21st September…. if you know your history
110 years ago …. and it’s 1912 on this day (Saturday) Celts travel to Tayside to play Dundee on league duty.
At this time Celtic are Scottish Cup Holders for the second year in a row. However, the halcyon days of the 6 In a Row League Winning team are becoming a bit of a distant memory. The Old Rangers are current Champions and heading for a 3 in a row.
Worth pointing out that Celtic have won the league Championship Ten (10) times and Old Rangers are aiming for number Eight (8).
Sadly our Trips to Dundee had been something of a challenge of late and this game was no different.
1912-09-21: Dundee 3-1 Celtic, League Division 1
There is no match report available but we see ex-Celt Davie Hamilton playing for Dundee and scores their third goal. Celts have a strong core with McNair, Young, Laney, Patsy Gallacher and Jimmy McMenemy in the team.
Just not good enough on the day.
Dundee:
Balfour, Young and Lawson; Philip, Neal and Johnstone; Wylie, Ross, R Hamilton, Steven and D Hamilton
Goals:Steven 2, D Hamilton 1
Celtic:
Mulrooney, McNair and Dodds; Young, Loney and Mitchell; McAtee, Gallacher, Johnstone, McMenemy and Gray
Goals:McMenemy
Referee: Mr J Thomson, Aberdeen
Attendance: 20,000
The Celtic goalkeeper John ‘Caruso’ Mulrooney had recently replaced the legendary Davy Adams in goals and had performed “heroics” to help Celts secure the Scottish Cup in v Clyde (2-0) 1912.
“Eventually the Clyde half-backs got a grip of the opposition and a tug-of-war followed, in which the outstanding performer was Mulrooney… Mulrooney was equal to every call… Mulrooney, however, was a distinct success in the Celtic goal”.
(The Scotsman)
Unfortunately, he died suddenly ( heart failure) less than 2 years after winning that Cup – yet another tragic tale of a young man taken long before his time.
John Mulrooney b. August 1886 Hamilton, d. July 1914 ( Age 27)
There is a fantastic story behind that Shamrock jersey he wore in a friendly tour of Norway.
You can read more and an excellent tribute:
50 years ago …. a few days ago Celtic provided the opposition for the Great Bobby Charlton’s Testimonial match at Old Trafford.
1972-09-18: Manchester United 0-0 Celtic, Bobby Charlton Testimonial
Future Aberdeen chairman Ian Donald played right back for United. Wynn Davies at inside left had just been signed from Manchester City. George Best didn’t play in the game, it’s no secret he and Bobby Charlton weren’t always on best terms.
At the banquet after, Prime Minister Harold Wilson tells Dixie he recommended him to Huddersfield whilst he was a Motherwell player.
It’s interesting that Bobby Lennox never featured in this game, considering all the glowing tributes and praise from Bobby Charlton over the years. Maybe a Sentinel will recall specifics. I’m thinking Ron Yeats’ testimonial ( help?)
Teams
Manchester United:-
Stepney, Donald, Dunne, Young, James, Buchan, Morgan, Law (Sartori), Charlton, Davies, Kidd (McIllroy)
Celtic:- Williams, McGrain, McCluskey, Murdoch, McNeill, Connelly, Johnstone (Hood), Dalglish, Deans (Wilson), Macari, Callaghan. Subs: Davidson, Lennox.
Referee:- C. Thomas (Glamorgan)
Attendance 60,538
Glasgow Herald Tuesday September 19 1972
Absorbing benefit for Bobby Charlton despite goal famine
A crowd of 60,538, a British record for a benefit match, packed Old Trafford last night to see Manchester United and Celtic fight out an absorbing goalless draw in Bobby Charlton’s testimonial match.
From the onset it was apparent that this was to be no goal-happy fiesta. That would have been unworthy of the occasion, the dignity of the two great clubs, and the man they had come to honour. If the crowd, which included Tommy Docherty, Sir Alf Ramsey and stars from the past and present were not treated to a Charlton special they were able to enjoy a fine game of pure football.
After only three minutes Celtic were awarded a free kick a yard outside the penalty area. Murdoch’s left foot drive cannoned off the defensive wall and from the rebound McNeill volleyed in a blistering shot which Stepney punched away at the near post.
Four minutes later Dalglish bewildered United’s defence, sending Deans away down the right. The centre forward’s immediate pass into the middle found Johnstone but the winger’s shot hit the outside of the netting.
Having weathered the early onslaught, Manchester United countered through Kidd, who first forced Williams to a good save then sliced a perfect pass through a square-standing Celtic defence to Law, who revelling in the big occasion, slid his shot wide as he fell. Charlton caused a hum of embarrassment in the crowd with one appallingly wild crossfield pass but redeemed himself when he accepted a ball from Law and advanced threateningly on the Celtic goal. His final shot lacked power however, as defenders converged on him.
This was a refreshing, tension-free performance from United, quite divorced from their recent games. Another flowing move sent Charlton away and this time he was able to set himself before unleashing an effort that went over the crossbar.
The goal from Charlton which most of the crowd was willing for him, was not to come and it was Celtic who now were beginning to control the game with the mighty Murdoch dominating the middle of the field. Hood replaced Johnstone at the start of the second half and later Wilson came on for Deans. Kidd limped off injured and Law also withdrew, McIlroy and Sartori taking their places.
With 10 minutes remaining Celtic began to overrun a tiring United defence and twice Macari had opportunities to win the match. A delightful exchange with Dalglish left United’s defence in tatters, but Macari somehow scooped his shot wide. Then he failed to turn on to a loose ball as it rolled temptingly across the face of an open goal.
All that remained was for Bobby Charlton to do his lap of honour, surrounded by hundreds of youthful enthusiasts to whom he has given so much pleasure over the years.
General stuff:
46 BC Julius Caesar celebrates first of four triumphal processions in Rome – over Gaul, Egypt, Pontus and Africa with leader of the Gauls Vercingetorix led in chains
1513 James V crowned King of Scotland in the Chapel Royal at Stirling Castle, aged 17 months- father of Mary Queen of Scots
1792 French Revolution: The National Convention passes a proclamation announcing the formal abolition of the French monarchy….aye!
1915 Cecil Chubb buys English prehistoric monument Stonehenge for £6,600
To be fair there were Free Festivals organised on the site:
Hurry on Sundown – see what tomorrow brings …
1936 Spanish fascist junta names Francisco Franco to Generalissimo and Supreme Commander
1985 Michael Spinks beats Larry Holmes in 15 to become Heavyweight Boxing Champion
2004 Green Day release their album “American Idiot” in the US
Note: The excellent Celtic Wiki site is the font of all knowledge on things Celtic. Most of the Celtic stuffabove is from that site. The guys who set it up and painstakingly keep it updated, deserve no end of credit, praise and thanks. A treasure trove for Celtic fans young and old – and new- and free to view.
Respect Bhoys !
http://www.thecelticwiki.com/m/
Guest article by SeS
Change the record by sending an article to sentinelcelts@gmail.com
Good morning, friends and thank you SeS for another very informative article. Pleasant reading whilst sitting in our taxi to Palma Airport for our late morning flight back to Prestwick. What do you mean its not quite as warm there? HH
MORNING ALL and JIM, saltires brilliant as always, was at that game at old trafford how luigi macari did not score those two gilt edged chances ill never know 🤩 ATOB from last night cheers👍
SALTIRES
I always thought that Bobby’s testimonial finished 4-3 to us,with Bobby playing a half for each side-and scoring in The Hoops! Thankfully,I usually do some research before writing my articles,I would never have lived that one down…
Turns out the 4-3 match was,as you suggest,the Ron Yeats testimonial where Bobby was playing and scoring for us prior to a comeback at Preston.
Things you thought you knew but didnae(!)
SES,
Another great read. Always something interesting. I think CCB was at Bobby Charlton’s testemonial though I could be mixing it up with Bobby Moore.
Jeez I hate these international fortnights. I didn’t even know scotland were playing tonight till I saw the telly this morning. I know others feel differently and I hope Scotland win but it will do nothing to lift the gloom of that disappointment at love street
Morning,JOBO. Sounds like you’ve both had a terrific break. And back just in time for the internationals,having avoided the fiasco that was Sunday.
Great planning,sir.
ATHINGOFBEAUTY
Ukraine tonight and Tuesday,with Ireland on Saturday. A veritable feast,huh?
Great piece SeS, full of interest as always.
What a player Bobby Charlton was, one of my dad’s favourites – had the pleasure of attending Choccy’s testimonial at old Trafford, 25 years ago – wow!!
The aul’ Stonehenge festival was infamous, down there and then to Glastonbury. Hawkwind still remain one of my favourite bands – they did their Hawkfest at Morecambe this month, not my thing now, impressive none the less.
Hail Hail
Terrific stuff as usual SeS 👏👏
I’ve got the first Hawkwind album on
Vinyl. Heading off to Clydebank again to visit my mum. Will dig the album out when I get back now that you’ve jogged my memory
BMCUW
A defeat, not a fiasco. If you don’t fail you often don’t learn. I thought we’d left performances like that behind. A wrong throw in and foul away from 0-0.
Luckily another event and this break has taken the edge off it, still stings though. Top chat last Friday.
This morning, on the other channel I posted a comment. Obviously spurred by our rather good financials.
BACK TO BASICS – GLASS HALF FULL had posited last night, in response to St Stivs posting a chart of the Deloitte top 30 European Clubs, that: “a well run club from a small country with £150m revenue should be competitive in Champions League terms.”
Now could Celtic be such a Club!?
My slightly edited response…
… That’s a thought provoking post and St Stivs chart of Deloitte’s top 30 European sides is interesting.
About 50% of those Clubs are truly contenders in the UCL.
There are other Clubs that are outside that top 30, who would be disappointed not to get to the last sixteen, teams from Austria, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium etc
They’re not going to do it every season but there were five teams in the last sixteen outwith the top thirty that made the last sixteen – so almost a third, a significant margin.
So how do Celtic get to a T/O of £150M and look like a potential UCL play off Club?
We should be a £100M T/O this year, we reached that, then and now, record level of £101M in 2018.
So careful but ambitious player trading, winning the Scottish League, UCL participation, a full Celtic Park and good merchandising takes us to that level, I’d argue our default level.
Agree with what AN DÚN wrote [in reponse to BTB Glass 1/2 Full], UCL participation most seasons will mean more income, we should be able to reinvest that in the squad and improve our UCL performance.
More wins and draws in the UCL means significantly more money, if we follow the Ange tregectory that could mean £120M by 2023/24.
As stated, the UCL format changes then and Celtic earn more money.
Signing the media deal that SKY has put on the table is quite simply madness, Rangers have resisted it, probably for political reasons but their official reasoning is sound enough.
The SPL, Doncaster and SKY have become very lazy when it comes Scottish Football’s TV deal.
If what’s on the table is the best we can realistically hope for, then take all the games SKY won’t be broadcasting out off the deal and let the Clubs stream these games to their fans through a PPV platform or as I’d prefer a TV season ticket offering (that could include some match tickets and entry into a ballot for other games like the European nights or away tickets or even some Glasgow derby games).
Merchandising is definitely on the up and should improve, the big games put us once again in the shop window and we should be looking at our traditional markets abroad, Ireland, England, USA and Australia with renewed energy and the likes of Japan.
There is no reason that as our T/O increases the merchandising percentage sees a pro rata increase.
All this time we are pushing the coefficient higher and get all the tangible and untangible benefits of that – higher seeding, more games won, UCL or Europa after Christmas, players performing on the top stage ever increasing their value.
It all bodes well and with each passing season and new smart initiatives on media rights, we could certainly be pushing £150M in 3-5 seasons.
While we are not a Deloitte top 30 T/O side – as far as attendance and gate recipts we are a top 20 European Club. Also there is the KPMG report that has different emphasis to the Deloitte one, (which is purely financial.)
https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/17670336.celtic-named-one-europes-top-30-clubs/
We were a top thirty Club according to them in 2019. Getting back there for me is a return to parity.
Often we are very quick to talk of the disadvantages of being in the Scottish league and no doubt that’s a factor, yet what of the advantages? The main one being, we have a real chance to qualify for the UCL every season and another is being next door to the most profligate League in the world when it comes to spending on player registrations.
We could have a conveyor belt of quality players, with solid experience against the best teams in Europe heading south.
All in all – happy days.
Comment Ends
Hail Hail
Forget Robertson and the strip and the weather !
S N
Watching again our right side of defence is targeted as a weak link at both goals. Not just our lack of jumping ability to clear but at the first SW loses the flight of the ball and his man and AR loses physically to a bigger opponent who pushes down on him. There was also no protection from AM covering the runner into the box. Lessons should be learned.
At the second SW is shoved him in the back.
The second should not have stood.
We were beaten by a more physical approach.
An impotent attack couldn’t redress the deficit.
An early lesson to heed. We have 9 league games I think, til WC close down on Nov 12th. Plenty of opportunities to re assert ourselves.
Chairbhoy
Five bang average EPL teams in the top 20.
11 in total.
Even Southampton are in the top 30!
It’s not the turnover that’s the issue it’s the playing environment. A Miniscule playing environment against limited opponents is very unlikely to make us regular UCL knockout contenders. Even if the coefficient stays healthy enough to ensure direct entry.
It’s regular quality competition we need.
CFC
A definitive style helps in Europe but if too rigid easy for decent European coaches to suss.
As for being in a not so competitive league Ajax have punched above their weight in Europe while playing in a relatively uncompetitive environment.
Our competition in SPL comes for ref sanction thuggery but that does not help European preparation as we are unlikely to see an opponent in European competition allow such an approach.
Watched our youth against Real’s youngsters and to say we were unprepared for such a platform would be an understatement.
That does not bode well for the future.
The Ajax model works because it is complete.
We need to synchronies the entire footballing department like they do.
Chers folks
Frodsham – I’ve still got the 1st Hawkwind album and one if only 50 vinyl I kept – love the harmonica on original HOSundown
Chairbhoy – thanks for sharing those chats and info. I wonder how many of those teams could beat us over and old style 2-leg tie?
Chairbhoy – Hawkfest at Morecambe sounds fun .. wonder if venue was chosen by Michael Moorcockcambe..😁
Morning all.
Very informative article as always SeS.
What a player Bobby Charlton was. I watched a documentary about him a few years ago. Came over as a really humble and nice man.
CFC @ 10:15 am,
You certainly have a point but must agree with Fan…
We need to get the football right, it has been neglected since Martin O’Neil’s days and has been forgotten since Rangers died – the BR blip apart.
We now see Rangers resurrected and a new emphasis on the football team, the turnaround may seem like a minor miracle but it is not, as Fan says our erstwhile peers like Ajax are doing far better than us.
The SPL affords the opportunity for Celtic to qualify for the UCL every season, that is an opportunity that 90% of Europe’s top Clubs don’t have.
Now the physicality of the SPL is grim, the officiating grimmer but when we are up against UCL sides they will have their share of powerful, athletes that we need to compete with.
The Rangers got into a European final from nowhere, it’s a matter of ambition.
Ange was gutted not to get anything from the Real Madrid game and not getting all three points away to Shakhtar
That’s the measure of where we’ve come in the last 15 months, we can do more in the next 20 months.
Hail Hail
SeS…
Yes, I reckon give us this season and outside the top half we would hold our own and not all of the top half are going to make the UCL
Yes, they’ve had some characters in that band over the years, seen them many times – I’m sure a few of my aul’ muckers went to Morecambe.
A kind of Spaced out Ritual:)))
Hail Hail
fan
Yip, there are peculiar idiosyncrasies !
in the Scottish format that make it a harsher football environment. And as a result makes it a third tier competition way behind the likes of The Eredivisie.
In the Eredivisie Ajax have slightly better tv income and having seen two of their rival league teams in action this season, greater strength in depth. But that is generally nitpicking.
The Ajax player trading model is significantly more successful than ours- £ 200m or so last year alone?
If their league is similar why are they regularly able to sell players for £60/70/ 80m?
Yes, regular Euro participation puts their guys in the shop window but I would suggest our league is considered far inferior to theirs by the Big boys.
The sums they achieve on player sales for their best is three times a KT.
Which is why I stand by my point about the glass ceiling we have in this country.
We may have exceptional Euro forays from time to time but I cannot see it being as sustainable as Ajax’s perennial group stage participation.
SeS 👍
CFC, maybe we should spend a bit of money and bring a couple of youth coaches over from Ajax?
Jtt53
Haven’t the Huns gone Dutch?😀
Jtt53
Ange is showing what can be done.
The Huns have shown that anyone can have an outlier season.
My point is the issue of sustainability in a League system that restricts growth and development.
Our best players leave, our talented coaches leave… our third or fourth tier environment is a stepping stone. We all know that.
We make the best of what we have, until we lose the talent that gets us where we want to be and the whole process starts again.
A Glass ceiling.
CFC
All transfer fees world wide are based on perception of league quality and nationality of player.
Since Scotland has a truly crap international profile courtesy of SFA player values are relatively low.
Ajax have history and relatively good performances in European competitions to boost values plus Dutch national side.
They have added advantage in work permits to bolster them.
Youth also see them as a pathway to bigger leagues.
This is why improving youth levels at our club and consistency are vital if we want to attract young talent.
We are a number of years away from being at that level but incremental steps should be our aim.
The SFA and SPL will always be the weight trying to hold us down.
The authorities in Scotland would prefer no football than an internationally successful Celtic.
The Celtic board are culpable by their meek acceptance.
Hopefully the fans demand more from coaches and players.
CFC
I think that the reason why Ajax can sell players so frequently for huge sums is down to their success in Europe,which means that the buying clubs know that they are getting pretty much the finished article.
Now,their success in Europe is down to their incredible youth system,proven over the decades. Remember I mentioned Van Basten being on the bench for them forty years ago? Or the 94 ECwinners?Etc…
Also they aren’t afraid to take a punt in the market,and spend big when they identify a player that fits their football and business model.
Finally-and I think this is as important as the other points-their fans are happy to have,on occasion,a period of three or four fallow years as they undergo a squad rebuild from the bottom up. We had that chance in 2012,when we could have brought youth through and improved them to first team status. We didn’t take it,instead following the fabled “project” system of signing them young and hoping that enough of them would improve their value.
The few successes of that theory failed to cover the disasters we ended up with,and unable to move on. Our best chance to follow-or at least to attempt-the Ajax model was a decade ago. Play the kids and sign quality players today alongside them and bring them on.
One of the few successes in NL’s first go at the job who actually was happy to sign a new contract and stay with the club was Joe Ledley. Lawwell couldn’t wait to get him out the door,rather than renew his contract on the same terms. Hmmm…
https://www.sundayworld.com/news/irish-news/father-of-aidan-mcanespie-dies-before-hearing-judgment-in-case-of-sons-troubles-death/1269918071.html
the first time i seen man utd was either 66 or 67, the aul memory is going🤩 what i do remember is a roasting hot day and us winning 4-1 cant remember who scored, but what i can remember is bobby charlton hitting a shot from about 30 plus yards, just skimmed the bar and i put my hand up to catch it, nearly broke my wrist🤩 another true story
fan
BMCUW
Of course, I want ongoing success but, as you allude, passive corporate risk management and a hostile league structure are major barriers.
In my view Celtic as a Sustainable Euro force will only happen in an environment where growth and development are encouraged.
You both reference specifics where this has not been the case to date.
I do not see this changing anytime soon in Scotland, certainly whilst the duopoly exists to play pass the parcel with the League.
Let me get this straight …
16 Roads is allowed to come on here and disgracefully insult members of my family but I’m the one who’s being demonised simply for asking him to define Commies ..?
By the way,
That’s terrible news on the 5 star hotel in Zante 🙏🙏🙏
Running out of alcohol !!!!!!
My Greek on the street contact, says BRRB moving to another hotel under darkness of the night.
We can only pray it’s a “ One Off” but locals still fearing the worst !!!!
“He knows not what he’s done” but have mercy on his liver 🙏🙏🙏
A minute’s silence/applause is appropriate now 😜
CFC, Fan, Bobby, Big Packy JTT53, Chairbhoy et al
Over the years a sense we haven’t really tried to maximise our potential. Always just never enough… a few positions just not good enough.
When we did well in Europe – Is it fair to say the other teams in the league were also doing well .. and offering us a strong challenge week on week in domestic games?
Not now.
Our players must know – muscle memory or pragmatism or something ..- they will get to point In most games when they can coast.
Let other teams run away up the park confident they will fek it up .. or be so far ahead a consolation goal won’t hurt us.
We see players who just can’t cope, for a full 90 minutes: physically, mentally and technically…
The few times we have looked like building a team that could , they all want a deal away and they get it.
Was reading the Johnny Doyle book and amazed to recall the really small crowds of 21,000 in the weeks leading up to Real Madrid in 1980 ( allowing for understating revenue at gates aside)
The team having to fight for victories against Morton & Buddies
Johnny Doyle having ice packs sent from his mates who owned a local hotel to help his recovery – not arranged by club etc.
Imagine what was happening at Madrid and Man U or Liverpool then with player assistance??
Overall, we just seem to think and act small.
Another thing recently our young lads got absolutely ripped up by Madrid on a plastic pitch .. almost foating or aqua planing on it… didn’t seem to bother the Madridistas much who just relied on their skills …and tactics, and played a version of fitba our lads couldn’t begin to cope with.
It was a brutal reminder of how awful we really are at this development thang.
The ongoing lack of preparation is marbled right through the whole club.
Was thinking how our coaches were going to face their Madrid counterparts at Full-time after game and make eye contact when shaking hands..
They shook hands and didn’t appear to be remotely concerned.
They just don’t have it – and that means we won’t get any fresh supply into the top team – Ajax model is a bloody pipe dream.
No one is challenging them – or if they are it’s not enough.
Are they asking for help or resources , but not getting it?
Is there a Director of Fitba now … if so, who under the roof at Paradise has the knowledge and experience to make that appointment – to decide on the right candidate?
The raw material is there – every year another batch of fitba daft lads ( and lassies) reach the age when they will need professional help to develop their skills.
They are all being badly let down.
Don’t expect SFA to do a thing to improve it.
I do expect Celtic to .., history tells us we can. It’s Not been for a looong time tho’
I do agree with the general theme that something might be changing under Ange.
There is some hope.
We are quite happy to bring in foreign players and now a manager. Thank goodness! Why not foreign youth coaches? It shouldn’t just be for retired loyal players or younger failed players – as in failed to make it into the big time.
SeS
Agree with pretty much all that you say.
I was there in the late ‘70’s/ early 80’s.
The sport then was still an insular game. A local game for local people.
And not the global money pit it has become. I remember how everyone thought Laurie Cunningham at RM was such an exotic circumstance.
I turned the youth game v RM off at ht.
It had descended into two teams playing the same sport but on different levels.
Our Ajax model is signing the Jota’s, Abada’s, O’Rileys etc and hopefully getting very lucky.
If Ange stays we will hopefully have foundations put in place.
But he will leave…eventually.
I don’t hold out much hope for successful succession planning.
SOS
The recent Real v Celtic youth was as lopsided a game as possible.
Skill difference between both teams was a gaping chasm.
For me i questioned the coaches?
We had little shape or form whenever we lost the ball.
Also our kids so often took the wrong angle when receiving the ball and trying to tackle.
Our basics were just not there.
What are the kids being taught?
Disgraceful behaviour, no respect for the death of old Lizzy
https://fb.watch/fGVR0RAT-4/
When i was about 10 1960 my dad took me and my Rangers suporting cousin to see a Glasgow select vs a Manchester select. The thing i remember most about the game was a Manchester player had the blondest hair i had ever seen. I think it was Albert Quixall. We were on holiday it was the Glasgow Fair FortnightI also remember seeing the Celtic team running around a country road near East Kilbride and the first guys i noticed were big Billy and John McNamee. Great memories from child hood they were rock stars
If this post comes up twice its my fault
In the early 60s we were on holiday down at East Kilbride a guy in the caravan site knew big John McNamee he took me to a spot on a counrtry road and the Celtic team came running bye. Big John stopped and said hello to us
A couple of days later we drove up to Glasgow to watch a Glasgow select play a Manchester select. The thing i remember the most was the blond hair of one of the Manchester players. I had never seen such blond hair before. We also took my Rangers supporting cousin, it was the onlly time we attended a game together
Cracking interview with Ange.
Ange Postecoglou is back in Australia ahead of Celtic’s appearance in the inaugural Sydney Super Cup. The @CelticFC manager drops by to tell us all about how he’s taking on Europe and whether he could about to take on the Premier League.
#TheProjectTV https://t.co/AxyRApNN95
Saltires
Yet another cracking read. That was some article by David Potter on John Mulrooney. Sadly, yet another Celt who was taken from us, at an early age. I was in Car-D library earlier today. One of the books that I picked up was:
Celtic:A Backpass Through History
By Michael O’Neill, published in 2017.
I’ve had a quick look at the book. It’s a cross between a short history of the club, and a pictorial history of the Celts, from the early years, right up to the Invincible Treble. Some of the photos are quite stunning.
thetic
Brilliant stuff.
JTT
That’s an excellent point you make about foreign coaches for the youngsters. There is most definitely something far wrong, with the youth set up. Either players leave, not having made the grade, or more commonly in recent years, those who look as if they will make it, are moving to the likes of Bayern Munich or Liverpool.
SteveNaive
Twas a pleasure to meet you last Friday.
I think with the exception of the ears John Mulrooney is the spitting image of Bobby Lennox!
CCB was at BOTH testimonials Moore and Charlton😀👍
I see that Chairman Bankier is praising the support, following the release of the accounts yesterday evening. How noble of him. Feckin’ eejit.
Hail Hail.
Oh aye, forgot to say, Chairbhoy, that was a brilliant post earlier.
Hail Hail.
jimthetim53
We are quite happy to bring in foreign players and now a manager. Thank goodness! Why not foreign youth coaches? It shouldn’t just be for retired loyal players or younger failed players – as in failed to make it into the big time.
September 21, 2022 3:52 pm
–//–//—///–//-
Aye reading the general theme it seems that would be a very popular move.
I’d go as far as suggesting offer the most junior of junior coaches in the Madrid youth hierarchy and offer him/her all the resources available to the guys in situ here .. right now
Let him pick a few reliable colleagues and give them free rein and a five year contract.
Couldnt do any worse … to be fair the guys we have running our show now aren’t exactly renowned for technical attributes – the basics. Tactical awareness can be worked on later but let’s get the good habits in as early as practicable.
Maybe move the entire operation to Spain or Portugal or France … fekin anywhere else really 😆
CCB – thought you might have attended those games – must have been special nites!
I saw a bit of the Buzzbomb and a wee bit of James McGrory too.
Saltires/CCB
When I saw that photo, I had to do a quick double-take. My first thought was Alec McNair.
Hail Hail.
Magua – good shout – did ye like the Shamrock Hoops ☘️?
Saltires
I did indeed. We should submit the design to Adidas. It would be a helluva lot better than that monstrosity the players wore on Sunday. Scottish football officialdom on the other hand, might not be too keen on the idea. 😀
MAGUA
It will take a while for us to get over that strip on Sunday. A real WTF? moment for everyone in the Irvine club.
First time too that I can remember us wearing black shorts with anything except a black jersey. Also a no-no in my opinion.
Test