‘Stick that in your Sunshine in Leith Lenny!’ Athens Diary – Day 2 (Monday)

Day 2 in the Big Bhoy Hotel starts with breakfast then a walk across the road to the beach. Today I’m Shirley Valentine rather than Norman, as I ask for a table for one on the beach. Tom Conti sets up my sun parasol (no beach brollies in the Athens Riviera) then, noticing my shirt, utters the immortal words, “Celtic and St Pauli are brothers, f**k Rangers!”. For once I’m speechless, so I do what I do best in such situations, I burst out laughing. He’s an Olympiakos fan, so I’ve now met the full set for Athens’ Big Three.

Laughter soon subsides as I catch up on the latest on the Boyata situation. I’m gutted to read the headlines about broken promises and boycotts. Takes me back to the time of Fergus and the Three Amigos and that didn’t end well for any of us.

I rooted for Dedryck during the World Cup, as I did for much of his Celtic career, where I felt he often got a raw deal from some of the crowd. Whilst I truly hoped there was a player in there somewhere, there was definitely a mistake around every corner, often in big games.

I was delighted when Celtic knocked back a reported £12m bid from Fulham, taking that as a real show of intent from both club and player. I assume this is where the ‘broken promises’ comes in. No player is bigger than Celtic, and if he’d rather count money than medals at the end of his career then goodbye and good luck. Evil Genius Sutton summed it up better, as he often does.

Fairly uneventful afternoon on the beach, save for the drunk guy who felt his best chance of scamming a beer from me was to insist that I was English and the maniac who mistook the beach for the road, as he calmly drove his hatchback through the rows of sunbeds and families, with no-one batting an eyelid.

Syntagma Square last night, before the Celts get there!

I decide it’s time for Shirley V to find the Troops and I’m thinking they will be in one of two places, Syntagma Square (think George Square, Buckingham Palace plus men in white tights) or the nearest Irish bar, which appears to be the James Joyce. I head across the road to pick up a tram but I’m stopped by a guy shouting “Celtic!”. Turns out he’s an AEK fan and again he’s very friendly. He cautions me against wearing my strip into town, advising “we have many crazies here”. He then adds that I should be alright, presumably some sort of age discrimination is going on here.

Being too old to fight and too slow to run, I decide that discretion is the better part of valour and head back to the hotel to change. My new emerald green Boss top seems a sensible compromise.

The Lockerbie Crew in Athens

I take the Slow Tram to Syntagma but there’s no sign of the Troops. Walking through the main streets there are No Hoops in Athens, so I start to think it will be a long night. I’m actually heading back to the Square before I see them, a sight for sore eyes. I meet the Lockerbie Division and Result, they are heading for JJ and they have working satnav. We exchange pleasantries about a mutual acquaintance who ran the Townhead Hotel in Lockerbie many years ago, a real Celtic pub.

Vantage point in the James Joyce

Ten minutes or so later, we reach the James Joyce. The place is rocking. With no plan B for getting home, for once I put the sensible head on, taking a place at the end of the bar for a pint of god’s drink and some food. I am with my own and it feels good.

The bar staff seem surprised by the numbers and the atmosphere. They are under real pressure but polite, efficient and very friendly. The manager asks me why I’m so quiet compared to the others, I guess there’s a first time for everything. He also tells me that Hibs fans were in the previous week but that we are the better singers! Stick that in your Sunshine in Leith Lenny!

The James Joyce Bar

I witness a great cameo moment, as a Celt tries to convince the Greek barmaid to play his Eire Og CD and is genuinely hurt and surprised when she politely declines. There is no issue anyway, as it’s wall-to-wall Wolfe Tones and the party is in full swing as, reluctantly, I drag myself out of the pub for the long walk and slow tram ride home.

One more sleep until the match!

Speak tomorrow – result depending!

Matt Corr in Athens

If you missed part one of The Athens Diary (Sunday) you can catch up HERE.

About Author

Having retired from his day job Matt Corr can usually be found working as a Tour Guide at Celtic Park, or if there is a Marathon on anywhere in the world from as far away as Tokyo or New York, Matt will be running for the Celtic Foundation. On a European away-day, he's there writing his Diary for The Celtic Star and he's currently completing his first Celtic book with another two planned.

4 Comments

  1. Mon the Hoops. A win tonight and the protected Farts (Hearts) will shite themselves from now until Christmas.
    They know they will loose their way in the Dust we will leave in our wake. HH

      • l was indeed a member of the cairn csc in my younger days matt. l read your piece on the 80/81 season and the trip to highbury for the sammy nelson testimonial.It brought a smile to my face as that was where l first bought a pint of beer aged 15 in a pub called the gunners