Ahead of our visit to Tynecastle on Sunday I’m going to share this story with you. It was written by a Celtic fan, Arthur. Arthur wasn’t always a Celtic fan. In fact, he travelled with his grandfather to Rugby Park on the final day of the 1964-65 season with his fellow Hearts fans to see the title decider.
For Arthur, it wasn’t all about Hearts, though, his favourite player was their stop striker, Willie Wallace. When Willie left for Celtic Park in 1966, Arthur’s allegiance followed him. Neither of them would look back.
Williie was back from Australia a few years ago, when we did his autobiography. I was with him at a signing session at Waterstones in Stirling when this guy walked in with a carrier bag from the Celtic Superstore. Willie was busy holding court so I made my way towards the new visitor, Arthur, who told me his unique introduction to Celtic.
What a great moment seeing Arthur and Willie meet.
Some of us are born into Celtic but an increasing number of us make our own way to Celtic Park. Arthur’s story was brilliant. He chose Celtic, chose the Lisbon Lions, six months before they would become so, and almost half a century on the fire burns as brightly.
I love hearing stories of how people come to Celtic. One for another day, is the son of an African father and Scottish mother, who received copies of the Sunday Post in the mail, courtesy of his non-football affiliated Scottish grandfather.
The intention of sending the ‘Post was no doubt to inform a Scottish ex-pat of what was going on back home, but the lasting result was to spark excitement in an African man for Jock Stein’s Celtic, one which still burns in his son today.
That’s maybe a story for another day, but Arthur sat at his keyboard to recall a great Celtic league win, as well as a memorable family moment, here’s his story:
“My Dad. He was my best pal, a warm, likeable man with a great sense of humour. We shared a love of football in spite of me becoming a Celtic fan when Willie Wallace transferred to us. He’d shout for us on TV against Rangers or in European Cup games.
“But he was always a Hearts man, although not so much as years past. After seeing them lose the league title in 1965 on goal average, then the cup at Hampden in 1968 to Dunfermline, he used to think he was ‘a jinx’.
“Fast forward to the third of May 1986. Me, my wife and three kids, and my mum and dad head from Edinburgh to Loch Eck near Dunoon for a weekend in a caravan. My youngest daughter just two months old, made my Dad as happy as his other grandchildren.
“We listened as best we could to on the car radio to the Celtic game, but reception up round the Rest and Be Thankful was patchy! Eventually we reached the caravan, unpacked a few things, brewed a cup of tea, and got the telly on.
“By now late afternoon, Celtic had done all they could to snatch the title from Hearts, but it looked like it was heading to Tynecastle. In my heart a wee bit of me was happy for my Dad.
Then, to quote Archie McPherson, ‘WOOOSHH’! Albert Kidd scores for Dundee late in the game. ‘WOOOSH’ ! The wee man does it again. An ‘Archie Gemmill’ type goal, scored by Bobby Ball’s lookalike.
“As it does, the adrenalin hit me. Up I jumped, dancing round the wee caravan, tea cups getting bumped, alarmed kids wondering what’s up with me. My mum cheering as she was happy for me.
Then I looked at my Dad. Hadn’t seen him like that often. Thirty years on I don’t remember his exact words but by his expression, a bit like gathering thunder, I could see he was less than pleased.
“Embarrassed silence engulfed the caravan.
“Finally my mum broke the silence. ‘ I’ll put the kettle on’. I think I mumbled an apology to my Dad, like a wee boy. And you know what? He gave me one of his bear hugs and forgave me.
“Never forgave Albert Kidd though.”
Here we go………..
Many thanks to everyone who entered the raffle for tickets for Sunday, we raised £1298.73, which is already with Mary’s Meals. The winner has been informed, but has not responded to his email yet, so check! Thanks again to the guys at Intelligent Car Leasing.
It’s seven weeks until the cyclists set off from Celtic Park on The Road to Lisbon. This is an incredible Celtic fan project, read the update here and make sure you keep an eye on progress.
375 Comments- Pages:
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ADI_DASLER @ 1:48 PM,
Ha!Ha!
Didn’t realise it was so colloquial…
My English Niece (always lived in England) found out during an interview that Swithering was not an English word.
She’d been using it all her days till then, without realising, nobody had a clue what she was talking about:)
Hail Hail
Apologies if posted earlier.
Good man, James McClean.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-39441215
Paul67
Nice wee tale!
’86 Love Street, right up there with my greatest Celtic experiences.
Good job Murdo got that thunderbolt of an equaliser in the 4-4 game at Ibrox a few weeks earlier, right enough!
We’d surrendered a 3-1 lead in that game, so that would’ve really hurt looking back on that season, without that goal.
“I love hearing stories of how people come to Celtic”.
You’d enjoy the chapter then in “We’ll Always Have Lisbon” (David Frier& Pat Woods) about Miguel De Paiva Couceiro, and his role in the fantastically friendly welcome the Lions received when they arrived in Lisbon.
O.G.RAFFERTY on 30TH MARCH 2017 1:58 PM
Apologies if posted earlier.
Good man, James McClean.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-foyle-west-39441215
===
A real heartwarming story.Humanity wins. :●)
O.G. RAFFERTY
Good work by McClean there,I see the Derry Pele mentioned too, great to see that.
BTW I rate McClean as a player and think he would do well for us, love to see him in the hoops one day.
FIAGOTTPF @1:02
100% correct and if you are like me I never tire of telling Hertz fans about it !
beatbhoy on 30th March 2017 1:58 pm
We’d surrendered a 3-1 lead in that game
In fairness we played for an hour with 10 men after Willie McStay got sent off in the first half
MacClean would be lucky to be allowed to set foot in Scotland, no better than what we have IMO
Development Game
Half Time
Celtic 2
Crossan 2
Inverness CT 0
FRANKMARKER, 2:59 PM
Development Game
Half Time
Celtic 2
Crossan 2
Inverness CT 0
Celtic playing two teams at once now? Must be those breakfasts
Latest
Celtic 3
Inverness ct1
https://twitter.com/eirebhoy/status/847359585870503937
Sometimes your hero doesn’t disappoint
Latest
Celtic 4
Inverness ct 1
“Latest
Celtic 3
Inverness ct1”
Frank & O.G.
What happened there then? Gave us one of Crossans goals each?? :P
HH
Bada Bing 3:13
Magic HH
Full Time
Celtic 4
Inverness ct 1
Thanks Frank for the score updates. ‘Twas a must win game, still need Ross County to lose a game but at least keeps their hopes alive.
Has Lenny been charged with bringing the world into disrepute yet?Has last night’s brouhaha provided enough evidence that he was to blame for ye olde huns liquidation and the possible extinction of lions by 2020?Have the SMSM got enough evidence to pin ISIS on him?Did he kill cock robin?
What’s a number 3?
;)
DBhoy 1:53
Re Arsenal fans
There were many fans who followed Arsenal who often took in Celtic trips to various games.I lived down there for several years 80/90s, and had cracker of a day at Paul Davies testimonial in the Arsenal Tavern, the craic was mighty :-)
Your right also re the Motherwell game after ‘the rebels had won’ there was certainly no need for the Celts for change ‘counters’ who regularly were taking Census prior to takeiover.
And a wee footnote re subprime/derivatives etc
Not one law was passed by 2tone heid Darling or his predecessor Gordon the dyscalcic to impede the feral and rip off ghost capitalism that market ‘self regulation’led to.
So imo The war criminal and his torylite are to blame for ‘austerity’ which is Preally us paying for unregulated money markets.it wisnae a big bad capitalist that done it and ran away.a socialist(spit spit so called) did not inhibit their crimunality by not passing one piece of legislation.so nwxt to Iraq Tony prob killed as many as a result of
His inaction with markets and resultant
”austerity” it caused..
HH
Gary67
That’s true, though we increased our lead with 10 men.
Still, to come back after losing 3 goals rapid in the second half spoke volumes for the spirit in that team.
Some are born Celtic
Some achieve Celtic
And some have Celtic thrust upon them
WillieshakespeareCSC
An Tearmann
Maybe so, but he wasn’t alone in thinking bigger and better, more , more, more was the way to go.
ALEX Salmond offered his Government’s help to Sir Fred Goodwin for the disastrous takeover of ABN Amro that almost destroyed the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Then that Government spent 18 months trying to prevent the release of a secret letter from the First Minister in which he fully endorsed Sir Fred’s bid for the Dutch bank.
AN TEARMANN on 30TH MARCH 2017 3:53 PM
They should have listened to the SNP, shouldn’t they?
Remind us what Salmond had to say at the time.
Should read the then First Minister.
BABASONICOS71 on 30TH MARCH 2017 3:52 PM
What’s a number 3?
Simple arithmetic mate. It’s a number 2 with a number 1 on top of it.
Toilethumour CSC
Excellent article Paul.
Was having an off day until the video of the St Mirren match was posted.
Still my favourite Celtic team goal of all time.
Despite been scored by ” La Petit Merde”
DBHOY – I remember it well, up the back of the celtic end. I’m sure (the underrated?) Willie falconer played. Probably just after our lowest ebb in my lifetime. You could feel the expectation that day; we all knew the current team (with exceptions) was dross, but there was something in the air…
Great article P67 btw
Great article Paul.
As a young lad growing up around Ayrshire surrounded by huns of both the brown brogue and ugly/fat varieties, I resisted many attempts by them to switch my allegiances.
This was due to the fact that I was an outstanding rugby player and ferocious tackler along the lines of a demented thug on the field.
Many a hun in blazer was left with a sense of disquiet, as his son was left for a patch of scattered mince lying on ground, knowing that I has cemented him with a Celtic tap on under my rugby jersey.
Paul 67,
As you state : ” Some of us are born into Celtic but an increasing number of us make our own way to Celtic Park”.
Some of the best supporters I have encountered have made their own way to Celtic Park. They have made a deliberate choice, for the rest of us , I guess we were just born lucky.
HH.
Mental note made……be nice to Sin City Bhoy……..and if buying him a pint…….be VERY careful not to spill it over him.
“It is impossible to please the Greeks and Trojans. Neither did Jesus please everyone,”
Emmanuel Santos – Ronaldo’s sculptor
Great Article P67.
Some great posts today of people’s memory’s of that prominent day.
May God/Buddha/Allah or however bless all tims past and present, and I’ll give thanks and let the good times roll on.
https://youtu.be/tuUoSuO_hfg
COOLMORE MAFIA on 30TH MARCH 2017 4:34 PM
Remember it being a sunny day and it mirrored the optimism amongst the support , things were finally going to get better.
Reality set in when we got beat and didn’t really play well at all.We were very lucky to have McStay and Collins in that team .
Still enjoyed those games , me and my mates hung around the back of the Celtic end too,between 4-5. Great banter/singing around there.
Growing up in Greenock there was ever only one team for me.
CELTIC.
On moving to Ayrshire in the early 60s my bond with the club only deepened. Attending a mad mental Catholic school in Kilwinning also ‘helped!’
Now into my 60s, the bond I have with the club is as strong as ever and will never be broken!
One of the great pleasures in life is meeting the sons and grandchildren of auld huns who are committed Celtic fans. There are many!
HH!!
AULD TAM on 30TH MARCH 2017 12:31 PM
Paul67 –
The 1964/65 league decider took place at Tynecastle, not Rugby Park.
It was the same day as Celtic’s 3-2 Scottish Cup triumph over Dunfermline.
Goal average rather than goal difference was used in those days and Kilmarnock, managed by Willie Waddell, needed a 2-0 victory to clinch the title, which they duly did.
I clearly remember coming out of Hampden that day. My uncle Patrick told my dad, “Just to make it even better, Kilmarnock won the league.”
Even in those days, our dislike of the Edinburgh Huns was evident.
…………………
Absolutely correct. I remember it as if it was yesterday. What a day.
BSR
I have just seen images of the Ronaldo sculpture. My first impression is that it looks as I would imagine a contented, avuncular Christiano to look like years after he has retired from football.
JJ
Hot Smoked
These guys started a trend with Ted Bates.
I “found” my own way to Celtic Park.. I was about 14 at the time. “Non Denominational” school didn’t influence me. I had my own heroes and they wore the hoops. McGarvey and Nicholas up front with Provan on the wing. Wow.
Great days and I’ve never regretted getting on that no.50 bus from Pollok and passing Ibrox on the way to Paradise.
Let’s enjoy Sunday