International Break,Part 2
Continuing our International Break relieve the tedium effort,here is a worthy follow-up to yesterday’s gem from Mahe and our new best pal,Beppe. Here,JIMMYNOTPAUL describes one of our many highlights from an up-and-down decade,the 1980s.
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What is my favourite Celtic game ever, that I’ve attended? A toss of the coin, ten men won the league or Love St 86.
In 86, I stayed in Priesthill, which is not a million miles from Love St.
However, I had no intention of going to the game, I had a sizeable wager on Dancing Brave to win the 2,000 Guineas, the kind of bet, I would never dream of placing now and the race was to be run during the first half of the game. In addition, I had little faith in Celtic turning it around;it’s easily forgotten,in the midst of time, that St Mirren were a good outfit then and to win would be difficult enough, never mind winning by at least 3 goals.
And of course Hearts losing too.
My big mate, Billy Clark was having none of it though, he phoned me and said what time are we going to the game at? I told him I wasn’t going and told him why.
Don’t talk mince ya clown, was his response, or words to that effect. It’s Celtic we are built on fairy tales, today we will win it. He started to rhyme off occasions when we had been the underdog, the Coronation Cup, the 7.1 game (where Rangers were hot favourites) and, of course, Lisbon. I still refused to budge and he hung up raging at me. I thought that was that, but no, a little later a taxi pulled up at my door. Billy got out, hurry up we’ve got a game to go to.
Under pressure, I relented and went to the game, one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, even if standing in the Chernobyl rain made my hair fall out, prematurely, well that’s my excuse.
Celtic were magnificent that day and Judas scored one of the greatest Celtic team goals ever. A strange but brilliant thing, for me, happened at half time, the tannoy announcer told the crowd that Dancing Brave had won the big race, now to the best of my knowledge that normally didn’t happen. I was now starting to believe Celtic 4 up at half time Hearts 0.0 and my horse had won. It couldn’t happen could it?
The second half was a strange affair Celtic went 5 up early and then everyone, even the players, it seemed, waited and waited on events at Dens Park, no smart phones in those days, all we could rely on was a wee guy or two with a pocket radio, finally with about 8 minutes to go one of them shouted 1.0 to Dundee, we all erupted, at the same time thinking he better not have made a mistake, if you have never viewed the footage of this moment in time, I implore you to do it, Jim Stewart with the ball in his arms and then the Celtic fans start going crazy behind him, it’s truly an iconic moment in sport,soon afterwards Albert Kidd added a second for him and Dundee and the party really started, it was then that, even I believed!!.
We ran all the way home from Paisley to Nitshill, in fact we were so high that maybe we flew home, we arrived at The Royal Oak and celebrated long into the night.
I’m a lucky man that Billy believed, we all need a friend like Billy in life.
Hail Hail
Jimmynotpaul.
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Feel free to add your memories to this series. Mail Mahe at
sentinelcelts@gmail.com
Brief showing of goals only,plus THAT WTF? moment from Jim Stewart.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c1DL2of4Kic
And more extended coverage of events,fast-forward to 18:35
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ADqc6U7-DLY
Great stuff JNP
For my sins I was up in the mountains, also getting rained on by Chernoble fallout, we were about 15 miles from Kirriemuir planting trees that day, we were so high up, near the tree height level that we could see the fighter jets passing below us on there runs, we also didn’t know anything about the result till we got back to our accomodation, a quick shower and into Kirrie, surprisingly the town was happy that we had won the league, there was no dissenting voices apart from one of the blokes that was working with us, a right hun from Paisley as it happens, he ended up getting himself arrested for smacking a polis man that night, some things just never change eh.
jimmynotpaul, Really good to read your recollection.
Was terrific to see those goals again Mick. To think I used to love Judas! Jim Stewart’s reaction is hilarious.
He steps up from the bench, strokes his moustache, minutes later he takes the ball in his own half, beats one man then other heading towards the Hearts box, plays a one two collects the ball and fires high into the Hearts net. “GOAL”
Albert Kidd, Albert Kidd makes Dundee 1-0 up and the league could be heading to Parkhead, another corner in the last minute for bonny Dundee and “Goal” its in the net again, its 2-0 to bonny Dundee, Hearts are broken and the league is won by the Celtic.
Albert Kidd, Albert Kidd, he is… Dee-licious…. A top memory JNP, thanks for sharing, sharing is caring. Hail Hail.
TET, I was travelling back from Cardiff. We stopped at the first pub we could find once we were over the border to see if we could catch the game on TV (We didn’t).
When I heard about the fallout from Chernoble I wondered if I had caught any of it wandering about that day. All the sheep from that area were later destroyed. But I’m still here all those years later!
Jimmynotpaul
Great chat buddy.
Forevermore I will remember that game, and that Dancing Brave won rhe 2000 Guineas.
Plus Chernobyl Rain is a thing ?
Your Pal Billy did you a huge favour, imagine missing that?
I was working in the Heilans that day and one of my junior colleagues had a wee transistor radio, which he was absolutely not permitted to use at work. He was a Dundee United Arab and knew how much I wanted to get a result. He also knew he shouldn’t be playing the radio and clearly wasn’t sure if he could reveal the score to me. It was his dilema. I didn’t know that at the time tho’.
It was just as well, as he wasn’t tempted to update me every 5 minutes with ‘no score’.
Now I had my own sources in the days before mobile phones. I already knew that we had scored enough goals at Love Street. However, the empty hollow feeling just made matters worse as I had no doubts that Hertz would hang on for the draw. I had watched a rare live tv Game on a Sunday when they were battered for 90 minutes by Aberdeen, they hung on and my reasoning that Dundee, an inferior team to Dons, would not even be trying to prevail.
All seemed lost…hopeless!
That was a long second half with no news, then as I passed the Arab’s station he whispered, “Kidd just scored!!” He saw my face fall to my boots. Hertz had a player called Walter Kidd.
“Noooo”, he said, “come in here”.. I walked over and he said “Dundee have a player called Kidd.. Albert Kidd. !!”
My look told him that I didn’t believe him, and worse, that I thought he was ripping the pish.
He decided to reveal his source. He invited me into his station and in the back room area he showed me his radio- I completely ignored the protocol rules- ” how long to go?” He said “about 10 mins.”
“Ok but don’t let anyone see that”
I continued on around the store, head spinning… can this really happen ?!
I was in two minds to go back before the 10 minutes was up – sure Hertz would equalise…but decided to stay away and suffer in silence.
Well I didn’t have to… because who should appear at the farthest corner of the store, (I was really keeping my distance) but an excited Arab.
“He’s only gone and scored again!” He was beaming and I was just staring at him open – mouthed.
It was almost 5pm and the store was closing. That was the fastest closedown in history!
Heading straight into town to meet my buddy from Forres, who was at that time the reserve Goalkeeper with Inverness Thistle, and the only other Celtic fan I knew in the town.
We met up and jigged and reeled our way around that town. Drunk on elation more than anything else. We bumped into random Celts in similar mode then a bigger group from the returning Moray Emerald arrrived. What a party.
We didn’t even see the Celtic highlights until late on the Sunday. I don’t think I ever saw the Kidd goals. They remain in my mind … like a fairy tale.
Thanks for the reminder JNP and for the links Majoc
HH
JTT53
They still can’t sell any animals from there, the half life of the fall out is 000s of years as far as I understand, I know a farmer that gets a cheque every year from the government for not breeding sheep, he told me there are 00s in the same boat.
I set off a gigacounter on a rig once, must have been from that rain 😉
SES, That was good enough to be a leading article!
Listened to it on the radio in Germany, a few pilsner were sunk thereafter. Great memories. HH
JTT53
Cheers buddy.
JNP had it 100% nailed, from his vantage point at Love St. A brilliant imsight from him.
I hope he is buying Billy Clark a beer on each Anniversary…
HH
SES
I have never seen the Kidd goals either, I remember seeing footage of gutted hartz players and supporters, fair cheered me up so it did 😉
TET
Aye, now Majoc has fixed it for us.
Cannot believe the effort and quality that went into that 2nd goal.
I know Albert was a Tim but what about team-mates! Were they on a promise or a chance for Europe?
JNP,
That was a great read and I remember that day so well today. I’d given up hope and listened on the radio. Very happy memories and Celtic dong things the Celtic way. A real cliffhanger of a day too with everything depending on the result at Dens Park.
I can still remember watching the highlights and the supporters celebrating on the terraces when the Dundee scored.
A great day to be a Tim and very well told.
HH
If you want to see the Albert Kidd goals (two) google Albert Kidd Celtic and go to the Guardian page, down at the bottom of the page their is two videos, one for each goal..
JimmynotPaul,
I remember that game also but mainly because of the rain. I flew into Glasgow from Canada on the usual red eye flight. I never can sleep on a plane and in those days the stewardess would awaken you and ask if you wanted your steak dinner at 2.00 am on somebody’s clock. I stumbled through customs in a trance and waited for my father to pick me up. Dad had a thing about not paying parking fees and always circled the arrivals building in his car. After about 40 minutes of no sign of Dad, I phoned home to find that he was not coming to pick me up, for some unknown reason. Welcome to Scotland, I thought! I got the bus into the centre of Glasgow as the heavens opened. Money was tight then and I figured on using public transport all the way out to Knightswood. When I got to the bus station and the rain was bouncing off the street, I thought, sod this I am getting a taxi home. I was wearing a large, down filled parka suitable for Canadian weather, but it made me look like a Michelin man. I ran across to a taxi stance carrying one of my two suitcases and grabbed a cab, saying hang on til I pick my other case up. Back to the bus station, pick up case, run in the rain to the taxi. Finally, we are offski to the welcoming arms of my family. I was wringing my coat out on the floor of the taxi, when the driver asked had I come far? Yes, on the overnight from Toronto. Was I coming back for a visit? Yes, to see my family. Well, says the driver, this is a fine welcome for you! Yes, I am soaked through but it is Glasgow rain, I said. Well maybe, but it is all the way from Chernobyl and it is radioactive, says the driver with a loud laugh!
When I got back to Canada I had the parka tested for radioactivity. It showed positive but only at a background level. However, it ended up in the basement and hardly saw tge light of day again until it went to the dump.
Rebus
Thanks for all the kind comments ghuys.
It’s amazing that 32 years later, we all remember that day so well.
Rebus 67.
That’s incredible about getting your jacket tested and it showing positive. All the way from Toronto to be soaked by Chernobyl rain.
S.E.S.
That’s some story you have too, a great read.
Hail Hail
Thanks for that Mike, I’ll look that up.
I hope you are well. I haven’t seen you on here for a while. Good to see you back.
Rebus67,
I laughed when I heard about your Dad circling Glasow Airport rather than pay to park. My Dad was the same. We’d often be left standing in the freezing rain outside the Terminal on trips home.
They make you pay to Drop Off at Glasgow too now, unless your left at the edge of the motorway and brave the traffic on your own. 🙂
Rebus
Superb- Ready Brek guy?
JNP
Cheers buddy.
Don’t ask what happened last week tho’ … ?
Time for a shocking hands-up and guilty,your honour. I didn’t attend this game.
I introduced this fine article from JIMMYNOTPAUL by referring to the 80s as up-and-down. Well,I’d witnessed too many downs,and I didn’t think I could take another sair yin.
I had a Saturday job with Royal Mail at the time,out to the pub on a Friday night with the troops and grab a few hours sleep before starting around 530am. Finished about 1030,thought-Sod it-and caught a bus to the local.
Up the road just before 4pm,no idea of the score,hit ma cot to prepare for Saturday night out. Was woken about an hour later by my kid sis doing her dinger downstairs. Well,that sobered me up in jig time and gave me a new lease of life on the spot!!! I had plenty of pals called Billy,aye,but none of them supported Celtic!
When I think of the number of times I’ve attended games more in hope than judgement,and for once allowed my head to rule my heart and soul,what a bliddy disaster.
Thank God for YouTube,otherwise this choob would still never have seen it…
REBUS67
Funny enough,we weren’t too bothered about radioactive rain in Saltcoats,where I lived at the time. Being sandwiched between the nuclear plants at Hunterston and the huge ICI complex at Stevenston,we considered ourselves immune!
FRIESDORFER
You got nearer to being there from Germany than I did from Saltcoats!
Cheers TGM, I am fine, thanks for asking, I am in the middle of refurbing a cottage for an elderly relative, so time is a bit limited, but we will finish hopefully before Christmas. Hope you and yours are well, take care…
JNP,,,
Fantastic read and brought some fine comments out, pat yerself on the back .
At first I thought Chernoble rain was code but holy crap you boys had radioactive rain?! Kinda explains a lot actually 😉
These memories deserve to be told and put out there for everyone,,I think its,therapeutic actually , good for the soul.
I wont ask how much the wager was ,, I remember when the lottery was newish getting the first 4 numbers out, half tanked on a Sat night, started panicking missed the next 2 announced but had the next one ! 4 and bonus, 75 quid ffs,,,,5 and bonus 135k. Son of a gun.
Thanks for taking the time , appreciated and take care.
Hail Hail
hi bhoys jimmynotpaul great post, afraid cant help about the 86 game, never seen any of it not even on the tv, I had arranged to take my mum to spain that weekend as my father had recently died, trouble was she would not fly, so we had to go by coach what a nightmare, travelled down to my mums house in Warwickshire then we got a coach from Coventry to dover, picked up a French coach at dover that took us to lyon in france, then a Spanish coach took us to salou on the costa dorada. so you will forgive me for not mentioning 86.?hh.
Fair play Mike. Talk to soon. 🙂
oops…talk to you soon 🙂
Mahe
Had the same sorta thing with the lottery, not long started, roll over week and we got the first five numbers, the number we had was 30, the sixth number was 29 and the bonus ball was 31, some things are just no meant to be, the jackpot was 22 mill and five and the bonus was 750K, we got £3627, I will remember the amount till the day I die, I will be honest and say that I have never been so ungrateful, terrible thing is the money 😉
Majoc.
As Billy always said to me, or anyone else, when he was being called a Billy,what was the first name of the Celtic captain who lifted the big cup?
Hail Hail
Have to run, just been told we are going to the vets to pick up a very sick dug, laters
TET/Mahe.
So true about money/ gambling, instead of being happy with the winnings it’s usually, if only or what if, 3627 before the draw was made we would all be delighted with that, then we are all,if only.
Hail Hail
Always put too much on a loser,and never enough on a winner. Always the case.
if you think the journey out was bad ,the journey back was worse,.see my post from 47 minutes,.hope you are well.hh..
I can vouch for majoc missing the game and as it was him who should’ve been taking me to the game I also missed it. No idea where our dad was but have to say for two men who consider themselves real Celtic supporters that’s a bloody poor show. Disgraceful behaviour if you ask me.
Ha.ATOB. Magic. That made me laugh
Get them told.
Hail Hail
Jimmy not Paul was playing for harmony row that day at Cowan park Barrhead, . As most of the guys stayed in Govan the referee (who took a lot of our games at the time) dropped me off at Nitshill rd. He had the radio on and the look on his face when Dundee scored told it all. I went to the royal Oak after that and there was champagne? ??? So they said??? God bless big Clarky .
I was working in The Auld Toll pub in Edinburgh, a pub which was almost exclusively patronised by Hearts fans. All week before the game they were giving it large about how they were going to be champions, and even had scarves made with Heart of Midlothian – Champions on them. What a shit week that was, putting on a stoic face while hoping upon hope that maybe, just maybe. Anyway, on the day of the game, my shift was starting at 5pm, and I set out in my wife-to-be’s Mini with the radio on, heard we were 5-0 up but Hearts were still 0-0. Then Kidd scored. I was stopped at lights and let out a huge cheer, startling a bloke in the car next to mine. The radio then went over to Ibrox, where they were cheering because they thought Walter Kidd had scored.
Got to the pub just as the game finished, best night at work ever. I went from despair to elation in the space of 10 minutes (how often have the Hoops made us feel like that) and spent the next 6 hours extracting the urine from a steady stream of disbelieving Jambos. Even gave them a bin to throw their champions scarves in. Got to say, they took their disappointment well, just looked like they’d been mugged.
Hey Jontox. Welcome and thanks for posting.
Imagine a ref not been happy at Celtic winning.
You should post about the Lou Macari testimonial.
Hail Hail
The Mrs wouldn’t be much of a gambler, many moons ago when her Ma was still here, she worked in a bowling club in Falkirk, when the Mrs was playing the puggie she would press the button and look away if she was going for a decent amount, could never fathom that out, one time after we had moved to Ireland she for some reason was playing a game on the Paddy Power site, first time, anyways she woke me up to tell me she had won a few bob, a couple of grand, she was only staking 10c a pop, she was so so upset that she hadn’t been wagering at least 50c or a euro, if only, she never went on the site again, we bought our first big flat ish screen tele, about 3″ with the winnings and it’s still going strong, after a fair few others have gone to the big flat screen place in the sky.
Dug is here and no great, she had an emergency caesarean, lost her pups and is out of it with the anesthetic, shame for the wee thing, she should be ok after a day or so, hopefully.
Jimmynotpaul-brilliant contribution,I was just about to turn 16 that year so still wasn’t allowed to go on my own to Celtic games.I had to make do with accies games?(God bless John Brogan and big worzle)I was finally allowed to go the following season ?
TET, that’s a shame for the dog. Hope she recovers well.
They wouldnae dare try that nowadays ?
The Exiled Tim.
My wife says I’ve to tell you she loves what you do for the dogs and you are so kind.
She is reading the site tonight because of my article.
She has a degree in English and has told me, that next time I’ve to let her see it first and she will tidy it up, so that’s me told. 🙂
She also wants to know how much I had on Dancing Brave, even although she didn’t know me then. I told her I can’t remember. 🙂 She’s not believing me.
Hail Hail
JNP my old mucker school pals since 5 Celtic daft . St Roberts has a lot to answer for . So many memories , right up till we were in contact when the thunderbolt went in Tom Rogic ! Lou Macari’s testimonial when I took all the doe off everybody at ponnies on the way back home , then bought the beer back in the Levern Waters . Or could it be last minute goal Mr George McCluskey in Amsterdam? Sheer joy or youthful exuberance . Two memories that will never leave me !
TET-betting is a mugs game ?
The dog probably couldn’t be in better hands?
Majoc,
I worked at ICI, Stevenson. Nearly lost my life there. They had make shift field guns for testing shells. My job was to find the minimum number of shells to fire to accurately test the range of particular propellants. One day, when I was not in the gun pit, it exploded. There were injuries.
Rebus
The dug isny ours, well it sort of is now, we got it from the vet this evening, they got it from the pound, we hopefully have a home for her when she recovers, but as ever these thing very often fall through, the Mrs has put a few pics up on the FB site for the charity, I hope Mahe doesn’t mind, it’s called “Just Another Street Dog”
The link to it is here……
https://www.facebook.com/search/str/just+another+street+dog/keywords_search
Thanks for the good wishes and the like, we just do it cos it’s the right thing to do.
the exiled tim, jimthetim just posted you had some sad news about your dog. let us know.hh.