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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The Barca Mole RIP
Ar dheis lámh Dhé go raibh a anam uasal.
Butsy
Sad news indeed, condolences.
RIP Franny.
HH YNWA.
RIP BM
Rest in Peace Barca Mole.
Apologies for the post, I’d only read Paul’s post and responded to that, hadn’t caught up with the blog.
To Franny’s friends and family, my condolences, remember the good times and celebrate them.
A top CQNer.
RIP
Barca Mole
Very sad
Shocking news of passing of TBM/Franny.
BUTSYBHOY
Very sad news to hear of the passing of the Barca Mole, his posts were always worth reading, condolences to you and to all TBM family and friends.
R.I.P Franny..
Terrible news, absolutely terrible,
Rest in peace Barca Mole.
Just got back home from my brother’s funeral and I read the last few pages to see a CQNr has passed suddenly
RIP The Barca Mole
Sad sad news about THE BARCA MOLE i know he went out
of his way to try and help when the wee mhan had his first
visit to Celtic park, i’ll always be grateful.
RIP FRANNY.
BATEEN BHOY
Red Pudding is that an East coast delicacy ?
BUTSY
Sorry to hear your sad news about BARCA MOLE
SFTB’s,
As these days go Tony I hope this one went as well as it could for you and your’s.
Butsybhoy
Sorry for the loss of your pal Barcamole ,thoughts with you , family and friends .
Butsybhoy
Absolutely stunned to hear that news of F.My thoughts and prayers go out to his remaining family.
I met F when he came into the bv when home.it was I know your face but where from moments.
We talked bout the pollok area, much changed since i was at bellarmine.He knew all the good tims over my way and it ended up jeez you know him too convo
I am sad and that is only on meeting once, amongst tims and talking Celtic,his posts here always had our community and ethos at heart
God bless you may you rest in peace
HH
SFTB
It’s no easy, take care and God bless
HH
Last night, a Baltimore Orioles baseball player had a similar experience to Scott Sinclair at Fenway Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox. Here is the immediate response from the Red Sox President:
Red%20Sox%20issue%20statement%20and%20apologize%20to%20Adam%20Jones%20for%20racist%20behavior%20from%20fans%20-%20CBSSports.com.webarchive
I assume that Dave King or Stewart Robertson has issued a similar apology to Scott? No? Well, I can’t say I’m surprised.
IniquitousIV
Oops. That didn’t work. Hope I haven’t broken the blog.
/Red Sox issue statement and apologize to Adam Jones for racist behavior from fans – CBSSports.com.webarchive
2nd attempt
Screwed it up again. Sorry folk. Something awry.
So sad the hear the news about TheBarcaMole.
Thoughts and prayers with his family and friends.
May he rest in peace.
https://twitter.com/cartujakds/status/859491340698177537?s=08
Erzi Evening Times Tainted Titles Speshalll
Barca Mole RIP
Butsybhoy
Could you pass on the news of Frannys passing to
JIMMYNOTPAUL , you and Tam were always in his conversations .
THEBARCAMOLE RIP.
God take care of Virgy and the kids
:(((
Rest in peace, The Barca Mole.
Butsy
Such sad news.
I thought his posts were invariably the top of the top drawer.
RIP Franny
HH jamesgang
INIQUITOUSIV on 2ND MAY 2017 10:41 PM
Screwed it up again. Sorry folk. Something awry.
————————-
This…?
http://m.redsox.mlb.com/news/article/227801810/mlb-red-sox-issue-statement-on-jones-incident/
Very sad to read the news about The Barca Mole.
RIP Franny.
An awfy braw poster sadly passes away.
Rest in Peace The Barca Mole..
May his family and friends find condolence .
NB.
Butsy
Absolutely stunned to hear of Franny’s passing, there’ll be several on the Cumbernauld No1 who’ll be feeling this deeply.
A true Rebel until the end, God Bless and Rest in Peace Franny.
Good grief, The Barca Mole gone.
Such an interesting poster over the years. RIP, mate.
RIP Barca Mole.
Anybody think we’ll get a statement (remember when sevco would produce one at the drop of a hat) about Scott Sinclair’s wanton, premeditated provocation of the multi-cultural embracing support?
What self respecting fans would stand back and allow someone like him to blatantly goad them?
Any Sinclair-provoked racist gestures (remember there’s a bearded one still not in the dock) he brought on himself. Ask the Sunday Post.
And, obviously, the poor chap who attacked Broon, then shat it, was merely reacting to the the Celtic player’s outrageous intimidation and only wished to protect his team and their 42,500 innocent supporters from Broon’s aggressive celebration.
How could any reasonable individual come to any other conclusion?
R I P
The Barca mole
HH
RIP The Barca Mole. Thoughts and prayers with your family.
MWD
celebrating cheated titles speaks fo it self
RIP Barcamole
Prayers and condolences to busty and Barcamoles family HH
Oh dear another prominent CQNr moves on up to that Jungle in the sky, I suppose that’s what happens to an aging blog.
RIP BM
Butsy not busty sorry auto spell changed my spelling