BERTIE AULD always insisted there was a Cup triumph which was a lot more important to Celtic than the historic European Cup Final victory in Lisbon on May 25 1967.
The wily midfield mastermind believed a win on this date April 24 1965 was the match that paved he way for all the good things that followed during the all-conquering era with Jock Stein as the innovative and inspirational manager.
Auld, who sadly passed away on November 14 2021 at the age of 83, told all to his friend and Celtic book author Alex Gordon in his best-selling autobiography, ‘A Bhoy Called Bertie‘, which was published in 2008.
In another CQN EXCLUSIVE, Wee Bertie reminisces about the silverware success he rated above them all.
Please enjoy.
“Yes, even more important than the European Cup. One came before the other and the triumph over the Fifers that day at Hampden showed we were a team that could once again win trophies.
“Remember, Celtic hadn’t won anything for eight years. It was a long time in the doldrums. I just missed out playing in the famous 7-1 League Cup walloping of Rangers which had been our last success.
“In between that win and the Scottish Cup victory, I had spent four years in England with Birmingham City.
“I came back in January 1965 and, thankfully, managed to play my part three months later in the Dunfermline game with two goals before Billy McNeill headed in that wonderful winner.
NUMBER ONE…Bertie Auld beats Dunfermline defender Willie Callaghan to head in the equaliser with keeper Jim Herriot helpless.
NUMBER TWO…Bertie uld flashes the second leveller behind Fife keeper Jim Herriot as team-mate John ‘Yogi’ Hughes looks on. Beaten Dunfermline players are the grounded John Lunn and former Celt Tommy Callaghan.
NUMBER THREE…Billy McNeill rises above team-mate Bobby Lennox to thump in the match winning header to bring a halt to eight years of misery for the Parkhead club.
“That win was a massive breakthrough. Celtic had played in Cup Finals over that eight-year period, but had finished up as losers.
“They were beaten by Dunfermline, then managed by Jock Stein, would you believe, in the 1961 replay when the East End Park side were rank outsiders.
“Rangers beat us in a Scottish Cup Final replay two years later and the also turned us over in a League Cup Final around that time.
“Celtic had forgotten how to become winners. The Dunfermline victory was massive. It gave the players confidence, it emphasised they could be winners. It was a real breakthrough for everyone around the place.
“We won the league the following year for the first time since 1954 and look what happened the year after that. We did the clean sweep in Scotland and also became the first UK team to win the European Cup that extraordinary day in Lisbon on May 25.
“For me, though, that all stemmed from the Scottish Cup victory over Dunfermline.
“That was the launch pad.”
