As Inter Milan walked onto the Estadio Nacional that Thursday evening in May 1967, they were strong favourites to win their third European Cup in four seasons. They had been denied in 1966 by eventual winners, Real Madrid, in controversial circumstances. Revenge would be extracted in the 1967 semi-final, where Inter beat Real home and away.
That team, immortalised as La Grande Inter, were top of the league and expected to win their fourth Italian title in five seasons, their only loss in that period coming after a play-off.
Real Madrid dominated the European Cup for its first five seasons, but they won only two domestic titles in that period. No team had been such a formidable force at La Grande Inter. Real of the 50s were Continental celebrities, Inter were dominant on a whole new level. Not only were they feared, they were disliked for their oppressive defensive style of play, known as catenaccio.
Across Europe, no one gave Celtic a chance, but thousands in Scotland knew better. Celtic fans knew theirs was a special team. The previous two years were remarkable. Celtic won only three titles in 40 years. They were a novelty team winning little more than novelty titles.
Jock Stein arrived from Hibernian and the world changed. The league was won, then retained for the first time in 50 years, as the club won their first treble. After a long period of desolation, it seemed anything was possible for Celtic. There were no limits.
Celtic didn’t just win the European Cup, they destroyed Inter, ripping apart their imperious reputation. Catenaccio, the belief that the most effective way to play the game was to defend, was dead. Instead, pure, beautiful, football, played by a team born entirely in the Glasgow urban area, saved the game as a spectator sport.
You and I know our founding story well, but there is another founding story. Modern Celtic, the confident football club, which wins trophies and builds structures for its future, was born on 25 May 1967. Without Jock and the Lisbon Lions, nothing that we currently know about Celtic would have happened.
They inspired you and me. They also inspired Brendan Rodgers, Neil Lennon and Martin O’Neill. Without them, Fergus McCann would not have imagined what the right management could achieve.
Brother Walfrid put food on the table of impoverished children, but the hundreds of thousands helped by the Celtic FC Foundation in recent decades are a direct product of the Lisbon Lions. They laid foundations for a modern football club which can fulfil its mission.
I was lucky enough to meet them all. Their humility is overwhelming. Unlike imposters who have followed them since, they have time for their generations of fans. They understand the importance of representing Celtic, even now.
It wasn’t all humility, though. On the field, they were hard. This was a team who took care of themselves and each other. They were (and are still) also funny, cheeky, guys. Devilment donned the hoops. Their success will be celebrated for as long as football is played.
Your life is better for them and it will remain better until the day you die. You are a child of the Lisbon Lions. Thank God for each of them.
Real Betis congratulates @celticfc for their amazing achievement!
Hail, Hail! #inVIncibles#GreenAndWhite pic.twitter.com/2RLg3bfk6a— Real Betis Balompié (@RealBetis_en) May 24, 2017
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Dateline: 25th May 1967.
I’m a 1st year Apprentice and as luck would have it today – Day Release at Stow College of Engineering is a Thursday. I’ve got to answer the attendance register morning/ afternoon – no chance of dogging it (playing truant for younger readers) – attendance records were sent to your employers.
I am surprised that like me – more than 50% of the class have mid-late afternoon appointments for the dentist or doctor. The Lecturer with a smile sends us on our way and as I leave the college I’m surprised at the mini-exodus heading for Cowcaddens Subway. The Underground (no Clockwork Orange in those days) was mobbed – bale out at St. Enoch’s at the Chateau Lait bus terminus and it’s onto the GW&G double-decker heading for the Scheme.
Wash, quick change and some grub – don’t forget scarf and we’re good to go!
I am now sitting in the overspill area (top flat) – in my pal’s front room (nae lounges back then) watching the b&w screening live from Lisbon.
Meantime my Family and half the close are watching the game in my Parent’s – they have recently purchased (h.p.) one of those new-fangled widescreen multiplex TVs of the day (a 19″ Bush or Decca).
Strange when I look back – my pal and his brothers were ex-Parkhead and all Celtic daft but big Jimmy (his Dad) was an ex-mines fireman who came from Blantyre and was a big Juniors Man. He signed-up for us as a Celtic Pools Agent – can’t remember the script but basically if you had X number of clients it entitled you to purchase 2 tickets for all the big games. As apprentices both of us had a fair amount of chasing about on pay-days to get the weekly subs paid otherwise we had to make up the difference – couldn’t afford missing out on midweek European Tickets on the run to Lisbon.
First half agony – 2nd half ecstasy – Fulltime cue delirium!
Don’t know about you lot but we’re now heading out the door (mob-handed) – off to the pub to sing, dance and celebrate the Lions winning the European Cup.
Will probably have a sore head tomorrow and will have to tap my wee Maw for a sub – so I can get to see the Bhoys arriving home with the Big Cup!
H!H!
https://www.theguardian.com/football/gallery/2017/may/25/lisbon-lions-remembered-celtics-historic-victory-50-years-on-in-pictures
I can understand the club not having a reception for the players and fans if we are lucky or brilliant enough to win the Hun FA cup on Saturday completing the treble. But a part of me would have liked the club to say FUCK you police Scotland. We are Celtic and we are not willing to back down to these idiots!
I’d happily attend without fear to see the Bhoys enjoy a day they fully deserve with the fans.
Invincibles.
MWD
MWD,
unless there’s a credible threat that, for intelligence reasons, can’t be disclosed….then go with the flow ;-))
Nice to see that you, like myself, think we’ll win the treble ;-))
unfoundedindignationCSC
YNWA
Hail Hail
Show is about to start at the Hydro.
Vale Bhoy
Larry sends her best
I’m quite fond of her too ;-)
Praecepta,
Wat wer u studying at Stow? I was there for 3 day release years in the late 80’s ;-))
YNWA
Hail Hail
Live from Lisboa 50 years on
Full time in Lisboa
Hail Hail
for Gavin Patrick and Mary
THELURKINTIM
Electrical Engineering – was working with Thorn EMI Lighting Division (Design). Spent 2 years Day Release and night-school before being sent to London office and Germany (6 months each).
Drove my Dad daft when I came back from Germany – I got into Promotional work and Deejaying (Swinging 60’s and all that) before I got sensible and settled down!
:-)
Good evening friends from 25-degree clear skied East Kilbride. A tiny side show compared with the real events of today but I do hope that The Arabs get a convincing win tonight.
Praecepta,
Was Civil/Structural Engineering J….we have met….haha….in the 60s in Germany….did u come across a wee band called The Beetles ;-))
YNWA
H.H.
The LurkinTim
I can’t imagine for the life of me why Celtic and our amazing fans would every be targeted by these loonies.
Ever!
MWD
THELURKINTIM
Post-Hamburg days – Beatles were well established by then.
Woodstock/ Isle of Wight/ Green’s Playhouse (Apollo) – more; Stones/ Dylan/ Hendrix/ Creedance/ Doors etc (with a bit of Heavy Metal).
Nae Bubblegum Music for me! :-)
The 67 game has finished….spoiler alert….the good ghuys won…..the most dominant finger biting European final ever….FACT…..;-))
YNWA
Hail Hail
MWD
I think cancellation is more to do with freeing up the police for more important duties – as I posted earlier wonder if orange walks have been cancelled
Blog has been magic last couple if days
Was in Lisbon last year so know what a fantastic city it is…. makes me even more jealous, but hoping the guys out there have a belter.
WC and P67, not complaining, but I’d almost given up on CQN over the last three weeks. Site was literally inaccessible due to ad popups. I even had a popup stating that I had a virus on my iPhone, which I think was hoax.
It was only by catching a twitter between barcabhoy and WC that i got the tip to switch javascript off.
I know a few lurkers who have had the same problem abd weren’t aware of this fix. Maybe need to tweet this?
Anyway, off to have a 67 swally, all at the SSE and in Lisbon…. enjoy
HH
Every single squad player as listed below in my view was a Lisbon Lion. They may not all have played in that fantastic team who rightly are remember for the achievement but each player pushed every player who did play to perform to the best they could or were involved in the league, cups and euro campaigns.
Hail Hail to each and every lion. You will each to a man never be forgotten.
Jock Stein
Ronnie Simpson
John Fallon
Jack Kennedy
Jim Brogan
Jim Craig
Tommy Gemmell
Billy McNeil
John Clark
David Cattanach
Jim Holton
Billy McNeill
Willie O’Neill
Ian Young
Bertie Auld
John Clark
George Connelly
Jimmy Johnstone
Lou Macari
Bobby Murdoch
Stevie Chalmer
Charlie Gallaghen
Yogi Hughes
Bobby Lennox
Joe McBride
WillievWallace
Sean Fallon
Neil Mochan
MWD
BT Sport1 tonight 10.00pm Iron Man The Sean Fallon story.
Sitting here in the evening sun with a glass or 2 basking in the reflective glory of the famous Glasgow Celtic
Life doesn’t get much better
Gene
Without the Tory bastarf cuts in policing then there wouldn’t be an issue.
Fuck the Tories!
MWD I expect this post will be moderated :-@)))
Sean Fallon,
A man who gets Celtic in every way, a credit to the Celtic family, and who has passed on his ethics to a son I’m proud to know ;-))
FTSFA
YNWA
H.H.
MWD
No doubt but your sentiments are not far off the mark
I remember this STV documentary ,quality
It’s like pullin teeth to get Jim Craig to admit it wiz a penalty ;))))
HH
http://celticbynumberscom.ipage.com/in-the-heat-of-lisbon-by-numbers/
Bobby Murdoch – seemingly nothing he couldn’t do.
HH
Moussa is fit, confirmed.
Winning Captains,
Aye, but still the Griff for me….petulance aside ;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
Winning Captainsdid you catch my earlier post.
X-large please t’s.
MWD
Thelurkintim
Went to Sligo a few years ago and went into a pub which had several Celtic photos on the wall – talking to the barman who extolled the virtues of iron man Sean Fallon – an absolute legend
Jimmyquinnsbits
To be fair I have been telling people to do this for at least a year.
For those on phones
Settings – safari – advanced at bottom – turn off JavaScript.
In your house would you keep a light on when you aren’t in the room?
Turn it off until needed then turn it on. It takes two secs.
Buy a book or two from CQN – they are all a great read – and let us cut back the reliance on the ads.
If you do what I say you won’t have any problems.
PRAECEPTA
Would you believe I still work with old Thorn EMI products but…ehhh….not quite lighting…
If Moussa is fit, great, get him on the bench. Griffiths always scores against Dons
The Inter keeper had some game.Saved them for a total drubbing.
STV2 game footage is great.
No commentary , other than Mr Steins occasional observations.
You can hear the songs from the terrace
“Well be running round Lisbon with the cup.”
Also despite seeing Tommy’s goal a thousand times I never noticed until tonight, that we had two players “offside” both standing on six yard line . My eye always followed the players celebrating,,didn’t notice the keeper and defenders turn to ref and linesman with arms outstretched, more in hope than expectation.
Mmmhhh honest mistake?
Hail Hail
The Onlooker
Gene,
Iron man?…..I suppose he is…..still ;-))
Thank you Sean Fallon…..a Lion heart ;-))
YNWA
Hail Hail
At this time 50 years ago I was heading to the Atlantis in Clydebank to celebrate an unbelievable victory. 50 years on I am celebrating in Lisbon.
ONLOOKER, they were not interfering in the play.
MWD
Why will that post get moderated? Is bastarf a sweary?
;) HH
Jimmynotpaul, I hope you are well on this glorious football and weatherwise day.
I’m just checking back on last night’s posts. You and Paddy must be delighted with his team’s vital win last night.
I was in Central about half 5 tonight on my way home and loads of Celtic fans about possibly on their way to the Hydro for tonight’s show.
One young guy had an up the Celts t shirt on , based on either a t shirt or banner at our game on that wonderful night 50 years ago. It was a lovely to see .