Five months later, on Saturday, 22 March 1958 (three years to the day before I was born) Sean took his final bow as a Celt, at left-back in a 4-2 win over Airdrie at Celtic Park. He suffered a knee injury that day, and it would transpire that, approaching his 36th birthday and with 266 appearances for the club he loved under his belt, together with a League title and two winner’s medals from each of the major domestic cups, it would be time to retire.
Beyond his playing career, there was a whole new world waiting for Sean on the coaching side. In 1962, he became assistant manager to Jimmy McGrory at Celtic, with many observers seeing him as the natural successor to the ageing legend. On Jock Stein’s appointment as Celtic manager, in March 1965, Sean remained in post, and was a crucial part of the most successful team and era that Scotland has ever known, overseeing the progression of the Kelly Kids into Lisbon Lions, then as the man responsible for bringing the Quality Street Gang of David Hay, Danny McGrain and Kenny Dalglish amongst others to the club.
In the early hours of 5 July 1975, Sean’s life and role at Celtic were about to change again, as manager Jock Stein was seriously injured in a car crash on the A74, whilst returning from holiday with friends. Fallon would take over the first team for that 1975/76 season, the first of the 10-club Scottish Premier Division era.
He inherited a team recovering from the loss of Billy McNeill, Jimmy Johnstone and Jim Brogan plus the concession of their treasured Ten-in-a-Row title to rivals Rangers. He would then lose the hugely talented but tormented George Connelly whilst leading Celtic to a 12th consecutive League Cup Final at Hampden in October, the trophy returning to Ibrox for the first time in five years after an Alex MacDonald header.
A 2-0 lead was then overturned by Motherwell at Fir Park in January 1976, thus ending hopes of a third successive win in the Scottish Cup, the first time Celtic had failed to make the showpiece final since 1968. And the European campaign ended in East Germany on St Patrick’s Day – how often does that feature – as Sachsenring Zwickau claimed an unlikely victory over Celtic in the quarter-final of the Cup Winners’ Cup. Rangers under Jock Wallace would finish six points ahead of the Bhoys in the inaugural Premier Division, and would complete a first domestic treble in 12 years by beating Hearts in the Scottish Cup Final. In a twist of fate, Wallace had been the Airdrie goalkeeper in Sean’s last match as a Celtic player.
In the close-season of 1976, Sean would move to a new role as Chief of Scouting & Youth Development, as Jock Stein returned to fitness and brought in former Partick Thistle manager David McParland as his assistant. In 1980, Sean took over the managerial reins at Dumbarton, famously trying to lure Johan Cruyff to Boghead in his spell there.
Just after noon on Saturday, 4 August 2012, four days after his 90th birthday, I was amongst the crowd rising as one to acknowledge and thank Sean Fallon for a lifetime of devotion as he raised the League flag high in the centre of his beloved Celtic Park, ahead of the opening game of the new campaign against Aberdeen. It is a ritual which has carried on every August since then, with this Sunday’s being unique due to the lack of supporters in the ground. Many have been given this honour over the past 57 years or so that I have been following Celtic, however, I can think of no person more deserving.
Five months later, on 18 January 2013, Sean passed away peacefully.
Happy heavenly 100th birthday, Sean Fallon, a true legend of Celtic Football Club.
Hail Hail!
Matt Corr
Follow Matt on Twitter @Boola_vogue
