It is almost impossible to explain the excitement generated ahead of Johannes ‘Shuggie’ Edvaldsson in 1975. He was the first non-Scottish born Celtic player in my lifetime and his arrival marked a philosophical shift at the club; the development plan that secured the European Cup only 8 years earlier was no longer fit for purpose.
1975 was also the year we lost the league for the first time since Jock Stein arrived a decade earlier, almost certainly prompting the manager to broaden his search for reinforcements after the retirement of Billy McNeill and release of Jimmy Johnstone.
His first season at Celtic brought the harsh experience of Rangers winning the treble; the glory years were well and truly over, but Shuggie tasted glory as part of the double winning side in season 76-77. Kenny Dalglish’s departure that summer dealt the club another blow as it finished fifth in the Premier Division, failing to qualify for European competition just 11 years after reaching the summit, but Edvaldsson was one of that campaign’s highlights, finishing top scorer at the club.
Season 78-79 is remembered for its climatic conclusion, but it was a dogged campaign. Celtic were poor for much of the season with painful reversals, exactly the kind of attrition Edvaldsson had the character to overcome. He was provided crucial experience to a young Celtic team who beat Rangers 4-2 with 10 men on the final game of the season.
It was good to see him back at Celtic Park with visiting Motherwell teams in the 80s and good to remember him today, may he rest in peace.
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SPIKEYSAULDMAN on 25TH JANUARY 2021 12:29 PM
RIP Big Shuggie
Was at his first game v Derby County, my auld man took me
Was my birthday that day
Got new football boots from a shop on High St (cannae remember the name) – might even be a pizza place now !
===============
Roberts Store top o Argyle st?got mine there
Up at cross.:-)
HH
Ziggydoc @ 12:35
Yes: Big Shuggie did settle in Scotland …
He lived out Linwood way and was an older Dad: I think at least on of his kids is still at school.
Had the pleasure of sharing a beer with him not too long ago: a great lad and an immortal from ‘The’ 4-2 game …
VIP
… in an echo from that game, Johnny Doyle has been waiting a long time for any his team mates to arrive in the dressing room …
!!BADA BING!! on 25TH JANUARY 2021 12:44 PM
Shuggie started as a midfielder, was a makeshift striker, and a CB mostly from memory.
, – – – – –
Yep. Would have been a handy guty to have around today. I’m not sure why, but Somerset Park springs to mind when I think of him. He was a bit like big Roy in that he was capable in a few positions. Best player to play in midfield and defence… Two that spring to mind are George Connolly and Pat Staunton.
Pat Stanton, obviously
Wee booby.
Good spot.
My bad
Got my Escobars mixed up.
Carlos (no relation I believe) was part of the same business as Pablo before moving on to set up his own competitor enterprise with one or two others (parallels with “legit businesses”?).
It didn’t end well.
Hail hail
Keep The Faith
Does this mean that the club will now revert back to just Chelsea FC as opposed to Frank Lampard’s Chelsea? I see Derby County have now changed to Wayne Rooney’s Derby County. The guy who changes the outside signs to these stadiums is really kept busy isn’t he?
Shuggie scored a hat-trick at Somerset Park in a 7-2 win.
RIP Shuggie
Its a curiosity of my Celtic supporting life that I have least knowledge of ’75’-85 than any other era. Not that odd I suppose considering I was born in 1980 – Love St and the Centenary were early introductions as I got to know all about our club.
As I read through all of the history, the players from the 60’s obviously captured the attention and then even further back – mostly due to my dad who had followed Celtic from the late 40’s.
Of course, I know about most of the big events of ’75 – early 80’s years but the sad passing of Shuggie feels like a wee prompt to go and look out some more of the games and players of that era,
Suggestions most welcome !!
TJ
Big Shuggie……………….
As a kid I remember thinking that’s what a Celtic Player should look like……………
R.I.P. Big Shuggie a great servant to Celtic.
Condolences to all in here who have suffered recent losses.
Roberts stores. I think it was on the corner of Albion st and Trongate.
They used to take provide checks !!!
I’m sure big shuggie had a pub accross the road from Tennents brewery. The one next to the Great eastern
St Tams- he had The Keystane in Bridgeton, and a couple of others,
Below is our full squad (I think). From this list, I have put a comment besides the ones likely to go/should go to see what the next manager MIGHT be left with to build on.Some on the “Should go” list may stay to get a proper chance under a new manager where team selection, set up and tactics allow them to play to their strengths. Some I cannot provide any comment besides as I know nothing about them.
In total we have 42 players of whom 20-25 could be moved on if we were being ruthless.
1. Vasilios Barkas (G) – SHOULD GO
29. Scott Bain (G) – SHOULD GO
45. Ross Doohan (G)
65. Conor Hazard (G)
2. Christopher Jullien (D) – SHOULD GO
3. Greg Taylor (D)
4. Shane Duffy (D) -WILL GO
30. Jeremie Frimpong (D)
35. Kristoffer Ajer (D) – LIKELY TO GO
44. Hatem Abed Elhamed (D) – LIKELY TO GO
56. Anthony Ralston (D) –
57. Stephen Welsh (D)
93. Diego Laxalt (D) – LIKELY TO GO
6. Nir Biton (M) – SHOULD GO
8. Scott Brown (M) – RETIRE?
12. Ismaila Soro (M)
14. David Turnbull (M)
17. Ryan Christie (M) – LIKELY TO GO
18. Tom Rogic (M) – LIKELY TO GO
19. Michael Johnston (M)
21. Olivier Ntcham (M) – LIKELY TO GO
27. Mohamed Elyounoussi (M) – LIKELY TO GO
28. Luca Connell (M)
40. Barry Coffey (M)
41. Scott Robertson (M)
42. Callum McGregor (M)
49. James Forrest (M)
52. Ewan Henderson (M)
77. Karamoko Dembele (M) – LIKELY TO GO
9. Leigh Griffiths (F)
10. Albian Ajeti (F) –
11. Patryk Klimala (F) –
22. Odsonne Edouard (F) – LIKELY TO GO
48. Armstrong Okoflex (F) – SHOULD GO
53. Cameron Harper (F) – LIKELY TO GO/GONE
Players loaned out
Leo Fuhr Hjelde (D) to Ross County
Lee O’Connor (D) to Tranmere
Boli Bolingoli Mbombo (D) to Basaksehir – LIKELY TO GO
Kerr McInroy (M) to Dunfermline
Marian Shved (M) to Mechelen – LIKELY TO GO
Vakoun Issouf Bayo (F) to Toulouse – LIKELY TO GO
Jonathan Afolabi (F) to Dundee
RIP Big Shuggie and thanks for the memories.
RIP Shuggie.
Oh for the days of puns and fun
The ole CQN GTF list CSC
Deniabhoy
That’s the level of clear out we need.
After the utter collapse of this season we need to rebuild the culture of the club. That doesn’t stop at the CEO and the manager. The dressing room needs cleared out too. Some of the charlatans in there need chased.
I would add Griffiths to your list. Great player, rotten professional.
A lot of money to be freed up in wages for guys contributing nothing.
Now that we’ve blown the 10 we should take a longer-term view and build a sustainable model. We won’t win the league for the next 2-3 years anyway after the self-destruction of this year.
‘I HAVE BEEN CRYING FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS’: LENNY’S FINAL FAREWELL – IN 2007
Pathetic.
BSR- on that note, Sell everyone and anyone who wants away,as long as price is right, start playing the kids,Welsh,Robertson, Henderson, Dembele, see how they get on,season’s a write off
Guys can I say a big thank you to all who have said kind words for our beloved Andrea (50) and Tony (44) who we have laid to rest in the last week.
Can I also say a big thank you to Father Thaddeus of St Rochs for a beautiful service today for Andrea.🙏
Thanks ghuys.
D :)
Deniabhoy
So you want to get rid of Chris Jullien, one of our best players, but you want us to keep the waster LG. Strange.
Prior to Dubai, we probably put in our best performance of the Season against the Huns at Ibrox & were very unlucky to lose.
Dubai was a disaster & destroyed us in last 3 games.
Look at the Ibrox performance and you would say 2 or 3 good buys & we are back in Business , look at last 3 games and you would say clear the decks & start again.
Yes we do need to offload quite a few & we need to buy wisely but it’s not all doom & gloom,
Deniabhoy
So you want to get rid of Chris Jullien,
I would get rid of Julien as well , vastly overrated by some , its amazing how players improve when out injured.
RIP Big Shuggie
Abiding memory, Firhill on a Wednesday night circa 1975/6 a rocket from around 20yards out, top corner and an own goal fae big Shuggie, we went on to win 2-4 as I recall, just sticks in my mind as my amigo and I couldn’t do anything but laugh.
HH ☘️
RIP Johannes Edvaldsson.
He was probably the most flexable playerever to play for us.A wee list below the positions he played for Celtic.
Right Back.
Right Half.
Centre Half.
Left Half.
Right Wing.
Inside Right.
Centre Forward.
Inside Left.
He came on as a sub a couple of times but it doesn’t say what positions he played in.
79 Caps – Julien flatters to deceive, in my opinion. Biggest loss of goals this season is from corners/free kicks into box. He, Ajer and Duffy have been well short of providing organisation and aerial protection.
With regards to Griff, the only reason I would keep him is because we will def lose Edouard while Ajeti and Klimala have question marks over them too. I am not blind to his professional failings but he remains our most reliable goalscorer.
Good account of the Lampard sacking in the Athletic. Good to read intelligent football writing. We don’t see much of that in Scotland. Sounds as though it’s an impossible job at Chelsea.
IMHO – based on nothing more than an overactive mind
This is a bit of a long story – more to do with my state of mind than any hard facts – but it could be worth £250 or if my logic and cynical brain are wrong then the loss of a tenner
When I watch the news – I cannot accept the message being told – I wander into “why am I being told this” I assume (because I’m a cynic) that the news reader is manipulating my thought process – even brainwashing me into accepting some limp story as factual – especially if the are politicians, they are telling me what they want me to believe – and it’s not always the truth
So onto a more relevant story – Celtic. We are told………
We are sticking with NL
We are having a review in January
We have spoken to Neil and we are happy
We will continue until the end of the season
There is a big shake up in the Football Operation
Neil is not a quitter
So I adopt the same cynical view as the news reader and I assume i am being fed a limp version of the truth
A lot of my Celtic news comes from this site – two reasons I love the wisdom and humour of the majority of posters and I believe Paul67 has a direct line to Peter Lawwell
Now some will argue this makes Paul67 a PL mouthpiece and yes I get that – BUT it is also a blog for PL to manage the message – and he does
So I spend my days reading between the lines of Paul67 message and not the message
Now I have a couple of O levels and my brain tells me we are a shocking state of a football team this year
I have been screaming for change pre the home game to the Huns but definitely after that game
Some on here disagreed – no problem I respect opinion
But basic common sense tells me our Board must know we are a poor team
Why are they not acting
Stay with me I will get to the point in a minute………
So why has Peter Lawwell been buying time and not making any changes to Celtic – when all can see we are in a mess
On Friday 22 Jan I got the answer Paul67 “Succession at Celtic”
Paul67 told us (as if he knows the facts)
There will be a restructure of the football operation
No doubt NL wil be moving on
But has agreed to stay until the end of the season until a suitable replacement arrives
Celtic are not happy to appoint any manager who is prepared to come to the club right now
That precludes those who are out of work
That Eddie Howe “had his eye on a different target
They will have a successful track record one that is short enough that they have already not moved up the food chain
Wow that’s all pretty factual stuff i assume its from PL
This led my brain to a simple conclusion
Peter Lawwell has his man but cannot get him until the season is over
So why no announcement, why no appointment now – when we need him
Why not give him time to look at the team between now and the start of next season
Well it is my view that our new manager has moral fibre he does not break contracts
He respects contracts and we at celtic had 7 great years of him not breaking his contract when he could have, at least twice
He then went onto adhere to another 3 contracts with Helsingborg, Manchester United and Barcelona
respecting every contract he has ever signed
I am guessing/assuming/believing he has a one year contract at Barcelona at the moment
Our next manager is 25/1 with paddy power (they will only take a £10 bet)
IT IS MY HUMBLE OPINION HENRIK LARSSON IS OUR NEXT MANAGER
67ECW
Corkcelt
At the risk of sounding like a dreadful moan, we lost that game at Ibrox. We failed to score a goal.
I’m finding it increasingly frustrating to understand the ‘we’re not far off it’ mentality.
When we were 19 points behind, having 3 games in hand, many on here were referring to the gap as 10 points.
I feel we need a dose of reality, on this site more than anywhere else.
I would pull my hair out if I could afford to
Frank Lampard.
Not sure about his management skills but his name would sell out season tickets.
Lampard versus Gerrard would be box office.
Raise the profile of our game.
Celtic media would gain tens of thousands of followers.
@ DENIABHOY on 25TH JANUARY 2021 3:00 PM
Jullien has hardly played this year. Maybe that’s partly the reason we are so susceptible to set pieces (after all, Jullien’s exploits at the other end are well known – he has scored his fair share of important goals).
In any event, I would wager that the lack of coaching and organisation from the dugout are probably the primary sources of our woes (and not solely restricted to set plays).
Sevco have a incredibly parsimonious defence this season. Do people think that stems from quality like Goldson, Balogun and Helander or is it on account of how the team plays as a collective?
Our central defenders have been hung out to dry (particularly in big games) for a lot of Neil’s tenure. Full backs out of place, Broony showing positional ill discipline and failing physical attributes and an overall lack of team cohesion; it’s been a car crash for a while.
Still, 4 months left to look forward to…
67 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS on 25TH JANUARY 2021 3:13 PM
IT IS MY HUMBLE OPINION HENRIK LARSSON IS OUR NEXT MANAGER
=========================
Possibly. It would certainly be in keeping with the Boar’s general approach to picking a ‘Celticy person’ as manager, rather than simply appointing a good, experienced manager.
If it happens, I’d expect it would be a disaster for all parties involved.
If you venture a £10 bet, I hope you don’t win (no offence – I normally love people taking money off the bookies!!)
HH
BGFC
@ NO BOBBY DOES IT PETTA on 25TH JANUARY 2021 3:20 PM
He is out of work so, according to the criteria set out in Paul’s previous article, he will be out of consideration by our Master of the Universe for the vacancy.
Onenightinsideout…you seem overly upset by Neil. I mean, it’s every single day without let up. I have never seen a positive Celtic post from you. Is it envy or jealousy? Or is it simply you’re a hun?
67 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS on 25TH JANUARY 2021 3:13 PM
Larsson is without doubt a true Celtic legend, I would hope that he would not endanger this status by coming to out at this shitstorm moment. We need an experienced manager, however I would not put it past Lawwell to see him as a guarantee of season ticket sales, hope the support don’t think the same way….