Bobby Murdoch; Celtic Legend
Stein’s Celtic were all over Rangers but the
old sucker punch duly arrived as it had so often in the past. Despite all their
pressure and obvious superiority Davie Wilson’s low shot put Rangers ahead and
they held out until half time. The date was January 1966 and Celtic and Rangers
were locked in a ferocious struggle for the league title. A defeat or even a
draw would leave Celtic trailing their rivals. Whatever big Jock said at half
it had the desired effect. Celtic roared into attack from kick off and at last
began to carve open the Rangers defence. Bobby Murdoch was imperious in
midfield. He pulled the strings and pinged the passes to Hughes and Johnstone
who were ripping the Rangers full back’s apart. An equaliser soon arrived as
Chalmers reached a near post corner and nodded home. When Charlie Gallagher put
Celtic ahead there was only going to be one winner. Rangers had run into a new
Celtic, a Celtic marshalled by Stein who had moulded them into a formidable
side and given them the belief to be the best. The moment which sounded the
death knell for Rangers domination of Scottish football arrived soon after and
it was moment of footballing beauty. Charlie Gallagher cushioned the ball
towards the onrushing Bobby Murdoch 25 yards from the Rangers goal. Murdoch
crashed an unstoppable shot through the chill January air which exploded high
in the net behind the Rangers keeper. Celtic didn’t stop there and Chalmers
smashed in two more goals to complete a 5-1 rout. If people didn’t realise that
Stein’s new Celtic meant business, they knew now. The title was clinched later
that year and the following season saw this emerging young team conquer Europe.
Johnstone was a jewel, Chalmers a striker reborn but it was Murdoch who was the
real maestro. He was was the engine of the greatest club side Scotland had ever
produced.
I was fortunate enough to meet Bobby Murdoch
six or seven times in my life. Once on a train from Central station to
Priesthill, where he worked in a bar, he enthralled my young mind with tales of
tangling with the greats of Scottish and European football. He told me of a
very angry group of players in Montevideo, Uruguay preparing for the third
match in the brutal World Club Championship on 1967-68. Stein had told the
players to maintain their discipline but some of them had had enough of the
hacking, spitting and even pulling the hairs from players’ legs. Bobby’s eyes
shone like an old warrior recalling battles long gone as he told my Dad and I
that the players agreed, ‘If these
bastards start it again let’s give them a bit back.’ What followed was the
most brutal game in Celtic history. 4 men in Hoops and 2 of the Racing Club
players were sent off. The thugs from Buenos Aires took the trophy they wanted
so badly and Celtic was damaged in a variety of ways too. The whole team were
fined £250 for letting Celtic’s reputation down. In truth Celtic should have
refused to play that third game after the shocking brutality and intimidation
of the first two games.
Bobby Murdoch was a product of St Columbkille’s
Primary School in Rutherglen and Our Lady’s High School in Motherwell. His
footballing prowess and powerful physique marked him out as one to watch.
Cambuslang Rangers snapped him up but Celtic had their eyes on him and the
princely wage of £3 per week saw him sign on for the Hoops in 1959. He was
farmed out again to Cambuslang to toughen him up but truth be told the young
Murdoch was already a battler. Within 3 years he was a regular first team
player at Celtic Park where Manager Jimmy McGrory played him wide or even at
Centre forward. The bitter underachievement of those early years was summed up
in the 1963 Cup Final when McGrory’s young Celts played the dominant and
arrogant Rangers of Baxer, McMillan and Brand.
Celtic, with Murdoch and Johnstone, starring gave as good as they got
and earned a credible 1-1 draw. The huge Celtic support looked forward to the
replay, perhaps at last the false dawns would be over and they would finally
master Rangers? It is history now that Bob Kelly interfered with the team
selection for the replay and Celtic were thumped 3-0. The last 20 minutes saw
Celtic fans leave the stadium in their thousands as Rangers toyed with them.
Within two years all of that would change.
The arrival of Jock Stein at Celtic Park in
March 1965 energised Celtic and brought out the best in the talented young
squad. Stein saw Murdoch as a central midfielder and partnered him with the
astute and tough Bertie Auld. Together they helped Celtic play a form of total
football unseen in Scotland and the rest is history. Murdoch strode the field
in the European Cup final of 1967 like the superb midfielder he was. At his
peak there was no finer midfielder in Europe. He could tackle ferociously, fire
accurate passes over any distance and possessed a thunderous shot. He inspired
those around him by his example and drove Celtic forward in those golden years.
The last time I met Bobby Murdoch was during
a supporters dance at the Celtic Club on the London Road. He was in his
element, among his people as he smiled, shared anecdotes and had pictures taken
with many of the fans present. He moved
from table to table and took time to speak to anyone who wanted a word. This
great footballer didn’t receive the financial rewards his skills deserved from
Celtic in his playing days but he was committed to the Club he loved and he was
a pillar of Stein’s great side. Bobby
was a great player on the field and a modest gentleman off it. For me, Jimmy
Johnstone was the most skilful player I ever saw wear the Hoops but Bobby
Murdoch was the most complete all round footballer. Those of you who didn’t see
this great man play can catch a glimpse of his grace and power in grainy old
video footage. But trust me, Bobby was a truly great player. He announced it
with that thunderous goal on a cold, misty January in 1966 and proved it on
hundreds of occasions subsequently.
Bobby Murdoch, Celtic Legend; when will we
see your like again?
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