We have Tommy Gemmell on the blog from 13:00 this afternoon. He will introduce himself in the comments section and be available for a ‘chat’ and questions.
Pat Woods, one of Celtic’s finest historians, sent me this excerpt from his book, Celtic, Pride and Passion:
“Although there was no formal award at the time to mark his performance, Tommy Gemmell, memorably described by Geoffrey Green in The Times (London) as “A big blond cat set among the Italian pigeons ‘, was widely regarded as the man of the match of the 1967 European Cup Final.
The continental journalists were particularly effusive, amazed as they were by the stamina, energy, determination and shooting power he displayed as he continually surged forward into attack.
Jean Cornu of L’Equipe, the most prestigious sports paper of them all, described Tommy as ‘The executioner of Inter, the man who smashed their defensive screen’, while the correspondent of the Swiss newspaper Gazette de Lausanne singled him out as the symbol of his assertion that Celtic’s display had rehabilitated football’s image and its honour.
Noting the delight on Gemmell’s face after the final whistle as the full back, With Sandro Mazzola’s ‘swap’ shirt draped over his shoulders, celebrated on the pitch, the correspondent wrote: ‘His smile was the smile on the face of the whole of football, that of real attacking football in all that world, conquering passion and conviction which we have come to love so much’.”
Tommy was in every sense a modern footballer, capable of playing with either foot, he had the kind of engine players of the 60s just didn’t possess. This gave him range, which combined with speed and a legendary shooting ability made him one of the genuine world class footballers in Jock Stein’s armoury. At the very peak of European football, the only occasion when a collection of players from the one local area became champions of Europe, Tommy Gemmell made the stage his own.
Best wishes to Danny McGrain, another of Celtic’s legendary full backs, who is recovering from a minor heart attack. We don’t know how lucky we are to have Danny on the training ground and in the dressing room with the first team players.
Today, Tommy Gemmell releases his autobiography, ‘All the best’, a fresh work, written with his friend of 50 years, Alex Gordon, which examines his life and times, in particular during that unique period in the history of sport in this country, when Celtic cast an enormous shadow over European football. It is a fantastic read, full of inspirational recollections and anecdotes.
You can order a copy signed by the man himself below. Remember to tune in from 13:00 today with questions, comments and stories for Tommy – and if you ask him about his European Cup Final goal, remember to tell him if you’re referring to the Lisbon or Milan Final!
This is what blogs were made for. Fill your boots and wallow in some unabashed Celtic glory. The stage is yours once more, Tommy.
[calameo code=0003901717b11f6e50af4 lang=en page=40 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]Tommy Gemmell: All the Best:
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Winning Captains
You have met Tommy Gemmell and I haven’t ,you will have a more intimate understanding of his personal circumstances than I have.
However I am guessing that Tommy agreed to have his book published and it serialised for money.
Money that will help him and his family late in his life.
IMHO Tommy Gemmell is a relatively bright man ,after his football career he carved our a career in Insurance sales .He did this at a time when competition was hard.
Intellectually he was nobody’s fool.
He also has seen how the press take out of an interview what will sell copy on many occasions over an illustrious and long career in top flight domestic,European and international football.
To say that he doesn’t understand fully the workings of the daily record is laughable.
I do not condemn Tommy for taking the money,but I do not believe that he is naive as to how this could have gone with a daily rag.
My other point.
I admire entrepreneur ism .
You and your fellow investors have seen an opportunity to make some money.
At the same time Tommy has made some money.Without your ability to seek and convert an opportunity he would not have had his book published.
Hopefully all of you will make a handsome profit.You deserve it for your toil ,investment and risk taking.
There is however an implied undercurrent in your previous post’s that you are doing this so that Tommy can get his story told.
Don’t try and kid us on ,the overriding motivation in all of this is commercial gain.
I applaud the seeking and converting of the opportunity.( as I previously said)
There is nothing surer than the fact that the press would turn any gossip on the late great Jock Stein into a headline that would sell copy.
Only a fool would not know that controversy sells copy.
None of you are foolish.
Finally.
One of the reasons for me personally being attracted to CQN is that it at one time spoke the truth about matters relating to Celtic and a Rangers.
I knew that the daily rags just printed what they thought would sell the most copy to their readership.
I stopped buying them several years ago.
They favour Rangers in the most part.Most of the journalists have kept on Rangers side to stay in favour for decades.
The Daily Record has been at the forefront of that philosophy for many years.
The Thugs and thieves headlines from their newspaper group showed all what they were about.
Tommy Gemmell and his advisors ( inadvertently)took the queens shilling.
There is a conflict for me in that the blog was set up to set straight the failings of the daily rags ,yet the daily rags have been used to further promote the book.
I fully understand why.
Whilst you are annoyed at the flack,I’m sure you’ll get over it when the royalties come rolling in.
For a third time.
You will deserve any financial reward that comes your way just don’t bleat about some of the consequences, you nor Tommy Gemmell are being hard done by.
TT
charliebhoy
06:54 on
17 May, 2014
Thanks for that.
I watched it live.
:-(
Hampden?
Naaah.Big riddy.
Celtic Park.
twists n turns
07:53 on
17 May, 2014
Don’t think there will be much of a crowd at Hampden today:-))
———————————————————————————————————————-
Okay,Okay,smartie.:-)))
tnt
There is going to be blood on the walls before this is over.
————————————————————————————————–
As long as it`s not knee-high.
Chortling? Great word.
Macjay
Tbh it’s unlike me not to have forgotten as well. My memory is shocking! ( that’s a wee hint – borrowing money from me is a good idea , just never lend me any……)
TinyTim
07:56 on
17 May, 2014
Now,that was very interesting and hopefully will not be lost after my wee bits of trivia.
Tiny Tim
Oh your gonna get a yellow card for giving your opinion ;)
I agree with your feelings on this matter and as I know you personally I understand that you do admire the entrepreneurism involved here too .
I think it’s pretty sad that legends like tommy have to sell out to the scum rags to make ends meet : while lots of piss poor excuses for football players lift millions on contracts around the country .
I have contributed to CQN for almost 8 years but find my interest in the blog diminished : for a few reasons
One of those is that I now see it as a money making exercise
There was a taxi driver ( you met at Paisley ) who boasted of playing rebel tunes when Irish Tim’s were in his cab … He got lots of flak for what many of us saw as fleecing fellow Tim’s into giving bigger tips and his attitude towards them
I see some similarities on CQN now
Speaking of bad memory;
A few old couples used to get together to talk about life and to have a good time. One day one of the men, Harry, started talking about this fantastic restaurant he went to the other night with his wife. “Really?”, one of the men said, what’s it called? After thinking for a few seconds Harry said, “what are those good smelling flowers called again?” “Do you mean a rose? the first man questioned. “Yes that’s it,” he exclaimed. Looking over at his wife he said, “Rose what’s the name of that restaurant we went to the other night?”
Good morning friends from a dry-under-threatening-cloudy-sky East Kilbride.
Really looking forward to today’s Scottish Cup Final and to Dundee Utd (always been my ‘best of the rest’ Scottish team) lifting the trophy in a packed out Celtic Park.
twists n turns
08:09 on
17 May, 2014
Memory.mate?
I suffer from “craft.”
Can`t remember a ………………………….
As for double negatives.Half an hour to work them out.
TNT / Mac jay
My utd supporting mate text me the other day ” any decent pubs. We can meet in around Celtic park ”
My first reaction was ha ha ha … Then I have it some thought … Ha ha ha ha
I’m guessing the kds will be corporate today so there’s nowhere I would take a friend and his family to in the immediate vicinity of Celtic park
For all I dislike hampden … There’s plenty of decent bars within walking distance
Were meeting in merchant city and heading along from there but better break into pairs in case the Glasgow rozzers kettle us ;)
In the Huns current implosion there is one thing missing form all the media reports, both printed, airwaves and and online.
Football economics are relatively simple. When a club is struggling they need to sell players to balance the books. Applies to every club in the world (up to and including Real Madrid).
Every club it seems, with the exception of the new Sevco franchise.
They have player assets probably in the region of what, £1.8m? Whatever incarnation their board has been in, player sakes have never been on the agenda. They still aren’t.
I can understand why this isn’t being looked at by their board. The PR consequences would be massive. Particularly now, with a life support plan based on drawing in season ticket dosh.
They are ignoring reality though. Not enough money to pay back loans, not enough income
to be confident of keeping the lights on till the summer holidays are over but still not utilising this revenue stream? Selling Lee Wallace for £999,000 buys you another fee weeks to try to get the business back in shape.
Fair enough the Hun honchos ignoring this reality, but for the press and media this is an astonishing omission. Shows how their world view of the new Huns is the same as it was with the old Huns and has been adopted as the new reality amongst the free thinkers in the press.
God love them, they are doing our job for us.
Tiny Tim.
That is just about as heartless a post I’ve ever read on here.
Hope you get the information required to rethink it.
Jobo
My newest and bestest of the restest is no other than ………………Albion Rovers.
My admiration heightened by their ” pay what you can afford” policy. How cool wiz that?
twists n turns
08:14 on
17 May, 2014
A cracker,mate.
:-)))))))
Tbj
Hope you enjoy the game bud. Will definitely be a strange situation.
Here, thinking back, when I was bhoy, if the hoops were playing away, I didn’t get taken on the supporters bus. Not sure why, but I guess it was down to ticket shortages and the weans were left behind.
So….on occasion, I’d go and jump on the service bus and head to…………Tynecastle.
Oh dear……………..
Tbj.
CQN is fleecing Celtic fans? That’s a shocking comment.
I can see that neither you or tiny Tim read winning captains posts from last night where the notion of “advisors” was dismissed, the notion of cqn involvement was dismissed and tg’s reasons for being serialised by the dr and surprise at the outcome were reported. It says a lot about you that Despite having facts at hand you are prepared to stare that CQN is fleecing celtic fans. Bad form.
TBJ says Wee Oscar Knox is in heaven with the angels
08:18 on
17 May, 2014
TNT / Mac jay
“Kettling” ?
Hope your not in the G.B.(geriatric wing)
Enjoy your day.
Delighted to see that the game is on live on Setanta Oz.
Tiny Tim, ably abetted by TBJ, I think you have diplomatically written what many posters are probably thinking. Making money is the name of the game but I think there are times when you need to think about where that money is coming from.
It has been a long time since I have bought a newspaper but I would seriously have to think twice about wiping my arse with the DR if there were no dock leaves about!
TBJ, have a great day out and I too hope for a victory for the sand dancers.
Neil Lennon’s book was serialised in the Daily Record.
Just saying.
Tiny Tim s post at 7.56 is the reason why I read Cqn. Do love the smell of rebellion in the morning.
HH.
CQN Saturday Naps Competition
Lads, for those who are in the CQN Saturday Naps competition, THIS WEEK IS THE FINAL WEEK… so please go back and post today’s selection at the end of the previous article :
“Look the other way: fixed and floating charges”
All the best, fleagle1888
Honest you are mistaken
I read it and if you actually read both of tts and my posts you will see we totally sympathise with TG
I share TTs opinion on CQN and I know for a fact that many others do too
Stringer Bell
08:18 on
17 May, 2014
The strategy may well be to delay player sales till the “Fair fortnight” if it still exists.
Naebdy`ll notice or remember.
Time for another debate. ACGR, if you are about what do you think of this? ;-)
http://i57.tinypic.com/2wcmrs1.jpg
Macjay
After last weeks hootenanny I decided to become a close season tea totaller so I’m hoping glasgows finest use that kettle to make me a cuppa
Glasgows tangerine and black ( for one day only) and I’m supporting Jackie macs Fenian army ;)
A man known only as TBJ was arrested inside Celtic Park today for a variety of offences. After challenging another spectator to ” get aff ma seat” he caused a further disturbance by insisting the 22 men on the pitch dressed in either Tangerine or blue stop their pitch invasion and ” make way for the Champions”
As he was led away it seemed apparent he was either highly intoxicated or colour blind as he was heard chanting “COYBIG”
A man is helping police with their enquiries………
ERNIE LYNCH
Neil Lennon wanted to get the message about depression across to as many people as possible. Tommy Gemmell wants the existence of his book made known to as many people as possible.
Nothing wrong with that.
Not everything in the Record is bad;it reports some things very well.
There are two posters on here who can testify to that just recently.
Anyone know what’s on at Glasgow green this weekend
POGMATHONYAHUN
From Bladnoch?
Good stuff if so.
CQN Saturday Naps Competition : Week 39/10th May results & standings
voguepunter (Gabrials Lad @12/1) was the solitary winner last week.
As we enter the final half-furlong, it’s neck and neck at the top, can PF Ayr hold on ?
STANDINGS GOING INTO THE FINAL WEEK
+£13.60 PF Ayr (11)
+£12.88 Rockon Neil Lennon (9)
+£12.38 BMCUWP (7)
+£11.50 tommytwiststommyturns (4)
+£ 6.50 valentinesday (8)
+£ 1.00 leftclicktic (7)
-£ 1.63 Som mes que un club (6)
-£ 3.50 Bada Bing (5)
-£ 3.75 16 roads (4)
-£ 6.75 green T (7)
-£11.50 Cathal (4)
-£13.00 What is the Stars (3)
-£13.20 unionbearBhind (4)
-£13.80 voguepunter (3)
-£14.75 El Madrigal (4)
-£15.00 BULL67 (4)
-£15.00 fleagle1888 (4)
-£18.20 Sponsored by Cheetah (4)
-£21.75 Kilbowie Kelt (4)
-£25.50 twists n turns (2)
-£29.25 Che (2)
-£31.75 MHARK67 (2)
-£33.94 Burgas Hoops (2)
Cheers, fleagle1888
TNT…..
As long as your memory reminds you to impart the useful info…….
Not getting involved in the other topic, which probly tells me to avoid CQN for the rest of the day. Thoughts are personal……
HH
Tbj.
I read both your posts before commenting. You’ve sold yourself now live with the consequences is not sympathising.
Plus the posts contain inaccuracies dispelled over the past day.
As for your views on CQN, no figures, facts to back up such a claim is bad form.
Am I correct in that the game today is only on Sky?
Jobo, doubt that it is a sell out.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS ………Praying for our WEE HERO!
08:43 on 17 May, 2014
In the interests of balance therefore those attacking Tommy Gemmel should also be attacking Neil Lennon.
Indeed given Neil Lennon’s wealth (he didn’t need the money from the DR) and the fact that the paper had defamed him personally (and had to issue an apology) over the thugs and thieves story he should perhaps be subjected to even greater criticism.
TBJ says Wee Oscar Knox is in heaven with the angels
08:42 on
17 May, 2014
:-)
As a card carrying Jock,I don`t drink water even when it`s diluted with a tea bag.
Jackie mac? With you all the way.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
Glasgow spirits store The Good Spirits Co. are asking their customers to make their minds up a little earlier than they may have planned, with the forthcoming launch of the shop’s own Scottish Referendum whisky. Customers will be able to choose from either a Yes or No label, and a poll result will be announced once the bottles have sold out. The bottles will be on sale from 1pm on Friday 2nd May and will retail at £69 each. Bottles are limited to one per person, so there can be no accusations of vote-rigging!
Good Spirits Co. Director Mark Connelly described the whisky as, “A well-balanced blend with both a rich, fruity sweetness and a zingy spiciness battling it out for prominence. It’s very tasty and for a great drink for any occasion it gets my vote.”, adding, “This whisky was created to highlight the forthcoming referendum whilst having a bit of fun and enjoying a dram. We’re matching this historic event to our national drink and one of our biggest exports which seems entirely appropriate. Perhaps it will be used to toast the result or drown sorrows, come September.”