Our enormous thanks to John Hughes for spending time on the blog this morning. He was at Celtic throughout a very special time, making his anecdotes and stories all the more valuable.
Here’s an extract from his book, Yogi Bare, which is due out soon:
“Jock Stein and I didn’t always see eye-to-eye. I recall receiving a ferocious verbal volley after a game against Hibs at Easter Road in January 1968. My offence? I went to offer my condolences to their right-back Bobby Duncan in their dressing room.
Unfortunately, Bobby had suffered a broken leg when I slid it to try to block the ball. His ankle got caught up in my outstretched leg and he collapsed to the turf in obvious pain. It was a complete accident, I hasten to add. The conditions were slippy that afternoon and we just collided with neither of us able to pull out.
Unhappily, the defender had to be stretchered off and I felt sick. I never went out to injure an opponent; not once. Frankly, I wouldn’t have known how to, but I did know some players who were well versed in the black arts. No names. No pack drills. No lawyer’s letters! It just wasn’t the right-back’s day because he had also sliced a clearance into his net to give us a second minute lead.
Bobby Lennox added a second shortly afterwards and it was game over. But Bobby Duncan’s game, unfortunately, didn’t last until the ninetieth minute and I headed for the home dressing room as soon as the referee blew for time-up. I was concerned for the player who, although he was a gritty campaigner, was never dirty.
I mixed with the Hibs players and told Bobby I genuinely hoped he would make a fast recovery. He accepted my good wishes and I thought that was the end of it.
Suddenly, though, Colin Stein, who would later join Rangers, barged through his team-mates to have a go at me. He accused me of deliberately trying to injure Bobby. I wasn’t having any of that and told him to get lost. I didn’t stop to think I was actually in the Hibs dressing room.
The usual pushing and shoving ensued before I was thrown out into the corridor. Jock wanted to know what all the commotion was about. I gave him my version of events and he blew up.
‘What do you want to do that for?’ he bellowed. ‘It’s bad enough the boy’s got a broken leg, but you’ve got to go and make it worse!’ I protested my innocence, by which time he was in full flow. ‘What a daft thing to do.’ And so on.
I thought it had been a meaningful gesture from one professional to another, but Jock, clearly, disagreed. Sometimes you couldn’t win with that man.
Please don’t get me wrong. This is not a Big Yogi versus Big Jock chapter in my life story. I just want the supporters to be aware of the facts. For a start, I think he did me an enormous favour by pushing me out from centre-forward to the left wing.
I was happy enough in the central role, but Jock thought I could be more effective when I was taking passes on the half-turn. I would be off and running within seconds of the pass arriving at my feet. In the main striker’s role, though, I would often have my back to goal. Controlling the ball in those circumstances would add vital seconds onto the manoeuvre. A centre-half could be breathing down my neck, forcing me to push the ball back for a midfielder. At outside-left, though, I could skin a right-back if he got too close. And once I was away, there was no stopping me.”
You can order a signed copy of the book by clicking on the graphic to the right of the page.
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Paul67 et al
Feed The Bear!
HAIL HAIL Yogi
Feed the bear
kitalba
THIS IS THE LINK TO THE HOSPICE ….
http://youtu.be/rFVsztFJcq0
Only able to watch 20mins will watch rest later.
I thought about writing a few words about it but my God I have a cheek to feel down about my problems will suffice for now.
Stay well sir
Paul – Yogi Bare is out now.
Sold four copies on the pub. Outa stock here!
It was interesting to see the refreshing of shared memories in the posts to Yogi.
I thought the goal I referred to v Third Lanark was his first (which confirmed elsewhere) and the mention of the crew cut just filled in the picture. I was behind the goal that Yogi headed the ball into and can still see it in my minds eye.
The other one at Cathkin was just the rampaging shape of things to come as he ran over the Third’s CB and scored with a powerful shot.
Then from joy to sorrow on reading the latest news on Oscar. Quite harrowing to think of the boy (and parents) in so much pain.
No words…
Glad to be in the first team
HH
Well done Bhoys,great hearing stories from Big Yogi.HH
From Living Social —Lifelong Celtic fan? Want to experience a game at Parkhead in style? Then check out this deal for a VIP match day experience when The Bhoys take on Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C. April 27, courtesy of Celtic Football Club.
• For £39 (an £80 value) you’ll receive a Premium Match DayExperience, where you can cheer the Hoops to victory from a padded seat in the North Stand.
• Or, pay £49 (a £100 value) for a Directors’ Box Match Day Experienceinstead, taking in the action from a padded ‘armchair’ style seat in the Directors’ Box in the Main Stand…
Just back from a short holiday tonight, thoroughly enjoyed reading the last article with the questions to Big John Hughes, sheer magic.
More importantly, my CQTen pack arrived today, thanks to all involved for putting it together, I’ll be spending a good few days reading Seville, one of the best weeks of my life, result apart.
God Bless Wee Oscar and his Family.
AR
just a wee footnote on Yogi; in the run up to the second leg with Leeds Big Jock had mentioned that Yogi had scored with the head against Jack Charlton when Scotland had played England and that Yogi would be in the running to be in the line up for the game. Yogi wasn’t a prolific scorer with his head but once again he “done” Big Jackie.
and the rest is CELTIC History.
HH
Afternoon all.
As Yogi says, once he got going, there was no stopping him. No, not even with the whole opposition 11 hanging on to him……..A sight I doubt I’ll ever see again. Brilliant. Feed the Bear.
I was at the game he played in “Sannies”against the hun.Pitch was frozen.He ran riot.
I remember the DR headline,
“Sandshoes,Celtic would have won in their bare feet”
In full flight he was unplayable.The prototype for Gareth Bale.
John not only were you a “brammar” as a player but you have an excellent choice in food. I’ll make sure you receive the said delicacy in due course. Hoping WC or Doc can help me there. Hebcelt can then truly and proudly say he fed The Bear!!!! Hail Hail Hebcelt
DON’T BUY THE SUN
What pub are the bhoys in?
HebCelt, I will, obviously have to take a cut from that:-)
Back home now, what a morning that was. Just magic.
The mhan who scored the goal that put us on the way to another European Final, and I got the spend the morning in his company. Relaying your posts to him as he signed the books(hundreds) and Alex Gordon typing his replies, Winning Captains organising everything.
Brilliant stories from Yogi, and there are many more in his book.
Winning Captains, thanks for the opportunity.
Roy Croppie, Tennents, Byres Road.
Cheers doc
Bom dia,
What an odd CQN today – first the sobering and heartrending news about wee Oscar and then the joyous and uplifting banter wi Big Yogi.
Last night’s Libertadores matches:-
Lanus 2 v Santos Laguna 1
Two things I learned from this game:-
( 1 ) Santo’s Darwin Quintero is one helluva player and he must’ve covered every blade of grass from his own 18yd box forward, last night. To cap that, he scored the opener with a very well taken goal.
(2) Santos cannot defend set pieces. Lanus´s goals came from failure to clear a corner and a free kick from about 40yds out which they failed to deal with. Even more ironic was this second goal came in the 50th minute of the second half!
Santos with a bit of work to do for the return leg, but still think they should come through this.
Léon 2 Bolivar 2
Bolivar just keep on doing it!
Léon bombarded Bolivar throughout this game but couldn’t turn their pressure into goals. Léon taking the lead thru Montes midway thru the first half. Then Bolívar turned the game with goals from Callejón (looked offside to me) and Arce. However Boselli levelled it for Léon late on, with a goal which had suspicions of handball about it.
I paid particular attention to Bolivar keeper, Rómel Quinonez (21) in this one. Thought that overall he had a good game (screwed up for Léon’s first though). Good shot stopper/reflex keeper who commands his area/defence well. However, he’s looks suspect at high/cross balls (Bolivar site states he’s 6ft, to me he looks smaller).
Bolivar must now be fancying their chances in next week’s second leg in La Paz.
Cruzeiro 1 Cerro Porteño 1
Before this game Cerro had promised to come and chase this – they didn’t. They “parked the bus” very effectively and stifled a Cruzeiro team that once more seemed to run out of offensive ideas.
To compound things, in a rare venture up field, Cerro took the lead from a poorly defended corner when one of the Romero twins (Angel, I think) stabbed a sclaff through a field of legs.
Cruzeiro had numerous chances to score, but couldn’t and (as it was in the Lanus/Santos game) left it until the very final kick of the ball to snatch their goal, when LB, Samuido scored in the 49th minute of the second half.
Cruzeiro who normally set up a very attacking formation now with a lot to do when they go to Paraguay at the end of this month.
Only bright spot for Cruzeiro was the performance of substitute RB, Mayke (21) who looks like he could turn out to be a find.
One match tonight, will wheech up my thoughts on that later (for what they’re worth).
Extremely sad to read the latest update re Wee Oscar. There are times when words are not enough.
.
Yogi..
Who do You think was Celtic’s All time Greatest Left/Wing/Forward..With Sammi’s..?
You or Sanni..?
Summa of AddidasPlasticSannisCSC
Good luck to young Hoops, an important area of investment giving young players eye opening invaluable learning experiences
Young Celts set for top-class tournament in Holland
By: Mark Henderson on 17 Apr, 2014 14:02
CELTIC Under-17s will confront some of world’s top youth teams in the prestigious Aegon Future Cup this weekend in Amsterdam.
Hosted by Ajax for the fifth time, the young Hoops have been invited to participate in the tournament along with Anderlecht, Benfica, Corinthians, Fenerbahce, Liverpool and AC Milan.
Tommy McIntyre’s young guns will go head-to-head Ajax, Corinthians and Liverpool in Pool A, with the top two progressing to the semi-finals.
And the coach told the official website that, along with it being a valuable learning experience, it would form a crucial part of the youngsters’ preparations for the upcoming Glasgow Cup final.
“It’s part of their education but it’s also part of their preparation for the Glasgow Cup final, getting that challenge,” he said.
“Although it’s a different type of game, on some occasions, there will be similarities to what we think we will expect in the Glasgow Cup final against Rangers.
“First and foremost, it’s an excellent tournament. The standard of opposition is first class. We have Ajax, Liverpool and Corinthians and it’s a tough schedule so we will need to be very careful in how we rotate the squad.
“But we have a good complement of players over there – we will be bringing 18 players – and we have brought in or two of the Under-16s as well, as they have been pushing for places. It’s important they see the progression and they will be given a chance over there.
“It will be tough but it’s a top tournament and we will be playing the opening game against the hosts on the main pitch – the one where the UEFA Youth League game was played – so that in itself should set the tone. It’s a great facility and it augers well for a great tournament.
“You just look at the pedigree of the teams that are in it, and we pride ourselves on giving ourselves that challenge and that variation of opposition, whether it’s domestic or European and that gives them the football education to take to the next stage,” he continued.
“To get that knowledge, understanding and experience is something you can’t buy – you have to be in it to experience it. As a club the size of Celtic, we are fortunate to get invited to the top table in Europe to compete, so we are very grateful for that.”
All the matches will last for 60 minutes and will be staged at Ajax’s world-class training base – de Toekomst – over three days, with the final games taking place on Easter Monday (April 21). It’s a hectic schedule but McIntyre insisted the Bhoys would be ready to meet the challenge.
“It will be very demanding on the players but I am fortunate that I have a great backroom staff who will ensure that every eventuality is covered in terms of their recovery,” he said.
“There will be two games a day. We play Ajax at 10.30 on Saturday, with 30 minutes each way, and then at 1.30 we play Liverpool, with 30 minutes each way.
“Against such high-calibre opposition, this is a tough task, but it’s how you manage your players. We have 18 players there and anyone of them could be in the starting XI and that’s a big plus for us.”
The young Celts will go into the competition with plenty of confidence following a thumping 5-0 victory over Dumbarton in the Under-19s’ League Cup last night.
A brace from Ciaran Lafftery and goals from Regan Hendry, Kieran Tierney and Luke Donnelly secured a vital three points for the youths.
With the three games left in the League Cup (West) section, they are well placed to progress to the knockout stages.
“I was particularly pleased that we played really well,” said McIntyre. “We had a strong side out. Everyone was back in playing again, where before we have had slight disruption with players away on international duty and one or two players injured.
“It was good to stay up there at the top of the section, albeit it remains tight as Airdrie and Ayr United have done well, and there are other teams underneath who are pushing.
“It will be a really tight section but it was the reason we went into the competition, to have that challenge, and we have been getting that.”
No prob Doc as they say your puddings in the post. I,m down for the ICT game so we can arrange something then. Hail Hail Hebcelt
Kris Commons, Fraser Forster and Virgil van Dijk have been nominated for the Scottish Professional Footballers Association Player of the Year awards.
And the Celtic trio are joined on the four-man shortlist by Kris Boyd, who is enjoying a new lease of life back at first club Kilmarnock.
Former Scotland star Commons has been a stand-out for the champions this season, scoring 23 goals from midfield, four more than Boyd who has rediscovered his scoring touch after a period in the wilderness with Turkish club Eskisehirspor and Portland Timbers in the States.
Forster, who set a new Scottish record of 1,215 minutes without conceding a goal – a 13-match run between November and February – has, along with Dutchman van Dijk, been part of the meanest defence in British football, conceding just 16 goals in 33 games this season.
Stuart Armstrong, Ryan Gauld and Andrew Robertson of Dundee United are joined on the Young Player of the Year shortlist by Stevie May of Scottish Cup final opponents St Johnstone.
PFA Scotland chief executive Fraser Wishart said: “This is the top award for players. There is no greater honour in football than to be voted the best player in your country by your fellow professionals.”
Andy Deller, managing director for Cheque Centre who sponsor the awards, said: “We are delighted to be involved in what is surely the football night of the year. It is an honour for the players to be nominated by their fellow professionals and we are proud to play a part in proceedings.”
The winners will be announced at presentation ceremony in Glasgow’s Hilton Hotel on Sunday, April 27.
Paul67 et al
March 4 1961
Ayr United 1 Celtic 3
Haffey
MacKay Kennedy
Crerand McNeill Peacock
Gallagher, Fernie, Hughes, Chalmers, Byrne
Travelling to Ayr, with our Dad, on the top of a red double-decker bus on the short trip from Prestwick, this was my first ever Celtic game. I had never seen so many people in the same place at the same time. Cannot remember all the details of the game of course, but always remembered the result, and the excitement of being in among the Celtic crowd, a crowd which has to be said was old school, in the sense that “drink had been taken”. As Yogi would say, no names no pack drill! Checked back on Celtic Wiki earlier to see it reported that the visiting Celtic support “did themselves no favours”. Two incidents mentioned, one that the linesman was hit by a bottle after some dodgy decisions, and two, that one of the collectors, for the Sea Scouts, was hit by a flying glass. And no it wasn’t me!
These days the Green Brigade would probably call it ‘collateral damage’!
KC coming up live on SSN in the next few mins.
Kris, Fraser and Virgil (along with Boydychenko) nominated for PFA POTY
I’ve been lurking away for past couple of days to try and spot paddybhoy but to no avail. So, paddybhoy if you are lurking, winning captains was on to me re a little matter involving your good self, I just want to thank you sincerely and let you know how much I appreciate it.
Doc
No trace in tennents, any ideas?
Hh
Roy Croppie, sorry mate no, they were in Byres Road and Tennents is where they were headed when I left them.
Roy, email sent to WC.
Congrats Paul67 on securing big Yogi for a Q&A session on the blog. I remember as a kid I got a Crystal Palace top as a christmas present. I must have been 8 or 9 at the time and never really thought too much about it until just now. I just liked the top, with the claret and blue vertical stripes down the centre, but the fact that Yogi was playing there at the time, tells me my Dad held him in very high regard.
Talking of Palace – what a second half to the season they have had this year. I haven’t seen Joe Ledley’s name mentioned on the media too much but I did hear Tony Pulis talk about the different style he had to adopt based on the players he had at his disposal. A big factor in their play is winning possession in midfield and hitting quickly on the break. Joe Ledlay has been a fantastic signing for them. One that got away.
Who Is Ma Player of the Year?
Easy..n …by a Country Mile!
Fraser.. Fraser Forster.
Yep..
No Contest.
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
I’ll try jintys; ive left the weans wi a box of cornflakes and a pint of milk so ive got a couple of hours
Hh
voguepunter
14:07 on 17 April, 2014
BobbyRussell
Boaby I was saying to big G64 last week ,after reading yirsel ,threesy ,Matt n Emu’s on blog
I came to the astounding conclusion that Smashy is the sanest oot the lot of ye :O(
Thats the nicest thing anybodys ever said aboot me…….
Doc cheers
Kris Commons, Fraser Forster and Virgil van Dijk have been nominated for the Scottish Professional Footballers Association Player of the Year awards.
And the Celtic trio are joined on the four-man shortlist by Kris Boyd, who is enjoying a new lease of life back at first club Kilmarnock.
————————–
If it was the SFA and not the SPFA Boyd would run away with it…
Auldheid,
You must have been standing beside me, behind the goal,at the Third Lanark game.
I was at a game when I heard a lad say to his mate, “that’s Yogi’s brother”, pointing at me.
His mate asked me and I replied,gruffly, “aye”.
Coming out of a New Years Day game v Clyde, prior to our game against AC, 1971,I think, a wee hard looking guy asked me if I was “a spy fae Milan”.
Foolishly, I said, ” Si”.
What followed then was pure pantomime.
After another game at Firhill, I was asked if I was Benny(?) Garcia, a lead singer with the then popular TV show, The Black and White Minstrels.
As you can guess from the pictures painted, That
I must gave been one fine looking hombre in my day!!!