The Walk with Shay team sent me the next in their series on living club captains and their incredible raffle. The first can be found here, goo luck to all participants.
“The countdown is now on for the Walk With Shay Green Raffle Army prize draw on 25th May 2017 at Paradise. There is still time left to purchase raffle tickets to win our Club Captains of Celtic Away Top, covering 53 years of our Clubs unbroken history and a host of other amazing Celtic prizes, but don’t leave it too late.
Here is the next part of the club captains story”
Captain No 3: Tommy Boyd-November 2014
Tommy was an inspiration as Club Captain and still raises the bar high amongst the Celtic family as a Club Ambassador; giving up free time, and taking part in numerous fundraising events within the club and with the supporters, always taking time to talk to fans, signing autographs etc. Indeed, when we had a few beers in Mollies, he spent the entire night happily being interrupted by fans asking for photos and signatures. He obliged them all without a moan or groan. His wife told us that he loved the attention and was in his element. I had gone to the toilet at one point and a Chelsea fan who was standing next to me as we passed the time of day, asked “Who’s that you’re with? And I said to him joking, “Imagine, not knowing that! That’s Tommy Boyd, he played for your team”. I thought nothing more of it, until the boy appeared beside Tommy, ten minutes later asking for a photo. I later told Tommy, that I had chatted him up in the toilets earlier, for him.
For Tommy’s signature, I got in contact with Tommy’s CQN buddy who agreed to put the wheels in motion to assist with Captain number 3. A couple of days later, I was in the Kerrydale Bar having a pre-match beer with CQNer, TTTT. It was very busy, but who appears in front of me, as if by magic, Tommy Boyd. We had a brief chat and I said to him that I needed a favour as I was looking for him to sign the two tops. He said” Sure no problem”, and gave me his mobile number and told me to call him. The next week after a call, there was Tommy Boyd in my office at work signing the two tops. Tommy still claims to this day that he was the only Club Captain that came to us, to get the Tops signed… At this point, I had told Andy F about my plans and had enlisted his support and help in the search for the 11 club captains. There was still a long way to go and I started to realise that to complete this momentous task, that I would need help.
Captains No 4 and 5: Danny McGrain and Scott Brown-May 2015
Thanks to Andy F, this was a breeze in the park, as he got in touch with Tony Hamilton, CEO of Celtic FC Foundation who agreed to help. We duly and slightly nervously handed the tops into Celtic Park for signing in due course. The tops had never been out of possession up to this date, but we knew that they would be well looked after by Tony.
Danny had taken ill at the time, so we knew he had not been working at Celtic Park, but Tony went out his way to get both Danny and Broony to sign the tops, within a short space of time. The significance and uniqueness of the tops started to dawn on everybody now involved in collecting signatures, but we still had a long way to go to achieve the dream.
Captain no 6: Billy McNeill – March 2015
Billy, I had thought would be one of my easiest signings to obtain given his previous assistance on the Bringing Martin Home and Wee Oscar 4 Life campaigns. It was a joy to be invited into the McNeill household and for Billy to recall various Celtic stories. His wife, Liz was also lovely and they both knew my youngest daughter, Niamh who went to the nursery ran by Billy’s son. In fact, there was many a day when Billy popped into the nursery with lunches for the kids and I would have great delight in telling Niamh, just who the man, that regularly brought her lunch was.
I contacted Liz via text shortly after I had come up with the idea of the tops, but there had been no response. Billy was struggling with his illness and was going through a difficult time at this period. I had sensed that all was not well, and decided to put Billy’s signature on the back burner. It was actually not until the following March, that Liz got word to me, that they were waiting for me to pop in, so Billy could sign the tops. I arranged to pop in and since it was March 17th (St Patrick’s day), I bought 4 cans of Guinness for Billy and some wine and flowers for Liz and took them across. You could tell that Billy was struggling, but as they always did, the McNeill’s made me welcome in their house and we chatted for ages. Billy signed one top and Liz told him that it was a poor signature. I jumped in and say it was wonderful, Billy proceeded to sign the other top. He still regaled some great Celtic stories from years ago, but you could see at times how he struggled to remember and that he had a tear in his eye when he talked about Jinky. I gave him the four cans and he said thank you, to which he then said to Liz, “Am I allowed these?” She replied “You can have one can tonight, due to your medication”. I smiled as here was the legend Cesar being closely marked and had little or no room for manoeuvre.
Little, did I realise, that the signatures I had received that day were probably one of the last signatures given by Billy, due to his deteriorating condition which would restrict him from signing in the near future. It says a lot for the McNeill family that they had went out their way to help us, when this should have been the last thing on their minds at this difficult time, but this was the McNeills’.
Club Captain no 7: Neil Lennon-August 2015
We took a few months out in the quest for the Club Captains signatures, and started to push it again in August 2015. My Dad’s friend was Neil Lennon’s agent’s father (less than six degrees of separation!!) and I had previously pestered my Dad to speak to him to see if his friend could help. Eventually, it all came good and I was to pass the tops over to Lenny’s agent, Martin Reilly, as he was travelling down to Bolton to catch up with Lenny and Johan Mjallby. The tops were duly passed over to my Dad, with the instruction “Lenny only please” and he passed the tops over to his friend with the same message.
I got a call a week later to pick up the signed tops from my Dad’s friend house, and popped in after work as he lived just around the corner. As he brought the tops out, he said there was a little problem and told me that Johan had signed the tops as well, but it was ok as he was a Captain as well. I tried to hide my look of horror and not trying to sound ungrateful and I said “Thank you, but he wasn’t a Club Captain though, but never mind”. I thought “How am I going get around this one? Can I hide or cover it up, perhaps? Maybe even rub it out!” It is amazing what runs through your head at times. I was also struggling to get hold of Roy Aitken, and a crazy thought came into my head for an instant; “Perhaps I could kid on it was Roy Aitken’s autograph?”. As I looked at Johan’s signature more closely, I saw the number 35 next to his signature, I thought “Nope!” And dismissed the mad thought in an instant. This was going to be our Celtic kinder egg!
Part 3 to follow soon.
The countdown is now on for our amazing draw on 25th May 2017 at Paradise, but there is still time left to purchase (or sell) raffle tickets to win our Club Captains of Celtic Away Top, covering 53 years of our Clubs unbroken history, and a host of other amazing Celtic prizes.
Contact us now via:
email walkwithshay@yahoo.com
Twitter @walkwithshay
369 Comments- Pages:
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Reggie,
Thought that might hit a nerve.
Sinn Fein went from being ostracised as a terrorist organisation to one of the main political parties in Eire, I’d count that as a win, the queen apologised to both once in Dublin and the other in Belfast, both on the telly, I’d consider that a win.
Unlike the unionist and British military strategy of denying any discussion on Irish unionism it was always the goal to be democratic about the process, granted, in the full knowledge that the demographic would favour Irish unionists eventually, I’d say that was a win.
At every point the Provos won their way and the fact that they have put down the guns is because they believe it’s now safe to rely on the ballot box, a condition they achieved through armed struggle and would have not been won otherwise.
Heres a thought …
Would the English FA allow an ex-Spurs ST holder to referee their FA Cup Final between Arsenal & Chelsea ?
The Scottish FA don’t seem to have such scruples
‘If you’re good enough, the referee doesn’t matter.’ Jock Stein
No doubt Jock saw it as a challenge to overcome the opposition AND the officials.
The officials, like Madden and his ilk, see it as a challenge to stop Celtic.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be…….
sin city bhoy
good thing you weren’t wearing these then ….
http://www.cafepress.com/+brigadesud_classic_thong,1020508088
as for wearing the hoops at sporting events/ on TV …the good doc and I will be doing the Cancer bike ride again this year …. they close the highways to cars, and about 20,000 people do a 50 k ride to raise funds for cancer research ….
as usual, KT and I will be wearing the hoops! They always get a good reaction from many people.
“Where Celtic are concerned, natural justice doesn’t always seem to apply.”
Jock Stein, 6th May 1977
I wonder if the sight of the hoops burns their eyes……..kind of like sunlight to a vampire……..?
MIKE IN TORONTO on 16TH MAY 2017 4:32 PM
Not so fast. Who says I wasn’t? Under my baggy black breeks, that is.
No thanks necessary for proving you with that image in the middle of a work day.
Who would we have been happy with as ref for cup final
Canamalar
Good concise analysis.
I agree.
HH
I hope Dundee Utd,win to night against Falkirk
TGM,
Elaborate too much allows cherry picking as evidenced by previous responses to people who actually thought his motives where honourable, against their better judgement no doubt.
I gather GFS is ending this week … and there are several who stand a chance of winning ….
so …. if you are one of those who are in with a shout, let me know, and let me know who you are picking for this weekend …. and for the right price, I will agree NOT to select your team ….
given how poorly I have done this session, you are almost guaranteed to win, if I DONT pick your team ….
hurry and get me while you still can …. spaces are limited.
Canamalar
cant agree with your analysis
“The Queen apologised to both ” ???
Who is both ?
They were no winners,only losers
GENE on 16TH MAY 2017 4:43 PM
Somebody honest, neutral and competent ,so a referee from another country probably.
GENE on 16TH MAY 2017 4:43 PM
Who would we have been happy with as ref for cup final
***
someone fair and impartial .. like me, or NFL
:)
*They
There
As for all the refferes, here in Scotland, being anti Celtic,we are going great,a treble to be achieved,and if the players play to there capabilities,then it will happen,as for Madden,I have been at few games were he has been the ref,I am not sure who we were playing at Celtic Park,could have been Ross County,he denied R C a stonewall penalty,
A STOR MHA CHROI on 16TH MAY 2017 4:05 PM
There is ample documentary evidence that he rode a black horse; it’s just been airbrushed.
Much like Sevco history – extra bits added to make it more palatable to the orc hordes!
KTF
Sin City Bhoy..
dont know why,maybe this morning’s song debate, but for some reason I now have ‘baggy black breeks’ going through my head to the tune of Broad Black Brimmer …. puts a whole new spin on the old song!
McInnes on Pedro:
He said: “I think it is strange that he feels the need to talk about Aberdeen so much.
“If he thinks that doing brilliant at Rangers, by being on the up by finishing ahead of Aberdeen, then he is clearly mistaken.
“The job of Rangers manager is to finish above Celtic and he should be more concerned about that challenge.
“Any team that finishes above Rangers in the league, with the budget they have, is doing their work well.
“They should probably be embarrassed that they have not finished second and I am confident that any Premiership manager, with the budget that Rangers have, would finish second in the league.
“He likes to do a lot of talking.
“I think the Rangers fans over the last few years have been used to whether it is owners, managers, players saying what they want to hear but the reality is, his job as Rangers manager is to finish above Celtic and if he thinks he is doing well by finishing above Aberdeen and the rest then he will soon find out that is not enough.”
KTF
How can ye sing about rebels etc……
and then,……
hand your season ticket money over to….
a PLC board who will roll about the bed with….
an anti rebel establishment who will ensure that…..
Celtic supporters are cheated with impunity ?
make your minds up FFS !!!
Your either a rebel, or a mug ?
you can’t be both.
…….laters.
Big Moussa is back in light training!
KTF
VFR800
That is good news
Kev j
Or maybe just a supporter of a club open to all
KEVJUNGLE on 16TH MAY 2017 5:02 PM
If you know your history …..
that also happened ……
way back when you ……….
say you used to stand …………….
in the Jungle wi’ the rhebels …..
singing rhebel songs ….
I can assure you ….
I’m no’ a mug!!
KTF
There was a program on the bbc a few months ago debunking the glorious revolution
McInnes, as ever, trying to make Sevco relevant.
Slagging off Pedro but at the same time trying to ingratiate himself with the Huns saying it’s Pedro’s job to finish above Celtic.
Seriously, surely sheep fans can’t be amused by McInnes and his pro Sevco agenda.
Madden. I would have moaned no matter who they put in charge but I seriously, seriously distrust him and McLean. The rest I just seriously distrust.
Hail Hail
Big Jock was wrong to say that then?
How come Steven MacLean couldn’t stop Sevco losing the Scottish Cup Final last year? Why didn’t he give Aberdeen that penalty the other night? Why did Bobby Madden go out of his way to tell Beaton it was a penalty at Ibrox. How have we managed to go 44 matches unbeaten this season in the face of all this cheating?
The referees are pure p*sh, for the record. Some of them don’t like us but most of them fear us. So calm down, yeah.
Brendan has this one covered folks.
McIness, spoken like a true Hun.
Rebel songs? Everyone’s got they’r own opinion, a don’t mind a wee bit of rebel in the pub and I join in, Celtic Park? Na I don’t join in, a did all that in my day, it’s another generation doing and singing the songs I did so I’d only be a hypocrite saying they shouldent sing them, but the if someone has a problem with it then that’s how he feels, calling the guy a Hun, and a troll just because he has an opinion different from a few others seems to be the new norm now a days, it’s like when I’m on twitter arguing with Huns, they start with the obsession word, and then of course the good old stand by point gainer Child abuser, it’s then I say, yi know what wtf, and what’s the point, seriously, chill ffs,.
I have to agree 100% with THETIMREAPER.
I didn’t see anything too wrong in McInness’ comments about Sevco/the next Mourinho …. I didn’t see it as sucking up to the zomibes …as I see it, he is (i) telling the truth (Sevco have the second largest budget, and, based on finances, should finish ahead of Aberdeen, (ii) trying to take the pressure off himself and his players , and (iii) responding to the silly comments coming from Snake Mountain …. I dont see anything wrong with any of that …
REGGIE,
i haven’t read fully back yet so apologise to all if I am repeating anything that has already been posted ?
Just a couple of quick questions REGGIE if thats okay ?
1) Would you want “The Fields of Athenrye” BANNED from being sung at Celtic Park, due to the words ” Against the Famine and The Crown”, ?
2) you have repeatedly posted that ” Brendan Rodgers would be asked to answer questions on the Rebel songs at Celtic Park, if/when he goes to England” ?
Why on earth would Brendan be asked such a question ?…………When he was manger at Liverpool…did anyone ever ask him about Liverpool fans singing about The Munich Air Disaster ?
IF….a big IF Brendan was managing in England or elsewhere, and asked the question about rebel songs, at Celtic Park, …wouldn’t Brendan simply say something like ” I really don’t know, it was nothing to do with my job as a Head Coach of a football team etc” ?
Sorry a third question REGGIE…….” Do you think the Irish Tricolour should be taken down from the stand at Celtic Park” ?
just asking like.
HH
Good afternoon CQN
Sin City Bhoy
New scarf coming over to you along with a CQN badge at the end of May
Sent you e-mails with info
Hope you are well
Hail Hail
Mt
Reggie….similar in tone to a multi-poster we all know….and suffer.
Same M.O.
Mr Pastry/ Mats Nilloc etc, and so on.
HH
Mike in Toronto. 5.22.
That would have been fine…. but McInnes didn’t leave it at that, he brought us into it, saying its Pedro’s job as Sevco manager to finish above Celtic.
That to me is him showing his usual hunnishness :-)
If they have second biggest budget and according to Del boy should finish above the sheep then logic would suggest they shouldn’t finish above the team with the biggest budget.
The Derek McInnes interview was like he was applying for the Sevco managers job should it becomes available.
Yeah..classic hunguffery from Deek McSash of Aberdonkey.
Numpty.
5 thrashings in one season obviously isnt enough to get through that tinfoil helmet:)
HH