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Details
Title: Celtic The Encycolpaedia
Author: Tom Cambpell & George Sheridan
Published: 2008
Synopsis
‘Celtic – The Encyclopaedia’ is an extensive and enjoyable collection of everything and anything related to the Bhoys.
In many ways a very welcome update of the excellent 1992 publication ‘A Celtic A to Z’ the 330 plus pages of ‘Celtic – The Encyclopaedia’ are packed with info and trivia on a vast array of matters, covering everything from the Lisbon Lions to loand deals and sendings-off to substitutes.
Coming from Tom Campbell and George Sheridan this book is everything you would expect from such fine Celtic historians – well researched, fascinating and a hugely gratifying read. Both educational and enjoyable it is one of those books you can open on any page and find something of intrigue and interest.
Apart from a dazzling array of facts and stats from Celtic’s vast history the book also boasts some exellent photographs. Another must own from Campbell and Sheridan.
Review
This is truly an astonishing work. It becomes less astonishing, mind you, when one examines the calibre of the authors, Tom Campbell and George Sheridan. Both of them have already contributed mightily to Celtic historiography, and it is nice to see that the book is dedicated to the memory of Eugene MacBride, that grand old man of Celtic history, and of course, to Tommy Burns.
The tome (cheap at £20.00 and you can probably get it cheaper from Amazon) combines scholarly research with light-hearted and off-beat moments of detail.
All the details about Scottish Cup Finals, League Cup Finals, European matches, etc. are there, and there are loads of references to Lisbon, 7-1 and nine in a row, as one would expect, but there are also a few things that perhaps you didn’t know. Do you for example remember a ‘Vinnie The Parrot’ who distributed sweeties to kids in the Jungle?
Also, Willie Wallace was miffed when the BBC Quiz Ball programme refused his (correct) answer that a “Garry Owen” was a racing tipster in the Daily Record. (Everybody knows that he was an Irish rebel, wasn’t he?). Padraig Harrington and Sam Torrance (the book by a misprint calls him Bob) are Tims. Shaun Maloney once played cricket for Scotland Under-13. Johnny Crum, scorer of the famous goal in the Empire Exhibition Trophy Final, got married on the day of the civic reception to celebrate that event. All these things and many more you will learn from this book.
Photographs are good. The back page reflects the song “Oh, they gave us….”. There are many original photos as well, like for example a collection of kids waiting to get into Cathkin Park sometime before Third Lanark’s demise in 1967. And the front cover is Billy McNeill’s great goal in the 1965 Scottish Cup Final, which, I can state categorically, changed my life and that of so many others.
There is a copy of the Sunday Mail, the day after the 7-1 victory over Rangers in which there is the mighty quote – “But there are no limits to what pure football can achieve”. Amen to that, and there are no limits to what good football historians with a clear and obvious love of their subject can achieve.
This book is a “must” for every single one of our 60,000 regular supporters, and the millions more who follow Celtic worldwide. It is perhaps a little early to think of Christmas yet, but there are birthdays and also a little self-indulgence for yourself. It is readable, informative and entertaining.
No Celtic fan should be without ‘Celtic – The Encyclopaedia’. Get it!
(Review by David Potter, review originally on “Keep The Faith” website)
Product Details
Author: Tom Campbell and George Sheridan
Published: 2008
ISBN: 978 1 906134 15 0