“Who booed Fergus McCann the day he unfurled the flag that stopped their Ten-in-a-Row? If you did, can you try to explain?” was the question asked on Facebook. Here are some of the responses received. Fair play to everyone for participating…
Stephen Mullen – “Easy, two word answer: Tommy Burns!”
Chris Quinn – “Never have, never will boo anyone while they are representing Celtic. Not a player, board member or any other member of staff.”
Stephen Finch – “I had this discussion with a mate of mine who hated him. He hated him for allegedly saying the fans were bigots rather than the issues with Tommy Burns. I must admit I didn’t know anything about those supposed comments. The Bunnet doesn’t get the recognition in our history he deserves IMO.”
Joe Paterson – “The treatment of Tommy Burns, and I’ll tell you what, the memories still haven’t faded with time and neither has my willingness to forgive or forget.”
Bryan John Foley – “I never booed personally but the ones who did probably subscribed to the media notion that Fergus was a tight wad who never followed Rangers(1872-2012) path to destruction.
Neil Young – “Remember Jock Brown!”
Kevin Brewer – “Hail Hail The Bunnet. He sank RFC.”
Jim Mulholland – “I didn’t boo, but I was in the main stand around ones that did. I remember seeing Tommy Boyd do the “gonny calm it” hand gesture to the crowd when they booed just as Fergus took the microphone. I think it was because they saw him as responsible for Wim Jansen leaving and not making any big signings. He liked keeping hold of his “One Thin Dimes,” I seem to recall, but the booing was disrespectful in light of how he stepped up to save us when no-one else would.”
Gerry Diamond – “He was booed as he was trying to replace Celtic’s Irish heritage with a more Scottish one. He had mentioned this publicly & had also tried to canvas support within the executive club. The next time he addressed the fans he saw the error of his way and proclaimed ‘the Irish flag will always fly above Celtic Park’.
Fergus saved Celtic and I’d name the north stand after him!”
Kevin McGoldrick – “He was booed because of the way the Irish supporters were treated .”
Damien MacAodha – “I never booed. However people were angry at the treatment of Tommy Burns and the treatment of Wim Jansen. Celtic Football Club should not be solely about producing results (be it on the park or on the balance sheet). I like many other fans felt that Celtic owed these men much more than the treatment they received. The instability also robbed Celtic of the chance to build upon the progress and achievements the club made during the tenure of Burns and Jansen.”
Garry McCloskey – “Like him or dislike him. He saved our club and he should be recognised. Name North Stand after him in my opinion. Without him stepping up we wouldn’t have what we have today.”
Paul McMenemy – “At that time I did boo. I was wrong .”
Rab McCready – “The man wi’ the bunnet dunnit, he did everythin’ he said he’d do, and did that well, he was a business man, not an out and out football man, he made mistakes, e.g the Tommy Burns carry on, among others, but the club we know and love wouldn’t be here in it’s present state if it wasn’t for him, hats off to the bunnet!”
James Campbell – “Ashamed to say I did. Back then the media IMO intentionally tried and succeeded to divide the support, and because online sites were not yet around, the media was the only conduit for ‘news’.”
Barry Gallagher – “Bhoys against bigotry, when we never had any bigotry.”
Continued on the Next Page…
1998
Perhaps you should alter the date on your headline?
At the risk of upsetting someone about religion, I think that when I heard the boos at Fergus in August 1998 (not 1988) I understood a little better the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in that people will want to destroy the thing that saves them! It has to be stressed however that there were more cheers than boos that day. It was though a sad day, almost on a parallel with the day in the Jungle in 1975 when some cretins (again I stress a minority) turned on Paul Wilson (admittedly having a poor game) for the colour of his skin.
All the more reason we should have a statue of the lad in front of the stadium
Such an emotive subject by fergus
I remember like it was yesterday fair play to fergus but the other people involved as well deserve such plaudits.
Our club and foundations and forefathers are Irish and to quote “the rebels have won ” is so ironic and a slap in the face for everyone but especially the people of Ireland and it’s descendants.
29th of June 1998 St Patrick’s v Celtic champions league qualifiers at half time the other end of the main stand our fellow Celtic irish supporters display a banner the size of half the opposite stand We are IRISH mr mcann not Bigots and that says everything completely.
The disgrace that the way Tommy Burns was treated to me it doesn’t resonate with the club I love especially a man that has respect dignity and decency by the million fold and lived and breathed the cause.
It’s not the way Celtic and it’s ethics and morals are all about so Tommy deservedly walked out the front door.
Wim Jansen wasn’t looking for much more than he did the first season fergus should of listened to the immortal Mr Jensen and met in the middle for he deservedly been given that right but also the key’s to parkhead.
Instead he showed no respect and I run Celtic not you as for budgets fergus says no.
Fergus stayed longer than he promised the supporters Brian Dempsey and Keane.
Jock Brown.
The 3 amigos and others were promised better deals hands shook if they did the business on the park after a season fergus wasn’t a man of his word.
Fergus Mccann deserves respect and our compassion for saving Celtic .
But everything all about out our clubs history heritage identity morals treating people with respect fairness integrity at all times.
But most of all compassion for your fellow man and woman and offer kindness empathy with the plight of of people and life’s struggles given people hope faith and empathy yo all that the need a helping hand or charities close to brother maris our foundations forefathers.
Humility empathy and decency for all that’s what Celtic are about always will be everyone a club for all.