the Celtic Family

For pretext, I posted in another thread that i was returning to Glasgow for the 1st time in 21 years travelling from Australia. I asked for help with tickets to multiple games (Motherwell, RBL away, RBL home, St Johnstone & hibs) all at short notice. Expecting nothing, hoping for something.
Previous to that I had been travelling through Europe & was in Split, Croatia at the time of the 9-0 D Utd game. Wandered into a pub & there was an english guy sitting watching the game. Got talking away & it turns out his dad was from Hamilton & his Mum for Ireland ( cant remember where) & he was a life long Celtic supporter with a season ticket for the last 20 years. Sound guy, lives in Coventry & travels up to the games. He hears Im going to Glasgow without tickets & on the spot offers me his season ticket for the RBL home game & hibs game & RM game. Also offers to fix me up with St Johnstone away. I think nothing of it thinking it'll be beer talk but sure enough he as come through on everything!
Im at this point still chasing Motherwell & Deadeye and Lion1961 from this forum offer to help me out. Lion comes through & meets me outside the Pools office with a season ticket to use.
Remember Ive never met these guys in my life, dont know who they are or what they look like. They just offered to help and were true to their word.
Im indebted to both Lion & Coventry Dave ( no idea if he posts here, thats just what I call him!) for helping a fellow Celtic supporter in need.
Got me thinking, has anyone else any stories where being a Celtic supporter was enough to dig you out the * & help you on your way?

 

Lion is a legend.
Never met anyone on here but the help that's offered and followed through with is unbelievable.

Talkceltic....the true celtic forum
Nothing like those carrots at kerrydale

 

Agree mate, had never met him before we met to hand over a ticket. Same with the Coventry guy, just brilliant

 

Glad you got to the games mate. Lion has helped me with tickets on occasions too. Top man.

 

Aye Lion is sound AF

 

Lion has helped me out with tickets a couple of times. The man's a star.

 

Another time Celtic supporters have helped me out was quite recently.

After years of detiorating health, my dad passed away. I was desperate to get his top to one last match before the funeral so it could go in the coffin with him, it was the nearest thing I could get to going to one last game with him.

Through the Vogue pub two wonderful people gave us their tickets (had an uncle with me) for the game against Motherwell the other week. They wouldn't take any money for them, or even let me buy them a drink.

We had a fantastic day and took the jersey round the Celtic bars after. It really felt like his spirit was there with us.

It wouldn't have happened without their help.

 

Cracking story pal, obviously saddened by your Da’s passing but what a nice way to tie him to the Celtic family. I’m sure he would have loved the idea.
Another example of the bonds that tie us, it’s something quite special that I think a lot of us take for granted.
Glad you had a great experience in his name

 

I could write a book about the hospitality of all the Celtic supporters that's helped us through the years with tickets, picking us up, drooping us off and places to stay to getting us into parkhead with no tickets and so on years ago. Even been over sometimes and some wouldn't even let me put my hand in my pocket when the drinks where flying. I've been going over since 1984, my da alot longer and The red carpet was always put out for us Irish from Belfast everytime we've went over. We've returned favors to them but if they where weighed up, well be indebted to the Scottish Celtic supporters for the rest of our lives. Great people. Some right * mad men and woman but sure we wouldn't have them any other way haha.

 

Brilliant man, put a smile on my face reading these posts. Not that i didn’t already have a smile wider than the clyde after today.

 

Same here i remember many times going over in the boat with Sharock supporters club in Ardoyne from age of 10-11 (late 70s)with family and friends,all the adults getting smashed and us kipping on peoples floors for a few hours till we travelled over in the coach for the boat home in the morning and depending on the results a few fist fights with the huns on the boat,im sure Packy and Leeso remember similar. Hospitality was always great in Glasgow

 

Lad Conor from Ireland posted on here asking about tickets for a European game for his Scottish born da’s 60th birthday, I offered him my tickets for the shaktar game but his dad is having visa problems where he works and can’t make it this time, I’ve told Conor to get back in touch if they can make a future game. I’ve never met the guy but was happy to help an old Tim get back to Parkhead, we are Celtic and I believe we try to look out for each other.
Also back in the 80’s about a dozen of us were waiting for a 62? bus in Blantyre to get us to the game, it was getting near KO time and only full buses or buses refusing to stop passed us, in desperation I tried hitching from the bus stop and a coal lorry stopped and let us all pill on the back and they dropped us at Parkhead, we had a collection in a bunnet to thank them but still it was an another amazing gesture from Tims to Tims.

 

For sure. Same as us. They are actually part of our family now. Like our Scottish family. They all stayed in our house when they where over marching in the republican bands from Glasgow supporting the republican movement. The billy Reid and james Connelly bands when they where going strong. Once we had 22 of them staying in our house. Bodies everywhere haha. Similar to when we went over there. Bodies everywhere on floors, settes and staircases. Wherever they fell although I was young, I always got a bed .
One is even * father for one of my kids. Every summer and easter we just never knew how many where coming. Our door was always Open to them whoever they where. Once I was even dragged over to live with a Cple who always put us up because got a warning from the ra I was getting kneecapped if I didn't wind it in for * about to much in the district, but I didn't stay to long in Glasgow and snuck back home in the boat. Glasgow is * bonkers!
Great times growing up with them. I actually miss part of them days even thou the troubles where at it's height. Some right mad * and funny *. Always meet up with atleast one of them every time I'm over now and still to this day, they'll go out of there way to help.

A great bond between the Irish and Scottish through Glasgow Celtic. Don't think I've even seen anyone argue bad or even fight amungst themselves in all them years I've been going over.
Another thing, I blame them for not being able to finish a sentence without calling someone a *. This *, that * and so on. That's All they say and to this day, I just can't figure finish a sentence without saying similar haha.

Do ya get over much still?

 

Cracking story Jake, * maself laughing at the coal lorry but.

 

Great stories ( ya *!)

 

Actually as a follow up to my OP. The Coventry guy Dave, I met him in the Driver on the Gallowgate after the game to give him his mates season ticket back. His pal with hin was from East Kilbride. Told him I was meeting a mate later from EK who I knew from Australia. They fucken went to primary school together!!! Ended up on the lash with for the night as well!! Cracking times

 

Took my da to see the hoops today (ashes).

Thanks @Lion1961 again. And to the fellow support around me, and the stewards. All wonderful people.

He loved it.

 

I was in the Vogue last Monday had a couple of pints in it , my daughter was with me.
We had been in Dalbeth to make sure my family were still in the grave and put the tricolour flowers on the grave.
Headed to the Celtic shop and got 2 tops for my daughter .

Thats why i have Dalbeth3 as my name in here.
My brick is still just at the door.

 

For many years Scottish based Celtic fans have offered the hand of friendship to those from Ireland, especially during the troubles.

One of the funniest times was when the buses dropped off the Irish lads about 6am and the ko wasn't until 3pm. It was baltic and the roads were like ice rinks. So naturally all were invited to people's houses for breakfast etc and a place to stay warm.

A large group of about 15 were all in my mates wee flat in Springburn and one of the Belfast guys suddenly says," FFS if Special Branch were to raid the flat now they'd pick up two ex Glasgow bank robbers, the Glasgow crew flooding the country with fake £'s, two active ASU's, a quartermaster, two of the main men who carried out the £26 Million Northern Bank robbery, a bomber, a sniper and a member of the Army Council."

To this day we still meet those guys every home game and share many fantastic times. Quite often guys will come over without tickets and somehow we always ended up getting everyone in.