THE CELTIC STAR’S resident academic Sean McDon has been focussing on the Celts in Govan over the past few Mondays on a truly insightful series. What we do is highlight the new contribution from Sean on this site and then invite you to go to Sean’s own blog to continue reading the longer version of this latest instalment and to catch up on the previous Mondays instalments if you have missed them.
This week’s edition of the Green and White of Govan stays firmly focussed on the true heroes of the game.
These are the ones who sacrifice the wage and very often even the wife whilst brazenly disregarding the harshest of weather which is to be experienced following Celtic to the outer reaches of Europe or, even worse, to Pittodrie on a Friday night!
And all of this being done in the good name of Celtic.
These are the supporters who, come hail or shine, home or away, are a mere bus length behind the official chartered flight or luxury coach of the first team.
Brighton CSC – The Winey Bus
The fan focus for this week stays with the supporters buses and will shed light on another of the once 15 strong fleet of Celtic buses which made their pilgrimage to Paradise from the green and white parish of Govan.
Specifically, this edition pays a long overdue and much deserved homage to the undisputed longest running Celtic supporters bus from the greater Govan area, the Brighton Bus.
Originally a ‘Winey Bus’ as it spent most of its time setting off from the Albion Way pub which was the choice of boozer for the Wine Alley punter more often than not.
It should also be known that the Albion was a mere 2 minute saunter from the confines of Rangers’ home, Ibrox stadium, where Broomloan Rd met Woodville St.
The pub was eventually tore apart, brick by brick like the rest of the Winey which went before it, leaving behind only memories and occasionally recognisable street corners where once existed an entire neighbourhood which played host to generations of Winey families like the Monaghans, the Mulcahys or the Cleary’s to name but a few.
Despite this however, the Brighton bus continued on and to this very day, continues to exist ensuring a number of 30 – 40 folk, man and woman alike, make it to the Celtic games as part of the Brighton CSC.
The Original Bus: 60 Years and Counting
Running efficiently since 1958/59 season and taking its name from nearby Brighton Street, the Brighton bus should be regarded as the original bus from the greater Govan area in the sense that it has ran for 60 years without interruption despite some lean and often challenging times.
This is due in no small part to those associated with the bus at an organisation level through the decades, the real lieutenants and troops of the bus.
Men such as Pat Parker (President) Jimmy Hynds, Davie McArthur, Mick Mulcahy, John Mills, Matt Mckenna and one time bus convenor Stevie Monaghan amongst others of which there are too many to mention here in this short piece.
The current President, a man comfortably into his eighth decade, Pat Parker, along with close friend Pat McBarron, are two behemoths of the Brighton bus who were present in its first year and remain actively involved to this day.
Their continued presence adds significant weight to the ‘original’ tag which is associated with the Brighton.
Add to this that both these individuals were physically present at the infamous game against Falkirk in Feb 1953 when Falls Rd born Charlie Tully scored not once, but twice, in non fluke style once after the other direct from a corner kick. As both Pats let me know, they were at the corner flag section of the support when Tully managed this feat of brilliance and flair.
It just doesn’t get much more original than that.
Additionally, one of the members of the bus has also shown me a piece of official Celtic FC history in the shape of an original ‘Brake Club’ supporters banner dating from 1913.
The Brake Club was essentially the supporters club in horse and cart format before cars and buses took over.
I will make much more of the above banner in the next edition of the Green and White of Govan as there is a phenomenal footballing and political context to this banner which must be discussed in greater depth in order for its significance to be fully understood.
As for now, it resides cosily with a Brighton bus man.
Talk about originality – I wonder how many supporters buses, of any team, can boast of such memorabilia…
To continue reading Sean’s latest article please head over now to https://seanmcdon.org
