If they can become champions of Europe, anything is possible

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But somewhere out of the darkness must come light.  My generation coincided with Celtic’s worst period.  Yet they still occupied a special place at the edge of my imagination, as a powerful, strange force that always somehow held the promise of a sense of meaning.

And now, incredibly, that promise threatens to be delivered.  So savour this moment.  Remember this place.  Remember the way it looks and sounds and smells.  Remember the way the moment feels.  Savour it when life gets tough.  Because if this can happen – if a football team that contains Catholics and Protestants, a set of players who all hail from the Glasgow area, a club set up to feed the hungry children of despised immigrants – if they can become champions of Europe, then anything is possible.

From The Road to Lisbon, a novel, published today, by Martin Greig and Charles McGarry.

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  1. twists n turns on

    Oooft…what a peach. 35 yarder straight intae the tap coarner. Candidate for opening post of the season:-)

  2. Do the creditors (aside from the biggies like HMRC, Ticketus) not have the right to go to the court and ask them to consider whether D&P are acting in thier best interests, you know, like they are supposed to?

  3. merseycelt lmfao as the big house door slams shut on

    Awe naw

     

     

    Where are you?

     

     

    Another top 10 finish for me!

     

     

    Must remind myself to stop reading the article first.

     

     

    Winning is what it is all about!

     

     

    HH

  4. Steviebhoy66 on

    Great Commentary on last thread….Made me laugh

     

    Was only a baby when the glorious day happened…my late Dad told me all about it though…many times

     

     

    C’mon you boys in green

     

     

    Imagine the GB on that day :)

     

     

    Hail Hail

  5. !!Bada Bing!! on

    You can understand if Fraser Forster wants to go back south to help his International career.Norwich GK John Ruddy pulls out this morning for the Euros with a broken finger,Birmingham’s Jack Butland (me neither) has been called up as a replacement,

  6. While today is the 45th Anniversary of the greatest day in the history of football, it is also the 35th Anniversary of the greatest day in Cinema history! Strangely and happily they are connected!

     

     

    It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have

     

    won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.

     

     

    May the Force be with you all!!!!

  7. jungle jam67 on

    JOCK STEIN 67

     

     

    LISBON LIONS 67

     

     

    GLASGOW’S GREEN & WHITE

     

     

    Jam67

  8. Marrakesh Express on

    Fort-five years ago today. Just a magical memory. Watched it as a 12 year old at home in Castlemilk. It wasnt only about CFC becoming the first Scottish/British/Non-Latin/Northern European club to win the big cup, it was the way it was won. Celtic’s performance and style of attacking football that day is still talked about all over the world by those who saw it. Thanks to Jock Stein, CFC became a famous name that day, and another team has never lived it down since.

     

     

    I went to every home game and it wasnt untill we saw off Vojvodina (who were very good) that we felt that something big could be happening, although subconsciously never expecting to get past the Italian millionaires who had knocked out the great Real Madrid. Anyway the rest is the stuff of legend.

     

     

    After the game every young boy in that area of Casltemilk headed for St.Dominics school football pitch. Ther must have been over 100 players on the pitch that night, perhaps 5 different games going on. Can you imagine it, 5 or 6 keepers in each goal? Thats the way it was, everyone felt truly inspired to play football and copy their heroes. I’ll never forget it. Dont think I saw my old man for 2 days. He ended up in the Gorbals which was a total party zone. Fantastic memories and although a long time ago, still very vivid.

     

    Eternal Thanks to Jock Stein and the Lisbon Lions (and the other players who got us to Lisbon).

  9. sixtaeseven: No NewClub in SPL and it's Non-Negotiable! on

    Morning all from gay Paree, summer’s here today (27C max).

     

     

    Was it really 45 years ago?

     

    I watched it on the old B&W telly at home and I can remember the magic of that day and the days to come.

     

     

    Thank you, Jock and the Lisbon Lions!

  10. merseycelt lmfao as the big house door slams shut on

    I see Hoops has a dream to play for Barca one day. So do I!

     

     

    Gary, you’re good but not that good!

     

     

    The reason you’ve not been picked for England is because Rooney and De Foe are much better strikers than you.

     

     

    It is important for a footballer to be ambitious but this needs to be curtailed by realistic expectations; otherwise, disappontment and delusion awaits!

     

     

    Keep it real and get that contract signed!

     

     

    BTW, I dont wish to offend anyone but I cant stand the Scottish national team. To me, they are just part of the proven anti-Celtic conspiracy and it has been going on since pro football began. Just compare the cap count for great Celts against clogging huns!

     

     

    HH

  11. Och ,I hope we’re no gonna be talking aboot Lisbon awe day.

     

    ……………………………………………………….were is that tin hat?

  12. Dontbrattbakkinanger on

    Feast of Corpus Christi, Holiday of Obligation.

     

     

    Quickest Masses ever ?

  13. BlantyreTim said

     

    glassford03

     

    I never realised you where as old..

     

    not about time you retired ?

     

     

    If I could get out of this place I would in a minute BT. However JC and Mr G somehow got ahead of me in the queue.

  14. pintaguinness @ 09:31

     

     

    I think you’re right, it was the feast of Coprus Christi: and us west of Scotland Tims would have had the day off as a Holyday of Obligation.

     

     

    I made my First Holy Communion at St Eunan’s, Clydebank on the morning of Saturday, 27 May, but missed school on Friday, 26th due to exhaustion!

     

     

    Amongst my cherished memories of 25.5.67, I vividly recall the lovely weather that night – and a group of school pals (and their older relatives) wending their way home past my house that evening, singing Celtic songs and carrying a bed-sheet banner proclaiming ‘Celtic Champions of Europe’.

     

     

    O tempora o mores …

  15. Anything is possible

     

    Anything is possible

     

    Anything is possible

     

    Anything…

     

    Is Possible

     

     

    Thought I couldn’t slow him down

     

    Long enough to look my way

     

    Thought he was out of my league

     

    Wouldn’t give me time of day

     

    Thought he was like all the rest

     

    Love her, leave her, no remorse

     

    But I guess that I misjudged

     

    And this thing just ran its course

     

    He taught me –

     

     

    Anything is possible

     

    Anything is possible…..if you put your mind to it

     

    Anything is possible

     

    Anything is possible

     

    Break it down now…….

     

     

    Much to my surprise I felt

     

    A warm, not cold vibe

     

    When he looked in my eyes

     

    His bad boy front not charm

     

    Was his disguise

     

    (Let me tell ya)

     

    He read so much into me

     

    Listened so attentively

     

    He liked me, I rest my case

     

    Wasn’t just a pretty face

     

     

    If you set your mind

     

    You can do anything you want

     

    Not every guy is a bad guy

     

    Don’t stereotype

     

    ‘Cause this guy, he proved me wrong

     

    He taught me:

     

     

    Anything is possible

     

    Anything is possible……

  16. The Honest Mistake loves being first on

    merseycelt lmfao as the big house door slams shut on 25 May, 2012 at 09:49 said:

     

     

    Realistically Celtic aren’t going to win the European cup in the next 45 years. Do you want the players to buy into the reality? Ambition outweighing reality is what got us that trophy.

  17. merseycelt lmfao as the big house door slams shut on

    Bada Bing

     

     

    Good point you make but you need to build in the Pearce factor (I know he’s not the manager now but he was interim and has been around the international set-up for a long time).

     

     

    Stuart Pearce is a fud!

     

     

    HH

  18. I’m thinking of buying a new TV today.

     

    One electrical shop is doing a deal, for every goal Engurland score at the euro’s, they will give you a tenner back.

     

    I wont be expecting any great amount of cash back of the TV of my choice, as I think they have a manager who wont ‘cut it’ at that level.

     

    His decision this morning to overlook FF for some unknown from a diddy nothing club has just confirmed this.

     

    Still at least I wont have to cheer Engurlands 2 goals now.

     

    I really hope they score -3 goals as I’d gladly pay another 30 quid just to see that ;)

  19. Seldom post these days, but important in these times to wish Happy Lisbon Day to all!

  20. Paul 67

     

     

    I don’t know about yourself but, I got a strange feeling what with the way wee Bertie has been talking about, Neil being right to think that he(Neil) can win the Champions League with us!

     

     

    I recognise where Neil is coming from but, I think we could be shock-troops in the Europa league if, we end up there!

     

     

    Only saying like.

     

    Hail Hail

  21. It seems like Bill Miller’s lawyer can read………

     

     

    the writing on the wall.

  22. How refreshing to hear of an English player (Hooper) who has his goals set on Barcelona… a foreign team in a foreign league… a different culture. It makes a change from the 99% of english and unfortunately scottish players who’s ultimate aim seems to be a contract (whether they play or not is irrelevant) with the likes of Wigan in the self-styled ‘Biggest League in the World’. Apart from joe cole at Lille, I can’t think of another english player abroad. Even if there are a few, the numbers are pitiful. Can’t get decent fish ‘n’ chips outside england i suppose……..

  23. If you were a Tim and anywhere on the planet that day….you got the news.

     

    I was a 16 year old boy who had emigrated from Glasgow the previous year to the North West of Canada. It was big news there,remote as it was.

     

    Arguably the greatest football achievement in the history of the game.

     

    HH! to you all, to The Bhoys of ’67 and Jock Stein,the mastermind.

  24. Onto other matters, its very telling how the BBC documentary from the other night seems to have been utterly ignored by the MSM. Do they think we are daft and will just forget about it?

     

     

    Seems they can’t handle the truth about their beloved crook David Murray.

     

     

    As for the SFA and SPL they are beyond the pale. How Ogilvie cane still be in office boggles the mind.

     

     

    Only in Scotland

  25. If FF was called up to the England squad we would have had 0% chance of signing him!!!

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