Heart of a Lion, the autobiography of Lisbon Lion, Willie Wallace, went to print this morning and will be out the day before the Cup Final. It is a joy.
Willie starts with a remarkable 17 days in April 1967 when the takes us through five games, Dukla Prague, home and away, in the semi-final of the European Cup, England v Scotland at Wembley, a tense league encounter with Aberdeen and the Scottish Cup final. Before you get into the substance which made the man, or his more famous achievements which were to follow the next month, you are immersed in sense of possibility, of sheer wonder, and of incredibly hard games of football, that encapsulated these times.
His story is genuinely unique, being the only Lisbon Lion Jock Stein went out of his way to buy, for good reason. His pace was unparalleled in the game. His scoring rate at Hearts was excellent but at Celtic he outperformed his peers – and that was an incredible team of peers.
We learn a valuable insight into how a team who had won nothing in seven years before Jock Stein’s arrival were transformed and swept all before them. Willie gets right into the detail of tactics and preparation.
The Great Event is there in all its intricate detail. Neil Lennon should make every player in the squad read it before Champions League duty commences next season. It would inspire the most desolate soul.
Willie asked CQN to publish the book, which we did. There are contributions from our own Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan, who believe me, does not disappoint. Close friend of Jock Stein, and the most influential broadcaster in Scottish football history, Archie MacPherson, wrote a chapter giving historical context to this extraordinary career. Archie’s range and insight is priceless.
We tentatively asked our very own A-lister, Rod Stewart, if he would write the foreward. Willie has been away from Scotland for a long time, a lot of football has been played since, and Rod’s been busy in the intervening years, but he was delighted to be asked. Rod explains his father’s Hibernian roots and through his “star-struck eyes” tells us Willie “might as well have had a four-leaf clover as a heart”.
Rod finished by saying “Bless you, Mr Wallace”, which I’ll echo. I can’t tell you the sheer joy it’s been in participating in this project. My enormous thanks, Willie.
You can order online NOW by clicking below. Willie is coming over this month and we’re getting a pile of books signed by him, so fill your boots.
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Celtic_First and LiviBhoy
From last post
I agree with both of you regarding the good people of Liverpool.
I have to admit to only meeting any scouser’s on holiday or briefly at work but any I have met have been good friendly people.
Also I’ve no doubt this idiot was in no way an indication of the Everton support.
As I said my gut feeling was a token hun or family members in Glasgow.
I do know about Liverpools orange background as I worked with a bigot from Harthill who spent most weekends down there on ‘orange’ business.
He wasGentleman by name but not by nature!!
O.G. any word on this?
No Pasaran @NCCMick 9m
Channel 4 News might be well worth a watch later tonight as Alex Thomson is filming outside the Asbestos Arena right now
Retweeted by BaroldHatchback 5088
not been on for a while, but my tuppence on celtic t.v.
Could celtic not ask the sfa (or whoever is in charge of negotiations).
If they let celtic show our live games every week,we will not take our cut from the national agreement, so all other premier league clubs will get more money.
Not only that but every team we play against we will give them a percentage as well.
A win win for all teams me thunks,
IF ! and I mean IF ! Lenny is offered the Everton job he will accept IMO !
I think he’s had enough the media the sfa the harassment outside the clubs the threats the victimisation and the all round anti Lennon feeling within this one nation many cultures country which despises him because of who and what he is FACT !
Would you blame him ask yourself the same question if your working environment was similar to his !
His love for Celtic is beyond question but seeing what we see in this country with regards to the establishment forces may just be the push for him to look for a wee bit of normality in his life ! I for one would not hold it against him irrespective were he ends up !
Agent Craig “Green and” Whyte!!
I like Liverpool. It has an edge to it. It’s very much like Glasgow and Belfast in that respect. The scousers are a decent lot. They have good banter and they are grafters.
The football clubs seem to be intertwined and different from most cities. Fair play to them for that.
Whoever ends up at Everton has a job on their hands. I reckon Rodgers will have Liverpool flying next season.
LB
If Tommo is back at Asbestox,
perhaps he’s covering an environmental angle?????
……is he and the crew wearing hazmat suits…?
HH.
Moyes takes up his new post at it on the 1st July. I hope the speculation does not drag on and on, but we could be waiting a few weeks to find out, if there is no announcement before the cup final, fear the worse.
paulsatim is neil lennon, 13:37
As he says, for next week
I’m looking foward to hopefully meeting Willie at Aberdour next month (if selected that is!).
Be fantastic to meet another Celtic legend!
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
LiviBhoy,
with or without Suarez though?
He’ll be a tad difficult to replace if he goes……which as someone who likes Liverpool – all due to King Kenny going there in ’77 – i’d like to see happen due to his nonsense.
IMO they definitely require another striker. Was slightly annoyed at the signing of Sturridge, as for me he’s not a great goal-scorer.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Hi Paul67
What a great leader; I bought the book instantly! :-)
As someone whose earliest football memories were Lisbon 67 and the ’67 Wembley game, and as someone who grew up idolising Celtic, Jock Stein and the Lisbon Lions (especially wee Jinkie), I was both amazed and intrigued by your article…
You state ‘His pace was unparalleled in the game. His scoring rate at Hearts was excellent but at Celtic he outperformed his peers – and that was an incredible team of peers.’ I was ‘astounded of forehead’ to read this. I would have thought that in 1966/67 Bobby Lennox was the fastest player and Joe McBride the most prolific scorer? Perhaps not… Perhaps someone here with a better knowledge of the Lisbon Lions’ Stats and history can enlighten us further? …
Anyway, great article and I can’t wait to read the book!
Yours in Celtic,
TB&F.
Mancini on Alex Ferguson
“It was a great honour to beat him at Old Trafford & I wish him good luck for his future.”
Ouch!CSC
A huge amount of people from NI (mostly from the Unionist side) seem to support Liverpool.
Maybe religion had something to do with this originally.
Very few from either side support Everton.
Petethebeat
Glory hunters ….??
mighty tim
13:31 on 10 May, 2013HOPE not hate @hopenothate 3 MayBreaking news! BNP not only lost last remaining seat in Burnley but appear to have come last. Burnley is now BNP freeAt last people starting to see through this scum.
I bet even that mob wouldn’t get “kettled” in Glasgow
Wonder if Neil or Johan doing today’s press conference,
Bada Bing
Come on fellah get with the programme only those nasty GB bhoys and ghirls get a good old fashioned Scottish ketteling.
HH
Bada……….
actually “Oweny” Coyles granny will be answering all questions from now until the Cup Final.
FACT.
;)
PeteTheBeat, 13:54
Though small, the Everton Supporters Club in Belfast has some select members in one Nigel Dodds, DUP MP and the Guardian journo Henry McDonald
It is a damning indictment on the quality of “journalism” in our little stench filled country that Alex Thomson can stand outside and film a piece on an exclusive story, that he is going to run NEXT WEEK, and be fearless about being scooped in the meantime.
Although the BNP may be losing their grip in Burnley the ‘Scottish Defence League’ , a portmanteau grouping of scrofulous hillbillarity, is marching in Dumfries [ not the unwhitest town in Scotland by a very long chalk] this month, to save us all from Islam.
O.G.RAFFERTY
Well,if you need your own wikipedia page before you can become a member,no wonder it is a select bunch!
The Token Tim
Rodgers has the right stuff. The guy impresses me all the time. He is rebuilding from the bottom up. Suarez would be better gone in my opinion. Rodgers will buy wisely. He got rid of Adam and Carroll early doors. A pretty good move. Nowhere near good enough.
he is a year ahead of anyone taking over at Everton. It will be interesting to watch next season. Lots of teams could challenge. SAF is a massive loss to Man Utd. Could take years to get over. Moyes will do well but I reckon that is why he has a long contract. It won’t be instant success on all fronts. He may win the league or a cup but he has to do well in Europe too.
Very interesting times ahead in the EPL.
I hope Celtic can benefit though by meeting one of the so called EPL big guns in Europe and knocking them out. I would want to avoid Arsenal though. Wenger will fancy Arsenal to win the title next year with SAF gone.
LB
Bankiebhoy- is Owen’s gran turnin’ up tonight at the ole CQN questfest?
DBBIA
Classic sir…absolute classic :-))
ROGUE LEADER
The likelihood of AT being scooped is somewhat diminished by their lalalala fingers in my ears I can’t hear you go away approach.
Which has worked well over the years,but recently not so much.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS, 14:11
You don’t mean to tell me …
Rogue leader
Wilful blindness
DBBIA
…………..she’s compere……… (brusque but efficient so am told)
;)
DBBIA
I here PL is driving her himself….
O.G.RAFFERTY
With respect,I would never attempt to tell you anything.
Keep the tip-offs coming would be my ADVICE,however……
Dontbrattbakkinanger
14:11 on 10 May, 2013
Curiously Dumfries was a bit of a hotbed of fascism in the 1930s.
It just doesn’t seem like that sort of a place.
SAF bullied refs …DM can’t/won’t ….
I reckon the SAF factor could have been worth a few points a season
Fergie time, scared to give pens against …..scared not to give pens …that type of influence mounts up over a season
So when does the tax man get the EBT appeal under way, anyone any idea
ERNIE LYNCH
They famously lack the ecumenism of their neighbours and betters in Ayrshire.
Plus,they looked really nice strutting around Newton Stewart in their bespoke brownshorts.
EulalieCSC
STV Reporting that Celtic will be seeded for all 3 qualifying European rounds. Possible first round opponents include Sligo Rovers & Cliftonville. First round is regionalised, we will probably end up with 5 possible opponents including the above, strong chance we will get one or the other. Celtic v Sligo, Bro. Walfrid will be smiling.
DBBIA
How was Curly and Aberdeen?
I’ve just finished watching a programme about Lynyrd Skynyrd. They make the Kennedy family look like they were covered in lucky white heather by comparison. Is Gary Rossington a jinx?
b2k at 13.16
I was a very well behaved pupil in the assembly hall at St Ninian’s on that day. Long time ago but I’m sure Tommy Gemmell was one of the other players with him, he was living in Kirkie at the time.
I also recall that in Kirkie we knew WW as “Wung” Wallace, before he became “Wispy”. I remember him as great inside right who wasn’t afraid to shoot from distance. Can’t recall him being ” His pace was unparalleled in the game” as described by Paul above. Certainly not as quick as Bobby Lennox or subsequently Jimmy Quinn from Croy.
I had the great pleasure of seeing most of the home midweek European matches in the late sixties and early seventies both at Parkhead and Hampden. Great nights if a bit tense at times.