I remember singing “It’s going to be 10 in a row”, but back then 10 had no significance. Neither did 9, it was like 8 in a row, another stop along the way. But when Jock Stein’s team finished their spectacular domination of the Scottish game in 1974 with nine successive titles and four European Cup semi-finals, “Nine in a row” became a phrase with extraordinary substance.
Of course, in years to come, for others, nine in a row became a target to surpass. In the late eighties Rangers changed the financial parameters of Scottish football for some time, and set their own course towards liquidation, but on the park, they swept all before them in the domestic game. By summer 1997 they had won their won nine in a row. McEwan’s lager billboard adverts featured the club with the line, “9 out of 10, could do better”. And didn’t we know it.
Celtic were in disarray having sacked Tommy Burns and with our three most cherished players, Di Canio, Cadete and van Hooijdonk on their way out the door. The new managerial appointment “the second worst thing to happen to Hiroshima”, as our mainstream media portrayed him to Celtic fans, arrived only two weeks before the start of the season.
After losing the first league game of the season at Easter Road Celtic lost 1-2 at home to Dunfermline; they were leading at half time. 10 in a row seemed inevitable but this season was the greatest example of why the prevailing currents of football are now always evident on the surface.
Have a read at this from the Independent after that defeat to Dunfermline:
“[The home supporters] cannot be fooled – even as the teams were announced it was clear they are unconvinced by the new signings. The mention of Pierre van Hooijdonk, Paolo Di Canio and Jorge Cadete before a game was enough a year ago to raise the roof in anticipation. On Saturday, Henrik Larsson and Regi Blinker hardly registered in the approval stakes.
“Larsson’s poor touch too often saw him lose possession. The blunt truth is he is not a proven goalscorer and Jock Brown, the general manager, will have to add fire power to the team.”
Don’t be too harsh on the journo who penned this, few dissented, and Jock Brown’s reputation was pretty much set by these incredibly inaccurate reviews. Although, “blunt truth” has never been used with such laxity.
The towns of the west of Scotland can be dangerous places after big football games but not 15 years ago today, when Celtic beat St Johnstone to win the league for the first time in a decade. Celtic fans of all ages poured onto the streets as the spirit of carnival took hold.
I remember hooped fans sitting on top of a set of traffic lights in Lanarkshire; green, amber, red, then rows of green and white. I walked around Hamilton town centre that night. For an evening, every pub was a Celtic pub, with rules about wearing colours suspended, and singing was celebrated.
And sing we did.
At the end of the night I could be found singing “Cheerio to 10 in a row” at a taxi rank outside a nightclub. The ‘brave’ soul standing in front of me waited until his taxi was moving away before mumbling his offenses out of the window.
Last summer I did an interview with Tony Hamilton for Celtic TV . When we drilled into what really made an impact on me as a Celtic fan I had no hesitation on placing that game against St Johnstone above Champions League victories, qualifying for a European final or beating Barcelona. We aspire to move beyond the confines of Scottish football but for 125 years this has been our home. In all that time, in domestic or European football, there have been, at most, only two more important games.
Enjoy the memories, but don’t play that George O’Boyle leap over in your mind; just in case you imagine him a few inches higher.
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Quantum
Probably after eight
I well remember the day we stopped ten in a row, we went to the game, Mrs RobinBhoy and myself, seated in the main stand ES2 area, me next to my brother, her two rows behind with her “old boys” next to her, celebrated the victory and came home to get ready to go out and celebrate.
We had just moved house had put in a new kitchen, redecorated, re-carpeted, new curtains throughout and had done the garden, expenses were still high getting things organised in the new place.
Unbeknown to me as I was travelling a lot is Asia at that time (still do) a very large expense claim for a two and a half week trip around Asia, something close to five grand, had been paid in error by my company into my “private” account where I get my salary paid into rather than my “expense” account where it should have gone.
Since money was slipping through my hands at that point and no internet banking in them days I didn’t realise that this had happened until we had spent the lot on the house. When I went to get cash from the ATM my private account was empty, no problem I think, I can take a few quid from my expense account where this will be close to five grand in there, also empty.
Then I realised what had happened, no money to celebrate, no money to pay Amex, I was flattened, spent the night in my house wondering how the hell I was going to pay Amex. Never even had a drink from the plentiful supply in the house.
In the end borrowed the money from a good friend and then lived like a monk for three months paying it back.
Happy Days!
RobinBhoy
Hrvatski Jim
09:01 on 10 May, 2013
I heard that as well… Anytime I let myself down and tune into that show there is one of those clangers dropped every night. Never ceases to amaze, how ill informed the panelists are on SSB in particular.
Every sentence starts with ‘I think…..’ and ends with ‘does it not??’
Mort
All too true on Scottish football journalists.
We have Stephen McGowan of the Mail tweeting this morning that Neil Lennon is on a 4 man shortlist for the Everton job.
Meanwhile down on Merseyside, local journalists say there is no shortlist.
I know who i believe.
Dear Mort
Exactly.
I have my own acronym for them
POOPR – Passers On Of PR
“Richt, aw youse relax……………..!
Ra Bommur stys, fur noo……………………..but am beelin’, unnnerstaun?”
*tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic…………………………..*
I wish Everton would get on with naming their new manager and stop all this rubbish.
It gives the hack pack up here a chance to indulge theirs and thon died mob’s fantasy.
TMWTL
No surprise that scottish journos don’t know whats going on.
Hrvatski Jim
Like that acronym, 100% correct.
Mort
oldtim67
Don’t fall asleep and wake up in Larkhall!
Ten Men Won The League
The kerb crawler?
Timsinohio
Welcome home!
LB
BRTH – Benny Rooney’s pub in the south side is the Queen’s Park Cafe.
Now here’s a question for you – was one of his relatives on the bench at Lisbon?
One of the guys in the pictures looks like Benny looks now.
Morning CQNer’s
Hrvatski Jim
09:01 on 10 May, 2013
__________________
To cut a long story short – the quality of Scottish journalism died the day that
Gerry McNee hung up his pen. imo
McNee leaving journalism was akin to – Larsson leaving Celtic ie: the quality
flew oot the windae :)
HH
At the stopping of the 10 I am in the crowd behind the player who goes to take the throw in just as the ref blows his whistle for full time- and the place goes mental- I can relive it whenever its shown on TV- a great day
Good morning bampots from a sunny and breezy Troon.
The old saying, nothing lasts forever, may be apt for Sky Sports
dominance. BT have announced free EPL matches next season within
their broadband package with the launch of 2 sports channels.
BT share price up 24p this morning.
Day off today, my choc lab & I off oot for a walk along the beach .HH
—
Whats the deal here ? These games free online or new channels on tv?freeview ?
Would love to see rupurt murdochs empire crumble, cant see it as he has the sport And government around his wee finger
If that tweet is accurate it shows the measure of the man that spat it out and the environment it came from………..
Shameful.
Blantyretim – If yer aboot – is it a case of joost turning up at 7ish ?
HH
.
OldYim..
Whatever train Ye git Dinnae get Aff at Bellshill..:-(
Summa
starry plough.
Every chance that I will?.
bobby rooney was indeed on the bench in lisbon
Kev
yes…
blantyretim
_________
Thanks M8
I have to go oot – things tae dae
then some zzzzzz’s – heavy shift
last night.
Hail Hail n God Bless
Catch ye the nicht.
bankiebhoy1
If you’re talking about the Wyness tweet, i can assure you its from his own account + 100% genuine
Bt
After eight…. thats mint ;)
oldtim67
It’s a shame I’m not in Hamilton today, would like to have seen you again, we’re arriving on Wednesday to see my wee Mammy…
Have a good night the night and keep those Tims in line especially thon BT!!
Ferguson at the mind games this week. Just realised the FA cup final is this weekend. Took all the spotlight away from it and Man City!
He may not be liked by everyone but he is very smart!
LB
How can you semi-literate hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobic bampots write the obituary of Scottish football journalism when Mark Hately still has ink in his crayons?
.
‘Ernie’..You taking the Mulk Cart tonight..?.:-)
Summa of FastestMulkCartInTheWestCSC
I think the BT deal will be free online coverage for anyone with BT Broadband. Of course no one would be too surprised if the price of broadband or line rental was to go up a pound or two … unless they think sufficient numbers will switch broadband providers to get the football.
If your laptop has an HDMI socket it is easy to hook it up to most modern TVs and watch on the big screen.
There is likely to be a charge to add the BT channel(s) to a satellite package. Probably a fiver a month or so like Setanta/ ESPN.
Bob Rooney and Neilly Mochan where kitmen/ physio/sponge men etc of their time…
I remember Jimmy Steele later but can’t remember if he was at Lisbon..
Dontbrattbakkinanger
I stand severely chastised.
Summa of Sammi.
I went to Wishaw a few weeks ago,when I was on the train I heard orange music blasting out of a phone,I spotted a couple of teenagers sniggering,they had their phones in their hands,they got of at Bellshill,Thought to myself “I don’t think I’ll go there” in my lifetime.
Mort
09:13 on
10 May, 2013
Hrvatski Jim
The main problem is the majority of journalists who cover the scottish game are lazy. They get their information from insiders within clubs and have a reasonably easy job of writing stories. They also get info passed to them from agents when players are looking to move clubs, and if they are still stuck for a story, they just make it up.
Researching a story is an alien concept to many which is why they can sound ignorant when placed in live situations like you describe.
There is also a level of arrogance that because they have an inside line to some clubs, they are more knowledgeable than the average fan and feel they already know everything. I have stopped listening to phone-ins as it is apparent that the panels are poorly informed, have a poor grasp of basic English in some cases, and are so condescending to callers, it just isn’t worth listening too.
We get our information from a variety of sources now, the traditional scottish journalist who used to be able to get the big stories first, is now pretty much redundant.
Mort
Well said Mort. The level of discussion and debate on football shows in Scotland is embarrassing. The contempt with which callers are treated is truly remarkable. The shows are not worth listening to. I can’t believe that they are unable to raise the quality. The BBC are in the best position to do this since they are free of the commercial imperative. Yet they employ people like Chick Young who can hardly construct a sentence and whose musings are child-like. Until recently they had Jim Traynor who clearly had his own agenda. If they want to raise the level of debate they need to clear out some of the clowns they currently have and employ journalists of a good standard who are knowledgable and can provide some kind of insight.
Voguepunter
thanks m8 had a great time
mort cheers hope lenny can join in right after k.o
bobby rooney was the masseur i beleive..bennys dad..his son kevin runs the cafe now on his dads behalf..due to his fitness.
Is it first come first served at the q an a in blantir?
oldtim67
Head through tonight and you will hear the real thing
FridayNightIsFluteNightInWishy
.
OldTim..
Ha..They were Probably Tourists..
I Heard there was a Guy at Last Years Q&A From ML4 with bright Shiny Orange runners on..
Ye Need to watch that Mob..
Hope Yir Guid..
btw..It was a Brilliant Night..Just wish l had gone to the Lavvy when the Auction was on..:-((((
Summa of StColumbusCSC
Morning,
oddschecker has NFL now odds on with a few bookies for the Everton job.
Let’s hope they’re wrong.
HH
Phylis
Yes thought it was the Queens Park Cafe– but couldn’t be sure. I can honestly say that I have never arrived at those premises sober– and never left any other way. It is a pub that appears in my life every now and then like Brigadoon– and then disappears again some time later and always leaving a little mystery.
I remember going there after the Centenary Cup Final and have a vague recollection of someone climbing a lamppost outside.
Bob Rooney on the bench at Lisbon– apparently a very nice man.
I am sure I saw Benny play at Firhill a few times– and maybe at Cappielow once or twice.
If you were Everton the man you should be going for is Malky Mackay. An almost identical background as player and coach as Moyes and a similar type manager.
Listening to Brazil on talksport this morning and he was saying Laudrup has a £10m buyout clause in his Swansea contract so that would rule him out.