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.
469 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
LIFE & TIMES….. 3.30 Kempton.
Good Luck.
Carlisle 3.05 CARLITO BRIGANTE.
Good luck guys.
Getabuzz 2.40 Haydock,cheers Fleagle.
Loving Spirit 15:30 Kempton
Rarely wins but I think today could be the day :)))
Mon the Hooooooooooooooooooops
Ultimate in the 2:40 at Haydock.
Good luck,
TTTT
Diamondsinthesky 6.15 nottingham
good luck
Ben Cee Pee M 14:40 Haydock
Good Luck.
Bold Chief
Haydock 1405
Good luck everyone.
Sir Graham Wade in the 5.05 at Kempton please, be lucky bhoys
Afternoon Lhads ,going for King Massini 3.15 Haydock.hh
CQN Saturday Naps Competition : Week 36/19th April results & standings
El Madrigal (Carlito Brigante @9/4) was the solitary winner this week.
+£16.60 PF Ayr (11)
+£15.88 Rockon Neil Lennon (9)
+£15.38 BMCUWP (7)
+£ 9.50 valentinesday (8)
+£ 4.00 leftclicktic (7)
+£ 3.50 tommytwiststommyturns (3)
-£ 0.50 Bada Bing (5)
-£ 2.13 Som mes que un club (5)
-£ 8.50 Cathal (4)
-£ 9.25 green T (6)
-£10.00 What is the Stars (3)
-£11.75 El Madrigal (4)
-£12.00 BULL67 (4)
-£12.00 fleagle1888 (4)
-£15.70 unionbearBhind (3)
-£17.75 16 roads (3)
-£18.75 Kilbowie Kelt (4)
-£22.50 twists n turns (2)
-£23.70 Sponsored by Cheetah (3)
-£23.80 voguepunter (2)
-£26.25 Che (2)
-£28.75 MHARK67 (2)
-£30.94 Burgas Hoops (2)
*No selections (wk 36) : Burgas Hoops, Che, twists n turns, What is the Stars.
*Non-Runners : (wk36) :
Cheers, fleagle1888