I remember the 10th anniversary of Lisbon. The BBC marked the occasion with a memorable documentary and on the exact anniversary, Liverpool won their first European Cup, against Borussia Monchengladbach in Rome. Celtic had just won the double, which would turn out to be Jock Stein’s last trophies.
We had little to celebrate on the 20th or 30th anniversaries, but the 40th anniversary was marked appropriately. For the first time, I felt we correctly defined the achievement of the Lions, not just for becoming European champions, but for pivoting Celtic’s history away from mediocrity to spectacular success.
The 50th anniversary will be the final big celebration, nothing like this will happen again. The groundswell you see from the fans, in particular on the 67th minute of each game, is unique to this year.
All of this leaves you and me with a question, do we let the anniversary pass us by as just another night on the calendar, or are we going to mark the occasion in an appropriate manner? It has to be the latter.
For me, this means doing what I can for the Celtic FC Foundation. I’ve signed up for what will be my first marathon, at Stirling, four days before the 50th. It is five weeks on Sunday, and if I get a move on, I might get to Celtic Park to see the second half of our final league game of the season.
I know most of us are not in a position to take on a project like this, but maybe you can support me along the way, the next five weeks will be difficult.
On a related note, I discussing the Dukla Prague semi-final at Celtic Park with my Dad, which happened 50 years ago this week, and he emailed me the notes below, on that night and on the Vojvodina game. We should tell each other as many stories as we have from that era. Here’s Martin42’s:
“50 years is a long time in football and sometimes our memories become a blurred, however that game will always loom large in my memory, as will the last few minutes of the quarter final tie v Vojvodina Nova Sad, to give them their full name.
“For the life of me I cannot remember who scored the 1st goal that night. 1-0 down from the first leg, we needed to score 2 goals and keep a clean sheet to go through to the next round.
“I will always remember the tension around the whole stadium as we won a corner and Charlie Gallacher trotted over to take it. I am sure the whole stadium was thinking the same as me, that Charlie and Billy had done it before in the Dunfermline cup final in 1965, and that they could do so again.
“The wait seemed to go on for ages but at last the ball came over, as straight as a die, to the forehead of our centre half and then into the back of the net.
“The duo had done it again, Charlie and Billy, 2 of the most important goals in our history.
“As for the home tie v Dukla Prague, we have spoken about it often, and you probably know my memories as clearly as I, so what I will tell you is about the break into my butcher van. That was the only time I used the van to go to a game.
“I always went to the midweek games with Thomas and John and we would to in via the Hamilton Road and Gallowgate but that night I went to the hospital before the visiting time to see your mum and then went straight into the game.
“We parked on the London Road and ran all the way to the ground, watched the game in a state of frenzy, and walked back to the van in a mind state that you will know when you think of Boavista.
“Policeman were standing at the van when I reached it and found that the back doors had been forced open, and the inside trashed. My knives and chopper were stolen.
“Back down to earth with a bump, well for a wee while anyway. Just had to face the consequences when I got home, clean up the van and mop up 2 or 3 trays of smashed eggs.
“At the end of the day, alls well that ends well and the football was more important that night than the mess and theft from the van.”
I’m not looking forward to the work I need to do for this marathon, but this occasion requires a significant gesture. For lots or reasons you’ll understand.
You can sponsor me here, money goes straight to fund the important work of the Foundation.
Thank you.
Published today by CQN Books.
618 Comments- Pages:
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SoT – you are of course, correct.
Typed that and jumped in car to B&Q and thought “wait a minute, what did i post?’
Just back and noticed you had corrected it. It’s not your old brain that’s addled mate! :-)
BRTH, sounds like you need a secretary….. :-))
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 14TH APRIL 2017 2:16 PM
Didn’t watch it but as requested, deleted.
Vojvodina, my first game, stood at the Hun end.
As a first year apprentice couldn’t afford Lisbon, but went to Milan three years later.
YNWA
Today of course is Easter Friday, when we commemorate Jesus’ meeting with The Easter Bunny, when they fried eggs over a burning bush.
Religionisbasedoninterpretationofhistoricalevents CSC
;)
I think Brendan will start with a conventional 4-4-2 formation against Ross County.
Same as Dundee game, however with Eboue and Rogic starting instead of Forrest and McGregor.
CG.
ML – DB – JS – KT.
SB – TR – SA – EK.
MD – SS.
See how it goes.
Or even start with wee Patrick Roberts on the left of midfield in a more advanced role as opposed to Eboue.
Definitely Broony on the right though and Tom Rogic, Stuart Armstrong central midfield.
HH.
Flag of Portugal looks to be selling well in the Shamrock Superstore in Keady Armagh…….looks a classy flag right colours as well……need to give the olde flag pole a lick of paint for the 25th……that should get it right up their noses……
Very well done the Young Hoops on their 4-0 pumping of sevco this afternoon.
I believe it could have been a lot more if it had not been for ‘thems’ goalie.
HH!!
Wouldnt be a bad idea if the club were to give the fans a portugal flag to wave on the 67th on the last game of the season to thank the lisbon people for their kindness.
I sometimes think the stupidity of the huns followers is over egged on here…..
…. but then on FF, I see this:
“I’m a bit worried about all of this tbh. Surely Mr King is not going to let the good name of Rangers be dragged through the courts again?”
Muhahahahahahahaha aaaah.
South of Tunis , thanks for that information about Rosco Gordon on the last thread.
I’ll looking out for him on youtube tonight.
Art of War , I heard the last 5 minutes of SSB last night when I was taking my son to training.
My son looked in bewilderment at me when I shouted at the radio, sums radio clyde football coverage up when football phone in host , G McCulloch , did not know who Gigi Riva was.
Obviously no googlesearch made by him after the question was read out.
Great result for the under 20’s against that mob today.
The sevs will proably blame Michael O’Halloran for it as he was meant to play in today’s game.
https://twitter.com/lilze7/status/852901414707892225
Aiden with another beauty
MWD,
Cheers for that mate! Appreciate it. Hope you are keeping well.
Hail Hail
Roccobhoy
DALLAS
O’Halloran did play today, but was hooked after an hour for being shoite.
HH!!
An update on our new book In The Heat of Lisbon and the brilliant Jock Stein t-shirt.
Both the book and the t-shirts have now arrived and I will be busy packaging these up to go out all over the world on Tuesday morning, so if you’ve already ordered then you should get yours next week.
Hopefully we will see a few of the t-shirts at Hampden next weekend.
The special launch offer – where you get both the book and the t-shirt for £19.67 will end on Tuesday and thereafter each will be available for £14.99 individually. So there’s still time to get the deal at cqnbookstore.com
The profits will be spent next month thanking the Lions on behalf of the Celtic support, so we would appreciate as much support as we can get in this project, which was in part inspired by the loss of Tommy a few weeks ago.
CelticbyNumbers
Cracking analysis of the game last week – how do you do it as a matter of curiosity ?
Interesting choices for the hun game coming up – first of our 2 big cup finals – in that midfield area. Callum’s movement. possession and passing make him a better choice than Bitton but how much of a game is Eboue coming onto in advance of it.
Play the 3 wee amigos and false number 9 or put Moussa as a focal point. Great choices in variation.
Brother Pedro of course will have to deal with naming our team in advance so we’ll see what he tells us :)
Keep up the site. Pity it seems to be getting passed by here – deserves a bit ore support than that…
Bada Bing
Do you think Aidan could return this summer ? Seems to have found some great form lately. Loved his work in the past and is he the possible number 10 instead of a winger ?
Paul67, as an experienced distance runner, I sincerely hope you started training for The Stirling marathon some time ago. Usual recommended programme is 16 weeks with at least another weeks tapering. To go from scratch with 5 weeks to go is not recommended. It’s a distance that has to be respected or it will rag doll you. Health first my boy.
All the best with it. Will chuck in a few florins .
HH
Bada
Huddersfield scored a pen 97rh minute to keep my coupon alive
Good Evening.
Something new to read…
“Attack Of The Zombie Shareholders”
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/attack-of-the-zombie-shareholders/
I see BTM has dragged Warbo into a relegation dog fight. Notts Forest 0-1 Blackburn. Started the season going for 55, could end up in League 1.
This is from The Evening times rag today. There is a video of the Celtic fans dancing in the street, but I don’t know how to put the video on here. Someone called the cops, by the way.
Hundreds of Celtic fans brought a busy city centre street to standstill on Friday morning with an impromptu celebration.
Fans were seen outside Campus bar on Sauchiehall Street singing football songs.
Crowds were chanting the Scott Sinclair “Logical” song, led by one man standing on top of a telephone box.
So the popular (i.e anti-Celtic) consensus appears to be that Archibald Alan should be annointed as manager of the year.
Aye right.
HH!!
Well done to the Young Celts today, scorelines like that will do nicely for both the Big Sevco games.
At the Training Day, couldn’t see Lustig, Boyata or Bitton ?
Anyways, I was shoving all the weans oot the road so I could get photos and autographs of the CELTS………………( ONLY JOKING).
HH
Roccobhoy
Those taxi companies will take pre-bookings.
Also if you walk to ASDA on Helen St you’ll get a taxi there I’m sure. They may even have a taxi call booth in store.
MWD
Hail Hail to everybody on here.
Just thought I would post the above words…..in case anyone on here felt that they were getting the “Cold Shoulder” Treatment ?
This is how Dave King got his cold shoulder
Big Jimmy 6.02pm
Best of luck on Tuesday, Hail Hail to yourself as well :-)
Leigh Griffiths today saying Broony was giving him grief about going off for Scotland, turns out slight fracture, Griif says Broony was gutted he had to “sort of apologise” we have very good players who have a cracking team attitude…. Am delighted the Griff is back in contention
It does help when we have Brendan guiding the bhoys
I see Phils latest refers to his rugger chap’s take on The Takeover Panels decision to take Stupid King David to the Court of Session of Scotland. The rugger chaps view is taken from an FT article.
If anyone has an FT subscription at £14.50 a week can you C&P the article here. There is a link to it on Phils latest.
https://philmacgiollabhain.ie/2017/04/14/rugger-guy-has-his-say-on-the-takeover-panel-and-king/
MWD
Just had a very quick peek on their ff site.
Some are posting that the wonderful Andy Halliday phoned them for a wee “Chat”, with a wee video from the same “player” on the site. ( I didnt watch the video.
wonder if Mr King had Andy “Reverse the charges when making those calls ?
They really are the MOST fecked up gullible mob on this planet…………………………haud oan , they are not on this feckin planet.
Their so called club is in deep doodoo, but never mind chaps, a wee phone call from Andy and the world is a brighter place !
It wouldn’t be season book renewal time would it ?
My computer/this blog is playing up again.
20s game behind closed door Will the final be the same??
Absolutely delighted to see LG in training today!
On a separate point i saw on SSN that Stefan Johansen scored a beauty for Fulham today at Norwich.
Setting free them bears
That’s hugh Kevens On the right
Winning captains
Did you ever get the info on the original Lisbon t shirt guy
TheTimReaper 6.28pm
Stefan has made a massive impact with the Fulham fans, by all accounts a decent number of goals and a good few Man of the Match awards…… Like Efe Ambrose and many more I love to see ex-celts doing well, even Marc Antione-Fortune notched for Southend (?) today, scored against the old Rangers and still banging in the goals :-)
Jude. 6.27
I’m sure I read during the week that the final will be behind closed doors.
Hail Hail
Good Friday evening, friends.
Kilmarnock v Hearts on the telly means watching 2 of my 3 least favourite teams in the top flight. But the Cathro sympathy factor tips it for me so ‘Mon the Hertz! But hope Ajer performs well.
IanBhoy929 on 14th April 2017 2:57 pm
Vojvodina, my first game, stood at the Hun end.
As a first year apprentice couldn’t afford Lisbon, but went to Milan three years later.
YNWA
=====================================
Over four and a half decades, but finally, the jinx has ‘fessed up…
;))
BRTH – terrific Lisboa tale; fascinating to consider the context into which our club and support were placed, becoming a cultural footnote in a time of great historical political upheaval in Portugal when all we were there for was a game of football.
I don’t want to clutter your busy in-box, so I’ll assume the meal payment x 3 went through ok.
Stefan Johansen – something about his attitude after that excellent first season just put me right off him. Suddenly, his ego was bigger than Celtic, playing with one eye on pastures new; one of the few ex-players I don’t really care about.
Jobo – Ajer; knew there was some justification for listening to two sets of wannabee Hun monkeys grunt ‘Hullo, Hullo’ at one another for 90 minutes.