Celticunderground:the Celtic Football Fan Podcast

This week St Anthony is joined by another star of the hoops from the late 70's and early 80's, Davie Provan.  For the 40 somethings and upwards Davie was an excellent winger who (along with Murdo McLeod)  was able to fire in the odd spectacular free kick the most famous of which gets a wee airing on this podcast. Davie was perhaps unforunate to come up against John Robertson and Davie Cooper otherwise he may have won more caps for Scotland and his career was cut short by ME, an illness which some 30 years later is still not that well understood.  His impact on the team and the way the fans thought of him perhaps reflected in circa 42,000 turning up for his testimonial on a cold November night in 1987 (these were the days when a big crowd was 35,000 against Hibs or Aberdeen).  For younger fans Davie is a media pundit. The first song is from the chart when he signed, the last when he scored THAT free kick.   Enjoy. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to b

This week St Anthony returns with another former Celtic star from many of our youths - Mike Conroy. Mike signed for Celtic in 1978 and scored on his debut - unfortunately that was a 4-1 defeat to Hibs.  Mike was at Celtic at a time when the middle of the park had good young talent and competed for a starting place with the likes of Tommy Burns, Mudro McLeod, Davie Provan, Johnny Doyle, Dom Sullivan and Paul McStay.  These were the days before squad rotation and when teams won leagues using the same 11 starting players week after week.  Like our previous guest Sullivam, Mike eventually moved on to find regular first team football.  A man with Celtic heritage, Mike gave his all for the jersey. 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

This week St Anthony joins Harry Brady to discuss all things Celtic, the season past, manager past and the manager future. At the time of recording the two gents had a good idea that Ronny Deila would be the next Celtic manager, but nothing was confirmed.  This didn't stop them from doing what all good Celtic fans have been doing online and extrapalate from the 3 online articles in English about Deila into a full and detailed review of the "potential" new guy. In addition to the new guy, the pair also take time to discuss the best signing strategy and Harry decides to play the awkward bugger and play devils advocate to every idea St Anthony proposes - ENJOY! Contibutors are on twitter; @stephen62572930@Harrybradycu 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

This week Harry is joined by a non-Celtic guest - Richard Gordon of BBC Sportsound fame.  Richard discusses his love for Aberdeen, but more importantly his passion about Scottish football and his career covering the game and some of the challenges covering the Dons (strangely enough 9-0 at Celtic Park sprang to mind!) Richard has a book coming out covering the first World Cup he has a memory of; West Germany 1974.  The book is out on May 12th. http://www.blackandwhitepublishing.com/index.php/books/view/scotland_74_a_world_cup_story 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

This week Harry is joined by financial whizzkid Hullbhoy to discuss Celtic, Lee Griffiths  and the implications of Scotland's newest club joining the ranks of Third Lanark, Gretna and Rangers as deceased clubs. Before all of that discussion, Harry has a brief chat with Mark from the Celtic foundation about how to get involved in assisting the club raise funds for homeless charities in Glasgow.  The last game of the season special Celtic Foundation "Football For Good" badges will be available to buy with minimum donation of £1.  Helpers are required to rattle the buckets and sell the badges.  We often talk about what makes us different and the foundation of the club around charitable aims.  That charitable function disappeared for most of the 20th century but was re-instigated by Fergus.  As we know, March was the 20th anniversary of Fergus saving our club from the embarrassment of administration and how fitting that whilst other clubs use their charitable arm to stay trading (allegedly) our charity is going f

This week St Anthony is joined by former Celtic midfielder Dom Sullivan. Dom signed for Celtic in 1979 from Aberdeen for the not too triffling amount of £80,000, following the road taken by his former manager Billy McNeil.  This was a time when squads were small, typically championship winning teams could have as few as 15 or 16 players making first team appearances through the season therefore when a young Paul McStay broke into the side, eventually Dom moved on in 1983.   In his time at the club Dom made 113 appearances scoring 15 goals. More podcasts are to come but meantime if your making your plans for the last game of the season, don't forget the badge day for the Celtic Foundation; http://www.celticfc.net/charity/ 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

PODIUM! Sorry but how could I possibly have someone on discussing a CQN Book and not make one podium reference?  Anyway, this week I am joined by Brogan Rogan Trevino & Hogan to discuss the latest output from the Celtic conglomerate CQN - Seville: The Celtic Movement. BRTH sets explains that at times many of us (especially the online Celtic community over the last 2 -3 years) can get too hung up on all the politics surrounding the Scottish game and forget that going to the football with your mates or family is a fun social event, none more so than Seville.  The book therefore is a celebration of that communal fan spirit that was never more evident than around that game.  The book therefore is a fans book telling the fans tails of the game - or more importantly getting to and from the game rather than accounts of the match itself. Like all good book sellers BRTH refuses to divulge any of the stories (you need to read the book) but the lads do a little reminicing whilst discussing everything around the game

This is our first podcast since becoming the champions again and cenemting ourselves as the most succesful living club in Scotland.  No matter how succesful we become we must savour every success and one man who knew that was Sean Fallon.  A Celtic great for decades, Sean saw many good and bad times and his biographer, Stephen Sullivan is the guest for this weeks podcast. Stephen, formerly of The Celtic View and Celtic website joins St Anthony to dicsuss all things Celtic and specifically his biography of the great Sean Fallon - Celtic's Iron Man. St Anthony and Stephen Sullivan can both be found on twitter; @SullivanSK@Beverlyhill90210 sorry I meant @stephen62572390 You can buy the book in various places inc;http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sean-Fallon-Celtics-Iron-Man/dp/1909430013 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

This week St Anthony returns with another fantastic guest able to provide an insight into the history of the club - a man with a very famous name in the club's history: Neil Mochan. Neil Mochan Jnr discusses his fathers 40 years plus association with the club and also the fothcoming book.  An excellent listen. St Anthony can be found on twitter  @Stephen62572390 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

This week Harry Brady managed to sneak back into Celtic Park for another interview with fan liaison officer John Paul Taylor. JP was on a podcast at the start of the season outlining the purpose of his new position back at Celtic Park and after 8 months Harry re-visits to see if it's all going to plan.  JP is his usual open and honest self, providing an overview of his work to date and also where the club are with the Green Brigade, safe standing, kick off times and other matters.  Also the recent fans forum meeting is discussed and JP outlines the club's thinking on this. John Paul can be contacted by email, letter or telephone at Celtic Park and also on twitter; @Celticfcslo 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 Game Is Over, The Rebels Have Won" These words are burned into my soul, won of the most defining moments for our club in my lifetime.  Our club was miandering towards oblivion, caught in the headlights of the Ibrox juggernought.  Following the Ibrox disaster, Rangers had created the most modern stadium in Scotland.  Complete with commercial revnue streams available to no-one else they had then taken advantage of thefreezing out from European football of English clubs to hoover up the best of British talent.  Our club had neither the facilities nor the people to compete.  We were heading towards administration. Thanks to the work of the guys at Celts for Change and business people with the the support was galvanised future of Celtic their only concern, the bills were paid and Celtic stayed in business. There then followed the most amazing transformation of our club.  Rangers couldn't compete and turned to cheating to stay on our coat tails, eventually going bust under the burden of competing with Celtic. 

This is the second of our two podcasts with forner General Manager Jock Brown where he discusses his time at Celtic.  This week there is more on his relationship with Wim Jansen and Murdo McLoed, how he would do anything to ensure there was no 10 in a row and his sadness at the leaks coming from the lesser member of that management duo.  Brown alos talks of his respect for Dr Jo and the excitement when Dr Jo took him to see Lubo. If you've not listened to 210 (a) I would suggest doing that first, this one will then make more sense. Any ideas for a podcast? Email Harrybradycu@gmail.com 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

This week Harry is joined by another man from Celtic's recent history, but this time it is one of the more controversial figures - former general manager Jock Brown. At the club for just for 17 months, his tenure coincided with the final push of the failed Murray regime to achieve ten in a row and consequently this period also saw the hight of the media campaign to unsettle Celtic.  Many would argue Fergus assisted that campaign by dismissing Tommy Burns and then appointing Brown along with "the worst thing to hit Japan since Hiroshima" in a very different structure to anything else in British football. Those around at the time will recall the events and will have their own recollections - this is Jocks. 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

This week St Anthony is joined by the ever young Joe Miller.  For me Joe was the start of the realisation that I may never ever get to play for Celtic.  Born in the year of the lisbon success, I was studying for my O Grades when this young lad, the same age as my brother burst onto the scene at Aberdeen.  I began to realise I may be too late... After 60 first team games for the Dons young Joe signed for his bhoyhood heroes and graced the hoops for 6 years.  Joe returned to the Dons and appeared a further 149 times for them. St Ant & Joe discuss his career and his role in setting up the Celtic former players association. St Anthony can be found on twitter;@Stephen62572930 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

January 1994 and Celtic football club is approaching its lowest ebb. Whilst the new owner of Rangers decides to accelerate the south side's clubs splash the cash philosophy, over at Celtic the club lurches ever closer to oblivion. In a desperate attempt to hide the reality, the Celtic board provide manager Macari with some limited funds to spend on players to appease the fans. In come the likes of Martin, Biggins and Miggleton.History has not judged that Celtic team well but were all the players THAT bad? It wasn't until Carl Muggleton's 7th league game for Celtci that he conceeded his first goal and on this weeks podcast Harry Brady is joined by Carl to discuss that time and his career in general. What comes through is a guy who, despite everything, remembers his brief time at the hoops fondly and more than anything is a guy who just loved playing football.Both can be found on twitter;@carlmuggletonand@harrybradycu This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access t

Once again this week Harry makes way for the professionals as St ANthony talks with author of Paradise road, Mr Stephen O'Donnell.Paradise Road tells the story of Kevin ‘Garra’ McGarry and his assortment of Celtic fan mates from Kirkintilloch as they struggle to get by in their mundane lives which are only brightened by the existence of their favourite football team.Both authors can be found on twitter;@StephenODauthorand@Stephen62572390 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

I know, you wait for ages for a podcast then two come along at once however you don't have to suffer Harry Brady twice as (apart from a wee intro) this week it is St Anthony who takes the reigns and he is joined by Pual Dykes, author of the book The Quality Street Gang.This book details the story of a bygone age when a collection of promising youngsters joined Celtic in the 1960's and became the most talented reserve side that Scottish football has ever had the privilage of witnessing.  Today's podcast contributors can be found on twitter;@pauldykes@stephen62572390 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

This week marks the first podcast of 2014, and first footing Harry is Lachie Mor. Armed with his lump of coal and hawf, Lachie discusses the performance at Motherwell and again the pair discuss the point of many fans - they're not fussed about a winning run if it is replaced by a run of games for some of our younger players.After discussing this and just how good VVD is, the pair also touch on where the club was 20 years ago because we have a very special anniversary looming.The contributors can be found on twitter;@Lachiemor1@Harrybradycu 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

After a week when the online chat has been about pyro, seats and signing policies, Harry Brady is joined by St Anthony to discuss... football!The initial concept of the bhoys is to talk about the great performances of Hearts and Motherwell and the inglorious display in Barcelona.  Instead the bhoys discuss a bit of the good displays in Edinburgh and Motherwell and then move onto the challenge of how to move the best youths in Scotland into becoming the best first team players in Scotland, and don't really reach a solution apart from just playing them.The participants on this weeks podcast can be found on twitter;@Harrybradycu@stephen62572390 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

This week Harry is joined by Dr Clifford Stott - one of the world's leading experts on crowd management and specifically policing of football supporters.  For once Harry's chat is limited as he listens to a real expert talk about crowd control and policing at football and what should and shouldn't happen.  In a Celtic context, the guys specifically discuss the recent issues in Amsterdam where Dr Stott identifies that there MUST have been a breakdown in communication and decision making over the course of the run up to and night of trouble in Dam Square.  The guys also then go on to discuss the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act.  Stott discusses it's validity in the context of the Human Rights Act and also whether it has actually set back policing of football in Scotland - Overall a quite fascinating listen.Dr & Professor Clifford Stott  joined the University of Leeds in September 2012 as a Visiting Professor to the Socio-Technical Centre. He then took up a full time post as Principal Research Fellow to