Celtic Multimedia | Media | Players & Managers Biogs | If You Know The History
Details
Title: Celtic in the Thirties Volume 1
Author: Matt Corr
Published: 15 Oct 2024
Synopsis
At the beginning of the 1930s, as a new Celtic Park emerged to dominate Glasgow’s east end skyline, Willie Maley was assembling the most exciting, attacking young Celtic team, seeking to restore the grand old club to its former glory and take his side across the Atlantic to the New World for the first time, thus fulfilling a long-held dream.
What happened over the next few years is perhaps the most remarkable series of events in the long history of the fairytale club, featuring a cast list of names who are revered to this day.
Legends such as the three Young Princes, John Thomson, Jimmy McGrory and Peter Scarff…and so many others.
With input and insights from family members of those involved, follow author Matt Corr as he takes you step by step through the historic triumphs, the ground-breaking adventures and the heartbreaking tragedies which made up the first part of that incredible decade.
It is a football story like no other.
Review
Peter Marshall’s Book Review – Celtic In The Thirties, Volume One by Matt Corr
By Editor 13 October, 2024 No Comments
[Peter Marshall’s Book Review – Celtic In The Thirties, Volume One by Matt Corr]
Celtic in the Thirties by Matt Corr, Volumes One & Two, Published by Celtic Star Books, November 2024. Image The Celtic Star
Peter Marshall’s Book Review – Celtic In The Thirties, Volume One by Matt Corr
Know Your History – Celtic In The Thirties Volume One – Book Review by Celtic book collector Peter Marshall…
[Just some of Peter Marshall’s awesome Celtic book collection]
Just some of Peter Marshall’s awesome Celtic book collection. Photo Peter Marshall for The Celtic Star
Know Your History
Matt Corr has come up with a couple of new books which take us through a decade of performances by our Bhoys, namely the 1930s. I was curious to know why he picked this decade in particular, but I’ve just read The Celtic Star article “Know Your History,” so now I know!
Matt, I’m impressed, you’ve excelled in its simplicity. It’s so easy to read. Normally with this level of detail, some books are difficult to follow, Well done.
[Celtic in the Thirties, Vol One by Matt Corr]
Celtic in the Thirties, Vol One by Matt Corr. Image The Celtic Star. Click on cover to order both volumes
Rangers had their own TavPen in the shape of Alan Morton
For our younger generation of highly-rewarded fans who have seen our most productive decades – i.e. 2000 to date where we have accumulated 41 trophies – the 1930s was rather different.
I don’t want to steal Matt’s thunder here but it’s perhaps worthwhile to set the scene, as there are probably not many fans left who can actually say “I remember those times.” They were very different, politically and economically from what we have today, although reading through this I notice the original Rangers had their own TavPen in the shape of Alan Morton!
And one noticeable fact within the book is the size of the crowds in these days, even in barren times.
[Matt Corr with his debut Celtic book, Invincible]
Matt Corr with his debut Celtic book, Invincible. Photo The Celtic Star
Two League Championships and three Scottish Cups
In those 10 years we managed just two League Championships and three Scottish Cups. There was no League Cup in those days, of course. There were the lesser cup tournaments, such as the Glasgow Cup and the Charity Cup, of which we won five in that time, but the crowning glory was winning the Empire Exhibition Cup in 1938. More of that later in Volume Two.
Can you imagine what it would have been like if there was social media as we know it today during those 10 years?
His photographs were destroyed in a fire
I’ve said many times on social media that the early Celtic years – very well documented by Ian McCallum, Brendan Sweeney and David Potter – is my favourite era, mainly as my grandad used to tell me stories of his days out watching Celtic (and other clubs) as he was a professional photographer. He was behind the other goal at the Johnny Thomson game, but sadly all his photographs were destroyed in a fire in his studio.
[Celtic in the Thirties – imagery from Celtic Curio]
Celtic in the Thirties – imagery from Celtic Curio
Mr Corr is building a nice little bibliography
So to Matt’s book. As expected, it is extremely thorough, with finite detail and is presented in an easy-to-read style, encapsulating the very identity of the club.
I do like the cover as it’s fits in perfectly with the style of The Celtic Star library that we’ve gathered over the past three or four years. It will sit nicely on the shelf and fair to say Mr Corr is building a nice little bibliography, wonderful.
Biographer Matt Corr interviewing Harry’s brother Jack for Harry Hood, Twice as Good
This book, Volume One, takes us through the first five years of the decade. Following the prologue which sets the scene, the first chapter starts on 1st January 1930 with a match against Rangers. It’s hard to believe that at the beginning of this calendar year we had three games in four days! We are taken through each game in ‘deep dive’ detail, which I find very interesting, with little asides thrown in to keep you hooked. I like the summary at the end of the chapter. Nice touch. This is kept up throughout the book, an endearing trait.
And just wait till you get to the Epilogue! Wow!
Another trait is Matt referring to Willie Maley’s annual report, which is faithfully reproduced in some chapters from editions of The Celtic Football Guide. These make for wonderful and emotional reading.
Every chapter has a point to make. I won’t go through every one of these, but Matt’s description of the 1931 Scottish Cup Final and replay in Chapter Three is wonderful. And I like his quote “the more things change, the more they stay the same,” referencing Willie Maley’s frustration around circumstances at the time, but you’ll need to read the book to get the gist of what I’m talking about. Before that we have chapters about our first trophy of the decade and the US tour, then later we have the end of the season from hell, every chapter with a story to tell. And just wait till you get to the Epilogue! Wow!
Matt Corr (left) with his Celtic Tour colleagues living the dream on The Celtic Way
It is extraordinary
I can’t over-emphasise the level of match detail within each chapter. It is extraordinary. I can see these two books becoming reference points for this particular time in our history.
The lengths Matt must have gone to in researching this is admirable. I expect the library and the Celtic Wiki have been frequented multiple times! In addressing the club’s history of that time, Matt’s insights are illuminating.
[Celtic on USA Tour, summer 1931]
Photograph taken in Detroit while on their visit to play Michigan all Stars who they beat 5-0 at the University of Detroit Stadium. While in the city they were given a tour of the famous Ford Motor Works.
He is reverent to Willie Maley, Celtic’s illustrious manager, who was in the last decade of his career. He treats the dreadful Johnny Thomson and Peter Scarff situations emotionally and with utter respect. Particularly a section around the impact the Thomson tragedy had on Sam English.
All in all this is a super addition to the Celtic library. Looking forward to Volume 2 now!
Peter Marshall
Product Details