On this day in 1968 Jock Stein manufactured a 5-1 win against Red Star Belgrade by playing on his superstar’s fear of flying. Here’s what happened in the European Cup encounter and then Historian David Potter tells the story below.
‘I’m no feart o’ flying… just crashing,’ Jinky
Jimmy Johnstone was afraid of flying. So indeed, to a greater or lesser extent are most people. It is something however that can be coped with. One takes a deep breath, grits one’s teeth, thinks positive thoughts and gets through it.
The trouble with Jimmy however was that he was the greatest player in the world on his day, and therefore neurotic whingings tended to be taken more seriously even by the formidable Jock Stein. On one famous occasion in November 1968, the situation was manipulated by both Jock and Jimmy to everyone’s advantage.
Celtic were playing Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup, the first leg being at Parkhead on 13 November. Jimmy was not keen on going to Belgrade a fortnight later, so Jock said that if Celtic were three goals or more to the good, he might not have to go. 67,000 were at Parkhead that night to see one of the best performances of Johnstone.
He teamed up brilliantly with his friend Bobby Murdoch and scored two goals (one of them a magnificent solo effort) as Celtic won 5-1. He also had a hand in all the other three and ran off the field shouting “I’ll no need tae go!”. Indeed, he stayed at home for the second leg which Celtic drew comfortably.
On other occasions, Jimmy’s pleas to Jock were less successful with “You’ll get on that flammin’ plane like everybody else!” being the normal riposte.
But Jock would detail the ever willing banter merchant Willie O’Neill to sit beside Jimmy and tell him dirty jokes to keep his mind off things. Jimmy would himself joke “I’m no feart o’ flying… just crashing!”. There is little doubt however that one of the reasons why Jimmy was ludicrously undercapped by Scotland was that he often found some excuse or other to dodge away fixtures.
13th November 1968, Celtic 5:1 Red Star Brigade.
Jinky discusses the match and the promise Jock Stein gave him. pic.twitter.com/ZP7aXPI7E8
— Li’l Ze (@LilZe_7) November 13, 2020
Celtic: Fallon, Craig, Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill, Brogan, Johnstone, Wallace, Chalmers, Lennox, Hughes. Subs: Simpson, O’Neill, Clark, Auld, Connelly
Fallon Craig Gemmell Murdoch McNeill Clark Johnstone Wallace Chalmers Lennox Hughes
Scorers: Murdoch (3), Johnstone 2 (47, 81), Lennox (50), Wallace (75)Red Star: Djurkovic Djoric Krivocuka Pavlovic Dojcinovski Klenkovski Antonijevic Ostojic Lazervic Acimovic Dzajic
Scorer: Lazervic 39Referee: A Ott (West Germany)
Attendance: 68,000
Matt Corr picks up the story on an previous article on The Celtic Star…
Jinky’s fear of flying was triggered on a flight back from San Francisco, returning early from the club’s post-season tour to marry his childhood sweetheart, the passengers terrified as the jet experienced severe turbulence. The most famous story associated with his subsequent phobia is perhaps the Red Star Belgrade episode, in November ’68.
The previous month had included a week which said it all about the Jimmy Johnstone package. In midweek, he had been outstanding in putting the latest French champions, Saint Etienne, to the sword, Celts recovering from a two-goal deficit to score four without reply, in one of only two games I recall us wearing an all-white kit. Three days later, he was replaced late on by George Connelly and responded by throwing his jersey towards Jock Stein in the dugout, an act he instantly regrets as the Big Man comes charging down the tunnel after him!
That incident resulted in a week’s suspension, however, Jimmy was back in the side for the next round of the European Cup, against the Yugoslavs, the game level at 1-1 at the interval. In one of those psychological mindgames which Jock excelled at, he promised Jinky that if Celts have a four-goal lead, then he would not have to fly to Belgrade for the second-leg. Cue a Johnstone masterclass, setting up two goals and scoring a double himself as the Bhoys won 5-1. “I’ll no need tae go!!”
