My last love...

 

My last love

As I joined in the thunderous chorus of ‘You’ll never walk alone’ with around 60,000 other Celts at the home game with Juventus in 2013, I couldn’t help notice the variety of images and symbols modern Celtic fans utilise. There was a smattering of Scottish, Irish, Basque, Antifa and Palestinian flags as well as a variety of Celtic banners. Within my line of view there were scarves exhibiting everything from Jimmy Johnstone and James Connolly to Che Guevara. The vast majority though were simply the green and white bar scarves of Celtic. A young man in front of me held up a flag showing Pope Benedict and emblazoned with the words ‘Our God Reigns.’ Not something I would take to a football game but that’s his choice.

Identity is a complicated and multi layered concept and no one can deny that Celtic Football Club has its roots in the Catholic community resident in the west of Scotland in the late Victorian era. The club was of course founded by a Marist Brother to help raise funds to feed the impoverished children he saw around him every day in the areas streets and schools. Not all of those Catholics resident in Glasgow’s east end were of Irish extraction, indeed the Bridgeton area, often associated today with Orangeism, was one of the settlement areas for displaced Catholic Highlanders and many of the children attending Walfrid’s Sacred Heart Primary School would have been the offspring of these Highlanders. From 1872-1918 Faith schools such as the Sacred Heart remained outside the state system as the 1872 Education Act prescribed Religious instruction which was interpreted as being Protestant in nature. The Catholic population thus paid rates for over 45 years which helped fund schools which their conscience would not let them use. This injustice continued until the 1918 Education Act finally brought the Catholic schools into the state sector.

It is to Celtic’s credit in the polarised world of the late 19^th Century that the club decided from earliest times not to become an exclusive organisation such as Hibernian FC with its strong links to the temperance movement and the Catholic Young Men’s Society. Hibs faced the same sort of prejudice which Celtic would later encounter and on one occasion were denied entry to the Scottish League on the grounds that they were an Irish club and not a Scottish one. Celtic naturally looked within its own community to put together that first team which took the field in May 1888. In the days before professionalism, players were enticed away from clubs such as Hibs and Renton by the use of what were clearly illegal inducements given the amateur status of the game in those days. If Walfrid is the club’s spiritual father, John Glass was the club’s midwife who ensured it was born safely and thrived in its infancy. He had the skills and contacts to ensure the best players made their way to Celtic Park to throw their lot in with the new club. That new club was pragmatic enough to know that they would be stuck in a limiting ghetto if they didn’t open the doors to any who had the skills and personality to wear their colours.

According to the excellent book ‘The Celtic, Glasgow Irish and the Great War: The Gathering Storms,’ Celtic tried to sign a non-Catholic player in September 1888. This is a clear indication that even in the stuffy religious atmosphere of 1880s Scotland Celtic would be a club open to all. Willie Maley who served Celtic for over 50 years from its inception was never ashamed of the club’s Catholic roots but was equally proud of the fact that the club unlike others was not judging players on their religious affiliations. He said in his book, ‘The Story of Celtic’ (1939)…

"Much has been made in certain quarters about our religion, but for forty-eight years we have played a mixed team, and some of the greatest Celts we have had did not agree with us in our religious beliefs, although we have never at any time hidden what these are. Men of the type of McNair, Hay, Lyon, Buchan, Cringan, the Thomspons, or Paterson soon found out that broadmindedness which is the real stamp of the good Christian existed to its fullest at Celtic Park, where a man was judged by his football alone."

Personally, I could not envisage a Celtic which was not open to players of all faiths and none. From John Thomson to Kenny Dalglish, from Jock Stein to Danny McGrain we have seen club legends who have come to Celtic from all sorts of backgrounds and grown as Celts. In many cases they came to develop a real affinity and love for the club. Jock Stein, perhaps one of the greatest Celts of all, once famously said…

“Unlike many other Celts, I cannot claim that Celtic was my first love … but I can say that it will be my last love.”

This willingness to embrace players from all walks of life led to Celtic’s support becoming more mixed and cosmopolitan. Some came to support Celtic because they liked the style of football or were influenced by the friendliness of many Celtic fans. Others, such as a few friends I know from the Scottish-Asian community, follow Celtic because they identified with a club founded itself by immigrants. My maternal grandfather came from a staunch Orange family and would actually be beaten up by his brothers for following Celtic. He told that they once found his Celtic scarf hidden in the wardrobe and burned it on the coal fire as he watched. He would climb out of the window and make his way to Celtic Park to watch McGrory and John Thomson play.

It irks me somewhat when people describe Celtic as the ‘Catholic club’ of Glasgow when the club has clearly been playing mixed teams from its earliest years. Such a description denies the fact that the club knowingly chose not to embrace exclusivity as some others did. Such lazy labels are also used by some to ‘sectarianize’ Celtic and drag it into the bigoted mire which others wallow in. Yes, the majority of the club’s support is drawn from that founding Scottish-Irish community which was at least culturally Catholic. Today though as the influence of all the main churches wanes, fans are drawn from all walks of life and the vast majority would not want to see Celtic as anything other than the open, inclusive club it is today.

The Irish Folk Band, the Wolfe Tones once wrote a song celebration the Protestants who fought and often died for Irish freedom.  It contains the lyric…

So here's to those brave Protestant Men,

who gave their lives to free our land,

All the people they sang their praises then

for the brave United Irishmen…’

When I hear that song I often think of the many splendid Celts who played their hearts out for the club from its earliest years. Many of them didn’t come from Celtic backgrounds or have any connection at all to the club before walking up Kerrydale Street to wear the green. They served the club with distinction and pride and created legends which are talked of to this day. Not only did we see fantastic players from a wide variety of backgrounds wear the Hoops with pride, but over the past 127 years we have also witnessed more and more supporters join our ranks from all walks of life. The club has grown way beyond the narrow confines of its birth and has been immeasurably enriched and strengthened by the variety of people who have followed the team or worn those famous hooped shirts.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

 

 

 

 

What kind of game are we running here?

What kind of game are we running here?

Scottish football lost one of its characters with the passing of Raith Rovers Honorary President, Turnbull Hutton. He is rightly credited with leading a boardroom which brought financial stability to the Kircaldy club in challenging financial times. He also took great delight in seeing the club  lift the Ramsdens Cup against all expectations when Rovers beat Rangers at Easter Road in the final. Hutton was a big man physically as well as being a big personality and few challenges daunted him.

He is best remembered by Celtic fans for standing up to the machinations of the football authorities who wanted to fast track the new Rangers club into the first division. For him it was a simple matter of integrity; a new club should begin life in the bottom tier of the leagues and not receive any special treatment from the SPL, SFL or SFA. The offer of financial incentives failed to move him and he became an unwitting figure head for the majority in Scottish football who saw the injustice of a club leaving millions unpaid to creditors and then looking to jump the leagues as if nothing happened. Tabloid scare stories about 6 clubs being dead within four months if Rangers weren’t fast tracked were treated with the contempt they deserved. He had the courage to speak to the media about the concerns he had regarding the attempted fast tracking of the new club up the leagues and this made him a target for the more unhinged of the Ibrox club’s followers. He said at the time…

“This is the same Rangers whose supporters threatened to torch our stadium and whose manager demanded one of our directors was named over his involvement with an SFA judicial panel. That resulted in TV cameras camping outside his door and threats being made by various outlandish factions. We also had Sandy Jardine publicly calling for repercussions for those clubs who have not supported Rangers. Given that, how could I be expected to roll over and have my tummy tickled by some inducement to allow Rangers to come into the First Division. I gave my opinion to the board on Monday night and the board had a position which was not in any way different from my own.  That does not mean a vote will go the way we want it to go. I imagine some clubs will see some short-term advantage. But if long-term you cheese off your season ticket-holders and supporters and backers is it worth it?  Do you sell your position for 30 pieces of silver for some short-term advantage or take the moral high ground?”

It took considerable courage to expose himself to the ire of the more Neanderthal among the Ibrox support but he remained true to his principles and reflected the wishes of his own club’s support who told him clearly that allowing the newco to begin life in the First Division would be grossly unfair and unsporting. Many refused to renew their season books until it became clear that the club was not going to be bought or bullied into accepting that Rangers were a special case deserving of special treatment. They were in fact responsible for the biggest scandal in Scottish football history and left creditors large and small out of pocket to the tune of millions. Most clubs in Scotland were taking a similar view to Raith Rovers and the tawdry actions of those in positions of authority in Scottish Football still rankles with many. We were warned laughably of ‘Civil unrest’ and clubs going bankrupt within months without Rangers in the top Division or at least Division 1.

A meeting at Hampden in that febrile summer of 2012 saw the football authorities outline the pros and cons of each possible scenario involving the new Rangers. There was again talk of ‘Complete financial meltdown’ and the loss of over £16m from the game if the new club wasn’t accommodated in Division 1.’ It was then suggested that the SPL might start an ‘SPL 2’ and not invite clubs voting against fast tracking Rangers to join. Following a meeting with the SPL and SFA, a furious Turnbull Hutton stood on the steps of Hampden and let the footballing authorities have both barrels…

‘We are being bullied, railroaded and lied to. We are being lied to by the Scottish FA and the SPL. We are being threatened and bullied. It is not football as I know it. It was a ridiculous document which came out last week whereby the threat was there that if you don’t vote for an acceptance into the First Division, a breakaway SPL2 will come along and those who didn’t vote wouldn’t be invited. What kind of game are we running here? It is corrupt.’

He was then asked if he agreed with the assertion that Scottish football faced financial meltdown without Rangers and replied simply, ‘I don’t believe that.’ In the wake of this the 30 SFL clubs voted not to allow Rangers into the First Division and the new club began life in the lowest tier of Scottish football. Turnbull Hutton spoke for many from Annan to Aberdeen in those troubled days and much of his assertions have been proven correct. There was no financial implosion in Scottish football when the new club was refused special treatment. No clubs went bankrupt. Indeed many are now in a healthier financial position than they were before the Rangers collapse.

Scottish football owes a debt to Mr Hutton. He spoke up when others were silent. It rankles with many Celtic supporters that our own club was conspicuous by its silence in those tumultuous day but perhaps the Celtic board have at least some mitigating circumstances given the club’s historic rivalry with Rangers. If Peter Lawwell had been speaking in the open, honest manner Turnbull Hutton did then it may have poisoned relations between Celtic and the new club for a generation. I’m sure some at Celtic Park agreed with every word Mr Hutton said but politics deemed it necessary to keep their council.

Any who believes in sporting integrity in our national game will recognise the debt owed to Mr Hutton. We send his family and all Raith Rovers fans our condolences.

 

He spoke up when others wouldn’t and that took courage.

 

RIP

 

 

 

 

 

Crash and Burn

 

Crash and Burn

Like many Celtic fans I enjoy a good read about the club and the many issues which surround it. The internet has been very liberating and democratising in that context as it has given a platform and a voice to many ordinary Celts who reflect on all things Celtic on a variety of sites. For the more mature Celtic fan, who traditionally relied on the mainstream media or the rather bland Celtic View for information, the new technological advances have been a breath of fresh air. When one considers that Facebook was launched in 2004, YouTube in 2005 and Twitter in 2006, it really must be astonishing to the younger generation, so enmeshed in the web, to imagine that a mere 20 years ago all of this was the stuff of science fiction. Of course all is not rosy in the cyber world as the internet has also allowed some more unsavoury sorts to vent their bile to a wider audience but intelligent people soon sort the wheat from the chaff and figure out who talks sense.

Consider the role the internet played in discussing the looming financial crisis at Rangers in the years before their demise. Sites such as Phil McGiollabhain, Rangers Tax Case and Thoughts on Scots Law were well ahead of the mainstream media in warning of the consequences of the fiscal madness going on at Ibrox and the likely outcome. Such sites were branded the domain of ‘Internet Bampots’ who clearly had an agenda. If they did have an agenda, it was to seek the truth as the MSM were clearly failing to pursue the developing crisis at Ibrox with any vigour. It wasn’t that some of them didn’t know what was going on rather many chose to ignore it in the ‘succulent lamb’ atmosphere of the time. You simply didn’t write negative stories about Rangers lightly in those days as Mr Murray would soon cut off the supply of pro Rangers ‘scoops’ which filled the tabloids at the time. From Superstar signings and the Super-Casino to Hover pitches and master plans to dominate Europe, we were fed a diet of utter tripe and only the financial crisis in 2008 when the banks started asking for their money back did the whole edifice begin to crumble. Only then did we see that the whole Rangers Empire was built on a bubble of unsustainable debt and bluster. After the arrogance and hubris of the Murray years came an inescapable nemesis in the shape of an utterly humiliating liquidation. Of course the media had no choice but to go with the story once it was staring them in the face but few will forget their dereliction of duty as the Ibrox edifice began to totter. It was as if they thought Rangers, the establishment club controlled by a ‘financial wizard’ was too big to fail. History has demonstrated that it wasn’t and the reverberations of the collapse of Rangers are still being heard.

Many clued up Celtic supporters led the way in exposing the goings on at Ibrox. I recently read Stephen O’Donnell’s book ‘Scotball’ which cleverly uses the character of media savvy ‘Peter Fitzpatrick’ to explore not just the world of Scottish Football but also the wider webs of media manipulation which snare the unwary. O’Donnell’s character ‘Fitzy’ could be a cipher for any one of us who wants to get at the truth. Fitzy returns from living abroad to find Scotland in a fevered state with the independence referendum imminent. He also encounters the turbulent aftermath of the death of Rangers FC and the media inconsistencies which surround it. He gets a break and hosts a topical football discussion show and in this section of the book he cleverly demonstrates the inconsistencies, agendas and lies surrounding the demise of Rangers FC. In return his bosses make it clear that he must tow the party line or face the consequences.

O’Donnell’s book is not simply another sneering dig at Rangers FC, although it does satirise and expose the manipulation of the media by vested interests. The allusions are clear when he talks of ‘Radio Kelvin’ or Specific ‘Quay’ but crucially his main character ‘Fitzy’ is given scope to be intelligent and enquiring. He says at one point… “I’m aware that it’s all too easy for someone in my position to fall into the trap of the lazy-minded, who’s thinking on any relevant subject amounts to little more than Celtic good, Rangers bad.” The book doesn’t fall into that trap and is both very readable and plausible. In some sense it may have been born out of frustration at the lamentable levels investigative journalism has fallen too in Scotland. This after all is the land where a sports ‘journalist’ once said that investigating Rangers financial affairs was ‘above my pay grade.’ The biggest story in the history of Scottish football and he couldn’t be bothered to lift a phone and get some advice on the goings on at Ibrox?

Stephen O’Donnell’s book is a well written exploration of the media culture surrounding aspects of Scottish football. It may well be a work of fiction but there can be truths in parables and O’Donnell asks us all to think for ourselves and not be led by media agendas. Such books allied to the many intelligent voices on the internet, has enabled a more balanced debate about what is happening in our national game. The new breed of Celtic oriented authors and bloggers have in the main done an excellent job in keeping the support informed and entertained. They also provoke thought and raise awareness of many important issues affecting Celtic and the support. We may not always be unanimous in our opinions but at least we now have forums to discuss them out-with the control of a largely discredited sports media in Scotland.

One section of ‘Scotball’ which had me nodding in agreement centered on Dougie Donnelly exhorting all of Scotland’s football fans to get behind Rangers in a Champions League Qualifying game, ‘Fitzy’ listens as his rather drunk friend Melly outlines why he could never lend his support to Rangers…

‘I’m no fuckin cheerin they cunts on, no matter who it is they’re playing!’ It pains me to admit it but strip away the drunken overstatement and partisan prejudices in Melly’s assertions then broadly speaking I must agree with much of what he’s saying. Which I suppose is a fairly damning indictment in itself on just what a low ebb Donnelly and many of his colleagues in the mainstream media have come to…and if Rangers lack of success on the European front has an added effect of putting a check on their recklessness and overweening arrogance then that might be an added benefit for the Scottish game as well. Who knows it might even persuade the media to start taking their responsibilities more seriously and adopt a more even handed approach on issues such as impartiality, although I’ll not be holding my breath on that score.’

History will look at the early years of Scottish Football in the new millennium and come to the conclusion that most clubs realized the ‘borrow and spend’ model was unsustainable. That one club failed to see this and continued on a reckless course until it crashed and burned will also be judged as no one’s fault but their own. No doubt those intelligent and courageous authors and bloggers who exposed the sham will continue to be branded ‘obsessed’ or ‘Bampots’ by those too thick to get the point. The whole narrative wasn’t about kicking Rangers, it was about  attempting to lift the lid on some very murky goings on and the dereliction of duty by some who had forgotten the meaning and function of real Journalism.

 You can purchase Stephen O'Donnell's thought provoking book here...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scotball-Stephen-ODonnell/dp/1901514137

 

 

The Laughter and the Tears

The Laughter and the Tears

The Rangers coaching staff had a decision to make with regards the wee lad from Fife. ‘Too wee, you need to be bigger to make the grade in the modern game.’ The 12 year old wasn’t offered an S-Form on the basis of his physique and much to his disappointment his Friday night training sessions with Rangers were over.  His mother was quietly glad as the drive she made every week from Fife took it out of her. She’d pack a flask of soup, a good book and a blanket as she drove him to Falkirk on a Tuesday night and Glasgow on a Friday for his training sessions. She’d sit in the car for a couple of hours in all weathers waiting for him to finish his football practice. She knew he was a determined lad and would not be giving up his dream of being a professional footballer. His Dyslexia made school difficult at times and he sometimes seemed happiest clattering into tackles on the football field than sitting in class. Rangers’ decision not to sign him was perhaps something of a blessing in disguise.

His determination caught the eye of Hibs scout, John Park, who took a chance on the dyslexic lad from Hill of Beath. He was signed up at the age of 13 and worked his way through the ranks at Hibs with others such as Gary O’Connor, Derek Roirdan, Steven Whittaker, Kevin Thomson and Steven Fletcher.  In May 2003 as Celtic fans prepared for the great airlift to Seville, Hibs gave a debut to a skinny 17 year old lad who set up 3 goals in their 3-1 victory over Aberdeen. His name was of course Scott Brown.

It’s a matter of record that Scott built a reputation as an aggressive midfielder who enjoyed the physical confrontations of the midfield engine room. It is beyond dispute that during his 110 games for Hibs, he became one of the most sought after young players in Scotland. In early 2007 Kevin Thomson admitted to the press that he had spoken to Scott about joining him at Ibrox. Reading was also interested in the player but Brown preferred to be fighting for honours rather than fighting relegation in England. He said at the time…

‘If I had chosen Reading I would probably be fighting a relegation battle next season and then maybe disappearing into the Championship. In two years' time people would have been saying, 'Remember that lad Scott Brown – whatever happened to him?'

Rangers fans sensing that Brown would be joining Kevin Thomson at Ibrox taunted Hibs fans with chants of ‘We’re going to sign Scott Brown’ but with a host of options before him, Brown surprised many by signing for Gordon Strachan’s Celtic in May 2007.  Brown said at the time…

"Everyone knows Celtic is one of the biggest names in football and the opportunity to join a club of Celtic's stature was one I had to take. Celtic has enjoyed a great season, lifting the SPL Championship and making great progress in Europe. The club has a magnificent support and I will be doing all I can to make sure I play my part in delivering more and more success to these fans."

The £4.4m fee Celtic paid for Scott Brown was a record between Scottish clubs. His mother, Heather, said at the time with a hint of a smile…

"Most of the village wanted him to sign for Rangers but his uncle Bert, Auntie Jeanette and cousin Ryan are especially pleased because they're all Celtic fans and shareholders."

He began season 2007-08 in the Hoops and played over 40 times as Celtic came back from a seemingly impossible deficit in the SPL to set up a tremendous finale to the season. He missed two Old Firm games in the spring of 2008 due to suspension but Strachan was able to win both games using Barry Robson and Paul Hartley as his midfield anchors. As that tumultuous season reached its climax Celtic lost one of their best loved sons when Tommy Burns lost his fight with skin cancer on May 15th. The club was shaken to its very foundation but from the tragedy of losing Tommy Burns came a determination to go on and win the title in his memory. For Scott Brown it would have been doubly painful as his sister, Fiona was in the final stages of her own tragic struggle with the same illness.

On May 22^nd 2008 Celtic defeated Dundee United 1-0 at Tannadice to clinch one of the most emotionally charged matches in the club’s history. The title was won and the supporters and players remembered Tommy Burns as laughter mixed with tears on a memorable night in Dundee. For Scott Brown, a young man cavorting with his team mates on the pitch, the smiles hid his anguish. As he hugged Celtic owner Dermot Desmond in the wake of that title triumph, few would have guessed the troubles he was dealing with off the field. Just two weeks after Celtic’s triumph on Tayside, Brown lost his sister Fiona. She was just 21 and he was devastated. It was a testing time for the promising young midfielder as it would be for anyone caught in such circumstances. His first full season with Celtic had certainly been one of success on the field but that paled into insignificance when one considers the off field tragedies he and his family were trying to cope with.

In the almost 8 years since Scott Brown joined Celtic he has grown into one of the best midfielders in the country. He is Celtic Captain and a regular in the Scotland team. He has currently won 4 titles, 2 Scottish Cups and 2 League cups to add to the 2007 League Cup he won with Hibs. He has played over 200 games for Celtic and has matured into a fine player who has tempered his wilder streak without losing any of his edge in midfield. He has given Celtic fans some great memories and as one fan pointed out after a disappointing result when he was injured, ‘There’s a hole in the midfield when Broony isn’t there and it’s a big one.’  His contribution to Celtic has grown as he has matured and he is currently the first name on the team sheet. In 2008 he was the new kid on the block surrounded by older players such as Robson, McManus and Hartley. Today he is the leader on the field, the mainstay of a Celtic side which is currently dominating Scottish football.

He has come a long way since Rangers decided he was too small to make the grade. I for one am glad he decided to join Celtic and that his journey took him up the Celtic way and into Paradise.

 

 

Children of a lesser God

 

Children of a lesser God

Dumfries 1915

The old man coughed again, his body arching with the effort. So many years working in the poorest parts of London and Glasgow had taken their toll. At 74 years of age he was tired, so tired. Bright April sunshine slanted in the window and glinted on the plain silver cross which stood by his bed. His mind wandered these days, a confusion of images seen as if through fog. Voices from the past echoed in his head; his mother calling him from door of their cottage in Sligo, then the sound of children singing hymns so beautifully. ‘Yes, the children’ he thought to himself, ‘The poor, hungry children.’ He had done so much for them but in the great scheme of things it was so little. Still so many of those little ones went without. He closed his eyes intending to pray but from the mist of the past his mind replayed scenes long gone…

Glasgow 1887

A small crowd of mainly ragged and poor individuals stood in the slow drizzle listening to the man speak. He roared out with confidence and no little emotion, ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life! That invitation to the eternal banquet, Brethren, is open to all be they Mohammedans, Jews or Papists!’ The Crowd, which numbered less than 50, listened in silence as the preacher held aloft his black, leather bound Bible, ‘Do not be duped by the Harlot of Rome, Brethren, all their false promises and idolatry will lead only to damnation! Only here in the book of life you will find salvation.’ Across the street, sheltering under a shop’s awning from the incessant rain, Brother Dorotheus watched the scene in silence. He had seen it many times in his years working amongst the poor in the east of Glasgow. The preaching would be followed by an invitation to some food in the small hall behind the man. Some, the most hungry, would go inside. Others, mostly those with folk memories of the great hunger in Ireland who knew well the literal and symbolic meaning of ‘taking the soup,’ would not. Dorotheus sighed and continued his walk in the rain. He would speak to Andrew about this and see how his plans were coming along.

Less than a mile away Andrew Kerin’s stood at window in the Sacred Heart Primary School watching the children play in the yard outside. Their carefree laughter belied the difficult lives many of them endured. Some of them, even on such an inclement day, wore no shoes, most were dressed poorly in whatever their parents could afford.  The Education act passed in 1872 may have made it compulsory for those aged 5-13 to come to school but he knew that many still had work to do to help sustain their families. Absenteeism was high and Andrew knew from his travels around the east end that many of school age were working long hours in fume filled factories and mills. How could he blame them in such hard times? A knock at the door broke into his thoughts and he said, ‘Come in,’ in his still recognisably Irish accent. The School Secretary entered, ‘Mr Glass to see you Head Master.’ Andrew smiled, ‘John, dear friend, come in, sit.’ The stocky, bearded man who wore a smart tweed suit sat in the chair opposite Kerins. ‘Good day to you Andrew, I have more news of our venture. It seems our friend might be willing to lease us the land I spoke of last week. I may get him to settle on a rent of £50 per year.’ Andrew Kerins smiled, ‘That is indeed fortuitous news. Our benefactors have not left us bereft. There is £200 or more in the coffers and perhaps we should proceed. There is much need John and the church is losing people to the evangelisers in our midst who steal them away with a bowl of stew and a second hand overcoat.’ Glass nodded, ‘I have seen them, Andrew. It is important that we act and act soon. I’ll meet Pat Welsh tomorrow and go view the ground one last time but I feel sure it may be our best option and one closest to the majority of our people.’ The elderly school Secretary entered with a tray bearing hot tea at that point, ‘It’s a cold day Mr Glass, I thought you could do with some warmth.’ Glass smiled, ‘Tis most kind of you Miss Kelly, one meets nothing but warmth in this school.’ Her cheeks flushed a little as she placed the tray on the desk and left. When she had closed the door behind her, the two friends talked more of their project and the urgency required to bring it to fruition.

The meeting hall in East Rose Street was full to overflowing and the noisy crowd filled the air with a blue haze of smoke. Andrew Kerins, flanked by Brother Dorotheus, entered the room and the hubbub subsided. John Glass, Pat Welsh and a few other key men were already seated at the great oak table signalled for the assembled men to sit as the meeting was about to begin. Kerins sat as his friend and fellow Marist Brother Dorotheus gazed out at the crowd until silence reigned. He began to speak and blessed himself with the words, ‘In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti.’ The assembled group did the same before settling to hear the good Brother speak. ‘Directly we beseech thee oh Lord to guide our deliberations this day and help bring to fruition our plans. This we ask in the name of Christ our Lord. Amen.’ With that he sat and John Glass stood looking out at what seemed a sea of faces, ‘Gentlemen, our plans are at an advanced stage and the piece of ground we discussed at our last meeting has been rented. It will take an effort to fill the many holes in the ground but I feel sure we shall not lack volunteers for the labour. We have persuaded some of the leading players of the day to wear our colours and we should be ready by the spring to play our first game.’ There was a murmur of approval around the hall as he went on. ‘I now ask our most enthusiastic and energetic supporter to speak, Brother Walfrid.’ Glass, who was always careful to give Andrew Kerin’s his religious name at such public events, sat as Andrew Kerins stood. ‘Firstly I must thank Mr Glass, all the Committee and of course our great community here in the east end for the support they are giving this venture. It is a great and noble thing we do in seeking to feed the hungry. Our children must have a better start in life and must not be stunted in body, mind or spirit by the lack of the necessities of life.’ Again there was a murmur of approval and much nodding. Kerins went on, ‘You may recall that I stated some months ago that a football club will be formed for the maintenance of dinner tables for the children and unemployed? Well, it gives me great pride to tell you all that the club we dreamed of is close to being born. It shall bear a name suitable and mindful of  its origin and that name shall be ‘Celtic.’ At this there was some applause and cheering. Brother Walfrid waited until things quietened before continuing, ‘There is much work to be done for many clubs have been born and failed to live beyond infancy. I urge you all to redouble your efforts and see that our club, our Celtic, goes on to do great things...’

Dumfries 1915

The old man opened his eyes again. Five minutes or five hours could have passed since he had drifted in his dreamlike state. ‘Celtic’ he breathed, ‘Yes, I remember…’ The door of the small room opened and one of the younger Marist Brothers entered, ‘I have some soup for you Walfrid and the good news that your team has won again. They beat Third Lanark by 4-0 and are by all accounts worthy Champions again this year.’ Walfrid tried to sit up but was not strong enough. The young man helped him and fed him with a spoon showing all the care and patience a mother would to a child in his weaning years. When he was gone the old man closed his eyes again. An enveloping darkness seemed to cover him but he felt no fear. Then a light, bright as the sun seemed to usher him onto a lush green field where he stood for the briefest moment looking at row upon row green seats shining in bright sunshine. Emblazoned on the seats were huge white letters which spelt out a familiar word. Some figures appeared around him, they were smiling gently at him. He recognised many of the faces, players, Committee men, friends from the past. A small child, dressed in a green and white hooped shirt stepped towards him and smiled before saying, ‘Thank you, Brother, and handing him a small bundle. He looked at the child, so healthy when compared to the urchins he taught in the years gone by. He turned then to the small bundle he now held in his hand and saw that it was a small container of dark soil from which grew a bright, emerald shamrock. He smiled as he looked around him and spoke words he had said to an old friend long ago which now came back to him…

‘"Well, well. Time has brought changes. Outside ourselves there are few left of the old brigade. It's good to see you all so well and I feel younger with the meeting… Goodbye, God bless you."

The old man smiled and knew then that his labours were over. He glanced one last time at the letters emblazoned on the seats. They read: CELTIC. He smiled slightly, turned and walked across the lush, emerald turf towards the distant tunnel.

His club had made a difference. His people had made it. He was happy.

 

Andrew Kerins: May 1840 –April 1915

‘The Most enthusiastic Celt of all.’

Thank you Brother.

 

Case for the Defence

 

Case for the Defence

Any vestige of respect the Scottish Football Association had among Celtic fans is melting like April snow. The ludicrous decision to charge John Guidetti for singing a song which contains the term 'Hun' on Dutch TV is small minded, petty and just plain wrong. Those of you reading this don’t need me to explain the semantics involved in the evolution of the word ‘Hun.’ It means in the context of Scottish football, Rangers and/or their supporters and has its roots in their drunken and brutish behaviour at football matches in the 1960s. So desperate are some to drag Celtic fans into the cesspit of bigotry which surrounds Rangers like a bad smell that they have created a mock-shock campaign to rebrand the word ‘Hun.’ Not only have I had to endure a lifetime of triumphalist, bigoted filth being rammed down my throat, I am now told that actually I was the bigot all along. Sorry, I’m not buying this pathetic, revisionist nonsense.

Never in my time following Celtic has the club had a bias against any faith or race. Can Rangers say the same?

Never in all of my years following Celtic have I heard thousands singing vile songs about a given religious group. Can Rangers say the same?

Never in all my years following Celtic have I heard thousands of our fans singing a song telling the offspring of  a migrant group that ‘The famine is over, why don’t you go home.’ Can Rangers say the same?

To try and draw moral equivalence between what went on at Ibrox and Celtic Park is utterly preposterous and insulting. Similarly, the idea that the line 'the Huns are deid' is mocking a member club really is nonsense. If they did indeed die with liquidation then the current manifestation of the club isn't actually the club the song is talking about. We also hear some of those sensitive souls who follow the newco saying the Police should be investigating Guidetti. I take it they also want the thousands singing the Billy Boys and Famine song at Hampden in February investigated too? Thought not. Their hypocrisy stinks. The footballing authorities are really portraying themselves as inept once again and it really is time Celtic Football Club said ‘enough’ and took these people on. Any decent lawyer could destroy the SFA’s case against John Guidetti in 5 minutes. Celtic have sat in silence over the whole Rangers liquidation fiasco and the failure of the footballing authorities to strip Rangers of titles won when they were in flagrant breach of the rules. They said nothing when the media perpetuate the same club myth. Now though they should back Guidetti with all their might because accepting this nonsense is tacit approval of the SFA branding not only Guidetti but thousands of decent Celtic fans as bigots. This is the same SFA who did S-F-A about thousands singing the Famine Song and Billy Boys at Hampden. The same body which said and did nothing during the long dark night of Rangers 'apartheid' years.

Being of a certain vintage I recall Jock Stein signing Alfie Conn from Spurs. The former Rangers man was a thorn in Celtic’s side in the early 1970s and scored against them in the 1973 cup final. Conn was in every sense of the word a ‘Rangers man’ and yet Stein told the fans to welcome him and they did. They even had a song for him which the old Jungle would sing with gusto…

‘He used to be a Hun but he’s alright now, Alfie, Alfie

He used to be a Hun but he’s alright now, Alfie, Alfie Conn.’

That song suggests that being a ‘Hun’ isn’t necessarily a lifelong condition. A cursory five minute trawl of YouTube found fans of six other Scottish clubs calling Rangers or their fans Huns. Are Hearts, Hibs, Motherwell and Aberdeen fans bigots? Of course not, because ‘Huns’ means Rangers, nothing more. Despite the black propaganda and scramble to show the two Glasgow clubs as being two sides of the same coin, the decent majority know the truth. Celtic and their supporters have never, ever inhabited the moral sewer the worst of ‘Rapeepo’ inhabit and they never will.

There is an Arabic saying:

‘Sometime it is good to know the truth and speak the truth. Sometimes it is good to know the truth and speak about the weather.’

On this occasion it is time to speak the truth. We’ve had enough Celtic, defend your player and defend your support.

 

 

Man up

 

Man up

Many Celtic fans have been of the opinion that the club has been treated less than fairly by officialdom on occasion. Historically we have seen Celtic Park closed for a month following crowd trouble at Ibrox. We have seen a shameful attempt to force the club to remove the Irish flag of its founders from the stand upon threat of expulsion from the league. We have witnessed an official hold up the registration of Jorge Cadette for almost six weeks at a vital stage in the season. On the field I have witnessed refereeing displays which are at best mystifying and at worst biased.

How then are we to take Paul Paton’s astonishing attack on Celtic which is much publicised in the press this week? He said among other things…

‘I think Celtic as a club can manipulate people more than Dundee United can. That kind of thing has been happening for years. We have seen some injustices in the last few games we have played and that causes frustration. It feels we do not get any decisions – and that it is continual.’

The series of games with Dundee United have been packed with incident and controversy but can we really say Celtic have had the lion’s share of decisions go our way? The first tie at Tannadice came in the wake of December’s 2-1 win for United in the SPFL. In that game Stefan Scepovic had a goal disallowed for off side which TV footage clearly showed was on. Clearly Celtic didn’t get the refereeing decisions that day. In recent times an Official actually resigned after admitting lying about why he changed his decision on a Celtic penalty at Tannadice. ('Dougie, Dougie') The Cup tie at Tannadice then saw the complaining Paton guilty of a nasty stamp on Anthony Stokes instep in the first half. This was followed blatant dive from Aidan Connolly to win a penalty. We later saw Ciftci go unpunished for kicking Scott Brown in the head after a challenge in the midfield. Anyone who suggests Celtic got the decisions that day is dreaming.

On we went to Hampden for the League cup final and a match Celtic dominated as the stats show. The Hoops had 18 attempts on goal to United’s 3. The controversial incidents in that game were the sending off of Sean Dillon for an awful tackle on Izaguirre. United would claim Celtic players surrounded the Ref but footage shows three United players were doing most of the badgering of the official. The tackle was very poor and the red card justified. Scott Brown’s shoulder tackle on Ryan Dow was the other main talking point in the game. I’ve seen penalties given for such challenges and I’ve seen them refused. It was a close call but perhaps United don’t do their case any good by the ridiculous manner some of their players go to ground. On more than one occasion in that game Celtic players and fans were frustrated by Gow and others blowing over in the wind. That apart Celtic were by some way the better side and deserved to win the Cup.

This week we saw the Scottish Cup replay at Celtic Park and Celtic destroyed United with a fluent and aggressive attacking display. The United goalkeeper could well have been sent off for his tackle on Griffiths early in the game. That apart, the only controversy surrounded the sending off of Anthony Stokes after a sleekit elbow to his mouth by the same Paul Paton who claims his teams don’t get the breaks against Celtic. Stokes was stupid to push him over but it was a cowardly and uncalled for action by the United player. Stokes later tweeted…

 “Great performance. On another note I get a sly elbow in the face by someone that has got nothing about them and get sent off, typical!”

As Celtic hammered United on football we then saw a pretty distasteful lunge by Ryan McGowan on a Celtic player lead to him seeing red. The reaction of Celtic players who were closest to the tackle suggests they thought it was a bad one. So why this complaining by United about being treated unfairly? Even Jackie McNamara who saw some injustices against Celtic during his decade at Celtic Park was spouting this nonsense. The man who once punched Mark Hately during a heated Old Firm game was defending the diving of Connolly. It may be old fashioned mind games which seek to pressure the Referee in this weekend’s SPFL match but more likely it is a cover for United’s awful form of late. They haven’t won a match since beating mighty Stranraer in early February. The last two matches they have lost to Celtic by 2-0 and 4-0 were run of the mill wins in which the best side won. United haven’t won a league match at Celtic Park since 1992 and that tells us much about how poor they have been not how poor officials have been. Any cursory look at the three recent Celtic v Dundee United games would suggest United have not been harshly treated, rather they got what their football deserved; nothing. Indeed in their last 60 matches in all competitions with Celtic, Dundee United has won just 2. That reflects Celtic’s footballing superiority over those 15 years so do us all a favour United: man up and stop looking for someone else to blame. You’ve been well beaten by the better team and your feeble search for excuses is embarrassing.