Supporters walking into the Celtic Superstore this evening will see this Celtic book display straight ahead right at the front door.
The Celtic Star has all FOUR of our books proudly on these shelves. There’s the fast selling Harry Hood – Twice as Good which is the official biography of a legendary Celtic goalscorer. Matt Corr really has done Harry proud with such a wonderful Celtic book which is absolutely flying off the shelves at Celtic were stocks are low. Indeed we have a second print order arriving next week to top the club’s supplies up and to re-stock our own bookstore.
Then there’s Walfrid & The Bould Bhoys and the copies you see here are the only ones still available. Our bookstore has completely sold out of this book that is sure to be a collector’s item in the future. And again what a fine looking book, expensively produced and a fascinating read with three Celtic authors all contributing – Matt Corr, David Potter and Liam Kelly.
Next to Walfrid & The Bould Bhoys is David Potter’s wonderful account of the life and times of perhaps the least recognises of all the true Celtic legends – Alec McNair, Celtic’s Icicle. Along with Billy McNeill, McNair gave Celtic more than any other player and his brilliant story deserves to be widely shared.
Alec McNair played in Celtic’s first team for an incredible 21 years. No-one has ever matched that. He played for Celtic four months into his 43rd year. Another record. McNair remains the only outfield player to take the field for the club after his 40th birthday and is one of only two men to have done so, his friend and contemporary Celtic goalkeeper Charlie Shaw being the other.
Alec McNair played a total of 584 League games for the club. Another record. He made 716 appearances in total for Celtic, despite the Scottish Cup being suspended for five seasons during the First World War. Only Billy McNeill has beaten that, and Cesar’s tally of 822 included over 200 matches in the League Cup and European football, neither of which were available in the era of McNair.
Alec won 34 honours with Celtic, another record. These included an incredible 12 League Championship titles, another record. McNair was a key member of the team which won 6 successive League titles between 1904/5 and 1909/10, a Scottish record which stood until Jock Stein’s Class of 1972. He then formed the core of Maley’s next great Celtic side, which won four Championships in a row from 1914.
He is also one of a select group of men to have captained both club and country as a Celt, Alec’s international highlight no doubt being the day he led Scotland to victory over England at Hampden in April 1914.
It would have been easier for David Potter to write about more recent Celtic stars who with the greatest of respect to them are nowhere near as worth as Alec McNair. If you don’t know his Celtic story you will be astonished. Next up incidentally from Mr Potter is a biography of Willie Fernie and that will be out in the spring. The book has been written and will be designed first week in January.
If you were there, watched it all unfold and want to enjoy the action all over again then if you don’t have a copy of Invincible then pick one up this evening. It’s right there as you walk into the Celtic Superstore.If you can’t make it to the game this evening or don’t make it into the Superstore then you can order our books direct from the online Celtic store.
£1 from each sale of Harry Hood – Twice as Good will be donated to Marie Curie in memory of Harry and in accordance with the wishes of Harry’s family who have supported Matt enormously in writing this fine book and also in supplying numerous family photographs.
