1 January 1967

We spent most of the day visiting for the New Year. At the Ryan’s prefab all the uncles and cousins were there. I told them I had been at Tannadice yesterday – None of them had gone. Our first defeat but we should have won. Let them get a couple of goals and we missed chances. Still I like Tannadice – good atmosphere even when we got beat. Can’t wait for the next couple of games against Clyde at Parkhead and then Rangers at Ibrox. John and Brendan reckon if the weather stays as cold the games might be off. Hope not. Still the school holidays so a bit easier getting to the games.

14 January 1967

Aberdeen, then Dundee and today Perth – 3 journeys up North in 4 weeks. Another cold day. We were on the terracing behind the goals that all the goals were scored into in. Met big Dan Scullion. He is in the year above me – everyone knows him – he goes to all the games. Always has a carry out with him. Even managed a carry out when the school team played in that final at Ashfield last year. In the second half the sky was an incredible blue and red colour with the sun going down over the hills. The game was late in starting again because of the crowds. Got chips at the Night Star when the bus got back to Whifflet to warm us up.

30 January 1967

Peter did not wear his Celtic scarf at school today. I did. When we were at the Arbroath game on Saturday some people were saying Berwick had beaten Rangers 1-0. But there are always people saying things like that. This one seemed true. At half time the announcer said we have a result that might interest you – “Berwick Rangers 1- Rangers 0. There was a bit of cheering all right but it was only half time.

READ THIS…Mike Maher on The Long Road to Lisbon – Jock Stein did not just change Celtic, he changed Scottish Football

Then just when Bertie Auld scored the 4th goal against Arbroath people in the stand and enclosure and then the Jungle started cheering. That’s when we heard people say Rangers had got beat. We said that if it was true we would wear our scarves to school on Monday even though that is a no no according to Big Jim Breen. On the service bus to Bellshill people were saying that they had heard Rangers got beat but I did not believe it until I got the Evening Times. Dad was beaming and we had a great Saturday night. I did pull my coat right over the scarf right enough but at least I did not chicken out.

4 February 1967

Just got the service bus to the game today at Broomfield. Had to pay 4 shillings for a ticket because they had no Boys Gate ones. Did not see any of the usual guys there. Some were talking about going to the Rugby at Murrayfield – Scotland V Wales. The school had organised a bus trip with tickets for the schoolboy’s enclosure. Don’t fancy that – It will be full of snobs from posh fee paying schools.

We only started Rugby at the school a few years ago and already we are organising trips to Murrayfield. Its Big Jim’s idea to posh us up. He would not organise anything for a Scotland football game. He says football is a game for common labourers. Well one of my grandads was a miner and the other worked on the railways. So what’s wrong with that? Dad says he does not agree with fee paying schools.

Actually when I was in first year I got picked for the Rugby team. The guys who were not good enough for the football team got taken up to Dunbeth Park to be taught about Rugby. It was not bad fun either. Apart from Gerard Coogans nobody knew anything about it. It was funny seeing the odd shaped balls. We had only seen them on the tele before. No one had ever touched one. I enjoyed having a go at it but I think I only got picked because I was a bit beefy then.

Anyway the game was down at Greenock on a Saturday morning so I asked the teacher if we would be back in time to get to Parkhead in the afternoon. He said if you are more concerned about Celtic than your school team then you won’t be playing. So I did not go. All I wanted to know was the time we would be back at – and it was a game against Kilmarnock so you would not want to miss that.

11 February 1967

The bus left early today for Ayr as it was a 1pm kick off. Not as many on the bus as usual but what a stupid time to be playing a game. Ayr Utd wore orange jerseys! We were all over them. 5-0 easy. We had to start early because Rangers were at Rugby Park. Mr Kosygin was at that game. We listened to the commentary from Rugby Park on the way back on the bus. I really thought Killie were going to get at least a draw but Rangers sneaked it 2-1.

READ THIS…Sandman’s Graphically Explicit Review of Celtic’s Season – He misses none of them!

27 February 1967

That was a sick weekend – first game I have missed all this season and the first game missed since Tynecastle last January. Felt miserable all Saturday and Sunday and then had to listen to Mick Boyle and the rest of them all going on about how they had been at Annfield at school the day.

When I went down to Whifflet on Saturday it was bucketing down and there was not many on the bus. First time big John and his da were not there. Someone went into the Big Tree and phoned Celtic Park. He came back on the bus and said the game was off so everyone got off the bus. I went to Broomfield to see Airdrie play Kilmarnock. Had no trouble meeting the Airdrie fans from school – Ernie Lewis, Jimmy O’Neill, Jackie Hand. Not like a few weeks ago – this time there was only around 3000 people there.

They asked how I had not gone to Stirling and when I said the game was off they said they had not heard that. At half time they put the scores up and it was Stirling Albion 1 Celtic 0. I said it was a mistake but then a guy with a transistor said Celtic were getting beat. I was sick – hardly bothered watching the second half and just sat on the terracing steps. At school today big John said has da found out that when the guy phoned Celtic from the Big Tree to ask if the game was off or on they thought he was meaning the reserve game at Parkhead and that was off. And Rangers beat St Mirren 3-0 so they are now only 2 points behind us. If I had been at Annfield I am sure we would have won.

7 March 1967

Just in and annoyed. Went to Broomfield tonight to see the Airdrie V Rangers game. Met Ernie, Jackie and Jimmie – but mostly we were surrounded by Rangers fans. Airdrie were robbed. Paul Jonquin sent off and  Rangers sneaked a 1-0 win to go on top of League on goal average. Ref won it for them. The Airdrie boys were raging.

9 March 1967

Happy today – everybody happy. Well Jim McClelland is a bit unhappy. He left the game early and did not see Big Billy’s winner. Said he wanted to make sure he got the bus to Glenboig. Imagine leaving a European Cup Quarter Final early just so you can get to Glenboig! I suppose the late kick off at 8pm makes it different. I got home just in time to see the highlights on the tele.

When the winning goal went in it was the loudest roar I have ever heard. Bodies jumping up in the air and piling on top of each other. Got ma specs knocked off and to scramble on the ground to get them. Lucky for me they were just dirty and not broken.

Mum would have gone daft. Vojvodina were a good team too. Dukla Prague also won last night so that is them through with Inter as well from last week. Linfield play next CSKA next week – Linfield v Celtic would be some game in the semis!

18 March 1967

Big squad from the school in the Celtic End today for the Dunfermline game. Day off yesterday for St Patrick’s Day and we sung Hail Glorious St Patrick today. Lots of other songs too – singing is great this season. Right in middle of Celtic End – the Shamrock guys behind us and the Cumbie along a bit. Bent Martin was in goal for the Pars and Charlie was still going on about him.

20 March 1967

Not a big crowd being a Monday but still plenty of the boys from the school there. Won easy and back on top of League. Everyone talking about the European Cup draw. Dukla Prague. Czech teams are always good so it will be tough. Will need to get in the big queues again for tickets.

22 March 1967

Went to see Accies play Clyde this afternoon in the Cup replay. Accies have no lights so I went straight from school. Went right past my house but if I had got off and went for another bus I would have missed a lot of the game so had to cart my school bag along. Accies did well to get a draw at Shawfield but they were well beat today.

Harry Hood is not a bad player – he really ran that game. We will need to watch him in the semi. Somebody said Big Jock was at the game to spy on the team for the Semi. Big crowd – must have been about 10,000. Accies usually only get a thousand normally. Used to go and watch the Accies quite a bit when we first moved to Bellshill if Celtic were playing away. Always a laugh on the terracing at Douglas Park. They won promotion that year but got gubbed almost every week in the first division. I doubt if they will ever bother getting back into the top division.

1 April 1967

Robbed again. Missed chances then we did not get blatant penalty at the end. Ref was J R P Gordon so what do you expect. So need to go back to Hampden again on Wednesday. Clyde were not too bad but we should have won.

Went on one of Phil Cole’s buses. So many going now that St Mary’s making it members only for big games. And there are more of us from the school going too. Phil Coles is different. Plenty drinking and a lot more singing – some stuff I had not heard before.

“Hampden Park was crowded, the fans began to roar, the Rangers fans were singing the Sash My Father Wore but they very soon had to change their tune as the Celtic plan was set McPhail knocked it down to Wilson and the ball was in the net.

“The Celts were playing so wonderful, how they passed the ball along and way up on the terracing we are all singing the Soldiers Song with the interval approaching the Gers were really blue a whizz bang from Neil Mochan and in went number two.

“Then the second half got started, McPhail increased the score there was Neilly Mochan to bang in number four McPhail he made it 5 & 6 and pity poor auld Niven when Fernie took a penalty kick and in went number seven

“Putting on the agony, putting on the style 1, 2 3 4 5 6 7 scoring all the while you’ll never see such football though you travel many a mile than watching Glasgow Celtic putting on the style “

When I first started going to the games I used to think the 7-1 game was a made up story until Frankie Reynolds showed me the article about it in his Scottish Football Book.

John Sharpe came with us today although he is an Albion Rovers fan. He was with me in the queue for the boys’ gate. He started talking about homework and teachers. I don’t want to know about that on a Saturday. Although he usually goes to watch the Rovers he knew the drill for Hampden. I went right in to the front of the turnstile and put my money down. As soon as the man released it John was in like a flash behind me so the two of us got in for the price of one. He gave me one and a tanner and said the reason he was talking about school in the queue was in case the polis stopped him for being too old for the boys’ gate. He is a bit big right enough. He wouldn’t get a lift over!

When we got back to Coatbridge discovered Rangers had lost to Dunfermline – great!

8 April 1967

2-0 win at Fir Park today. We were right behind the goals that Celtic scored into. Thought Big Tam’s penalty was going to come straight through the net and hit us in the face it was so powerful. In the first half guys behind us with transistors kept telling us of all the horses falling in the Grand National – And when we got home we saw it on the news. One bit where Michael O’Hehir was just calling out fallen horses – and then off went Foinavon to win at 100-1.

12 April 1967

It’s late but not sleeping after such a day. 3-1 win over Dukla Prague in the European Cup Semi. Great crowd and singing. Well worth the hours we spent standing in the queue the other Sunday for tickets. Mind you Happy Harry nearly spoiled it.

I was in his Spanish class this afternoon. Got the passage to read and translate. I had not studied it before but I was not worried. I find Spanish not too much bother. Sailed through it until I came to “conejos”. Could not recall what it meant so I stopped. Only for a few seconds but it seemed like ages. Everyone silent, not wanting to look up from their books in case they caught his eye.

He suddenly turned to the other side of the room and said “Miss Keatings – continue” “Rabbits” said Carol. Of course it was, now I remembered. Carol should have continued with the rest of the passage but before she could say the next word I jumped in fast and continued to the end of the paragraph. Wanted to show that it was only one word I forgot.

But Happy said – “so only one word you did not know – well you will not forget it – you can write out the entire passage in Spanish and English for lines and bring them to me first thing in the morning.” That was so unfair.

That is one thing you learn at school. They might teach you about great philosophers and democracies and equal rights but schools are dictatorships. Did he not know that Celtic had a big game tonight? Of course he did – everyone in Scotland knows it. He was doing it deliberately to annoy me. I had enough homework without this.

Even though they had made it an 8pm kick off I’d need to rush to get to Parkhead. I took a chance and said “oh sir” with as begging a voice as I could. “You know the alternative” he said. That was the belt – and he could wield it. However sore hands would last less than having to write all those lines. So I took it. It was not too bad. Stung at the time but gone well before the game.

Dozens from the school in the Celtic end. Alex Carson was there too even though he is a Killie fan. He said he had got a carry out although I don’t think he looks 18 any more than I do. He gave me a can of Tennants Lager but after a few swigs I threw it away. It had an oily taste and it was warm. Cannot see the point in drinking something that’s warm.

Anyway we were too busy singing. “The Celtic Song, The Holy Ground, The Wild Rover, Sean South, The Merry Ploughboy” When they scored the silence was deafening. I have never such quiet at Parkhead.

You could hear the people in their dug out cheering. But we kept singing and cheering in the second half.

And we helped score the third goal. When we got the free kick the whole Celtic End started chanting CELTIC- CELTIC – it was so loud. Just as wee Bertie bent down their goalie turned round to see what was happening behind him.

With the noise growing behind him he must have thought we were coming on the pitch. Just as he turned back Willie Wallace was belting the ball into the net. Dad did not believe me but I know, I saw it. Second leg in two weeks – Nearly in a European Cup Final. And the game has been changed – It is now on the 25th May. That is the feast of Corpus Christi and a public holiday in Portugal. It’s a Holiday of Obligation here so no school. But I have my Higher Spanish on the 26th May. I want to go but I can hardly ask when that exam is the next day. I wouldn’t be studying anyway and I know I can pass Spanish but how can I go?

15 April 1967

No Celtic game today because of the England v Scotland game at Wembley. So went to Douglas Park for Accies game with Queen of the South. Just at the start of the second half we heard Scotland were winning 1-0. I spent most of second half sitting on the terracing beside a man with a transistor and listened to the Wembley game. That’s the type of game Scotland win – when they should have no chance. And great that Bobby Lennox scored. Highlights will be on the tele soon.

25 April 1967

We are in the European Cup Final and I will be going! The game was played in the afternoon and I went over to Dad’s work after school for a lift home. On the way back we heard Celtic were through and before I could ask he said I better get organised if I wanted to go to Lisbon!

He told Mum when we got home. He said something about an endowment policy. Not sure exactly what it is but it means I get some money at 16 and I can use that. We saw some of the game on the tele. Even Kenneth Wolstenholme was there because we are the first British team to get to the European Cup Final. We had phone calls from lots of people tonight to talk about the game and ask if I was going to go to Lisbon.

26 April 1967

Booked for Lisbon today. The only other boy going from school is Alex Owens. He has a Higher to sit on the 24th May. He is a year older than me but we used to play football together in Baillieston. We went down to the phones outside the Carnegie Library and Alex organised it. We had seen the adverts from Holiday Enterprises telling people to phone Big Jim McGinley if you wanted to go to Lisbon. I don’t know if Alex spoke to Big Jim but he said it is all done. I have got to get a passport – it takes too long to get a real one so I have to get a Visitors Passport because it’s quicker but it costs about seventeen and sixpence!

We saw Kilmarnock win tonight against Locomotive Leipzig – that’s them into the Semis of the Fairs Cup.

29 April 1967

Dad went to the Cup Final today – First game he has been at in ages. So he and I and Gerard went by car. We picked up Peter Dickson at Baillieston. Peter and me went up the Celtic End. Passage 27, just in front of the pylon. That’s where we all meet now at Hampden. Dad and Gerard went to the Rangers End. When the teams came out together Aberdeen were on the Celtic End side so all the players had to cross over one by one. It was like one of those RAF motor cycle displays.

Lots of singing again and we all made sure we were making plenty of noise when the band were going to play God Save the Queen.

Mick Boyle always says “What’s the only country that has an anti- Scottish song for its national anthem? – Scotland” So we always boo it.

We won this game easy – Aberdeen were never in it. When we were singing “We’ll be running Hampden with the cup” in the second half some people were changing Hampden to Lisbon.

Dad parked in the car park so it was handy to get to the car but it took ages to get out. But he had brought a flask and peeces and biscuits so we had something to eat while we waited for the crowd to clear. We heard on the radio that Rangers had drawn at Dens Park. Seems they always drop points when we are playing at Hampden. So we are still 1 point ahead with 2 games in hand. A win against Dundee Utd at Parkhead on Wednesday and we are Champions again!

3 May 1967

Feeling flat tonight. We did not play well but when we got the second goal I thought we would still win. When they got their third though you knew it was not going to be our night after all. Even the Celtic End went a bit quiet then. That’s Dundee Utd beat us twice. Dad says they are not a bad team though – they put Barcelona out of the Fair Cities Cup. Rangers won at Ibrox tonight so they are in the Cup Winners Cup Final but the big news was that Inter Milan beat CSKA in the other European Cup Semi so we will be playing them in Lisbon. That is going to be amazing!

6 May 1967

We won the league at Ibrox! Went on a Phil Coles bus. I was with Tom Tumilty. He reckoned that no matter the result there could be trouble. If we win or draw we win the league so their fans will be mad. We were upstairs – Singing was great. John Sullivan got it started just after we left-

“Last night I had a pleasant dream though restless where I lay I dreamt again brave Irishmen had set old Ireland free and how excited I became when I heard the canons roar
And then the whole bus joins in the last line-
“A Gradh Mo Chridhe I’d love to see old Ireland free once more”

And everyone is singing the rest of the song-

“Now we’ve always had brave Irishmen as everyone must know O’Neil, O’Donnell, Sarsfield too, Lord Edward and Wolfe Tone and bold Sir Robert Emmet till death they ne’er gave o’er A Gradh Mo Chridhe I’d love to see old Ireland free once more”

“And we can’t forget the former years their memory lingers still the Wexford Boys of ’98 who fought on Vinegar Hill with Father Murphy by their side and his green flag flying o’er A Gradh Mo Chridhe I’d love to see old Ireland free once more”

I must read more about all these men in the song. Last year when it was the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising everyone was into Pearce and Connolly and all those songs.

All the way to Ibrox we were singing- The Celtic Song, We Shall not be moved, we’ll be running round Lisbon with the Cup.

Just as we were nearing Helen Street John started again –

“You can tell by her walk, you can tell by her talk you can tell by her eyes so blue, you can tell by her blarney that she comes from Killarney by the way she smiles at you Every Irish colleen is as fair as a queen and with a heart that’s loyal and true and don’t forget it takes an Irish heart to sing an Irish song-

All together now!-

And the whole bus is belting out as we head off the bus and up towards Edmiston Drive

“Soldiers are we, whose lives are pledged to Ireland… “

It was pelting down but we managed to get under the covered enclosure. The Celtic end got soaked. We had a good view of Jinky’s equaliser. At half time the entire Celtic End from the enclosure in front of the stand, right behind the goals and into our bit was jumping and singing “The Merry Ploughboy” Soaked and singing.

I was disappointed that they equalised. Tom says we won the League anyway but I wanted to beat them. Dad says Celtic have never beaten Rangers twice in the league in the same season in his lifetime. I don’t want that to happen to me. Still it was a great day. On the bus on the way back some of the Merry Ploughboy words were changed-

“We’re off to Lisbon, in the green, in the green”…

Celtic’s last league game of the season was played on Monday 15th May against Kilmarnock. It was a very low key affair – both on and off the park. Kilmarnock had a Fair Cities Cup Semi Final at Elland Road later in the week and of course Celtic had Lisbon on their minds. It was also on all our minds.

The Highers were underway and while giving plenty of attention to our studies we could not avoid talking about the impending big game. By the time of the Killie game I had my passport, flight and match tickets organised. There had been some concerns about how I was to get to the airport for the early morning flight. Initially my mother had asked a neighbour, Chic Doherty, for assistance. He was going with a party from Viewpark and they had a bus organised.

However Alex Owens had just passed his driving test and announced he would be able to take his father’s car and he would pick me up. I got my English, French and Geography Highers out of the way and could then concentrate on Lisbon. I was confident in my ability to get through the Spanish exam despite the “distraction” and I was also confident in Celtic’s ability to win the Cup.

I recall we did have some relief from the exams in the shape of a “forum” at the school. In a few weeks we were scheduled to have a “discussion day” with Coatbridge High School on topics relating to religion, politics, and social issues. As a rehearsal we had a session on our own in the gym hall.

We were divided into groups of 10 and given a list of topics to consider. At our table I had Joe McCormick for company so our discussions were almost exclusively the European Cup Final. Our allocated topics did not seem too exciting. One other group was given a topic that would have suited us. One of their questions was “should a Catholic support Rangers?”

Despite not being on our agenda we did have some discussion on it and eagerly awaited to hear what the group who did have it would say. It turned out to be rather tame. The group leader was Helen Reilly who said the question was not worth discussing as it was only about football and anyone could support who they liked.  I always wondered if Helen got any more clued up on that in her career as a politician?

Anyway with the big day approaching nothing else really mattered. I was going to be “off to Lisbon”…

Mike Maher