A Trip To Paradise

When we set about putting in motion the plans for The EuroChampsChallenge it was always clear that Celtic would be a key component in what we're trying to do.  Not only are they the only Scottish club to have won the trophy, but they were also the first British team to win the Cup.  In addition to this, the start of the Challenge was always intended to be in Glasgow and, of all the clubs, they were the one with which we had one or two contacts which we felt could prove fruitful.  I think we always hoped that they would be supportive, however I don't think any of us could have predicted just how accommodating they would be.

At this point it is probably only fair to point out that I do not own green-tinted spectacles and nor could I ever be described as a Celtic supporter - my relationship with the green side of Glasgow would probably be best described as varied. On the one hand there was the manner in which Hearts lost the league back in '86 - to a smash and grab by Celtic.  Set against this is the sheer exhilaration of being at Parkhead to witness the atmosphere of Celtic against Valencia in the UEFA Cup in 2001. 

Then there was the incident in the late 90's when, sat in the away end at Celtic Park, I was lucky enough to be offered a pie from a home supporter...  from 30 feet away (it wasn't the manner in which it was served that annoyed me, it was the dismay at someone wasting something so tasty). To counter this is the genuine pride I have at witnessing Henrik Larsson ply his trade in Scotland; one of the few world-class players I have ever seen gracing the grounds of the Scottish leagues, and certainly the most memorable.

When all is said and done, however, what Celtic have done for the EuroChampsChallenge has changed my relationship with this great club forever.

From the first moment we had contact with the club they were on-side with our challenge.  The first conversation I had with Iain at Celtic was very simple. "Look guys, whatever you need, whenever you think we can help, please just get in touch".  It would be very easy to abuse this and set Celtic the challenge of sourcing all our Medallion Men - but that would defeat the purpose of the challenge we've set ourselves. 

However, when The BIG Partnership managed to persuade The Daily Record to cover our story, it was clear that the best place for the photoshoot would be at Celtic Park, and hopefully a couple of snaps next to the cabinet which holds the famous old trophy.

And so it was that Angus and I found ourselves in the east end of Glasgow on a cold and miserable Wednesday afternoon.  While the weather may have been gloomy, the day was not.  We were greeted at the reception area and almost immediately found ourselves wandering past the changing rooms, down the tunnel and onto the Parkhead pitchside. Made to feel like the new-season signings, we were snapped with arms aloft and wide grins against the backdrop of "Paradise".

Within moments, the magnificent European Cup trophy was brought pitchside.  Even in the subdued light of a dull December day in Scotland, the Cup sparkled brightly. While the walk down the tunnel made the hairs on the back of my neck stand, the glinting sight of the wonderful trophy was special; this may be because of its iconic status, or it might be because of what it has come to mean to me over the past few months, but for whatever reason, I was genuinely moved to be in the presence of such beauty.

After a variety of pics we retired to the relative warmth of the (empty) home dressing room - just for a sneaky peek.  While Angus was pre-occupied with the fact that Jos Hooiveld has the same boots as him (only slightly bigger), Iain from Celtic took the time to find the kit-man and introduce us to him. Now, the Cup may have moved me, but this man took things to a different level.  John Clark has been with the club for the better part of 50 years. He played 182 games over a career spanning 13 years.  Most importantly, however, he played against Internazionale of Milan in the European Cup Final victory in Lisbon in 1967.  John Clark is a Lisbon Lion.  John Clark is the first Medallion Man I have ever met. 

There is an aura about the man and a calm confidence that can only come from someone who has achieved something.  I could have cried, but instead speedily mumbled the words 'legend', 'Lisbon Lion' and 'Medallion Man' in quick succession.  The man was bemused.  If I'm going to make a success of this EuroChampsChallenge thing, then I'm going to have to put in place a better mechanism for dealing with Medallion Men.

On a day where I found amazement in the stadium, the Cup and the Medallion Man, Angus was impressed most by the changing rooms and the tunnel.  What really brought things into sharp focus, however, and what summed up the enormity of what we were experiencing, was not what I felt, nor the reaction of Angus.  The most symbolic event was delivered by a friend and Celtic Supporter who had accompanied us.  He waited in the wings and held our jackets as the photographer got the shots he wanted of Angus and me, and gernerally stayed in the background merely taking it all in.  When the three us us were left in that changing room, alone with The European Cup, he could hide his desire no more:

"You've got to take a photo of me with the trophy. I don't think I'll ever get another chance to hold it, never mind in the home dressing room at Parkhead". 

And that's what it is about.  What we experienced was special.  It was special to us, but to those hundreds of thousands of Celtic fans out there, it was "wedding-day" special.  It was "birth-of-the-first-child" special.  It was "best-day-of-my-life" special.

Which is exactly how Angus described it on the way home.

Thank you Celtic.  We're proud to have a European Cup winning team from Scotland, and we're proud to be associated with you.


(To read The Daily Record article click here)