I remember the days (as a kid) when I’d get excited about Scotland-England games. At the time the countries were neck-and-neck in the number of wins each had over the other, we knew we’d punched well above our weight for a century. Since then, the inevitable verdict of demographics has taken its toll.
Now we know we’re a small nation, inconsequential to the football world, and we’ve even starved of developmental resources compared to the riches that ploughs into the English FA from Premier League TV deals each season.
The historical rivalry remains but I don’t feel it anymore and surely English fans care even less. They will have to dig deep to muster anything more than an interest in the three points available tonight, having long since moved onto Argentina and Germany for their rivalry. And Iceland, of course (forgive me).
Great sporting rivalries can endure for generations but that doesn’t mean they’ll last forever. Circumstances can change causing both sides to lose interest and find others to do battle with. None of our 20th century rivalries will survive. If we could bloody the nose of Barcelona for a third time in the 21st century later this month, our hit rate would place the Catalans in the crosshairs. Bring it on.
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BIGJIMMY
Pat Stanton was a snip,and but for that bliddy toe injury would have continued to coach our younger players on the pitch. Roy Aitken would have benefitted too,IMO.
All y teams are in 3:5:2 formation because we have never been renowned for our defence- let’s me squeeze in more greats. I could easily do 3 more.
My 1st team is:-
Boruc
McGrain Connelly Gemmell
Johnstone Murdoch Hay McStay Lennox
Larsson Dalglish
Team 2
Forster
McNeil Clark Tierney
McGeadie Moravcik Auld Di Canio Hughes
McAvennie McBride
Team 3
Gordon
Stanton Van Dijk Bobo Balde
Wallace Lambert Petrov Wanyama Nakamura
Sutton Van Hoojdonk
Good afternoon Bhoys & Ghirls..I haven’t read back today so apologies if this was already posted..but I just wanted to share this tune..I know many here will identify with it..no fanfare..no poppies..just a quiet remembrance of ordinary people that went before us & stories that should forever be passed down!
HH COYBIG
https://youtu.be/sTNKCw7sEu4
Trumpets of Jericho – The BibleCode Sundays
SFTB
Great selections, even though he was a bit of a maverick I loved DiCanio remember him keeping the ball up against Hearts, think the Hearts defender got fed up and just started kicking our Paulo, still didn’t get the ball
Big Jimmy
Agree re Stanton/ McDonald.
I think that big Roddy also made Scotland’s initial large 78 world cup squad such was his improvement that season.
Pat Stanton was a fabulous player.i was very pleased to finally see him in the hoops.
Huns actually had a fine team in those days with blackleg,brownlie Schaefer,cropley,edwards ,Gordon and O’Rourke amongst others
Huns should of course read hibs . Don’t know how that happened.
Ok first attempt.
Foster
Danny McG Paul E Marc R Tom B
Naka Maestro Petrov Lubo
Henke Bobby L
Oops that Minx post is actually moi, HT.
AlwaysCheckLogInCSC
Team 4
Hunter
Jim Craig Johan Mjjalby Marc Reiper
Brian McLaughlin (the good one) Steve Murray Charlie Gallagher Willie Fernie Billy Stark
Chalmers Macari
Team 5
Simpson
Dunky McKay John Kennedy Joos Valgaeren
Maloney Divers Aitken Burns Forrest
Deans Cadete
Team 6
David Marshall
Jackie McNamara (the elder) Paul Elliot Pat McCluskey
Neil Lennon Jackie Mac (the younger) Scott Brown Kris Commons Tom Rogic
Hartson McGarvey
SFTB
In 3 teams no place for the wonderful Harry Hood, one of my Heroes when I was young , we were blessed to see so many talented players wearing the hoops, one of the old timers in our village used to regale me with tales of Johnny Crum. HH
Damn- I left out Harry Hood- back to the drawing board.
PapaJoe
Honest- I posted before I read yours.
I cut Harry out of an earlier team and forgot to put him back in. There are probably several more unforgiveable omissions
Good Afternoon.
Picture the scene if you will.
At maybe 11:30 pm last night I find myself sitting with a cup of tea about ten rows back from the Directors box in the South stand at Celtic Park.
Immediately to my right sits The Angel Gabriel of this Parish, and slightly further on, in the row in front, sits The Minx. Immediately in front of her sits Hamilton Tim who is engaged in conversation with another Celtic Fan who is doing the sleep out.
It is always a pleasure and a privilege to sit and chat with big Fraser (Angel Gabriel) and last night we exchanged some views on something we have in common which affects our respective loved ones.
However, in a change of topic the big man suddenly says:
“That;s the first time I have ever walked out of the Tunnell. Gee, even in the dark of night that is awesome. Hugely inspiring.” and he says the words somewhat like an awestruck child.
As we look down from the stand there are already about 60 or 70 folks laid out on the track beneath the South stand. They are lying on foil mats, huddled in sleeping bags, all along the track and out in the open. From what I can see no one looks comfortable.
Someone who is not on the track is Tom Boyd. He is not doing the sleep out and he makes it plain that soon enough he will be off to his nice warm bed and he promises me, with yon wicked grin of his, that he will think of me when his head hits the pillow.
The former Celtic Captain is here only to cheer on those who are sleeping out for charity.
Where, once upon a time, we all cheered him coming out of that tunnel and performing in this stadium, he is now here cheering on us in our 8-hour long performance.
In due course, he comes up to where we are sitting and Angel Gabriel tells him how mesmeric it was just to walk out of the tunnel, even at night and asks ” Does that thrill, that sense of excitement ever go away as you get more used to it?”
TB immediately replies “Never!” “Every single time it just gets you.” he says and adds ” You should try it when this place is full. You can be in the huddle and, as captain, you can be speaking the greatest words you have ever spoken to someone who is no more than 10 feet away and you know they just can’t hear you!”
Tom stays and chats awhile but eventually moves on making sure that he has a word with every single person there, whether they are on their own or in a wee group like ours.
Earlier on, Tony Hamilton (CEO of the Foundation) expresses his gratitude to everyone who is taking part and Dermot Hill, from The Invisibles charity, says a few words about homeless people who sleep rough. How they might not speak to a single person during a whole day or for several days. How many, at times, see no hope, no future, no way of changing things and, worst of all, how many of them just feel forgotten.
What we are doing this evening helps by providing clothes, toiletries, food, sleeping bags and most of all some human kindness and personal contact which can and will make a real difference to some.
I have known Dermot for over 30 years;know how he hates speaking in front of any audience and how making such a speech is a real effort for him, and I watch as he gets slightly emotional as the plight of the homeless really gets to him.
Anyone who reads the Jack Reacher novels knows that Reacher has an internal clock which lets him know immediately what time it is. This is not such a far-fetched notion.
Personally, my internal clock wakes me up regularly at precisely 4:20am.
I did not sleep a wink last night but at precisely 4:20am I find myself all alone sitting in the very back row of the South Stand and I am alone with my thoughts.
In the pitch dark, Immediately opposite me, on the facing of the giant North stand, beam the bright green letters which simply say:
CELTIC FOOTBALL CLUB
The green letters illuminate the dark and the three words sort of float there like a huge announcement.
Celtic Football Club.
Looking down, I now see Minx with her head on HT’s shoulder wrapped in a foil blanket. Both appear to be asleep. Angel Gabriel is nowhere to be seen and I presume he has gone for a lie down somewhere between the rows of seats, as have many others.
Down on the track, in the main all is till. People are asleep or simply lying there.
I sit with a cup of tea ad look down over the vastness of Celtic park and I see the dark, that great big green announcement and I see friend and stranger alike.
I am as at home at that moment as I would be if I were in my own living room.
I don’t feel the cold though others say they are feezing.
Foundation staff are seated nearer the front of the stand wrapped up as best they can be in sleeping bags and blankets. One says his nose is frozen off! JaneMaguire is texting or tweeting but definitely not sleeping — she can’t sleep in these conditions. Her 68 year old mother, on the other hand, is somewhere down on the track under a foil blanket. She manages a couple of hours.
Inside the tunnel area there are Stewards. One of them is “Big Jim” who I have seen at many events and working various sections of the ground and at the ticket office. He is talking to a guy in his seventies from Grangemouth.
You sometimes forget that many of the Stewards are fans nad Jim’s discussion with others about players past and present reveals a Celtic man with knowledge.
Eventually I ask the chap from Grangemouth:
” Do you know Davy Morrison?”
” Oh a crabbit oul B****rd?” Says he with a good-humoured laugh.
“Aye that’s him!” Says I
And so he goes on to talk about Old Tim and the last time he saw him ( His name was McManus, Davy)
After, a long chat with various others I head out once again to my perch at the top of the South stand as that is where I have my flask of tea.
CELTIC FOOTALL CLUB still beams out in the dark and again I look down and see people getting on with this as best they can. Some chat: Some sleep: Some shuffle around or toss and turn: Two girls are having a mighty tussle with the foil blankets and from up here they look like two giant Turkeys trying to find an escape route out of the tin foil.
My mind wanders to those who sponsored me to do this. Messages from Hrvatski Jim, Billybhoy, Jobo and a wee personal and very kind messages from Tony Donnelly who lost a close friend to bad circumstances and the elements. A message signed “Bono” and another which read “Sincerely L. Cohen”.
I think of the generosity of the Greenock Celtic Supporters Club, ACGR, the guys behind the Celtic Anthology Book, and all sorts of individuals.
A short time later, down on the track people are beginning to stir. Maybe they slept, maybe they didn’t, but they all look bone weary, cold, unnatural, and out of their comfort zone to varying degrees.
This wasn’t the worst of nights, the weather wasn’t at its worst and shelter was nearby with paramedics and safety near at hand. Yet it wasn’t a picnic either. It was an endurance event and every single person there will be much more comfortable tonight.
Inside, we have breakfast, there is a wee speech of thanks from Tony Hamilton and then people start to head off.
Dermot, myself, Big Jim the Steward, Jane Maguire and her mammy and two others start to get together the sleeping bags and foil mats which are to go to The Invisibles.
We have to bag the rubbish and take the good stuff down to the cars. I find it hard work. I am sleep deprived and I am now feeling it. I am tired. I say cheerio to various people and after all are gone just a few of us remain to clear away the sleeping bag evidence that we were ever there at all. There is a lot of it. We fill three cars.
Hopefully, the bags and mats will help some homeless folk get through other nights like this one where they huddle in doorways and under bridges instead of under a stand or on the track of a football stadium.
While the sleeping bags etc may help the physical condition, what of the emotional and mental one.
As I say final goodbyes I can’t help think of how some found tonight cold and uncomfortable and imagine how they would feel if they had to do this regularly and on their own away from the banter, chat and humour that we shared as a group?
Being physically uncomfortable is one thing, but the mental and emotional torture of having no home to look forward to, no warm bed to go to, no warm shower to look forward to, no partner to love and be loved by (that doesn’t happen in homeless land on the street), No real friends to chat to, no worthwhile regular income to rely on, no tomorrow that spells “opportunity” and worst of all a constant erasure of hope and the feeling that nobody cares and that you are all alone — so completely alone.
That is the killer. That is what does for the homeless and the under privileged and the hungry. That erosion of the spirt and soul and the joy of your fellow man. Eventually, over time, that will suck all the hope out of you and kill you!
How do you counter that? How do you make that better?
Dawn is breaking over Celtic Park as I swing my car round in the car park. I am the last to leave as even the stewards have gone.
I reflect on the fact that the funds raised tonight will help 250 local families who face real hardship, and that homeless people will be given some cheer and some comfort in the winter months which might just help in the short term at least.
I think of those who took part, those who organised and those who sponsored, friend and stranger. What they did, why they did it and who they did it for and what else could be done for those whose spirits may be broken.
I wonder what help exists for those who are far less fortunate than me – than all of us?
The car turns and in the half-light of the early morning, the headlights catch a sign which describes a place, a group of people, a belief and a ray of hope.
It reads CELTIC FOOTBALL CLUB ……….. like a huge announcement!
If you want to donate, you still can.
https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/jamesmcginley2
Seems our U-17s beat the young Sevs 3:0 at Lennoxtown this morning
Marc Reiper & Tommy Boyd, excellent choices HT (or Minx)
By the way I liked Tosh McKinlay and Darius Wydozeck (?) as great left backs, Stephanne Mahe wasn’t the worst either, fling in Izzy, KT & Jackie Mac we have had no bad left backs over my years
SFTB
Davie Provan Johnny Doyle George McCluskey are some of the entertaining players I thought of and Joe Craig another favourite mine and my namesake big Dennis can be your 7th team goalie.HH
PAPAJOE55,SETTINGFREETHEBEARS
Harry scored some amount of goals for us. Two-footed,wi skills to dazzle many an opponent.
His reliance on the watercarriers to win the ball for him let him down,IMO.
BeingpoliteCSC
Mind you,Dixie scored more in about half the number of games.
BMCUW
Dixie,s hat trick in the hibs cup final when we won 6-3 is still fresh in my mind ,and his forward roll celebration didn’t quite equal Efe’s somersaults. Great memories. HH
Papajoe
Even with 6 teams I can offend some Celtic greats- Davie Provan and Big George were great players. Ronnie Glavin, Jackie Dziekaowski, Shuggie Edvaldsonn, Frank & Jim Brogan, Mick McCarthy & Tony Mowbray- all omitted.
I even considered Viduka who was some player but I just could not bring myself.
Harry Hood & Gerry Creaney for me are players who wore the hoops but in person not for me, I remember one day in Sauchihall Street (Dallas) just up from Nice n Sleazys, Henrik got out of a car with his parents who were over visiting him, I was going to go over and just tell him I thought he was brilliant, but bottled it and probably was just awestruck…… Anyway sometimes it’s better just liking what they do on the park ……….
BRTH brilliant post…… Tommy Boyd spoke to me at Cqn11, he is a gent and a great Celt
BRTH
A fantastic post Jim.
H tweeted when she woke up. ‘We wake up in Paradise, the homeless have no Paradise’.
I felt that encapsulated the whole event.
GFTB
Add our recent contributor Andy Lynch to that as well, we have had some fantastic left footed players play for us ,and I think the current 1st choice team would have more left footers (I know) than right footed players in Brendan’s 11. HH
BRTH Aye Jim you’ve certainly got a way with words, total respect to you and all the others for last night. Hail Hail Hebcelt
What we are up against in attracting talent:-
” MAN UNITED have the highest wage bill in world football according to the Sporting Intelligence website, with the average player picking up a whopping £5.77million-a-year basic salary.
MANCHESTER UNITED have the highest wage bill in world football it has been revealed with Red Devils’ stars earning more than EIGHT times as much on average as Scottish champions Celtic.
A global sports salary survey has reported that United’s first-team squad earn £5.77million-a-year basic salary on average. That’s £110,961-per-week.
Bringing the glaring financial gulf between English and Scottish football into sharp focus that dwarves Celtic’s average wage of £710,000-a-year, equivalent to £13,653-a-week.
Even the lowest paid players in the English Premier League pick up more than their Celtic counterparts – with Burnley’s wages £950,000-per-year on average.
The figures, produced annually by the Sporting Intelligence website, show Manchester United’s stars are the fourth highest paid in world sport, behind NBA superstars Cleveland Cavaliers (£6.54m average), baseball’s New York Yankees (£5.81m) and basketball’s LA Clippers (£5.78m).
Despite struggling in sixth position in the EPL, eight points behind leaders Liverpool, United’s megastars pick up almost double that of their rivals at Anfield who earn an average £3.01m-per-year.
United’s world record signing Paul Pogba is fifth in the top 10 of best-paid players in world football picking up a cool £15.1m per year or £290,000 per week.Wayne Rooney was eighth (£13.5m per year or £260,000 per week) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic was 10th (£13m per year or £250,000 per week).
The financial gulf between English and Scottish football continues to grow on the back of the contrasting TV deals on either side of the border.
While the SPFL settled for £15m-a-year two years ago the current EPL deal is worth one BILLION pounds.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (£6.54m)
2. New York Yankees (£5.81m)
3. LA Clippers (£5.78m)
4. Manchester United (£5.77m)
5. Barcelona (£5.64m)
6. Portland Trail Blazers (£5.59m)
7 Memphis Grizzlies (£5.51m)
8. Dallas Mavericks (£5.50m)
9. Manchester City (£5.42m)
10. Orlando Magic (£5.38m)
1= Cristiano Ronaldo – Real Madrid (£18.98m)
1= Lionel Messi – Barcelona (£18.98m)
3. Gareth Bale – Real Madrid (£18.2m)
4. Hulk Shanghai- SIPG (£16.64m)
5. Paul Pogba – Man United (£15.51m)
6. Graziano Pelle – Shangdong Lueng (£14.2m)
7. Ezequiel Lavezzi – Hebei China Fortune (£13.5m)
8. Wayne Rooney – Man United (£13.5m)
9. Neymar – Barcelona (£13.4m)
10. Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Man United (£13m)
My old time eleven the Lisbon Lions team full of skillful Footballers n characters HH
BMCUW
Reports are that Brendan took in the Swindon vs Charlton game last night- any idea who he was looking at? Who is “starring” for Swindon? I assume itmust be one of theirs as Charlton lost 3:0
PapaJoe55
Andy Lynch was just before my time although him and Mark Reid could both hit a penalty, I posted the night Andy was on Cqn and he replied, it’s pretty amazing what P67’s blog gives us and also the good work from Winning Captains, the night Tommy Gemmell was on I was too scared to post :-)
GFTB
Totally agree the positive things on the blog like Tommy and Andy, and the compassion when prayers are said for someone who is ill or had a bereavement make this a special place.HH
SETTINGFREETHEBEARS
BR’s son plays for Swindon. He comes down here quite often.
Trust me,if he was scouting a player,he’d pick a better place than Swindon to come to!
(Puts me right in the mood for a dayooooot in Bath…)
Hi Bhoys
Setting Free The Bears
I’m sure I heard the commentator say Brendan was there to watch his son who came on as a sub for Swindon.
KEEP THE FAITH
BROGAN ROGAN TREVINO AND HOGAN.
Great post, If it’s the McManus I’m thinking about We were at school at the same time,same class from five to fifteen years old,a few months older but we are both 77 years old,I see him and his younger brother in the North Stand now and again, I thought about doing that sleep out but thought my age would be against me, but if Harry could do it I’m sure I could have done it too.
Jim are you going to the AGM, if so I’ll wade in with the money I’m due you for the Lisbon trip, I’ll see you there or the Blane Valley for a wee drink before I head hom.
By the way the best team I ever saw was in 1967, no need to name it everyone knows it.
Is this April 1st?
According to the Scotsman, Tony Cascarino has described Leigh Griffiths as a “journeyman striker” who only scores up here because of the poor quality of defenders. Tony must have been up against some world class Scottish defenders in 91-92, eh?
And Kris Boyd claims the national team is suffering because of our decision to “demote” Rangers in 2012. Because the period from 98 to 2012 was so successful, eh Chris?
Tony Cascarino 4 goals, I think, the best thing about Cas is we got Tommy Boyd for him :-)
Leigh Griffiths should at least be in one of SFTB six teams, funny how Gary Hooper & Maurice haven’t got a mention, before Nantes I thought Mo was magic for us ……
Moderators apologies for swearing !
Cascarino was the slowest player I ever saw and he moved as if he had no flexibility, a balloon, now somehow he has cerdibility as a pundit, dont think so.
Superb docu about Jinky, not many views surprisingly, well worth 28 mins of your life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EUclcLy7SQ
Cascarino and Boyd two of the most respected strikers and football brains in world football:)))
Two men so slow the grass growing was quicker than them..
Two men so filled with football intelligence that clubs all over the universe have sought their services..
Phew such superstars..
BRTH,
That post is the best of the very many great posts you have contributed to CQN.
Well done to everyone involved.