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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Sean was held in high regard by his greatest opponents on the other side of Glasgow. and nice to know that his involvement with Celtic was when the club was at the pinnacle of it’s years in European and domestic football. R.I.P Sean.
Stephbhoy-agree £6mil and PL will move it up a bit and sell.
bankiebhoy1
hooper wants to play in the epl and is refusing to sign a new contract meaning he has 18 months to go before he can walk away for free. we should try to drive up the price then sell. that money (or at least some) can be used to signed another striker who wants to pull on the hoops
A pre-Lisbon 1967 Celtic Greats
John Thomson
Willie Cook
Peter MCGonigle
Bobby Evans
Malcolm McDonald
Bertie Peacock
Jimmy Delaney
Sandy McMahon
Jimmy McGrory
Patsy Gallacher
Chic Geatons
Plus many others eg Johnny Crum, Frank Murphy
Sources My Oul Da and my two mates Oul das when we were growing up.
How could I have left out the irrepressible Charles Tully – The man who knocked the Rangers sully! (Francis and Josie).
TheOriginalSadiesBhoy
The Mighty Quinn not make that line up?
LB
Raymac
I think Swalex was right when he said Newcastle United were just “a wee club from the north east”.
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too true, a bit like a certain new club to Scottish football who think they should have a big say in the future of Scottish football – minus financial doping no doubt
stephbhoy
You know Gary Hooper then, or just what you read in MSM?
stephbhoy – already told you mate – he aint going anywhere!
I wouldn’t accept anything less than £10 million for Hooper and neither should the club. Granted he has 18 months left so a clause allowing him to talk to any clubs who offer that figure should be added to any renegotiated contract. Win win situation.
Footballmanager2013CSC
!!Bada Bing!! 15:19 on 18 January, 2013
tbh i dont think hooper is leaving celtic or pl much choice given that he wont sign a new deal. thats the way it goes i hope celtic scouts have been looking/ have an attacker lined up to replace his goals.
RIP Sean Fallon, and condolences to his family. Does feel like a link to another age in Celtic’s history has been weakened.
big nan
15:15 on 18 January, 2013
Re: “…Sir Robert Kelly…stood up to enormous pressure with not just one, but continued assaults on the club with regard to the Irish flag/heritage…”
Someone posted on here the other day something about plans, hinted at on twitter(!), to remove the Irish flag from the stand at Celtic Park – was there any follow-up / substantiation to that?
Seemed like a very bizarre rumour.
BGFC
Big g.
Thanks for providing the link on Jim craigs interview with the great man Sean fallon.
My granda Joe will be pestering Sean for an autograph as he thought the world of him.
Rip Sean fallon a true gentleman.
bournesouprecipe – no i dont but actions do speak louder than words and a very good contract has been offered to hooper he has not signed it, negotiations dont take one year. NFL has talked about contract talks for a long time in front of the MSM, go have a pop at him
the Moon Bhoys – we will see
Big G – he is refusing to sign a new contract the now, he’s no gonna accept us outpricing a move, the balls in his court. the shorter his contract becomes the better it is for him.
stephbhoy
Never thought you did.
EggOnFace CSC
Morning all,
A sad, sad day for Celtic but a very nice tribute penned by Paul67.
It was very touching to see Sean raise the Championship Flag at the beginning of the season and was the right decision to give him the honour by Celtic.
Condolences to the Fallon family
RIP Mr Fallon – Slan Abhaile
Hail Hail
It’s too much of a risk IMO,£7 mil +just now or £2 mil in 5 months time.Asset management is what has got us to this very good position,and Hooper is no different.£9 mil for Aiden and we have built a squad.Ki bought for £2mil sold for £6 mil.We probably should have sold Boruc after he played well in the Euros,ended up with about a million.
SSN…………………………Thomas Rogic set to sign for QPR or Reading or any other team bar Celtic.
Gary Hooper may decide to move to some EPL strugglers and will never again have the chance to play against the likes of European giants like Barcelona and Juventus on four occasions in the same season. It’s making an impression against this type of opposition that will get him his England call-up.
Arsenal have now confirmed that Theo Walcott has signed a new long-term contract with the club.
Young Celts sign contract extensions
By: Newsroom Staff on 18 Jan, 2013 15:26
BAHRUDIN Atajic and Darnell Fisher have received a boost ahead of the second half of the season after they both signed contract extensions.
Their deals were set to expire at the end of the current campaign but they have been rewarded following their excellent displays for both the Under-20s and the Development Squad.
Atajic has contributed 11 league goals this season as well as a remarkable overhead kick in the Scottish Youth Cup, while Fisher has impressed in the right back role and also scored one goal.
Development coach, Stevie Frail, is delighted the Bhoys have put pen to paper. “They have been in good form this season and they deserve this,” he told the official Celtic website.
“We have been impressed with them but the work gets even harder now. They are striving to get into the first team but they must continue to train hard and hopefully their development will continue as it has done in the last few months.”
Birthday Greetings to my great, great grandson, Noel90.
Bada Bing I have to agree with your view on Hooper and we should try and get as much as possible now.He isnt going to sign a new contract or he would have done it by now take 8 million and let Lennie have a fair bit of it to find a replacement. That in my opinion is the best we will get in the situation if we wait until summer I fear his value will be considerabely reduced.H.H.
Too much MSM k***H on here
Laters CSC
Bournesoup
I thought Rogic had signed for the Hoops?
stephbhoy
My post was more best case scenario for the club tbh.
We all know Hooper & Wanyama control the situation. If they don’t want to sign new contracts that would allow us to make a profit on our investment in them so be it. The club will get what they can for them.
If they both havn’t resigned by the end of the season they’ll be sold, or should be sold. I can live with that rather than letting them go for nothing on a pre-contract.
HH
The money we bring in can be used to find the next Hooper & Wanyama or invest in youth development & scouting.
anybody help.just watched 1st disc of CELTIC DVD.pat woods ?????anybody know if that’s wee pat that went to the mungo.he would be about 66 or 67 yeara or is that a different pat.thanks.
Big Georges Fan Club
the day celtic remove the irish flag is the day they say cheerio to my support. Re: “…Sir Robert Kelly…stood up to enormous pressure with not just one, but continued assaults on the club with regard to the Irish flag/heritage…”. we as a support continue to face bigots in our society who think we should somehow forget or forgo our history because we now live in scotland or because we were born here. the irish flag that stands over celtic park, to me anyway, does not simply fly for historical reasons, but rather as a symbol for everyone’s right to celabrate and enbrace their cultural backbround and identity.
hail hail
5 million for a player who scored more goals than 40 million Andy Carroll in the championship a few years ago and has went on to play and score in europe’s top competition is an absolute insult.
no less than 10 million should suffice if anyone wants him now, otherwise, jog on.
We have won nothing this season, so why should we allow our top scorer to leave, irrespective of any offer?
He stays and helps us win things, then his stock is raised and bigger clubs than Norwich etc., come a-calling.
We don’t need to sell now in order to fund the incomings.
Our new boys are all in the economy bracket.
16 roads – Neil Lennon walks on water. 14:37 on 18 January, 2013
Watching those clips of Charlie Tully – Such a footballer.
It makes me wonder about the all-time greatest Celtic team – all the players seem to be from 67 onwards ….
Probably one for the historians.
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I am of an age when celtic were winning very little until the mid sixties, but the players you mention and more were great players, they just don’t have video evidence to back us up, it took decades for the BBC to release film of the 7-1 gubbing of Rangers in the 1957 legue cup final
bournesouprecipe – we’ll see what the next 6 months bring and where hooper ends up, here or away.
Bada Bing – more improtant we get the money to reinvest that let them run down contract.
Big G – the only players i recall signing contracts with celtic for celtic’s benefit were mcgeady and stan. one grew up a die hard celtic and the other i knew well enough to know he had a real feeling for celtic and her fans. both were emotionally contacted. dont think victor or hooper fall into either group.
hail hail
In 1972 the Scotsman actually carried a photo on the front page simply showing the Irish flag flying over Celtic Park.
http://www.thecelticwiki.com/page/1972-08-26%3A+Celtic+3-0+Stirling+Albion%2C+League+Cup+-+Pictures
When we had won so many league flags that there was no room for the tricolour Celtic left it down for a while and hinted that Rangers should make a reciprocal gesture by signing an RC.
Some hope!
They didn’t and back up the flag went.
After reading Paul’s tribute and all the comments about Sean Fallon, it just makes you realise what a great worldwide family we are all part of.
I wish I could be in Glasgow tomorrow to go to the game, which would be the ideal way to give a final farewell to Celtic’s Iron Man.
Rest in Peace, Sean.
Hard to believe, here we are without our main rivals, knocking back bids of £6M for one of our players – everyone was saying we would be ‘lost and broke’ etc without “them” one needs the other blah blah. I was beginning to believe it! You hear and read it that often. Anyway quite refreshing to see us ‘flying solo’
For those of you looking for a speculative fitba punt, the Brasilian fitba season restarts tomorrow with the various State Chamionships kicking off.
It’s notoriously hard to predict these games as the big teams tend to be very offhand about they approach these games, so upsets happen regularly.
The opening round of the Carioca (Rio state) Championship sees Fluminense away to Novo Iguaçu on Sunday. Fluminense are current Brasilian champions, but have Libertadores action coming up and have already stated they will be fielding a mostly reserve line-up for this game.
Novo Iguaçu are being tipped by a few here to make at least semi final spot in the Championhips this year.
Flu are obvioulsy favourites (4/1 on) with Novo Iguaçu (8/1 against) outsiders. However, the draw (4/1) looks an interesting SPECULATIVE bet.
Boa sorte.
stephbboy
So it’s six months now.
Why don’t you just post you know nothing?