Caption this, Stein and Herrera at half time in Lisbon.
“John, you’re immortal”, but of course he was mortal. Bill Shankly’s words from 1967 recorded the moment Jock Stein went from being merely a successful football manager into the greatest icon the Scottish game will ever have, but 30 years ago today, Jock’s mortality came as a shock to the world. A massive heart-attack, while managing Scotland at a World Cup qualifier at Ninian Park, Cardiff, ended the story of Jock Stein, aged 62.
He was 29 before he arrived at Celtic Park as a player after a career with Albion Rovers and Llanelli Town. By all accounts he was a decent central defender and a more than decent leader on the park. He quickly became vice-captain, then captain, and in 1954 led Celtic to their first double in 40 years, and their first league title in 16 years. Injury forced him out of the game as a 33-year-old. Celtic gave him a job coaching the reserve team, where he would work with some future Lisbon Lions.
In 1961, a year after becoming Dunfermline manager, he led them to their first Scottish Cup, beating Celtic in the final. In four years he transformed Dunfermline from the bottom of the table team he inherited, into a team who recorded astonishing victories in European football.
A meritocratic year at Hibernian then followed, at least part of which he spent discussing his future with Celtic chairman, Bob Kelly, before Kelly made one of the most inspired decisions in sport and offered Jock the Celtic manager’s job.
The rest, is literally history. In 13 years he took 10 league titles, winning all of his first nine. In his first five seasons he only lost three of 15 domestic trophies, but most important of all, in May 1967, his Celtic team became the first British club to reach, and then win, a European Cup final.
That European Cup win was enough in itself, but the manner of the win would mean Stein’s legend grew far wider than it otherwise would. Opponents Inter Milan were the most dominant team in the game. They were going for their third European Cup in four years and their fourth Italian title in five.
Celtic blew them away. It was the most comprehensive single goal victory in sport. The Italians were exhausted at the end, having defended 43 attempts at goal, seldom managing to cross the halfway line. The underdogs had triumphed, Celtic were instantly respected and adored across Europe, while Stein was viewed as having almost mystical powers.
So what did he really achieve? The Celtic you know today would be unrecognisable without him. Had he stayed at Hibs, they could be a bigger club than Celtic today. Our decades in the wilderness, which started in the 1920s, would have continued into the 70s and who knows thereafter. His gift to you, is Celtic. That’s why his statue is outside the ground.
It wasn’t all sweetness and light. Stein was a hard authoritarian, consistent with the style of the time. Football also caught up with him. Those first five years at Celtic, five league titles, five League Cups, two Scottish Cups, two European Cup finals, European semi-finalists a remarkable three times, were imperious, but some lights went out after losing to Feyenoord in the 1970 European Cup final.
After a fifth place finish in 1978 Celtic decided to sack Jock, offering him a position on the board, which he initially accepted but only later realised his responsibilities would be limited to Celtic Pools.
Football is a results business and looking back, the decision to sack The Big Man in 1978, should not be regarded as controversial. I certainly remember many Celtic fans of the era questioning his decisions, but the way the termination was handled was shoddy. Stein had lost his mentor, then Sir Robert Kelly, seven years earlier, while the pick of his second team, Hay, Macari and Dalglish, were sold for huge fees which were never invested in the squad. Or the stadium, training facilities or anything else an aspiring football club would invest in.
He grabbed the first offer out of Kerrydale St, but only 44 days later couldn’t wait to leave Leeds United to take up the Scotland job, where he returned to his earlier form. That night in Cardiff, Scotland stood on the verge of qualification for their fourth successive World Cup, two of which were under Stein.
The nation watched him being carried into the Ninian Park tunnel live on television. Even then, no one expected him to die. We thought Jock was immortal.
Foundation call: Walfrid and Directors’ Box hospitality, thanks to Intelligent Car Leasing, ebay auction here. More on this tomorrow.
SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Apologies for server problems over the last couple of days, I’m on it….
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1. CANAMALAR on 11TH SEPTEMBER 2015 9:18 AM
Chairbhoy,
There’s the little matter of a court case to decide if any of the Rangers FC asses Charlie Green sold were legitimately his to sell, if no then MA does not own the IP or any of the other assets, no ?
============
If it came to pass that MA didn’t actually own any the IP or any of the assets would that make him liable to hand back all the monies he has made on shirt sales ,etc. That would be hilarious.
This is some mess. 5 years might not be long enough to resolve all this. King saying “looking back in a 100 years then we had a 5 year blip in the history”. The court cases will still be going on in a 100 years!
My 2 fondest memories of ’67 were sitting in front of the telly with the whole family (including ma mammie, who wasn’t remotely interested in football) all screaming our heads off …. And….. standing at the Celtic End (getting crushed) when the EC was PARADED IN PARADISE … talk about being PROUD ….words cannot describe how I felt when THAT lorry passed by in front of me…..HH
CHAIRBHOY on 11TH SEPTEMBER 2015 9:46 AM
Hope you’re right…….certainly does sound as though he is covering himself politically for the inevitable FALL
Ronny Deila believes new Celtic signing Jozo Simunovic will become a £13 million star just like former defender Virgil van Dijk…(Daily Record)…..So, Ronny is selling Jozo before the boy has even kicked a ball for us. What’s the point nowadays? Depressing! Modern Celtic managerial statements are rubbish.
Look at Dave King’s comments anything he has said isn’t necessary right now eg the share issue you should re-write as “isn’t possible”. Almost all the available routes to finance outside of existing shareholder putting their own cash in have been closed for several years by the upcoming court case.
Perhaps dodgy Dave is laying the groundwork to re phoenix the phoenix under the guise of a return to ‘traditional’ rangers.
cv
Graham Spiers and his “hanging offence”, will it be along the lines of Roberto Calvi and Blackfriars Bridge, has the GSL dropped a wee masonic secret? We should be told!
HH
GLASSTWOTHIRDSFULL @ 9:42 AM,
QUANTUM @ 9:49 AM,
Well… I believe that Dave King has gone public with this because the real Rangers men always had a plan to get the title of the original Club back.
Of course once some one else sorted out the creditors.
Now with the recent arrests that looks hugely compromised.
As Mr King has shown little appetite to pay off and invest in Newco, I’m sure he wasn’t planning in forking out his hard earned for Oldco.
Hail Hail
Liquidation Limericks contest. My entry
There is a magician called Alan
He wears a pointy hat
He hopes to get his bill paid
There’s f**k all chance of that
Paul recently laid bare the challenges facing RIFC, chief amongst them the material uncertainty cast over ownership of the assets transferred under the SPA by D&P to Sevco Scotland.
It’s the uncertainty that’s the killer for RIFC insofar as the assorted court cases will take years to come to a conclusion, and in the meantime RIFC is a loss-making business requiring funding to backfill the losses and sustain the business. In these circumstances, obtaining external investment is at the snowball’s end of unlikely.
Concurrently, RIFC has a series of assorted contracts and secured loans that compromise its ability to trade sustainably over the long term: In short, even should the various court cases be settled and RIFC comes out of the other end with undisputed title to the assets in due course, it still has a Retail operation in hock to Sports Direct, a (presumably substantial) sum of money in loans owed to assorted parties, and a set of widely-referenced ‘Onerous Contracts’ that together prevent the business from trading profitably let alone optimally.
RFC2012 meantime is being liquidated. The current Fraud cases will likely precipitate civil actions by BDO against D&P and the individuals involved, which would likely generate further significant sums for the Creditors.
BDO will also consider the status of the assets transferred under the SPA to Sevco Scotland/The Rangers Football Club Ltd. If the transaction is held at court to be fraudulent, an application to the court for “Reduction” of the contract is an option, whereby the assets are returned to RFC2012 as if the sale had never taken place.
More likely, BDO will seek financial compensation from TRFC Ltd, adding further to the Creditors’ pot, but the possibility presents itself that BDO does pursue a Judicial Reduction of the SPA, and in such circumstances, the shareholders of RIFC would have a decision to make: Fight it or Fold.
Set in this context, Dave King’s £20M creditor claim against RFC2012 has been accepted by BDO. The more BDO collects on behalf of the creditors, the more Dave King receives in dividend.
There will come a tipping point where the dividend from RFC2012 will exceed his (thus far limited)investment in RIFC.
Will a majority of the RIFC shareholders vote with him to ‘Fold’ in the face of such an action by BDO, return the assets to RFC2012, and thereafter deal with BDO to effect a vesting back into RFC2012? Such an action would effect the summary winding up of RIFC and the end of the assorted onerous contracts, loans and ring-fenced Retail operation. That isn’t unattractive for some.
It seems to be a fanciful idea, it’s certainly an intriguing one, and comes with a number of substantial legal obstacles to overcome, not least the conclusion of the Big Tax Case and the new Worthington claim, but it seems possible nevertheless.
RIFC ditched, Ashley and the onerous contracts burned, all aboard the old ship Rangers.
King sails off with a substantial pile.
Weebobby,
I don’t think Ronny actually said that. I think he said ‘he has potential’ and that ‘hes young and might take some time to get to the highest level’.
As someone told me many moons ago, if you must read the rags, ignore everything outside the quotes. ;)
Just one point.
Who owns the history?
Big nan,
That ain’t no limerick.
funny though :)
67HEAVEN @ 9:56 AM,
Ah! Well you always suggested, Ibrox belonged to the creditors:-)
You just have to look at the way the PR is going with him, Ally McCoist et al.
It seems they don’t want to be on the wrong end when the fan is hit…
Didn’t think it was possible, but the way they are manoeuvring, worse news could be on the way…
Hail Hail
More than 24 hours till the game and I’m BUZZIN already.
HH
Have I woke up in a parallel universe this morning ?
Are we about to witness the first Lazarus like resurrection of a dead football club OR am I still dreaming .
GASL latest statement:
“If all things come to pass – I can categorically state that the current DFS Final Sale will definitely be their last ever sale!”
Signed: Ben Turpin.
Morning all.
Crap limerick alert!
There is a young lad called Ally
who spends most of his time in a shed.
It is very nice and mighty fine,
but it disnae have a lavvy.
HH!!
Geordie Munro
I know it’s not a limerick in that it doesn’t have 5 rhyming lines but it was done as a Tweet so was constrained by that.
Give me your best shot?
borelandpedantcsc
Very funny, Big Nan, but a limerick’s 5 lines, with a strict AABBA rhyming scheme, so yer disqualified!
“There was a tax dodger called Dave
Whose warchest the Zombies did crave
But when it turned out
There was no cash about
They just had to stay in their grave.”
Burke and Hare spotted in Paisley Road West………..
Dharma..,
If you mean history as in IP ?
Then that is a component of the legal dispute currently ongoing :)
Now, a question that keeps popping I to my head is
If there is an ongoing legal dispute on the ownership of ibrox, is it not considered evidence and is evidence not normally held under lock and key unused until the final decision is made ?
If so when can we expect ibrox to be locked up ?
Beatbhoy,
Bloody good :)
The Battered Bunnet 10:16
You might not be too far off with that.
I think the one thing we CAN be sure of is that it’s got NOTHING to do with “ending the banter”.
We had Dave Murray King and Whyte
Who fed the huns full of shite
When the shit the fan
The three of them ran
And disappeared into the night
TBB
I am not sure that King is a creditor in Rangers PLC to the tune of £20M, is he?
As I recollect he received shares in return for his investment is that not so?
I don’t believe the £20M was a loan.
!!BADA BING!! on11TH SEPTEMBER 2015 10:29 AM
Burke and Hare spotted in Paisley Road West………..
————-
so Edinburgh’s premier gentleman’s relaxation venue has opened a Glasgow branch?
cool.
Try again!
There was a young lad called Dave,
Who was told by his dad to save
He agreed to the request
And bought a warchest
And now it lies in a cave.
HH!!
Where does it say that – Rangers FC are dead?
I’m not talking about a link to a picture with laptop loyal headlines on it, I’m talking about a big certificate with an authentic stamp on it stating – Rangers FC are dead.
Show me the evidence.
Who owns Craig Whyte?
Why did Celtic FC go along with all the same club nonsense when we played them in the Glasgow Cup Final at Firhill 3 years ago then, did the same at last seasons LCSF?
Why didn’t Celtic FC nail the myth?
Why didn’t Celtic FC shine the light of truth on the LNS carve up?
Why didn’t Celtic FC hammer the stake through the cheating-bigoted-hun-orcs-heart when they were given a licence to start again?
Where we are at just now – Celtic FC are one injury to LG away from the roof caving in.
Sickening – Old Firm FC – keep it.
BRTH
I can’t believe his claim has been accepted, but if you refer to BDO’s report of November 2013, you will see a line under “Unsecured Creditors” for £20.03 Million noted as “Directors”.
King was expecting £1.4M as interim dividend last month from BDO, being 7% of that sum. That was postponed pending the disposal of the Worthington claim, which has now been pressed.
King’s claim remains inexplicable, but it’s there and it’s apparently true.
FL- :}}
Canamalar,
I was scoring a cheap point. However, the history I was thinking of was all those 53 and a half titles, etc.
Am I right in thinking IP to be the badge, crest, “Aye ready/Ready”? I’m assuming MIke Ashley or his reps have most of that tied up, on the face of things.
Anyway,
There was a young lady from Bude
Who went for a swim in the lake
A man with a punt
Shoved a pole up her nose
And said; “You can’t swim in here, it’s private.”
Absolutely nothing to do with the clubs that have played at Ibrox, however if G&SL can speak what appears to be untelated, absolute tripe, then I reserve the right to do the same.
Canamalar
Too kind.
I once won a prize in a Sunday Newspaper Children’s poetry contest.
Wasn’t worth the doing I got at school the next day!
Hail! Hail!
There was a tax dodger called Murray
who wanted to sell his club in a hurry.
In whyte, a buyer was found
the fee was a pound
Barely enough for a Mcflurry.
twistsandturns.
have you a share in a horse in the 6.05pm at down royal tonight, it called twistsandturns.had a wee bet on it.but would invest a few more quid if I thought it was part of your horse racing empire?.
Dharma..,
In that case, Charlie Green owns them until the court case is decided, remember he told us he bought them :)
for Glib & shameless liars latest see the brillian James Forrest blog
http://www.onfieldsofgreen.com/mugs-moonbeams-monorails/
ladies and gents I give you Lyle Lanley ,sorry David CUNNINGham King
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZBPoRwog00
Beatbhoy,
Teachers getting assaulted at schools is terrible, what’s the world coming to :)