Old Firm Games to Savour

My first celtic v rangers game was the 1969 scottish cup final, celtic were short of a few players including wee jinky and the huns were hot favourites.
Just before half time a 20 year old George Connelly coolly dispossessed Rangers captain John Greig on the edge of the box, took it round him again as he attempted to recover it then rounded the keeper and rolled the ball into the empty net.
This goal made it 3-0 to Celtic before chalmers had one chopped off then scored another to make it 4-0 and we won the treble for the second time in three years.

I was at that game Div remember when Bertie took the ball to the corner flag at the Ranger's end when we were ahead 4-0 I was sure he was gonna sit on the ball .
I remember that game like it was yesterday for it was my last for a long time.

It was a big deal then coz it was not something you saw scottish players really doing and I remember playing football over the school field after that and some of the celtic supporting lot doing a bertie and wasting time when we were winning and making a cnut out of the other team.
Connelly should have been in the record books as one of the greatest ever celts, instead he walked away when his career had only just started, if he had continued playing they would still be talking about him just now.

Same at Elland Rd the guy was so gifted it felt like you were watching him in slow motion for he made it look so easy.

I remember bit's and bob's about why he quit but what was the reason, shame to waste a talent that we could only dream of having.

saw a story long long time after he finished and there were a mixture of things, he was a very shy country boy who was married young and both him and his wife drank heavily, his marriage broke up and he drank more and apparently felt safer when back in his little fife village.
He won the player of the year award, got called up for scotland and done a runner again because it was all too much, I think he eventually ran away 5 times before celtic decided to call it a day with him.
I watched an interview with him 2 or 3 years ago and he has not drank for years now and says he accepts what happened and has no real regrets or thoughts of what could (should) have been.
He was still very withdrawn and probably not the brightest bulb in the box,,,,,,,,,, but what a player, total joy to watch

Do you remember about him being sent on to entertain the crowd at celtic park? half time , quarter final of the european cup, 16 years old and told to do keepy up? he started walking round the track keeping the ball up as the teams went up the tunnel ans was still bouncing it without it touching the ground when they came back out.
They had to stop him to restart the game,,,,,,,,,,Quality!!!!!!!!

I remember it well Div I was at that game, I knew it had something to do with Fife but was'nt sure what had happened.
Thank's for clearing that up.

There was a book about GC published a coupla years back - was called the lost bhoy or celtic's lost hero, something like that. Might be worth checking out.

I think it was celtics lost legend, Ive read bits and pieces of it in different papers and websites.

You old enough to have seen him as well?

Should still be getting spken about with Jinky, Mcgrory, larson etc.

No, when i was first 'celtic aware' he was spoken about in hushed tones.
It was the mid 70s - dalglish, mcgrain, hood, the last of the lions.
Was aware of the name GC, but also aware there was regret about his celtic career.

Bryzo there were many regret's over at Ipox about Dalglish's career, turned him down twice.