The result did not really mean that much to me. I was just happy to have at last got to see the Celtic in action. I went home excited and went outside with my brother Gerry to kick a ball about in the driveway while the snow that had been threatening all day started to fall.
For the next few weeks I followed Celtic through newspaper reports, TV highlights and news gleaned from family and friends. The scores were usually obtained from the tele printer on the Saturday afternoon “Grandstand” TV programme although we would sometimes find out from the first arrivals back in Baillieston after a home game. However I wanted more of the real thing myself. But how to get there? Celtic Park was only a relatively short distance away and easily reached by tram, but the feeling was that it was still not a place for unaccompanied youngsters.
Celtic 6 Montrose 0
My father did not seem that interested in going to a game and Peter’s father was mostly occupied with the Boys Guild team on a Saturday. On 11 February Celtic were to host Montrose in a Scottish Cup tie and Peter and I were desperate to go. The only thing we could do was simply go and not bother telling our parents. But of course we would need money for the tram fares and entrance money as there was no guarantee of a lift over.
We decided we would tell our parents we were going the Odeon in Shettleston and ask for pocket money for that. Phil Dolan joined us and it was his place we went to first. No problem there nor at Peter’s so all we had to do was tell my mother what we were planning to do and then off we would go.
I am not sure if my mother was suspicious or whether I just felt guilty but after I initially told her we were going to the pictures I then felt I could not continue and told her of our real plans. “Well I will have to tell your father about this” she said as she left the kitchen to go and get him. Peter and Phil both scowled at me. Now we were in trouble. Not only would we not be going to the game but the parents would be informed of our lies.
My mother returned a few moments later with my father. “So you were planning to go to Celtic Park?” he asked. “Yes” we replied somewhat morosely. “All right then” he said. “Let’s get in the car and go then”. There were a few seconds hesitation before we realise we were not going to be “shopped” but were actually going to the game – and without needing to spend money on the tram fare!
I cannot recall how we got in. My father would not have been able to lift all 3 of us over. I think he waited inside while we got in through the “Boys Gate”. However once inside he took all three of us into the enclosure in front of the Stand. This cost an extra sixpence but my father would have reckoned it was an easier place to keep an eye on us and also removed from any of the wilder inhabitants of the terracing.
And so I saw my first Scottish Cup Tie. We had a vantage point near the by-line at the East terracing and Celtic gained a corner there in the first minute. When the ball came over a Montrose defender deflected it into his own net so I had a clear view of my first Scottish Cup goal. Celtic won comfortably by six goals to nil and we all returned home delighted with our experience.
It was then I discovered my father really was a Celtic Supporter. I had no recollection of him going to games prior to that but he must have considering how close Celtic Park was. I found out too that he had been a founder member of the Carfin Celtic Supporters Club. Anyway his interest seemed to be rekindled and the Saturday following the Montrose game we were back in the enclosure at Celtic Park as he took me and my brother Gerry to see Celtic play Hibs.
The old enclosure disappeared years ago when the main stand was extended to include seating at the front. However it was a great vantage point as it was nearer the pitch than a lot of the terracing and was at a slightly higher angle. An extra benefit was that if you stood towards the rear near the front wall of the Stand the overhanging roof gave some shelter from the rain.
Hibs were back at Celtic Park a few weeks later for the Scottish Cup quarter final in front of a crowd of 56,000, the biggest I had experienced so far. I had to stand on tip toe for most of the match and was just able to see Stevie Chalmers net a late equaliser at the “Celtic End”. The Scottish Cup had more prestige then and as Celtic was as usual well out of the hunt for the Championship by then it represented the only chance I had to see my team lift a trophy.
A few weeks earlier there had been some good Scottish Cup news. Late one Wednesday evening my father came into the bedroom I shared with Gerry and told us to come down and see something on TV. That was something unusual especially on a school night. My mother protested but my father persuaded her that this was something important so she relented.
What we saw was the highlights of the Rangers v Motherwell Scottish Cup third round replay at Ibrox. Motherwell won 5-2 and my mother’s annoyance was quelled to some degree when she realised her cousin’s son – Pat Delaney had scored one of the goals. That was the first time I realised the enjoyment that a Rangers defeat generated.
Rangers’ dismissal from the Cup meant one less hazardous opponent for Celtic but we now had a replay at Easter Road to contend with. Again it was midweek so we were in bed although unable to sleep when the game was being played. No live TV or radio so it was late evening before my father came up to tell us the score. 1-0 to Celtic after extra time with a goal scored by a young reserve called John Clark.
We were into the Semi Finals where we were paired with Airdrie. Exciting times for a first season fan who could hardly wait for the big game. Before that there were other League games including one against Dunfermline Athletic who were in the other semi-final. For some reason I recall we were taken to the Stand for that game. Maybe it was the weather? Anyway Celtic game from a goal down to win 2-1.
