Most Memorable Matches
“That’s what’s so special about them right there, Jim. Just right up there, that’s what’s so special about them. They’re there and they’re always there. And God bless every one of them”
So said Tommy Burns,in May 1988. After Celtic had completed our Centenary Season with a magical,legendary,Centenary Season double.
It was the eleventh time we had won the double,and it may have been the sweetest. The Souness spending revolution was two years old,and few really had given Celtic much chance of regaining the title they had so carelessly discarded the season before. But where there’s hope,there’s life,and…
Magical things can happen with Celtic!
Indeed they can,and we had run away with the league. A twelve point gap over Rangers-who could only finish third,two points behind Hearts-had left many of us bloody angry at the way the second half of the previous season had panned out. But these were largely different players,hungry for a glory that many of them could never previously have dreamt of. And it was exemplified in the semi-final against Hearts,coming from behind with only two minutes to play,to win 2-1.
As usual,the SFA did their best to ruin the occasion,this time by inviting Margaret Thatcher along. She was about as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit,and didn’t we let her know it! It seemed that every fan inside the ground had a little red card to hand as we took up the offer to Show Maggie The Red Card!
Sadly,our enthusiasm didn’t manifest itself on the pitch; indeed we could have been a goal down inside five minutes but for a goal-line headed clearance by Paul McStay,and at about the same stage of the second half,we were just that. A clearance up the pitch from our keeper-Alan McKnight deputising for the injured Bonner-was headed straight back towards him by,I think,Narey or Bannon. In a two-horse race for the ball between Roy Aitken and Kevin Gallacher,there are no prizes for guessing who got there first. There was still work to be done,but he just lashed it first time past the keeper.
A great goal,and no denying it. And it was just what the game needed,as once again we had been looking lethargic. And so it continued for the next twenty minutes,until Billy McNeill made a double substitution which changed the match.
Walker and Whyte off,McGhee and Stark on. And it only took the rejuvenated Celts five minutes to get the equaliser!
The outstanding Anton Rogan took a long crossfield pass in his stride,jinked past his opponent to put a peach of a cross right on the napper of Frank MacAvennie at the far post. Frank’s golden touch had recently deserted him-though he was still scoring with regularity in London!-but such was the quality of the cross that he couldn’t miss.
Our tails were up,and surely wee Jum McGlum was destined for a fifth cup final heartbreak in fourteen years? We had done them twice,in 74 and 85,and looked odds-on for the hat-trick. But this was a very good and very resilient United team,with the ever-excellent Hegarty and Narey-who should surely have been wearing our colours long before now!-defying everything we could throw at them. As the game entered the last minute,the United fans were probably wondering whether they had time for a quick run to the toilets before extra-time;my Uncle Jim probably just muttered “Plenty of time” to my kid sis.
That “Plenty of time” consisted of little more than a corner on our right. Joe Miller,who had improved as the game went on,took a disguised corner,firing it low and short. Billy Stark lost his marker to fire in a low shot towards goal;it ricocheted off a United defender and fell to Frankie. His right foot did the rest,and it was Party Time on the terraces,The Gallowgate,and everywhere that Celtic supporters worldwide had gathered to watch our heroes.
For that was what they were,and still are. I’m not sure if any team has ever won their domestic double in their Centenary Season,but if ever there was a club who can conjure the romantic,the miraculous,it is Celtic. These aren’t fairytales that we peddle in this series,these are real tales of derring-do,of triumph against the odds.
Sometimes I think Roald Dahl was a Celtic supporter too…
*
Above by majoc. If you have a similar tale to tell of a game you warmly remember,mail us at
sentinelcelts@gmail.com
HI MAJOC, unfortunately was down in Liverpool when this was going on watched from afar, yes celtic is a magical club but I think our fans do an awful lot to make it magical,how many awards have they won, best fans in the world ,what did mr stein say football is nothing without fans.hh bruv.
Leigh Griffiths is a fanny who is taking the piss
hi awe naw why whats he said.hh.
While on sick leave he spends the day at Newcastle race course and then comes out with that he has no gambling issues.
Get rid off ASAP.
yes not the most cleverest thing to do.hh
Just spoke with a Mr . Patrick Donohue
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7638 0129
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7236 7013
Email: monitoring@disclosure.org.uk
Who informs me that they have yet to be informed that the transfer of funds from South Africa “or anywhere else for that matter” has been completed. The funds need to be lodged and declared by 5.30pm tomorrow evening according to Lady Wolfe.
It is also not expected as no Cash confirmer has been appointed so they have “nobody to speak too”
AWENAW
Rumour has it that the photo in question dates back to October.
Last weekend you need to stop taking to the KTF brigade
South Africa.
It’s always been a happy hunting ground for Loyalists.
Remember Brian Nelson and his activities there? Don’t suppose Glibby ever crossed paths?
Anyway, can’t think of many Tims posting from there.
As Fr Ted used to say “The money was only resting in my account.”
Great article above majoc, I was there. As time progresses your writing is getting better and better.
HH
AWENAW
Must have been different photos,I think the one I referred to was printed last week in The Sun.
Which means one of two things-
1-Leigh is too dumb to take a very large hint by staying away from Newcastle Races
2-He’s got a burd down there!
We can ask Dermot Desmond after he left Ibrox infuriated after full time on the 29th having been abused by the ghost of Sandy Jardine who was sporting a John Paul II tattoo seemingly , if he got any horsey tips from the Raj and if that was the only reason he was there. 🙂
THEGOMBEENMAN
Why,thank you,kind sir-much apppreciated!
Probably means I’m due a rant tomorrow,but there’s an absolute peach about another Cup Final on Saturday. I’m willing to bet you weren’t at that one-though your Dad might have been.
Hi Awe Naw.
I agree that he is being very stupid. Brendan has been trying to pull him into line for two years now – his days at Celtic are numbered.
The Green Brigade banner “It’s OK not to be OK Leigh” is now an embarrassment. It shows the same knee-jerk reaction without knowing the facts, as they display with their ill-thought out behaviour that regularly gets the club fined and sanctioned by UEFA.
Leigh Griffiths earns the thick end of £1m/year as a Celtic player and was given a new four year contract recently. He is not mentally ill, he is feckless and the money he has at his disposal fuels his feckless lifestyle.
Instead of buckling down and being professional, knowing that Dembele’s last-minute departure had left us with only two strikers; he takes a course of action that leaves only Eduard as a recognised front-man, leading to young Mikey having to start at Ibrox.
The loveable rogue tag has fallen off.
Gold.
Agree.
I would be willing to bet that we are only interested in rehabilitating him so that we can punt him ASAP and recoup some of the costs.
Awe Naw.
Who would buy him? He is now very publicly “damaged goods”.
If someone did make an offer, we would have to pay up his four-year contract before he left – no one will bid £3m+ (probably the balance of his contract) for him and therefore we would be substantially out of pocket.
No I think his contract will be terminated on the grounds that he cannot fulfil its terms – i.e. train & play. He will then be a free agent and can return to his comfort-zone at Easter Road.
So frustrating, he has scored 100 goals for us and on his game is a far better footballer than Morelos – sad affair but we just have to ‘bite the bullet’, and move on.
He probably was majoc, the winter break gives a chance for the BP to come down a bit.
I always thought Defoe was a decent bloke. I wonder what he’ll make of ‘the peepul?’
He didn’t settle in Canada let’s see how Govan strikes him?
HH
Terminated without compensation hopefully
Gold
How do you work out that the GB banner was an embarrassment ?
The banner was displayed after the info about his problems came to light, info that the club put into the main stream.
Three strikes and yer out.
1967 Scottish cup final, what a game,,, walking up to hampden as a fourteen year old, and there was ian st john and ron yeats of Liverpool walking right in front of me,,,, beat that you ghuys,, oh and by the way for the umpteenth time,, where are sevco getting the money from.hh.
Hi TET.
An embarrassment because they chose to believe that he had genuine problems and not self-inflicted ones. Celtic had to couch it’s comments on Leigh in a particular way, however everyman and his dog knew that his behaviour and lifestyle had been under question for at least a year, maybe two.
In some matters the Green Brigade choose their own ‘truth’, regardless of the facts.
Gold
I understand that you wouldn’t be the GB’s fav supporter, but in this instance they obviously took what the club released as the truth, as I would imagine 99% of us did, I, and I doubt you had any reason to think what the club released was false, imo all the club were doing was trying to protect the fella, as it transpires reading between the lines that he has been a very naughty boy, I agree with you that the club will terminate his contract for the reason you mention, shame as the boy is a quality striker and if he applied himself could have been one of the best, he had~has that much potential, just the matter of bringing it to the fore, but we have seen it all to often, players who coulda, shoulda, woulda.
Well it’s looking more and more that the manager is not in charge of the transfers, we are filling the squad with projects and potential, not that I am averse to this policy, it’s our only route in the market, but FFS, now and again just tweak the policy and bring in a few been and gone and done it players, ones who will have no or little resell value, sometimes you just have to pay for experience, we don’t need to pay for transfers either, we can get freebies, just have to pay them decent wages.
the exiled tim ,yes I agree how can loan players give us confidence when they will be away in 6 months or 18 at best ,btw can someone reply to my post 4 hours ago im getting worried.hh.
Hi TET,
Yes I stand corrected – what else could they do other than accept what came our it Celtic Park.
I am just so angry with Gruff, just when we needed him so much, he let’s us down.
With him and Mousse gone we lost potentially 50 goals per season at a stroke. A fully fit and functioning Leigh Griffiths would be a massive addition to the squad – I am sorry that appears to be ending this way.
On the Green Brigade, I enjoy them when then get behind the team, Celtic Park would not be the same without them. I don’t like when they bring their politics into the stadium. HH
TET,
If I thought that Brendan was being ‘force-fed’ certain players, he would go down somewhat in my estimation. What about you?
For goodness sake guys. Just because you are off work doesn’t mean you have to stay in the house. I agree it was not the best place to spend an afternoon but leigh is not famed for his brains. People advising him need to look after him a bit better. As for the banner being an embarrassment. Really? It is ok to not be ok. The sentiment was in support of leigh but also a message to all young men in our country who feel they cannot be open and honest about their struggles with mental health. And when you read some of the posts on here today is it any wonder they keep it to themselves and we have some of the highest suicide rates in the western world.
Gold
Yes and no, I don’t think force fed is the correct term, I reckon he has taken the job in the full knowledge of the transfer policy, after all he is a bit of a magician when developing players, I just don’t think he and his scouts are finding it as easy as they thought it would be to find potential at the prices we are looking to pay, the big money clubs hoover up the majority and clubs like us are having to take the tailings and hope for the best, he did the same when he was at lpool, they had a committee for deciding on who they bought.
Our problem imo is we are not willing to pay for experience, we can do it now and again, we could even get players on a Bosman and just weigh in with wages, but we have a wage ceiling so we are hampered yet again, this is where we need to tweak the policy from time to time, we are in a race for the league and quality will give us a very good chance of making sure we win it and qualify for the big bucks come the summer, sometimes the purse strings need let loose, this is where our esteemed CEO needs to take a risk now and again, I accept his first and foremost goal is to make money for the PLC but he knows that a successful team on the park is essential, else the PLC disny make any money.
BP
Sometimes loans are all we can afford, the likes of Paddy Roberts was a joy to see in the hoops, we would never in a month of sundays afforded him, so sometimes loans are the best for us.
The boy Weah I think will be the bogs dollix, having seen him for PSG he has it and some, I have a feeling he will stay for the 18 months, Burke has something, just no sure what, hopefully Brendan can bring it out of him but in this case six months is a waste of time, hopefully I will be proven wrong.
Another thing is, if we own a player and he is any good they get sold asap, so we are in a perpetual state of upheaval, it’s a pain but it’s just the way it is.
THE EXILED TIM, thanks for the reply hope you are well.hh.
Yip, I can’t understand anyone in the Griffs position fecking it up, but they do.
When I say experience I am only talking about say three players max, a couple of CB’s and a holding middy, that imo would pretty much guarantee us CL football.
Could always be better 😉
The money is coming from Northern Ireland, drug money and I have absolutely no doubts money via the DUP.
It’s easy for them as nobody seems to give a eff and are not interested in finding out where they are getting the money, now if were Celtic getting the dodgy money……….the fraud squad would be all over us like a rash.
And the league obviously 😉
ATHINGOFBEAUTY
I totally agree with you. I’ve had this argument at work many times when people who are off sick have been seen out and about.
There is nothing worse than staring hopelessly at four walls. Not only if you are suffering from depression,but regardless of your physical or mental condition. Leigh obviously has problems,the reasons for which are unclear,but they are a matter for him and his medical team. They should not be the subject of speculation,idle or otherwise.
The newspapers should be taken to task for this,IMO. They have crossed the line between public interest and intrusion.
TET.
I’m happy to let the window play out – confident we will get there.
(A)
Gordon, Bain, Forrest, Tierney, Rogic, Ajer, McGregor, Johnston, Ntcham, Christie, Brown, Eduard.
*All twelve under contract assuming Brown signs.
(B)
The three in, Bayo, Burke(L) & Weah(L) plus Gutman is encouraging – probably another two permanent signings, centre-back and right-back in the pipeline.
* Four permanent plus two loans
(C)
We will have Boyata(OoC), Benkovic(L), Sumunovic, Lustig(OoC), Hayes, Sinclair, Biton & Ralston, as least until June.
* Two out of contract
* One loan
* Five under contract
Gives us 26 players, the ideal size of squad Brendan says he needs, three on loan till June and two out of contract (OoC) in June.
That five needed to come in during the summer window to bring the squad back up to strength.
*Lustig replacement (if needed)
*Boyata replacement (if needed)
*3 loans replacements.
However I think Sumunovic & Sinclair will also go in the summer, so could be as many as seven.
So hopefully we will have enough to get the title ‘over the line’ this season, however further business will need to be done in the summer.
Bear in mind that all of the above must happen without any significant incoming transfer fees, therefore we are fortunate to be in such good financial health at present.
It is not easy, this recruiting business.
Everyone’s asleep. So I can post this. I love the Salve Regina in the background.
This one breaks my heart
JtT
Quiet in here tonight.
How you keeping?
All the better from hearing from you Mike. What time is it in Toronto and what is your weather like?
One thing I love about utube is its ability to read your mind, almost like AI. Otherwise I would never have heard of this most beautiful of songs. It suggested it to me. Or maybe it was God.
Mike I guess you are working so apologies for being a pest but living in Toronto how many languages cam you speak?
A bit chilly here tonight… about minus 10. Which is why I booked a week down south in a few weeks
I went to a French school, but am a bit rusty, and did Latin in grad school, so can get by. But I struggle with languages, and really admire people who can speak a few.
New article posted,folks. Mahe is back!