Football Without Fans – Holytown CSC

Founded in 1946, with John Elliott as one of the founding members. The White House Bar in Holytown has been the home of the CSC since 1947. The Lisbon Lions frequently came into the bar, as did the Quality Street Gang, after playing reserve games.

John Clark stayed in Holytown for years, and he had family who were members. The club travels with the Bellshill and District CSC to all home matches. They have roughly 40 members, but at its peak, they had over 80 members. They don’t travel to away games as much due to the ticketing situation now, but they went home and away when it was easier and clubs didn’t restrict the numbers allowed in.

The bus park at Celtic Park became a chore for a lot of people, who now take cars to get home quicker. Every member who went to Seville got a match ticket.

One of the main characters is Logie. He truly is a legend. He went over to see the Bhoys play a European tie against Bayern. His passport was due to run out the day before he flew out, but he hadn’t realised it. He took a chance, as he did not want to miss the game. All chuffed with himself, he made it over without any problem. On the way back, he managed to fly from Munich to Amsterdam before the final stage back to Glasgow, but he lost his boarding card.

He got stopped, and as he was an Irish passport holder, which he proudly tells everyone, they deported him back to Ireland. His wife, wondering why he wasn’t in Glasgow, called him, and he said you are lucky to be married to an Irishman, because if he was Australian, they would be knackered.

They are always looking to help charities when they can in the bar. The Whitehouse Bar is and always will be home to the Holytown CSC. It is in their DNA.

An extract from Football Without Fans – The History of Celtic Supporters Clubs by David McIntyre ( Celtic Bars). Football Without Fans – The History of Celtic Supporters Clubs is out now and available in print and kindle versions HERE.

More from Football Without Fans tomorrow on The Celtic Star, the Celtic supporters website. Will it be your CSC that’s featured?

.You can order a copy in print or kindle from Amazon where ever you are in the world. Order your copy HERE