I got to know John Hughes through his good friend, CQN’s own, Alex Gordon. He was in his 70s by then, but retained a charm and mischievousness. He loved talking football and, in particular, Celtic, who he continued to follow as a fan. Unlike you and I, when John talked Celtic, there was an edge that could only come from playing for the club you loved.
Had he cared less, missing out on Lisbon would not have mattered. It did, though, you could hear the pain in his voice when talking about it. The five European Cup games he played that season, however, brought the team to the final. A chance not converted three years later in Milan also troubled him; John wanted to deliver for Celtic as much as anyone ever did. He scored the equaliser in Celtic’s home semi-final at Hampden against Leeds, front of 136,000 people, which will forever remain an attendance record for a European Cup match.
I often found the Lisbon Lions faultlessly diplomatic. John, however, told it as it was. Some of his experiences cut too deep to bandage over. Fans recount the past through the prism of football results, for players like John, memories of events past were about what you were like as a person. I am glad we had his testimony to eventually add to the annuls of Celtic history.
On the park, he was a Bear of a man. A striker with strength whose record as goal scorer is bettered by only seven others in Celtic’s illustrious 134-year history. He took the club through its most transformational time, the 1960s, when Celtic went from being domestic also-rans to kings of Europe.
For most of us, the most enduring memory of John will not be of a prolific footballer, it will be of a smiling legend we met at Celtic Park. The Celtic world is enormously poorer today; how lucky we were to have such heroes. Our condolences to John’s family and close friends.
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Cheats getting best ! Yasssssssss
Beat. Yassssssssss
I think some people are confusing the chairmanship of a company with the presidency of a republic.
Who’s Patrick Grady?
HT 0-1. Huns not impressive at all against a very mediocre team.
Hot Smoked
Should have been OK I would have thought. Alliwingc2 hours to Buchanan St, and bus direct from there for 4.30 ko?
Tom
He’s the SNP sex pest
Allowing…
Can I add there are sex pests in all parties
GENE
I know. I was winding up Ernie.
Tom – unfortunately it’s not just SNP
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 2ND AUGUST 2022 8:35 PM
Your a smart guy Tom.
If I gave you 3 guesses as to why Ernie would nominate the guy, what political point might it becoming from, rather than could the guy be a fit for that very prominent Celtic PLC representing the company job.
As an aside I dint want John Reid and I didnt want Ian Bankier (I didnt know who he was but ten minutes searching I would have said no thanks).
Left Field – Burnley78 for Chairman
Not a lot of creativity in that sevco midfield of Kamara, Jack and Lundstrum. Kamara looks particularly off form. Not seeing anything in Matonda and Tillman, sure they’ll be looking to the bench in the second half. Barisic showing again how a tricky winger can turn him inside out.
As I keep saying,that Hun midfield look as if they are playing with deep sea diving boots on.Slow laborious,no flair.So much for the new wonder boy front 3.
A wee second half goal would be nice.For the first 20 minutes,Rory was still re- living the wonderful Seville run.
Did I miss something?.Did they win it?.
GENE on 2ND AUGUST 2022 8:39 PM
Tom
He’s the SNP sex pest
———–
I dont like to make jokes about these things, but Alex did leave the position open
Hateley describing the beautiful game, on Shortbread, like Peter Ustinov in full flow…
Gene,
Is he the resident sex pest,or does he just turn up and do a turn now and again?.
Monaco or PSV await winners
HT: Union SG 1-0 Rangers
If Rangers can navigate their way past Union SG, the challenge only gets tougher if they are to reach the Champions League group stage.
The Ibrox side would have to overcome either Monaco or PSV, who are drawing 1-1 in their first leg in France.
Meanwhile, Monaco 1 – 1 PSV is nearly over, in what looks to have been a very evenly matched game.
What about George Galloway for chairman.
What ??????.
Back to the game.
SAINT STIVS
Homophobia. No doubt about it.
I only answered a question
If Union score again..it would be lovely……..but the hun slice of luck still to happen
Evening all.
As it has been well noted ‘Yogi’ was born and raised in Coatbridge, now if I am wrong, I apologise, I believe he lived in the area in Coatbridge known as the ‘Slap up’, Kirk Street, Oxford Street area.
My dad and his family lived in Kirk St, my dad was slightly older than ‘Yogi’ but they were known to one and other.
There was a large Irish community that came over and settled in that area of Coatbridge, in particular Dundyvan and Langloan, many from Donegal.
So being a proud Coatbridge man, ‘Yogi’s’ passing is a sore one, he was one of our own.
I was in the Vulcan Bar in Coatbridge on Sunday with Jane, my wife and newly weds Martin (my bhoy) and his beautiful wife Kirsty. Martin is now worse than me when watching Celtic on TV and that takes some doing, I’m an old shitbag 🙂
When Stephen Welsh scored the pub erupted and when Jota scored, again it erupted and a sense of calm was felt, game done.
Again if I have read this wrong, I deeply apologise. After reading various posts about when ‘Yogi’ departed from this Earth he managed to sing ‘Grace and ‘fist pumped’ when Stephen Welsh scored in the 3rd minute, John took his journey to his Heavenly home.
For me there is a bit of symmetry about this event.
A Coatbridge and Celtic legend departs this mortal coil having just witnessed a young Coatbridge man score, beautiful goal.
Incidentally, the symmetry of Jota’s goal on Sunday and Yogi’s 2nd goal for Crystal Palace in the BBC’s goal of the season is uncanny.
Apologies for the long ramble, as I said, Yogi is and always be a LEGEND.
I’ll finish this off ( thank feck) says all, As I said we watched the game in a pub in called the ‘Vulcan’ it was originally known as the ‘The Sportsman’s Bar’ owned by Jim Brogan.
The bar is now owned by John (Yogi) Hughes nephew.
HH
Brian
that was funny.
like Peter Ustinov in full flow…
they could make it an annual award.
the great orators of the game, Boyd Rae, Miller, Hately
A jury with majority being female found that `Aex` had no case to answer!
on `that` occasion.
No wonder Krankie hates women!
PS don’t insult yourself and everybody elses intelligence by bleating….
“But `she` is a wummin!”
or you’ll confirm just how out of touch you really are, being exactly the type of dullard that odious entities like wee creepy Krankie likes to colonise.
Using sex abuse to try and be funny – very poor.
Mr Sarcastic strikes again
GENE on 2ND AUGUST 2022 8:39 PM
Tom
He’s the SNP sex pest
####
What do you mean by ‘the’.
It’s not like he’s the only one.
BELMONTBRIAN on 2ND AUGUST 2022 8:55 PM
Evening all.
great post on so may dovetailed points and threads of history.
donegal to coatbrig, generations apart for john and stephen.
john and jotas goals seen the same number of touches, distance covered, starting points and finishes.
uncanny
brth used to say it, there is something magical about the place.
maybe we just look as old sentimentalist,
like when jozo scored in the 67 minute wearing number 5.
its wriiten in the starz indeed
Winger rinsing Tavernier
I think I saw John Hughes’ debut for Celtic at Cathkin. Very soon after that, the 17 year old Coatbridge bhoy destroyed Rangers’ recent star signing Doug Baillie at Ibrox.
By the mid-sixties John was the most exciting player in Scottish football – the 5-1 game in 1966, his five goals to knock Aberdeen off the top of the league are just a couple of this great athlete’s feats. At Cappielow, he once took possession just outside the Celtic penalty are and, en route, to scoring big John left at least five defenders in his wake. His total dominance of Jackie Charlton was evidence, if it was needed, that John was hugely removed from the ordinary
Interestingly, at a Sportsman’s ‘do’ in the Greenock Celtic, John said he had never once been coached during his Parkhead career. John did not want to leave Celtic when he was transferred. But, in one sense he never really left. Eternal rest, John
17 , dearie me, he looks like a grown man just out the army.
————–
Celtic Curio
@Celticcurio
A 17 year old John Hughes in action here in one of the Pre-Season Trial matches : Hoops v Shamrocks 🍀
Snippet states : all set for his debut against Third Lanark in August 1960✍️🏽
https://twitter.com/Celticcurio/status/1554382389408849921/photo/1
hot smoked
correct,but i think that the belfast huns beat tns.
HH
Phil
Nite all.
Early rise
Brian
Aw naw.the Huns have brought on someone from the Ottoman Empire.
Huns hanging on here.
Looks like a pen to Union