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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KK
I remember using the expression “Curiouser & curiouser…………..!” in a conversation with an arrogant fool of a colleague who laughed at me and said that I was grammatically incorrect and should have said more and more curious.
Don’t remember Willie Wallace being particularly fast. Doubt too if he was as prolific as Joe McBride. Nevertgeless a great great signing.
livibhoy
16:51 on 10 May, 2013
Auldheid is the man for rules mate
Comrades All
We need to lighten up !
We are having a party tomorrow !
In two weeks we can celebrate a Double!
A few weeks after that we will start qualifying for the CL – the biggest football show in the world!
Contrast that to the world of the zombies!
They are looking at another season trudging around grounds that most of us have never heard about let alone actually been in!
Fat Sally looks like being in charge – so the football will be mince !
They will be pre qualifying for the Ramsden Cup -again!
Craigybhoy Whyte hasn’t gone away
The UTT has to report
Secco are running out of money!
Vulture capitalists and spivs are at the helm!
Their latest “saviours” appear to be the Busbhoys or the Lying King!
Sales of jelly and ice- cream are set to rocket-again!
Lenny is our leader and if he goes we will appoint someone else
That decision will be taken by DD and the board -we as fans will have no say -so why worry about something that probably won’t happen!
HH
teuchter ar la
You have excellent taste in posts, my friend! :)
Was out for dinner with Tony this week… down at the Cottage….he’s always good craic. Next time we need to make sure we invite you along.
I haven’t been up to the club in ages, but will definitely head in for the cup final.
Hope all is well.
Cheers
cadizzy
17:13 on 10 May, 2013
________
I will assume he was a sevconian.
:¬))
Mike in Toronto
You would have to show me how to use those knife and fork thingies!
Hope to see you at the Hibs game………..I’ll need to pull a sickie.
HH
Teuchter ár lá
I am Kuriouser Oranj.
NFL drifting on Betfair in next Everton manager market
Price lengthened from 4.4 – 7 (for the Luddites that’s 7/2 out to 6/1) within the last hour
Martinez Fav but market shows all the signs if being based on hunches and guesswork at this stage.
Croppybhoy
Exactly, that’s what we need.
We are so far ahead of thems we are playing a different game.
They got the MSM writing about the imminent signing (can they sign players yet?) of the, wait for it, top scorer in the 2nd division. And they are writing about it to drum up support for the season book sales.
I smell a party and I am gonna party good.
Lennon Plays Down Everton Link | Clyde 1 http://t.co/kRH2r5rtYF
Does our manager have a first name ?
hen1rik
17:27 on 10 May, 2013
Lennon Plays Down Everton Link | Clyde 1 http://t.co/kRH2r5rtYF
Does our manager have a first name ?
——————-
Yeah. But why do we expect the Hun media to use it.
Feck them all
MindgamesCSC
If Johan moves back to Sweden I would expect everyone to move up one with John Kennedy stepping up with the lad from gaelic football taking his place . Recruit from within as they say.
It was me a about a month ago who posted to BT that I had heard Owen Coyle had been approached about the Celtic job.
I have heard today Lenny is defo going to Everton, that is what I have as good info, sorry if this is not what some guys want to hear.
Minty spends a few thousand on plans for a super casino, hotel and loads of fantasies.
Hun media lap it up. It’s front page news for a long time. Was it season book time then too?
We now have planning permission and concrete plans, not moonbeams.
Where are we on the hun media? Selling our stars and mgt.
Laughable.
Don’t listen to it, it’s all nonsense. The hun media and rumour mangers in Scotland have been shown up for what they are time and time again.
Laugh at it
croppybhoy
spot on mate
HH
jude
Willie Wallace joined Celtic on 6th December 1966 and made his debut eleven days later in a 6-2 home win against Partick in the league. He scored 2 goals.
By the end of the season he had made 30 appearances, scoring 21 goals.
He left Celtic along with John Hughes in October 1971, joining Crystal Palace for a combined fee of £50,000.
In 232 competitive games for Celtic he scored 134 goals, including 7 against ‘them’.
I think he is 12th in the all-time scorers list.
HH!!
St. John
Hope your wrong
If Neil was to go, then whoever proceeds him will need to be made of similar stuff.
Like Neil I had/have huge admiration for Tony Mowbray but like Neil he was constantly undermined by the media in this country. Unfortunately for Mogga this contributed to his failure. While Neil has fed off this bile and come out on top, there must come a time when you’ve had enough of the Poison aimed in your direction? If Everton do come calling, then this vitriol would stop immediately and all he’d need to concern himself with is doing the job. For this reason, I think the temptation may prove too much for Neil and in truth I’d be pleased for him if he chose to take the post. He will forever be a Celtic legend but the time may just be right for both him and Celtic to move to the next level.
HT -You have mail.
Celtic_First @16:19
I think you left out Wellyitin! :-)
for all that’s going to KSC Blantyre tonight,enjoy.
http://youtu.be/uSD4vsh1zDA
HH
http://celticunderground.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1009%3Acheerio-10-in-a-row15-years-on&catid=49%3Aseason-2012-2013&Itemid=85
keep the faith don’t let them grind you down with their s+ht
It has been blogged on here before by smarter people than me that the system is everything these days. There are few if any ‘Messiah Managers’ any more. Pardew at NUFC is a good example. Had quite a stunning run there for a while. But it’s gone belly up. Have Newcastle got the system in place to deal with it? No.
At Celtic and at Manchester United there is now a never seen before stability. A competent manager will come in at some point and take the reigns from Lenny. I hope it’s another 5 years from now but I won’t cry too much if it’s this season.
I was not in favour of Neils appointment – I felt we needed experience particularly after the Scottish Cup Semi against Ross County. I was proven wrong. My perspective has changed since. Don’t rush to judge, praise or condemn. Those things deserve time.
Friday’s here. Yipee……………..
would lennon be a big miss ? i feel we should have won more during his time
Starry Plough
Sitting un equis with oldtim
He us enjoying his ice crean.
Willie Wallace also led the Scots to victory against the English in several battles. I saw the movie. Was really disappointed that there was no reference to his time as a Celtic player. Very innacurate historically.
He did used to shout ‘FREEDOM’ just before playing the Old Rangers. FACT.
It’s still a great day to be a Celtic Person. F…. the MSM and their agenda
Three in a row ya bass
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
17:39 on 10 May, 2013
**************************************
If I post it on here it is guaranteed to be wrong, my rumour is from a friend of Lenny’s so for what it is worth I think it could be accurate.
Today was my first in office all week and 1 of the guys in the office said he hoped I put the treble on as I gave him the prediction a month ago needless to say neither me nor him will be retiring any time soon.
If Lenny goes, it will IMHO be for family reasons other than footballing reasons.
No man should have had to endure what he has.
Safe houses in the middle of the night FFS.
But still the media carry on relentless.
Still the powers target him.
If he goes, he will go with my best wishes.
HH
blantyretim
Enjoy you two and the night to come..
Unequi’sCSC
Henr1ck
Livibhoy.
There are only 2 rules
RULE 1 Do’nt sweat the small suff.
RULE 2. It’s all small stuff. :)
WGS
I do not believe that when you name possible signings , it is your belief that Celtic have made any attempt to sign them .
You are just stating an opinion that you believe that they would be good signings for Celtic to make.
Some seem to think that you have inside knowledge and that we are interested in these players.
You have never made out that, that was the case.
But just for clarification it might be an idea , when you make such a suggestion to state that you are not privilege to any inside information.
TT
dixiebhoy
17:54 on 10 May, 2013
would lennon be a big miss ? i feel we should have won more during his time
___________________
Dixie, Do you happen to know where F*** is ?
i see reported in the daily star (englanderland)……new reds boss targeted with death threats already….wonder what,l happen there then !!!?.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOErZuzZpS8
The Easdale Brothers favourite song !
Dixiebhoy
Proceed tae….