The Celtic Star of the Decade – 1990-1999 is The Maestro, Paul McStay

The Celtic Star of the Decade

11. The Celtic Star of the Decade – 1990-1999 – Paul McStay…

It remains one of the major tragedies of Celtic’s recent history that one of their greatest ever players, Paul McStay, was compelled to play in the 1980s which were strange, unpredictable and quixotic, and then the early 1990s which were quite simply bad.

Yet it is to the credit of this man that he emerged with his dignity intact and his reputation enhanced. True, he did not win anything like the amount of medals that he should have – a total of 3 League medals, 4 Scottish Cup medals and 1 Scottish League Cup medal to add to his 76 caps for Scotland.

He had emerged in the early 1980s as a classy midfield player with visionary passing ability and an eye for goal. He had had success in those times, but when Roy Aitken left in 1990, he was appointed captain of a team that was visibly failing to cope with a Board of Directors that seemed to be quite content to allow Rangers to win trophies and to hope for some miracle to change things. Manager Billy McNeill left in 1991, Liam Brady was nothing like up to the job, and in spite of McStay’s efforts, things were visibly falling apart for him. Yet somehow or other, he kept the playing side of things respectable at least and the supporters’ slogan of “Back The Team, Sack The Board” was in some ways a tribute to Paul.

Nemesis visited the Board in spring 1994, but total redemption and a return to trophy winning was still a long way off. McStay tragically was the man who missed the penalty in the shoot-out in the League Cup final, but his day eventually came when he captained the side to the winning of the Scottish Cup in May 1995. Those who loved Paul McStay enjoyed that, and next year it was only by the narrowest of margins that Celtic failed to win the Premier League.

In March 1997, McStay now 33, limped off Stark’s Park, Kirkcaldy and never played again for the club nor indeed for any other club. He was always and only Paul McStay of Celtic, literally born into the club for which his great uncles played with such distinction in the 1920s. He played 515 times for the club and scored 57 goals.

He was quite simply an outstanding player, unfortunate enough to be around at the wrong time.

David Potter

Some additional reading about Paul McStay on The Celtic Star…

The Maestro, Paul McStay – ‘His contribution to Celtic is unquantifiable’…see HERE.

Paul McStay and Andy Walker, the Celtic Heroes and STV actually had a helicopter!…see HERE.

‘Paul McStay had absolutely everything, he could have played anywhere in world football,’ Kevin McLaughlin….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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