The Celtic Star of the Decade – 1980-1989 is Roy Aitken, let’s Feed the Bear

The Celtic Star of the Decade

10. The Celtic Star of the Decade – 1980-1989 – Roy Aitken…

The 1980s were a confusing, topsy-turvy sort of decade for Celtic. Moments of extreme happiness were intertwined with moments of barely believable disappointments and heartbreaks.

Managers came, went, came back again, we had players as good as any we have ever had at the club, but we couldn’t be consistently successful, we had one brilliant player who failed to appear for a Scottish Cup semi-final then departed after playing his part in the throwing away of the League,the club reached the pinnacle of achievement winning the League and Cup double in 1988, then blew it all immediately, while sowing the seeds of its own destruction.

All this was amazing stuff – throw in Rapid Vienna, Albert Kidd and Judas Johnston and the whole thing was crazy. But one man remained constant throughout all this – step forward, Roy Aitken.

Still a schoolboy when he joined Celtic in 1975, he played 15 years for the club, winning the Scottish League on 6 occasions, the Scottish Cup on five and perhaps surprisingly, only one Scottish League Cup in his 667 appearances for Celtic.

He played for Scotland 57 times – and Scotland, of course, in the 1980s is an equally bewildering tale.

He is best remembered perhaps for his Scottish Cup finals. Harshly ordered off in 1984 when Celtic lost, he then took a grip of the team in 1985 and inspirationally, turned a losing position in 1985 into glorious victory. He did the same thing in 1988, then refused to be cowed by Graeme Souness’ s thugs in 1989.

It was also Aitken in the League campaigns of 1986 and 1988 who turned round many difficult situations into triumphs.

He could play as a defender or in midfield and arguments raged about what was his best position. Maybe he was just a little too careless (with an awful first touch on occasion) to be a world class defender, and he was better as an inspiration in the centre of the park.

His departure was a sad one – driven out by a combination of a glory hunting journalist called Gerry McNee and a few ungrateful Parkhead boo boys who had been reading that journalist rather too much, and blamed all the manifold woes of Celtic in 1989/90 on Roy. It would never happened had The Celtic Star been around in this days!

But that is Celtic supporters for you! Some of them booed Fergus McCann as well! And I have heard Kenny Dalglish, Paul McStay and Henrik Larsson all getting the works, now and again. I am prepared to put the great and immortal Roy Aitken into that bracket.

He was never really a success at Newcastle, St Mirren or Aberdeen (when he became their Manager).

He was always Roy Aitken of Celtic, and was undeniably The Celtic Star of the 1980s.

David Potter

Some additional reading about Roy Aitken on The Celtic Star…

‘It was like big Roy Aitken had killed the guy and they were putting a sheet over him,’ Dougie McGuire…see HERE.

Jim Craig – Bonner, McGrain, Reid, Aitken, W McStay, MacLeod, Colquhoun, P McStay, McGarvey, Sinclair and McClair…see HERE.

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About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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