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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Kevin Bakhurst @kevinbakhurst 12m
A great resource – Century Ireland – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VERsUIxSYvs …
MattE
Joe Gloss
Kayal33
In fairness there was a chance that moyes wouldn’t go to Man Utd. Very slim though it was. If I was in charge at Goodison I would be on the phone to Michael Laudrup now!
LB
WGS
Everton would have to get knocked back by 2 or 3 other candidates, before Lenny would even be in with a sniff of the job at Goodison so i wouldn’t worry.
Fwiw, Everton will not be a harmonious club next season. There is real discontent among the support towards the board due to their lack of investment and the support want Kenwright et al to sell up.
Cheerio Ten in a Row
My abiding memory is the amount of fans walking up and down the North stand concourse during the second half. The tension was unbearable. We couldn’t bear to watch. The roar of relief when the second goal went in was something I’ll never forget. I found myself leaping about that concourse grabbing and hugging strangers it was an unbelievable feeling.
Trying to get a supporters bus heading for Airdrie through Coatbridge that night is another story altogether.
3sy
I shoulda known it would be rubbidge.
Mort,
Could be made up. I can’t find anything on their official site.
I hope it’s made up. Reward fans by all means but do it without denigrating others.
MattE
fairynuff
it wizny laff out loud funny….but it made you smirk…admit it….it did….didn’t it?
If Lennon did go right enough.
Who do Celtic go for?
I touted Michae lLaudrup when he was at Getafe when we went for Mowbray. Think he’d be sensational for us like he was with Swansea especially in Europe. Big Morteon Weighorst his assistant as well down.
Steve Clarke has turned out what many thought he would be, a decent manager.
Martinez got my vote before he went to Wigan but having him fail to sort that defence out and peserver with Caldwell, my mind changing constantly. :)
Tossing John Collins name into frame here as i think the guy has the potential to be a top class manager at the right club. Been brough in by Wotte at SFA now at long last to help sort out grassroots and youth of this country.
Reckon Lambert would jump ship after saving his rep at Villa, bail out now before he is hung out to dry by Randy Lerner again.
Vincenzo Montell is an up and coming coach. Worked wonders at Fiorentina an will be destined for big things, similar to Laudrup at Getafe, nab before he gets noticed.
Celtic are giving a trial to French defender Steven Mouyokolo.
31003
15:56 on 9 May, 2013
Where have you been ?……I’ve told a lot worse than THAT…!!!
Would be disappointed if we went back for Coyle. Bright lights of the premiership and cockiness came back to bite him in the ass.
In other words Laudrup or Montella for me if Everton manage to secure Lennon.
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors
No…..no you haven’t….
…..i know we should never go back….but if Lenny goes i just can’t see past Robert Duval…
teuchter ár lá
16:26 on 9 May, 2013
Hahahahahaha….nearly as good as mine…..LOL
WGS
16:45 on
9 May, 2013
No EPL manager would leave their club to join us. When MON did it we lived in different times, Scottish football is now seen as a joke, a one team league, whilst the EPL is the land of milk and honey.
Weighorst may be a good shout as a potential Celtic manager, did well in Danish football, European and international experience as well.
Lennon won’t leave for at least another season, IMO, but if he did go this summer we all know, if we are being hones about it, who the manager would be, and most wouldn’t be happy with him.
C’mon o.g.rafferty make my day!!…its ma birthday!!pleeeeeaaaassseeee!!!h.h
“I love the smell of smells in the morning”….or something like that….
Forgot Steve Bruce. Lot of time for this guy but doubt he’d leave Hull.
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors
16:47 on 9 May, 2013
31003
15:56 on 9 May, 2013
Where have you been ?……I’ve told a lot worse than THAT…!!!
——————————————————————————–
67 H
And he accuses you of bein’ rubbidge?
All this from a man who thinks Harry Hill is funny….
’nuff said.
Kayal,
Who?
Sorry if been posted.
From Corsica 1968
http://alzipratu.wordpress.com/2013/05/09/i-dont-do-walking-away/
I think what made the Stop 10 game more exciting was the 1-1 game the previous week when in brilliant sunshine at East End Park Celtic were denied a stone wall penalty when Craig Ireland brought down Henke in the box.
Many were nervous that another Mason in Black might thwart us and that nervousness made the win all the sweeter.
31003
16:20 on 9 May, 2013
Absolutely brilliant……..hahahahahahahaha
WGS
16:52 on
9 May, 2013
Forgot Steve Bruce. Lot of time for this guy but doubt he’d leave Hull.
DO WE REALLY WANT A GUY WITH A BENT NOSE IN CHARGE OF OUR CLUB?….sometimes…I wonder….
WGS
16:54 on
9 May, 2013
Coyle. Available, no compensation fee, hanging about tv/radio stations like a bad smell telling everyone how wonderful we are. DD wanted him before.
Happy birthday tommysbhoy
BaroldHatchback 5088 @Sir_Barold_QC 1h
Still no Sevco news? @alextomo
alex thomson @alextomo 58m
@Sir_Barold_QC next week – have to go to Mid-East Sat/Sun
smashingmilkbottles
16:52 on 9 May, 2013
Aye, but I like talking shoite now and again….he makes a career of it….HAHAHAHA
I see the baby hoops under 10’s are kickin butt in their tourney..in holland
Beat ajax 4:2
Beat spurs 3:0
st.leige 0:0
Beat fort.sittard 3:0
Beat feyenoord 3:0
they play sparta rotterdam in the semi later…the futures green an white…good luck wee baby hoops!!h.h
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors
Aye, but I like talking shoite now and again….he makes a career of it….HAHAHAHA
Put your handbag down and say that to me….
My biggest recollection of the game was afterwards.
Walked back to Bellgrove train station to get back to town.
An eastbound train pulled into the station jam-packed with
Bhuns on their way home from the beamback at Ibrox. The doors
didn’t open but the train stopped for a good few minutes and
the platform was giving it big guns with “Cheerio to 10 in a row” with both hands waving. Then this old guy started doing a
jig right in front of the train. It was priceless! Normally you’d expect them to retort with their usual special songs but
there was not a peep out of them.
On another note, how about Stan Petrov getting an invite up
to do the flag in light of his annoncement?
Thanks o.g !!!
you hang in there with this story..it will be worth it i’m sure. h.h
keep the faith
31003
16:52 on 9 May, 2013
That’s because your nose is too near your
Arch
Great call on stan raising the league flag
TOMMY GOLD @tommyinglasgow 12m
@alextomo Imran Ahmed is back on the scene,spoke 2 him on his mobile earlier today :-)
Kayal,
No chance now after his Bolton experience. Think he thought he was going to take Bolton to Everton position and get a bigger club.
Some within the club down there where puzzled with him. Bought Marvin Sodrdell and paid quite a bit for him, guy was top scorer in championship and he never got a run out when they where struggling to score.
Football was terrible by all accounts
Via twitter.
Is this the leg up?
SFL clubs to meet as support grows for SPL reconstruction proposal
First Division clubs had… http://t.co/n0tinLBjOL