In the months afterwards I made a trip to the Celtic Superstore to buy the DVD of the match. I wasn’t ready to watch it but needed to have it nonetheless, for when the time came. I’ve still not opened the box.
I watched the game from high up in the Porto end. The Porto fans were great, allowed us to celebrate with all the enthusiasm you could muster for goals in a European final, then wished us well as we made our way through them and out of the stadium. Had Celtic won while dropping like flies whenever an opponent coughed, it might have been different.
Porto were favourites and would go on to prove how good a team they were by winning the Champions League 12 months later. Their players would demonstrate their prowess across the world for the next decade. They had fabulous talent, so much so, that they should have aspired to better than the gamesmanship used during their run to the Uefa Cup and Champions League wins.
On the field it was a tale of great goals and heroic defeat, off the field, it was one of the most spectacular events in sport.
80,000 Celtic fans made the pilgrimage to Seville and treated the world to a carnival. The city became the scene of one of the largest parties the game had ever known. For me the pre-match schedule involved a two hour trip north before a panicked dash across the city collecting match tickets. What a stress!
There was 10 in our party and collecting the tickets took priority. Once we had them we could afford time to eat, but what? Several restaurants were sold out, we eventually found a café with frozen chips and a meat-based slab of something or other. No choices. No beer, wine or cola either, it was diluting orange juice or water. An entire city was pretty much emptied of food and drink.
You could forget about motorised transport to get to the game, we had to walk from the city to the stadium on the very outskirts of town. It was hot and dry. An enterprising local was selling a retained stash of cola at the side of the road at a hugely inflated price, no one passed him without buying.
This was a journey to a football game, but not one any of us were familiar with.
The long walk home from the game was memorable for the incredible reaction we got from the locals. They applauded each of us as we walked past their homes in recognition of what took place in their city throughout the day. Things like this don’t happen but that day was different. Seville, like Lisbon, will always remember Celtic. Fifa and Uefa made their Fair Play Awards the following year to Celtic fans, a nomination normally reserved for clubs.
I met a German couple in the hotel elevator. “Are you disappointed?” they asked. “No. We were beaten by a good team”. I had celebrated two Celtic goals in a European final and watched as we pushed a tremendously talented team to the brink. Disappointment comes a lot worse than this, although time brought regret.
Seville 2003 was not Lisbion 67 but it was a wonderful occasion in our very proud history. Let’s do it again.
For those who prefer their nostalgia with a bit of silverware, 10 men won the league, 24 years ago today. Big Billy was back and the Celts were in control.
Speaking of Lisbon 67…… Willie’s book, pre-order your signed copy now!
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G’night ghuys,God bless.
Bhoys and Ghirls ,
Another Kano Foundation announcement !!
Oh no , i hear you say , he’ll either by after money or will start another list !. Well , no . Not this time – well , not really.
We’re looking for another couple of volunteers to distribute leaflets pre Cup Final on Sunday 26th May as part of our It’s a Grand Old Team to See
campaign which is designed to get 1000 supporters to contribute to helping us secure the next generation of fans at Celtic Park.
So , if you’re interested AND are going to the CF , can you drop me a line to sannabhoy@thekanofoundation.com ?
Thanks
Sanna
What is the breaking point in all of the masonic hun cheating and cover up by CO and his hand picked cohorts on the 6th floor at hampden?.
There is enough info out there as far as I can see for Many people to lose their job and others to lose their liberty.
I know no plod in Scotland will want to be the one to say enough is enough or anyone at that other nest of vipers at UEFA making a decision for the good of the game.
So while I am patient and am slabbering at the mouth with joy at their humiliation and every new explosive bit of evidence that is released,
When will or by who will it be acted upon by?
I hope and pray that someone outside Hunland hopefully in the SFO will do something because NO ONE up here will that is blatantly obvious.
Off to sleep cqn
Today was a classic day on this site..
Carlsberg dont do celtic blogs … but if they did !!!!!!
VP noted
I’m 10 years younger than your armchair, if you ever get oot o it, will you be paying money into the corrupt sfa coffers.
Be nice now ;>)
.
TheBoyJinky..
Ye know l don’t get Stuck for Words often………………………………………………
I played this for Ye Before..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQi8wEHMm5Y
God Bless Ye ‘B’..
“O”
Ps..Your Boy is up there with some Great Celtic men..Watching The Hoops..They probably call themselves The Red Heid Brigade..;-)
IMHO of course :))
rantovercsc
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/22610584
From a Celtic perspective this piece regarding is soul destroying.
MU got £60.8m TV money this season.
The article suggests that with the new tv deal taking effect as of next season, the bottom team will get more than this seasons champs.
And we get £2m per season.
Seville is the greatest Celtic memory I have.
We went without tickets and the laughs and atmosphere started as soon as we arrived in Benalmadena.
The day of the game I couldn’t believe the scenes in Seville. I met folk I hadn’t seen for years, everyone had to be there.
We had arranged to meet more friends at a pub near a roundabout, too hot to walk and no taxis, it was a horsedrawn carriage for the 5 of us. We arrived at the pub to dog’s abuse.
A few of us didn’t have tickets so we started to make our way to the park for the big screens. We stopped for a beer at a bar right beside the river full of fans when two motorcycle police waked in. The first thought was oh no this looks bad. Next thing one of the police has his camera out getting photos and swapping scarves. My pal got a shot of one of the bike helmets, when he put it on he couldn’t see out the front and was staggering around the pub like an out of control dalek.
We got to the park but one of the screens had a poor picture so instead of rioting we got a taxi back to town and watched the game in a pub with fans and locals. At one point I was behind the bar trying out some local liqueur made from oranges, my only vitamin intake for 5 days.
The Celtic fans and team excelled themselves in a way even I didn’t think possible.
The whole trip was a joy apart from the result.
Terryo’neill…… mobile number sent to you give me a call and we can arrange something
Tom.
TeT. was allaying to the depths of the cover ups from head to toe to assist in their survival.
Which we have all had the misfortune to witness…
Sannabhoy I’d normally be a yes for that amigo, I’ve already stated my reasons.
I’ll contact you tomorrow re the Kano 125
V
david nae sweat, an thanks again am goin tae ma kip but probably will plot hibs downfall in ma heed an struggle tae sleep.
For everybody who recognised ma spawnyness and wer pleased ,thanks.
TBJ, your post at 17.25 was one of the saddest, and at the same time most heart warming I’ve read since joining this blog.
Hail Hail
Don’t post much but logged on to site about 2 hours ago and have read every single Seville story with a wide range of feelings and emotions and the overriding one is pride. I paid significantly over face value for 2 tickets for the Fondo Stand and it was the best investment I have ever made, the memories will last forever – just wished I had spent an extra quid to get a bottle of water!
The Boy Jinky, on a day of very high standards for the best Blog on the web your emotional story stands out as a highlight, God bless and Hail Hail.
btw , today can’t pass without expressing my pleasure and emotional overload with the stories of 21/5/03.
I was unfortunate enough not to make it – started a new job just before and wasn’t in the place to ask/demand time off . Started a new friendship with Ray (lurker) who did and it’ll remain a source of envy (not really because it’s tempered by the knowledge that you had sucha good time) and regret (until such time as i attend the next euro final we take part in ).
TBJ , BJMAC – cap doffed . Your dignity while recalling such personal and emotive memories brings a tear to my eye . Only the left one ,mind .
To MON and the team – thank you . The memories will live with me forever – and i’ve still not watched the game again .
HH
Sanna
Al call you tomorrow david, slainte.
Summa of making me greet
Thank you .. I think you know the original bob dylan version was my sons choice of music for his service.
Mines was tears in heaven
Yet to be leaked by CF:
Walty,
In answer to your question: what were you doing ten years ago? I certainly wasn’t watching The Bill!
In actualness what I did was I had a fish supper then I watched ‘Take the High , then I had my dinner.
I put on a compilation tape of ‘Question of Sport’ and rolled about the floor at the pure gut laugh I was! No kidding, I thought I was going to pee myself!
Then I had my bath and ‘phoned Gordon Smith from my new portable phone and pretended to be a wig salesman. He went pure apesh1t when he realised it was me!
I phoned a curry from my bath and then cracked open the Stella, I ate my curry, watched Scotland Today and had an early night because THERE WAS NOTHING WORTH WATCHING ON THE TELLY!!
YIRpal Ally
My nephew got caught with a crap fake ticket id given him. Being a right daredevil he was undeterred and decided to scale the perimeter fence, in between cops on sentry duty. He ripped his arms to shreds but got past that first hurdle. Some guy inside the stadium threw down a rope and he scaled up the wall, only to be met by a waiting steward who got him thrown out the perimeter again. It was a bit like the great escape in reverse but he somehow ended up in the Porto end just as the king made it 1-1. When I met him after the match wee Mick looked like he’d been fighting with a leopard.
For the avoidance of doubt, it’s Stewart Regan that the letter alleges gave Craig Whyte reassurances. Campbell Ogilvie was there, as was Ali Russell. But the letter is addressed to Stewart Regan.
So, it says, for example: “In respect of Mr Whyte’s director disqualification, you indicated to Mr Whyte that the issue would not prevent our client from remaining involved with Rangers FC. Our client specifically recalls that you indicated to him that he should not worry about his previous disqualification as a director.”
Here, “you” is Stewart Regan.
SoS how are ye keeping young bhoy, was gonnae say old lol
V
I’m sure I also remember the Celtic fans singing along to the chorus (making up their own words) to the ketchup song when the girls were singing it. Must have been the best gig they ever played :~}
Can’t stop laughing@corsica196823m
@Sir_Barold @BonScott_1 @alextomo As is the charity story. Corsica was right; this has always been much bigger than just a football story.
——-
Can’t stop laughing@corsica196819m
@NoToNewco2013 @Henriklubo @wordpressdotcom Stop doing ridiculous polls! Do something concrete; walk out of cup final. They’ll listen then.
————-
Good night all and thank you for being here :))
Vmhan ,
understood . Initial deposit (205) made for your 1254125 . You have the details – just put a reference of KANO 1254125 with any others .
Summa , poignant.
Last one :))
@alextomo Has this story got the potential to be one of the biggest in Scottish football history that could affect the game entirely
alex thomson@alextomo21m
@byars_paul it fulfilled all that last year. Truth, as they say, will out, one way or another.
saint stivs
23:08 on 21 May, 2013
fanadpatriot
23:05 on
21 May, 2013
Before the day passes,remember.
Raymond McCreesh.
Patsy O’Hara.
——————–
noted,. I’ll second that emotion….
Acgr… sanna… colourblind
Thanks for your kind words and thoughts.
Last time I spoke to my son was on the phone after we had lost to ICT … with losing the league cup final to tfod he was distraught.
Celtic meant so much to him …he deserved to be in seville.
Leftclicktic…….Murry said enough is enough called an investigation into the lot of them was gonny name names and let every one know WTF was going on over there, they get him pissed drunk get him on vidio go public with it BOOM! thats the last you see of him, spives have to much to lose this is gonny run for a wee while yet, and to be honest in my opinion the longer the better, if agent Whyte did not own Ibrokes we would have heard about it long ago, IMO that is.
Tom
No I am not comparing anything.
What I posted was me thinking out aloud.
We are talking about a couple of hundred millions pounds of debt here, and for some, face is more important, bringing the cabal into disrepute for some is not on, face must be saved.
Just look at how far they went to cover things up at Hillsbourgh.
A couple of hundred million is not chicken feed, people will go to extraordinary lenghts to get rid of that kinda debt.
As has already been seen during this whole debacle, the powers will circle the wagons, the media are under the control of media house, who is run by jack Irvine, who in turn will be under the control of others higher up the food chain.
These things are facts, I am not seeing something that is not there, it’s real enough.
They have started on the road, and they will not give up till they have achieved their goal.
All just my humble opinion.
I honestly wish I believed something different, but I don’t.
I am now of the opinion that in this country no matter what the zombies do they will never suffer the ultimate sanction.
They will get more fines, they will blame all the spivs,they will tell us that they need to get Rangers men in there as none of the real Rangers men done anything wrong, they fought the fans corner from within.
They will unashamedly tell us the decisions that they make is for the good of Scottish football, they will roll out the old civil unrest line again, they will have the compliant MSM with them every step of the way.
The zombies should not have had a licence to play football last year, they got it, after all the dust has settled the license should be taken away, never in my lifetime will they do that to them, not in this wee country.
I am thinking along the same lines as The Exiled Tim.
Bhoys –
It’s been an absolute joy reading all the stories from Seville on the blog tonight. Unfortunately I didn’t make it for financial reasons. I had the awful experience of watching the game in a pub in Edinburgh (about 0.5 miles from Gorgie Road) where the greater part of the clientele cheered with gusto whenever our opponents scored. I was happy to scream my lungs out when we replied, leaving them in no doubt that I/we would not be beaten down. I enjoyed declaring my pride at the efforts of our team and amazing support at the end of the game as they tried, in vain, to goad. As someone more articulate pointed out earlier, our joy and pride has outlasted their anger and hate. I still live in Edinburgh. It’s a funny wee place.
You’llHaveHadYourTeaCSC
This time Im away :))
alex thomson@alextomo1m
Nite all – interesting days lie ahead.
We stayed in a nice hotel outside the small quite posh resort of Nerja, costa del sol.
I was disappointed as it was too quiet for the eve of a big match.
Decided to head up to the main town for beer, not expecting much action. How wrong we were. From 1/4 mile away you could hear the singing and the scene that greeted us was a square packed with 300 or so tims in great form, bars packed, locals amazed…what a night it was…middle of nowhere too!
.
Vinny the Skirt..
I’m Guid..Just back from a Festival..(Alternative)..
Went with a Very bad Cold it Rained for 3 Day and was Baltic but it was Awesome..
But Jeezo the Music was Alternative..But the Dressing up was Great..
Summa
tomo twittered me. btc..hmrc v oldco set for 19 th july
The auld EK Timbhoy four had a ball in Calahonda ! Met jungles from every part of the world and the booze sessions were epic ! Spent a marvellous week there and will never be forgotten !
Best memory when I bumped into two cute Sgh nurses I knew already at the turnstiles they were on a day trip and cramming everything into the one day ! They were well on and decided to rip it out of two tims who were struggling with a big flag ! Gave the Bhoys it tight slagging off their apparent intoxicated staggering manner ! Well they got through no problem as did the Ghirls and uz only to see an eight year old wean roll out the flag totally dehydrated lol ! You want to have seen the Ghirls faces bloody priceless ! The two lads were teatotal and the wean was one of their brothers who should have been at school that day in coatbrige