More from The East is Green…
Cesar’s header
Another thing about the old terracing whether Celtic Park, Ibrox or Hampden whenever the opposite side scored a goal you would see the whole end rising all at once but it would take a second or two before the sound wave sailed across and hit you. These days you don’t get it with smaller all seated grounds but still get that feeling in the pit of your stomach.
Big John’s header
This was in the late 60s the St. Pat’s bus was leaving from the Lorna Doon in the High Street it was made up mainly of guys in their late teens and early twenties almost a borstal boys’ day outing.
There was always a crowd of us but we got separated in the ground at the ’69 Scottish Cup final. I was with Tam McKearney and John Keogh, we were a big family and you know what happens in big families, disagreements now and again. After one of these Paddy Miller said to the two participants sort it out off the bus, they got off at the West End, near Lizars specs shop. The confrontation was between big John and one of the older guys, it was the first time I have ever seen someone’s feet go from underneath him when big John nutted him, sorry Tam you had it coming.
Bertie’s header
Most of us will have heard of Bertie’s cracks like being asked how he thought the Lisbon Lions would have matched against the current at that time Walter Smith’s nine in a row side. ‘‘No problem, ‘‘says Bertie ‘‘But you must remember son most of us are in our seventies now”.
There’s a photo of Bertie Auld scoring the first equalising goal against Dunfermline in the 1965 SCF he is up in the air ready to head it into the net. I asked two anoraks Frank and Todd what happened just before that, both of them got it right away. Charlie Gallagher thumped one of his left footers from outside the box the ball hit the top of the bar went straight up in the air and Bertie knocked it in when it came down.
Then I asked them how could the ball go straight up and not spin over the bar same quick response again – square crossbar and goalposts. The ball hitting the top of a crossbar these days would spin over the top because of the oval shape. Hampden and Ibrox were among the latter grounds to change to FIFA standards.
I shouldn’t call them anoraks I had to know the answers to ask them the questions.
Chop lifting
When it was near the end of Jinky’s life and he was losing the use of his hands he was having a meal before a game one day in the lounge at Celtic Park with Bertie who brought him some lovely lamb chops, later Bertie went back for some more Jinky shouts over “Bertie get me some more of those chops will you?”
Bertie went into the kitchen to help himself, but the chef caught him and bundled him out by the scruff of the neck, “see that ya wee bugger cos o’ you am getting done for chop lifting!”
“Whit a bloody cairry oan”
The East is Green is a self published booklet written by life-long Celtic supporter Brian McAuley, who has also personally designed so many Celtic Supporters Club badges and many of them will be shown on The Celtic Star as we serialise this brilliant little book. Running to just over 100 pages it’s a great insight into supporting Celtic and attending games stretching as far back as the 1950s to the modern day.
As we have done previously with Jerry Woods’ brilliant To Lisbon and Back on a Fiver, we’re happy to put any reader in touch with Brian and he’s post and package you a copy of The East is Green for the very reasonable cost of £5 plus postage. Just drop an email to editor@thecelticstar.co.uk and we’ll make the necessary introductions.
