I was away from home when Brendan Rodgers left, so absorbed the news in isolation. I didn’t feel any of the betrayal that others seemed to. Maybe things would have been different if I was in the middle of things. Maybe feelings of betrayal are contagious?
For me, feelings towards Celtic heroes leaving goes back to two players: Kenny Dalglish and Charlie Nicholas. I was 10 when Kenny left and 11 when he came back with Liverpool, and the European Cup, for Jock Stein’s testimonial. He was booed by some in the home support, which I found incredible. He was our everything for so long and still a hero to me.
By the time Nicholas left in ’83 I felt differently. I’d bought a “Charlie Nicholas” scarf and told myself that’s the last time I hold up a player’s name. Even now when I walk past the vendors outside the ground I think back to that scarf. It was sore. Kenny went for the European Cup, Charlie when for the parties and the Tories, and cannot bring himself to speak generously of Celtic. He is forgiven for leaving but his scarcely disguised resentment toward Celtic means I am finished with him.
As for Brendan, would you or I leave Celtic for a three year contract worth over £15m? Of course not. It is fair to say some have rejected fabulous offers to stay at Celtic Park, so maybe we really wouldn’t, but most go, even fans like you and me.
It was clear Brendan was working his ticket since he decided to create disruption in August. He could have waited until the end of the season, but working with a disruptive influence, who refuses to cooperate in planning decisions, but will not admit why, it not an ideal scenario either. I was not unhappy to see a clean break.
But for me, he is in the same column as Kenny Dalglish, not that nyaff Nicholas. He won us an incredible invincible treble, then another treble and another League Cup. Europe aside, he was magnificent. There are no comparable candidates because few have his sheer presence.
He is part of our history, and when we hopefully look back on 10-in-a-row, you will want to remember all of it with a smile. It’s Easter, forgive.
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Sky Arts 9-10pm. A wee documentary on Dark Side of the Moon.
I am now listening to the entire album and have broken my Lenten abstinence. Budvar is the beer of choice. On we go to tomorrow, yes 8 in a row at Easter Rd would have been good. Never mind, we are on the one road.
Fairhill Bhoy, when Anthony Ralston returns to fitness and gets a regular game , we can add him plus hopefully Ewan Henderson is given more chances.
Good night all and sleep well.
Jmccormick 10.39pm
Lenten abstinence?
Chocolate & crisps were difficult enough but surely if the fast was for 40 days then from Ash Wednesday till now is more than the enough… and surely the last supper on Holy Thursday would be the end of any fast :-)
Enjoy your budvar
Gerry at 10.36 , nothing is ever good enough for me lol
GFTB.
I normally wait till Easter Sunday, howeverI am informed that Lent ends after the Holy Thursday mass. I always hedge my bets.
MARRAKESH EXPRESS on 20TH APRIL 2019 9:41 PM
8 in a row 73. Never forget it. I was 18 and went through with mates, few pints in friendly Hibs pub. Everybody had long hair on that huge terracing. The class of Dalglish and the striker”s intinct of Dixie made it easy. Official crowd 48000. A memory to cherish.
*aye I was there tae with my da and his mates, seats behind one of the goals, long hair, flairs and platforms, loved the latter was like a bonnie banks pinball wizard lol.
On the way out John Blackley not playing that day had a huge grin on his face as he drove through the Celtic support, had we lost deidco were champions, for the first time cameras at both grounds in anticipation.
Dallas 10.48pm
Who cares what you think, as long as young Dallas is enjoying following in his fathers footsteps is all that matters
:-)
Fellow Celts good night n god bless, sort of glad Neil doesn’t have to rub it in the Hibees noses whether we like it or not, it’s only Celtic & Hibs fans that appreciate how good a manger Neil is
Still a few points to go but we’re on the right road
JMCCORMICK on 20TH APRIL 2019 11:03 PM
GFTB. I normally wait till Easter Sunday, however I am informed that Lent ends after the Holy Thursday mass. I always hedge my bets
*a former Archbishop of Kingston Ontario when he was our parish priest told me similar, it ends after the Maunday Thursday service.
Jmccormick 11.03pm
I normally do the same but the wee devil MissGFTB “made” me eat chocolate and crisps last night watching googlebox (don’t ask) so your budvar was me justifying my own fallings :-)
Delighted to read during the week your bhoy is going to be a bit closer and might even source tickets for tynecastle & Easter Road for you both
Hail Hail
Defo bedtime … as Jobo posts one more sleep to witness the champions elect
PETEC on 19TH APRIL 2019 10:30 PM
Tontine Tim on 19th April 2019 10:00 pm
A very strong point TT. We have No one yet that does that. Kieran and Callum could… Its not the way of Celtic players – Believers in Celtic. I dinnae ken.
*Got me putting my thinking cap on there and yes we did. We had one player we sold and bought back for less who became the fulcrum for our first trophy in almost 8 years and further successes that spawned including the Big Cup.
A couple of weeks after we had unceremoniously lost 0-2 tae the Pars in the cup final replay a young talented but suspiciously temperamental left winger converted from left back was sold to Birmingham City.
This young Harry Wragg fan fae Panmure Street coupled his obvious talent, tenacity and vision with an aggressive streak that often had him at odds with not just the authorities but Celtic management as a result he was loaned out tae Dumbarton tae try and curb this streak in the ferocious second division.
I as a lad often went tae Boagheid and saw the youngster along with another Celtic babe who played in the same junior side Maryhill Harp, Dunky McKay, along with former Celt Alec Rollo, it was to no avail even though he was a success with the Sons as on his return and making the breakthrough he was unable to quell his fiery nature especially against thuggish players like the hun fullback shearer.
Even though he played in the semis of the LC that year, Sir Bob was terrified tae allow him tae play in the final as he would have been up against the bully shearer and opted for the now 30 year old Neilly Mochan instead, a pivotal move as Smiler scored 2 goals and terrorized the wee hun who when he tried tae test Neilly’s physical strength was left on his chorus and verse.
Unfortunately for Bertie he didnae even see the game as he was playing for the reserves that day.
Well thought of by reserve coach Jock Stein after he left he drifted further out of contention it was a no brainer when the club accepted a bid of 15 grand for a player whose place in the losing finalists had been taken by the talented but faint hearted Alec Byrne, ironically his place was soon taken by an equally talented but faint hearted Frank Brogan another who was terrorised by the thuggish player in blue.
So off he went to St Andrews Park where he gained a runners up medal in the old Fairs Cup Final beating future adversaries Inter Milan in the semis in both legs.
He also won a League Cup winners medal, Brums first major trophy success in their at that time almost 90 year history, against local rivals Aston Villa, however, his greatest claim to fame and one which he is still held in great esteem by their fans was a game in 1963 against a very strong Fulham side led by the UKs first £100 a week player and outlander captain Johnny Haynes and also containing future WC winner George Cohen
Haynes always immaculately dressed and idolised by his fans was the David Beckham of the 1950s and 60s. Early sponsorship with a hair cream company meant Fulham were often called the “Brylcreem boys” sounds a bit like a certain Italian team 4 year later in the Estádio Nacional, nae wonder he wisnae feart of them, it was a case of I’ve passed this way before as he belted out the Celtic song.
One frosty night at St Andrew’s Park Haynes got into a verbal spat with a cheeky Scottish midfielder who had the gallusness tae nutmeg him. “You little Scottish Bastard” he called after the wee Maryhill mhan as he chased him back towards the midfield area. This went on until the wee winger had had enough and recalling this in his own words:
“As we trotted back Haynes was giving as good as he got, ‘I’ll get you the next time you little Scottish bastard. ’ I snapped as we reached the centre circle and thought it would be a good idea to give him a dull one. I whacked him. Our pitch was hard as flint and he went down like a sack of spuds. His head thudded off the surface and he just lay there.”
So it was that Maryhill bhoy, Bertie Auld, laid out 56 times capped outlander captain Johnny Haynes. As the inevitable ordering off came wee ten thirty heard Fulham’s centre half Maurice Cooke thundering after him with revenge in mind.
He wheeled around and delivered a preemptive uppercut to Cooke’s chin which laid him out too. St Andrew’s went wild as the crowd began to chant “One, two, who’s next”
Such indiscipline was one reason Celtic had allowed Bertie tae leave in 1961, Sir Bob must have felt vindicated that night, and the four years he spent in England saw him develop as a player even if it never fully quelled his fiery nature.
In early 1965 he was transferred back to Celtic for £12,000, a 3 grand gain for the biscuit tin lol, it has been rumoured that his former reserve team boss and the soon to be Manager, the Big Mhan, had requested his return, but let’s not forget oul Sean was a big fan of his as well.
That magical day in April 1965 where oul Tims like me still talk eloquently about “Billy’s Bumper” or Charlie Gallagher’s corner which led tae that not forgetting his rocket shot that spun off the bar, it was wee Bertie who followed up and stood on the goal line waiting for it to come down after it spun in the air, anybody touches him it’s a penalty, he’s as fly as they come, he also scored our 2nd equaliser with a goal that Joe McGoals would have been proud of.
Billy might have won the cup but Bertie and Bobby Murdoch pulled the strings in the midfield that day against a very good Pars side who also finished joint 2nd in the League 1 point behind the winners Killie with a far superior goal average.
One wee piece of useless trivia here, allegedly legendary Italian centre half Franco Baresi has a room in his house containing all his trophies, mementos and souvenirs’ and seemingly pride of place in it is a framed picture of his favourite player, oor wee ten thirty.
Finally, a young me and Mrs TT were invited tae a function in the Lennoxbank Hotel in Balloch, it was the Renton CSC player of the year event, and Jinky was the recipient. He didnae appear and no one had been notified of the no show. One of the committee mhen had known Bertie from his time with Dumbarton and had kept in touch volunteered to call him tae see if he had any info on the situation.
Seemingly, the wee mhan had been confined tae barracks by the Big Mhan, a wee injury we were told lol, Bertie was just sitting in the hoose watching tele so he was asked would he mind and come down instead, nae bother and he did and as you can expect was the life and soul of the place.
BTW the wee mhan apologised later on and said he would be available any time, a new date was fixed and both him and Wullie O’Neil showed up and were as you can expect brilliant, both of them.
The term legend IMHO is often banded about needlessly in this day and age but in the case of Robert Auld it is right and fitting, the best 12 grand our club ever spent.
This guy was working as an electrician in Dublin until he heard Christy Moore.
He’s got a big voice
Tipping it up to Nancy
Hello again all you young rebels.
TONTINE TIM
Great post, and you’re so correct Bertie is a real legend.
Always remember the Quote about the Leeds semi final game at Elland rd
and he was giving them a hard time when Bremner apparently said to him
coming out for the second half ” big Hunter’s going to get you ” this was
one of the hardest and most feared midfield destroyers in the world, and
Bertie replied ” It better be the big white hunter and he better have a gun ”
Absolute legend lol.
H.H Mick
And just to explain to the young yins the ” Big White hunter ” was a
tv programme at the time 8-))
That Leeds team were tipped very heavily to lift the European cup
with some terrific players including Billy Bremner a bhoy who should
have worn the hoops, but when Celtic gubbed them home and away
we thought big ears was ours again, but no, was it complacency or
money squables who knows? but we could and should have retained
the big wan for a few years.
H.H Mick
Very quiet, all you bhoys in bed?
Another wee anecdote about that game.
On the way down to Leeds in an old clapped out car with smoke
billowing out from the engine and tricolours from the windows
we were forced to stop at a few places and it amazed us that all
the local Engerlunders wanted Leeds hammered because they
were such dirty bassa’s.
But Bertie and our bhoys sorted that for them.
H.H Mick
last memory of that game before my grandwains arrive.
Is of three Leeds players inviting one another to tackle the
greatest Celtic player ever wee Jinky standing disdainfully
with the ball at his feet just daring them to have a try.
How lucky i was to have witnessed that glorious Celtic team.
TOODLEOOTHENOO.
H.H Mick
Garry,
Thinking of you and what you are going through.
Stay strong and look after yourself. Ye are a Big Strong Man.
To take your mind off things when you need to, check this out.
C’mon Celtic put on a show the day.
Celtic never get easy games in Edinburgh. Thats why we prevail.
A happy and holy Easter to all at CQN
Peace
HH
Just reading back at some Posts over the last couple of Days.
R.I.P Molly and Eileen.
My sincere Condolances DD.
Stay strong mate, Your Family needs you more than ever.
HH
DD sorry for your losses prayers will be said today YNWA
Good morning friends and a Happy and Holy Easter Sunday to all of you and yours. Interspersed, of course, by a wee game of football at lunchtime and one which I fel will be very tough to win. And win we must if we want to go into next week’s home game with the possibility of becoming 8 (EIGHT) in a row champions.
Good morning CQN from a very mild but overcast at the moment Garngad
No pub for me for the game today, my nephews little daughter is getting christened ( ffs that makes me feel auld) so I am going to try and watch the game in the hous then head up to the doo.
Bet Mrs David66 has something to say about that. As I have roped in david66 junior and david66 7year old grandson.
That gets me wondering????????
How many of you fellas have told the wife you are going to do something and either escaped out to a game or watched on TV.????
Bet there is some that escaped away to European ties abroad etc..
Anyway a 4-1 win for the bhoys today.
D. :)
Happy amd Holy Easter to everyone. Gym to be done then Mass and the Hoops match. Hopefully 3 points in the bag and them a simple dish of roast chicken and some garlicky potatoes. Have a good day everyone. HH
good morning and a happy easter to everyone, from a sun soaked Cheshire.hh.
thoughts and prayers for the dead and injured in Colombo.
Delaney’s Donkey
Sorry to hear about your sad loss,your wee mammy and auntie Aileen.
Enjoyed reading your stories about your mammy.
Stay strong, thoughts and prayers with you and family
DD – Thinking of you and the clan at this sad and difficult time.
KTF mo chara. ?
Hope some of the sleekits read this…or at least have it read to thum……
:)))))))))))
……………………………………………………………………………………
SETTING FREE THE BEARS FOR RES. 12 & OSCAR KNOX on 20TH APRIL 2019 3:48 PM
A recent survey has shown that 1 in 3 Huns are as stupid as the other 2.
Forza Christ the Redeemer.
How great thou art :
https://youtu.be/yjg7QDjsI1E
Cash, Jennings, Nelson and Kristofferson:
https://youtu.be/aFkcAH-m9W0
DD
Prayers said for your Mammy and Aunty .
God bless .
Anybody got five minutes for something non-football?
Go to theguardian.com and read Carole Cadwalladr’s piece today. Essential reading if you want to love and protect your children.
A very happy and blessed Easter to one and all. May the Risen Christ bring comfort and peace to all of us, especially all who have lost loved ones in recent times and may He give release from pain and suffering to all who reported serious illnesses recently.
A prayer also for those martyred in Sri Lanka and healing for the wounded and all their families.
16 Roads
That was a wonderful link
Along with James1955 of this parish I am going to see Kris Kristofferson in Glasgow on 20th June. Lifetime ambition will be fulfilled
Here is another The Highwayman with a tale about Bess the landlord’s black eyed daughter.
By Loreena McKennit
https://youtu.be/qI_PMcFnZZw
My Dad still speaks in awe of Bobby and wee Bertie. Best ever in his eyes and he can remember right back to the early 30s.
Personally, they and their team mates gave me my first real taste of the joy of Celtic winning anything of note, especially the 65 Cup Final.
Jeepers Parkhead what age is your Dad.
Good morning from a sunny Dumbreck, been out to walk the dogs in Bellahouston Park with Mrs PMTYH.
A Happy and Holy Easter to everybody and hopefully a good win today. No doubt we’ll be wearing that awful yellow strip. ?
Hail! Hail! PMTYH ?????????**
Happy Easter everyone, a win today sets us up for a title winning home
game on Saturday, don’t let us down Celtic.
Happy Easter to all on CQN – of all Faiths, little faith or none.
I’m still thinking about you and your family all the time Garry. I am however thinking your Mum has already nipped Junky’s ear to get her a great seat up in the balcony to watch today’s game.
HH jg