Condolences On The Passing Of Celtic Supporting Legend Stephen ‘Skin’ Riley

Earlier this week, hundreds of people awoke to the devastating news that Stephen ‘Skin’ Riley had passed away. Skin was a loving husband, father, son, brother, uncle, grandfather, cousin, nephew and friend to many fortunate people. We offer our sincere condolences and deepest sympathies to all of those who are feeling an immense sense of loss at this difficult time.

On a personal level, I encountered Skin on many occasions in the last few years. I wouldn’t claim to be as close a friend as others who knew him more intimately, but I always found him to be very friendly, incredibly funny and extremely welcoming. He was the charismatic owner of the famous Squirrel Bar in the Gallowgate and The Real McCoy pub on London Road just outside Celtic Park. These venues are shrines to Celtic Football Club and hubs of Irish musical culture; two things that Skin loved, as evidenced by his days playing the tin whistle with The Rising rebel band. (see video below)

A few years ago, Skin helped me to arrange a book night in the Squirrel and gave me a phone call to discuss plans for it. Two hours later we were talking about the history of the Celtic support in the Calton and Gallowgate areas, we were laughing about different stories from the pubs over the years and characters that he’d met. But Skin was as legendary a character as any of those he was naming.

Fast forward a couple of years and I was researching the history of Parkhead Stadium Station for a new book. Skin contacted me on Facebook to let me know that the tunnel was situated just behind The Real McCoy. He asked his father about where the station was located, told me a lot more about the area through some of his older punters and then offered to show me around the key places and other sites of Celtic history when I was next in Glasgow – he even suggested a pub crawl in the local bars once owned by Celtic players. Sadly, I never got the opportunity for that day out. It would have been some laugh.

Many an inbox will be quieter without Skin sending pictures of his new t-shirt designs for sale, checking in with people during tough times, or just making others laugh with his mad sense of humour. A visit to the establishments he owned will never be the same without his antics and laughter brightening the room. Even social media won’t be as amusing without Skin’s posts – I remember one time in lockdown he had CCTV footage of his wife falling over in the garden and he uploaded the video with himself laughing hysterically over the top of it. That seemed to be the type of banter he would have with everyone close to him. He was truly hilarious and mental in a positive, friendly way.

Tributes have flooded in across message boards and social media. The Irish Celtic Supporters Clubs remember a man who did so much to welcome them and give them a base in Glasgow. The Irish/Celtic minded bands and singers fondly recall someone who gave them an opportunity to perform in front of crowds. The punters have paid tribute to a man who was as kind as he was mad and funny. Local supporters clubs have thanked him for accommodating them and helping them to get established. Fundraisers have been touched by the charitable work he regularly did. Others shared memories of their school days together, hilarious times on buses to games and other antics.

Here’s an example of some tributes below – he truly touched hundreds of lives:

Larnerebel (Huddleboard): “Him, has da and wee Nutty went everywhere with us on the bus right through the darkest of days for Celtic. He knew every rebel song there ever was and some he improvised on the spot. You only ever found him one way. Full of carry on. A real giant in just about every sense of the word. Once met never forgotten.”

AupaCeltic (Huddleboard): “One of the funniest madmen ye could ever meet. Some character and he probably retired a few teachers lol. Not a bad bone in his body.

RIP Stephen. You were a one off. Known him since we were kids. Was a few years younger than me at school. Never a dull moment and enjoyed many a mental day/night in yer company. Flag gate during lockdown was tremendous and dropping a box of Kurdish flags off at his house by mistake will live with me forever. A Shotts bhoy by birth and always proud of his roots but became a Gallowgate legend. Rest in peace my friend. Celtic to the core.”

Chuckmychuck (Huddleboard): “Just been talking to sloaner he is gutted, was telling me skin used to go on the Bellshill bus and skin would always put sloaner in a headlock and give him a chinese burn.”

Our thoughts and prayers are with Stephen’s friends and family. RIP Skin… a legend of the Celtic support but so much more.