Our very own Setting Free The Bears has kindly written a review of Seville – The Celtic Movement, which I hear has already sold out in some WH Smith stores. SFTBs contributed a chapter to the book, which he didn’t cover in his submitted review, but which has been added in context below. Here it is:
How do you solve a problem like Sevilla? The question which Oscar Hammerstein originally posed in regard to describing the will o’ the wisp qualities of a flighty and frolicsome postulant nun, is no easier answered when the object of the question is replaced by the event, precedents and aftermath of the UEFA Cup Final played in Seville on the 21st May 2003.
That is the task set in the book Seville: The Celtic Movement, published by CQN books, a development arising from the Celtic Quick News fan website, a site which itself started in 2004 by Paul Brennan who was exasperated by the fictions commonly held by the old media and its fan adherents over “what happened to the Seville money?”.
Though Mr. Brennan appears and contributes to the book, it is largely the work of Brogan, Rogan, Trevino and Hogan who wrote 50% of the chapters, and Winingcaptains, who organised, edited and designed, with credited assistance, the format for bringing this mammoth task to the table in the shape of a readable and enjoyable book.
Though these two provide the base structure of the book, there are additional individual chapters provided by a credited journalist, some enthusiastic amateur writers, an academic and, even the old media is represented in the form of BBC extracts in one chapter. However, what rounds out this book and what gives it its unique flavour are the contributed memories of myriad fans gathered in Chapters 22 and 23, and credited to their blogging names.
It is a tough task to make the collective memories, reminiscences and reviews of the Seville experience coherent and readable, but the editors and publishers have done a very good job of ordering and editing under the various themes. Inevitably, there is some repetition and occasionally, there are some factual mistakes but these do not spoil the flow and readability.
This may be a new style of journalism and sports book but it pays decent heed to the traditional virtues of storytelling by providing laughs, tears, drama and in one memorable incident, that staple of modern literature, a skitter of scatology.
In addition to the quality of the writing and the comedy, drama and tear-jerking quality of the tales, the book has far surpassed the normal publishing standards of both the Sports Book industry and any niche publishing sector.
There are 64 pages of colour photography included with the book, many photographs provided by the contributors themselves, which provide tremendous visual garnish to the narrative descriptions within the book. This is more than double what you would find in most Sports books from “quality” publishing houses and four times what you normally get from hurried and ill-considered publishing ventures. All of this and the book is available at a price of only £18.99.
There are also several cartoons, by Bill Houston, which illustrate aspects of the tales told and provide even more comic input. The publishers and designers have gone to considerable expense to set a high standard for this new-ish area of book marketing.
It is fitting that such well told tales are given a setting which is fitting to their worth. This is a high quality and well-presented piece of work and CQN publishing have set a high industry standard which will be difficult to match.
This is the definitive source book for anyone seeking to understand what the Seville experience, which is more than the football match, means to Celtic fans. As Celts descended on Andalusia from all over the world, there is no single person who has an overall perspective on what occurred back then.
The real Celtic story requires the gathered perspectives of Celts of all hues, proud, defiant, exasperated, angry, sad, vindictive, proud again and, often all shades of emotion were experienced as the event unfolded and was reviewed.
The opening three chapters set the scene with an overview of Celtic’s history and standing in Europe, a description of the goal that saw Celtic qualify for the final and a depiction of the city and the impact of the visiting fans.
Setting Free the Bears wrote one of the most captivating sections of the book; 5000 words about the 10 seconds leading up to Henrik Larsson’s epically important goal in the semi-final second leg against Boavista. It is not so much the story of a goal but the story of an awakening. All the drama contained within one man’s Celtic supporting life poured out in the story of this goal. You have to know the value of Celtic to understand but the very essence of what the club is all about reaches from this chapter.
There was more involved in the goal that it’s likely your memory will recall. Our leaders were represented, the
The first hint of mysticism comes here as Celtic’s re-appearance in a European final takes on the overtones of a late-life romance with a lost and rediscovered former teenage sweetheart.
Then it is over to 12 chapters by Brogan, Rogan, Trevino and Hogan. In his own unique style, BRTH describes his Seville experience and the companions with whom he shared this experience. All the elements of suspense are there in a “Will He or Won’t He Make It to the Game” stylee. If they ever re-make “The Perils of Pauline” then BRTH is just the man to give a modern day Pearl White a set of obstacles to overcome. However, it would not be a silent film as Jim has plenty to say about the cast of characters involved.
This central story sets the template against which the later blogger descriptions of how they obtained tickets, travelled to and from Spain, and experienced the build-up, the day and the outcome, can be compared. The themes of loss and redemption are presaged as tickets, travel plans and friends and family members go awry before being re-united in co-incidences that would shame the credulity of James Fennimore Cooper and indeed, there is an appearance of a Mohican, or at least a haircut style, in one of the many tales.
The challenge of doing justice to the mystical experience that was Seville has led these bloggers brings out the best in their non-professional writing. They want to represent again, in the manner described by Jim McGinlay on p.84 where he states that “in essence, the people traveling were not so much going to support Celtic and, instead, were going to be Celtic.”
The middle sections of the book, chapters 15 to 19, cover the following, largely discrete themes, two of them composed by Joe Ruddy:-
*An overview of the games and the fans reaction to each tie
*An account of the BBC coverage of the day (by an Aberdeen supporter and an ex-Rangers co-commentator let me remind you.)
* An interesting range of views expressed via Twitter and other social media
* A fascinating set of extracts from Professor Giulanotti’s academic study of the Seville experience
* And a tale of technical ingenuity and hazard that allowed New Zealand’s ex-pat and descendant community to get their Seville experience
As every day is a school day, Professor Giulanotti introduced me to the novel term, dietrologia, which is, apparently, “the science of observing or speculating upon what goes on behind the scenes in powerful groups”, or paranoia as we call it in Castlemilk. The good professor describes Celtic as a “relatively exogenous community” and, though I am not sure of a precise definition of this term, I am fairly confident it has nothing to do with temperance or teetotalism.
Chapters 20 and 21 allow two further gifted writers, Blaise Phelan and L.Monaghan to describe their ticket experiences as they were particularly dramatic and comic.
Then we are onto the heart and soul of the book, the multi-faceted descriptions by numerous Celtic fans of their Seville. In Scotland we are used to having 57 words to describe various states of rainy weather but it taxes the Celtic tongue, poetic as it is, to convey the sense of oppressive heat experienced on The Long Walk to Bessa and back.
It is in this section that you will, once again, laugh, gasp, rage and cry at the descriptions of what occurred to an extraordinary people at an extraordinary time. I guarantee you that, however hard or callous you imagine yourself to be, you will cry unashamedly at the story of The Boy Jinky on page 305 about the scattering of his son’s ashes. It was far from the only occasion on which my eyes were wet.
The book concludes with a cheeky poem and a word from CQN’s main man, Mr. Brennan, on the impetus to found CQN, based on the questions being asked about what Seville meant for Celtic finances, basically, “what happened to the Seville money?”
From that question, the intent of which so irked Paul Brennan that he started a blog, CQN has grown and developed to the extent that, at a distance of 10 years, some perspective and agreement is beginning to emerge as to what Seville meant for the club.
I would not claim that the distilled essence of all that Seville means to us is here within this book but a goodly proportion of it is well represented here. With the passage of time, there may be less resentment against Porto and more of an acknowledgement of how good a team they were technically but the justified sense of wounded resentment is still well represented too, against the play-acting of the Porto team, the weakness of the referee, and the venality of the ticket touts, fat cats and a minority of our own support in the vending of tickets. There is, even, some scapegoating of our own players as this book seeks to represent all the reactions to the match and the event.
As someone who chose not to go to Seville, because I refused to go without a ticket, I found the recollections had finally altered me in that view and I echo what HamiltonTim said in stating that the failure to go to Seville was the biggest regret of my Celtic supporting life.
For those who have struggled to watch the Seville DVD and re-live the painful memories, could I commend the words of Troon Tim in stating that these CQN recollections have been “an absolute pleasure- far better than watching the DVD.” If you buy the book, you can put that act off until the 20th anniversary at least.
The final word should go to CQNs creator as he honestly evaluates the new media approach which has led to this new style of book:-
“Citizen journalism is far from perfect, in fact, it is mostly absurd, but, it is democratic in its access and, most importantly, it is ours.”
In my translation that means, these may be the views of internet bampots but they are our internet bampots and they represent well.
Get yours here:
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Two Indians and an Irishman were walking through the woods.
All of a sudden one of the Indians ran up a hill to the mouth of a small cave.
‘Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!’ he called into the cave and listened closely until he heard an answering, ‘Wooooo! Wooooo! Woooooo!
He then tore off his clothes and ran into the cave.
The Irishman was puzzled and asked the remaining Indian what it was all about. ‘Was the other Indian crazy or what?’
The Indian replied ‘No, It is our custom during mating season when Indian men see cave, they holler ‘Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!’ into the opening.. If they get an answer back, it means there’s a beautiful squaw in there waiting for us.
Just then they came upon another cave.
The second Indian ran up to the cave, stopped, and hollered, ‘Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!’ Immediately, there was the answer.
‘Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!’ from deep inside.
He also tore off his clothes and ran into the opening.
The Irishman wandered around in the woods alone for a while, and then spied a third large cave. As he looked in amazement at the size of the huge opening, he was thinking, ‘Hoo, man! Look at the size of this cave! It is bigger than those the Indians found. There must be some really big, fine women in this cave!’
He stood in front of the opening and hollered with all his might
‘Wooooo! Wooooo! Wooooo!’ Like the others, he then heard an answering call, ‘WOOOOOOOOO, WOOOOOOOOO WOOOOOOOOO!’
With a gleam in his eye and a smile on his face, he raced into the cave, tearing off his clothes as he ran.
The following day, the headline of the local newspaper read…………….
NAKED IRISHMAN RUN OVER BY TRAIN!!!
tonydonnelly67
09:00 on 31 March, 2014
NAKED IRISHMAN RUN OVER BY TRAIN!!!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
OK the joke is quite funny but why does it have to be an Irishman?????????
Skullybhoy
Ok, a Scottish guy, up to you how you want to tell it.
Just wanted to pop in to say Happy birthday to Mrs. B.
21(x2) today and still a pure stunna!
Love you doll!
HH
/Bishop B
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/30/more-power-glasgow-online-journalists-wings-over-scotland-bella-caledonia?CMP=twt_gu
Kevin Mckenna with an excellent read on the power of online journalism
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP3ArYY-eVU&feature=youtu.be
Gol de Riquelme. Boca 1 vs. River 1. Fecha 10. Torneo Final 2014
Go get him Pete……………………..
Gerry FFin’ McCulloch:
“You think Clyde 1 can’t get any worse and then one of their main hosts comes out with this.
Gerry McCulloch
@gerrymcculloch1
@bjm1979 @Eddiek62 ebt’s undoubtedly gave sporting advantage in my opinion. We’ll see what result appeal brings.”
——
“we were richer than you [chaps], and smarter, so we did what rich, smart people do with their wads – put it to their advantage !”
——
“When is the hmrc appeal being heard, soon I assume ?”
——
“His name tells us everything!”
——
“Well, Clyde is obvious.
Keep anybody with Rangers leanings out of power.
Rivals only GCC and the Labour Party for managing to do similar.”
——
“On topic, I know someone who works for STV and he knows all the lads on the sports desk pretty well, no surprise that all of them are Celtc fans and he also told me that Raman (once a bluenose) walks around singing rebel songs and chanting oh ah up the RA.”
Morning all,
I had an excellent Saturday Night at the Kano Foundation do and a great big thankyou to our own Sannaboy for his hospitality.
The Kano foundation is a great charity and absolutely epitomises what our club and ethos is all about — not only more than a football club or a club like no other — but an approach and a spirit which is second to none.
Jamesgang — I owe you a tenner — you disappeared out the door when I was no doubt away gabbing to someone or other. e-mail me @editor@cqnmagazine.com and I will send it on.
The review of Seville – The Celtic Movement at the top of the page by SFTB is generous in its praise.
The most important part of the book is the fact that so many people get to tell their stories of getting to or back from Seville– and the crazy things they encountered there.
I know some will not want to buy it because the result was painful but I stress again that the book is not really about the game or the result — the hint is in the title.
It is a fun read and was fun to do — and there are some laugh out loud moments along the way.
BRTH
LIONROARS67
I read that earlier. First class as ever.
Some excellent links in it too.
hamiltontim is praying for oscar
22:39 on 30 March, 2014Has anyone had emails from me today?
I did mate.
Bada
Was it about slimming advice????
HT-Title is a Gentle Step into My World with videos attached,haven’t opened them.
From rm …. Talk about delusional, silly billies…..hahahahahahaha
“One of the key observations that can be made about watching ourselves this season, is that Rangers have struggled to implement a consistent playing style. This is not to say that the side has struggled for results, in fact a look at the league table indicates Rangers have been successful in every competition entered this season (barring an early-season defeat in the Scottish League Cup, in a match whereby many of the established first team were ineligible to play). Football is first and foremost a results business, winning and entertaining should go hand in hand, yet despite the on pitch success, many fans appear disgruntled by McCoist’s approach to tactics.
However, glance down south and you will find a side who achieve results with a comparable philosophy. Chelsea. This is not to say that Chelsea and Rangers for a second are similar sides on the pitch, there is a gulf in talent, appeal to watch, and the competitiveness of the league that means the two are largely incomparable. But, with a few minor tweaks, it can be argued that McCoist could develop a playing style similar to Jose’s.
Firstly, Mourinho is regarded as a manager whose sides are defensively solid and rely on the individual flair of players to unlock teams. The discipline of the midfield and backline, allow the freedom for their more creative players (such as Hazard, Willian) to take players on, knowing that if the ball is lost there will be defensive cover. It can be argued that Rangers have attempted to adopt such an approach, with players such as Templeton often relied upon to individully unlock defences.
Formation-wise, both sides have used a variation on the 4-2-3-1, with Chelsea playing to the strengths of their defenders by forcing sides to play the ariel game, nullifying the threat of shots from outside the box, or players running through past the defence. Rangers attempt this, but defensively are not strong enough in the air, neither do the defensive midfielders (such as Black, Law) have the discipline to close down such space. A fine example of a player who was competent at this, is the much alligned Maurice Edu, who whilst struggled on the ball, was a fantastic example of somebody whose off the ball work was pivotal to a solid defensive structure (see the game at Old Trafford against Manchester United for proof).
In terms of personnel, Ally must seek to train Nicky Clark to play the number 9 role. He has the attributes (speed, awareness and finishing), yet he is often regarded as an afterthough to Jon Daly. I would also argue that this summer, another creative AM player is needed with pace, such as Chris Humphrey (formely of Motherwell, who is reported to be leaving Preston in the summer). Hopefully, such a move is already in the forethoughts of his mind, as we can yet but dream of Ally sharing the same tactical nouse as Jose. “
Monaghan
Thanks again for your FF news. It really does bring a smile ( tinged with sadness that humans are so gullible). This bit was wonderful:
“Raman (once a bluenose) walks around singing rebel songs and chanting oh ah up the RA.”
The picture generated does make me smile 0:-) (…and that proves it!)
JJ
eddieinkirkmichael
Seen your post about taking the Grand wean to Paradise and taking photos in case they dont remember.
Took the wee mhan for the 1st time to the family day and entered the stadium through turnstile 93 :)) I have about 5 photos of us entering,Wife was shaking her head as I said “Take another photo”.
memoriescsc
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon, supporting WEE OSCAR..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors
RM
A surefire cure for mild depression and guaranteed to put a smile on your face:))
Till later all
Morning Timland from a warm and sunny hun free mountain valley.
lionroars67
I watched the game last night, and Riquelme was MoM by a mile.
@ 35, I would take him in a flash, could teach the weans a thing or two.
And the Boca support was second to none.
HH
This gave me a wee laugh ,
natknow – supporting wee oscar
00:40 on 31 March, 2014
Covered previously but obviously worth repeating…
Everyone is entitled to an option.
Everyone is entitled to express their opinion.
Everyone should be prepared to defend their expressed opinion when others object.
But see when they do? Please…don’t start greetin’ that you’ve been denied an opinion. You’ve not. It’s just that someone else has a different opinion and is arguing with you.
Don’t go in a huff when people disagree with you – just argue your point.
Of course, it may become apparent that your point is pish.
Fine – we’ve all been there.
Be big enough to accept it.
Lefty
You fair edited that joke you put up the other day >}
As I did to be fair, it was origonally scousers…..
HH
Bada
Apologies don’t open it mate my account had been hacked. Password is now changed so all should be ok.
BMCUW
I’m shocked and stunned by that Daily Mail piece, for, as you know, I am rather partial to a g n t, or ten, of an evening! None of that pish slimline tonic either.
I will just have to drink more wine.
Haud on a minute – I already am!
Cheers!
HH!!
Quatar World Cup
1,200 workers/slaves lose their lives.
4,000 The Predicted Final Total!
Quatar shocking stats bb05 FIFA need to end this now or be stained with
Blood
TALLYBHOY
I reckon you and I need to drink more of them,put the weight on!
I blame my tapeworm. Poor bugger must be sozzled by now….
HT – same thing happened to me over the week-end. I’m still apologising to people who I emailed with slimming advice, body improvements (if you get my meaning) and other guff.
lionroars67
09:16 on 31 March, 2014
‘An outdoor advertising agency’
###
I presume he means external.
Anyone any views on this book?
“The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared” by Jonas Jonasson.
JJ
Jokes relying on the “Irish are stupid” stereotype on CQN?
Never thought I would see the day.
FourGreenFields
09:59 on 31 March, 2014
This gave me a wee laugh ,
natknow – supporting wee oscar
00:40 on 31 March, 2014
Covered previously but obviously worth repeating…
Everyone is entitled to an option.
Everyone is entitled to express their opinion.
Everyone should be prepared to defend their expressed opinion when others object.
But see when they do? Please…don’t start greetin’ that you’ve been denied an opinion. You’ve not. It’s just that someone else has a different opinion and is arguing with you.
Don’t go in a huff when people disagree with you – just argue your point.
Of course, it may become apparent that your point is pish.
Fine – we’ve all been there.
Be big enough to accept it.
——————————————————-
I hope you’re no laughing at my opinion?! ;-)))
phyllis dietrichson
10:27 on 31 March, 2014
I’ve not been able to access yet so don’t know if I received one from you.
If I do I’ll be sure to use the advice though :-)
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/arsenal-football-club-allow-mick-doherty-access-to-arsenal-stadium-justice-for-the-archway-one?tk=j_4L2y8Ngo0Tz0CkK-HoB9_84YCyYDbofivYnxEQZ9o&utm_campaign=social_digest_email&utm_content=social_digest&utm_medium=email&utm_source=digest&utm_term=1
Jungle Jim
10:33 on 31 March, 2014
Anyone any views on this book?
“The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared” by Jonas Jonasson.
JJ
——————————————————————
I read it. Story was ok but overall I thought the writing felt a little clumsy at times. However, I think it is a translation so may be something to do with that.
BRTH
MWD
Ritchie
Hebcelt
What a great night at the Kano Foundation dinner, we laughed all night and still managed to spend a few bob. My pal at our table won the £500 and paid our drinks bill and donated £150 back to the foundation, I won’t name him but what a gesture.
It was good to meet moonbeams for the first time and bump into Ritchie again as well as having Hebcelt at our table, had the Stornaway black pudding as part of the cure on Sunday. Sorry i didn’t get to meet more of our posters but was busy being entertained by a magician, some of whom were sitting at our table who made vast amounts of drink disappear!
Kikinthenakas
Right, this non-centurion is about to climb onto his bike and disappear to the Golf course. If anyone offers a view on the book by the other JJ (@ 10.33), I will read it later.
Cheerio,
JJ
NatKnow
Just saw your post. Thanks for that.
JJ
jungle j…
Read it last summer on the recommendation of a lady who was lying next to me ( but not with me lol) by the pool. She was a v polite lady but when she said she nearly pee’d herself reading it I was tempted to buy on kindle.
Overall I’d say it was OK and had some witty observations about attitudes to the aged, the ageing and social care.
Parts were laughing out loud stuff, especially the early chapters.
However it ran out of steam and the last quarter of the book was for me a struggle to get through. Perfectly acceptable read.
So quite good, maybe 3 stars out of 5.
HH