‘CELTIC FIFTY FLAGS’ is the latest book chronicling the glorious achievements during the golden eras of a football club who are acclaimed as one of the most iconic and popular sporting institutions in the world.
Author Alex Gordon, who has already penned fourteen publications on the team he has supported all his life, has delved into Celtic history to unearth the gems and untold tales behind the club’s fifty championships since they came to life in 1888.
Gordon researched thoroughly each season during his eye-opening odyssey into the trilling dramas, breathtaking excitement and nail-biting climaxes behind half-a-century of successes as all-conquering Celtic dominated football.
The former best-selling national newspaper sports editor chartered each campaign from the very first on May 9 1893 at Celtic Park when goals from James Davidson (2) and Johnny Madden gave the team a 3-1 victory over Leith Athletic and their maiden crown all the way through the many twists and turns to Pittodrie on May 4 2019 when Mikael Lustig, Jozo Simunovic and Odsonne Edouard struck in the 3-0 triumph over Aberdeen to claim the fiftieth flag.
Alex told CQN: “I found it fairly exhausting exploring and investigating each individual season, but it was fascinating, too. I kept discovering nuggets of information which had previously escaped me.
“Some of the early material is interesting and amusing. I was amazed to find Celtic and Rangers players had spent a few days on a seaside break in Millport before an Old Firm match the following weekend. Astounding! The Ibrox side even loaned Celtic a goalkeeper when they had an emergency. As a matter of fact, the book is festooned with such wonderful anecdotes.
“I analysed each year, sifting through the news as it happened, the setbacks that were overcome and the heroes who emerged.
“I can only hope the readers enjoy the book as much as I did putting it together. It’s true – it is a club like no other.”
Previous Celtic books by Gordon include ‘Billy McNeill: In Praise of Caesar’, ‘The Lisbon Lions: 40th Anniversary’, ‘Celtic: The Awakening’, ‘The Winds of Change,’, ‘Caesar and the Assassin’, ‘The History Bhoys’, ‘Treble Treble’ and the autobiographies of Bertie Auld, ‘A Bhoy Called Bertie’, Davie Hay, ‘The Quiet Assassin’, Tommy Gemmell, ‘All The Best’ and John Hughes, ‘Yogi Bare’.
* EXCITING news for CQN readers! You can be one of the first to own a copy of ‘Celtic Fifty Flags’ before it goes on general release. You will be able to purchase a personally-signed copy of the book which will be a must for every Celtic supporter – or neutral football fan who enjoys behind-the-scenes tales and exclusive interviews with stars past and present. Please watch this space for future details!
