Like you, I get tired of this place sometimes. We’ve all got plenty of other things going on in our lives, plenty of calls on our time and energy, the last thing we need is to deal with the consequences of a narrow win when a comprehensive victory was expected, but, of course, the compensations are immeasurable.
You get home on Christmas Eve, after a long day, and a longer year, and you read something like this:
The donor had been in touch and asked what the next project was. I’ve big plans for 2017. What I’m thinking is that we use the Anniversary Year to push the core values of our community – and our club – to new levels. Like before, we’re going to do work for many causes, but I’ve a notion that the time is right to engage with Celtic fans to a greater extent than has been possible before.
A decade or so into online football communities has given us enough material to measure the impact they have had on clubs, the media and how fans relate, but what is clear, is that we are the first generation for whom it has been possible to engage an entire fan base on helping those who are most in need.
In earlier times this kind of activity was often limited to those collected together in a hall. The call wasn’t able to reach onto your lap (as it is right now). We have to acknowledge this is a new time, with new opportunities to reinvigorate our club with its founding values.
Society changes, the Celtic support has changed. We can’t infuse future generations with a love of the old country’. Frankly, it you follow the demographics, future generations of Celtic supporters will increasingly come from the native population, or England, Eastern Europe, Pakistan or elsewhere. The ‘old country’ will matter less.
What we can do is put our founding value at the core of who we are. Win, lose or draw, our mission as Celtic supporters is to be there for those most in need.
The is what we are going to do in 2017. That £1000 (+ gift aid) is the second substantial donation Mary’s Meals already have towards putting food on the table of Sean Devereux Primary School, Liberia, for a year. We’ll talk more about the work of Sean soon, and about the school in his memory.
This, of course, is just one act in the book of what you did in 2016. I honestly don’t know how many meals were paid for, it must be around 100,000, kids were aided, and the magnificent work of Foundation was supported we discussed on Thursday was helped throughout.
We’ll have a raffle coming up on Boxing Day, which will see someone collect two tickets for Ibrox on Hogmany, with money going to the School, so look out for it – it will only be live for a couple of days.
You deserve a great Christmas – so make sure you have one!
Paul
640 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- »
Hot Smoked
Reporting Scotland…fuds in a long line of fuds.
As Doc says never easy but always worthwhile.
On another note read the Twitter feed after Brendan Rodgers visit to the Hospice yesterday. Some of the Hun comments were absolutely vile. Low life scum and just when you felt they couldn’t go any lower in the barrel, they will always find new depths to plumb. That is why I want the different shite consigned to oblivion. Hopefully our custodians get the message.
HH
Ps
Doc, Paddybhoy and all of those who have lost loved ones this year …keep the faith and YNWA.
HH
Afternoon Bhoys from a wet windy Central Scotland.I am sorry to see George Michael died yesterday I did not like his life style choice but for me he was a great artist may he R.I.P.H.H.
Sad news about George Michael. 53 is far too young. Wasn’t a huge fan but Wham were huge when my daughter was a two year old who loved them. No matter how many times we explained, she insisted that George was ‘Wham’ and Andrew Ridgeley was ‘George’.
In my opinion, he was an excellent singer and Freedom was excellent.
RIP “Wham”.
HRVASTSKI JIM@10-34am
When players are introduced to a well implemented system they have support, clarity and understanding.
A coherent signing policy lessens the chance of failure by buying players suited to the system and increases the chance of player being a success.
Armstrong had none of the above last season.
Luckily for Armstrong a new coach was appointed who has a system a role that suits his obvious talent.
Hearing that a glamour match is lined up in May in aid of the Celtic foundation
Henriks heroes v. Lubo’s legends
HH
George Michael?
I recall a lovely ex who was besotted with him. Fortunately she had really bad taste in blokes and was pretty much besotted wi me.
For a wee while at least.
I tried to explain that she was wasting her besottednesss but heyho.
I didn’t care for his early stuff but his later stuff was excellent.
As for lifestyle choices I don’t think it’s a choice. You are what you are,and you are every bit as much a person whatever way you swing.
George,R I P.
Like so many other departed this year,you brought joy. Not a bad epitaph.
Jobo
Falkirk 12.30 k.o?
Better not be as my sister and partner are away to it and are due here for dinner afterwards, but I’ve no even peeled a tattie yet!
BMCUP
I also had a girlfriend who loved George Michael.
George was a lovely guy who i personally knew through work.
I introduced her to George in a studio once and she flirted like crazy and George duly reciprocated being the charmer he was.
She was convinced thereafter that George fancied her.
I never stood a chance after that.
BMCUW
Thank you for your help in getting my binger donkey tip posted:))))))
On tablet now and no probs.
Is yer kitchen tidied :))))))))
Fan a tic. 1.14.
What a lovely post.
George sold approximately 100 million albums, wrote and produced his own stuff and now you tell me he was a lovely guy too.
That’s a pretty impressive legacy I would say.
I hope everyone had as nice a Christmas as possible, I know some have suffered bereavements lately. 2 of my children buried their grandmother on Christmas Eve. ( My first wife’s mother), so my thoughts and best wishes for the future are with all who are going through a difficult time in their life.
Hail Hail
Thunder Road –
Apologies, my D’oh moment!
I’ve messed up my coupon by picking the wrong Falkirk game – they’re at home to Hibs on Hogmanay at 12.30!! Now off to put on today’s ‘correct’ line where Falkirk, at 3.00om, visit Dunfermline;-)
LEFTCLICKTIC 127
Dunno,I just threw another bomb into it. Little pieces are easier to clean up.
It’s all very well,this single lifestyle,but I could dae wi a housekeeper occasionally!
Did yer geegaw win?
Since a few of you bhoys are coming out now and opening up with your thoughts of George Michael…….i now feel i can do so as well!
Missed the What’s Your Top Ten Albums list craic that someone posted a while ago and while doing my own wee take on it afterwards, i found a spot for Listen Without Prejudice.
Had split up with a partner, was living on my own for a while and i stuck it on one night when i came back from work to my new abode and went wandering about the house getting organised as you do.
Perhaps the acoustics of the high ceilings in the empty old house helped his voice and the piano used throughout the album but i found it a lovely companion for a while after that and it went on nearly every night when i got back.
It was certainly a very memorable album for me.
Find it interesting that both BBC and SKY have been constantly reporting the demise of George Michael yet only SKY did same for Rick Parfitt! Strange. My wife even commented on it and she is not a fan of Status Quo.!
Re presents I got a Lisbon Lion top,the DVD,Celtic Soccer Crew,That Season in Paradise McIlvanney on Football and cash towards a holiday with Mrs CCB! And the granweans don’t even follow Celtic despite my ‘pleadings’ !! Might have to make hints about changing the will!!
I know it’s a big ask but…….
A friend of mine, a union rep had been promised a ticket for the Sevco game.
He has plane ticket booked from Belfast on 30th and 2 nights hotel .
He contacted me just now to ask if I could help.
I can’t ! But I said I would ask around so if any of the miracle workers on here can help!
Don’t be shy.
TR- Faith and Older very good albums too.HH
HOUL YER WHEEST on 26TH DECEMBER 2016 2:52 PM
Tickets seem to be in short supply.
Which is odd, seeing as Celtic no longer use the phrase The Old Firm.
Just hoping that the undefeated run does not go the same way as that of the lions.
I think that ended in a 2-3 away defeat at tannadice on Hogmany.
Hopefully lightning doesn’t strike twice.
I think Celtic dropped the qualifying criteria for tickets for Poundland, as they were not selling….
Don’t know shit about horse racing, but that run from Thistlecrack just now was stunning. Class run from Scudamore, but the horse just loved that race.
Jmccormick
You just witnessed a horse superstar in the making, whit a performance from Thistlecrack
HOUL YER WHEEST: I can’t help with a ticket, howeva, I’ve been to £land twice. The first time, I got a ticket easily enough, after about an hour:-), the second time I failed miserably but retreated to the Tall Cranes to watch the match. We lost both times.
Best of luck:-)
Bada bing @3:12
Correct!
Due to the lack of interest they lowered the criteria, I was surprised they didn’t just open it up to ST holders tbh
oh oh, in-laws here – ‘the oscars are racist’ row has started – where’s me guinness?
‘vehadtochangemyname on 26th December 2016 4:15 pm
oh oh, in-laws here – ‘the oscars are racist’ row has started – where’s me guinness?
Tell them Larry Parks got an Oscar for playing Al Jolson…..:)
I’m slightly reassured that tickets for Poundland aren’t selling. . Going in the right direction
Bass bing
I’ve never listened to those albums but might have a wee listen to them online sometime.
Im usually well behind the times and have only recently discovered what your moniker is about!
I’m currently about halfway through season 2 of The Sopranos!
Was hoping for the wee blonde(left unwrapped) that works in your club for a pressy this year but it looks like that Santa kept her for himself :(
mr chalmers is 81. wow,
http://www.celticfc.net/news/9791
Oooooops!!!
Sorry!
Never noticed the spell check Bada!
Thunder Road- been called worse mate…your moniker is one of my all time fav songs…HH
WHILE Christmas Day is the main focus of festive celebrations, in the Chalmers household, Boxing Day is just as special, and today Stevie Chalmers celebrates his 81st birthday.
The Celtic legend is one of our greatest ever goalscorers and the man who scored the most important goal in the club’s history, and the whole Celtic Family wishes Stevie a very happy birthday.
Stevie scored 231 goals for Celtic during a 12-year career with the club, making him the fourth top goalscorer of all-time. Only Henrik Larsson (242), Bobby Lennox (277) and Jimmy McGrory (468) have scored more goals for Celtic.
Yet that trio of legends can’t claim to have score the single most important goal in Celtic’s history. Stevie Chalmers can. It came on Thursday, May 25, 1967 at the Estadio Nacional in Lisbon. With just five minutes of the European Cup final remaining, Chalmers knocked home a Bobby Murdoch shot into the Inter Milan net to give Celtic a 2-1 victory and ensuring they became the first club from Northern Europe to lift the prestigious trophy.
It was the crowning glory for the club, the manager, the group of players he assembled and, of course, for the supporters who, just two years before, had seen their side finish eighth in the league. It also ensured that Stevie Chalmers’ name will forever be remembered by Celtic fans.
‘It didn’t immediately hit me just how important that goal was when I scored it,’ Chalmers admitted in his autobiography, The Winning Touch. ‘You don’t want to think about it too much until the game’s finished.’
If Lisbon was the pinnacle, then there were many other highlights for the forward who had made his debut as far back as 1959. He netted a league hat-trick against Rangers, the last Celt to do so up to 2015; only Bobby Lennox in the Glasgow Cup and Harry Hood in the League Cup have matched that feat. Chalmers also scored in the 1969 Scottish Cup final, hit five goals in a game against Hamilton, when Lennox also scored five that night, and was top scorer in four seasons.
Many supporters have, down through the years, visited the famous stadium in Lisbon where history was made, standing on the spot where Chalmers connected with the ball, or re-enacting that moment. Only one man did it for real, and it accorded him legendary status.
PRELUDE TO PARADISE
Like so many that had come before him, Stevie Chalmers’ pathway to Paradise came via the Garngad. As the area had produced the great Jimmy McGrory, Chalmers had a lot to live up to but soon caught the eye of Celtic after a fruitful junior career during which he turned out for the likes of Kirkintilloch Rob Roy and Ashfield. His arrival at Celtic in the February of 1959, coincided with the emergence of youngsters such as Billy McNeill and John Clark who would soon be joined by the likes of Jimmy Johnstone, John Hughes and Tommy Gemmell, a group who were given the moniker of the Kelly Kids after the then Celtic chairman Robert Kelly, and would form the spine of Celtic’s most successful ever team.
Recalling his pre-Celtic years, Chalmers said: ‘An early memory that I have of Celtic which immediately comes to mind is as a junior player at Rob Roy. One of our league games had just finished and they announced over the tannoy that the result from the League Cup final was Rangers 1 Celtic 7. There was a stunned silence and I could hardly believe it myself. I was a Celtic supporter, but the club I was playing for couldn’t be described as ‘Celtic-minded’ so I think the result shocked a few people that day. I still remember that announcement as clear as day and the looks on a few people’s faces. That was in 1957 and two years later, I had joined the club myself.’
DEBUT BHOY
Stevie Chalmers’ first start would see him take to the field against Partick Thistle in the spring of 1959 where the 23-year-old’s tireless running soon lit up the Celtic support. Described as a raw talent in the first team, he had all the attributes of a world-class striker, such as the ability to set up goals as well as score them. Indeed, this attribute and understanding of the game, allowed him to bring other players into the game – a skill that would be greatly utilised following the arrival of Jock Stein.
In his autobiography, Chalmers admitted: ‘It’s a funny thing, but it was not until my second game for Celtic, which took place six months after my debut, that I felt as if I truly arrived. A lot of that was because it was an away match, against Fife side Raith Rovers at Starks Park … Travelling on the bus alongside several Celtic greats of the 1950s, such as Bobby Evansm Bertie Peacock and Neilly Mochan, with them all having me on about different things and having a great laugh, albeit at my expense, made me feel great. It made me feel as though I was among people who really wanted me to be there.
‘I also scored two goals, which always helps, in a 3-0 win. I enjoyed that game a lot more than my debut. I felt as though I was much more integrated into the scene, and the team. It felt, to me, like my first real start at Celtic Park.’
HIGHLIGHTS
The absolute highlight for Stevie Chalmers, along with his team-mates, came on May 25, 1967, with the European Cup triumph in Lisbon. He won a total of 15 trophies with Celtic, and was in the team which lifted the Scottish Cup in 1965, the club’s first trophy under Jock Stein. He scored 231 goals for the club, and he was the last player to net a league hat-trick against Rangers, the treble coming on January 3, 1966 in a 5-1 derby demolition. He was also part of the Celtic team which swept their Glasgow rivals aside in the 1969 Scottish Cup final to secure a domestic treble. Yet, for the striker, it always comes right back to Lisbon and that goal.
Reflecting on the events of May 1967, Chalmers said: ‘That goal has brought me nothing but happiness; it has had nothing other than good effects for me. It meant a lot to my family too in the immediate aftermath; my brothers and sisters would go into work and people would congratulate them on my action. My only tinge of regret is that my father never got to see it; he had passed away shortly before we got to the final in Lisbon. It would have been lovely for him to see that.’
LOW POINTS
The 12 years Stevie Chalmers spent at Paradise can be characterised around the central figure of Jock Stein. Prior to the manager’s arrival he and Celtic had struggled to turn their ability on the field into trophies, with Chalmers often cutting a lonesome figure up front. Chalmers would remark how frustrating it was to see Celtic run like a ‘small business’ during this time, with often only two footballs provided for training. There were disappointing league campaigns, poor cup runs and occasional final defeats. That would only change with the arrival of Stein in 1965. The lowest point of Chalmers’ time at Paradise was the broken leg sustained in the 1969 League Cup final against St Johnstone – an injury that all but ended his Celtic career.
BOWING OUT
Like so many of the Lisbon Lions, Chalmers’ time at Celtic would come to a gradual end as the emergence of the Quality Street Gang soon challenged the first-team regulars at Paradise. As he battled back from a broken leg, the striker would have to contend with competition from the likes of Vic Davidson, Lou Macari, and a young Kenny Dalglish for a striking starting berth. In typical fashion though, Chalmers the hero of Lisbon would sign off from the Bhoys in typical goal-scoring form against Clyde in a league encounter at Celtic Park in May 1971. It was the Lions’ last stand as they defeated their neighbours 6-1.
Recalling that occasion, Chalmers said: ‘Celtic Park was packed that day – Jock’s announcement of the final collective appearance had doubled the crowd for what had otherwise been something of a dead rubber … We were 5-1 ahead and the game was coursing towards its conclusion when Tommy McCulloch, the Clyde goalkeeper, saved my shot from inside the six-yard box but failed to gather the ball. I followed up to put the rebound into the net. It was surely fitting that the scorer of the winner in Lisbon should also net the final goal for the Lions … I had scored in what proved to be my final league match for Celtic, even if I did not know it at the time.’
BLUE AND WHITE HOOPS
Stevie Chalmers would attempt to continue his football career as he left Celtic by taking up a player/coach position with Morton before finally hanging up his boots at Partick Thistle. During his time at Cappielow, he was reunited with his former Lisbon Lions team-mate, John Clark.
He said: ‘When Jock sent me down to Greenock to play with Morton, I was taking all the training with John Clark and we had to play as well, but I realised then I couldn’t keep myself fit while I was trying to keep other people fit. I couldn’t do the two at once and it came back on me. It seemed hard, but the hardest thing was leaving Celtic in the first place. No disrespect to Morton, but leaving Celtic Park to go to Cappielow was hard for me.’
FAMILY TRADITION
Stevie Chalmers’ first steps on his pathway to Paradise were influenced by father, David, who was his idol. Having started his career at Celtic but not made a first-team appearance, David Chalmers would go on to turn out for Clydebank. It was during this time that he would take to the field alongside Jimmy McGrory, who was on loan at the club, allowing the young Chalmers to be brought up with countless stories about the skills of the Celtic legend.
He recalled: ‘My Father, David, was a professional footballer and he, very quietly, was always there to help me. He taught me how to kick the ball and trap the ball and I always remember that he used to take me up to Springburn Park and would place the ball and try and hit the crossbar. He was quite accurate at it and he encouraged me to practice and do the same. He played for Clydebank, back when they were more of a prominent senior team and he actually played alongside Jimmy McGrory. My Dad was a major influence on my career and I had always wanted to play football, I never really wanted to do anything else.’
FROM BARROWFIELD TO LISBON
The winning goal in Lisbon may have seemed, to some observers, an opportunistic chance by a striker inside the box. It was not. Instead, it was the result of countless hours of practice on Celtic’s training ground, as Bobby Lennox explained: ‘Stevie scoring the winning goal in the European Cup final is my outstanding memory of him. It was the type of goal he had scored a thousand times in training, and while it might have looked as though Stevie just luckily got his toe to it, it was no surprise to any of us that Stevie had been the one to put the ball in the net. He was expert at knowing just how to get into the right spot and get that vital touch on a ball – that was the result of years of practice.’
HAT-TRICK HERO
There have been very few players to have netted a hat-trick in a derby match against Rangers, and each treble is remembered in its own right. When Stevie Chalmers achieved it on January 3, 1966, it was the first hat-trick by a Celt against the Ibrox club since Malky MacDonald did so in 1938.
Stevie Chalmers said of his derby treble: “Scoring a hat-trick is great for a striker but managing it against Rangers was a wee bit special and I’m amazed that it hasn’t been repeated since then. I know there’s been a couple in cup competitions – wee Bobby in the Glasgow Cup and then Harry in the League Cup – but it’s been a long time in the league. It’s something that really stands out because it has been so long and I’m quite surprised that Henrik Larsson never managed it.’
It’s been drawn to my attention that the DR has a poll for the best five games of the season so far. Guess which 5:1 game is missing………….
stevie must have forgot about moussa hat-trick.
the first ever againsts 2bd rangers,
Absolute cracking goal from Henrikh Mkhitaryan for Man U, was offside right enough but still a beauty :o)
Bada Bing
LOL :)
Ain’t we all!!
It was worth picking it just to hear one of the Irish Bhoys saying it……..Tunder Rod! :)
Saint Stivs
Thanks for posting that.
Love his words about THE goal :)
Happy Birthday Stevie Chalmers and thank you!
Merry Christmas ya shower of Hunts.
To the Keltic family that are going through a time of thought at this time,
We are Family.
#######$$$
Your in my heart your in my???????.
O oops rang diva .
P.s GM wiz nearly as good a chanter as Freddie.
Rip ya chanter yea.