The latest football book from the ever expanding CQN publishing stable is a long awaited blast from one of the many world class players who were part of the Lisbon Lions of 1967. Celtic’s best ever left back has collaborated with Alex Gordon, a vastly experienced sports writer, to produce a rollicking tale from a football life that was full of adventure, just like Tommy’s own playing style and that of the team that made him famous.
Entitled “All The Best”, the title reflects the fact that Tommy offers these wishes to all his readers, that he is giving of his best in the writing of the book just as he did on the field, with candid comment and surprising views, but, mostly, because Tommy has taken the stable diet of the football memoir- “Who were the best players that you played with and against?”, and taken this to another level
He has listed nine “Best Of” teams in the course of the book: the Lions (of course), Tommy’s best Scotland teammates, the best Celtic players apart from the Lions, a World Football 11 Tommy’s played against, his best teammates from both Nottingham Forest and Dundee, as well as two generations of great Celtic players Tommy has watched as a spectator. There’s even a nod to his time as Albion Rovers’ manager.
Now, those of you used to the lazy format of a football book where not much thought, insight or honesty goes into the exercise, will be very surprised at the level of honesty, brutal in some cases, that goes into the pen pictures of those selected and some who just missed out. Tommy turns an honest spotlight on himself, you find yourself nodding your head in agreement, once you’ve recovered your breath, that is.
For this is a breathless read of a football life lived to the full. The forthright opinions on managers, even those he admired, are very revealing about the amount of dishonesty involved in football. You will be astounded at how these world class football players conducted themselves. If you are expecting to find tales of clean living, utmost professionalism on and off the field, and modern collegiate management, you will be very disappointed in this book. However, if you are looking for searing honesty, interspersed with several hilarious tales, then this is the book for you
It is not the polite memoir of a senior citizen glossing over the bad behaviour of his younger days, it is the “warts and all” tales of a more innocent time, when despite the absence of modern techniques, Scotland managed to rule the world and produce a Golden generation, for a brief period of time. Some of the opinions expressed are candid to the point of scurrilous-ness but the humour that is present in every chapter and every pen picture takes the edge of some of the more boorish behaviour which is recounted. There is no hiding place in sport. Everyone has an opinion and is keen to share it. Add booze to the picture and bad behaviour will inevitably follow,
It is fair to say that, even though I thought I was well acquainted with the details of Tommy’s life and career, there were many incidents that I was hearing about for the first time. Tommy’s description of one of his early team mates at Celtic who made life difficult for him will, first of all, shock you and then have you biting the carpet with laughter. His tale of transfer negotiations with the legendary Jim McLean and with a Ranger’s Director will also have you smiling broadly as Tommy does not miss and hit the wall.
From the Foreword by fellow Lisbon Lion, Bertie Auld, through to the final section, where Tommy fields some cheeky questions from the posters on the Celtic Quick News site, genuine laugh out loud humour is not far from the surface. This is a very funny book and captures the banter that still flows between these football legends.
It is a difficult task to combine such humour with frank honesty and then to maintain readability. In the 12 chapters of the book, you will find details which surprise, shock and amuse you. If you are a Celtic fan of a certain age, you will smile in reminiscence as long forgotten events are re-lived from an insider’s perspective. If you are a football fan at all, you will get an insight into the world of football from the 50s to the 80s from a practitioner and into modern football of the past 3 decades from an informed observer. If you just like to read a good book, this one will make you laugh out loud at many points.
Tommy Gemmell gave all his best for Celtic and Scotland while he played there. He continues to give us all his best in this publication. This is the best football memoir I’ve read in a long time. I am still remembering pieces and chuckling as I type this.
For a short period only you can add to the bundle Tommy is dedicating and signing (below) from the button at the bottom of the page.
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Durham said in 2012, as Rangers(1872-2012) entered administration, that the SFA and the other clubs had a responsibility to help them financially, as they had got into trouble trying to be the standard bearers for Scottish football in Europe.
He cited the achievement of reaching the UEFA cup final in Manchester.
Funnily enough, he didn’t mention anything about how well their fans had acted as ‘standard bearers’ in Europe, especially in that city.
DBBIA
Don’t you mean
Cawwwwww!
Kit. 5-16
SSB in a nutshell
Any caller who comes on about CFC is an anti CFC plant
If that individual is genuine then she’s deluded at best
Fholk pay too much attention to the likes of Adrian Durham.
There are draught excluders with more journalistic credibility.
Modren radio is rubbish.
Pjbhoynyc 4-04
I hope you get a reply ..good points ..well made
Lionsroar67
Re that survey that shows that Scots spend to much time in front of a computer screen — I blame CQN.
CQN is also responsible for an increase in the divorce figures and a decline in the birth rate.
Loads of people go to their bed with the tablet or laptop and as a result normal bedroom relations are on the decline. This is a scientifically proven fact following a poll taken at CQ10.
McDowellCelt
I genuinely believe we will see another European final in my life time. I have no doubts about that.
Seville was a great experience with lots of great stories.
I spoke to a Company Director last week who went out for the game and eventually left Seville in October!!
There are still lots of other stories out there.
GCT 03.24, so you think this concern of current support is too trivial a matter for JPT, CFC’s Supporter Liaison and Service Officer to deal with? I’m sure like me, many supporters have written or spoken to him about the club’s intention when the new club enter our league.
Your view is your own and your entitled to it. The fact that many have asked this question and are yet to receive a credible answer tells me it is important. Nice of you to try to trivialise my comment though Tom. Good for you pal.
Malc, aye a slip of the fingers there with the use of the “return” word. They’re deid but their zombie incarnation club will soon be with us and Celtic will no doubt be taking account of the concerns of supporters like me in their careful construction of the first home match program.
Kitalba
Thanks for posting the “stopping the ten” clip.
I’ll enjoy watching that later.
I can’t remember more tension at any match I’ve attended than that last day against St. Johnstone.
Good one need Facebook :( sorry.
http://youtu.be/dGY2_KyHpHg
Like Pfayr I would also like to see a response to
pjbhoynyc at
04:04 on 21 May, 2014
Happy 10 men won the league day.
http://youtu.be/H64BOxqZh6Y
HH
A Ceiler Gonof Rust said:
. . . their zombie incarnation club will soon be with us and Celtic will no doubt be taking account of the concerns of supporters like me in their careful construction of the first home match program.
So in reality, you claim that you and many other Celtic supporters are asking a question about what Celtic may or may not do if and when we are faced with a Celtic v Sevco game.
So you want an answer to a question around a scenario that may or may not happen at some indeterminate time in the future, and in so doing, you criticise John Paul Taylor for not being able to provide the answer.
What was the question again?
Dr Ramesh and the love potion
Remembering that gig, I was On a two day bender the Sun and mon before the gig on the Tues. I was in severe withdrawal mode from the demon drink on Tues but my brother persuaded me to go I loved the band but was feeling to rough to go gigging but went anyway. They were up there Springsteen 85 Newcastle U2 Barrowlands, The Clash Apollo
Durham never loses the chance to put the boot into Celtic.
Of course we can ignore him but he is using his position to continuely put out his biased anti-celtic agenda across national airwaves and in doing so he damaging the name of our club.
He seems to continue with impunity. Hes put the boot into Celtic dozens of times but funnily enough sevco dont get the same treatment in spite of all their tax dodging and very real crimes.
Maybe if he or Talksport was called to account (by the club??) he might choose his words more carefully.
No Celtic fan can be happy to hear the club being spoken about like that.
gold coast tom
Do you not have concerns regarding the corruption in Scottish football and Celtic’s response to it ?
Do you not think ACGR has a right to ask these questions , if the are causing him concerns ?
BAMBOO
His employers might not mind as much as you might think.
Talksport is now owned by Ulster Television.
beatbhoy:
When I think back, and I saw all of our nine, that season that was reviewed was probably the most exciting one in my lifetime as far as the league went. Although, the ‘helicopter Thursday’ year ran it close.
TBJ/PF Ayr:
She is sad if she is a plant and salad if she isn’t.
On the Adrian Durham front.
I haven’t heard the man in years but used to think that he constantly made an arse of himself.
I like Alan Brazil but I no longer listen to Talksport in the same way I have not listened to Radio Clyde for as long as I can remember.
I have also been to meetings with Clyde personnel and told them why I don’t listen to their station.
BOBBY:
Adrian needs all the help others can give him. He’s a plank.
Remember those are old vids, but I’ve never heard him, nor heard of him, retract any of his venom.
FourGreenFields –
Of course he does.
All I have done is defend John Paul Taylor.
Do you think he has a right to publicly berate a Celtic employee because he is unable to answer a question about what may or may not happen at some point in the future?
BRTH
What kind of response did you get from the Clyde personnel ?
Hard to believe that it is 11 years since Seville and one year since CQN reflected on A decade since the Final. Many CQNers discussed their Seville experiences for the first time – and so many said they have never watched the match on DVD despite buying it!
These days from last May on CQN provided the inspiration for our book SEVILLE – The Celtic Movement. Hundreds of CQNers are featured in one way or another – telling their own Seville experiences. It all adds up to a remarkable and hugely enjoyable book and the Seville experience and what it means to be a Celtic supporter. You can order from our new online bookstore or pick up a copy at Celtic stores and various booksellers.
Order at Www. CQNBookstore.com
Next season I’d like a treble and a third place finish in the group stages as with some rub of the green a Europa League win is not out of the question – especially if Gary Hooper is back.
Maybe the way forward would be for them to pay me to listen to A.Durham, in familiar Sevconian stylee.
They could even pay me to listen to SSB and read the D.Record and the other megaphones of Sevconian drivel.
i cant do those link thingys but just to say
have a read at the ‘fields of green” blog today
where does the madness end? or where did it even begin?
One thing is certain though, we weren’t paranoid enough!
G.C.T
Many berate Celtic employees on here, and when you bring them to task on it, they run to the teacher crying, be careful ;)
Assuming Sevco appear in the SPFL at some point – what is the club’s likely response?
What I would like is for the club to treat them as any other club and give them the only the seats they are required to do so by the SPFL rules.
Unfortunately I don’t see this happening. Nor do I see our own fans doing that either. I’ve heard enough folk in and around the stadium expressing a desire to have Sevco games that I know it’ll be a sellout.
There’s the dilemma. I expect the club the maximise revenue in order to get the best players possible on the pitch but at the same time I want them to take a course of action that is directly opposed to that.
gold coast tom
I don’t think he berated John Paul Taylor , he was certainly not satisfied by his response .
I have also emailed JPT and he kindly invited me to Celtic Park to speak face to face about my concerns , we discussed many topics and I found him to be as honest and forthcoming with his answers as he could be .
He is a club employee and could only go so far with some of his answers and indeed did go a bit further than I expected while asking me to not quote him at times .
He is doing a very difficult job in unprecedented times in Scottish football , but we should be questioning the club and should be expecting answers ( where possible ).
Talksport presenters had whipped themselves into a frenzy prior to Capello’s team heading to the last World Cup finals.
The so-called ‘golden generation’ was about to get its last chance with a manager who had led them there, with only one defeat in qualifying.
It was so funny tuning in following the draws with USA, Algeria, and especially the whupping from Ozil& Co.
Schadenfreude, indeed.
Did Schadenfreude not miss the game after he fell out with Schweinsteiger over a game of skat?
Tommy Gemmell……….”I never scored a lot of goals, they just tended to be spectacular ones” (or words to that effect)
Its a funny old thing is true talent….if you have it!
DBBIA
Your draught excluder needs to start getting its facts right.
It was Doppelkopf they were playing, and Pigmounter was cheating.
I’ll be raising a glass or two to commemorate 35 years since Ten men won the League
And I’ll be the remembering the 11th man that night too
RIP Johnny Doyle
HH
Twentyfirstofmaynineteenseventynine
I’ve posted in recent weeks about being at Love St in ’86, and getting a last-minute ticket for St Johnstone in ’98.
However, I didn’t make that one, and am very envious of all who witnessed that amazing match.
And no doubt all of those Celtic fans who were lucky enough to be there played their part in overcoming the odds that night.
since its quiet on here I would like to give you a wee update on Marco.
He was at his surgeon yesterday who say him walk for the first time with straight knees, His surgeon said he was an inspiration to others…
well he is to me….
Four Green Fields
The response from the Clyde personnel was exactly as I expected.
It was just after Clyde had been bought by the Bauer Group from Germany — a deal that was revenue and listening figures based.
I was there with the MD of a company to discuss an advertising campaign with Clyde which stretched to tens of thousands of pounds worth of business. We were given a tour of the station, sampled a broadcast, discussed rack rates etc ( part of which discussion I conducted in a bad attempt at Billy Connolly’s voice — though that is another story ) and when we got down to talking about listener reach etc I said that I had been at the station before several years ago but I now did not listen to the station at all — principally because of the very poor standard of sports coverage and Hugh Keevins in particular.
The reply, as I say, was a business one.
Basically, I was told that the broadcast style was to suit a mass audience for West Central Scotland and that I probably did not fit their target profile.
However, their target profile did marry up with the proposed audience that my client was chasing — something that I agreed with.
Basically, their programmes are geared towards a certain demographic — the one that is fed by the red tops. That demographic is changing in sports coverage terms as the rise of social media changes the game on the Red Top lazy journalism that has been spoon fed for years.
Interestingly, virtually all of the sales team I met at Clyde that day have since moved on to other Radio stations or in another direction altogether.
I had been at Clyde in the old days when it was based in the Anderston centre in Glasgow and when the station was fronted by the likes of Richard Park, Tom Ferry, Steve Jones, Tiger Tim and the likes and was run by Jimmy Gordon.
It has changed dramatically since then.
Make no mistake, in many ways broadcasting is tailored towards who the target market is and what the broadcaster thinks that market wants to hear as opposed to broadcasting in such a way as to radically alter or change opinion.
In many respects it is “go with the flow and don’t rock the boat broadcasting” which means never asking any difficult questions.
Durham on the other hand will come out with any idiotic statement in an attempt to provole a reaction.
His style is lower than the balls of a centipede.
provole should be provoke sorry
Basically, their programmes are geared towards a certain demographic — the one that is fed by the red tops
– now it’s the redandblack tops
BRTH
Thanks for your response .
HH