My brother made the point to me on Saturday, even during our mid-table era in the 90s, we had players like McStay, Collins and Boyd, who would get into any team in the country. We usually had a striker who could boast a better return than 10 goals in all competitions by this stage of the season (the mark Newco’s PotY Kenny Miller has reached), and the Celtic manager would send his team onto the field with some battle in their bellies.
What’s more, Celtic fans had a plan. We had Fergus, he had money, or at least access to money, and the inch of personality he possessed was enough to convince 10,000 to buy shares and put us on the way to several dozen in a row. Some of us also knew David Murray’s speculate to accumulate strategy would inevitably crash. So despite the dark decade between Big Billy and Wim the Tim, the forward path was clear.
The Great Anniversary
We are now in May and three weeks away from the Great Anniversary. Hundreds will travel to Lisbon, thousands will gather at The Hydro. Television documentaries will air and we will all drink-in the experience. I truly believe that without Jock Stein and the Lisbon Lions catapulting Celtic from four decades of mediocrity to international fame, very little of what we have achieved since would be possible. Our modern club was built on their shoulders.
Stein and the Lions stood on the land worked on by volunteers, who 70-odd years earlier leveled ground to create a football field, so that funds could be raised to feed the city’s poorest children. Without that unique creation story, the Lions would never have happened.
Two weeks ago I decided I would run the Stirling Marathon on 21st of this month, in aid of the Celtic Foundation. I’ve done ‘the half’ twice before but never gone beyond that. I suspect the decision was part midlife crisis (story for another day), but I needed to mark one of the biggest influences in all our lives with a significant act. This is it. It will put me in touch with why I’m a Celtic supporter, why I started this blog and mark a turn in my life.
Use this Great Anniversary to get in touch with lots of things we take for granted. We will never have another opportunity like it. And if you can’t run a marathon, you can support the Foundation at the page I’ve setup for this purpose, as well as putting some bounce in my shoes on the day.
Thank you.
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5-1 Heroes
Interesting that those nice chaps at Lloyds ( BoS/Halifax) considered ‘forgiving’ £4m (million pounds!!) of debt for oldco in 2009
Meanwhile back at the ranch they had taken a slightly different view of events unfolding at CP in 1994
http://www.thecelticwiki.com/m/page/Bank+defends+handling+of+Celtic+account
Anyone still got a BOS Account?
Want one…?
Invincibles
God Bless The Bunnet
Pedro has a plan don’t you know
Starry
Defo and John Keane ;-)
I’m never 1st on here, I want the names of those who refuse to post me 1st named….what are their names….I demand to know who these people are….lets have clarity…who are these…..who am I ?…..where am I…????……..asks a confused and perma enraged Gardener !
HH
SALTIRES EN SEVILLA
Ay JK what a man, he pulled it up when it was required.
Unlike some we can mention:))
Och haven’t they suffered enough:))
Is it just me but does Joe Garner looks like one of the wee Cabbage Patch Dolls from the 1980’s/1990’s…or one of they wee Trolls that were on the go many years ago ?
HH
“Flag Day honour is a fitting tribute to John Keane
CelticFC.net
By: Brian Wilson on 02 Aug, 2013 16:19
WHEN John Keane, the Honorary Chairman of Celtic Football and Athletic Club, unfurls the League Championship flag at Celtic Park on Saturday afternoon, he deserves an ovation to match the contribution he has made to the history, success and – above all – continuity of Celtic Football Club.
Back in the dark days of 1994, John was at home in Edinburgh one evening when he received a call from Kevin Kelly, then the Celtic chairman. The news was dire. The Bank of Scotland was about to foreclose on Celtic.
The wages would not be paid. Administration was staring them in the face.
Kevin Kelly had a straightforward question for John Keane: could he help the club out of this dire predicament? John, who had forged a successful business career over the previous 40 years and was already a Celtic shareholder, did not have to think twice.
Looking back, he says: “Administration was unthinkable. It would have been a slur upon the name of the Club.”
An immediate £1million was needed to save Celtic from this ignominy and to keep trading. John Keane immediately phoned his own bank manager, John Brosnan of the Bank of Ireland, who was about to head off to Dublin with clients for a rugby international.
Instead, he was on the doorstep of the Bank of Scotland in Glasgow when it opened for business the next morning, to pledge John Keane’s £1million. The wages were paid. Administration was averted. The rest is history.
John Keane went on to back Fergus McCann’s takeover with further crucial investment. Now, both as supporter and investor, he enthusiastically endorses the stability and commitment that Dermot Desmond has brought to the club, making it the force it is today while reinforcing the historic Irish bond – all a far cry from the circumstances of two decades ago.
John is a native of Doohoma on the Mayo coast. His mother was from Crown Street in the Gorbals and his father met her when he came to Scotland as an agricultural worker.
They settled back in Mayo to raise the family but his mother’s love of Celtic and the Scottish newspapers that were posted over to her ensured that John was familiar with the club and its traditions from an early age.
At the age of 17, he moved to Scotland himself, first of all carrying out agricultural contracts and then building a successful business as a contractor laying cables and pipes for major utility companies.
From his first days in Scotland, he became a regular at Celtic Park, developing a deep affinity with the club.
John is the most modest of men. Throughout the dramas of the 1990s, he delivered exactly what was asked of him and what he promised but never sought the limelight. He was capable of seeing the light and shade of the saga rather than becoming a partisan. And when the chips were down, he saved Celtic for us all.
It is a story which not enough people knew and last year, the Celtic board decided that recognition was long overdue.”
John accepted an invitation to become Honorary Chairman of the historic Celtic Football & Athletic Club board which handles relations with supporters and of which he is a long-standing member. He also agreed to take part in Saturday’s ceremony.
He looks forward to the event with a little trepidation: “I love the club. I have supported it and nothing will change me from that. This is a great honour. I hope I don’t trip and that they don’t boo me too much!”
There should be no danger of that – for all Celtic supporters owe John Keane a debt of gratitude.
CIGALASPORFAVOR on 2ND MAY 2017 11:50 AM
Quick question.
If VVD goes to Chelsea for £50m Celtic gets 10% of £50m
If VVD goes to Chelsea for £20m plus a Chelsea first team regular…
What is Celtic then entitled to??
£2m and the players leg?
:)
Quick look at my wee black book for 2012
17 2 2012 — Spokesman for Octopus Investments .-
” Ticketus is one of the many entities into which Octopus Protected EIS invests. Ticketus has purchased tickets for Glasgow Rangers games for a number of seasons in advance , as it has done for a number of years previously with the Club “.
A wee while after – Octopus started squealing about Pritchard Stockbrokers. . I wonder if the SFA bothered to Google- Pritchard Stockbrokers – when they were doing the (ahem ) due diligence thing . ?
That awkward moment when Kenny Miller is your best player.
I Binned by BOS/HALIFAX Account in 2009.
I also successfully brought them to book in relation to FOUR PPI accounts which I had ALWAYS paid for several years, which they claimed were “invalid”, after I lost my job in 2009 ?
I accused them of acting as “Judge and Jury” as soon as I lost my job, DESPITE making them aware that my claim of “Unfair Dismissal” was immediately ongoing, and heading towards an Employment Tribunal…in other words…a Court of Law !
Immediately after winning my claim in Court/Tribunal, I called and emailed BOS Insurance ( at that time based in County Clare)…and made my feelings known that for 14 months, they had acted as “Judge and Jury”, and despite my protests and strong argument, they had continued to add “interest” to my PPI Payment Arrears.
Eventually, I was refunded what I had paid in to those four PPI Accounts, but only after being subjected to the most serious harassment for 14 months, sometimes 4/5 phone calls on the same day from different advisors from the feckin SAME Dept !
Not forgetting letters every feckin two days !
Hinging is too good for these peepil !
HH
AN TEARMANN
Aye,you got the same as me,mate.
Couldnae walk down a street in Scotland for tripping over a paving stone that a previously-unadorned hun had crawled out from once Souness arrived.
Dodgy contracts? Who knows,I doubt the truth will ever come out.
But…
Hateley left a gloriously beautiful tax haven to sign for them.
I’ll leave you-an accomplished accountant-to figure that one out!
Starry..,
100% a true Celtic legend, no thought for profit or loss, HAIL HAIL JOHN KEANE
SP
Timely reminder and well done with that post… always does it for me
Fundamental differences
EG Jinky v Greig etc.,
When Pedro is sacked…or walks away….watch out for DUO of Sky Diver Miller and Elbows McCulloch being handed Dream Role as the NEW, NEW , THE, THE Rangers co managers ?
Around 36 hours after the humiliation that Celtic inflicted the smsm state that Pedro has 12 players that he wants to bring in……what happened to him having the Best Squad in Scotland which he repeated hours before last Saturday ?
Does Pedro intend a further 12 players to their payroll, after all why would any manager who has the Best Squad in the Country wish to sell ANY of that Best Squad ?
Oh how I am enjoying their PAIN !
HH
Big Jimmy
Total bassas! Well done for sticking it back to them!
God Bless Johnny Keane.
Whatever happened to Jim Kerr of “Simple Minds,” as he was pretty vocal at the time, did he ever actually put any of his money in to help , I can’t remember ?
HH
Watching that Labour clown Diane Abbott MP making a complete erse of herself and Labour on radio and TV this morning……1st lesson in Politics …..do your feckin HOMEWORK, before you open your mouth !
This is the same Labour MP who missed a vital vote in the House of Commons recently because of a feckin “Migraine” ? She and others are the reason that I can’t bring myself to support/vote for Labour today.
I have NO DOUBT whatsoever that Corbyn is a really good man, and intelligent, but he MUST realise that members of his shadow cabinet and other MP’s continue to undermine him at every turn…including the Princess Clown Dianne Abbott MP !
HH
Amazing how one tackle can spark so many clubs into a certainty to buy ‘ Jozo Suminovic in the summer ‘
I meant to add that the other reason why I will NEVER vote for Labour ever again is because it was a LABOUR CONTROLLED COUNCIL who supported the decision to sack m from my job in 2009.
I’ve had Labour MPs since on my doorstep asking me for my vote etc…..my SUPPORT………As soon as I ask those same labour candidates ” why didn’t the Labour Councillors and MPs support ME” ?….they can’t run away fast enough !
I’ll never vote Tory or Lib Dem of course….perhaps in all the elections coming up I will just do a feckin “DIANE”……i CAN’T VOTE ……………COS I HAVE A FECKIN “SORE HEID” ?
To think of the great Socialists thru the years who have fought and died for workers rights, for the common man etc, only to have a Labour so called Socialist NOT voting cos of a fcekin sore heid ? Great Socialists have fought for us to vote…and then along comes Diane feckin Abbot !
Apologises Bhoys and Ghirls…rant over……how’s wee Craigy Whyte getting on today….Free the Motherwell wan !
HH
Ermine incoming ;-)
Any chance whe can get Big JOZO to tackle Theresa May and that Reptile Ruth Davidson in much the same manner as Sky dIVER kENNY ?
I would pay good money to see that tackle re enacted on those two feckin parasites.
Rant defo over now guys, sorry.
HH
SFA reforms 2018
Referees must always consult assistants even when they know its a Celtic penalty.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 2ND MAY 2017 12:49 PM
Amazing how one tackle can spark so many clubs into a certainty to buy ‘ Jozo Suminovic in the summer ‘
MERE MONEY couldn’t buy that tackle…how can you put a price on feckin ” PERFECTION” ?
HH mate.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 2ND MAY 2017 12:49 PM
Amazing how one tackle can spark so many clubs into a certainty to buy ‘ Jozo Suminovic in the summer ‘
————————————————
Cue Scottish MSM desperately trying to find a league where it’s not a problem if you run too fast towards another player….
SALTIRESINSEVILLA
There are a fair few lawyers on this site,but I reckon I’d go for BIGJIMMY any time.
Straight down their throats,and his only payment demand is a beer or ten in The Tollbooth and the knowledge of a job well done.
Keep sticking it to them,BJ. Yer a legend already!
Seriously…the still photo of Jozo’s tackle should be framed and placed in Celtic’s hall of Fame !
It should take it’s rightful place on the Forefront of Celtic Park…it’s now part of our great history, let all the Celtic Family embrace it and openly enjoy it for generations to come….I’m feckin serious by the way !
HH
BMCUWP 12.59,
Who you calling a feckin ” LEG…. END”
Hail Hail my mate.
” For we only know that there’s gonna be a show, and the Glasgow Celtic will be there” !
and Bhoy oh Bhoy…what a show !
HH
Bmcuw
Aye, good point!
How you doin buddy!
BSR- the linesman bottled it, you seen Beaton saying ‘Bobby..’ after the glaikit look from the clown with the flag
Just wondering how that search for the Director of Football is going?
I’m getting a wee bit worried he’s bumped into the Nomad and gone for a wee dander
The Ibrox Pitch Invader…
http://www.scotzine.com/2017/05/rangers-v-celtic-the-ibrox-pitch-invader/
O.G.RAFFERTY on 2ND MAY 2017 1:08 PM
Just wondering how that search for the Director of Football is going?
I’m getting a wee bit worried he’s bumped into the Nomad and gone for a wee dander
———————–
Ha! I’d completely forgotten about that. “Imminent” was getting used a lot….
BMCUWP, 12.59
Thanks mate..kind words indeed.
I am not worthy, and I sincerely wish I had a part to play alongside those fine Men/Bhoys of RES. 12, and ANY other Real Celtic Men who also fight our corner every day ?
My two ex wives, and my scores of former Girlfriends were always agreed on one thing about me…….” Big Jimmy….you have feckin fine Talent for ARGUMENT” !
Aye maybe “Too feckin Fine”….that’s why I am twice divorced…and currently free and single ?
It’s great being FREE….most of the time. haha.
HH
‘Free the pitch invader’
Son of the sons of struth CSC