Trending
Celtic News Now
Celtic Quick News on News Now
Celtic Quick News
You are at:»»Arthur, Willie and Albert Kidd

Arthur, Willie and Albert Kidd

375
By on CQN BLOG & Comments

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.

The Road to Lisbon, update

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.

img_3168-19.jpg

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

375 Comments
  1. Pages:
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10

  1. Canamalar it looks like OCD obsession on

    LMCbhoy,

     

    Me too, spent the first half in the Hun end, the second half was magic, ten men won the league tralalalala

  3. Stairheedrammy on

    At the 4-2 game I was 16 and more interested in women than fitba. I was winching a very attractive girl by the banks of the Clyde at the Gorbals and heard the roar from one of the goals coming all the way from Paradise so knew the tic had won.

  8. Jimmynotpaul on

    Tonyrome.

     

    Thanks for that.

     

    My Dad is long dead. The demon drink got him about 20 odd years ago.

     

    He did enjoy a serious bet though, so I’m sure he would have known him.

     

    The 4.2 game, my mate almost said the same, he was screaming for Murdo to kick it out the park.

     

    Hail Hail.

  9. Jimmynotpaul on

    16 Roads 8.48.

     

    Great stuff.

     

    Just watched it with my 6 year old, who will be 7 tomorrow, both of us killing ourselves laughing.

     

    Hail Hail.

  11. embramike supporting Res 12 on

    RON BACARDI on 30TH MARCH 2017 8:25 PM

     

    For me the most electric and magical Celtic game that I attended is the one at East End Park Dunfermline in 1968. The place was bouncing, fans were on the roof of the enclosures, the sound was amazing.

     

     

    AS a raw teenager on my own, I still remember being astonished by the huge crowds milling about outside the ground and thought I had no chance of getting in. All the gates were shut until a turnstile opened for the enclosure to let just a few more in, and I was shoved into it by the rushing crowd !

     

     

    I ended up being forced over the wall sitting on the ground near the goal and got a tremendous view of Bobby Lennox’s winner as it swept into the net near me !

     

     

    An unforgettable experience for a young Tim travelling solo for the first time !

  12. petec on

    16 Roads, Keep on Trucking Bro, Sorry for not texting, Keep on trucking.

     

     

    Donald knew the Buildings were taken down by explosives…… Shocking that he kept Quiet. He seen the Socialist EU AGENDA….. and.

     

     

    Oops

  14. Tallybhoy on

    Nothing, imo, compares to the EC semi-final at Hampdump against Leeds in 1970.

     

     

    Brilliant performance, result and atmosphere.

     

     

    HH!!

  15. An Tearmann on

    Canamalar

     

     

    Eusebi Deli down at kelvingrove.worth a try if only for the desserts/Gateaux.

     

     

    HH

  19. Bobby Murdochs Ankle supportin Oscar Knox on

    BRTH…….still waiting on the second part of a day in Lisbon……..

     

     

    These nightshifts are getting longer……

     

     

    Hope your well Jim…

     

     

    Bma

     

    naereadinmaterialcsc

  22. petec on

    You Sir, that link is Missing.

     

     

    That patter was Strong . I need the Info the precise info?

     

     

    To just do a Petherec Link.

  24. Melbourne Mick on

    Hello again all you young rebels.

     

     

    Thank goodness the bhoys are back this weekend what a

     

    boring time the international weeks are, as my wee da

     

    used tae say ” they are only an excuse for the stickies to

     

    haud a ludge meeting somewhere different”.

     

    Loved listening to Henke on CTV about his love of our club

     

    and how it made him the player he was and interestingly

     

    the upcoming legends game he talks about Lubo and how

     

    he had never heard of him and when he arrived and seen

     

    him training he thought, we’ve got a player here but to

     

    this day does’nt know if the little magician is right or left

     

    footed, so it goes to show quality is out there, do your

     

    jobs talent spotters, and it’s great to hear the game is

     

    heading for a sell out,what a boost for the Celtic ethos.

     

    The nights are fair drawing in over here in Oz, our own

     

    bhoys trained under the floodlights last night and i still

     

    can’t make my mind up if the hoops look better in the

     

    sunshine or floodlit, either way they are a standout and

     

    put every other strip in the shade ( see what a done there )

     

    hehe.

     

    The wee mhan training very hard for his upcoming trip

     

    to the Celtic academy but one of his mates was winding

     

    him up as the club are visiting his school he asked.

     

    ” how ur they no visiting ma school?

     

    I said ” wee mhan your going to train with them for a week ”

     

    ” aye but they could still come tae ma school ”

     

    Aw diddums.

     

    Anyway kudos to our PR people they are certainly getting

     

    the clubs name out there/here, now how about our wee

     

    shoppe is that next i wonder?

     

    H.H Mick

  25. Jimmynotpaul on

    TonyRome.

     

    Thank you, a long time ago now though.

     

    My old Mum is still alive and kicking.

     

    A wee story. There’s a picture on the wall in my mums house of her and my Dad on their wedding day with her bridesmaid, to my shame, I had never bothered to ask who the bridesmaid was. One of children recently did though, it transpires that my mum never knew any Catholics and as she was marrying in The Catholic church, it was expected, possibly even mandatory in the 50s for the bridesmaid to be Catholic, so she asked a girl in her work that she didn’t know that well, but knew she was a Catholic.

     

    True Story.

     

    It must have been a difficult day for my mum, with her own parents refusing to attend and not knowing her own bridesmaid that well.

     

    Hail Hail

  27. tonyrome on

    JIMMYNOTPAUL

     

     

    As the saying goes “Behind every great man there has to be a great woman”.

     

     

    God bless your wee mum, treasure he,r she is your best friend. PERIOD

     

     

    KEEP THE FAITH

  29. 16 roads - Celtic über alles... on

    Lefty/JNP – Oul predictably, hysterical nonsense at the mere mention of Neil’s name.

     

     

    They are beyond parody and are more to be pitied than anything.

     

     

    Petec – No worries mo chara

     

    Everyday I’ve been studying the conflict in the land where Saul became Paul,since 2011.

     

    Luke 4:24.

     

    Increase the peace.

     

     

    Beatbhoy – If you’re about, the Lisbon book arrived yesterday. Read the first two chapters, excellent so far.Some brilliant photographs as well.

     

     

    “And the Celts were bound for Lisbon town, on the Twenty-Fifth of May…”

     

     

    Laters.

     

     

    HH.

  31. Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan on

    Bobby Murdochs Ankle supportin Oscar Knox on 30th March 2017 9:27 pm

     

     

    Loaded with the cold and coughing like a hoarse horse, ran off my feet, driven mental by relatives and other banjaxers, but apart from that fine.

     

     

    Let me get to next Wednesday and I promise I will update One Day in Lisbon and loads more besides!!

     

     

    HH

     

     

    BRTH

  32. weebobbycollins on

    I too was at east end park that night. It was jam packed…fans on top of the roof and hanging from the beams on the underside…

     

    However, the fans were on the fir park roof in May1966, when we won the league in Jock’s first full season. It was the last game of the season and we knew we could only lose the title if motherwell defeated us by some ridiculous score. Still, when bobby lennox scored in the last minute the place went wild. Tremendously emotional, similar to the previous season’s cup final v the pars…at last!! Champions!!……and things would only get better…

  33. VFR800 is now a Monster 821 on

    CANAMALAR IT LOOKS LIKE OCD OBSESSION on 30TH MARCH 2017 8:38 PM

     

     

    You can do both!

     

     

     

    KTF

  35. petec on

    UEFA-Not Good really.

     

     

    The SNP keeping Celtic ‘Umble.

     

     

    I look @ the World differently From Ecveryone Else, I would NOT BE unique unless I done that.

     

     

    I just want More to start Believing that the Lord is Always there for when you Fall.

  38. weebobbycollins on

    So glad that my prime as a ‘mad celtic supporter’ coincided with jock and the lions. The apprenticeship was served watching dunky mckay, jim kennedy, pat crerand, john divers, alec byrne etc…good players but a very dismal period for celtic which tested our tolerance and faith…20,000 crowds were the norm and sometimes even the “get yer wrigley’s spearmint and macaroon bars” vendors were more vocal than the crowd…however, this teenager learned a valuable, lifetime lesson……patience is indeed a virtue……….sometimes.

  1. Pages:
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10