhhhhhhheeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Gave us James McGrory
and
Paul McStay
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Memories from the Brennan/ Reilly household of the whole Lisbon European Cup experience, like everyone else’s run deep in the mind and will never be erased, diminished, or diluted.
The Reilly connection is because my wife’s name was Reilly and we stayed with her dad, Willie, in Newarthill. Willie managed a pub in Carfin, the Glenburn Vaults and was an avid Celtic fan. One of the Carfin supporters bus’ left from his pub every weekend. Willie did not get to many Saturday matches; he would go to midweek games.
I worked in our butcher’s shop and like Willie I did not get to Saturday games. I had been to all the early games in that season’s European Cup run and was looking forward to the quarterfinal return leg against Vodvojina.
On the Saturday night/Sunday morning before that game, my wife Moira woke me up to say she was haemorrhaging and I would need to chap up a neighbour to phone the doctor.
Well even though it was 2.30am, the doctor came to the house, examined Moira and phoned an ambulance. At 3.30am she was taken into Bellshill Maternity Hospital, where she stayed, bedridden until after her pregnancy ended.
Well you try telling your newly hospitalised wife that you were not going to visit her on the Wednesday night, however it really was not a big deal, her dad said to her on the Tuesday night that we both had to go to the football on the Wednesday, so her Auntie Lizzie and her cousin May would be the Wednesday visitors.
I was working in the shopping van at that time and I took the van into the game. It was a big, walk-in van. The game was very tense but as everyone knows, Stevie Chambers brought us level and big Billy scored the winner in the 90th minute from a Charlie Gallagher corner. The whole stadium was ecstatic.
I returned to my van to be greeted by a couple of Glasgow’s finest standing guard over it, some neds had kicked in the back doors, ransacked the van broke, about 10 dozen eggs, smashed bottles of sauce, pickled onions and vinegar, and generally made a real mess mess. And just for good measure, they stole my 12” steak knife, my boning knife, my meat saw and a 10” meat chopper.
You can well imagine the reaction I got the next night at hospital visiting.
Anyway, Moira remained in hospital till Paul was born on the 6th May. During that time we also beat Dukla Prague in the semi-final, scoring one of the cheekiest goals I have ever seen scored, the Bertie Auld to Willie Wallace free kick.
Fortunately there were no great protests from Ward 5, Bellshill Maternity Hospital to accompany this game, or indeed the afternoon kick off in the return leg.
Saturday 6th May 1967 and Celtic were playing at Ibrox needing just a point to retain the League Championship.
Moira’s original date for the impending birth was 19th May, but due to her medical condition the doctors decided to bring forward the birth, so after being induced on the Friday afternoon our son was born at 6.25 AM, on Saturday 6th May.
By 7.00am we had decided he would be called Paul. (The 67 bit came later).
By 5.00pm that day Jimmy Johnstone had scored two wonder goals at Ibrox to secure the Championship for Celtic and I was walking on air.
My brothers hastily arranged a joint celebration party that Saturday night and after hospital visiting, I enjoyed few lagers in some wonderful company.
I watched the game with my wife Moira, our new son Paul and my father in law, Willie.
We had urged Willie to go to Lisbon but due to his only daughter being hospitalised, he refused to make any arrangements, he wanted to stay home to see his daughter and first grandchild.
Willie had only ever been abroad with the army during the war, but he did manage two trips overseas after 1967. He travelled to Milan in 1970 and in 1971 he went to New York to visit his two nieces.
While in New York, he suddenly took a heart attack and died on the 6th August 1971.
Moira and I went to Mass in St. Theresa’s Church, Newarthill at 8.45pm that 25th May. The PP, Fr. Gillen, put the Mass time back from the original time of 7.30; we were very pleased at that.
I have said very little about the actual game, it speaks for itself; my memories of that day include the whole package.
I had love affairs with the female in my story and love ins with the other two males in the story, I cannot think of Lisbon without thinking about them as well.
I went to school with Billy McNeil, Our Lady's High Motherwell,
I played Boys Guild football against Jimmy Johnstone and a few years ago had an emotional meeting with him in the place where he and my late wife now lie, Bothwell Park Cemetery, and have known John Clark very well since the early sixties, that's about 25% of the Lions, not bad for a village butcher.
STAND UP FOT THE LISBON LIONS
Martin.
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Dad, I know you are busy celebrating this fantastic victory but if I can just say one thing it's this.
You know that fantastic Coatbridge girl you've been seeing, well SHE'S THE ONE! Go get her so that I can celebrate many more magical Celtic moments.
martinobhoy
marty mcfly csc
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anyone going to the road to lisbon play at the kings tonight?
I've been before and its absolutely outstanding
shud be particularly amazing tonight
got a new shiny silver Lisbon 67 tshirt for it as well so say hello to Lennondinho18 if you are going!!!
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anyone going to the road to lisbon play at the kings tonight?
I've been before and its absolutely outstanding
shud be particularly amazing tonight
got a new shiny silver Lisbon 67 tshirt for it as well so say hello to Lennondinho18 if you are going!!!
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Just heard on the radio they were talking about the game in Lisbon today. A young hack going by the name of Gerry McNee reckons Chalmers was offside for Celtic's equaliser.
What a moron. I don't think he'll be much good in his chosen profession.
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and naw a didnae mean for that to be posted twice!
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What would have happened if the game had finished 1-1 at 90 minutes?
Would there have been extra time,or a replay?
Anyways,all academic now.I'm glad we won.
Interesting piece on the BBC about the effect of the game on Inter,and the lack of success they have had in the EC since.
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Martin,
Absolutely fantsatic memories of that period in time, I wasn't born until Late 73 but I have a story of my Dad's at the time.
He was 14 at the time and was watching the game on tv at home with my Granny and Grandad, Mazzola scored the penalty and for the first time in his life he swore in front of them, my Grandparents, both very religious people from Donegal had never heard anything like it and he was threatened that if he did anything like that again the telly was going off. Can you imagine the horror of that happening, suffice to say there was no need for any more swearing and the telly was left on.
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Cheers Minx, Gordon J.
Weeron, an excellent memento.
Martin, great stuff. Never knew you went to games ‘tooled up’.
Dontbratt, extra time and then a replay would have been on the cards.
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we're the bhoys who shook up Lisbon
we showed Inter some of our tricks
in the year of 67 where the trophies numbered six, home or away we'll always play the game thats neat and clean and give 3 cheers for celtic and their good old manager stein,
now inter had the edge on us with an early penalty goal, they built a mighty defensive wall and tried to keep control, eleven men just hammered until Gemmell found a crack and Chalmers lifted the cup me bhoys that we'll be carrying back.
hail hail
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Thanks for the updates.
Didn't get to see the games as C67 was playing up again.
Well done to the Celts
Hail Hail
Pob
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"Oh flowers of Scotland, when will we see your like again?...."
My first real footballing memory, as an 8-year-old boy, was not being able to contain the energy and excitement exploding inside of me at full-time, and having to run out to the street to shout "CEEEEEELLLLLLLTTTIIIIIIICCCCC!!!!!!!"
The 'problem' with being a Celtic supporter of my generation is that I naively thought with the innocence of youth that it would always be like this, and now everything is 'second-best' to the legend of the Lions and the nine-in-a-row era. Seville came close; but even if Larsson's 2 great goals had actually won the UEFA Cup for us, it would still have been an achivement which would live in the shadow of the Lions.
As a lifelong Celtic fan I support my team through thick and thin and live in hope hope that in my lifetime I WILL see their like again...
Yours in Celtic,
Jim.
P.S. I am going up to Glasgow to see the family over the weekend. Does anyone have a spare ticket for the Cup Final tomorrow?
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42 attempts at goal
26 shots on target.
all the more incredible when you consider the turgid finals involving english teams
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42 attempts at goal-probably more than the current team have had this year!
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Paul,
Thank you for the great coverage this week of THE Game, and for the welcome diversion from the lead-up to tomorrow's final. Perhaps Gordon Strachan will be inspired by Jock Stein's legacy (if he isn't already) and the Squad (new and current) will also be inspired by the Lions to reach for new heights and emulate the Lions?
I have always thought (well from 8-years-old anyway) that if a Celtic Supporter is asked "What's the password?" there is only one answer which rhymes off the tongue: "Simpson, Craig, Gemmell; Murdoch McNeil, Clark; Johnstone, Wallace, Chalmers, Auld and Lennox!"
Yours in Celtic,
Jim.
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dontbrattbackinanger
It was my best pal who wrote the Inter article on the BBC website. He'll be delighted it was appreciated.
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Martin - great stuff! Its great listening (and reading) to everyone's memories of 67.
More of them please us young hauns love them!
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MartinoB-your pal doesn't come from Dumfries by any chance?
There was a history teacher at my school called Rinaldi.
All this 40th anniversary material has shown CQN at its best-funny,personal,moving,a bit eccentric sometimes.It's also meant that there's been very little discussion of tomorrow's game;for what it's worth I think it'll be a re-run of the semifinal,and the style of football will be light years away from that of 40 years ago.
According to the Ginger Helmsman'everyone's buzzing in training',so don't forget to pack the benzedrine
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What a brilliant week it has been.Hats off to all the posters who shared their memories and participated in the re-run.
Paul67,many thanks for getting the ball rolling. You have done a great service to the fans and club this week.
Tony, got your e mail,thanks.And what a man you have become.
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Martin
Thanks for your great memories. What a wonderful year you had.
'67, in October, my dear youner sister was born, in Stobhill as my brother was in 1970. I was the odd one out, brought into this world in Royston hospital. Tragically Zena was taken from us at only 23; I would so dearly love to have been celebrating her 40th with her this year, but for sure I will rejoice her short life when her birthday arrives. 1967 produced some wonderful moments, the birth of our kin, the creation of a New Order in the football world, given to us by our Immortal Eleven, our Beloved Glasgow Celtic.
We shall be forever grateful for the joy of that year, full employment and when music also took a giant leap forward. Oh to live those times again, even as a six-year old!
We Shall Not Be Moved.
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Right, I must admit when I heard that the club were making a big deal oot of the 40th anniversary i thought we were milking it. Thought the top and such was naff. a cash fleece etc. I really felt that we were beginning to go doon the England 66 route. But instead of it being an albatross like 66, I know realise 67 is a lot more. It disnny weigh oor club doon like 66 does to a nation, it makes us chest oot proud. It makes oor club what it is.
It’s a moment to celebrate.
Reading all the stuff over the last few weeks, i have realised that the Lions just didnae change the Hoops forever they changed European fitba as we know it. Made people realise that teams ootside Italy and Spain could win the big cup. Gave the English, Dutch Germans etc hope. Big Jock, maybe more won more but none done it like him.
Every paper today has an article aboot it, English papers included. I have just spent ma lunch hour reading them all.
To quote a famous Scot who uttered, “John, you’re immortal” I would change it to “Simpson, Gemmell, McNeill, Craig, Johnstone, Murdoch, Auld, Lennox, Wallace and Chalmers, you’re all immortal”
But lets not forget Charlie Gallagher, Willie O’Neill, Joe McBride, John Hughes and John Fallon. They weren’t on the pitch but they played their part.
Now, I’m going to the Celtic shop to buy a top I thought was naff…..
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BBC program on Big Jock tonight at 11pm, should be worth watching.
The last few days on CQN just reinforces how good it is to be a Celtic supporter. And if you know the history.....
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Jim the Tim, you are welcome, the blog has been excellent reading this week.
On the subject of Gordon Strachan, he is more tuned into the Lions than many know. He is proud to have played under Jock Stein at Scotland and often refers to the fact that substituting him, was the last managerial decision Stein made.
Gordon also played under Tommy Gemmell at Dundee, along side Jimmy Johnstone.
CanajunBhoy, we need to keep telling these stories for the benefit of the Celtic fans of tomorrow.
Sdstim, very well put. I am sure the years have not taken the pain away, but just as we celebrate our Celtic memories, you are right to seek any and every opportunity to celebrate your memory of Zena.
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In years to come the proud boast will be… “I was there”
I wasn’t there but I could listen to Lisbon stories forever and a day. It doesn’t matter that I wasn’t born, I still feel part of it and have a right to celebrate and proclaim it. I bought a Celtic top today for the first time in 12 years.
In the spirit of the timelines:
It’s July 2002 and my ma and da are on their holidays not far from Lisbon. My dad “was there”. Lisbon, 25th May, 1967, he was there. This is the first time back in Lisbon.
They waited a few days before making the pilgrimage and in actual fact the trip to the Estadio Nacional held a fair bit of trepidation for him. The memories and the tales were legendary and all of it real but you know how it is when you have a great story. It becomes greater and more fairytale like as the years pass. Maybe he was a bit unsure of ruffling memories that had become, well, perfect.
But they made the trip anyway. They asked the receptionist how to get to the stadium and she pulled out a map of the city that had a large caricatured stadium on it and she began telling them what bus to get, the street to walk etc. “No”, said my da as he read underneath ‘Estadio da luz’, “We’re looking for……”. He hadn’t finished his sentence when she smiled and said “Ah! You are Celteek!”. “Si!” he replied with delight in his best Portuguese.
Every single year the hotel has Celtic fans passing through who work in a trip to the Estadio Nacional.
The girl gave them directions to the train station. One change over en route and get off at the nearest station, Cruz Cebrada. The same station where he had alighted 35 years previously.
And so they went. They got off at the station and he started to worry. It wasn’t flooding back like he thought it would and it was all going terribly wrong, it had been a mistake. My ma took his arm and led him across the main road. “This way!” she said confidently as she led him along the street and turned into a tree lined avenue. They walked a short while more and then round until they could see the stadium in front of them, it was just the same as it was in 1967 and still baked in glorious sunshine.
The funny thing is my ma had never been in Lisbon. He asked her how she knew where to go and she replied, “It’s exactly as you described it.”
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dontbrattbackinanger
Loreno Rinaldi at St Joseph's? Giancarlo is his son and I'm an ex St Joe's man myself.
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The very same;I expect his dad will have retired by now.
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Yeah. Spends more time at the family home in Tuscany than he does in Dumfries. And who can blame him!?
I still meet up with the two them whenever I'm back in Dumfries.
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Giancarlo Rinaldi writes in Calcio Italia magazine each month and used to do the Rigori fanzine. I am a big admirer of his work.
I'd be grateful if you passed my best wishes to him next time you meet.
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We were the last flight to leave for Lisbon and flew out of Abbotsinch at 12.15.
We sought the expert advice of some pilots at the airport who confirmed that given a fair wind we should arrive in Lisbon in just enough time to make the kick-off.
Was our dream turning into a nightmare?
We all had visions of us being stuck 30000 feet up in the air and missing the game.
News of our plight travelled fast. Reporters from the Evening Times and Citizen were despatched to the airport to interview my Dad, who they had promoted to the position of "flight convenor".
The story appeared on the front pages in the evening additions of both papers.
At long last we were put out of our growing misery. Our plane had landed in Glasgow and we were ushered through to departures.
We stood impatiently on the tarmac eagerly waiting to board the plane.
Like the last days of Saigon the sense of desperation to depart was tangible.
Everyone was on edge.
Then from the wings, the Trans Europa Spanish pilot and his side-kick sauntered towards the aircraft.
One was dressed in all royal blue uniform, the other in a garish all red number. I could have sworn they were Francie and Josie.
They were told in no uncertain terms by the growling mob to get a move on...or words to that effect!
Once in the air everyone relaxed in the kowledge that we were at last on our way and had every chance of making the kick off at 5.30.
As the hours passed it became clear that we might as well have had Francie and Josie at the controls. Our estimated time of arrival was slipping back beyond kick off time!
The tension mounted as the minutes ticked down to kick off and we were 30000 feet above Portugal.
It was going to be tight as we descended ever nearer the airport.
The atmosphere on board was chaotic. People were standing around itching to get off and totally ignoring the fasten seat belt request.
The Spanish air stewardesses, recipients of the customary "driver's bunnet" tried hard to restore order in their broken English.
It was no good, (cabin) fever had broken out and as we dropped the last few hundred feet a rammy broke out over God knows what!
Punches flew, the air stewardesses screamed, and the plane taxied to a halt.
We were there!
It was just after 5 o'clock.
The traumatised stewardesses opened the doors and......
"Where's the *+$&*%! sterrs!"
A rather laid back local stared up at the craft and caught a Glasgow mouthful suggesting that he may wish to hurry up.
It was too much for some of the fans.
Several of them, my two brothers included, decided to disembark without the aid of the stairs and dreeped on to the tarmac below!
The rest of us followed by the more conventional route and stormed across the tarmac to be met by a rather large airport official standing guard to the customs entrance.
He was told in no uncertain terms by one of the Gorbals boys that he faced the "malkie" if he didn't stand down.
He did!
There was no chance of that desperate, fleeing mob waiting in an orderly queue to flash their passports and so it proved.
We swept through passport control like the migrating wilderbeasts of the Serengeti as they traverse the river avoiding the snapping jaws of the crocs.
Minutes later I was in one of Lisbon's distinctive black and green taxis with my Dad speeding off to the Estadio Nacional.
The heat was oppressive.
Lisbon flew by as the driver was on a promise of a generous tip to get us to the stadium.
In what seemed like a very short time we drew up at the Estadio.
It was an amphitheatre, a Colosseum cut into the hills.
This was a special place.
As we bundled out of the taxi a family of travelling people were sitting on the grass.
"Inter 1-0" exclaimed one of them.
We had arrived just as they scored.
Oh no, Everyone knew that when Inter went one up that was it.
We didn't even try to find our seats we watched the game from the side of the ground jsut below where the cup would be presented.
I can still remember how I felt when Stevie scored.
I wasn't nervous. I just knew as did everyone watching that it was over.
We were witnessing the greatest day in Celtic's history.
A dream had come true.
A the final whistle my Dad embraced me with tears in his eyes.
There was only one challenge left!
The six feet wide moat that stood between us and the pitch.
As first we stood and drank in the scene before us at the Celtic fans charged on to the turf.
Eventually, adrenalin pumping, we leaped and joined the throng.
After the celebrations we were offerd a lift back into Lisbon by a friendly local who drove us to a restaurant where we were greeted by applause.
And that rag doll reminiscent of wee Jimmy brought along by one of our members?
Well in the chaos that ensued at the end of the game he and one of my brothers managed to find their way into the Celtic dressing room whereupon it was presented to Jimmy!
Unsure, my brother asked Bobby Murdoch who scored the winning goal.
"Celtic" scored it was the reply.
In keeping with the rest of the day, the scenes at the airport were chaotic.
Inter were given a warm reception however when the Celtic team arrived to see their wives off the place erupted.
We flew home in the early hours with a lifetime of memories and knowing that this had been the greatest day in our beloved club's history.
Thank you to Jock and all the Lions for putting Celtic on the football world map.
Generations of Celts are forever in your debt.
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Sent this before I left this morning and then Paul posted a new article so here goes again:
At 25/05/07 12:04, TontineTim said…
At 25/05/07 08:43, Boltonbhoy said…
TontineTim@17:38 - correct!
*I remember Fr Jac, I know Cumbernauld well or should say I knew it well, the first citizens of the "new town" came from the Vale of Leven, Dumbarton and Clyebank areas as they moved through with the Burroughs Plant, my granny being part of that wave so I spent my summers there visiting the likes of Airdrie and Falkirk for days oot.
What's that got tae dae with Lisbon you might say, well I had a ticket for the gemme and was travelling with the Cumbernauld CSC when Mrs. TT told me she was with child, still being in my teens and she only out of school a couple of years and both being quite naieve I couldnae justify spending all that money with a baby who would be born before the year was out on the way so I gave the ticket away.
Ironically knowing my dissapointment and the sacrifice I had made she paid for my trip to Milan 3 years later even though by then we just returned fae the colonies with 2 weans and had just bought a hoose but that's another story which also includes whip rounds for the driver, daily visas and "can we open the windaes tae hang oor scarves oot" on a prop job.
Any regrets, well as my wee Scottish granny would say "what's for you willnae go by you" or as yer auntie Doris sung "Que Sera Sera".
I woke up this morning and that future wee baby's youngest was in between me and Mrs. TT, he and his brothers had slept over last night.
I also got tae spend May 25 and 26 1967 with family and friends celebrating one of the finest moments in our history. That's also another story which I may pen later.
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bambi
I will do. I've just e-mailed him to tell him to check out his fan club on CQN!
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Thanks Paul.
Personally, I am eternally grateful, and I'm sure I speak for many, for this wonderful medium you have created that has helped bring so many of the worlwide Celtic Family together. Changed some of my attitudes, reminded me of my loyalties and obligations as a Celtic Supporter and given me contact with so many wonderful human beings and a lot of laughs to boot.(some, sometimes I wish I could, metaphorically speaking of course:)) )
For those who advocate selling Naka for this seemingly magical number of 10million, we are in a time when we can afford the luxury of having our 'luxury' player. What if he was to produce another match-winning moment, or moments in this coming CL against a Barca, MU, Milan in any of the 6plus games taking us through again? Next year he may be valued at 12-15mill! Let alone the commecial money any success he inspires brings in.
I for one am PROUD that such a consummate professional feels loyalty to our club.
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Gordon J
What channell is the Jock Stein programme on. I have had a look on BBC website and cant see it on their listing?
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I'm not long back from Celtic Park, I went through to buy myself the new commemorative Lisbon Lion T-shirt for tomorrow, I thought it was a wee bit expensive at £39.99 but then I found out the Celtic superstore where giving you the new Celtic top also........:-) .... (I've not bought one since the old Black and Green vertical away strip ........it's a age thing)
The superstore was doing a roaring trade and not just on the new top.
Roll on tomorrow.
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Dontbrattbakk
I am indeed a son of a teacher man. The old boy has hung up his text books (and joke books) and spends a lot of time over in Italy as Martino says.
Bambi
Happy to hear someone admires the work. Not all that often you get to write about Celtic and Italian football at the same time. No doubt whatsoever that the Lisbon game was a big moment for the game in general, not just the two clubs involved.
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An amusing and truthful article by a good journo, centring on an acknowledgement of the Lisbon MoM - all the more touching and sincere for being unconscious of the auspicious day:
Big on Teesside
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I meant to be really pedantic and point out that catenaccio has just one T in it too. I need to get a life...
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Ginkers,
Credit where it's due mate, I always find your stuff in Calcio Italia a great read and as I said I used to be an avid rearder of Rigore, I am a huge fan of Italian football. I have a real soft spot for Samp and had the good fortune to get into the Marassi and wander about the pitch unchallenged when we were over in Italy for the Juventus game in the CL. Also took in the San Siro tour while we were there.
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Been trying to get online for a couple of days. Never mindlah, as they say east of Suez.
Today is the day. Thank you, Paul and all CQNers but especially Gordon. That contribution was the best ever.
I had mixed emtions yesterday, in so far as my Dad (a very frail 84) is one of only 2 his group of 6 who is still alive, as far as I can gather. I met another who was there last night. He went with his Dad and uncle and they are both dead.
My Dad's only "regret" is that I wasn't there with him. He showed me the Programme (he wanted me to take it) for about the first time in 40 years. I'm told it is worth something but its value is priceless to me. I wonder if I might get it autographed for him by the remaining Lions. By the way, the team in the picture contains the likes of Kennedy, John Fallon and the one and only Charlie Gallagher.
Today is also the anniversary of the only day I have ever kissed a TV. I just couldn't resist it when Stevie put the ball in the back of the net. The greatest feeling ever.
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Bambi
You must be a big fan of Italian football to remember Rigore! It was great fun producing it and I kind of miss it but we all have to grow up, reluctantly, some time.
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When Jock Stein was asked if Celtic would ever win the EC again he said'Once we get Bobby Murdoch fit'
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Delia
'...in a voice that would chip the paint off a postbox' Aye, reminds that the old man sometimes could be like that as a kid. Still fear him at 75yr old!
Indeed Titus could probably see the game much better after a swig, as we all do:) Harry Redknapp has obviously had too many swigs in his time, a la offering 3.5mill for Stan. Reminds me of a few years ago the Sheff Wed Chairman at the time bidding 2mill for Henrik in his 3rd or 4th year at CP, a rediculously low price by anyones standards, quoting 'He only plays in Scotland' as justification. Glady watched their demise ever since.
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earlier post mistake
Doh...missed John Clark from the team of immortals....
memo to meself don't post when boss is in the room....
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Ginkers,
I work in Edinburgh and to wander from one end of Princes Street to another at lucnchtime to go to the only shop in town I could find that stocked it. I was young and foolish then as well. I actually came across a couple of copies on Tuesday as I was emptying some boxes from my Mum's attic. I also came acroos my Dad's old Celtic views, from issue 1 until the late 70's. Some great reading in there.
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one afternoon in lisbon forty years ago today
Happy Anniversary Lions
hail hail
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Having been reminded that Bertie Auld led the team in singing "For its a grand auld team to play for! ..." in the tunnel just before their magnificent performance in Lisbon, I realised that I didn't realise (?) that this song was a Celtic Standard even BEFORE the glory of Lisbon. Reflecting on the words, the song seems even more poignant and full of hope to me now.
"...And if you know the History..." What was our history at that point? 7-1, the Coronation Cup and being formed by Brother Walfrid, a Marist Brother? Certainly not as glorious as it is now, yet full of hope and wonder... I know that Celtic has even more history now, and that our history is much wider and broader than just the Lions, but Celtic is about hope and fairness and charity and excellence and so many other good things! The next opportunity to make Further History presents itself tomorrow...
Go to it Celtic! Give us another game and team tomorrow that will add to our Glorious History!
Yours in Celtic,
Jim.
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Gordon, brilliant stuff, loved every word of it.
Sdstim, aye, Naka is “a consummate professional”.
Ginkers, sorted.
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Damn you Paul! I have been trying to go through the whole day without hearing the score as I can only watch the highlights tonight on Match of the Day.
Oh well at least the game actually went ahead unlike that last time when I tried to avoid the England score and the game was fogged off.
Seriously though some of the stories today and yesterday have made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. The people who were there even though they might not have appreciated it at the time were very privileged indeed.
I too was one of the "oh no not another Lisbon Lions anniversary" sceptics, however the interweb has added a whole new dimension this time around.
Thanks Paul for giving us the vehicle.
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There's a lot of great cuttings here about the introduction of the song in 1961.
Glen Daly wrote the words to a tune by Gilbert and Sullivan,from'the Pirates of Penzance.
http://www.glendalymrglasgow.co.uk/fitba4.html
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Jim the Tim,
Selling us a bit short there. The Celtic teams of the early part of this century toatally dominated Scottish football.
Certainly the Darnel dominated between the wars and to a lesser extent in the the late 40's and early 50's but we could still come up with the goods occasionally.
Stein of course turned everything round and we became totally dominating in Scotland and were feared throughout Europe.
Iwas 12 when he became manager and expected this to last forever never really knowing anything else.
Tims of my age took all this for granted and you can imagine the despair we felt in the early 90's .
I remember leaving CP with my old man in 1969 after being beaten by Milan who went on to win it that year ( a game we should have won out the park)nearly greeting he said "Never mind we will win it next year" we nearly did but that was the sort of well placed optimism we enjoyed in those days.
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martin @1212 - what a great piece.
I was ten at the time. The sitting room was packed with extended family crowded round the black and white telly. The sight of my normally fairly reserved aunties going mental at the goals will always be with me. I remember the poignancy of my father regretting the fact that a recently deceased uncle hadn't lived to see the great day. He also told us boys that, to truly appreciate the achievement, you had to have experienced the bad old days. We thought he was haverin at the time but now that I've passed the age that he was then I see the wisdom in his words.
After the game me and my two brothers went into the playground of the school across the road to play football with our red plastic ball covered with the names of Celtic players. The jannie - a disgruntled and bitter man with leanings towards the south side - chased us off the premises...
Gordon, this is your legacy. Add another chapter tomorrow.
Hail! Hail!
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Hail! Hail!
The Lisbon Lions!
Guaranteed to produce tears from even the most level headed Celtic supporters.
Come on the Bhoys tomorrow!
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Great post Paul,
Still puts a lump in my throat reading about it and imagining what it must have been like back then for those folk lucky enough to be at the game or watching at home.
Another reason why so many of us love and support this great club of ours.
Good luck to the Bhoys tomorrow.
Hail Hail.
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BENNY:
Selling us a bit short there...
Hi Benny, I certainly did not intend to 'sell us short', but rather just wanted to briefly highlight the difference between our glorious history and our MUCH more glorious history now. Read my contribution again; was I really being negative about our past exploits?
Just like you I was brought up on the best Celtic era ever, and I live in hope that we will someday again become a team that is truly feared throughout Europe. I think we are making some inroads into re-establishing our teams reputation but are still some way off being the team that other teams fear to be drawn against. Thankfully, you and I, and the rest of the CQN Bloggers, have at least contributed to establishing that whatever happens on the park, off the park our fans are THE BEST and are welcomed wherever we go in Europe. [(c) UEFA 2003 and (c)UEFA's Mr Gaillard 24th May 2007]
Yours in Celtic,
Jim.
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Vclxi, :-)
You are very welcome. When I researched (believe it or not I do this sometimes) for this week I wrote out the achievements of Inter going into the game, what a team.
I thought, there is an old, fresh, angle in there, let’s go back; forget about Lisbon for a moment and connect with the facts immediately beforehand.
It brought the game and the sensation alive again for me. I loved reading the actual accounts from 1967, even the mundane memories add to the picture of the time.
Lynott67, good point about those watching at home. Sharing the moment with those close is what it is all about.
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antonsrightfoot,
"Jock Stein - Tou're Immortal" is on at 11:05pm on BBC Scotland. Not sure about the rest of the UK, if you're not in Scotland tho.
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Anybody relate MON's tale about watching the final? - I don't want to half tell it and waste it...
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dontbrattbackinanger:
Thanks for the link on the beginnings of "For its a grand old team...". I loved (actually, hated/bemused...) and laughed out loud at the quotes:
...the song, condemmed by Glasgow Police as a possible Old-Firm troublemaker... and also ...Glasgow Police attacked yesterday an Englishman's plan to give Celtic Supporters two rallying songs. ...
Somethings never change, eh?
Thanks again for the link; I also never realised that Glen Daly was Vice-President of the Celtic Supporter's Association.
Yours in Celtic,
Jim.
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JTT-the other thing I was unaware of is that[plus ce change..]the deRangers issued a song of their own at around the same time.
History shows that yet again there was no contest as Glen Daly's song wiped the floor with Buddy Logan's effort,like Led Zeppelin marmalasing Iron Butterfly.
There are lots of excellent photos on the Glen Daly website,but it's the accompanying press cuttings that hold the real interest.
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Parkheadcumsalford @ 14:21
Thanks for your kind comments.
I am just pleased to be able to share the memories.
Thanks Paul,
You know we never did eat that bloomin' chicken.
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Point taken JTT Hail! Hail!
Just watched the McCann parents being interviewed.
2 Events 40 years apart in the same country. One joyous one abominable.
Jesus and Mary, return this wee lassie to her family.
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This if technically off topic I guess, but a propos of tomorrow's Cup Final...
Just read in the Harald that Dunfermline have been given Murray Park to train this week.
So we can get ut up that other mob when we win tomorrow!
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can anyone tell me the name/nationality of the kid Celtic have who's meant to be extremely promising (the one that does summersaults in the U15's)?
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Found it, Islam Feruz, don't know where he's from though.
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Just popped home between celebrations and a couple of things springeth mindwards...
Benny -
Re the McCanns. I was thinking about the same correlation at Mass this morning. When I was saying a prayer for the family The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple burst into my mind. We must never give up in our prayers. I'm remaining hopeful.
Glasgow - after I'd visited a bustling G40 we made our way down through Bridgeton Cross. The union flag was slumped limp from a flagpole at Olympia House, two tattered rags hung outside Walker's pub and a couple of newish flags from a flat opposite. When we turned right at the Barras into the Gallowgate the contrast could hardly have been more marked - the place was festooned in green, white and orange; the ghuys there have really made an effort. I've always opined that our bright colours completely dim every opposition's - even Hibernian seem to favour a darker green.
Anyway Craigneuk calls.
LOVE to all and especially to those in the country we're thinking of so fondly today.
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Does anyone know if the Scotts, McDonald and Brown, are attending the Final tomorrow ?
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I also remember watching the game with my mum and dad.
Watching Celtic walking onto the pitch was nearly equivalent to watching the moon landing years later.
My mum was in praying modus but that didn’t help when we lost that penalty. Devastation. Being caught up in the excitement, hearing my mum screaming, (she changed modem), seemed to be too much for me at the time, and don’t remember much of the game.
One incident though remains with me to this day, something that gets me sooo annoyed that I haven’t spoke about it or told anyone about it. Even now 40 years later and it still gnaws away at me at unexpected moments no matter what I’m doing. I’m now going to tell everyone about my agony, maybe if I tell you I’ll find peace of mind.
It seems fitting that I should try on this day to recall something that simply shouldn’t have happened. I’m now going to deliberately relive that moment again. Just before Celtic got the second goal the door went, and not seeing anyone going, I got up to see who it was. It was one of my pals. He wanted to know if I was coming out to play ffs.
Screams from the living room.
I missed the goal.
How to ruin someone’s life in two seconds – chap the door.
Help Help
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malone_86,
if you do a search on here, you should find out what your looking for.....
someone was posting about him last year.
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My memories of 25 May 1967 are ordinary.
I had an exam the next day (O grade French, I think, all I remember of the exam paper is that by the time I left all of the margins were filled in with 2-1 2-1 2-1 2-1.......), so going to Lisbon was never an option. Probably not an option anyway, I'm not sure anyone from Dumbarton had been further south than Glasgow at that time).
I watched the game at home with my dad. I have no recollection of any anxiety about the result. I just remember a warm sunny evening, empty streets, and two goals that every time I see them, even now, make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
Did I realise the magnitude of what we had achieved? Yes, and no. The European Cup, European club football generally, was still in its infancy. Celtic had already performed with credit on the European stage, and only a bad refereeing decision had prevented us from a place in the Cup Winners Cup final the previous season.
When, that season, did we start to believe we could win it? For me, who had been there but not really known the bad years, it was as natural as summer after winter. Joy then, but no surprise. We went into every one of the earlier ties expecting to win it, so there should be no surprise at winning the final. It was a bit like climbing a mountain, wondering if you'll get vertigo, but finding that actually, when you get there, you feel at home and you quite like the view. Up where we belong.
Don't get me wrong. There were nerves, doubts. But only because it was a one off game, and anything can happen. There were no doubts about our ability, our right to be there. And no doubts about the support either, whose legendary status began that day.
Like I say, just ordinary memories. Of winning the European Cup. The subsequent years have made it more extraordinary than it seemed at the time. Which is what legend does.
Time to get used to the heights again. Well past time.
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Sky Sports News On The Lisbon Lions
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Posted this late on the last thread - hope no-one minds me posting again - gettin' a wee bit sentimental tonight, and missing my dad terribly. There's so many questions I'd have loved to ask him tonight...
God bless all here...
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Guys - BBC website has a lovely wee gallery of photos old and new.
There is a stunning B&W one of the cup being held aloft on the truck - the sunlight gleaming off the silverware. Beautiful and poignant.
Surprisingly there is no article from Chic Young - surely some mistake?
For me it will be tommorrow that is important. My Father (Now passed) collected, and left in my keep, every paper from the day after our victory - and tommorrow I'm going to go round to my mums to wade through the emotion of them - then have a wee greet.
My father also purloined - many moons ago - a betamax of the game and I knew for quite some time how frighteningly one sided the game is.
Best quote of today goes to my wife - looking through some club materiel and she spies a photo of Tommy Gemmell running on to the field...
'Look at the thighs on Tommy Gemmell!'
Jealous? No.
Just proud she didn't need to ask who he was.
And what a pair of thighs right enough.
U.
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Why do some on this site feel the need to mention religion at the slightest opportunity. It's a Celtic Football site, and the only club in the country that mixes religion with football are the SPL runners up. Religion is a private matter for the individual and should be kept away from a football site.
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Ulysses-
only a matter of time before a user name "Tommy Gemmells Thighs" appears.
Seamus-
God Bless You........
The Lions Remember
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martinbhoy like your da I was also 14 and watched the game in coatbridge what a great feeling dancing in the street, and no just us weans but the mammys and daddys an all, an then when the big cup came back it was led round cp by the coatbridge accordion band oh the memories, ma chest is swelling out and a wee tear of happiness in ma eye just thinking of it oh hoopy days
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Cheers Noel,
Great to see Sandro Mazzola saying.....
"THAT WAS A GREAT, GREAT TEAM"
Happy birthday Lisbon Lions
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seamus
The SPL runners-up mix the denigration of another religion with football, another thing entirely. Read Paul's article about a Mass being said for the Lions, support Artur's right to bless himself and visit the Nou Camp and you'll find in all of those that some people's religion is their life. I see no harm in that as it applies to me, and I trust you don't take issue with it either.
I'm much happier reading posts from the likes of Gordon and the many others who have memories of May 25 1967. It's been an absolute joy readin such, and thanks to all who have posted on it. At only eighteen months old, and without a telly in the house, I remember little, but my dad showed the cine-film of it at least a hundred times a year in my childhood. I thank him for that.
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The Best Day Of Our Lives
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Seamus
Glasgow Celtic were founded by a Roman Catholic monk and we should never forget that.
Without Roman Catholicism there would be no Celtic.
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This is excellent-
Celtics Promotional Video For The New Lisbon Lions Kit
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Excuse my ignorance if this is simplistic, but I've just watched a colour version of the goals - why some colour and some b&w versions? is it colouring?
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I am going to guess that not everybody had black and white TVs, some of the records of the game are black and white, and some are coloured
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It was like being in dreamland. It was very much like being let loose in the sweetshop with no restrictions and where every dream just might come true. It was that wonderful amazing year of 1967.
I was living and working in London. I worked in Golden Square two minutes from Piccadilly Circus and at the end of which was Carnaby Street. The Beatles had just released Sergeant Pepper and I was still basking in that wonderful, wonderful performance of the Scots at Wembley the previous month, the occasion when for my first and only time I was in a pub which literally ran out of beer. Nae problem we drank the spirits instead.
So there I found myself in my bedsit with the mate I shared with and around 14 or so others who lived in or around the house. There were Aberdonians Dundonians Fifers Dumbartonians Glaswegians and for good measure a South Londoner or two – all before the 16 inch black and white telly. Fortunately for me as it was my room I was able to claim a central position.
Having lived through the depressing years pre-Stein of always being on the end of a going over from Rangers the whole scenario from the 1965 Cup Final onwards seemed quite surreal. I kept feeling as though any moment I was about to wake up and find it was all a cruel joke.
Naturally when Tommy Gemmell equalised all was sheer bedlam and noise with me making a great deal of it but I recall clearly even now that when Stevie Chalmers scored and bodies cavorted around me I didn’t budge from the chair I sat in. I simply sat shaking my head repeating over and over “ We’ve done it ! We’ve won the European Cup. Us!”
It was the very best of times and having had that experience has always been able to sustain me through the worst. Something many aspired to but the prize that Glasgow Celtic won. The first northern European Winners of the European Cup.
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I would like to add my thanks to the guys who have posted there memories of that unbelieveable experience. CQN is many things to many people, some stimulating, some mind numbingly tedious but today of all days it weaves its way round all of us, giving us a conduit to share the joy we all felt 40 short years ago.
God Bless the Celtic
jonnybhoy
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Once Upon A Time.....
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McNeill,Chalmers and Gemmell at Celtic Park tonight .
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What a fantastic week on CQN!
Paul's man-on-the-spot reports from Lisbon brought the ocassion to life & the contributions from several CQNers have been truly wonderful. In true managerial fashion I don't like to single out individual posters but...Gordon, Monteblanco & Blantyrekev all brought tears to this jaded Auld Haun's eyes.
Turning to tomorrow's Cup Final there's some good news for Hoops fans overseas who want to see the game. The SFA are offering free coverage online through their website - have a look at the main story here for further details.
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Brian Quinns Interview With Celtic TV 25/5/07
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Shining like a beacon in this and the previous threads on Lisbon is how large a part our families contributed to our memories.
So raise a glass to our dear departed and separated friends and families on this historic anniversary. Those who introduced us to the troughs and peaks of supporting Celtic and football.
'GG toasting his Old Man.
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Big Jock on BBC1 at 11.05.
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been watchin clips of 40 years ago all day---magic
Can;t believe how many chances we made.
Took my wee boy over to CP today and one of the reserve players (think it might have been Ferry) gave him his shorts... a nice gesture...Maleys Bhoy's Bhoy was over the moon
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This week has left me a bit sad, sad that many of the great mhen who not only played that remarkable day are no longer with us but sad at the thousands and mibbees hundreds of thousands of supporters who reveled in this and the following years of success are also no longer with us, grannies and grampas, mammies and das, brothers and sisters, those descendants of a fighting but down trodden race who after Thursday, May 25, 1967 would no longer have to lie down.
The memory is remarkable in that only the good times are often recalled, how we played outside all summer long until after dark, it never rained in Southern California or the West of Scotland either, how we lumbered the best looking lemon curds and scored the best goals each and every Saturday, day and night. However it should be noted that in 1967 we were going through a period known as “full employment”, my wee mother worked in the broo then and spent a good portion of her day helping out in the passport, tax and UAB offices and even the local driving license centre, times were indeed relatively good.
Flower power was the rage, although wearing a kaftan walking across Balloch Bridge in the rain was a bit adventurous, green was the most popular colour in motor vehicles and the young Mods were decked out in green suits with a 9 inch single vent up the back.
Jeff Beck who had replaced Eric Clapton in the Yardbirds was now leading his own group which included Rod Stewart and Ron Wood and the delectable Sandie Shaw emulated the Celts by winning in Europe also with the Eurovision Song contest.
Scott Mackenzie’s San Francisco was encouraging the free world to wear some flowers in their hair while in the east end of Glasgow we were suggesting:
If you're going to Celtic Park
Be sure to wear some shamrock in your hair
If you're going to Celtic Park
You're gonnae meet some terrific people there
All across the nation
There’s a new sensation
Celtic in motion
Jock Stein’s generation
We’re the new sensation
Celtic in motion
Celtic in motion
That May morning the Feast of Corpus Christi, which is a movable feast and is normally celebrated in June, my da in his wisdom suggested we go to morning Mass as the gemme was a 5:30 p.m. kick off and although all Masses in the area had late kick offs it might be more prudent to go then.
I hadn’t really thought we could win this trophy not because Inter were European giants but because Big Jock had played us down saying we were proud to be the first British team to reach the final and just happy to be there, winning would be nice but….. etc etc the Big Mhan was a fox.
That feeling hanged however that gorgeous spring morning as I walked down the avenue from St. Martins in the wee sellick supporting village of Renton, one of my da’s carolinas said “I think we’re gonnae win the night Charlie, big Stein’s (still wisnae just Jock yet) playing games with the eyeties and I think he’s gonnae go for it”. My da just nodded in his own non confrontational way but as we parted on Main Street he said “you know son big John’s got a point we could win this”.
Ironically as a wee bhoy watching Real, Benfica and AC winning the trophy he once said to me that Celtic would be the first British club to win it as we were legendary first time winners of cups, and highlighted the Empire Exhibition and Coronation Cups as examples, this was during the years in the wilderness and although I could recite the names of Kennaway, Hogg and Morrison, Geatons, Lyon and Paterson, Delaney, MacDonald, Crum, Divers and Murphy. Bonnar, Haughney and Rollo, Evans, Stein and McPhail, Collins, Walsh, Mochan, Peacock and Fernie. Beattie, Donnelly and Fallon, Fernie, Evans and Peacock, Tully Collins McPhail Wilson and Mochan like a litany I was still living off his memories, that is until that magical day.
Anyway off they went up the holy village of Renton, birthplace of our first captain and World Champion winner in 1888, tae the industrial estate across the River Leven and I headed the opposite way tae my own job with the nation’s largest home builder, the second fastest flowing river in Scotland meandered slowly that morning as I walked along it’s banks passing the Millburn Park home of the Vale of Leven Juniors, the same VOL that as a senior side shared one of the hun five star league titles, the same VOL that the huns also failed to show up for a Scottish Cup Final replay thereby forfeiting the cup, what is it about them and cup disgraces, the same Millburn Park where Jimmy Browning watched by Willie Maley honed his craft prior to becoming an integral part of our distinguished six in a row side, and directly across the water in Bonhill was the final resting place of our first goal scorer in a 5-2 humphin of Dignity FC, I was steeped in Celtic history and didnae know it.
That day was a blur and I can’t recall if I walked up the road tae the Haldane that fine evening or took the bus, probably the bus as it was an early kick off.
As we all know we got off to the worst possible start although we recovered well and were the better side. Half time appears and the wee mhan says “do you mind son if I go up tae my pal’s house up the Haldane and watch the second half”, truth was they had a cairry oot and his nerves couldnae handle it. “Aye ok da” and I sat down tae watch the rest of the gemme myself, second half just starts when my mother wanders in, “still 1-0 son” “aye” grimacing, “and my da’s away tae Alec’s hoose up the tap o the Haldane”. So she wanders away tae potter about in the kitchen while listening tae the commentary, door bell goes, it’s my Aunt Betty, she’s been kicked oot of the hoose as she’s looked on as a Jonah so up she comes tae her big sisters, both sit down with me as history was made.
Final whistle goes and on come the rebel songs, well Merry Ploughboy and the Irish Soldier Boy and I get dressed and head out down Balloch, oul Jimmy my neighbour who used tae regale me with stories about the brake clubs going through the Vale and Renton and talked of Patsy the way we oul hauns now talk of Jinky is bangin on his windae and waving at me.
As I pass by the Balloch Hotel my da is at the windae waving me in, a sing song is in full flow and the lovely parishioners on their way tae evening Mass in St. Kessogs next door with huge grins on their faces are waving and cheering at us.
That night when I got home Mrs. TT and her sister are in the house with the double celebration of winning the cup and the impending new wean, they’re telling us that after the whistle went they all set off up to the Peoples Republic of Brucehill where the place had erupted, it was a sea of green and white, they were even throwing grass in the air.
The next morning as I arrive at work the wee General Foreman who’s a Son of Donegal advises us tae haud back on the cairry oots and slip away quietly at dinner time tae the pub for a wee drink. Five tae eleven and me and a couple of Tims fae Brucehill are away up Bridge Street, only one pub in the Vale and it’s since been demolished were there any soor faces, the rest seemed to share our joy, unfortunately six days later we were unable tae return the favour as we cheered when Franz Roth’s extra time strike meant the trophy remained in the Fatherland as the huns lost tae the huns, we had also cheered the year before as Dortmund beat the cheatin scousers also in extra time.
That evening the Balloch tae Brigton train was rockin as we made our way up tae the Holy Ground, on they poured at Renton, Dumbarton, Clydebank and Yoker commonly known as “Halfway to Paradise”, the roads fae Abbotsinch tae Kerrydale Street were lined with jubilant punters all wanting tae see the Big Cup and the lhads that had won it for the sons and daughters of the poor immigrants, that night I along with thousands of other Tims made my debut in front of the Jungle when we invaded the park as the team came round in the oul coal lorry. A night tae remember. I might have missed Lisbon but I never missed the best time in the best year in my life.
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TontineTim/Derbyshirebhoy-
Thanks for your massive contributions to an already outstanding thread.
I was 4 years old at the time-so I didn't have any real memories of the day-
thanks to Gordon,Martin,Shug,Oldtim and the rest of you-
I do now.
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Ok then-
I'll Take 100
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Tontinetim
Fantastic post, just walked up by the Balloch Hotel and St Kessog's an hour ago - no sign of a 40th anniversary party there!!!!
tmc minus 14 years of age
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I'm proud to say I've been a CQNer since near inception and in that time there have been a dozen or so occasions when Paul's lead articles and contributions from fellow posters have truly astonished and moved me - losing Jinky, Martin's departure, Neil's departure to name but three.
Well done Paul and all, this week has been yet another high point and has demonstrated once more, the poetry, pride, wit and romance of being a Celtic supporter.
Oh and I love that almost imperial imagery of Billy lifting the trophy alone amidst chaotic scenes, surrounded by his people in a Caesar-like fashion.
All hail the Lions!
All hail the Celts!
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Thanks Paul67, its been great reading the posts about this glorious team and their unsurpassed achievements. Keep the good times going tomorrow.
By the way My Boys Now A Tim & Im as proud as punch.
Hail Hail.
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Thank you, one and all.
I've been wrapped up in family troubles over the last few days. You see, my mum died last week, and I've been involved in all that that event brings with it. Only yesterday did I look in, and, to be honest, I only glanced at Pauls top post.
But today has been magnificent. The Celtic family has lifted me out of the doldrums with great tales. Love, pride, honour and fun. Exactly what I needed to hear. And as a Renton man myself, Tontine Tim, you do us proud!
Again, thank you all.
G
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Sincerest condolences on your loss georgiebhoy. May your mum RIP.
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Georgiebhoy - may all of the CQN squad thoughts be with you. I know that that sounds just hollow right now but I've been where you are and I know how you feel. Celtic is a family - not the club, not the supporters - the Spirit. When we win tommorow and Lenny lifts the cup I will say a prayer for your mum and I'm sure that she will be looking dowm on you proud of you
Hail! Hail! DavieL
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Guys,
thanks.
John_H - I think she picked the wrong time to go to "R.I.P" - wee Jinky is leading a big party right now....
G.
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Jock and The Lions-Classic Footage
Georgiebhoy-
Your mums in good hands.
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George
You'll never walk alone. The Celtic family that encompasses those who don't know you and those of us that do will make sure of that.
TontineTim
Possibly the greatest post I've read on the Quick News. Lots of connections - I'm from the Haldane and Mrs GF is from the Tontine (or the valley as she calls it). Tremendous stuff!
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What a thread Paul, definitely one for the year book (aye, you remember).
Special 'hats off' to Tontine Tim, Gordon, Derbyshirebhoy, Martin42 and BlantyreKev (as a proxy for his da). Well done guys.
Well done also to Benny and WG for reminding us to think about another Portuguese odyssey and to pray for a good outcome.
This brings me to Seumas1960. Sorry, man, but I'm going to say what I've said before to people who've made exactly the same point as you have here (proving that you're far from alone, acknowledging, even, the tendency in today's culture to be a wee bit embarrassed about religion). Fine. You think the same as a lot of people, certainly most of our politicians and people in the media, so we get this message thrown at us a lot.
Seriously, although everybody is welcome at Celtic Park, does it not cross your mind that, maybe, Celtic isn't the right club for you?
Careful now, I'm not saying, as I have been accused unfairly of doing before on here, that if you're not a Catholic you can't be a Celtic fan. Scroll up one paragraph.
But, when you walk up to Celtic Park, thinking as you do that religion is a wholly private matter and nothing to do with a football club (ours or anyone's), what is it that goes through your mind when you look at the statue of Brother Walfrid?
To ask the same question in a slightly different way, if religion has nothing to do with Celtic, why do we have a great statue of a Marist brother at our front door, and why do so many of us feel the need to pay homage to the man every time we see and even think of it?
Read Tontine Tim's magnificent post at 21.35. We are the lucky descendants of "a fighting but downtrodden race" who no longer have to lie down, who do not have to take out Provi cheques to travel to Europe, who earn more in a month than our parents did in a year.
Some people knew we could be anything we wanted to be. A teacher at Holyrood in the 1950s told my mother continuously: "Always remember, Mary, you're as good as the best and better than most." And he was correct. And my mother was correct when she passed the message on to my brothers and me.
Repeat that across the Irish community in the West of Scotland. Suddenly, we were all staying on for our Highers and going to university, often, we who were wee weans on 25 May 1967, the first people with our particular surnames to do so in Scotland.
In time, we could probably have achieved everything we have achieved without Celtic. But Celtic helped. Aye, it's a football club. But it's not only a football club.
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Georgiebhoy.
Thoughts and Prayers for you and yours.
YNWA
jonnybhoy
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The Godfather was from the Haldane, they'd renamed it upper Balloch by the time I came along :)
George, as BC has said better than I can - all the best.
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All,
again, thanks. Didn't mean to bring the spirits down. Was possibly feeling a little melancholy....
Now, ajorn to the TV, watch The Big Man, and reconvene after to celebrate again....
G.
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Excellent post Paul I see our colleagues at Etims have followed your lead! Gordon - one of the best posts ever on CQN! Weeron - I've got an Evening Citizen wi the match report signed by them all but my most treasured is me and wee Jinky in a photo at LCSC dance a few years ago- class! Georgiebhoy - you know that we're there.
Anyway - used to post all the time in the early years and now that I have that broadbean thing I'm back on - did a google search on CQN on my new lappie and the post was like something from Life on Mars (a retro Tv programme about the 70s for the overseas squad) 1st one -
"Peter Lawwell; Much respect due Paul, particularly from the Doubting Tims out there.
A quick resume of Peter's past 12 months reveals: New Manager appointed in difficult circumstances; Major rebuild of the side commences; Oversubscibed Share issue; Commencement of Lennoxtown project;
Major signing coups, Keane - worldwide news
Nakamura - great player, brand new income
Jarosik - from Chelsea!
JVoH - top scorer from last season's CL semi finalists. Graveson - a terrifying midfielder, outstanding.
All these guys signed for Lawwell despite offers from the EPL and elsewhere.
Let's not forget the Bosman deals, plus filching Riordan from under the nose of David Murray.
Peter Lawwell, the man who is leading Celtic into a new era. Stand up and take the applause."
That was from August last year and this is from the day we lost the league at Motherwell -
"I'm not going to say a thing,I'm going to give it 24 hours before I put my thoughts into the public domain,a lot of people have to think long and hard what they are doing for Celtic and I'm not talk about the fans,they never entered my mind,they are the best in the world with no exception.
We seen it coming,just a bit quicker than we thought.
Heres a few things to think about before I go.
I'm only 35(next weekend Bhoy)and have been through the lean years at CP since a kid standing in many a queue at the turnstiles for tickets for me and the family,I have NEVER seen such a wasteful and dreadful team as the Glasgow Rangers yet where are we?
No matter what you have to post Paul67 as the next exclusive even with a bright slant on it you are going to find there is to be a huge backlash against the custodians of OUR Club.
It's time we the fans got a grip of the Club and send it into the direction that is needed not waiting for the board to do it as you have said recently Paul67
Negative Anon
Hope to hear an interesting few lines from you in the coming days after you have come out that dark cupboard.
Yes you have been banging on about lack of investment in OUR Club for a long time with the board only looking for the interests of themselves,that much is true.
50p a share,that's all they are worth at the moment.
I just hope the officials of OUR great Club are going to be reading the comments of the CELTIC supporters on this site over the coming few weeks as we KNOW they are.
I just hope you are happy with yourselves now.
The vein in my neck is starting to bust,time to go.
And that's me trying to POSITIVE.
We will pick ourselves up and hold our heads high.
Papers,referee,lines men.sorry I'm just getting paranoid now.
Feel like an alien in my own country.
1.1 million population in our city in the 1950's now only 550,000
I wonder why?
Sour grapes maybe!
Reality probably!"
I know it's sad but try it - go back to the beginings of this blog and see what we were saying - we've come SO far in a short space of time - I used to analyse the Deloitte Football Stats - wait til you see where we are next season AND we'll have a team (AND sqaud) worth the jerseys - as P67 says - GOD is here - enjoy!! anyways the morra - 3-0 JOV to score 1st goal
DavieL
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does anyone know if this Big Jock programme about to start on BBC Scot is a new one or is it an old re-run ?
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Just home - what a thread
I was 9
It was Gibshill in Greenock - a holiday of obligation
We gathered in my Granny's, generations together - looking over the shipyards where all the men worked.
Whisky and bear (India Pale Ale if I remeber right) along the mantlepiece, on the table and i hands.
We played in the street before the game, I was Jinky, always was, always will be.
I seem to remeber every kick (impossible) but I can still touch the memory, I can see the curtains, the black and white TV, the Radiogram and the'Companion Set' by the coal fire.
The game was met with cheers, joy, tears, hugs and laughter, After Billy picked up the cup we played in the street again. The sun set over the Clyde and somehow the worls seemed to be beautiful.
The men are all gone now, my great uncle, my mums three brotehrs and my dad. They walk with me to Celtic Park, I never walk alone.
This bhoy will never forget.
Tomorrow, every Celt should remember who we are and who we take with us.
Hail hail
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Georgiebhoy sorry to hear about your mum.
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georgiebhoy - take good care of yourself and loved ones
CF - I think seamus suggested that religion should be kept away from this site. A bit like those who suggest politics should be kept away, or those who think neither should be discussed here, like Paul67 for example. I think that's Paul's position.
I happen not to agree with either of them but it does seem a bit harsh to suggest that Celtic isn't the right club for Seamus. Would you suggest the same to Paul?
Aye it's a football club, and not only a football club and catholicism has played a massive and vital role in its history but it's not a catholic football club.
Hail, hail
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maleys bhoy it doesn't say it's a repeat in my paper.
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McGrain
Always a pleasure.
It is a catholic football club, but it's not a Catholic football club.
I have asked Paul about this and he gave a different answer from the one you're suggesting.
It's not for me to decide who should or should not support Celtic. You need to re-read what I said to Seumas. My question is about what he thinks when he sees the Walfrid statue.
Don't forget, we get this a lot from the people who feel they've outgrown the religion the downtrodden people Tontine Tim was referring to suffered prejudice and violence to pass on to us. The implication is that religion isn't a subject you can bring up in polite company.
If that's what he thinks, fine. I'm not out to change his mind through the five ways of St Thomas or any other method.
But Celtic? And no religion? With the big statue of the Marist brother at the door?
Naw, naw and thrice naw.
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BJS comment about bigot stuff = lost a lot of friends but - were they really friends? Class!!
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Long time lurker/observer and a migrant from the much-maligned, old beeb forum.
Cracking contribution from TontineTim-brought a lump to the throat.
Watched 1967 game in the Holy Spirit Church hall in St.Ninians, Stirling. Probably a bit young to appreciate the significance.
On another note, was at the Kings tonight and would recommend the show. Attended sober but imagine the experience would be greatly enhanced by my old friends, Sir Walter Raleigh, Salavador Dali, Don Revie and Mick Jagger...
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Good programme about big jock - just not long enough.
And I'm also wondering why none of the TV channels have done a programme on the Lisbon Lions today ?
Georgiebhoy - many condolences on your loss. I hope our team can make you forget for a couple of hours tomorrow.
Prediction 3 -1 Celtic. JVOH, Mcmanus & Deek
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Maley bhoy
As members of the Lions said on the programme. Lisbon would not have happenned if Jock had not been in charge.
Therefore it was an excellent reminder of just what Stein (a staunch protestant) done for Celtic (the biggest catholic institution in the country).
In return not one of us should be bigoted in anyway.
Maley, Stein and McCann are the Celtic trinity.
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Ah well, the anniversary passes.
I raise a glass of 1920 Portuguese brandy, bought after the Bhoys' most recent sojourn to Lusitania, to the team, the coaching staff and everyone in the Celtic family, especially CQNers.
Here's to a great cup final with the Scottish Cup coming home to rest in Paradise at the end of it.
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Kevtic
You missed out Tony Cascarino and carl muggleton !!
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CF - a pleasure indeed amigo (if I might be so bold)
catholic = eclectic - fair enough but have you noticed the eclectic/Celtic anagram thing there. WG will have.
We are in agreement about the history of our club, I'm guessing in terms of both religion and politics.
I still think to suggest as you clearly did, that Celtic is not the right club for Seamus because he has aired the opinion that he is uncomfortable with the religious content of the site is harsh.
See, I think the political history of the club is vital too and without doubt the leanings of many posters here are certainly Irish republican and perhaps left of centre. We made a wee political reference ourselves the other night there.
If a poster came on here and suggested that politics should be best kept away from here, I might disagree but I wouldn't suggest that perhaps Celtic is not the right club for that person.
It is now the day after the day we won the big cup, Fernando is still keeping it low key but will need to re-emerge later today for the eve of poll activiites and I'm off in pursuit of sweet slumber.
A grand CQN week.
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McGrain
You wouldn't have any argument from me on the political front. Another night, when we have less important things on our minds, I'll share my most recent experience of the Partido Popular, during a visit to La Rioja in April. Mother of God.
However, if someone came on and said: "What does this have to do with Celtic?" you wouldn't be able to present the Brother Walfrid defence.
And yes, I do know about the political sympathies of the group of people he gathered round him (I know you know that I know), but they don't have big statues commemorating who they were and what they believed outside Celtic Park. On that basis, I make it 1-0 to religion.
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Paul
fanatstic collection of posts this week - you have lived up to your moniker
Do you think WGS harbours a secret ambition to put out an all Scottish team at some point next season?
Marshall
Caldwell McManus Kennedy Wilson
Riordan Brown Hartley McGeady
McDonald Miller
They could probably win the SPL
VertWolf
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VertWolf
McDonald is clearly Scottish, but you could have some dissenters over McGeady. I won't go there. Actually, I will.
Aiden is Scottish and Irish. So is Celtic. That's why we're called Celtic. Same goes for Jim O'Brien.
It's a beautiful thing that these bhoys, barely old enough to vote, have made the gestures they have made to keep the link that Walfrid envisioned alive. More power to them.
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Celtic_First
I was going by birth place - I make them all within 50 miles of Glasgow
VertWolf
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VertWolf
Stick Beattie in for McDonald then, as Melbourne would push the average way over the 50.
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Gordon
particularly enjoyed sharing your relived memories - I was rooting for you to make it there in time!
VertWolf
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I didn't want to post this on Friday, but cannot remain silent.
The brother of a work colleague was among a number of Liverpool supporters (some of them children, apparently) who had their match tickets for the game on Wednesday stolen by other Liverpool supporters on his way to the match.
That could not happen to us, right?
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Celtic_First
oops! - thanks
The new strip's marketing dream team
Marshall
Caldwell McManus Kennedy Wilson
Riordan Brown Hartley McGeady
Beattie Miller
VertWolf
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Gorgiebhoy,
Thoughts and prayers go out to you at this time
mncelt
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And so today I am up early. It cannot be the French exam, that must be tomorrow. Because today me and my mates, Jim, Frank, Harry, whoever else, just go from shop to shop buying every paper there is. I didn't know there WAS a Financial Times, let alone know where you could get it in Dumbarton.
Pink paper was OK, because there was the pink Times (Evening, on a Saturday). But sport on page 2? That's what the back page is for. No wonder finance has never made sense to me.
Tabloids, broadsheets, we bought and devoured them all. What happened to those newspapers we bought? I hope they were recycled, it would have saved half a Brazilian rainforest.
So now we were the Champions of Europe, and I had an exam the next day.
I passed the exam. Celtic, the club, those of us left, and the new generations, are waiting to pass the post '67 test. No pressure you know.
40 years and a day. I will enjoy this cup final. A Celtic family festival. No cliche can do it justice.
Anyone at the Celtic Park do last night?
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Thanks for the compliments lhads and all my condolences Georgiebhoy, my own mother's up the Ritchie Hill now with my da in a nice wee spot next tae the Renton gate.
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JUST BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!
Georgibhoy, my thoughts and prayers are with you!
Speak to you all tonite!!
Hail Hail
SPC
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The Bhoys Will Be Back With The Trophy Some Time Today.......
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Cup Final Day, can't be beaten:
When the Celts go up to lift the Scottish Cup we'll be there...
I have a feeling that today will be the Aiden McGeady Cup Final, he and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink the difference between the teams and a first Celtic goal for Paul Hartley
TMC
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Good Scottish Cup morning to all!
CF - buenos - tio, to conclude... I wasn't making the point that politics is as important to the history of our club as religion. Indeed we are in agreement that both remain significant in our claim to be more than a club.
Here's the point, Seamus has every right to wish that CQN should religion free without it being suggested that somehow that Celtic is not the right club for him. Which you did, CF.
You and I might both wish to convince him that religion and politics are important but he's much a right to support our catholic (eclectic) club as we.
We won the Big Cup yesterday - today the Scottish Cup. Good luck the Bhoys!
Cheerio Neil Lennon, one of us and Celtic legend.
McGrain
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hi paul. fellow celts .up early getting ready to head out for hampden, have read all the posts this morning wonderful stirring stuff,god how proud that i am a celtic man , also watched the big jock programme last night ,utterly disgusted that the big man wasn,t recognised properly with a knighthood ,after all immediately after man u won the big one .sir matt was awarded his as was proper .seems big jock upset more than his old friends when he took the celtic job .sad really .
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Champions of Europe.
For keeps
And the sun is shining on Cup Final day. For now anyway.
clap on
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Here's a wee sum for Cup Final Day :-
No Catholicism + No Ireland = No Celtic
It's lashing down in ML2 :-(
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Morning McGrain
I agree with you up to the point at which you say I suggested Celtic might be the right club for Seamus, as though I were trying to make Celtic less eclectic by excluding people who have outgrown religion.
No, no, no. It's unfair of you to keep saying that. Look back at my original post. All are welcome at the club and always have been. If you love Celtic, that's all you need.
No. What I was trying to do was invite him to ask himself if Celtic was the right club for him. This is different. I'm not able to provide an answer to the question, but if he really feels that football and religion should not mix (and he wasn't just talking about CQN, as his reference to Rangers shows), how does he react to the manifest mix of religion and football that is part of Celtic?
He calls on us to leave it all behind us.
If you love Celtic, you have to love the club as it is, not as you would like it to be.
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Fantastic thread Paul,i havent had time to contribute or read all of the posts but had a quick scan thru just now and a couple in particular caught my eye and their sentiment chime with my heart.
Av just read jinkyredstar 11.05 last night.you made my eyes fill up and lodged a lump in my throat.
In the same way that songs like McCaplines fusiliers do, you reminded me not to forget who has went before,the hardships they endured the result that is now us.
Celtic first 22.38 last night again on the same sentiment of where we've come from,what a fantastic motivational statement.
To give any kid or anyone for that matter such a pearl,a teacher at their very best"Mary you are as good as the best and better than most."
On days like today i'm especially proud to be a Tim.
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It wis lashing here as well earlier on. Don't expect the jungle oot the back to be dry enough to cut before I leave for some pre match ritual:o)
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hi all
enjoy yourself today
lets hope that mr kenny does not spoil our double.
news from the liverpool support in the med...has I_SPY been back on this week ;-)
adios.
menorcacsc
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Brilliant post Paul.
If I was not set for my cup final party in my flat in Shawlands I am now!
Cup final carry out out is chilling nicely in fridge, mates arriving from midday for a few swallies before a 20 minuts stroll to Hampden to hopefully watch the Lurgan legend leave us with another trophy.
Be loud & proud.
Hail Hail
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Up for the cup today, come on the Bhoys!
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Paul
Your articles over the past few days have been inspired as have many of the contributions by our "CQN mates" You've stirred many dormant memories to the benefit of us all. Many thanks.
Hopefully you'll also be running live updates today as that other family of mine have other priorities which involve me being in Brittany on a dial-up connection only so it'll be the torture of BBC text updates without you.
All of you wherever you are let's hope for another victory over Dunfermline in a Cup FInal as being the launch pad of another era of European success for the Bhoys.
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Derbyshirebhoy
It's worth your while trying to pick up either Radio5 or RTE in Brittany, depending on exactly where you are.
That has worked for me in the past.
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Celtic first;
(Although i'm Rubber Balloons, I'm seamus1960.)
Calm your jets. There are certain individuals on this site who flash their religious credentials at the drop of a hat.
I'm a practising catholic, married to a protestant and we have held season tickets for fifteen years and It's stupid of you to ask if Celtic are the right club for me.
Celtic always have and always will be a club open to all regardless of religion or creed, not a club who like catholics a little bit more than the rest.
The point I was making was that some posters, like I said earlier, cannot help but wave the catholic flag at any opportunity.
At Celtic we are all equal and thats the way it should be.
Thanks for your comments McGraininspain.
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Hope the Good Ghuys win today. Have a great day if you're going.
Hail, Hail.
pablophanque
No.1 This day in History
A Whiter Shade Of Pale - Procol Harum. 1967
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I'm off soon to meet Tom The Tim,Terry O'Neill and Setting Free The Bears for a few pre-match beers.
A few is more than 5 but less than 10......
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Seumas
You have interpreted my comments in the same way as McGraininSpain. This is not what I intended at all.
I was not asking or trying to answer the question about Celtic being the right club for you, but suggesting you ask yourself the question, which is entirely different.
Imagine walking into a miners' welfare club and asking for a jug of Pimms and for them to bring up a magnum of their finest champagne from the cellar and put it to chill.
You and McGrain seem to think I'm like a guy behind the bar saying: "Get out and don't darken our door again."
Wrong.
I'm like the guy scratching his head in surprise and saying: "Are you sure you've got the right address?"
I can't provide the answer and have never pretended I could. I bow out of the discussion and wish you well.
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Firsty - wouldn't want to be unfair to you, in my opinion you're a diamond geezer as some of my fellow expats would put it, but I can't help but pick up a very strong inference in your post. If that's not the case, apologies and of course I accept your word.
WG - hiya pal. Your sums would add up better for me if you multiplied the (R+I) by sense of social justice (J) or indeed committment to eradicate poverty (EP)
so, C= (R+I) x EP Mmm might that suggest EP is more important than R or I?
OK. How about C= R+I+EP
Celtic, more than an equation
Done my 20 lengths, kids are going berserk to McFly in their Celtic shirts and I feel good about today.
We won the Big Cup yesterday - today the Scottish Cup. Good luck the Bhoys!
Cheerio Neil Lennon, one of us and Celtic legend.
C'MON THE HOOPS
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celtic-first;
I just could not believe that you ever even wondered if I had the right address.
All the best to you too, and Come on the hoops!
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Let's have a few Cup Finals to get us all in the mood....as if we need it.
In just how many cup finals did our Big Billy score in?
1972
1988
1995 semi replay
1995 Final
1971 replay
1969
1989
Todays prediction 4 - 1
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Morning all,
For those who missed it last night, a reminder that the SFA are providing free online video coverage of today’s game (for those overseas only, tho’). Click here for details.
On the eve of the Kilmarnock game I posted a list of the title-winning games I had attended over the years. Since that turned out to be a successful tactic I’ve decided to repeat the exercise with Scottish Cup Finals.
Today will be my 17th Scottish Cup Final including a couple where the Hoops weren’t involved (I nearly wrote that I had attended these as a neutral but if you look at the teams involved you’ll realise that I was most definitely rooting for one of one of the participants).
1964-65 Celtic 3 - 2 Dunfermline
1966-67 Celtic 2 - 0 Aberdeen
1969-70 Aberdeen 3 - 1 Celtic
1971-72 Celtic 6 - 1 Hibernian
1973-74 Celtic 3 - 0 Dundee United
1974-75 Celtic 3 - 1 Airdrie
1976-77 Celtic 1 - 0 Rangers
1977-78 Rangers 2 - 1 Aberdeen
1978-79 Rangers 3 - 2 Hibernian
After Two 0 - 0 Draws & Extra Time
1979-80 Celtic 1 - 0 Rangers
After Extra Time
1983-84 Aberdeen 2 - 1 Celtic
After Extra Time
1984-85 Celtic 2 - 1 Dundee United
1987-88 Celtic 2 - 1 Dundee United
1989-90 Aberdeen 0 - 0 Celtic
After Extra Time
Aberdeen win 9 - 8 On Penalties
1994-95 Celtic 1 - 0 Airdrie
2003-04 Dunfermline 1 - 3 Celtic
I have vivid memories of all of those games;
Big Billy’s winning header in 1965
The huge crowd as Wispy sent us off on our way to Lisbon in 1967
Dixie’s celebrations in 1972
One of my favourite players, Stevie Murray, scoring in 1974
Big Billy being held aloft with the Cup after his final game in 1975
Andy Lynch’s penalty in 1977
George McCluskey blasting home a spectacular winner in 1980 (OK, maybe my memory is playing tricks on me there)
Frank McGarvey’s diving header in 1985
Frank McAvennie’s last minute winner in the centenary season in 1988
The look of joy on the Maestro’s face at the final whistle in 1995
Henrik’s triumphant farewell in 2004
Obviously I have memories from the losing finals too but let’s not dwell on those.
Here’s hoping that today brings more happy memories to add to the list – I’m confident that Lenny’s celebrations will feature highly.
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Any tickets?
Go on...
Go on go on go on.
Ye will. Ye'll have a ticket.
YE WILL!!
Unequivocally McGasping...
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I'm off for a pint as soon as the taxi arrives but I want to express my thanks first to all who have posted and shared their memories of those great times.
On my good days, I feel I can string a few words together as well as the next man but the next man has certainly raised his game in this thread. I feel humbled in the presence of such wit and honesty and poetry. And it's a good feeling to know at times.
On to Hampden- I expect the impressive Stephen Kenny to set us a hard task today despite his team's problems. Still expect 3:1 win for the Lion's cubs.
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If you are living outside of the UK and can't see the game on tv, it's available free at www.imgworld.com/scottishfa
I'll be happy if we score one more than them today.
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Dick Byrne
Your reference to the George McCluskey goal in 1980 brings back memories of the Celtic View's report of the game.
It devoted large numbers of column centimetres to trying to prove that McCluskey's flick was a carefully executed deliberate piece of brilliance, rather than a bit of a jammy deflection on Danny's one shot for that season.
And they wondered why we called The View 'Pravda'.
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Dick Byrne CelticFirst and Ardoch
Many thanks for the info. I shall be doing my very best to make something work somehow but as I'm in Central Brittany on dial up and the radio is hissing at me I fear I'm reliant on text for today. Still it's to be hoped that I don't repeat my mistakes of the last MON final which I dutifully recorded on Sky + for my return but pressed the wrong button deleting it in a millisecond! From what I heard of that final I probably made better use of the 90 minutes saved tan had I watched it?
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derbyshire one positive is that you don't have to put up with dooglie friggin donnelly.
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McGraininSpain and Seumas1960
Good men. I'm glad we end the discussion as friends, just like it should be.
Derbyshire, I'd keep trying with the radio. I have fond memories of listening to a Celtic game on RTE one sunny evening while indulging in a selection of Breton seafood and Muscadet.
Terry O'Neill
Sorry, I missed your comment earlier. You brought tears to my eyes, man. You're right. Imagine being a teacher whose words of wisdom were so powerful your pupils pass them on to their children. What a gift.
All, if you haven't seen the Michael Walker piece in today's Guardian about Neil Lennon, you should take a look. You can't post it on CQN for language violation reasons.
Here's to the Hoops lifting the Cup. A good Cup Final afternoon to one and all.
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At 26/05/07 12:20, Ardoch said…
If you are living outside of the UK and can't see the game on tv, it's available free at www.imgworld.com/scottishfa
I'll be happy if we score one more than them today.
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Why did you omit that it cannot also be viewed in Ireland. Arrgghh!!
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there's that link
Lenny in the Guardian
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There we are CF back on vinicultural turf...
I assume it was a Muscadet Sur Lie?
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new article posted.
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At 26/05/07 09:22, winningemmell said…
Here's a wee sum for Cup Final Day :-
No Catholicism + No Ireland = No Celtic
WG, there is an element of truth in your equation. Here's another, equally true equation:
Only Catholicism + only Irish = No Celtic.
Paul...SUPERB blog over the last few days.
Martin and many others....thank you so much for your posts. Many of them succeeded in whisking me back to a magical time. I have my own memories, but I couldn't compete with the way that you guys articulated yours.
AND....this relection on that wonderful time has changed the atmosphere for today. No longer a big team v wee team end of season albeit cup final. It is now firmly on my mind as an important extension of a wonderful Celtic legacy. A legacy that had its finest moment 40 years and a day ago.
Have a great day everybody.
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Posted this a day early!
If You Know Your History....
On the morning of 25th May 1967 just after 5 in the morning my oul man set out from his home in Bridgeton and walked down to the Cathedral on Clyde Street for the early mass. The unusually large congregation left their banners and flags laid out along the back wall, the priest who said the mass (and, not believing his luck, held an impromptu second collection) blessed the banners and travellers as they set out to the airport on their journey of a lifetime.
On the plane on the way out, the auld yin ended up sitting next to another priest, this time a very young man, not long ordained. He told my dad about how he had begged his boss to give him time off to go to the game. The parish priest had stubbornly refused and was so aware of the young man's determination that he took it upon himself to lock him in his room the night before. This young priest confessed how he had escaped out the window by tying the bed sheets together. Maybe some callings are just too strong.
The afternoon was spent in the company of a Portuguese man and the two of them communicated as best they could with what little French they both shared. This local man had a ticket and accompanied my dad to the game, he was as captivated by the followers of Glasgow Celtic as all his countrymen were and a solid friendship was struck up. Letters and Christmas cards were exchanged for a few years afterwards until civil unrest broke out in Lisbon on the death of Salazar at which point all correspondence sadly stopped.
(Now this part of the story is turning quite sad, what happened to the man no one will know. But that is for another time. This would be the point where my Gran would interject with her recollections of that fateful day...
So back up the stairs in Bridgeton, to the scullery where my Gran was rewashing and re tidying things for the umpteenth time in a state of nervous anxiety. Until Jessie fae up the stair called on her, to take her doon the stair to the only wummin wi a telly in the close. I can't remember this woman's name, but her house was packed out with people jostling for a glimpse of those grainy images and the never to be forgotten commentary.
Half time came and Celtic were one down. This all became too much for my Gran, so herself and Jessie went for a long walk around the Green. As they walked they each produced rosary beads and started a wee novena. Decades later, an hour had passed, they had walked for miles without them seeing a soul, suddenly a dirty old tramp appeared walking towards them, waving his arms in the air. The old man grabbed my Gran and gave her a dirty great kiss, repeating over and over, "Celtic won the cup!) In what might have been the first ever huddle, the three of them hugged and cried and laughed and sang round and round the Glasgow Green. In later years, when my Gran recalled the story she always recoiled in mock horror at being kissed by the manky old guy.)
Anyway, after the game the old man was on the first plane back, after about an hour in the air, a hat was passed round for the "driver". It had gone forward about 15 rows, when a stewardess pointed out that, no way could they accept such a gesture, it was against company policy. The direction of the hat was reversed but only managed to go three rows back before it was emptied.
He was back in his house just after 11 o'clock that night. But not before walking through Bridgeton and seeing rows of tenements with all sorts of flags and banners hanging from windows, even tea towels, as long as they had something green on them. Bridgeton!
In those days my da was a student and as such had just enough money for the flight and a ticket. He never had money for a programme or a memento of that day. He never even kept his ticket through the turnstile.
Or so he thought until a couple of months ago. When he was cleaning out a cupboard in the house, he came across a small piece of folded cardboard. A special three day passport, with one stamp mark on it. It simply reads....
Lisboa, Maio 25, 1967.
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