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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10:47 on 21 May, 2014
IF Celtic knew about, and agreed to this, they need to advise us ( the SUPPORTERS) why they agreed to it….!!?? …..IF they didn’t know about it, a formal complaint needs to be submitted to the SPFL Board..
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I totally agree with the above,we should be told, we pay our season ticket money or buy our tickets per. Game , that is my/our money, if they had there backs to the wall then fair enough sheet happens, BUT we MUST have clarity, it all must be made perfectly clear what went on, none of this DR snippet crap, get it on the SPFL website NOW. not tomorrow.
GlassTwoThirdsFull
11:57 on
21 May, 2014
I’d forgotten about the split. Wouldn’t even need relegation to prevent the 4 games.
67 Heaven
There is a Supporters Forum on 9th June. The question can be asked there.
Paul will give the SF a mention soon and folk can post their questions/ views on CQN and they will get passed on to the SLO to be answered at the Supporters Forum meeting.
BlantyreTim
Chuffed to hear your news and hugely admiring of the wee Mhan’s great bravery.
Thank you for putting a smile on my face and lifting my heart!
gettingFunnyLooksOnTheTrainCSC
HH jamesgang
I presume that even more viewers will be cancelling their TV subscription with the possibility still of both Hibs and Hearts going down.
Can we expect another ammendment to the contract ?
Afternoon Timland from a much cooler hun free mountain valley.
I agree with Glass two thirds and weeminger, how the eff is a contract like that even legal ?
It slaps sporting integrity in the face.
Feckin angry
HH
Glasstwothirdsfull
What would happen if say Rangers were sitting in seventh place and had to win 9-0to make the top six?What if the game wasagainst ateam that were deep in debt?
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Jackie Mac would be the new national manager
HH
JamesgangV,MWD FGF and others thanks
For those who don’t know
Marco will be 16 on 21st July, he was born with cerebral palsy and has been through more ops than we can think off, he seldom complains and has the strength of a lion…
I posted on hear a few years ago when he had most of the bones in his legs broken and he went through a further op this year ago…
he is a crabbit bhoy at times like his uncle…
MWD
They would look at the cost of the contract to them and the cost of ending it.
How many would have given up watching Sky Sports/BT because SPL games were not shown?
If many they would have stayed with it, if a few then why pay to keep an audience that are not going away?
We need to know the figures of course but whether it was walking away or paying less TV was in the driving seat and the SPL were the passengers.
auldheid
11:38 on 21 May, 2014
Thank you for this explanation…….I’m ok with it if, as you say, the decision was taken to protect the revenue of other SPFL Clubs but Celtic need to be careful with their sevco strategy…..there is a lot of nonsense going on in the background, and Celtic need to put OUR SUPPORTERS’ interests / wishes first……. and they know we don’t want ANYTHING to do with sevco….!!
Why is this even news? Ive known for years there was an agreement with Sky to have 4 OF(sic) games a season. The only part i didnt know about was the subsidy we’ve been paying back to tv companies so they can show Sevco in the lower divisions.
As Auldheid says, thats the way it is, Tv calls the shots, we lost any bargaining power we had when Setanta went teats up.
How could anybody ‘guarantee’ 4 OF games a season with the way the SPL was configured i.e. a split? If everybody played everybody for the duration of the season then fine but you can’t ‘guarantee’ any club playing any other club 4 times if there is a degree of uncertainty as to who your opponents will be at the back end of the season. Yes, it is highly unlikely us or ‘Rangers’ would be outwith the top six but you couldn’t say it was a certainty. Unless there was a bit of jiggery-pokery (I know, I know) to make sure it happened if either club was in danger of dropping out and therefore breeching the contract. Where does that leave ‘sporting integrity’ (cough)? If for example Motherwell were in 6th spot and the ‘Rangers’ were in 7th (no 4th OF game) last game before the split, would Motherwell ‘lie down’ to ensure ‘Rangers’ got 6th spot therefore ensuring the broadcaster is happy and everyone gets more dosh?
HH
SJ
MWD
Stope saying that…..you’re making me need……hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Glasstwothirdfull
It is a clause that should never have been agreed to because of sporting integrity.
A major problem the game faces from commercialisation is damage to its integrity.
There should be checks and balances but with both the SFA and SPFL governed by commercialism none exist.
In the reform of Scottish football to restore trust and integrity which is needed more than ever such a check and balance should be introduced to examine contracts for integrity damaging clauses.
TV calling the shots eh?
I’m offically scunnered at Saturday 3 o’clock games being shifted for the convenience of everyone……………..except me!!!
I’ll still be a regular but I’m not renewing my 2 Season Books this season.
Pay at the gate from here on in, i’ll take my chances for CL and cup game tickets.
One man protest (well, 2 if you count ma Da).
700th………………….MEMEMEMEMEME!!!!!
67 Heaven
A lot of nonsense comes from lack of information and appreciation of the interdependent nature of football that dictates the way things are done.
Questions to the Supporters Forum offer an opportunity to address both.
‘A major problem the game faces from commercialisation is damage to its integrity’
-it does not stop live sport [not just football] being infested with adverts for bookmakers, when match- and spot- fixing are major threats to integrity.
Ray Winstone? Gggrrr.
Bawsman
12:18 on
21 May, 2014
How did you cope in the days of the 6pm Sunday KO? Today’s fixture time are child’s play compared to those days.
Its obvious with the clause in the TV deal pressure was there to keep them in the top league.
Views had to be influenced in relation to the game overall
So like the banks they were too big to fail
Thankfully people power stepped in to take the decision away from the beaks
new article posted.
weeminger…………….Chinese torture effect mate, just reached tipping point.
I think we had 14 Sat 3 o’clock games this season again. That’s 5 games that have been shifted. That’s 10 tickets I needn’t have bought, roughly £250.
Auldheid:
It appears to me, maybe naively granted, that the supporters of football teams in Scotland want a level playing field. In that quest, the smaller clubs and their supporters, none of whom I’ll disrespect by naming them by my opinion, look to the bigger clubs for guidance. The bigger clubs look to the biggest club for leadership only to bang their heads against a wall of silence.
Are Celtic really just looking out for what is best for Celtic. Don’t Celtic appreciate that without the so called ‘smaller clubs’ then the day might come when Celtic are playing their shadows for the league flag. And if the shadows won then I’m sure there would be a few, and a few more too, still defending the silence.
Look how many on here alone who have been life long supporters of Celtic who are now distressed beyond lip service and boardroom procrastination.
The Scottish game is not about Celtic, it is most definitely not about Rangers, it is about every team in Scotland and every honest supporter in Scotland.
You don’t know what the contract means do you? I know I don’t. But if the SPFL, or Celtic’s CEO, cared enough about our coin then they would explain it to us.
All this pretendie nonsense is just nonsense. Tell us the truth, isn’t that the whole point, the truth wearing good governance and transparency; we are big boys after all, and some petite woman too.
Tonydonelly67
The DR picked the story up from @Celticresearch on twitter who has done the major wotrk on this. The DR and keff jingle balls only foloowed up his story.
MWD says Aye