The job of a backup keeper is unlike any other role. Unlike outfield players, they can often pick up a wage without ever seeing first team action. There was recently a keeper at Benfica who had more winners’ medals than appearances to his name.
It’s a deal with the devil. Pick up wages not available elsewhere, but give up on actually playing football. Craig Gordon chose the route less travelled in 2020, when he rejected a contract at Celtic and moved to Hears for around half the money, in order to play. Just one week later, Fraser Forster decided against signing for Celtic, we were left without a keeper and Craig missed out on playing for Celtic, as well as a bumper contract.
Benjamin Siegrist left Dundee United two years ago knowing he would see little action at Celtic. Four appearances later he is off to join Neil Lennon at Rapid Bucharest. You have to assume he hopes to play there, but at 32 and having been inactive for so long, there are no guarantees he will make the grade.
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SAINT STIVS on 25TH JULY 2024 11:57 AM
the greatest figure in the history of the club is simply the founder Brother Walfrid, Andrew Kearns.
his ambition, that a football club could alleviate conditions for the poor in his parishes and allow for chidren to be fed and attend school while continuing in their own religion.
Sharing that vision with Brother Doretheus, and the others in the teaching order and the diocese.
Pulling together his former pupils who are doing well, sharing his vision, to a point where he mobilises those founding father lights a fire of interest, they then execute on his needs.
Literally dozens of Irish clubs failed. Amongst them Hibernian.
glass and McLughlins abilities to get Kelly , McCallum, Madden et al, and TO GET THEM TO STAY, for those initial years and seasons, that in itself is a minor miracle.
The construction of not 1 but 2 Celtic Parks. Financed by the members contributions and the volunteers muscle.
No Kelly no Keltic, but like everyone that followed, a bit player in the history, no matter how succesful it was and how long it might be.
Those early Celts, not owners, not for their own pockets, well not for some years yet. They are in it together, and survuve they must because it is feeding the children of the east end, and numorous charities beyond the city.
Since then, maybe 50 more seriously high contributors, but they are owners, players , managers, all with vested interests, but none in my humble opinion mean as much as BROTHER WALFRID did.
oh and Peter Lawwell.
Big Jock.
The next recipient of our charity.
for alll the things that cost us 10 in a row, allowing Craig Gordon to leave before FF had re-signed was the worst of them, imho.
Between 1926 and 1966 Celtic won the League three times.
the most important person in your personal history ?
your mam who gave you life, or the wife who you married ?
that is kinda the walfrid or jock question for me.
Good to get Seigrist off the wage bill,Craig Gordon was treated very poorly,after years of outstanding service. And was a major factor in losing the 10, with Venus di Milo in goals
https://www.thecelticwiki.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Henrik-Larsson-160.jpg
https://www.thecelticwiki.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Henrik-Larsson-159.jpg
https://www.thecelticwiki.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Henrik-Larsson-076.jpg
is seigrist and bain not in that category as well ? more medals than apperances ?
Butland will be getting hawked round Championship teams
https://www.thecelticwiki.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Henrik-Larsson-076.jpg
the maroon flag over the left shoulder of Eddie Larsson, where would that be from ? Is it an Iirish county ?
I doubt Celtic would have won the European Cup without Big Jock. The magical aura around Celtic comes from that whole era of the 60’s and 70’s. Two Champions League Finals, plus two semi-final defeats, still unbelievable.
Celtic Men of influence
It is a funny mentality. To be at Celtic you need to be a winner, but to be a backup keeper you need to accept personal failure – nobody dreams of spending their best years in their job not utilizing their talents. No manager wants an unhappy, disruptive player in the squad, so you need to have someone genuinely happy to contribute in their own way. Not to mention dealing with the abuse you face when you play in front of fans who’s expectations for you far exceed your ability.
It’s why Scott Bain got a new contract, managers love players like that for a reason.
Well Craig Gordon left Celtic for the same reason Mikel Lustig left a year earlier… they were given a large pay cut and told Celtic PLC Executive to stuff it…
Now, that may have been the right decisions or the wrong decisions but there was no bumper contract…
In fact we may have been in a similar mess this season coming if it wasn’t for our Manager’s Spooky Action At A Distance…
Hail Hail the GK’s are here…
bournesouprecipe on 25th July 2024 12:16 pm
Celtic Men of influence
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A picture paints a thousand words. Excellent.
acot bain – last 3 seasons – 8 appearances – 6 medals
ben – i can find only 2 appearances gaining 2 medals.
Interesting Question, yet not ambiguous…
The Most Important
I can name ten whose influence from the drawing board to beating the English Champions this week have been key and hugely necessary
Yet the most important as a player, Captain and Manager of Celtic has undoubtedly been Jock Stein….
He was phenomenonal for our Club…
Hail Hail
SCULLYBHOY on 25TH JULY 2024 12:16 PM
I doubt Celtic would have won the European Cup without Big Jock. The magical aura around Celtic comes from that whole era of the 60’s and 70’s. Two Champions League Finals, plus two semi-final defeats, still unbelievable.
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we all have recency bias, and the acheivements of jock are unsurpassed.
but might the 1920s celtic supporter look at the previous 30 years and say the same for “the greatest football manager in the world” wille maley.
His teams won 4 in a row, six in a row,
Glasgow league, clean sweeps of trophies twice,the first trebles, british trophies 3 times,
Craig Gordon’s contract had expired, we gave him his last deal when he was first choice so giving a 37 year old backup similar terms wouldn’t have made sense. Even without FF coming back the plan was always for him to be second choice, so the deal we offered was obviously on reduced terms.
Hearts were his boyhood club so to be offered the chance of a two year deal to finish his career there made sense to him
I think on balance, considering where his career was when he came to us and what he gained from playing for Celtic, he was treated pretty well by us. I don’t think either party deserved any more than they got from the relationship
Bain is only there to fill the Scottish quota of players, he would be lucky to be a No 1 at another SPFL club. We have a succession plan with Sinaloso now.
Chairbhoy 12.17
Don’t let the facts get in the way of having a dog at whoever runs Celtic.
Not sure what drives your bitterness but it seems unhealthy.
Knowing all the parties involved personally I can be pretty sure that you are wrong in your assertions.
Saint Stivs on 25th July 2024 12:25 pm
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Very good point. I would respectfully suggest that Big Jock’s achievements were at a higher level.
If not for jock Stein we would be waiting for our first league title since 1954. We had as much chance of winning the league as Falkirk or Partick Thistle. In season 1964/65 we finished 8th.
Big jock is the greatest manager ever.
Dig / dog ?
https://theconversation.com/lisbon-lions-why-celtics-historic-1967-european-cup-win-was-a-defining-moment-for-the-irish-diaspora-in-scotland-131708
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40053489
Most important. Person who burgled BIG JOCKS HOUSE.
“ We don’t want season-ticket holders, they are nothing but trouble.”
Jack McGinn
Jock Stein as a player and a captain, won a famous double, but he described himself as “average”.
Came to celtic to get home, with the understanding he would play much and was very much a “reserve”.
Bob Crampsey descirbed him as “uderrated some, but uncomplicated, decent but not game changing”.
Archie, who had even seen him play for Albion Rovers as “all left footed, maybe because off a leg-break down bothwell pit, but when he moved to Wales he dissaoeard and it was a big suprise when he arrives at Celtic but it could have been any team ihe central belt because Jean just wanted home.”
that is all descriptive of him as a player, a footballer,
when it changed was becoming captain, he told that story himself, others injured, he is made captain as a senior player, allways vocal before but now organising on the pitch, fiercely intelligent, and becomes tactical during a game, winning the coronation cup in may 53, celtic allowed entry as “current british champions” having won the empire exhibition cup in 38.
his genius is as a football tactician, and as a sports pyschologist (spilling) years ahead of his peers in scotland (and britian0 and not so far ahead in europe as well.
A slightly mean-spirited article today, especially that final sentence..
I believe that when Benji left Dundee Utd and joined us, it was in the belief that he’d be backup to Joe for maybe two seasons and then would succeed him as first choice. Something happened in year 2 under Ange to change that, maybe as simple as Joe extending for a year. Benji picked up a calf injury, and really that was that.
Brendan says he’s been a model pro this past season, despite being unhappy at the club; and he clearly had a good relationship with Joe.
He’s a genuinely good guy and I wish him all he best. I know how excited he was to sign for us. It’s sad that it hasn’t worked out – especially in that he’s a better keeper than Bain, in my opinion – and I’m sure he’ll be Rapid’s No1.
The data crunching of our analytics team apart, I’m just not sure where this instant deification of the young Finnish goalie comes from. Or the vilification of Scott Bain – a top pro big Joe H spoke glowingly about – either.
Big Vil was third fiddle at Villa and, seemingly, a decent keeper. Albeit at a side that finished just in the bottom half of ye olde English third division.
Trust Woodsy can bring him up a few levels.
Not sure Benji ever got a proper chance. Praps his attitude plummeted after finding long distance lurve??
What’s Romanian for ‘influencer couple’ anyways??
I hope Vil is a top glovesman but thank God Brendan had big ole Kacper on speed-dial for season ahead.
now here is a pure random, and a real anorak of a question – something i knew but had forgotten, and only seen it again today because of the topic we are discussing.
When did JOCK STEIN first represents Celtic wearing the green and white hoops ?
Jimmy McGrory was just as important as anyone else.
Easy to forget that Brendan rated Bain ahead of Gordon by the time he left in 2019
And that Gordon didn’t make a single appearance in the SPL in his last season
Big Jock for me. Head and shoulders above everyone else
The founder has to be the greatest erson in the history.
If he doesnt establish the club then nothing else can happen.
Jock would probably have been a success somewhere else, his genius couldnt be denied.
Hibs maybe.
Saint Stivs @ 12.15:
Just a guess but possibly a Galway CSC flag.