At the front of Celtic Park on Saturday a statue will be unveiled to our greatest ever captain, Billy McNeill. Billy joins our founder, Bro. Walfrid, our greatest ever manager, Jock Stein, and our greatest player, Jimmy Johnstone, in being honoured in this way.
Achievers of this calibre are so rare I cannot imagine the circumstances under which another candidate for a statue will emerge. Even if we go on at some point in the future to win the Champions League, it will be nothing like what Billy and his team did. Modern European champions are the distillation of global scouting, money and big business. They don’t take the bus from the town they were born into training for years at the club they will collectively bring to the summit.
Without being distracted by contemporary issues, I have hope for the future, and for Celtic, but on Saturday we will peer through a telescope that looks back 128 years. Billy McNeill encapsulates the values and traditions which founded and nurtured Celtic throughout this period. Not only that, he is the man who led the team (in every sense of the word) to one of the most incredible sporting achievements in football history.
Get to the game early and be there for Billy. Be there for yourself. Our memories of Saturday will last. We’ll recall the first time we saw his statue, and that we were there to share his smile on the day.
Get your friends along. Bring the kids. Tell them who he is and what he did. You or they will never again get a chance to honour Willie Maley, Jimmy McGrory, Jock Stein or Jimmy Johnstone, but you can be there to share an important occasion with Billy McNeill. That, my friends, will be a precious moment.
On Thursday morning, near Shawfield, Glasgow the Caring City are loading their latest batch of aid bound for migrants camped in Serbia. Much needed winter clothes are being shipped. They are looking for four volunteers to help load the container. Starting at 9:00 they should finish by 11:00.
It will be physical work but they are offering tea and rolls in compensation. If you can make it along to help these great people with such a worthy cause, email Ross Galbriath, ross@glasgowthecaringcity.com and let him know. I bet you also get something out of the experience you’re not expecting.
Thanks.
Stocking fillers, books, DVDs and all sorts of wonders (actually, just books and DVDs, but they are great) are available at the CQN Bookstore.
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Was thinking of a cruise for next Summer Europe med or Baltic
After reading the man with eyes in back of his head will officiate at EUROS
thinking of going further a field
Say 3 games upset both teams being a Scotsman I might be unwelcome in
a large percentage of it.
: > (
HUNDERBIRDS ARE GONE on 15TH DECEMBER 2015 12:18 PM
I see Gollum has been selected as one of only eighteen referees for the Euros next summer. Disnae say much for the refs ranked 19-100 does it?
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Eusabio didn’t play in 61 final, that was the all Portuguese team
Gary67
Eusabio didn’t play in 61 final, that was the all Portuguese team
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Forgot they won it in 61 as well. I could wikipedia it, but this is more fun…
Davidopoulus
Correct, Real in 66 were an all Spanish team
In 66 Real had Aguero who was Paraguyan
Eusabio is a classic trivia – played for Portugal but not born there
The Lions – born within 30 miles of Paradise – nobody will get near that again
Real 66 team ( according to Wiki)…
GK 1 Spain José Araquistáin
RB 2 Spain Pachín
CB 5 Spain Pedro de Felipe
CB 6 Spain Ignacio Zoco
LB 3 Spain Manuel Sanchís Martínez
RM 4 Spain Pirri
LM 10 Spain Manuel Velázquez
RF 7 Spain Fernando Serena
CF 8 Spain Amancio Amaro
CF 9 Spain Ramón Grosso
LF 11 Spain Francisco Gento (c)
Gary67 – well spotted sir.
jinkyredstar on 15th December 2015 12:55 pm
The Lions – born within 30 miles of Paradise – nobody will get near that again
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Yeah I don’t suppose “how many Real Madrid players were born within 30 miles of Celtic Park” will return many Google results
;)
King Billy played in a 2-3-5 formation – that’s how we managed to attack so well!
Bayern munich in the 70s?
Philbhoy
my mam came to mass on Saturday to see me and the boss retake our wedding vows,the 1st time she has been out this year (she dislikes coming out in her wheelchair) but said im a wee bit special :)))))))) talk about emotional,
till later all this is CQN as i love it.
i’m away to see the weemhan in his p1 nativity play:))))))))))))))))))))
All will be revealed
BMCUW,
We dodged a bullet big style, but as the tax letters fall through the doors in Scotland hard reality will set in. Uncomfortable decisions still await. . Certain individuals were either economical with the truth or just plain incompetent.
auldheid; :-)
HH.
bournesouprecipe
My work’s internet filter blocked that as “Adult/Porn”. Must certainly be revealing….
nope, danish right back, johnny hansen
Which three Celtic players were joint 5th goal scorers for the 1973 European Cup ?
All three names and number of goals scored.
HH
celtic40me on 15th December 2015 12:59
Bayern used to have a few Scandanavians in their teams. Hansen the Danish right back is the one I remember but I’m sure there were others
Bayern had swedes and swiss
HH
not in ’76
GK 1 West Germany Sepp Maier
DF 2 Denmark Johnny Hansen
DF 3 West Germany Udo Horsmann
DF 4 West Germany Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck
DF 5 West Germany Franz Beckenbauer (c)
MF 6 West Germany Franz Roth
FW 7 West Germany Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
MF 8 West Germany Bernd Dürnberger
FW 9 West Germany Gerd Müller
FW 10 West Germany Uli Hoeneß
MF 11 West Germany Jupp Kapellmann
Substitutes:
GK 22 West Germany Hugo Robl
Manager:
Germany Dettmar Cramer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Hansen_(footballer,_born_1943)#Honours
The Celtic jersey is a subbuteo size these days by comparison.
Once a year I drive my kids past the John Greig statue outside Mordor.
My kids hate halloween.
the european cup was brilliant in the 70s and 80s, loads of great players with great names that you’d never heard of. and bayern munich won the cup in 1974 in a replay two days after the first final
Leftclicktic
Congratulations to you and your good lady!
Glad your Mum was there too.
All sounds good!
celtic40me on 15th December 2015 1:24 pm
We were ranked 2nd in uefa club co-efficients in 73 & 74 behind Ajax. From 67 to 74 we were never lower than 6th.
Roy C from last blog………quality as ever………even better for me as I know the characters that you mention.
Hail Hail Big Bro
LEFTCLICKTIC on 15TH DECEMBER 2015 12:59 PM
Philbhoy
my mam came to mass on Saturday to see me and the boss retake our wedding vows,the 1st time she has been out this year (she dislikes coming out in her wheelchair) but said im a wee bit special :)))))))) talk about emotional,
till later all this is CQN as i love it.
i’m away to see the weemhan in his p1 nativity play:))))))))))))))))))))
~~~~~~~~~~*++*~~~~~~~~~~
LEFTCLICKTIC
You and your family deserve every pleasure,mate.
I’m delighted yer Ma got out-give her a hug,tell her it’s from yon strange fella in Swindon-and enjoy watching your next generation just being a happy wee Bhoy.
HH
BMCUWP
I agree. Oil production is only going to go one way with Shale gas and fracking
Getting oil out of increasingly difficult and more costly areas is also the problem
To have a sculpture that will do justice to the iconic figures in Celtics history the clubs needs to dig a bit deeper into their pockets or biscuit tin than has been done with the present collection. Havnt seen Big Ceasars one but the other sculptures are mediocre as work of art. Many clubs do have great statues that have vitality and capture the essence of the player.There are good and out-standing statues of quality such as Billy Bremner at Elland Road ,Berkamp at Arsenal and others at different clubs around Europe. Sadly our lot have been done on the cheap and it shows. Sorry to be negative but we deserve better.
Anyone know if Foundation collection is on this week?
Are they still on look out for collectors?
bamboo
Manchester United’s one of SAF is a bit rubbish. Though the one they have of Best, Law and Charlton is a belter
Torontony
Hey pal. Just saw your note from last night. Looking forward to catching up on Thursday.
HH
PS …. other CQN’ers welcome to join us for a pre-christmas dinner/swally … althought I realize it may be a bit of drive for most of you. But if you dont mind the drive, you’d be most welcome.
did/do Fulham have a statue of Michael Jackson out side the ground? (or have i had too many Nurofen?)
the pub question as far as I always told it was Celtic, Real, Steau all had local national players in footie terms but only Celtic had 11 born there. i think Argentinian and Russian born players were the issue on the other 2.
I never heard Benfica named as another. Maybe Eusebio wasn’t the only naturalised citizen on the team in 61?
DAVIDOPOULOS on 15TH DECEMBER 2015 12:40 PM
Paul’s article got me thinking about how many other teams have won the European Cup with only players from the club’s native country. I think that Steaue, Real Madrid and Benfica have done it. Can anyone confirm those 3? Any others?
Did anyone apart from Celtic win it with two players who went to the same school?
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coneybhoy …. they did (because of some connection between Al-Fayed and MJ, I believe), but it was removed a few years ago, I think.
Commenting on the recent Alistair Carmichael affair, a letter writer in today’s Herald asks. Who would want to hire a proven liar.
Any suggestions?
Paul,
Billy was both our greatest captain and player. On song, Jinky was a wonder to behold, but Billy turned it in week in week out for eighteen years.