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!
[calameo code=000390171179f475cf1c0 lang=en page=6 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
1,062 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- »
Winning Captains, well done, that will make a brilliant read.
Emusanorphan- it’s Sami in a parallel universe
Yogiy 09.34
As far as I can see there is no golf included in the BT Sports package.
BRTH, while you do your stoating about at Aberdour, I’ll be sclaffing about:-)
Looking forward to meeting some legendary tims.
proudbhoy
First I have heard this. Where is the original post? Not surprised.
LB
Kev Jungle
It’s in Portuguese. Google translate mate.
He’s an Algerian player, 25 years old, decent scoring record but not spectacular.
Possibly the kind of player we go for. There is quality in that market and it isn’t always overly expensive.
Might be a possibility.
KevJungle, Miss Doc went on about that all winter. It would be better to go into the Europa League we might win it, true, but we might not. Lots of high quality teams, and each and every one of them wishing they were where we were in February. Dining at the top table. Champions League, the only place to be.
Gotta work.
proudbhoy
10:51 on 22 May, 2013
winning captains
10:47 on 22 May, 2013
Wonderful last few days on CQN.
We have taken all the Seville memories and have edited them into a format for publishing – altogether there’s 38,527 beautiful words about Celtic in Seville.
—
Read ur comment about scotland squad cheering porto ? How u know this and was there no ex celts or celtc minded bhoys amongst them.
If thats true any celtic fan who goes to hampden to support them needs there head looked at.
__________________________________________________________________
It’s absolutely true M8
At the time – some of the press were gloating about it – Gen-up.
HH
The Bhoy Jinky
May God bless your son and those he leaves behind.
Heartbreaking.
Graham Speirs is morphing into Phil.
Pay attention.
There are three separate investigations on-going around the calamity which befell Rangers. It’s just a pity there is also not an agency somewhere with sufficient power and moral influence to be able to say to these Ibrox principals: “Behave yourself. Show some dignity. Have some class. Stop acting like spivs.”
KevJungle – Murdo’s 4-2 winner = the BEST since Lisbon
Any links to this story?
I have long since supported Scotland but still want them to do well. That would be the final nail in the coffin for me.
Not taking young LB to Scotland games.
LB
proudbhoy 10:46
Your BT Sport service
When BT Sport launches on the Sky digital satellite platform on 1 August 2013, you’ll be able to watch:
BT Sport 1 on channels 413 / 426
BT Sport 2 on channels 414 / 427
ESPN on channels 417 / 433
—
Do you still need the sky dish / box then for these channels ?
—-
You need your Sky dish, we have the basic package and a Sky+ box.
It is free for BT broadband subscribers with free HD for a year otherwise an additional £12 per month. You need to phone with your Sky card number.
Doc is Neil Lennon
_______________
If yer still aboot M8
It was nice to meet you at the – Q & A at the kosc in Blantyre.
I hope ye enjoyed yer night Amigo.
I would like to thank you for giving me the – heads-up about the
photo in the CQN magazine from the Fac # Demo at George Square
but, I’m sorry to say – that wizny me. I was wearing a grey nike beanie
hat and was standing – 20ft behind the CQN banner after I met you.
I was standing next to a tall red headed fella.
Anyway – I hope yer well my friend and that we meet again sometime :)
God Bless n Hail Hail
Important phone-call have to go – Off oot.
Just thinking to myself.
Hearts on phone to Sfa :so yous are thinking of giving us a points deduction for financial irregularities.
Regan at SFA :yes thats correct as UBIG have admitted they are insolvent,so yous are goosed.
Hearts :Go ahead then and we will tell everyone how Campell Ogilve showed us how to work the books .
Regan: (coughing and spluttering) ohhh well we have just decided that after serious and indepth investigation everything looks to be in order over at your place, have a nice day
After all the tears I shed at yesterdays Seville story’s on the Blog, the misses and me watched the Les Miserables DVD after our tea.
In short, I was greeting all day and night.
Thanks Paul67 for providing this wonderful platform!
I can’t remember what life was like without it.
Embdy think Kevjungle has got a phonebox in his garden?
LiviBhoy
11:00 on 22 May, 2013
__________________
I couldny provide a link M8 – sorry
But – it is true
I’ll get some digging done later my Amigo.
Take Care n God Bless
Snake Plissken – Thanks M8
Hail Hail
Off oot – Important phone call – laters…..
Dontbrattbakkinanger
Remember when phone cards were the future? I have a few Celtic ones somewhere.
Obselete CSC
LB
KevJ, look forward to meeting again. I’ll have another look at the picture. Hope you enjoyed the namecheck and wee joke in the FAC CQN article in the magazine, it was well meant.
Back to podium chase at lunch time:-D
googybhoy ♥ celtic
11:00 on 22 May, 2013
They can’t stop acting like spivs, since they ARE spivs, Mr Spiers………
Philbhoy- Les Mis is rubbish. I was dragged along to see it, and struggled to stay awake.
I was struck by how poor the choons were.
And ole Maximus should have stuck to the gladiating.
DBBIA/HairyAngelCSC
Decent article from Pat Stanton on BBC website.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22621504
LB
yogiy
I think you can get away with cancelling Sky altogether and getting a Youview box from BT which has a similar range of freeview and extra channels.
Provided you have BT broadband, BTSports will be free.
Mort
LiviBhoy
BERTI BOOS; Vogts shock when team refused to cheer Celtic.
yogiy – Just a slight correction, I believe it is free to view via standard satellite/TV for BT Infinity customers.
BT Broadband customers can only watch it free via internet delivery with an iPlayer type app, which you can easily pipe from laptop to your TV via a HD or VGA cable, or watch directly if you have a SmartTV.
I’m switching to BT broadband in 2 weeks, if you’re choosing this method I’d recommend the unlimited broadband option. On high quality a single game of football is around 3-4Gb, watching regular football would strain the BT 40Gb download limit option.
DBBIA
Is ther nay cult-ure in ole D an’ G?
Thanks Mort, I will look into it. My younger brother has told me he has just installed a Skybox f5, for about £50 – nothing to do with Sky, and he can get all sport and film channels free. However it sounded a bit complicated for me to set up.
Thanks for the link mic1888
Byline: ROB McAULAY
SCOTLAND boss Berti Vogts Hans Hubert “Berti” Vogts (born 30 December, 1946 in Büttgen, near Düsseldorf, Germany) is a former German international football player and manager. Club career has told how he was shocked when members of his squad cheered on Porto in the UEFA Cup Final.
And he claimed the players ridiculed him for suggesting that, as Scots, they should be backing Celtic’s UEFA Cup dream.
He said: “When Porto scored, several players celebrated. I thought they won a bet but no, they were cheering
a goal against Celtic. Sometimes I feel more Scottish than the Scots.”
In an interview with a German newspaper, he said he was stunned stun
Vogts added: “When the team and I watched the UEFA Cup final with Celtic against Porto I suggested jokingly we all wear Celtic jerseys.
“Some players looked at me dead serious: ‘No way coach, no way.'”
The German also admitted that the Scotland job isn’t all he thought it would be.
He said: “I believed there were enough Scottish players in the English Premiership.
“Now I know that more Icelanders play there than Scots.”
LB
I’ve been doing McGonigle a disservice. It should be Willie and not Peter. The old memory’s going!
SonsOfErin 11:21
yogiy – Just a slight correction, I believe it is free to view via standard satellite/TV for BT Infinity customers.
Don’t think so – why did they ask for my Sky Viewing card number – I am sure I will be able to view the channels on ‘normal’ TV
Johnny Clash/ Cadizzy .
There is an underpass at the Edgeware Rd / Paddington Station junction. It is called the Joe Strummer Subway . Blue plaque at both entrances decorated with revolutionary red stars . .
Last time I walked through there was a hairy bearded busker doing -Year of The Cat.
Re: Some Scottish players wishing Porto to win. To be fair if it was the other way round I am sure that the Tic bhoys would be cheering on the opposition also. I know I would!
Re The Bertie story……….
If that had been us……….
the culprits would have been publicly named and shiriked………..
mic1888
I don’t doubt it but I have one question.
The Scotland squad weren’t together when we played in Seville so how did Berti Vogts watch this game with squad members?
As there were league games on the Saturday or Sunday I don’t get it.
How could Berti have been with players who cheered a Porto goal unless he was sitting in Ibrox watching it with them?
bankiebhoy1
I concur
proudbhoy
10:51 on 22 May, 2013
Tom Campbell refers to the episode in his “Celtic Paranoia – All in the Mind”.
The then Scotland manager B Vigts thought it would be a team building exercise to watch the UEFA Final
It was – for reasons which apparently flabbergasted him
yogiy – Apologies, you’re right. Checked the BT Vision website and with BT Broadband as below. I guess you need to maintain some subscription with Sky though to keep the viewing card active if you choose this method –
3 ways to watch
On Sky Digital Satellite Platform
If you have a satellite receiver box and viewing card, you can easily take BT Sport from us. You don’t need to be a BT customer – but if you have our broadband, it’s free. And it’s only available direct from BT. Order now for free HD for a year.
On BT TV with BT Infinity
Get live sport in your living room with a BT TV and BT Infinity package. Order now for free HD for a year.
On our app or online player
Stream the action to your PC or Mac, or use the BT Sport app to watch it on your tablet or smartphone.
Snake Plissken
I didnt write the story..don’t shoot the messenger.