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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ACGR
If its not too late, ask him who has ra deeds?
It’s Friday, or is it? Some people may call it the start of the weekend or the day after thursday or even the day before saturday. I just call it pay day or rather the day I give my wife my wages.
What a glorious Good Friday morning!
Dropped the car off near St Georges X for a service and decided to walk part of the way home to get some decent rolls. Up Great Western Road, all the way down Byres Rd and along Dumbarton Rd….avoiding the crappy Greggs and any deli type places.
Eventually ended up at my local bakers in Scotstoun….a nice 80 minute stroll.
Nothing compared to Celtic fundraising legend St Martins Bhoy, who’s currently on his 3rd day of his walk to Anfield.
Just scoffed two well-fired and skwerr….I know, I’m a heathen! They were magic though.
On a seperate note, OMG horseracing on a Good Friday!!
Have a great weekend, Fenians.
T4
Passed the local jaffa club coming home from work this morning and their fleg is flying at half mast …… has the penny finally dropped …………..???
On a seperate note, OMG horseracing on a Good Friday!!
—————————-
Yes, brilliant, football coupon on, a few horses and a trip to the pub, its just like a saturday, apart from the sun is shining, which never happens on a saturday here
T4
you will be well fired in the furnace down below ya heathen, I’m choking for a skerr, I feel like those poor souls down south on a Saturday morning,, 8)
lovely day for a stroll
ACGR
Ask him if he’s renewing his season ticket? :-)
Right I’m heading out for my morning constitutional, HH.
hoopy-do : sounds like a plan – enjoy! Looks a good card at Musselburgh and one to consider down the line for the CQN punters.
BT : get yerself a wee cheese toastie! :-)
Would love to have a few scoops outdoors today, but car service to pay for and work to do on/in the house. You’ll be going to a different service this afternoon?!
T4
T4
indeed, 12 bells at St Columba’s Viewpark then a wee trip over to weefras before a wee equis fish tea….
Bliss, I tell you….
Shameless repost:
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 Day Experience, 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 Experience instead, taking in the action from a padded ‘armchair’ style seat in the Directors’ Box in the Main Stand…
Wife bought one of these vouchers, ‘Directors’ Box Match Day Experience’ but before we could buy another it was sold out. So, we have one of these spare if any of you Bhoys would like it. Face value (£39 we got a £10 discount on the advertised price). It can be used in conjunction with other vouchers to allow the possibility of sitting together (that bit is up to Celtic).
Any takers, get my email from Paul67.
HH
SpanishJohn
T4
Nice walk. Taking my mum to St Paul’s Whiteinch later, then Capaldi’s Chip Chick Inn for fish supper. :)
BLANTYRE TIM
TOMMYTWISTSTOMMYTURNS
?
!
pedrocaravanachio67
Touché.
What a beautiful day, church then McMonagles Clydebank for mine and me.
Proseccox2inthefridgeCSC
Jinky and King of Paradise running at Musselburgh today.
Bobby – was it the talk of well-fired, skwerr or both…?! ;-)
DD – enjoy your day with your old lady! HH
T4
Sooks……
Tumbleweed……
Bigger Sooks…….
mair tumbleweed…..
F(riday) That!
Off oot.
DELANEYS DUNKY
Also Lady Ibrox for the lurking huns.
They can put any winnings to the fighting fund.
TOMMYTWISTSTOMMYTURNS
Either or is enough to get me going,mate.
In just over a week,my home town is going to experience a severe shortage of them.
And lager…
Attention seeker
Vacuum
Loud Fart
Over and out….
T4
Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Nobel Prize-winning author, dies at 87
Farewell Letter
by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
If God, for a second, forgot what I have become and granted me a little bit more of life, I would use it to the best of my ability.
I wouldn’t, possibly, say everything that is in my mind, but I would be more thoughtful l of all I say.
I would give merit to things not for what they are worth, but for what they mean to express.
I would sleep little, I would dream more, because I know that for every minute that we close our eyes, we waste 60 seconds of light.
I would walk while others stop; I would awake while others sleep.
If God would give me a little bit more of life, I would dress in a simple manner, I would place myself in front of the sun, leaving not only my body, but my soul naked at its mercy.
To all men, I would say how mistaken they are when they think that they stop falling in love when they grow old, without knowing that they grow old when they stop falling in love.
I would give wings to children, but I would leave it to them to learn how to fly by themselves.
To old people I would say that death doesn’t arrive when they grow old, but with forgetfulness.
I have learned so much with you all, I have learned that everybody wants to live on top of the mountain, without knowing that true happiness is obtained in the journey taken & the form used to reach the top of the hill.
I have learned that when a newborn baby holds, with its little hand, his father’s finger, it has trapped him for the rest of his life.
I have learned that a man has the right and obligation to look down at another man, only when that man needs help to get up from the ground.
Say always what you feel, not what you think. If I knew that today is the last time that that I am going to see you asleep, I would hug you with all my strength and I would pray to the Lord to let me be the guardian angel of your soul.
If I knew that these are the last moments to see you, I would say “I love you.”
There is always tomorrow, and life gives us another opportunity to do things right, but in case I am wrong, and today is all that is left to me, I would love to tell you how much I love you & that I will never forget you.
Tomorrow is never guaranteed to anyone, young or old. Today could be the last time to see your loved ones, which is why you mustn’t wait; do it today, in case tomorrow never arrives. I am sure you will be sorry you wasted the opportunity today to give a smile, a hug, a kiss, and that you were too busy to grant them their last wish.
Keep your loved ones near you; tell them in their ears and to their faces how much you need them and love them. Love them and treat them well; take your time to tell them “I am sorry,” “forgive me, “please,” “thank you,” and all those loving words you know.
Nobody will know you for your secret thought. Ask the Lord for wisdom and strength to express them.
Show your friends and loved ones how important they are to you.
Send this letter to those you love. If you don’t do it today…tomorrow will be like yesterday, and if you never do it, it doesn’t matter either, the moment to do it is now.
For you, with much love,
Your Friend,
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
BMCUW
Noticed that too.
Was at Ayr last Saturday, score on AL CO, paid for a week in Spain for my bhoy and I. Happy days! :))
DD – were you at Ayr with The Token Tim? He said one of the lads backed it!!
Would never have backed it myself. Nice winner that must have been!
T4
Could everyone stop talking about food please, I’m also choking for a skwerr, maybe a wee bacon roll in aw!!
no, I’M Neil Lennon “i’ll never walk alone” (fourstonecoppi )
10:50 on
18 April, 2014
Thanks for sharing that.
Adios,Gabriel. …… or perhaps …..A dios.
T4
Was T3 on the McNabbs bus?
Five of us from Clydebank were on Al Co.
Jobo
Did you build it like a real man or did you look at the instructions?
Tell the truth now ;)
I’m posting on CQN so that can only mean one thing. I’m in work.
Every Friday is good as far as I’m concerned, but looking out the window at the sunshine, and knowing I’m a Tim, I’m thinking this is a Great Friday.
Hopefully the weather will be good all weekend and I may take a wee trip to the beach.
Nice.
No I’m Neil Lennon
10.50
Thanks for posting that letter. It made my day and my year. A perfect reminder on Good Friday of the need to show our love to our loved ones.
Natknow
This Is a Great Friday! Four days of rest ahead. Happy, Peaceful Easter to all.
fourstonecoppi – wise words!
DD – not sure who he was meeting, apart from PF. What made you all back Al Co? Couldn’t see anything in it’s form at all…!
I see Wee Craigy Whyte’s repossessed castle is on the market. He “bought” it in 2006 using a 110% mortgage….guess which bank?!
T4
Celtic interested in signing Chahechouhe from Sivasspor. Trip to bank required for long term loan to get his name printed on back of sons shirt.
To all of those at services today keep in mind the Knox family. No family should have to endure what they are enduring.
HH Tim’s everywhere
Gorgeous day in Kildare, off work(not everyone gets it, my wife is at work), lie in, having a laugh wife my kid and my parents, off to dinner(veggie) and War Horse in Dublin later. Perfect…..we’ll not quite, cannae get a bevy on Good Friday here!!!
If you buy a valid cross country rail ticket, you can get a bevy in the train station apparently
Happy Easter all Tims and everyone else too
DELANEYS DUNKY
Some shooting,mate!
Wi hindsight,the tote may have been better (he said,maliciously trying to wipe the smile off yer coupon)
Enjoy the break,bud.
With the post from FOURSTONECOPPI in mind,Angel Gabriel may be worth a wee look.
FOURSTONECOPPI
Wow,that is some way to go out!
A wonderful epitaph….
T4
There was an Allan Clarke in our company, nickname Alco. We were all dressed in Jamie Moore’s green white and gold colours. :)
Joe seen as you’ve assembled yours so rapidly you could run down
The High Conmon road and do mine also.
And if you are quick at that give my shed a wee lick of paint.