Of all the Celtic legends, that of “John Thomson (Prince of Goalkeepers)” is among the most enduring.  Today, exactly eighty years since the heroic tragedy of his death, making his final save in typically fearless fashion, we at 25thMay1967 honour, in verse, the man behind the legend. Over the past weekend, The John Thomson Memorial…

I’m going to keep this simple.  I reckon the squad needs five or six specialist goalscorers; and in my humble opinion, three walk in unopposed, as iconic figures in the history of our great club. Predictably, the “Big Three” are Jimmy Quinn, leader of the line for Willie Maley’s Edwardian Six-in-a-Row squad and Celtic’s first…

At lunchtime today, in his home town of Viewpark, a Memorial Garden will be officially opened and dedicated to the memory of the unforgettable Jimmy Johnstone. To mark the occasion, we are proud to re-publish “Heart of a Lion”, our poetic tribute to the Wee Man. With the heart of a lion, a Lisbon Lion,…

Yesterday’s reports, if true, of the loss (to Chelsea!!!) of young prospect Islam Feruz, are extremely disappointing and surely beg the question … HOW COME? The emotive circumstances surrounding the acquisition of the precocious young Somali and his apparently prodigious talent should have ensured that Celtic would, at least, reap some tangible benefit of his…

Throughout Celtic history, an attacking philosophy has largely prevailed (call it “The Glasgow Celtic Way”, if you like) and wingers have always been close to the hearts of Hoops fans.  For the purposes of this exercise, the term “winger” will be applied equally to the conventional concept of the touchline specialist of the 1-2-3-5 formation…

Now, I like a good laugh as much as the next guy; but farce has no place in government legislation, particularly when it comes to the serious business of tackling the poisonous problem of sectarian or offensive behaviour in Scottish society and / or football. I (and I am absolutely sure, the vast majority of…

In the wake of Phil Mac Giolla Bhain’s latest scoop over the intriguing Gordon Smith appointment (typically unattributed within media circles, of course), 25thMay1967 belatedly salutes his dogged campaign last season to expose the rotting underbelly of Scottish football. Whether by sheer coincidence, or something else, that campaign indirectly heralded a subsequent revolution within the…

Today, in Helsingborg, Sweden, the home town of Celtic legend, Henrik Larsson, a bronze sculpture will be unveiled and dedicated to the great man, whose career with Helsingborg, Feyenoord, CELTIC, Barcelona and Manchester United earned him a worthy place in the pantheon of world football greats. Fittingly, another Celtic giant, “Lisbon Lion”, Bertie Auld, will…

Forty-four years ago today saw the birth of Celtic’s most enduring legend – that of the Lisbon Lions.  It is a legend that burns as brightly today as did the hopes of the entire Celtic family just over forty-six years ago, on the return of Jock Stein to Celtic Park on 9th March 1965. Exactly…

“And the cheers go up, when we know the Scottish Cup is coming home to rest in Paradise!” With Celtic running up a record 35th Scottish Cup win at Hampden last Saturday, it feels like a good time to reflect on where our special successful association with the world’s oldest football trophy all began. Having…