KTF Reviews

“Celtic's Paranoia…All In The Mind?”

Tom Campbell

Fort Publishing Ltd.

£11.99

This is an up to date version of the original work published in 2001. It has two extra chapters, one on Neil Lennon and one on Chris Sutton, plus a number of alterations throughout the text, particularly in footnotes where there are many enjoyable asides to the main text.

Did you know for example that the referee of Dundee v. Hearts in 1986 when Hearts blew their chances of wining the League was a Hearts supporter? Or that Bertie Paton, when Manager of Dunfermline, came in to a Press Conference after a 0-7 thrashing at Ibrox on his hands and knees?

In one respect, the book is inferior to its predecessor and that is in the lack of photographs. Only one photograph appears and that is an anodyne one of Celtic followers in the 1950s. The previous edition contained one classic one of George Graham, the SFA Secretary who according to the text hated Celtic, trying to look happy as he stands beside Bob Kelly, John McPhail and Charlie Tully as they receive the Glasgow Cup. It might have been better if that one had been kept.

The conclusion reached by the author is that “It is time to rise above that” with regard to the persecution complex suffered by many followers of the Club. Yet the book does give many examples, particularly from the 1940s, where the Club has suffered an injustice. The Tully-Cox affair, for example, is quite astounding. The background is provided about what the Church of Scotland thought about Irish immigrants in the 1920s. As a member of the, nowadays, impotent Church of Scotland, that Chapter appalls me. Did that chap in Germany with the wee moustache read what the Church of Scotland thought about Irish Catholics, and did it put ideas into his head?

The arrival of Jock Stein “cowed referees into fairness”, and the impression given is that throughout the decades the grounds for Celtic paranoia has diminished. Injustices suffered from the likes of Hugh Dallas and Jim Farry are caused by human error or pedantic pomposity rather than religious bile and hatred. Both these affairs are dealt with in detail, and the author, in the case of Hugh Dallas, is careful to mention the good games that he has had as well.

More disturbing, yet laughable, is the case of Bobby Tait, the referee who asked for his last game before retirement to be at his beloved Ibrox. Bobby's virtual last act as a referee was to award a goal for Kilmarnock, the goal which virtually guaranteed that Rangers would not win 10 League Championships in a row! There are some Celtic minded referees as well – Jim Callaghan and Kevin O'Donnell, yet both of these gentlemen have a grievance.

The book is well worth a read, even though it is the second time round, for the new Chapters on Lennon and Sutton are very good. There are a few misprints, mainly in years e.g. the Christmas shenanigans, so lovingly detailed by the Daily Record were in December 2002, not 2003; the League Cup Final in which Rangers fans tried to attack the Celtic players was October 1965, not 1966; Princess Diana's funeral, which led to the postponement of the Scotland v. Belarus game, was on September 6 th 1997, not September 2 nd .

It would be no bad idea to get this book for a loved one for Christmas. It is thoughtful, detailed and well researched with a wide amount of anecdotal evidence offered by necessarily confidential Directors, administrators, referees and players. It could appeal to the non-Celtic public as well, and is a worthy addition to anyone's library from the mighty pen of Tom Campbell. (Actually, I think he uses a word processor now!)

David Potter