Paradise – The First Time

The 27th August 1983 won’t be remembered too well in the long history of Celtic football club, but for me it will always be remembered as the day I made my first visit to Celtic Park.

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As a 5 year old who had grown up around a Celtic daft family it was trip I couldn’t wait to make.   My older brother Benny had been saying that he would take me to an upcoming match and that day gave him a perfect opportunity.

The sun was shining in Glasgow and the football season was only a couple of weeks old.   Benny had been going to the Celtic games since the mid 1970’s and at 17 he was given the responsibility to get me to my first game.   After strict instruction from my mum we made our way from our home in Riddrie to the match.

The visitors that day were Brechin City in the 2nd leg of a league cup tie.   The 1st match earlier in week had seen Celtic claim a narrow 1-0 win.  The expectation would be that Celtic could add a few more goals at home in the 2nd leg.

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I don’t remember too much about the game and this is probably a good thing.   The match finished 0-0 and there was very little action in either goalmouth.

What does stand out in my mind was the walk towards the stadium approaching the main stand & the fans standing around the main entrance.

Entering the stadium through the old turnstiles at the main stand with a click and a clunk and then walking out through the stairs to get my first glimpse of paradise and the players warming up on the pitch, it was a brilliant experience.

My brother had bought me a match programme on the way into the ground and he gave me a pen to go stand at the tunnel entrance for autographs.   Tommy Burns walked passed on his way back to the dressing room, he stopped and signed my programme.   A great keepsake for my first match.

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This match and performance was probably as low key as you can get.  A goalless draw with a team from a lower league and scraping through to the next round of the cup, but the memories I have will always stand out.

I attended a Celtic AM session at Malones in late 2017 and part of the line up included Willie McStay.   Willie was speaking about his time at Celtic in his playing and coaching days and his immense pride in appearing in the hoops and to do so with his brother Paul.

He told the story of his debut in the 1st team at Celtic Park as the 0-0 match against Brechin in 1983.   As it turns out there were are few firsts that day, including Brechins’ first visit to Celtic Park.

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Brechin City made another trip to Celtic Park in the last couple of years, this time on Scottish cup duty.    A lot has changed around the club and stadium since 1983 and the area is completely unrecognisable.

I now take my seat in section 409 in the North stand with my 2 children, and my older brother Benny always looking to remember the spirit of the Jungle stands with his son at the back of the standing section and we probably wouldn’t have it any other way.

The emotional attachment to Celtic goes further than a match result.  They are more than a club to so many people and that’s what keeps generations of families and friends coming to Celtic Park year after year.

Martin Donaldson is a Glasgow East End Bhoy,  He made my first trip to Celtic Park in 1983 for a 0-0 draw with Brechin City & thankfully that never put him off going back.   He now sits perched high in section 409 of the North Stand with his 2 kids making memories along the Celtic Way.

He loves picking out those matches from yester-year to find out much more about the legendary names & faces that have graced the Celtic Jersey over the years.  He is a keen fundraiser for The Celtic Foundation & The British Heart Foundation as they both strive to  make a difference and to change peoples lives all over the world.

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There will always be a pessimistic few that almost choke on the success of the team they follow. Their focus on the negatives always seems to be a bigger attraction to focus on. Having previously looked at the ten games of the last glorious decade in issue 107 it got me thinking about the rare disappointments we’ve had over the last ten years. What jumped out at me was that in all our disappointments over the past decade the response of the club, players and support has been immediate and we have risen from dark days very quickly. Below is a look at the ten dark days of the last decade and how we overcame them.

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(1)    St. Mirren 4-0 Celtic 24/03/2010

The Tony Mowbray era that began the decade was designed to bring an attractive style of football back to Paradise and allow the Faithful see a side playing football “The Celtic Way” again following some complaints about Strachan’s teams over the previous seasons. The reality was poor signings and too many changes saw this defeat coming. A gut wrenching last minute defeat at Ibrox a couple of weeks before killed any hope of a title challenge. Yet when this calamitous performance happened it was still shocking to see a Celtic side ripped apart by such mediocre opposition. A sickening defeat and a real sense of where do we go now as the old rangers marched on to back-to-back titles.

What happened next: Swift action by the board saw Mowbray sacked by lunchtime the day after with Neil Lennon quickly appointed. Within two years we were on the march to Ten In a row.

(2)    Inverness Caledonian Thistle 3-2 Celtic 03/05/2011

Season 2010/11 was in many ways unprecedented given the level of vitriol faced by Celtic manager Neil Lennon. Attempted murder by parcel bombs, physically assaulted at Tynecastle as well as abused at every ground throughout Scotland, Lennon managed to galvanise a side that were on route to what would have been a truly memorable Championship. This unexpected defeat was a sucker punch in the title race as the old Huns (1872) pipped the Bhoys due to this defeat late in the season. I remember personally watching the game and feeling numb afterwards. It was heart breaking and there was a sense that if there was any justice we would see Lennon and the Bhoys lifting that title.

What happened next: The Bhoys would lift the cup two weeks later in a memorable afternoon at a rain soaked Hampden against Motherwell. Lennon and the Bhoys would finally get their hands on the Championship the following season. As for the team that did win the league that season? They would no longer be in existence by the following summer. Karma eh, sometimes it can take longer than expected, but unlike other things it does arrive.

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(3)    Celtic 0-1 Kilmarnock League Cup final 18/03/2012

I can vividly remember the buzz in the Celtic end prior to this game. Four weeks previously the old Huns (1872) had gone into administration and you really got the sense this is our time. A competition that had so often haunted the Celts should have been the starting point of a great seasons celebration. Truth is the team never showed up and late Killie winner sealed the game. News filtered through after the game of the death of one of the Killie player’s father who was in the ground that day which put our disappointment into perspective. As a side note I remember a lad on our bus travelling with us for the first time who turned out to be a car crash wanting to start fires on the ferry and get naked on the way home. Trying to manage him on the journey home was a lot more memorable than the game itself.

What happened next: While the Hampden hoodoo would follow us around for another few years the title would be wrapped up four weeks later and the first of many league titles this decade would be celebrated in style. Losing at Hampden…seems a strange concept now!!

(4)    Rangers (1872) 3-2 Celtic 25/03/2012

While in the large scheme of things this game technically had little to no meaning in the race for the title we had a chance to win the league at Ibrox, something that had not been done since the Lions of ’67. For whatever reason we froze on the day and having been in attendance on in the Broomloan Road stand that day I was as disappointed as I’d ever felt leaving Ibrox and trust me I’d seen some tough days there. Still we sang and danced at the impending death of our rivals but a chance for a generation to witness a bit of history was lost that day.

What happened next: We would clinch the league on April 7^th away at Kilmarnock, winning the title in some style. I wasn’t at Rugby Park that day and I remember watching with a sense of envy still thinking of might have been at Ibrox. It’s fair to say nearly eight years on from that title I’ve had plenty of magical Celtic days to make up for that defeat.

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(5)    Celtic 0-3 Juventus 12/02/2013

In the season of our 125^th anniversary qualification to the last sixteen of the Champions League brought massive excitement to Paradise. Talk of a final in London in May even entered the heads of some of the faithful. The pre match atmosphere in Paradise that night we faced the Old Lady of Italian football was as good as anything I can remember. What followed was a display by Juve whose brilliance was only matched by their cynicism. We never laid a glove on Juve that night and to end such a memorable European campaign on such a low was extremely deflating.

What happened next: The Bhoys would pick themselves up from such disappointment and the double was duly won in this special season, as the Celts disposed of Hibs in the glorious sunshine of Hampden in May of that season.

(6)    Neil Lennon’s departure May 2014

Not a game but a moment that was pivotal in the decade. There is no doubting Lennon had brought back the thunder to Paradise following his announcement as full time manager in the Summer of 2010 but by season 2013/14 a staleness had become apparent over both Lennon and his side and for reasons still not fully known Lennon walked out of the job he had loved. It was a sad ending at the time given what he had gone through as Celtic boss. I was often critical of many aspects of his management but there is no doubting he put his heart and soul into the job. You don’t often get a second chance at a club like Celtic, would Lennon be so lucky?

What happened next: Celtic appointed little known Ronnie Deila to the hot seat. An absolute Gent of a Man but you did wonder from the off if the job was too much for him.

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(7)    Celtic 2-3 Inverness Caledonian Thistle Scottish Cup semi Final 19/04/2015

Ronnie’s maiden season had gone quite well despite a rocky European start. We were on the march to our first treble since 2001 when another “Honest mistake” saw the Celts not given the most blatant handball you are likely to see on a football pitch while leading one nil at the time. A day where everything went wrong and we eventually crashed out after extra time to the eventual winners. Hampden by now was becoming a place of dread for the Celtic Faithful. The second half of the decade would soon change that.

What happened next: Ronnie and the Celts would lift the league trophy in May, to go alongside the League Cup trophy won in March and spirits were high heading in to the new season. European failure again in August would begin a downwards trajectory in Ronnie Deila’s Celtic managerial career.

(8)    Celtic 2-2 Rangers (1872) Rangers (1872) win 5-4 on Pens Scottish Cup Semi 17/04/2016

The day that Ronnie’s Celtic dream ended. I attended the match with my old Bhoy who had seen many a defeat over the years so I was particularly gutted for him. Again it was one of those games that you got the sense from the off it may not be our day. My abiding memory of the day is actually the silence from the Celtic support leaving the ground heading on to the Aitkenhead Road back into the City. Thousands walking in unison and not a whisper in the air. My Old Bhoy took it in his stride and thankfully has been present for a number of great days over the past few season.

What happened next: Ronnie saw out the remainder of the season and graciously left the stage with the best wishes of the Celtic Faithful that May. The appointment of Brendan Rodgers in the same month was huge really. Thousands descended on Paradise for the dawn of a new era of unprecedented domestic success for the Bhoys.

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(9)    Brendan Rodgers European odysseys 

While this is not a specific moment it does warrant speaking about when looking at the low moments of the decade. Regardless of what you think of Brendan the man, Brendan the manager by and large was brilliant for us winning all seven domestic trophies he entered. Yet Brendan’s European record saw us become a bit of an embarrassment in the Champions League. I’m not sure was it naivety or pure bull headedness but some of our performances and results against the likes of Barcelona (7-0) Paris St. Germain (beaten 12-1 over two games) as well as numerous home European defeats left a bad taste in the mouth given how much had been put in by previous Celtic teams to make Celtic Park a fortress.

What happened next: A more pragmatic approach to European football has seen us win our three home group stage games and top the group in the Europa League including two particularly magical nights against Italian high fliers Lazio. A few more nights like that wouldn’t go amiss over the coming season.

(10)    Brendan Rodgers exits the stage

It was almost like a JFK moment for many within the faithful. As the rumours flew around social media personally I remember thinking if he’s to leave he won’t go to a “Nothing” club like Leicester. But he did. On the morning of February 26^th Brendan, shiny teeth and tan intact walked out of Celtic Park. The board’s swift appointment of Neil Lennon on the same day has turned out to be brilliant and as they say in life as one door closes another one opens.

It was a truly shocking moment for the Celtic Faithful who had backed Brendan to the hilt but like unrequited love it’s never worth crying over. 

What happened next: Neil Lennon came back to Paradise six years after leaving the stage. Neil looks more assured and confident in his role and let’s hope Neil is the Man to get us to Ten In a row. The Man that took over from the shambles that was our side at the start of the last decade is leading us into the next one in a really healthy position challenging on all fronts.

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The decade just gone as I’ve previously written about was magical and as football fans disappointment is something you have to contend with. If your blessed to be a Celt we’ve been fortunate to be able to get over it very quickly. These are magical times, we will always have sporadic disappointments but as the last decade showed the club and support will always address these and move on. Here’s moving to the magical Ten In A Row.

Ciaran Kenny is a member of Naomh Padraig CSC in Dublin since the early nineties. Ciaran is also a regular to Paradise and beyond since 1995, he is a season ticket holder at Celtic Park since 1999. and a Shareholder and also a member of the Celtic Trust. Ciaran has worked closely with the homeless services in Dublin City working with Don Bosco Care since 2001. Ciaran is also Chairperson of the Irish aftercare network which advocates for better outcomes for young people in care throughout all of Ireland. Ciaran has contributed to Mt90M since 2008.

More than 90 Minutes Issue 109 Digital Edition

 

 

 

 

 

 

Martin Murphy AKA as the Football Barber looks back at Celtic’s last European Away Trip to Copenhagen

Copenhagen was eventful. The trip started at 5am on a dreich winter Wednesday in the city of James Connolly’s birth. Muzza and I made our way to the airport, walking to the Wetherspoons and instantly seeing a sea of green and which is a sight I seldom take for granted. Without fail, irrespective of city or airport, if Celtic are playing, the fans will make the pilgrimage in phenomenal numbers.

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The travel itinerary on paper was horrendous, we’ll get to the breakdown, but in reality it was top class. Away with my mate, on the back of his 30th, taking a jaunt all over Europe. The unique element of Celtic is the support! Fanatical fans who’s primary passion in life is Celtic Football Club. On the flight to Stansted and we are straight at it, enjoying a chat about all things Celtic with young lads from the ‘Kirky Shamrock’. It never ceases to amaze me the similarities in relation to political thinking, internationalism, fan culture etc

Celtic is the support … A club created to alleviate poverty for the Irish diaspora who were brutally treated after seeking humanitarian support and compassion after fleeing starvation and colonisation. Unfortunately the indigenous population in Scotland weren’t ready to deliver ( social parity was only achieved at the start of this century), so we self organised, thus establishing the ‘Poor Children’s Dinner Table’. The thinking of Walfrid, Glass and Davitt are still prevalent now. 2020 and the connection with Ireland, charity and Internationalism is so strong. The support won’t break the connection with their community or history, and nor should the club, its non negotiable!

We had a few hours to kill in London before embarking on a flight to northern Denmark’s student city of Aarhus. Liam gave me an unapologetic hammering at gin rumy in the bar. A bite to eat, few pints and a football quiz lobbed in, and we are off. On arrival we make our way to a pool hall, as yet again, we had a fair few hours before making the final leg to Copenhagen. We met a lad from Belfast and Preston. The conversation covered a bit of everything from old players, being asked about Scottish Independence from locals to the family tales of personal involvement in the International Brigades of the Spanish Civil War by the lads we met.

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Tables turned in the sports stakes. I put on a clinic on the pool table, and restored a bit of self respect, Liam’s not too magnanimous when it comes to competition  Takeaway food ordered, and a dash for a big bag eh cans, and we settle in for four hours on the tracks through the Danish countryside. While there we met a great guy called Adem from Dubai, he was off to Prague. Once he reached Odensse, he claimed his allegiance to Celtic, the indoctrination played off, he fell in love with the story of the club and we parted ways after sharing contact details in conjunction with his desire to see Celtic in Paradise. Cabin to ourselves, ballads go on, and the party starts!

Into Copenhagen, bags dumped at the Steel House and we are out for the night. The watering hole was The Auld Irish Bar. We met up with the lads from our CSC, 10 Leith lads enjoying a sing song and too many watered down Carlsberg’s to mention. The pubs packed, and the atmosphere was bubbling away for game day.

The hangover wasn’t great,  but you have to just get on with it. Its a few days of body brutality, no time to feel rough or sorry for yourself, Celtic kick off at 7 and we had to meet the lads. By this point, the pub we enjoyed the night prior was at bursting point. A sea of people, with no sign nor sight of floor. It was rocking, but a fair few too many songs about a certain ex Liverpool player and his inability to win a domestic league for my liking. Heading off to the train was eventful. The pub emptied in minutes and the support descends into endless lines of tubs. The noise at this point was deafening, and the fast majority were very confident of an away win to kick off the route to Poland in May. We arrived at the stadium silly early, no need to panic, the ground sold beer, by the bucket load!

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Prior to the players emerging for the warm up, the Celtic end was packed. The Green Brigade had organised a Tifo, more credit to them when you contemplate the time, cost and logistics that go into such an undertaking. The vast majority of the support comprises of young working class guys. Not predominantly,  but in the main, the largest demographic. A fair few had invariably consumed a bit too much on the drugs front, consistent of both liquid and powder form. That said, no bother of note as is per the usual. Boisterous, at points over exuberant but generally, top class, in full voice and having a laugh.

The teams came out to a wall of noise and a sea of green and white, adorned by the words …  the Glasgow Celtic will be there. Thousands made the journey, and on the 13th minute went into a state of euphoria as French Eddie, with class and composure puts us 1-0 up.  This is the day rings around the stadium most of the half. The party was in full swing and Celtic looked imperious.

Whistle blows to resume play and the auld clinched expression of a tale of two half’s was abundantly accurate. We sat off, they wanted it, and got a goal, 1-1. VAR was used in a penalty incident, verdict was a spot kick. Forster gets a tip as he dives to his right. Que mad celebrations up our end, pandemonium ensues and I’m showered in beer, again!

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The games finished, we share the spoils going into our home leg. I’m very confident we’ll finish the job and progress to the last 16. We have strength in depth, and players that can change games, real winners in various positions. After the game it was a more civilised affair. We head with friends to a hotel boozer opposite the station for a few pints, a post-mortem of the game before engaging in one singer one song, and working through a playlist of Celtic and Irish classics.

The night ends in a Chinese karaoke bar, somewhat random, but a good laugh. The following morning and it’s back the route we came. A long haul to Aarhus,  before flying off to London where we stayed the night In the Premier Inn. The following morning we head back home on the most turbulent flight I’ve ever experienced. Recapping the stories, the characters, the goal and Liam’s potential love life with an Australian Celtic fan whom he enjoyed a fleeting encounter with.

Yet another amazing trip to see my beloved club. 9 in a row is within sight, and we look good in Europe so nothing to be pessimistic about on a football front. It may well however be my last trip for a couple of years, as my beautiful wife and I are expecting our first child. Born, aptly in pre season for 10. I’ve been on many amazing trips, domestically and abroad. I cant wait to raise my own, as I was by my father, on the greatest institution of all – Celtic, A Club Like No Other!

Check out Martin’s interview on Celtic AM

 

More than 90 Minutes Issue 109 Digital Edition

 

 

 

Over fifty years ago, Celtic had another victory in Lisbon. Well, that statement has to be qualified because we didn’t really win a game of football. In fact we drew it, and then won through to the European Cup quarter final by the astonishing method of tossing a coin! It was generally agreed however that Celtic deserved to win, and that justice was in fact done.

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It was Celtic v Benfica. The first leg at Celtic Park saw Celtic at their 1960s best, beating Benfica, Eusebio and all, 3-0 with goals from Gemmell, Wallace and Hood and it really should have been more. Another good goal was chalked off, and several chances were missed – but it was generally agreed that Celtic had done enough to win, a point reluctantly agreed by the Portuguese Press who still, of course, recalled Celtic of two years ago and still loved them and their supporters.

The second leg was more or less ignored by radio and television. The game actually kicked off at 9.45 pm Scottish time, and it would be early the following morning before the game finished, and most supporters went to bed unaware of what had happened. The morning papers had the result, but not the circumstances and thus there was a huge surge in the sales of The Evening Times and The Evening Citizen to find out the details.

And there was another huge story that Thursday November 27. Rangers had sacked their Manager, David White! He had been undermined by his players who did not always do their best for him and by a sustained campaign in the Scottish Daily Express, an unashamedly pro-Rangers newspaper and spearheaded by Willie Waddell (who, funnily enough, got White’s job!). This had been going on for some time, but the last straw was last night’s European defeat to Gornik of Poland. But everyone knew that it had really been Jock Stein and Celtic who had cost White his job!

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So Celtic came back to Glasgow with their game of last night now relegated to second place. The game was played in continuous heavy rain. One would have thought that Scottish players would have been used to that, but at half time they were two down. 3-2 on aggregate, and a rearguard action was called for. Possibly some controlled aggression might have been a better plan of campaign, but in the event, the heroes were all in the defence. 45 minutes came and went, but the Dutch referee allowed unaccountably another three minutes, and Benfica scored at the end of the three minutes. But had they? The final whistle went immediately after, and there was no restart. Was the final score 3-2 or 3-3? No official announcement was made, the players left the field with the great Eusebio not doing much to consolidate his undeserved reputation for sportsmanship, and then the referee told everyone that Benfica had in fact scored.

The players then came out for extra-time. Once again, Celtic might have just nipped a winner, but no goals were scored by any exhausted player on that now extremely heavy pitch. So 3-3 on aggregate it was. No third game at a neutral venue (they were usually a financial disaster) and no penalty shoot-out as yet. So it was the toss of a coin in the referee’s room – a tiny room with two captains, two Managers, two linesmen, one referee and a few lucky journalists!

Billy McNeill called “heads” and won – but that was only to give him the right to call in the real toss! He called “heads” again and thus time the referee failed to catch the coin and it spun onto the floor, rolled from one wall to another, but crucially it was the head of the King of Holland (NOT King William of Orange, as was subsequently claimed) which was facing upwards on the Dutch guilder piece. Celtic were through! By this time it was well past midnight Scottish time, and it was a news bulletin on Radio Two (which at that point in 1969 provided soft music for insomniacs) which told the real diehards (and I was one of them) what had happened.

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It was of course an awful way to win a football match, and Sir Bob Kelly nobly protested about it, adding less convincingly that if Celtic had lost he would not have bothered. Very soon after that penalty shoot-outs were introduced.

The events of that night and early morning were significant. Had that coin landed the other way up and had Celtic been out of Europe, would David White have retained his job at Ibrox? Possibly not, for the job was too much for him anyway. Celtic, already holders of the Scottish League Cup went on to win the Scottish League with a great deal of ease, beat Rangers in the Scottish Cup in February but then lost in a controversial final to Aberdeen. Worse than that, having beaten Leeds United in the European Cup semi-final, they went on to press the famous Scottish self-destruction button in the final and lost unaccountably to Feyenoord. But perhaps the loss of the three goals in Lisbon that night in November was trying to tell us something?

Born in 1948, David Potter first saw Celtic at Dens Park, Dundee in March 29. It was a 3-5 defeat, which equipped him admirably for the horrors of the early 1960’s. He had “followed” Celtic for a few years before that and recalls having been called upon to impersonate Jock Stein and receive the family silver teapot which had to do for the Scottish Cup as it was presented on April 24 1954, after he and his father had spent a nerve wracking afternoon listening to the radio!  Since then, he has “followed” every Celtic game with bated breath, and has written extensively about the club in magazines and books. His favorite team was that of 1969 (which he rates marginally better than 1967) and his favorite player was Henrik Larsson.

His ambition for Celtic is for them to keep on winning silver in Scotland and to be something in Europe once again. His other interests are cricket and drama. He is 70, a retired teacher of Classical Languages, married with three children and five grandchildren. He now travels on the Joseph Rafferty bus from Kirkcaldy. He also loves Forfar Athletic.

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