Roy arrived at Celtic Park – and Stein didn’t know why
Joe Hart is in line to make his league debut for Celtic when they host Dundee this afternoon.
The goalie comes to the SPFL with a highprofile reputation, and best known for his exploits with Manchester City and England.
Not all of the Hoops’ signings arrive as household names.
Roy Baines had a short spell with Celtic, but it was an unusual trip to Parkhead nearly 10 years before he signed for the club that started his career.
In 1968, he came to Glasgow for a trial that should never have taken place.
Roy recalled: “I had been with Derby County since I was 15, but hadn’t been anywhere near the first team.
“When Brian Clough took over as manager, there were loads of trialists arriving, and I wasn’t getting any games at all.
“I decided to stick in at getting a trade as a litho printer. It seemed a football career wasn’t going to happen for me.
“I’d been playing for a local team, and it was mentioned to me that I could get a trial for Celtic. I was keen to give it a go.
“So I arrived in Glasgow – only to be told by Jock Stein that someone had been kidding me on!
“But he agreed to have a look at me because I’d travelled all the way up from England.
“I must have done alright because he telephoned Hibs’ manager, Bob Shankly, and said he should consider me.
“Shankly was looking for a young goalkeeper, and that led to me signing on at Easter Road.
“I went to Edinburgh for the first time in my life, and I’ve been in Scotland ever since.”
There were 28 games in three years with the Hibees for Roy before another Celtic connection sent his career in a new direction.
He said: “I was released by Hibs and, unknown to me, Bertie Auld phoned Hal Stewart at Morton and put in a good word.
“Bertie had been coaching the reserves at Hibs, so knew me well. Many years later, I found out what he’d done and thanked him.”
Morton were getting one of the best goalkeepers in their long history. Roy spent 10 years at Cappielow, split by his two-year stint with Celtic.
For any goalkeeper, a penalty kick that doesn’t hit the net is a reason to celebrate.
One of those occasions came when Roy made his first start for Celtic in 1977.
Jock Stein had remembered Roy, now 71, and signed him in 1976.
He said: “My first start was against Dundee United and their goalie, Hamish Mcalpine, was taking their penalties.
“I saved his kick with the score at 0-0 and I remember seeing all the fans hands in the air. It’s a nice memory.
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the ball up pitch before Hamish raced back to his goal because Tom Mcadam blocked me.”
Then exactly 40 years ago, on August 8, 1981, Rangers full-back, Alex Miller, missed a penalty against Morton and Roy punched the air.
He recalled: “A policeman came to speak to me after that, and said my reaction could have led to crowd trouble.
“It was just a bit of a kick up the backside, and nothing else was said about it. The referee didn’t seem concerned and didn’t take any action.”
It was a one-time Rangers keeper that Roy credits with being his greatest influence.
He said: “When Erik Sorensen retired from playing at Morton, he taught me an enormous amount about goalkeeping.
“I owe that man so much, and I still call him at his home in Denmark every week for a chat.”
Fans in Greenock will particularly remember the Morton side of the late 1970s that made it to the Premier Division, and made a real nuisance of themselves.
In 1980, Benny Rooney’s side were secondtop of the Premier League at the start of March.
They were champions-to-be Aberdeen’s bogey side that season, and there were also two cup semi-finals that were narrowly lost.