I never met Jimmy McGrory, who died an elderly man when I was 15. I don’t if he was around Celtic Park much in the years immediately beforehand, but I never even saw him. We have many genuine greats but he is one of a handful of those who could put a claim on being our greatest ever.
I was fortunate enough to meet Jinky several times and have yet to meet Kenny Dalglish or Henrik but the Tier-1 Celtic great I’ve met most is Billy McNeill. Billy’s achievements as a player are legendary, his managerial achievements were none too shabby either, but the way he has represented himself, his family and our clu,b for over half a century, is incredible He must have shared thoughts and memories with well over 100,000 Celtic fans on a one-to-one basis.
Like many of the Lions, and unlike to many less decorated heroes, they never make you feel like you are imposing on them when you’re soaking up the rays of history which flow from them.
The renovations outside Celtic Park are nearing completion and the area will be opened by Billy at 13:00 this Saturday, before the Aberdeen game. While the façade of the stadium has changed greatly since Billy first stood out front as a fan, the school, car park and Kerrydale Street changed only by aging gradually, and the occasional resurfacing.
This renovation will change the way future Celtic fans view the ground in the decades ahead. As a club, we are privileged to have someone of the calibre of Billy McNeill there to celebrate our present and future.
Get along early to support him – and bring a camera.
We are holding a Four Lions CQN Night at the Greenock Celtic Supporters’ Club on Friday 6 June. Willie Wallace is back from Australia for the Lisbon final so we’ve nabbed him for a night, to join Bertie Auld, John Hughes and the one and only Tommy Gemmell. Tickets are genuinely scarce after a lot of local update, if you want to be there, this will be your first and last day to respond…..
The 70th Anniversary Supporters Association Dinner is THIS Friday at the Kerrydale Suite. Dinner, music (step away from the mic. Anthony) and entertainment among hundreds of friends. Tickets cost a mere £30. With the event being on Friday, and Fridays being synonimous with statements these days, I wonder if we’ll have another jelly and ice cream sweet. What a memorable CSA Rally that would be. See you there.
If you would like to attend either event, email me, celticquicknews@gmail.com
FYI, with the Big Cup final returning to Lisbon this month, CQN will be wallowing in unapologetic nostalgia for the next 31 days and beyond. We forget how lucky we are sometimes. Billy, Willie, John, Bertie and Big Tam, celebrate the way only Celtic fans can. Fill your boots.
Seville – The Celtic Movement:
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Ernie
Defo not succulent. :-))
Weefra HH supporting and praying for Wee Oscar.
Bada Bing
Not just in Belfast – the falls park in the heart of west Belfast – looking forward to hearing them play ‘I predict a riot’
67Heaven
If you are around e-mail me at editor@cqnmagazine.com
Thanks
BRTH
macanbheatha oscar abú
13:32 on 1 May, 2014
ernie lynch
13:27 on
1 May, 2014
WeefratheTim
13:22 on 1 May, 2014
I’m sure the SMSM appreciate your efforts.
So it’s Wee Fra’s fault Traynor is the size he is?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
If we tried to fill that fat git, there would be no lambs or sheep left. Hehe
Weefra HH supporting and praying for Wee Oscar.
WEEFRATHETIM
Jim Traynor.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aczPDGC3f8U
Shameless (sort of) post time.
Here’s a link to a DR story from 2 years ago.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/real-life/how-meeting-celtic-hero-jimmy-876937
It’s about my son, Tony, 6 months after his MND diagnosis.
Pix of us all during a weekend visit to CP – with NFL & players.
Met Billy McNeill outside the ground and he was funny, engaging and indulged us all.
HH Billy
BMCUW
I see he’s lost a fair bit of weight. :-))
Weefra HH supporting and praying for Wee Oscar.
St Stivs
Unlike folk from Greenock or the Port, Johnstone folk talk funny and I can prove it
Mate from Johnstone on seeing an expensive looking automobile “Look at that nice big caur”
Me “you mean car”
Him. Naw it’s a caur”
Me Gies peace, it’s a car”
“CAUR”
“CAR”
“CAUR”……..
Me to another friend (from Glasgow) “Gerry, settle an argument. Is is car or caur?”
Gerry “Moatir”
My mate also spoke of a place called Baurheid.
eddiegreenhillsbhoy, Keeping her in our prayers.
WeeFra enjoy the long lies you deserve them! But I will miss the lambing updates.
rwe & Tony have read the blog tried to leave a message will try again later!
God Bless.
Pablo RIP
Here’s a sight Jimmy McGrory was very familiar wit (Art of the Celts No.9) http://theshamrockglasgow.wordpress.com/2014/05/01/art-of-the-celts-9-main-entrance-old-celtic-park/
CADIZZY
I think yer mate was an ex-pat from Kilwinning!
The real shock in the Daily Rhag story is that 2 days earlier, Bik McFarlane had sung in the same pub. Good God Almighty what has that to do with Stokes.I have seen plenty of hatchet jobs being done on people over the years but this is one of the most obvious & despicable. I clashed with a few on here who had LG hung drawn & quartered immediately the Skacel video came to light. The reality is we are under constant attack so why should we add to the feeding frenzy.
Saint stivs
Yer a bad man…..yes, that is me.
Catman
Happy buffday fur ramorra and hopefully see u later so that u can buy is all a birthday drink……
That’s how it works, isn’t it?? :-)
Minx
Thanks for that, but checking at 0200 and 0700 I will not miss. Well not till next spring. :-)))
Weefra HH supporting and praying for Wee Oscar.
RWE
It’s a dreadful disease. That it strikes from such seemingly-minor symptoms makes it even worse.
Most blokes “wouldnae want to trouble the doctor” with them.
RWE, Not ashamed to say that the link you posted has me in tears. What a beautiful family, life can be so unfair. God Bless you and your family.
following the progress of the work online, via the club’s twitter, has been great. cant wait for the unveiling.
http://imgur.com/c5UnkFi
BMCUWP
You’d think….but no. Johnstone born and ill bred and his mother is from Strabane (so not her fault)
He has lived down here in Capital Foreign for over 30 years and still speaks the same.Unlike me. I now sound like I come from Kilbarchan…. Only some of that sentence is true
Paul , according to Celtic wiki , Jimmy McGrory won three league titles in 16 seasons .
Rangers won twelve and Motherwell won one .
I wonder about the number of honest mistakes that occurred during that particular period of unchecked anti Irish / catholic racism , resulting in Jimmy’s meagre league title haul .
Additionally , Jimmy’s time at Celtic aligned with Struth’s first two decades .
Struth delivered 40 % of their 54 league titles .
PS The mended drum is a hun shop .
Cadizzy
I worked in Greenock for about 5 years…here’s a conversation from my old work place :
1st guy : am Goan tae the shoaps, embdy want enythin?
2nd guy : aye get us a boatle o limoade
1st guy : whit kind?
2nd guy : iron bru!!!!!!!
Johnstone’s like morningside compared tae Greenock :-)
Cliftonville Celt ,
A well written, informed post, if I may say so.
However, I would consider the Wolf Tones songbook criminal, I.e. A crime against music! :>)
ger57
12:44 on 1 May, 2014
NatKnow
Thanks for your reply.
I like the idea of a club membership, with those wishing to join paying say £50 per year. However, who would actually run the club on a day to day basis? At Barcelona, they have a presidential election every 3 years, I think. The candidates outline their vision or the club and the winner seems to be the guy who promises to spend the most on marquee signings. Such populism is not a sustainable model. Look at Barca’s debt.
How much “democracy” should we have?
I agree that there is a disconnect between our board and many of the fans but there must be a balance between accountability and letting well paid professionals get on with their work. Could you imagine the mischief from the Scottish media if there were to be elections for who was to run Celtic? It would be an open invitation for them to create massive divisions within our support every 3 years or so, and would discourage long term planning. There is no easy answer to this situation given the size and diversity of our support, but openness and respectful debate should be encouraged.
HH
———————————————————-
The issues you raise are all valid – and the example of Barcelona is a good one that points these up. I don’t like the idea of a president (too much power in 1 individual) or elections every other year and I don’t think a committee would work well. However, we would still need a management structure to run the club. But that’s what I’d hope it would be – a club whose values are shared by the members rather than a commercial entity at arms length from it’s customers. Barcelona is a good example of how not to do it. We should be looking beyond football to see what structures are used that best fit the kind of organisation we want as fans/members. I agree we want professionals running our club on our behalf – but under our instruction and not solely on the basis of commercial imperatives over club values.
BMCUW
So true.
BTW myself and a couple of Tims get together once a week or so in Mooresville, NC.
The other two are mostly lurkers – they know who they are :o)
My elder son joined us 2 weeks ago, so we had a mini hootenanny without your approval :o/
Is there a franchise agreement I need to be aware of or any protocol?
For any other Tims, the place is Duckworth’s Grill and Taphouse, Moorseville, NC and the time today is 11.30 am (early lunch today)
http://www.duckworthsgrillandbar.com/
I emigrated tae ML5 from ML4 30 yr ago and still stick oooooot like a sore thumb on my haun when I open my mooooooth.:))))
But i’m getting better :))
God bless James McGrory, The Garngad Lad: –
http://www.footballpoets.org/p.asp?Id=17216
Was James the mhan whose goal initiated the Hampden Roar?!
corkcelt
Thanks. See Tony’s post above. It’s a pic of him chatting to Billy at the wee man’s statue. Jimmy’s son is just on the edge of the pic. Here’s the link again
http://imgur.com/c5UnkFi
Conversation with two boys from Johnstone
First: where do you stay
second: Johnstone,,, I’ve got a bought hoose
First: A Boat hoose?? where’s the water in Johnstone??
Second: A never said a boat hoose!! a said a bought hoose!!
True
pedrocaravanachio67
13:58 on 1 May, 2014
Cadizzy
I worked in Greenock for about 5 years…here’s a conversation from my old work place :
1st guy : am Goan tae the shoaps, embdy want enythin?
2nd guy : aye get us a boatle o limoade
1st guy : whit kind?
2nd guy : iron bru!!!!!!!
Johnstone’s like morningside compared tae Greenock :-)
————————————————–
To be fair, in most parts of Edinburgh ginger/limonade would be referred to as “juice”. From which fruit I know not – I’m from Coatbridge. At least in Morningside they refer to it as “carbonated refreshment”. They have Waitrose there. Or as mywee mammy calls it “The Wai’rosees”.
Pedrocaravanachio76
“2nd guy : aye get us a boatle o limoade
1st guy : whit kind?”
…..and your point is…..@
The first time I went into the cafeteria at Glasgow University I asked for a roll n slice
The woman serving me rolled her eyes and said “You’ll be from bloody Greenock then”
For years before that I thought slice was a type of animal. My kids who were all born in Foreign call it slice and have never heard of square sausage
Also before trick or treat there was guisin’ except in Greenock/Port Glasgow where we had gullotions (spelling unknown since probably never been spelt before).
I saw a fair bit of Tully’s career and found myself sitting opposite him on the train from Ardrossan to Glasgow, around 1971.
I never saw Mc.Grory play,, but when his book came out, I went up to buy a copy, at what then passed for the Celtic Shop, outside CP, for my father in law.
Heading back to my car, I saw Jimmy leaving the Park.
I asked him to sign a dedication for me and you would have thought that I was doing him A big favour,such was his humble demeanour.
Pushing it a bit now, but I also saw Patsy Gallagher, when he was an old man.
St.Columba’s parish showed a private screening of Song of Bernadette! In the Seamore cinema, Maryhill Road, circa 1951-2.
PG was in the audience and gave a wave to the rest of the audience.
Never met / saw Bro. Walfrid though!
RWE
That’s brilliant,mate! I hope you have many more of them over there,and that you can make it to one over here.
ACGR has dibs on the hootenanny TM,I’m afraid. He allows its use in return for copious amounts of alcohol(-free lager in case his wife is reading!)
leftclicktic We are all Neil Lennon
14:04 on 1 May, 2014
” sore thumb on my haun when I open my mooooooth.”….
Aye – that sounds like ML4. :-)
Cadizzy……………
with regards to local patois…………….
…as my moniker suggests I grew up in Clydebank but the early years were spent in the bohemian artists enclave * cough*………….. that is……..Scotstoun.
In Scotstoun it was traditional to enquire, when going to the café,
Can you git me a boattle a ginger??
Aye,
Whit kind?………….
(Insert your flavour of choice – Limeade, Lemonade etc etc………)
HH
Non football post warning
With the attention we have had recently re people suffering from cancer, this is a piece of good news for the good people of North Lanarkshire
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-27238414
Work is set to begin on a new cancer treatment centre for the west of Scotland after detailed plans for the site in Lanarkshire were approved.
The £22m radiotherapy centre, based at Monklands General Hospital in Airdrie, will be called the Lanarkshire Beatson.
It will handle up to 80 patients a day who require treatment for lung, breast, prostate and rectal cancers.
Talking of Jimmy McGrory
From the clever Barry McGonigle
https://twitter.com/BarryMcGonigle/status/459387982445678592/photo/1
I think ginger is so-called because of the colour of Irn-Bru. Which is not the same colour as ginger…..
RWE
14:01 on
1 May, 2014
BMCUW
So true.
BTW myself and a couple of Tims get together once a week or so in Mooresville, NC.
The other two are mostly lurkers – they know who they are :o)
My elder son joined us 2 weeks ago, so we had a mini hootenanny without your approval :o/
Is there a franchise agreement I need to be aware of or any protocol?
For any other Tims, the place is Duckworth’s Grill and Taphouse, Moorseville, NC and the time today is 11.30 am (early lunch today)
http://www.duckworthsgrillandbar.com/
_______________________________________________________________
Spent some time working in Greenville, NC. I took a few guys from over there on the CP tour when they visited our Plant. Very impressed they were at our “Soccer Club”
A neighbour of ours, when shopping for her weekly provisions, has a tendency to loudly proclaim, “Ah’m gaun doonty the big Asda’s tae get ma messages”. Inferring that Asda is a family name, and not, in fact an acronym.
Huh!
HH