We have many iconic moments in our history. Big Billy with the Big Cup defined everything that has happened since, but that image of Stevie Chalmers, captured from through the Estadio Nacional nets is remarkable on many levels.
You will be pushed to find a similar photograph anywhere. Stevie is looking in the direction of the camera, his stare and foot are pointing at the ball, but also at you. The viewer is the unseen actor, you become part of the story, the ball is travelling towards you.
Stevie is framed between two Inter defenders in the background, with another and Giuliano Sarti, the goalkeeper, forming a wider frame in the foreground.
Sarti is the other hero of the photo, the protagonist caught witnessing his defeat. Incredibly, he too is staring and pointing at the ball with his foot, his five fingers in shadow, a despairing hand silhouetted by the sun shining on the crowd. But, unlike Stevie’s, Sarti’s actions are passive, he is beaten.
There are nine players in the photo and thousands of fans but all appear stationary, watching the act unfold. Only Bobby Murdoch’s right arm and the ball have a sense of movement. The former, the first to herald the news, even before the ball has reached the line: Goal!
I knew this photo was special years before I knew what made a great image. If Rembrandt was asked to capture the 1967 European Cup Final on canvass, this is what it work would look like. Once seen, it can never be forgotten, it is that good.
Today, Stevie’s mortal remains will leave St Mary’s in the Calton before passing through the Celtic Way to his final resting place, but his immortal act will be with us forever.
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Gutted for Ajax and football. This is (imo) just one step down from England winning the world cup. 2 non championship winning teams from the most over hyped league in the world competing for the ‘champions league’ trophy. Was hoping Ajax would do it for the ‘alleged lesser leagues.
As a Liverpool fan ,glad its spurs ?
Just sent that to my big muirhead spurs fan
I had that photo on my bedroom wall for ten years, from age 7 in 1967 till I left Glasgow in 1978.
Rest in Peace, Stevie Chalmers. And thank you, not just for the greatest goal, but for all the goals.
OGLACH-nay Ajax scum fans to spoil the party ?
Oglach…eh? You mean you didn’t enjoy the two semi-finals?
A wee bit hard to please, no?
I was in the wanting the ‘lesser’ league team to triumph but also take great satisfaction in Ajax’s shitty fans suffering such great pain. Karma is a bitch whose twin sister is Schadenfreude. ?
Two wonderful semi-finals but Champions League my arse.
Why am I so irked at Liverpool and Tottenham winning? I’m not anti English, far from it. But it’s really peeing me off.
Maybe it’s for things that are gone. Like a more level playing field.
Who knows.
But balls to them. I’ve zero interest in who wins it now. Won’t even watch two teams who haven’t been champions of their own league since the 60’s and 80’s play for the trophy of champions.
!!BADA BING!! on 8TH MAY 2019 10:17 PM
Two teams that haven’t won their domestic league for a combined 76 years contest the champions League final.
My thoughts exactly! The Millenial Social Media gurus at UEFA are going to have to work overtime to spin this.
Oglach on 8th May 2019 10:21 pm
The fact that two teams from the league have reached the final might suggest the hype could be more justified than some are prepared to countenance.
Pog,
Well said?
Couple of great semis.
Now looking forward to 3rd in the league versus 4th in the league ……..
…. in the Champions League Final.
I reckon that is the last time you will see that Ajax team compete Europe, which is pretty sad. I believe most of them will now be sold off to those ‘bigger’ league clubs.
Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles on 8th May 2019 10:30 pm
I was in the wanting the ‘lesser’ league team to triumph but also take great satisfaction in Ajax’s shitty fans suffering such great pain. Karma is a bitch whose twin sister is Schadenfreude. ?
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Many clubs have a hard core element of shitty fans even Liverpool. Remember who was blamed for causing the Heysel stadium disaster!
THE HANDS CANT HIT WHAT THE EYES CANT SEE on 8TH MAY 2019 9:51 AM
@ SUPERSUTTON on 8TH MAY 2019 7:16 AM
At a time when we have been incredibly successful both on and off the park, why should we not push on in Europe?
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I thought I had explained that in my original post.
Spending money on more expensive players on better wages with no chance of getting anything out of Europe other than perhaps making it through the to the group stage and maybe even out of the group stages, so what?
All that will do is inflate the price of the season ticket, which go down despite any windfall from European earnings. And at some stage the downsizing will have to happen as the costs become unsustainable, leaving a Ronny Deila or Gordon Strachan to pick up the pieces.
And I’ll post my mantra, no doubt to the boredom of anyone who reads my posts.
First and foremost I want a team the plays with style. Secondly I want a team that wins domestically. Anything in Europe is a bonus and I don’t particularly care if we get gubbed by Barca or Real. The odd defiant performance against big teams is welcome of course.
ernie lynch on 8th May 2019 10:32 pm
Oglach on 8th May 2019 10:21 pm
The fact that two teams from the league have reached the final might suggest the hype could be more justified than some are prepared to countenance.
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No it is massively over hyped. Fact.
Ernie 10:32
Both Barca and Ajax thought the job was done, lets hope we don’t do the same mistake on the 25th
OGLACH on 8TH MAY 2019 10:44 PM
I’m no great fan of Liverpool but I don’t remember Celtic fans having the shit kicked out of them in Liverpool or Liverpool fans invading the Gallowgate and beating Celtic fans senseless with iron bars.
Ajax fans have recent serious GBH history against our support.
Fairhill Bhoy
If you are a Liverpool supporter then why are you posting on a Celtic blog ?
So I watched tonight’s 2nd half in the Souk in Marrakesh in the midst of Ramadan with 6 locals crowded round a tiny I phone. Despite 3 Morrocans in the Ajax squad and 2 in the team three of the locals were supporting the EPL team. Tonight is a sad night for the sport of football. Tomorrow will confirm the richest league showing that whatever poster David 17 says …..money can buy it. It has just shown it. Not as good for football as the headlines and media will suggest tomorrow. Sadly.
So all the nae-sayers think neither English club should be anywhere near the final – Why? Because of too much money? Spur’s having no European ‘Pedigree’? Geeza break Bhoys. We could be amongst the elite, because we have the support to sustain a decent run and the ability to attract names IF we were to show ambition. European football is in a state of flux at the moment (Ajax have exploited that – we haven’t). Liverpool and Spur’s have done the same…Crazy money is being thrown amongst the richest while the likes of Ajax, Liverpool and Spur’s have been quietly going about their own business and BUILDING on said support and loyalty – not penny pinching and boasting about turnover, hotels, open top buses and sell-on clauses. I’m finding it increasingly difficult to stomach the amount of cash flooding into our club, at the supporters expense to a ‘supposed’ charitible organisation. I notice the furore of faux shock of our team being sponsored by yet another betting organisation (or whatever tf it was) has diminished. Why? Why do we (The Celtic Support) bark on about the gulf in finances yet turn a blind eye to heart and talent? I’m sick to death of the sense of entitlement we have as a team and support due to our history. These past couple of weeks should be a wake up call – Don’t rely on our past heros’ triumphs to scrape us through, we’re not Charlatan’s – WE ARE CELTIC. OK.
HOT SMOKED. Thanks for the address and I’m glad the time has been changed.
NORRIEM. MRS WF and I will be in Burlington on Wed,Thurs and Fri.Have arranged a pick up with John and Ann R on Sat morn to take us to game at Bramalea CSC.Hope to see you there.
MIT. Hope the above info helps with a possible get together.Have received your addy. Will contact you soon. HH.
I fully understand some folk being unhappy that Two Clubs who arent Champions of their League contesting the CL Final, But….
By some Major Miracle, IF Celtic were to finish 2nd/3rd in the SPL, and UEFA Rules had seriously altered and Celtic despite NOT being Champions, played in the CL, and reached the Final…would ANY of us be unhappy…I seriously doubt it ?
I suspect most of us would simply say to any Hun Critics who were raging at celtic being in that CL Final…” Thems the rules, we have simply adhered to UEFA Rules…Simples” !
At the same time we would be complaining ( Quite rightly), about the ticket allocation, Prices, touts etc etc .
HH
I watched the Ajax V Spurs game on Dutch TV, and the Commentator was obviously an Ajax Fan. During the 1st half, he was not only commentating but also singing along with some of what the Ajax Fans were singing/Chanting, and I found it quite Funny and entertaining.
I dont know Dutch ( its all Greek to me), but it appeared that at 2-0 up, the Ajax fans were giving it “Ole”, and ” SEE YA”, as their young Cavaliers appear to “Toy” with Spurs.
The Dutch Commentator was joining in, and while i found it amusing at the time, as Ajax WERE Playing very well etc….it DID Appear to Me that Ajax Players and fans etc, believed the Tie was WON by Half time…I know I did ?
Maybe one or two Ajax players did become a bit complacent from the start of the 2nd Half, but fair play to the Spurs Boys, they showed great desire etc to get themselves back into the Tie.
While i have really enjoyed watching this fine young Ajax Team playing this season ( I FAIL to understand any one not wanting to watch great Football being played by other Clubs outwith Celtic on occasions, how feckin Stupid and narrow minded can You get ?.)… and here is just TWO Examples….Brazil V Italy …1970 World Cup Final in Mexico…Brazil won 4-1…Just One of the Greatest games of ALL Time ( Italy v West Germany in the Semi Final was also a Classic that Year, Italy winning 4-3, with Riveria and a certain Luigi Riva’s Goal celebrations simply Superb ?……and another Real Madrid V Eintracht Frankfurt in the European Cup Final 1960…Real winning 7-3 at Hampden.
Okay, that was three examples.
From a “Personal” view point, not only do I NEVER tire of watching the old footage of those games ( and others), when i was a Teenager and TRYING to hone what little Football ability that i had…I purchased a Video of PELE. in this “Training video, the MASTER PELE, was showing how to Head a Ball correctly, how to Control a ball correctly with Your Head, Chest, Thigh, Feet etc….and I took on board as much as I could…I LEARNED MORE watching this NON Celtic Player in a 60 minute video, than I ever learned watching Countless matches watching Celtic !
I love watching Celtic of course and maybe trying to learn some things from great Celtic players in the past…but there is such a thing as keeping Your options open also from a Spectator and learning perspective IMHO !
HH
I also enjoyed seeing the Look of Horror and Pain etched on the Faces of some of those SCUM Ajax Fans, as matters began to unfold…its probably just as well that their Scum Support will NOT be in Madrid for the Final, No Country/City deserve that Mob on their doorstep.
HH
Good morning CQN from a chilly and damp Garngad
The 2 semi finals have been great viewing, I don’t watch English football or teams, just my preference, used to watch every game of football I could, not now, only Celtic and the odd Scottish game.
But what a couple of games of actual football theses 2 games were, they had everything.
I would actually like Spurs as I think Pochitino (whenever I have seen him on TV) is quite a humble guy, but Klop strikes me as a decent type, so who knows.
Let’s move onto Sunday and the zombie shame of Scotland.
D. :)
Good morning friends from a damp, drizzly but optimistically bright East Kilbride.
Had to laugh at the guy who posted a comment about the ECL final …
“Rule Brittania” he claimed.
No doubt inspired by the line ups….
Liverpool
Alisson Brazil
Van Dijk Netherlands
Matip Germany
Robertson Scotland
Alexander-Arnold England
Fabinho Brazil
Milner England
Henderson England
Origi Belgium
Shaqiri Albania
Mane Senegal
Tottenham
Lloris France
Trippier England
Alderweireld Belgium
Vertonghen Belgium
Rose England
Wanyama Kenya
Sissoko France
Eriksen Denmark
Dele England
Lucas Brazil
Son South Korea
MEA CULPA on 9TH MAY 2019 7:17 AM
Had to laugh at the guy who posted a comment about the ECL final …
“Rule Brittania” he claimed.
No doubt inspired by the line ups….
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I think you are being a bit harsh, those players you mention were born and grew up within a radius of 3,950 miles of one another. ?
☝️says it all.
That’s Danny Baker’s knighthood oot the windae then:
Danny Baker going to The Tower for this ?
morning bhoys from a cold wet Cheshire, that was a classic pog, nearly spat my coffee out.?
Big Jimmy et al.
How can we know what to aspire to if we only watch Celtic.?
The football the last two nights has been entertaining and breathtaking. Is that not what watching football is all about ?
The games have demonstrated not only football prowess but an inspirational lesson on never giving up.
Two EPL teams competing in the final, so what if they don’t represent the English identity. The EPL as we all know is a global league played in England.
HH to all.
Passing on my compliments for the singing with accompaniment of cantor TM and organist GM before, during and after the service in the Beautiful St Mary’s, Calton yesterday. They provided a perfect backdrop to the mass and their rendition of Lady of Knock will stay in my memory for a long time. Thanks to you both.
Sole regret was not being able to line up on the Celtic Way as the procession passed. Turned myself into a one man guard of honour beyond the lights as the cortege turned right onto the Gallowgate out of Abercromby St. Not quite the same.
Here we go, for 9IAR. Still three to go.
new article posted.