Red mist at the fives led to four-week ban for Paddy
Many Celtic fans believe there’s rarely been a more uncertain start to a season for their club than this one.
But trouble in Paradise is really nothing new. Sixty years ago, there were plenty of worried supporters with green-and-white scarves.
Their favourites were hoping to improve on the previous season’s fourth-place finish in season 1960-61 when Rangers had taken the title, with Kilmarnock and Third Lanark second and third.
Their hopes of a Celtic revival weren’t helped by the problems being faced by star midfielder, Paddy Crerand.
He was already facing a seven-day suspension after being sent off playing for Scotland against Czechoslovakia in Bratislava.
Worse was to come on July 29, when Celtic took part in the Falkirk Sports Day.
Paddy recalled: “There were all sorts of athletics events taking place at Brockville, and we sent a team along to play in the five-a-sides.
“A few clubs held them, and it was quite good fun. Nothing like it happens now.
“There was always a bit of tension when you went to Falkirk as a Celtic player.
“We played the hosts in the semis, and I was subjected to unacceptable abuse by one of their players. I had a bit of a temper, and punched him. “That led to me being sent off by the referee.” The newly-qualified Grade One official, Mr JW Paterson of Linlithgow, struggled to get Crerand to leave the field. He eventually did, thanks to the prompting of team-mate Jim Kennedy,and trainer Bob Rooney.
“I had lost it by that point,” says Paddy. “I felt I was being harshly treated. But that wasn’t the end of it, and my team-mate, Mike Jackson, then got his marching orders along with a Falkirk player.
“Not surprisingly, our three remaining players lost the match.”
Amazingly, Crerand was suspended for four weeks without pay by Celtic.
It’s unlikely that modern employment law would allow a club to punish a player like that.
Paddy went on: “I wasn’t really surprised at what came my way. Celtic under chairman, Bob Kelly, was a very strict place, very strict indeed. “It was a shambles of a club at the time. “The training consisted of two hours running round the track. There was no ball work.
“The manager, Jimmy Mcgrory, wouldn’t say anything. He just walked out for a look at the players as he puffed on a pipe.
“Jock Stein had been doing a great job with the young players but he left to become Dunfermline manager.
“I had played under him in the reserves, and
you could tell he was way ahead of his time. He turned Dunfermline into a great team and they beat us in the Scottish Cup Final.
“I had gone to Manchester United by the time he came back to become Celtic manager.”
Paddy didn’t play again until September 2, helping his team to a 2-1 win over Hibs. But they’d had a difficult start without him and endured another trophyless season.
Now 82, Paddy is as fit and forthright as ever. He’s in the gym five days a week.
Sadly, his cousin, former Celtic star Charlie Gallagher, passed away last month.
He said: “Charlie and I both had Irish parents, and could have played for Ireland. He did pick up a couple of caps for them.
“I recently found out that the great-greatgreat-grandmother of new United States President, Joe Biden, came from the same village as my mother – Magheraclogher in Donegal.
“My family is delighted to hear we are distant relatives.”