For every football fan there are legitimate reasons why their club is special, why their club is unique and I’m not saying they’re wrong but I echo the sentiments of Alex Fergusson who believes that there are a handful of clubs around the world who are just that little bit MORE special; organisations that are more than a football club – be that through their importance to world football or their special place in the society from which they were born. Barca are one those, a symbol of Catalonian pride and as we know, Celtic most certainly are. And that was what made last night so wonderful.
Barca, with their important social position in the story of Spain and Catalonia through the revolution, under Franco’s regime and now as a focal point for national pride, they are also important in the way they have influenced modern football thinking.
Celtic- born to put food on the tables of poor children and the unemployed, a focal point of pride for the oppressed Irish Catholic immigrants of the 19th Century and now an essential part of life for millions of the Irish/Catholic/Scottish diaspora. On the football field as the first non-Latin winners of Europe’s premier football competition Stein’s brand of attacking football influenced all modern football thinking we’ve seen in the intervening 40+ years.
In football and society, Barca and Celtic are giants and truly among the worlds elite. Last night I tweeted that the World’s Greatest Club had defeated the World’s Greatest Team. Since last night I have read nothing but compliments for our manager, our players and us the supporters. Are we the Greatest Club in the world? We are the greatest club in my world and your world and that’s all that really matters.
To be a Celtic supporter last night was wonderful. For the reasons above, for me, being a Celtic supporter is always wonderful. To have this game and win it, at our birthday is magical.
“There’s a fairy tale about this club” Billy McNeil
Too right!
