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Arthur, Willie and Albert Kidd

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Ahead of our visit to Tynecastle on Sunday I’m going to share this story with you.  It was written by a Celtic fan, Arthur.  Arthur wasn’t always a Celtic fan.  In fact, he travelled with his grandfather to Rugby Park on the final day of the 1964-65 season with his fellow Hearts fans to see the title decider.

For Arthur, it wasn’t all about Hearts, though, his favourite player was their stop striker, Willie Wallace.  When Willie left for Celtic Park in 1966, Arthur’s allegiance followed him.  Neither of them would look back.

Williie was back from Australia a few years ago, when we did his autobiography.  I was with him at a signing session at Waterstones in Stirling when this guy walked in with a carrier bag from the Celtic Superstore.  Willie was busy holding court so I made my way towards the new visitor, Arthur, who told me his unique introduction to Celtic.

What a great moment seeing Arthur and Willie meet.

Some of us are born into Celtic but an increasing number of us make our own way to Celtic Park.  Arthur’s story was brilliant.  He chose Celtic, chose the Lisbon Lions, six months before they would become so, and almost half a century on the fire burns as brightly.

I love hearing stories of how people come to Celtic.  One for another day, is the son of an African father and Scottish mother, who received copies of the Sunday Post in the mail, courtesy of his non-football affiliated Scottish grandfather.

The intention of sending the ‘Post was no doubt to inform a Scottish ex-pat of what was going on back home, but the lasting result was to spark excitement in an African man for Jock Stein’s Celtic, one which still burns in his son today.

That’s maybe a story for another day, but Arthur sat at his keyboard to recall a great Celtic league win, as well as a memorable family moment, here’s his story:

“My Dad. He was my best pal, a warm, likeable man with a great sense of humour. We shared a love of football in spite of me becoming a Celtic fan when Willie Wallace transferred to us. He’d shout for us on TV against Rangers or in European Cup games.

“But he was always a Hearts man, although not so much as years past. After seeing them lose the league title in 1965 on goal average, then the cup at Hampden in 1968 to Dunfermline, he used to think he was ‘a jinx’.

“Fast forward to the third of May 1986.  Me, my wife and three kids, and my mum and dad head from Edinburgh to Loch Eck near Dunoon for a weekend in a caravan. My youngest daughter just two months old, made my Dad as happy as his other grandchildren.

“We listened as best we could to on the car radio to the Celtic game, but reception up round the Rest and Be Thankful was patchy! Eventually we reached the caravan, unpacked a few things, brewed a cup of tea, and got the telly on.

“By now late afternoon, Celtic had done all they could to snatch the title from Hearts, but it looked like it was heading to Tynecastle. In my heart a wee bit of me was happy for my Dad.

Then, to quote Archie McPherson, ‘WOOOSHH’!  Albert Kidd scores for Dundee late in the game. ‘WOOOSH’ ! The wee man does it again. An ‘Archie Gemmill’ type goal, scored by Bobby Ball’s lookalike.

“As it does, the adrenalin hit me. Up I jumped, dancing round the wee caravan, tea cups getting bumped, alarmed kids wondering what’s up with me. My mum cheering as she was happy for me.

Then I looked at my Dad. Hadn’t seen him like that often. Thirty years on I don’t remember his exact words but by his expression, a bit like gathering thunder, I could see he was less than pleased.

“Embarrassed silence engulfed the caravan.

“Finally my mum broke the silence. ‘ I’ll put the kettle on’.  I think I mumbled an apology to my Dad, like a wee boy. And you know what? He gave me one of his bear hugs and forgave me.

“Never forgave Albert Kidd though.”

Here we go………..

Many thanks to everyone who entered the raffle for tickets for Sunday, we raised £1298.73, which is already with Mary’s Meals.  The winner has been informed, but has not responded to his email yet, so check!  Thanks again to the guys at Intelligent Car Leasing.

The Road to Lisbon, update

It’s seven weeks until the cyclists set off from Celtic Park on The Road to Lisbon.  This is an incredible Celtic fan project, read the update here and make sure you keep an eye on progress.

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  9. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    PHILBHOY

     

     

    Fine and dandy,old bean. Lovely day outside,perfect for a split shift(!)

     

     

    Hope you and yer gals are smashing too.

     

     

    Bring back the fitba’!

  14. jimtim on

    Haven’t managed to read back . Is there any report on Griffiths injury from the Scotland game . Will he be ft for Sunday .

  15. Auld Tam on

    Paul67 –

     

     

    The 1964/65 league decider took place at Tynecastle, not Rugby Park.

     

     

    It was the same day as Celtic’s 3-2 Scottish Cup triumph over Dunfermline.

     

     

    Goal average rather than goal difference was used in those days and Kilmarnock, managed by Willie Waddell, needed a 2-0 victory to clinch the title, which they duly did.

     

     

    I clearly remember coming out of Hampden that day. My uncle Patrick told my dad, “Just to make it even better, Kilmarnock won the league.”

     

     

    Even in those days, our dislike of the Edinburgh Huns was evident.

  16. prestonpans bhoys on

    Hertz have managed to lose the league by goal average and goal difference, would bring a tear to a glass eye :0)

  18. Turkeybhoy on

    See Pedro has cancelled the Wednesday off for the Hun galacticos.According to Uber Hun Halliday,the players were not pleased at first,but are really enjoying it now”

     

    Ur they,Aye.

  20. Turkeybhoy on

    JIMTIM on 30TH MARCH 2017 12:26 PM

     

    Haven’t managed to read back . Is there any report on Griffiths injury from the Scotland game . Will he be ft for Sunday .

     

     

     

    Dont think he would have played anyway.If fit,on the bench.A pity,because he loves scoring against the Hearts.

     

    Would love to see BR play Griff to the right of the other two in place of Forrest.If you add in Armstrong and Rogic,the goalscoring threat would be phenomenal.Would love to see all 5 start in the Semi final.

  25. BABASONICOS71 on

    DBHOY on 30TH MARCH 2017 12:26 PM

     

    St Mirren 0 Celtic 5 1986 (God Bless Albert Kidd)…

     

     

     

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qywda-v64c

     

    ===

     

    Thanks for that link,magic mhate.

     

    That was the first league win I got to be at,me and 3 mates up on the train from Greenock.Brilliant day,i’ll never forget it,especially that 3rd goal and the roars when news of Dundee scoring filtered through.

     

    Best ever away kit too.

     

    Brilliant,cheers again fhella.

  26. FIAGOTTPF on

    Had it been goal difference rather than goal average, Hearts would have won the league in 64/65 and after they lost the league they campaigned to change the method to goal difference, which is of course a much fairer method.

     

     

    I don’t remember quite that far back but I do remember 85/86 very clearly as that was the year I moved to Edinburgh and the year Hearts won the league … or so I was told with increasing certainty as each week passed and more & more previously invisible Jambos came out of the woodwork as Hearts continued their long unbeaten run, building up a big lead over Celtic.

     

     

    I of course pointed out that Celtic had a lot of games in hand, which could make up the difference – but the backlog of games remained till late into the season and we were faced with having to catch up a lot of games in a short time. I can’t remember quite why that happened (I’m sure those responsible for fixture scheduling were trying their hardest?), but going into the closing weeks of the season it looked like a tall order – even my flatmates couldn’t believe that I wasn’t prepared to concede defeat …and one of them was a Celtic supporter. It was all the sweeter then to get the win in the final minutes of the final game of the season – smile at all the one season wonder Jambos at work disappeared … and collect my £10 bet from my ‘put your money where your mouth is’ flatmate.

     

     

    The kicker for Hearts is that they lost the league on goal difference … but would have won if it had been goal average.

  27. Thunder Road on

    Dbhoy

     

     

    Always a joy to see that so thanks for posting it :

     

     

    3rd goal is one of my all time favourite goals……just a pity it was that wee git that was on the end of it!

     

    In an ideal world the keeper would have saved it and it would have broke to Danny to slam home into the empty net!

     

    It was an ideal world that day though :)

  30. timmy7_noted on

    One of the best days in my life that day at Love Street, it was never a place I liked to go to but in those days I travelled on the Craigneuk Tommy Gemmell and never missed a game. The emotional surge when we knew which Kidd had scored was incredible, it was also the only time I ever went on to the pitch to celebrate a win. Oh to be so young again…….

     

     

    It was also fun as we passed the hun buses on the M8 on the way home… :-)

  31. Big Jimmy on

    That famous day in May 1985…..I was working that Saturday and knew nothing about the scores from Love St and/or Dens Park

     

    it was my boss ( who was once a groundsman at Ipox), and a part time Hun, who came to me around 4.50pm and simply uttered these magic words…………” your Celtic have won the League” !

     

    I think I may have kissed him ?

     

    It was only in the nearby pub after work that the stories of celtic winning 5-0, and Dundee and Albert Kidd winning 2-0 reached my ears.

     

    I may well have got drunk that night ?

  32. Dbhoy on

    CORKCELT,BABASONICOS71&THUNDER ROAD

     

    Your welcome ghents. It was an awesome Celtic day HH

     

    ———-

     

    BABASONICOS71

     

    That away top was my first and was my pride and joy for a long time. Always had it on.Vaguely remember my Mum pleading with me to take off so she could wash it :)

  33. Thunder Road on

    Turkeybhoy

     

     

    Gotta get the midfield won.

     

    We finished the last game with Moussa, Sinky, Paddy, Griff all on and as much as that was an exciting prospect, we then conceded that area and their threat was minimised.

     

    Agree though about the creative and goalscoring threat from midfield via Armstrong and Rogic……probably about 20 between them so far so even if someone can find a way to stop Moussa and Sinky…….having guys scoring from deeper can make the difference.

  34. mncelt on

    That was one of the best days ever to be a Celtic supporter. So glad that I was there, I think on the Croy bus that day.

  35. Chairbhoy on

    Hi Paul67,

     

     

    Great stories today… reminded me…

     

     

    A few years back I got a call from a chap. He was down in Marlow on Business and wanted to catch the Celtic UCL game.

     

     

    There was a couple of English Clubs playing that evening, finding a local hostelry showing the game had proven difficult for the ghuy, he’d phoned the local (Wycombe) Irish Club and they’d given him my number.

     

     

    Anyways I found somewhere to show the game, there were a group of us there and he turned up just before K.O.

     

     

    We were ensconced watching the Game but the small talk relieved very little about the chap, other than the fact the ghuy was obviously English with no obvious connection to Celtic…. well apart from being Celtic daft of course.

     

     

    Turns out…

     

     

    As a nipper from Yorkshire, his dad took him to Elland Road, to see their great team play in the European Cup Semifinal.

     

     

    But the lad had come away from the game being totally enthralled by the Celtic performance in general and Jimmy Johnstone in particular.

     

     

    By the second leg he was a Celtic Supporter:))

     

     

    Hail Hail

  37. Bhoyjoebelfast on

    Auld Tam

     

    Was at 65 cup final with my late dad. The love street game, was at my nieces wedding and was the wedding of weddings. Great day indeed. Did hearts have a book about how they won the league.and have to withdraw it.

  40. BABASONICOS71 on

    DBHOY…

     

    That was back in the good old days when strips weren’t replaced every season.That was our change kit for a good few years,and beautiful it was.It’s greenness was magnificent.

     

     

    HH

  42. Dbhoy on

    Remember coming accross Arsenal fans outside Dalmarnock train station on the way to paradise for a league game.

     

    On hearing their accent I said something like ‘ long way from home boys ‘ upon which they explained that the Celtic support had blew them away at Tony Adams testimonial.

     

    Told me they had never seen a support like it, instant Celtic fans and had travelled up to sample it for themselves.

     

     

    This was early 90s , think first game after the bunnet took over.If memory serves it was v Motherwell and we got beat 1-0 ( wee bassa Arnott ) . About 37k there that day.

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