Celticunderground:the Celtic Football Fan Podcast

The 9iar Chronicles - Season not the ten 1974/75   Two Cups - but no Ten-in-a-Row League Position – 3rd - finishing 11pts behind Rangers who won the League and 4pts behind Hibernian League Cup – Winners Scottish Cup – Winners Drybrough Cup - Winners European Cup - First Round   Celtic were to miss out on a world record of ten consecutive League championships this season and had to be content with the two domestic cups and the Drybrough Cup in it's last year. This season saw the retirement of Billy McNeill and the departure on free transfers at the end of the season of the last true veterans of the golden age with the release of Jimmy Johnstone and Jim Brogan. The only remaining Lisbon Lion at the end of the season was Bobby Lennox.   Celtic did not travel abroad for any pre-season games this season but used the Drybrough Cup and domestic friendlies to sort the team out. There was an embarrassing one-off trip to West Germany to play Schalke 04 in Gelsenkirchen which ended in the joint highest defeat under Jo

The Rugby League Podcast!   Welcome to the Celtic Underground Rugby League podcast.  Listeners will be wondering why a Celtic fans podcast is talking about rubgy league - because we want to.   Although born in Scotland, all my relatives are from Cumbria and specifically, for those who know the area they are from an area steeped in rubgy league history - Whitehaven, Cleator Moor and into Workington.   When I grew up my mum’s dad was in to horse racing and Rugby League, Working Town Rugby League to be precise.  He obviously entertained football chat with his Celtic daft grandkids, but for this man from the mines, League was the sport for him.  It ingrained in me the concept that league was proper rugby and as I grew older and saw Union as the Toffs sport but arrogantly referred to as Rugby I retained that soft spot.    I’m not an avid watcher but I’ll look in when it’s on and will watch the Grand Final every year.  I have always felt League and the towns where it is based have a close affinity of the central be

A Double and Nine-in-a-Row League Position – 1st - Ninth League title in a row - a record League Cup – Losing Finalists Scottish Cup – Winners Drybrough Cup - Losing Finalists European Cup - Losing Semi-Finalists The most outstanding accolade of the season was the completion of nine League championship titles in a row closely followed by reaching the semi-finals of the European Cup for a fourth time they had reached that stage or beyond since 1967. For a club the size of Celtic in a nation the size of Scotland this was exceptional. That they never went on to the final was down to the cheating aspects of their semi-final opponents, Atletico Madrid, and the left-over taste of the nature of the games with them has remained with the club and supporters ever since 1974. The season began slowly with Jock Stein saying that he wanted to see the team play differently. The early Friendly games saw Celtic playing a one-touch game where the team endeavoured to control the ball and maintain possession. The early season

The Celtic Underground Top Ten season 2017-18   A topical podcast this week as we review the top ten players for the 7th season of the current 9iar….but don’t worry, the first 20 mins are disccusing the fact that tonight, as we record the podcast, Celtic are officially champions of Scotland AGAIN and have officially achieved 9iar AGAIN.   First up we have a very special message from the manager to all our listeners (yes, we actually do) and then we have a 20 minute chat about achieving 9iar and how it is better than expected.  From there we get to the meat and bones of the podcast and discuss your votes for the 2017-18 CU Top Ten.   You may wonder why it is season 2017-18.  Well, we collated the votes but unfortunately I was too busy with work and nevergot around to actually recording the podcast.  We must have a complet record and so the podcast is recorded.  We will be doing 2018-19 and  voting is open now (until midnight on 10th June) for the 2019-20 season Top Ten and Samars moment.  You can email podcast

The 9iar Chronicles - Season 8 1972/73   (Courtesy of The Celtic Wiki)   The New to the Fore. League Position – 1st - Eighth League title in a row - a record League Cup – Losing Finalists Scottish Cup – Losing Finalists Glasgow Cup - Not played this season Drybrough Cup - Losing Finalists European Cup - Second Round So close to being a Double; so close to being a Treble! And in the end a record consecutive eighth League Championship title. Season 1972-73 should have been the season when the club-developed players of the Quality Street Gang became the new Lions. It was the best season so far for them, with Kenny Dalglish showing himself as the most exciting footballer in Scotland at the age of 22; where George Connelly had it all and was very nearly an ever present in the side; where Davie Hay showed what a great utility player he could be,the emergence of Danny McGrain as a great overlapping full back.   But it was also the season of the wayward youth, with Lou Macari - spotted and developed by the club - d

SPFL TO RFC - WTF?   It’s here, the dossier that everyone (well everyone in scottish football) was waiting for.  The evidence, the whistle blower, the reports of bullying, the substantiation, the smoking guns, deep throat, the bombshells that would lead to the resignation of the CEO were all…well NOT there.   Unfortunately RFC seem to confuse questions with evidence and fact with opinion.   Following it’s publication, their CEO (who sits on the SPFL board that is so useless) appeared on Radio Clyde.  after his appearance I’m even more confused as to what it is they want an inquiry into.   Anyway, we set about trying to disect it the whole mess.  I am joined by Anthony Murray and David Low to look at this as objectively as Celtic fans can.   Enjoy… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

The 9iar Chronicles - Season Seven, 1971/72   A Blend of Old and New   League Position – 1st - Seventh League title in a row - a record League Cup – Losing Finalists Scottish Cup – Winners Glasgow Cup - Not played this season Drybrough Cup - Losing Finalists European Cup - Semi Finalists   Season 1971-72 was a significant season as it really marked the start of a new chapter for the club, of players that had begun to appear the previous season but made their true marks this season. It also marked in truth the end of the Lisbon Lions era (but not the memory of that great team) with the departure of so many that had made up that team. The Main Stand had been substantially rebuilt and upgraded during the closed season and was formally opened by Jimmy McGrory on the 1st September 1971 with a game against South American Champions Nacional of Uruguay, Celtic running out 3-0 winners.   By this point Celtic had already lost the inaugural Drybrough Cup to Aberdeen. This was an interesting competition historically as

The 9iar Chronciles - Season Six 1970/71   Merely Champions? Merely a Double? The End of an Era?   League Position – 1st - Sixth League title in a row League Cup – Losing Finalists Scottish Cup – Winners Glasgow Cup - Semi-Final European Cup - Quarter Final   Celtic won their sixth successive League Championship and the League and Scottish Cup Double - the 7th time they had achieved this. But many folk were now shaking their heads and saying that the team was not what it was. The problem appeared to be less in what was on display but how the team achieved it's wins and the manner of those wins.   Celtic had invested heavily in youth in the past and in the development of players through from youths and Juniors through to first team players. Sir Robert Kelly had warned Celtic supporters in the fallow years to be patient and to wait for the youngsters coming through. That wait had resulted in the Lisbon Lions and the years of fat which preceded this season. Further investment in youth saw the emergence of the

Covid or Novid   As you will hear, this is not our usual Celtic Underground guest - for a start she doesn’t go to games…  More importantly that attending Celtic games however, she is working to save lives.  Haley (my niece) is a nirse currently working in A&E, sometimes in general accodent & emergency, other times (liek this past week) on the Covid19 ward.  To use the hospital jargon, she is either Covd or Novid.   Don’t worry, the content won’t unnerve (it might even put your mind at rest) for example A&E’s are quieter than normal.   She talks through what you might find if you go to hospital for whatever reason, what some of the symptoms are to look out for, how here and her colleagues are coping and, of course, the situation with PPE.   Enjoy… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

The 9iar Chronicles - Season Five 1969/70   A brilliant season that was nearly incredible!     League Position – 1st - Fifth League title in a row League Cup – Winners Scottish Cup – Losing finalists Glasgow Cup - European Cup - Losing finalists     When you look at that list of season accomplishments above you would have to conclude that it was so close to being a very successful season. The Double was very nearly a treble and close to a European quadruple. The truth is in the detail.   The one word that many people use when describing this season is 'complacency' The League was won by a clear 12 points from second placed (again) Rangers. Four league games were lost, three of them at home to Hibernian, Hearts and Aberdeen with the one away loss to Dunfermiline. The team played for the most part 'within' themselves and this led a number of observers to state that at times the team were over-confident and complacent in their handling of the game.   However, as the podcast confirms, this was somewhat unfair  

The 9iar Chronicles - Season Four 1968/69   TREBLES ALL ROUND!     League Position – 1st - Fourth League title in a row League Cup – Winners Scottish Cup – Winners Glasgow Cup - Semi-Final European Cup - Quarter Final   An extremely successful season, the second treble season and the 6th League and Cup double. Only two blips dotted the horizon. Those were the quarter final loss to AC Milan, who went on to win the European Cup this season, and losses home and away to Rangers in the League. They still finished five points behind in second place in the league, a result that again prompted whole scale changes across the river. The other loss in the league was at home to Morton at the end of the season. A total of 29 games were won with 89 goals for and 32 against and the points total was 55. The previous season had seen 30 wins with a massive 106 goals for and 24 against and 63 points.   Celtic had been one of the first clubs to protest against the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. This led to the eastern Bloc

Aitch is retired! I love having guests on the podcast. Most of the time we have myself and the usual team of guys discussing the events of the day affecting our cub however every so ogten we get guests on to provide us with a little something extra. What makes the guest so great is that they give up, what usually ends up being 2 hours+ of their day to be “interviewed” by a complete amatuer and they do so willingly and for free. What is also great is when the guest has so many stories that I run out of time to ask all the questions that pop into my head and that was the case with Andrew. A great guest who was at Celtic during an incredible time, Andrew has some brilliant stories to tell. so many in fact that we will need him back on again because, after 90 minutes I ran out of time. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed recording this. Enjoy… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscrib

The 9iar chronicles - Season Three 1967/68   The Second Greatest Season EVER in the History of the Club - and a Double season.   League Position – 1st - Third League title in a row League Cup – Winners Scottish Cup – First Round Glasgow Cup - Winners European Cup - First Round After the highs of 1967-68 it would be difficult to know how to go forward with the club. That Jock Stein had a vision of where the club should be was without doubt. He had clearly shown that the club could move forward with suitable backing and one voice. That direction was most clearly in Europe and to be recognised as a great and formidable club. And for this reason Europe and the participation in European competitions was THE most important thing. That is not to say that the other games were non-important. If Jock Stein was anything, he was competitive and aspirational. Having done it once, he wanted to do it again.   It seems almost inevitable as nemesis follows hubris that having won the competition at the first time of asking t

Tale from the Celtic Wiki plus the radio commentary of the goals There is little introduction required for Celtic fans of this game - 25th May 1967. Celtic 2-1 Inter Milan. This 9iar extra features a return of The Human Torpedo and a Tale from The Celtic Wiki and the radio commentary of the goals from the game. Enjoy... This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

The 9iar chronicles - Season Two 1966/67   This is the second in our nine in a row diaries and it is the story of the most remarkable season - The greatest season ever in the history of the club and one of the greatest seasons of any football club anywhere. • League Position – 1st - Second League title in a row League Cup – Winners Scottish Cup – Winners Glasgow Cup - Winners European Cup - Winners   Every competition that the club entered it won. There can be no better season than 1967. The first North European club to win the European Cup since the competition started in 1955. The FIRST BRITISH TEAM TO DO SO.   The previous season had been good but this season was outstanding. Jock Stein deservedly won the title of Best British Manager for the second successive season. If other teams had sat up and looked at Celtic and their manager during the previous season, then with the win in Lisbon the whole of the world became aware of Jock Stein and Celtic.   The foundations for this outstanding success had alread

The UK (and most of Europe) lockdown continues but that never stops the Celtic chat.  This week I am joined by someone who I have met many times at post game Celtic press conferences and someone I have been meaning to get on for some time - John Gallagher.   John is a former professional footballer who played and coached at a level below the top flight but far above the standard most of us could only dream of however the main reason I have John on the pod is because John generates the Opta stats at Celtic home games.   In this pod John explains exactly how those stats are created and gives an insight into how that makes you see things a little differently.   I am joined from Bratislava by @antonymurray25 and we quiz John on his time in the lower leagues and his time at Opta.   Enjoy… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

The 9iar Chronicles - Season 1965-66   This current period we are hoping to achieve the magical 10+ in a row and eclipse the 9 in a row done by another Glasgow team through the 1990s.  Biu of course they were not the first club to achieve that level of success.  The first Scottish team to win 9iar were the magical Glasgow Celtic, managed by the incredible Jock Stein and the first season in that run was 1965-66.   Celtic has been in the wilderness of the Scottish game prior to the return of Jock as manager in the spring of 1965 and this season marked his first full season back at the club as manager and the first season which saw major successes finally come Celtic's way.   The clear difference in the performance of Celtic prior to this season and hereafterwards was the role of Jock Stein as manager. He drove the club and the players to new heights. It was not so much that the players were different before and after his arrival (discussed in the previous season review). It was more that the training and direct

We are in unprecedented times and that requires an unprecedented quality of guest and so this week we have an actual brain surgeon on the podcast!   Originally @pablo567 was going to be on to discuss heading of the football and dementia however with the current crisis we thought it would be better to have him on to discuss how the SPFL wrap up the season.  We discuss at length when and why Celtic will be crowned Champions.   In addition to the football we also manage to squeeze in why having a free at the point if use health service is such a wonderful thing to cherish and we mention briefly Covid-19, why you should switch off the news and how were are going to get through this (and wash your hands)   Enjoy… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

On Thursday night Celtic played Copenhagen and during the game we decided to give them a little thank you for being such good hosts the previous week.  So we took 3 goals, tied them up in a parcel, put on a lovely bow a gift wrapped the best present we could…   Yes we are so generous that we gifted them safe passage to the last 16 of the Europa League by making an absolute pigs ear of the home leg following the 1-1 draw in Denmark.   In this podcast we pick over the bones of Thursday night’s game and discuss team selection and the system we played.  I provide my descriptions of the goals after being at the game and refusing to watch any highlights and Antony (who braved that job) gives me his review of my description.   Enjoy…(if you can) This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

Podcast Xtra - Celtic 5 Hearts 0   Tonight Celtic thumped Hearts by 5 goals at Celtic Park with the atmosphere greatly enhanced with some late goals just down the M77 at Kilmarnock meaning that the lead at the top of the table is now 10 points.   After the game Neil Lennon, Jozo, the Hearts manager and a Hearts player spoke with the press.  The Hearts manager rambled and I’m not sure he’ll be their answer.  It was a great night.   Enjoy… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe