Tommy Burns was manager in July 1995 when Celtic arrived in the small German town of Jheringsfen for a pre-season friendly against local side Kickers Emden.
It was a match like any other tour game, a contest more designed to improve the players’ fitness than a desperate desire to win. Which was just as well as on this occasion Celtic lost 2-0. However, the match still became an important match in Celtic’s history for another reason.
The night before the game, centre-half Tony Mowbray had spoken to the players about performing a gesture of solidarity before the match, a demonstration that – like the musketeers of old – it would be a case of all for one and one for all.
And so, on this day in 1995, in the heart of Germany, the Celtic side – no doubt feeling a little bit shy or apprehensive about adopting a new idea – performed the first Huddle.
The first eleven players to take part in a Huddle were Pat Bonner, Lee Martin, Malky MacKay, Tony Mowbray, Tosh McKinlay, Rudi Vata, Peter Grant, John Collins, Pierre van Hooijdonk, Andy Walker and Brian McLaughlin
On this day in 1872, at Dalziel, Joseph Cassidy was born.
On 3 June 1893, after spells with Motherwell Athletic, Blyth FC and Newton Heath, Joe Cassidy, a strong-running centre-forward or inside-left, joined Celtic and over the next two seasons, he played 36 times for the Hoops, scoring 17 goals.
He then moved back to Newton Heath in 1895.
Jim Craig
