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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SFTB
After tax, of course!
BSR
Fur as long as I can remember its always been so
HH
Anybody got any tips for asparagus?
Coldplay.
If they were playing in the back green I wid draw the blinds
TommyDocCSC
Lifted Fae the Pages of the Celtic. net.
Celtic’s treble winners set for international test
By: Mark Henderson on 20 May, 2014 16:27
FRESH from clinching the treble in the SPFL U19 League Cup final, the Celtic Under-17s will head to Holland tomorrow morning (Wednesday) to participate in a prestigious international competition.
First held in 1997, the Varsseveld Tournament attracts top youth teams and players from across the continent and beyond, including current Danish internationalist Christian Eriksen, who scooped the best player prize four years ago.
The young Hoops will go head-to-head against PSV Eindhoven, the Japanese FA Academy and a local regional select for a place in semi-finals, with AZ Alkmaar, Vitesse, Desportivo Brasil and Anderlecht fighting it out in the other group.
After a superb season in which they lifted the U19 League Championship, League Cup and the Glasgow Cup, Tommy McIntyre’s side will be confident of holding their own in this esteemed company.
And speaking to the official Celtic website, the coach underlined the importance of the young Celts taking part in these tournaments as part of their development.
“We had a good experience playing in the Aegon tournament in Amsterdam and the opposition at that level is incredibly strong,” he said.
“We will be taking some of the U16s again because it gives us a chance to work with them before they come back in pre-season.
“Some of the 16s will travel with us and we also have the ones back who were away with Scotland in Malta.
“We know the teams in it and, again, it will be a tough competition, and as long as we stay injury-free then we will go there and hopefully we can do well.
“We have tested ourselves in our own age group in the Glasgow Cup. We have tested ourselves against an older age group in the U19s and the last part is testing ourselves against European opposition which we will get this week. “
Celtic U17 squad for the Het Ten Brinke Bouw Tournament in Varsseveld:
Colin McCabe (GK), Aidan McAdams (GK), Jack Breslin, Ryan Caird, Josh Kerr, Regan Hendry, Ciaran Lafferty, Jamie McCart, Aidan McIlduff, Innes Murray, Aidan Quinn, Calvin Miller, Aidan Nesbitt, Mark Hill, Joe Thomson, Kieran Tierney
Like Ah said..
Kids tae watch…
Colin McCabe.. Regan Hendry, Ryan Caird ,Cal Miller, Aiden Nesbitt, MARK HILL.. n Joe Thomson.
This is a Fine Group of Kids, that we Hiv.. Acoming Roon the Bend.
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
BRTH no probs Hail Hail Hebcelt
thomthethim for oscar ok
Cold Ham with new potatoes and sauce hollandaise
Oh and dont use a urinal for 24 hours
HH
setting free the bears supports Res. 12 & Oscar Knox
17:07 on 20 May, 2014
“Cadizzy sues beatbhoy for a decillion Greenock dollars”
and beatbhoy gets change out of a pound
It may be lame horsey punnery but the mane thing is it gives us all a laugh.
Thomthetim
asparagus horse d’oeuvres
http://www.epicurious.com/tools/searchresults?search=asparagus+hors+d'oeuvres
HH
Awe_Naw
Saddled with the stuff of night mares.
Another typo leads to even mare lame horsey punditry.
BSR
Ok you whinny
HH
When Jim Farrier wa sin charge the SFA was a hotbed of lame horsey punditry
Bsr
Hopefully it doesn’t last furlong
Awe_Naw
You’re the mane man that weighed in with the colt play review.
Here we go…yet again!
All CQN books signed and personal messages added.
And this Winning Captains fellow will post them out tomorrow.
Wee Wispy – Willie Wallace to the rest of the the word – warned me that he was a slave driver. I thought Big Jock was bad!
I’ve not had a moment until the book came out last week.
However, I’m sure it’s been worth the effort for all of us.
That’s it…I’m now of to a darkened room.
At least, I am aware what writer’s cramp is all about after the last few days.
Cheers…and enjoy!
Tommy Gemmell
TBJ
We’re in the home straight
Rankers fans have launched their own shirt to raise funds to purchase shares in the club.
http://www.redandblackshirt.co.uk/
I thought this was a joke, but no…
Now chaps, less of the “Sevco” or “Oldco” when referring to the deidies, what about:
“Casino Royale” ?
OhMyAchingSides CSC
Sftb
sylvester stallion is always on a stable diet when he got the mane role in the rocky movies .
Tommy
Again many thanks for your time and thoughts.
I showed my German son the famous sending off ..with the prologue this is how high the Lions held German foorballers in esteem. We had a right good chuckle. Even my son said maybe its time for Scottish players to start booting them up the bahookie again.
;-)
HH
I sincerely hope PL and the suits are all over this cake weights to handshakes quotient thingummy.
Imagine a CQN meltdown with added superheated icing sugar critically destabilised by an errantly under moist sponge….v v messy indeed…
Aargh missed the ‘furlong’ pun by inches, well done TBJ, you’re certainly not pasture prime
These pun things really stirrup the emotions. I mustang out on the blog more often.
They’ve not done their basic market research into their key steakbakeholder groups for the ‘rossoneri’ sevco shirt- the largest size is only XXL.
winning captains
14:54 on 20 May, 2014,
That was superb, it sent a shiver up my spine similar to the ones I get when celtic park is belting out WALK ON. HH
Mix of comments from Huns and Timposters on the Descendants of the Drowner petition page:
“Theyre even calling our wains zombies at school”
——
“Don’t trust board need true rangers man not aload of muppets”
——
“Something has to be done. Can we make a direct appeal to the Royal Family to intervene? Or UKIP?”
——
“Its important to me that Rangers are managed by Rangers people. I don’t care for the spivs and the fenians. I want the club run by people with no necks, short hair and staunch brown brogues.”
——
“Youre detested by us because of your lies and in competence.”
——
“Rangers is an institution. We are still the people!”
——
“We should get the Army to take over the stadium and get rid of spivs by force. I know a lot of the regimental lads and they are grateful for the partys we put on for them so they will be well up for it.”
Oh dear!
Shamrock really doesn’t like Yogi’s Bare book. I mean REALLY!
TOMMMY GEMMELL
Hope you and your fellow Lions have a great trip to the CL final in the city with which you will all be forever associated
Hail hail
Cheers Tommy. Enjoy Lisbon.
I saw you there last time holding court outside the dressing rooms (which looked more like a Motel!)
Ksc memberships up for renewal bhoys n ghirls…
nothing for something,
open to all…………… I allow……8-)
During the administration crisis the club endured, red and black scarves became a symbol of defiance and pride in the club as fans showed their commitment.
Red and Black now symbolises the spirit of determination which saved the club and which now wants to secure its future through democratic fans control of a large shareholding.
Is that right – aye
© Kevin Bridges
Ksc memberships up for renewal bhoys n ghirls
– credit /debit cards accepted?
bournesouprecipe
17:42 on 20 May, 2014
During the administration crisis the club endured, red and black scarves became a symbol of defiance and pride in the club as fans showed their commitment.
Red and Black now symbolises the spirit of determination which saved the club and which now wants to secure its future through democratic fans control of a large shareholding.
Is that right – aye
© Kevin Bridges
I don’t the MSM ask why the socks, scarves etc are red and black?
sixtaeseven 17:27 on 20 May, 2014
Rankers fans have launched their own shirt to raise funds to purchase shares in the club.
…………………
Lots of Celtic posters on the Scotsman comments page discussing the “fact” that this new hun / sevco / sevcohunnish shirt is not actually an official Nike product even though it has the Nike logo.
Now if that’s true it displays a level of unparalleled dumbness, even for the deid heids.
Smashing.
The ole knights that like to say nowt.
Cowiebhoy, thanks for Saturday. Your hospitality is legendary.
A smashing day oot apart fae some numpty ruining a perfectly top dram by filling it with ice.
You shall remain nameless Lennybhoy……….oops:-)
A Ceiler
That’s why it only goes up to xxl, – it’s a counterfit.