In the careers of many professional footballers, there are spells when the fates seem to smile down and success just comes your way, whether you expect it or not. In my five-year stint at Celtic Park, one 17-day, five-match period in April, 1967 turned out that way.
I had joined Celtic in the early days of December, 1966. As this was after the recognised deadline day for player registration with a new club, I was not eligible to play against the Yugoslavian (now Serbian) team Vojvodina Novi Sad in the quarter-final of the European Cup. I travelled with the team to Yugoslavia as a spectator for the first leg of the tie and trained with the boys as I normally would.
From what we were able to see, areas of that part of the country appeared remarkably backward. The main roads of the city of Novi Sad, for instance, were of tarmac but the streets leading into them were just packed earth. Our hotel, thankfully, was very modern and, on our first visit to Vojvodina’s ground, we were surprised by the quality of the floodlighting, very definitely among the best we had ever seen. Unfortunately, though, the pitch wasn’t in such great shape; on the day of the game it was rock hard and very difficult to play on.
I sat on the bench during the game and felt terrible, my nerves getting the better of me. When we lost a goal in 69 minutes, the condition of the pitch played a big part as a short back pass by Tommy Gemmell was cut off by the Vojvodina striker, who rounded Ronnie Simpson in goal and rolled the ball into an empty net. My heart sank as I watched it and I prayed we would equalise but there were no more goals. However, despite losing 1–0 the boys were still in good form on the way home and quite confident about the return game.
Remarkable enough, recently I met a gentleman from the former Yugoslavia who was actually at that game in Novi Sad in 1967. Bogdean Antic now lives at Burleigh Waters, part of Queensland’s Gold Coast in Australia, no further than half a mile from my own home. I first met Bogdean in 2009 when I was coaching an under-19 side in the local league, a team which included his then 16-year-old son. Since we met, we have had a few chats about that game in Novi Sad. He said the reason he could remember me was an announcement made at the ground before the game, that Celtic’s new signing, Willie Wallace from Hearts, was on the bench but would not play due to not meeting the signing deadline.
Bogdean recalled being pleased that Vojvodina had won on the day but said he had remained worried after the game that the 1–0 result would not be enough for them to defend in the second leg in Glasgow. He was right.
Still ineligible to play, I sat in the stand for the second leg at Parkhead, just behind the directors’ box. In those days, only one substitute was allowed in these matches and that was the goalkeeper, so around me sat the rest of the first-team squad, all equally disappointed to be missing out on such a marvellous occasion with over 70,000 fans in the ground. I was so wrapped up in the game that I can’t remember who was sitting next to me on the night but I do remember that some what might be called selfish thoughts briefly passed through my mind.
After all, I was used to matches in the UEFA Cup with Heart of Midlothian but this was the big one – the European Cup – and if the team out there on the pitch couldn’t overcome that 1–0 defeat in Novi Sad, I was in danger of missing out on the chance to play in it! I went through some anxious moments until Steve Chalmers scored – then I was up on my feet along with the thousands of others at the game. It was all square and when Charlie Gallagher took a corner kick very late in the game and Billy McNeill met the cross perfectly with his head and scored, I was up again, now sure that the chance to play in the semi-final of the European Cup had moved a big step closer.
Two days later, we were drawn against Dukla Prague, of Czechoslovakia, in one semi; Inter Milan, of Italy, would meet CSKA Sofia, of Bulgaria, in the other. My worry now was whether I would be selected in the team that would meet the Czechs. As things turned out, I was chosen to play against Dukla in the first leg at Parkhead on Wednesday, 12 April, 1967 – a day that held extra significance as it was our daughter Lynn’s first birthday. I was particularly nervous before the game and couldn’t wait to get out of the changing rooms and on to the field. I knew I would settle down once I was out there in front of a full house of Celtic supporters.
To be continued…
Willie Wallace
🗓️ #OnThisDay in 1967, The Bhoys earned a two-goal advantage going into the second leg of the European Cup Semi-Final. #CelticFC 3-1 Dukla Prague 🦁 pic.twitter.com/nSq1N8NYkk
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) April 12, 2021
