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The loss of our greatest living legend

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

Sean Fallon was known as The Iron Man, a hard left back at a time when pretty much all footballers were hard.  I met him and his wife Myra at their home a few months ago to prepare an interview in advance of his autobiography, which is due for release soon, the hard-man reputation could not have been further from the character of the person.

He was the most generous spirited man I have been in the company of for years.  Myra is a force of nature, unquestionably the wind in his sails.  You have never met a happier couple.

The stories he told about how Celtic were transformed from a sporting irrelevance into one of the most powerful and feared clubs in Europe were incredible.  His story was one of huge and dramatic achievement.  You and I are the beneficiaries.

The players he signed are legendary.  Kenny Dalglish, who was in tears in Sean’s home the night he agreed to go to Liverpool, Danny McGrain, a person Sean could not speak highly enough about, and countless more.  He was a committed Celtic man but took no pleasure in the death of Rangers, such was his generosity of spirit.

Sean described Jock, himself and Sir Robert Kelly as a three man team who had the vision to drive Celtic forward.  He believed that when Sir Robert died in 1971 the club’s loss was significant. Nothing was the same again.

His own parting from Celtic, in 1975, was far from satisfactory, but if he told me once, he told me 10 times, “I don’t want a single word said against Celtic”.  The club that you and I recognise is the creation of Jock, Sean and Sir Robert.  They transformed an amateurish football club into a legendary movement.  He, more than anyone I ever met, never wanted a figurative goal scored against this legend.

Today we have lost one of the architects of all we hold dear, a man who achieved the Miracle of Lisbon.  His insights reach back into the depths of our character.  His decision to author an autobiography is a gift to you and me.  I’ll share many of his anecdotes between now and when it’s published.

My sincere condolences to Myra, son Sean and all the family.  We have lost the man who was our greatest living legend but they have lost a great husband, father and grandfather.  A remarkable life has come to an end.

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  1. Stringer Bell on

    If I was a footballer, I would love to be called the Iron Man.

     

     

    Sleep tight Sean.

     

     

    On other news……….The gaffer makes a point.

     

     

    Note, no snarling, slamming, blasting or sevconian bullying. Just makes a point.

     

     

    “Lennon was equally unimpressed that Norwich City’s £5 million offer for top scorer Gary Hooper had been leaked to the media in what he regards as a blatant attempt to agitate his player into asking for a move.

     

    “Norwich made a bid and we’ve rejected it,” he said. “I’m really annoyed that it’s come out down there because we like to do our business privately.

     

    “I don’t like the thought of them trying to unsettle a player. Now I’m not going to point any fingers, but it’s certainly not come out from up here.

     

    “We looked at the bid, we rejected it, and it’s as you were. I spoke to his representatives today and we’ve made our position clear. We’ve made an offer to them on a new contract and we’re waiting back to hear from them.

     

    “Norwich’s valuation is nowhere near ours. Gary’s not unsettled at all. He’s very happy here. His take on it is that he wants to stay, he wants to play in the Champions League and he wants to have a go in all the competitions we’re still in.

     

    “So, we can’t stop bids coming in, we can’t stop speculation. But our position is quite strong on this at the moment. We don’t want to sell him, and certainly not for the valuation Norwich put in yesterday. We have made our position clear. We don’t want to sell him.”

     

    Lennon, who includes new signing Rami Gershon in the squad for Saturday’s visit by Hearts, also revealed that former England manager Fabio Capello helped him with some inside information ahead of their meeting with Juventus in the last 16 of the Champions League when they met at the St George’s Park gathering.

     

    “He was there and he was complimentary,” he said. “He gave us a few titbits on Juventus. He obviously knows the Italian teams very well.

     

    “I’m not going to give too much away but he thinks we’ve got half a chance.”

     

    Lennon’s other new signing, Australian midfielder Tom Rogic, won’t receive a work permit for another 10 days but the manager has been satisfied with what he has seen thus far.

     

    “I think we have got a good player on our hands, one we can develop and who will be an asset to the team,” he said.

     

    “He is a creative player, a nice eliminator as well. He’s strong, elegant and he’s got a goal in him too.”

  4. tarrant on

    Great track petec, pretty sure the chemical bros were big fans. Posting from phone so posting links too faffabouty, but check out their brothers gonna work it out album. You will dig.

  10. Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Kano 1000 on

    Here is a wee tale I wrote on Wednesday Morning– which just happened to be Mohammed Ali’s Birthday!

     

     

    The only one I didn’t want to punch me?— was that– son of a preacher–man!!

     

     

    http://wp.me/p1G95H-3o

  11. Gordon on

    Brogan Rogan…

     

     

    Thanks.

     

     

    Would that Iceland trip have been the last Holiday Enterprise venture?

     

     

    In the next round we drew Boavista of Porto and I was advised that I could only travel on the team flight if someone would vouch” for me. Thankfully, Sean did just that.

     

     

    The political situation was tense in Portugal at that time and the army was everywhere around the stadium. A socialist bookshop beside our hotel was fire-bombed during the night!

     

     

    Still, Sean managed the team to a creditable 0-0 with Peter Latchford saved a penalty near the end.

  12. Saint Stivs on

    Best signings from those clubs

     

     

    Hearts wallace

     

    Hibs half thé 1888 team

     

    Aherdeen stark.

     

    Dundee utd. Naebuddy

  15. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    Big Nan

     

     

    15:15 on 18 January, 2013

     

     

    Paul a good article and I am glad that you mention the fact that Sir Robert Kelly was held in such high regard by the man.

     

    The “Old Board” is often disparaged as a group by those who know little of them and how each person among them were personalities within their own right.

     

    I have some personal knowledge of Bob Kelly and it was of a man who had a big heart and despite being the chair of a big company he made time to listen to the ordinary fan.

     

     

    Thank you,Big Nan.

     

    Like you,I find the derogatory comments about the Whites and Kellys unacceptable.

     

    At the very least,gross ingratitude.

     

    It would only be a slight exaggeration to say:

     

    “No Kellys,no Celtic.”

  19. Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Kano 1000 on

    Gordon

     

     

    I don’t know. I will ask the old folks if Iceland was the last one — I think they will know.

     

     

    I spoke to my dad earlier today and he wondered if he had seen every game that Sean played?

     

     

    In thise days he was secretary or treasurer of the Whitecrook bus from Clydebank and for the princely some of 2 shillings you could get to every game of the season home and away!!! Apparently there was uproar when it was raised to 2s 6d ha ha

  21. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    Just watched a very thought-provoking movie….CLEANSKIN …… On Sky Movies ….. Certainly hope it’s pure fiction….night, Fholks …..really looking forward to the game tomorrow with my grandson…… Night, Fholks

  23. Gordon on

    Brogan Rogan…

     

     

    Thanks, it would be interesting to know. I travelled with Holiday Enetrprises to both Charlton and Yates testmonial games (1972/73/74)and we stayed overnight in Blackpool beforehand.

     

     

    Thanks Gordon64, it’s good to share old memories.

     

     

    Good night all.

  25. 67Heaven ... I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors on

    macjay1 for neil lennon

     

     

    00:40 on 19 January, 2013

     

     

    I would certainly NEVER criticise the old Board……they came through a lot more than we have been through over the past few years…….make no mistake about it, we would not be where we are today without the multi-media weapon …… we knew exactly what was going on, but the LL were strong in those days, and controlled the spin / agenda …but no more, because of people like Paul67……….(I met the ‘giant’ of a mhan at the Wee Oscar Race Night)

  27. thomthethim on

    Brilliant reminicences from fellow mature supporters tonight.

     

     

    I hope the young wans will have half as good memories as we have had.

     

     

    Good night CQN.

  30. Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Kano 1000 on

    Gordon

     

     

    Blackpool will have been the Imperial Hotel where they used to hold the party political conferences for both the Tories and the Labour parties!!!

     

     

    After those two, hosting some Celtic fans was a dawdle lol

  33. Fortunes Favour Mibbes on

    All my exes live in Texas. This is why I must flee to Oberdeen tomorrow, for a doric lass I grew up with who is being screwed over by the system >:(((

     

     

    I respond to class music poster Zimmerman (who prompted me out of my depressed stupour with http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRz4FY0ZcwI )

     

     

    I retaliate with :))) : ……

     

     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NFV8dHrZYM

     

     

    Which I dedicate humbly to all you CQNers, and good friends every one of you, with sincere affection.

  36. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors

     

    00:55 on 19 January, 2013

     

     

    I actually feel that there was much more honest journalism back then than there is now.

     

    Legendary figures like Cyril Horne and John Rafferty who were quite prepared to call it as they saw it.

     

    The standard of English was also much better,but that`s another story.

     

    Dumbed down sound-bites are now the norm.

  37. owen on

    thomthethim

     

     

    In some respects for us”not so old, not so young” ones stopping the hun(il) 10 iar was as much of a high. Seville, I seem to have been the only Tim not there :-), was truly memorable and God,Allah ,Yahweh, Buddha,Yoda etc willing my wee boo will have equally as happy memories as a Celt as her dad.

  40. Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on

    FFM,

     

    Never seen the arrangements getting made oops

     

     

    Macjay1…,

     

    It’s more desensitising than dumbing down

  42. petec on

    67Heaven

     

     

    I agree,

     

     

    The Celtic Board have had a tough time from many when we were being cheated outrageously. I was even losing patience at the end of that cycle of events despite being in awe of how Celtic was run previously.

     

     

    Not one thin dime, Celtic has to become even better at what they are doing, that is Logical Progression.

     

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxcMPPoZI7s

     

     

    And for those that have a lot of time, theres an amazing essential mix dated July 16th 1995 that I can’t find online now. :((

     

     

    The broken up parts are available and those that have the patience to go through it this way, well this is the first yt link………………………

     

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQSNNNtwy0A&playnext=1&list=PL54DB4360B8892A3A&feature=results_main

     

     

    This was groundbreaking back in the day.

     

     

    Come to think of it just after Fergus arrived. Has Fergus and LTJ ever been in the same room together? ;))

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