The East is Green – Willie Morgan’s Mum, Jockey’s Head and The Sweeney

WILLIE MORGAN’S MUM

They missed out on Danny McGrain because of his name. Another scout really fancied Willie Morgan and went to his house to see about singing him after being invited into the living room for a cup of tea and seeing the walls decorated with emblems of the family’s faith he burnt his lips whilst trying to make a quick exit, have another little quartered up sandwich, have a slice of sponge cake son insisted Willie’s mother.

Self In. 230

BUTCHER CAME TO HIS SENSES

Alex Cropley’s first visit to Ibrox with Hibs. He remembers, in the away dressing room, being struck by how high the pegs were. Was that deliberate to make us feel small? Their team in those days, in those shirts and that badge always seemed big anyway. When you came out of the dressing room you walked past this training/warm up area. The police were being briefed for no doubt another busy afternoon I’ll never forget what I saw down there, a big cut-out thing of the Pope with his arms outstretched.  There were muddy ball marks all over it presumably, used for target practice. It was quite cultural shock for a few of those English players Souness brought up and took a bit of getting used to, Terry Butcher embraced it until he came to his senses.

NINE GOAL THRILLER

Celtic fans often feel the club does not always get the credit it’s due, after defeating Dundee United 9-0 the headline was “ Celts come out on top in nine goal thriller!”

THE SWEENEY

There is an episode of The Sweeney when Reagan and Carter are sitting in a car outside the station in London they are waiting on Scottish detective James Cosmo who just happens to be a Rangers fan in real life.

He is carrying a warrant for Reagan to apprehend a vicious gang from Glasgow. Detective Carter reads out the charges “mobbing, threatening witnesses, assault with deadly weapons, attempted murder. Blimey,” he says in his cockney accent, “what are they Rangers fans?”

THE SIMPSONS

You know you’ve made it when you get a mention on the Sweeney. In fact you’re only a click away from appearing on the Simpsons. Aye Groundskeeper Willie the angry mad Scottish janny would be the ideal bluenose.

THE JOCKEY’S HEAD

Rangers fans do love a tattoo. One gent had the regulation King Billy full chest version bright and colourful with every detail, must have cost a few bob. He had to go into hospital for a heart bypass op, after the operation was performed the surgeon, a charming little Indian guy came to see his family anxiously sitting in the waiting room. “Ok everyone, just to let you know your father’s operation has been a success he will now need a period of recuperation.” “So no problems doctor,“ his daughter asks” “Well there was one small thing, the picture he had on his chest when we stitched him up we lost one of the horse’s legs and unfortunately the jockey’s head.”

“Whit a bloody cairry oan”

The East is Green is a self published booklet written by life-long Celtic supporter Brian McAuley, who has also personally designed so many Celtic Supporters Club badges and many of them will be shown on The Celtic Star as we serialise this brilliant little Celtic book. Running to just over 100 pages it’s a great insight into supporting Celtic and attending games stretching as far back as the 1950s to the modern day.

As we have done previously with Jerry Woods’ brilliant To Lisbon and Back on a Fiver, we’re happy to put any reader in touch with Brian and he’s post and package you a copy of The East is Green for the very reasonable cost of £5 plus postage.

Just drop an email to editor@thecelticstar.co.uk and we’ll be pleased to make the necessary introductions. More from The East is Green on The Celtic Star over the coming weeks. HH