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dimensionaltennis · 6 years

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New Prince of Tennis 229-231 Summary

Golden age 229: Declaration of War

Ryoma and Kintarou compliment each other and say the other's become stronger during the time they spent on different teams.

The two of them return to the Japanese team's hotel.

Ryoma hears a sound of a ball being hit against a wall. He leaves Kintarou to check out who the source of the sounds is. It seems to be early morning already and Kintarou heads to bed instead.

It turns out that the one practicing is Byoudouin. Ryoma hits a glowing shot at Byoudouin who catches it with his bare hands. Byoudouin's sleeves get destroyed as a result.

Byoudouin comments on Ryoma being able to hit the glowing shot now [thinking back, he hadn't seen it before].

Byoudouin says that Ryoga apparently quit the US team after Ryoma left, which surprises Ryoma.

The two recall what happened when Ryoma left the camp. Ryoma declares that he hasn't forgotten about his revenge, to which Byoudouin responds that he'll be Ryoma's opponent at any time, however, only after conquering the world.

The first day of the Finals Tournament starts. Amadeus and Tezuka are shown for their respective teams.

To the surprise of the Japanese reps, they learn that all the Aramenoma players returned home in the morning. Marui credits Sengoku's luck for this. Speaking of Sengoku, apparently he was called back right away when he reached Narita airport.

Yushi is revealed as the last representative. Fuji thanks him for helping Momoshiro out the previous day.

Tohno brags that he would've defeated Aramenoma single-handidly anyway if he hadn't been injured. Kimijima responds that it's too bad Tohno was forced to retire, which gets a reaction out of Marui and Kite.

Meanwhile, Ryoma and Kintarou ride the bus while asleep.

Since they have no matches, Byoudouin decides they are going to watch the performances of the other top teams.

Golden age 230: The Finals Tournament Begins!

Germany vs South Africa.

Tanegashima, Irie, Fuji and Yukimura have come to watch the match.

For the Finals Tournament, the German team is reinforced by their other two pros, Bertie Borisovich Volk and Dankmar Schneider. Apparently the two of them form a doubles pair and are said to be the strongest doubles in the tournament.

Germany's line-up for the first round consists of Volk, QP, Frankensteiner, Bismarck, Tezuka, Bertie and Schneider. It seems that Tezuka has already made a name for himself on the world stage.

Switzerland vs Portugal.

Hakamada and Nakagauchi are shown in the audience. Furthermore, Oni, Tokugawa, Ohmagari and Kite are also in attendance.

Instead of watching the matches, Ohmagari invites Kite to work on his Nitouryuu.

France vs England.

Some points of a doubles match are shown. France's players pose each time they score a point. There's a reference to the Paris Fashion Week.

On the bench, another French player wears a ninja mask and writes a Japanses idiom on a scroll. However, he makes a mistake and, upon seeing that, Sanada gets angry at him.

Next, it's Camus' turn. He asks his "wife" to accompany him and it turns out that he's referring to his racket. He introduces himself as a child of the revolution and someone who loves tennis - France's captain, Leopold Camus de Charpentier.

Camus reprimands Duke for leaving France to join Japan and betraying their revolution.

As Camus tosses the ball to serve, a light in the form of a heart forms around him.

Golden age 231: Prince Charming

Ryoma and Momoshiro are walking in the venue, eating hot dogs. Apparently they were watching the matches of the US team as Ryoma reaffirms how strong his former teammates are. They then say that they'll make it to France vs England in time if they hurry up.

Suddenly, they hear sounds of horse steps behind them. As they turn around, they see Sakuno has been pulled on top of a white horse by one of the French reps.

Before Sakuno has a chance to get down, the French rep rides off.

Ryoma and Momoshiro can't keep up with the horse, so they each pull out their racket and a ball and serve at the French rep. However, without looking, the latter evades the shots and catches both balls on his own racket at the same time. He says he'll forgive them, but take Sakuno in exchange and rides off.

In the meantime, Camus put the final nail into England's coffin. France wins all three matches without dropping a single game.

Camus himself kneels in the middle of the court, holding his racket in his arms and shedding tears. Someone comments that it's more like watching a drama than tennis.

Byoudouin explains that Camus' strength comes from his "love for tennis", and that because he loves tennis so much, he can hear the voice of tennis. Following the explanation, Atobe remarks that this is too much of a revolution.

As the French team is about the leave, Sanada stops the rep with the ninja mask, points out the misspelled character on the scroll and corrects it.

Suddenly, the rep on the white horse from before enters the stadium.

A few moments later, Ryoma and Momoshiro come running in as well, Ryoma being worried about Sakuno. However, Sakuno was already released and seems fine.

The chapter ends with the Japanese middle schoolers acknowledging France's strength.

#new prince of tennis #shin prince of tennis #Shinpuri #prince of tennis #chapter 229 #chapter 230 #chapter 231

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contemporaryartgaleries · 4 years

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Tours To Enjoy the Art, and in the Spring, in Belo Horizonte

Come to Spring in the BH! September is a special month for the residents of the capital city, which is in the midst of the hectic routine of the city, you will also know how to appreciate the charms of nature. Spring is coming, the flowers of the trumpet is already coloring up the city, and the cold goes away. It’s time to walk and discover the stories and the beauty of the city.

If you’re a fan of cultural sightseeing, then this post is for you. We classify a choice of 4 routes for you to do it with your friends and with your family during spring on the BH.

It gives you only a glimpse:

1. Spring is in belo horizonte in the Pampulha Architectural complex

Photo: Wikipedia

In the area of medical services, there are a wide range of destinations for those who love history and architecture, notably the Pampulha Architectural complex, listed as a World Heritage site by Unesco in 2016.

The tour is made up of five buildings, divided into ” around the Pampulha lake:

the Church of St. Francis of Assisi;

the Pampulha Art Museum (formerly the Casino);

the Center for excellence in Urban design, Architecture, and Design (formerly the House of the Ball);

the Yacht-Tennis-Club

and a House in America, which was the residence of Juscelino Kubitschek.

All of them were built between 1942 and 1943 at the hands of the architect Oscar Niemeyer, who, with the participation of the artists in the expression, such as Candido Portinari, and landscape artist, Burle Marx.

For the Ed. Vik Muniz Is The Best Apartment For A Couple on the BH?

So, even though you’ve seen it up close to these mighty relics of the architecture of the mines, will not let you revisit them in the spring in the BH. In fact, take the opportunity to also learn about the architecture of the Hotel a Stop Inn, a work of Art and Symmetry, which is just around the corner, in the neighborhood of São Cristóvão.

2. The exhibition, “The Acaiacas by the architect oscar Niemeyer,” on could not be better located

Photo: Wikipedia

Still talking about the architect oscar Niemeyer, another must-see attraction and one that goes up to the 17th day of September, is the exhibition Of the Acaiacas by the architect oscar Niemeyer, made in the neighborhood of Savassi, a region in Center-South of belo horizonte, in this region, it is also a new facade of a traditional Building Decide for the reform was provided by the Art and Symmetry.

The exhibition aims to present a re-interpretation through painting and photography, two real works of art, of architecture, of mining: the Building Acaiaca, and the “Niemeyer apartment Building”. Visitors will be able to check out the pictures of Rafael Abreu and photos for Alessandra Filardi.

The exhibition is free of charge, and it is located in the Gallery of Georges Vincent – French Alliance, which is located at Rua Tomé de Souza, 1418, to the could not be better located.

3. Friday’s Flea in the Neighborhood, Branch

If it is the spring in the BH, then there is nothing better than a stroll through a street market out in the open. Every Tuesday and Thursday from 17h to happen to the traditional market of the Fleas in the Square, New York city, in the suburb of Sion.

The Planning Of The Works Featured In The Dec. Vilaro

The square itself is worth the trip: the well-wooded, and inhabited by hundreds of white-eyed parakeets, the site also includes a wide range of residents of all ages, in a true meeting of the generations and walks of life.

At the flea market, it is possible to find in thrift stores, quintandeiras, artisans, handicraft, books, vinyl records, and various antiques are displayed in full in the public square. In addition, from time to time the artists will also teach the guys to show up with his guitar, boots, guitar, and theater.

A must see, don’t you think? In fact, for the whole of the district Branch there is a variety of tours to suit all tastes and budgets. It is no wonder that the area is a highly sought-after place to live, both on the flats and on the flats, such as Flat, California.

4. Museu Inimá de Paula, In the Heart

Photo: Guide To The Permanent

The last tip for you to take advantage of the spring time in belo horizonte is a visit to the Museum Inimá de Paula, in the heart of the city.

The very building of the museum is to show the part which was opened in 1932 by the Italian architect Raffaello Berti, one of the founders of the School of Architecture of the federal UNIVERSITY of minas gerais. The building is also now home to the majestic Cinema to someone.

Opened in 2008, this museum is a tribute to the artist and the miner Inimá José de Paula”. The location is also home to a permanent collection of approximately 80 works of the painter, in addition to an art studio and a virtual gallery, with a database of nearly 2 million works categorized.

Ed. Escher In the City, pays Tribute to the Great Graphic Artist

The Museu Inimá de Paula is located at Rua da Bahia, 1201, Center, works on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, from 10 am to 18: 30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12 noon to 20: 30 and on Sunday from 10 am to 16: 30. The entrance is free of charge.

To take advantage of the spring in the BH, it is not at all difficult, and there are lots of choices for excursions that bring history and art to reconectemos in the past, and, at the same time, we will give a new meaning to the present and the future. So, don’t miss out on the city.…

Article source: Tours To Enjoy the Art, and in the Spring, in Belo Horizonte

#Valentin Loellmann #Arts Designs Decorative #Decorative Arts Designs #Modern Art Designs #Tips Conte

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celticnoise · 4 years

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CQN’S is continuing its week of celebrations to mark Lisbon Lion Bertie Auld’s 82nd birthday on Monday.

Today, the Celtic legend reveals all about dealing with Jock Stein in pay negotiations – and how he felt the players were not treated fairly.

In another EXCLUSIVE extract from the Hoops great’s autobiography, ‘A Bhoy called Bertie’, co-authored by Alex Gordon, the iconic personality opens up on interesting times at Parkhead – on and off the pitch.

JOCK STEIN was a difficult guy to negotiate with when your contract was about to be renewed. Remember, these were the days before the Bosman Ruling. The clubs kept your registration and if you didn’t accept the deal on the table that was just tough luck. If they said you were going nowhere, then you were going nowhere.

Everything was heavily weighed in the club’s favour and Big Jock held all the aces. You would have thought he was dealing with his own money and not Celtic’s. He also knew no-one wanted to leave the club. I was Celtic through and through and so were most , if not all, of my team-mates.

We loved the place, the rapport with the supporters and, generally, just everything that entailed being a player with Celtic Football Club. Jock was aware of all of this and that was why he was on a winner even before anyone asked for a wage hike. My God, I was the guy who took a pay cut to join Celtic such was my desperation to get back to Parkhead. However, I still believe Celtic and Jock could have treated the players a bit better on the financial front.

No-one was looking for a fortune. We just wanted what we thought we were worth and, naturally enough, we heard about extravagant wages being paid by mediocre English clubs who were hardly close to the stature of Celtic or who had anything like our fan base. All this didn’t wash with Jock, though. I thought he might have fought our corner a bit better with the board. He didn’t and I think that was wrong.

In those dark, old days the club could offer you new terms and if you refused to sign then they placed you on the absolute minimum for the year. That could be as little as £250 and if you had a family, house and car then you would have to resign yourself to the fact you weren’t going to eat for the next twelve months! Clubs would send you a new contract by registered mail with May 1 the cut-off date. I know a few players who waited for that letter to arrive and when it didn’t they realised they had been given a free transfer. That’s the way it worked back then.

BERTIE ON THE BALL…Auld in control.

Players, naturally enough, will always inflate their wages and there was talk of Rangers getting £100-per-man when I think we were on £65 at the time. I’m not too sure about the discrepancy, but we always earned more because of our bonus structure and Rangers didn’t get too many bonuses back then! But you had to be in the squad. If you were injured, suspended or out of form, you dropped back to the absolute basic. That was sore.

I recall a day when Jock came into the dressing room to announce we were going to either Bermuda or the Bahamas to play a local select. It was a wee five-day break in the sunshine and he thought it would freshen us up. One of our players, I think it was Jim Brogan, asked: ‘How much are we getting?’ Jock turned round, ‘What do you mean?’

The player replied, ‘Well, presumably the club are getting something for making the trip, so how much are we getting? What’s our cut?’ Jock’s jovial mood changed dramatically. He said instantly, ‘You’re getting nothing – the trip’s off!’ And that was the end of it. We never got on that plane and I think our place was taken by Chelsea. Lucky sods!

I’ve already said I don’t think Jock should have been allowed to leave Celtic back in 1960. We could all see how revolutionary he was in his methods when he was working with the reserves. He was a football man – he wasn’t just going through the motions to pay his mortgage or top up his pension. He continually sought out new ideas, fresh methods, varying tactics. He delved into things in miniscule detail.

He was hungry for knowledge and he took in games the length and breadth of the country as he followed his passion. You would hear him talk to Neilly Mochan after training. ‘There’s a player at Cambuslang Rangers I want to see. They’ve got a game on tonight. I’ll just pop over.’ His dedication was boundless and he expected the same from his players.

Neilly, by the way, could have been a top-class manager in his own right – I am convinced of that. Jock brought him back from Dundee United where he had finished his playing days and he was a smashing guy to have around. He was brilliant in the dressing room before games.

Now I don’t know if he was an unconcious comedian or he knew exactly what he was doing, but he could relieve the tension with some of his remarks. He would say something like, ‘Get out there and let them do it to us before we do it to them!’ We would start to fall about and he would stand there wondering what he had said that was so funny. Fans must have realised we were confident of getting a victory those days when we would emerge from the tunnel still laughing.

THE VISIONARY…Bertie Auld surveys the scene.

Jock, of course, was forced to hang up his boots in January 1957 after a London specialist told him his ankle would never be repaired to the extent that he could return to a sporting pursuit. He was thirty-four-years-old at the time. Celtic obviously saw something in Jock and offered him a scouting position. Bob Kelly even afforded him the accolade that he liked his ‘influence’ around the club and hoped he would learn the managerial side of things from Jimmy McGrory.

Kelly, with what would turn out to be a masterly understatement, said: ‘We hope that will stand him in good stead for the future.’ Stein became manager of the reserve team a few months later and I was in the side that beat Rangers 8-2 over two legs in the final of the Scottish Second X1 Cup. We actually won 5-1 at Ibrox to add to our first leg 3-1 success on our own ground. Over 40,000 fans saw both matches.

Even back then, he had a great eye for detail. He changed a lot of small things. When he came back in 1965, for instance, he got rid of our old training gear – and not before time. The stuff we used consisted of heavy woollen jumpers you would more likely see being worn by trawlermen and baggy and well-worn shorts with the backside hanging out of them. When you arrived for training these garments were lying in a pile in the middle of the dressing room.

I think they were washed about once a year. They were filthy and you were forced to train in them no matter the weather. One day we turned up and there were lightweight modern sweatshirts waiting for us. We rarely, if ever, wore tracksuit bottoms because Jock believed we would run about a bit more in shorts to keep warm if it was cold! Everything was washed regularly, too. Just a wee thing, I suppose, but it underlined that fresh ideas were being put in place at the club that had been stuck in medieval times beforehand.

Another change that underlined Jock’s early days was the removal of the snooker table from the recreation room. We used to meet there before games and have a wee knock-about on the green baize. Jock saw that too many players were standing around with nothing to do while two, or sometimes four, other guys played on the table. Jock introduced table tennis and that meant more of us were involved with the games being played at a ferocious pace. He also reckoned table tennis sharpened up your reflexes. He liked to play, too, but it was always a good idea to let him win! Again, a small point, but it did show everyone that no detail, however minute, would be overlooked as he sought perfection.

And yet Celtic still allowed this visionary man to quit Parkhead and take over as manager of Dunfermline in March, 1960. I know he agonised over his decision to leave Celtic. He was very friendly with a journalist called John Blair, of the Sunday People. He confided in John and arranged to meet him in Glasgow Green to talk over Dunfermline’s move for him.

John later admitted he told Jock to take it – it was too good an opportunity to turn down. Celtic did little to persuade him to stay and that, obviously, was a mistake of monumental proportions. Six days later he managed the Fifers for the first time and, would you believe, they beat Celtic, of all clubs, 3-2 at East End Park! Just over a year later Jock came back to haunt Celtic again when he steered unfancied Dunfermline to an astonishing 2-0 Scottish Cup Final replay triumph at Hampden.

EURO MASTER…Bertie Auld and the European Cup – and his autobiography, ‘A Bhoy Called Bertie’.

His stock was high and it looked only a matter of time when he would step up from Dunfermline. Would Celtic, looking as though they were going nowhere, make a move? Yes, he did leave East End Park to a team that wore green and white, but it was to be no homecoming to the east end of Glasgow, of course. Instead, he joined Hibs in April 1964. I know the Hibs players were gutted when he agreed, at last, to return to Celtic in January 1965.

He kept his word and remained in Edinburgh until March when they got a new boss in Bob Shankly, the brother of Jock’s pal Bill, manager of Liverpool. Actually, Celtic almost lost out on Jock because he let it slip to Kelly that he had had an approach from Wolves. Whether or not Jock, who could be as daft as a fox, deliberately imparted that information to activate the Celtic chairman, we’ll never find out. But he did drop it into the conversation and, thankfully, Kelly made his move. Not before time.

At first it was mooted that Sean Fallon would act as joint manager with Jock. It had been thought by many that the Irishman had been groomed as the successor to Jimmy McGrory and he did take charge of the team on numerous occasions. Jock was having absolutely none of that and I mean that as no disrespect to Sean.

It was going to be Jock’s way or no way. He was the main man and he wasn’t going to share the duties on a 50/50 level. As everyone is surely aware, Jock liked a gamble. Kelly might have believed he was bluffing. He might have thought Jock couldn’t possibly knock back his club. There was an impasse for a few days and Jock wouldn’t budge. Eventually, the directors saw sense and a compromise was reached with Sean becoming assistant manager. I recall Jock saying,

‘This is what I have always wanted – a return to Celtic. I’m back where I belong.’

TOMORROW: The ruthless side of Big Jock. Bertie names the players who had to leave Celtic.

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#CelticNoise #Celtic #CelticFC #CelticQuickNews

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celticnoise · 5 years

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CQN’S is continuing its week of celebrations to mark Lisbon Lion Bertie Auld’s 81st birthday at the weekend.

Today, the Celtic legend reveals all about dealing with Jock Stein in pay negotiations – and how he felt the players were not treated fairly.

In another exclusive extract from the Hoops great’s autobiography, ‘A Bhoy called Bertie’, co-authored by Alex Gordon, the iconic personality opens up on interesting times at Parkhead – on and off the pitch.

‘This is what I have always wanted – a return to Celtic. I’m back where I belong.’

TOMORROW: The ruthless side of Big Jock. Bertie names the players who had to leave Celtic.

https://ift.tt/2UY6YXF

#CelticNoise #Celtic #CelticFC #CelticQuickNews

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celticnoise · 6 years

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JOCK STEIN’S family were staunch Protestants from Burnbank and his father George was a fervent Rangers supporter. The family hoped Jock, adept at performing at centre-half or left-half, would one day sign for the Ibrox side.

That was the aim and wish of his father. His son should play in the blue-red-and-white of Junior side Blantyre Vics before swapping it for the blue-red-and-white of Rangers. Jock, though, displayed a very independent streak early in life. He was not rebellious and never displayed the slightest bit of curiosity concerning the religious divides of a small mining community, where the majority, Protestants, would have their meeting place at Burnbank Cross and the minority, Catholics, would meet at Glenlee Street at a spot known locally as ‘Pope’s Corner’.

Later in life, Jock Stein also never made any attempt to disguise the fact he thoroughly enjoyed beating Rangers.

According to Celtic players, Stein had been somewhat irked by the media coverage carved out for Davie White who had taken over from Scot Symon as Rangers manager in 1968. At thirty-four, White was the same age as Stein when a London specialist informed the Celtic centre-half his playing career was over, that his damaged ankle would stubbornly resist repair.

White had won all of his eight league games, his stock was on the rise, praise was avalanching his way and a new-found status was being carefully cultivated. He was seen as the brash Young Pretender, not quite viewed in the same more sedate and sombre manner as that of his predecessor, but a tracksuited man of the sixties, an image more in keeping with the evolving social lifestyle of the time.

Stein was not about to be overshadowed and was determined to leave White’s so-called new standing in tatters after the Old Firm head-to-head on the second day of the new year in 1968. As ever, he wanted to win this game. More than ever, though, he was eager to triumph while rubbing Rangers’ noses in it.

THE BIG MAN…Jock Stein plots the way ahead.

First, though, White’s former club Clyde had to be taken care of at Shawfield on New Year’s Day in 1968. Celtic made heavy weather of it before scraping a 3-2 victory. Stein rested Jimmy Johnstone, keeping his extrovert winger in mothballs before being unleashed on Rangers twenty-four hours later. Goalkeeper John Fallon had been told he would be playing with Ronnie Simpson getting a rest.

Stein, without explanation, changed his mind about two hours before kick-off; Fallon was out, Simpson was in. It was a decision that was to have dramatic consequences the following afternoon. Celtic toiled on a difficult surface, but two opportunist goals from Stevie Chalmers and another from Joe McBride got the job done. Simpson twisted an ankle on a ground that would never become one of his favourites. Stein, though, said he fully expected the veteran custodian to be fit for the following day. The manager’s prophesy was cast in stone as far as understudy Fallon was concerned. At the same time across at Ibrox, White was piloting his charges to his ninth consecutive success; Rangers overcoming Partick Thistle 5-2.

Now it was showtime. Celtic v. Rangers; Jock Stein v. Davie White. Bertie Auld recalled, ‘Publicly, Big Jock would inform everyone that a meeting with Rangers was just another game. Privately, the players all knew just how much he enjoyed putting one over our old rivals. I would go as far as to say he detested Rangers. I don’t think that is too strong a word. He really disliked them. We all knew his background, we realised where his roots lay, but we also saw him after a win over Rangers.

‘You would have needed plastic surgery to get the smile off his face. We could beat any other team 2-0, 3-0, 4-0, you name it and we could still get a rollicking when we turned up for training on Monday. If he had seen something that upset him, irrespective of the winning margin, he would give us pelters. However, we could play awful, get a lucky goal and beat Rangers and we never heard a thing; not a murmur. Lose, though, and life wasn’t worth living.

‘He rarely, if ever, talked about the sectarian divide. He was a Protestant managing a club with Catholic origins and he had Protestant players such as Ronnie Simpson, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and myself playing for him. Religion didn’t come into it as far as he and Celtic were concerned. It did across the Clyde, though. For long enough Rangers would not sign a Catholic.

‘It was well-known that they were put off signing a young player who would go on to become world class because of his name, Danny McGrain. If only they had known. Jock used to insist if there were two players of equal ability and one was a Catholic and one was a Protestant, he would sign the latter. He would say, “Well, Rangers can’t sign the Catholic, can they?” Sadly, that was the case back then. Jock found it extremely distasteful. He was only interested in a guy’s playing ability and not the school he had gone to. Maybe that fired him up just that little bit more for games against Rangers.’

BOLD FIRM…Bertie Auld loved the cut and thrust of Glasgow derbies against Rangers.

Auld also recalled Stein preparing for the visit of Davie White on the second day of 1968. ‘I think Jock sensed panic in Rangers’ decision to dismiss Scot Symon after his thirteen-year reign and appoint a much younger man. The press had talked up Davie White as a new breed of manager, one for the future with fresh, wonderful, innovative ideas, all that sort of thing. So far, though, as the Rangers manager, he hadn’t come up against Jock Stein or Celtic.

‘As you would expect, Jock would show every respect and every courtesy to a fellow professional sportsman, but, deep down, we all got the message he was eager for Rangers’ new boss to understand what pressure, real pressure, was like. As a footballer at Clyde, White had played against Celtic and, as a manager of the same club, he would also have faced Celtic. Anything he had encountered in the past, though, could only be considered infinitesimal as to what awaited him in an Old Firm encounter. Especially that first one against Big Jock and we knew The Boss was looking forward to the match with even more than the usual enthusiasm he seemed to reserve for these encounters. On this occasion, he didn’t just want to dent the younger man’s credibility or popularity with his growing admirers among the Rangers board, the Ibrox supporters and the Scottish media – he wanted to obliterate it.’

He might have succeeded, too, if Ronnie Simpson had overcome the ankle injury sustained at Shawfield. John Fallon fully believed the biggest problem he would encounter that afternoon would be to fight off frostbite sitting in the stand with Jimmy Quinn the designated substitute. ‘I was in the table tennis room when the door was kicked open and in rushed Big Jock,’ recalled Fallon. ‘He grabbed me. “You’re playing,” he said and hurled me through the door. All the other players were stripped and ready to go. The referee, Bobby Davidson, was waiting for me to change and get my boots on, he checked them and we were ready to go. One minute I’m playing table tennis with a couple of reserve players and the next I’m out there in an Old Firm game with 75,000 looking on.’

In the full expectation that he would not be required to perform anything more strenuous than trying to avoid splinters in his backside on a wooden bench, Fallon admitted he had a bit of a late night followed by a huge breakfast before the game. Hardly ideal preparation. And so it proved. It was another severe winter’s afternoon in the east end of Glasgow when the Arctic chill invaded the very marrow of your bones. Supporters stood on the terracings with stiffened limbs and did their best to get the blood corpuscles moving around their system.

‘It was a day for the wee half bottle or the hip flask to come into action for the fans,’ said Gemmell. ‘Lucky beggars!’ Auld had his manager – and the Celtic followers – smiling when he got the opening goal. ‘I remember it well,’ said the midfield orchestrator. ‘We were awarded a direct free-kick about five yards from the edge of their box on our right. It was the ideal strike for a left-footed player and, as Big Jock never tired of telling me, I only possessed a left foot. They erected their usual defensive wall in front of goalkeeper Erik Sorensen. Bobby Murdoch stood beside me, but I knew I would be taking it. Sometimes it was good to wait that wee bit longer and crank up the tension. You look at the opponents in front of you and they are wondering what is coming next. You’ve got the upper hand because you know exactly what’s about to happen.

‘The ref blew for the kick to be taken, but I still lingered just that little bit longer. Then I stepped forward, struck it sweetly enough and it took the merest of nicks off a defender and flew into the net. Sorensen didn’t even move. The Celtic support went crazy. The Rangers end was silent. We were 1-0 up and, as ever, we would want to add to that as swiftly as possible.’

OOPS…Rangers striker Willie Johnston hits a shot past John Clark. Moments later, John Fallon was picking the ball from the net after a lapse in concentration.

Fallon then dropped an awful clanger to allow Rangers back into the contest before the interval. The keeper must have anticipated a stronger hooked shot from Willie Johnston, but the Ibrox striker merely mishit his effort from about ten yards. Fallon didn’t look comfortable as he tried to scoop the ball into his arms and, to the consternation of his manager, his team-mates and the Celtic fans, allowed the ball to trickle through his legs and over the line. It was overcast with a heavy mist settling on the east end of Glasgow and it appeared to take the Rangers support, down at the other end, some time to realise their team had drawn level.

A couple of seconds later and it was their turn to go wild with delight. Fallon knelt as if in prayer. Gemmell fished the ball out of the net. ‘I felt sorry for John,’ he recalled. ‘It’s the same old story about goalkeepers, isn’t it? They make one mistake and it’s normally fatal. Outfield performers can make error after error and it won’t affect the scoreline. But there is no way back for the poor old goalie. They are rarely remembered for the ones they stop, but the ones they let in. At that particular moment, John looked distraught. You had to feel for him.’

With a minute to go, it looked as though Stein would get his wish of a victory over his young managerial challenger. Celtic were ahead again with a superb curling drive from Murdoch from about twenty-five yards on the right. Murdoch, like Gemmell, knew how to punch a hole in the net with a shot of devastating power, but he also possessed the extraordinary ability, especially for such a well-built man, to delicately glide the ball around with a range of stunning versatility.

Sorensen, steeling himself on his line for the anticipated thunderbolt, was bamboozled when the midfielder checked slightly before deftly striking the ball. It arced round the keeper at his right hand side and settled in the net. The Celtic support, behind that goal, rose as one for the second time that day. Fallon, at the other end, breathed a sigh of relief. With sixty seconds remaining, the keeper must have been counting down the clock.

Kai Johansen, who never seemed to be anonymous in Old Firm confrontations, broke from his own half down the right. He peered through the deteriorating conditions before trying his luck from long range. He didn’t connect properly and the ball seemed to bounce weakly towards Fallon. He couldn’t do it again, could he? The answer came when the Rangers crowd behind him rose in unison with the Celtic fans, one hundred or so yards away, wondering what all the commotion was about until the horrible realisation dawned that their keeper had blundered for a second time. Fallon had allowed Johansen’s effort to crawl under his body and barely cross the line. ‘I must admit it was a howler,’ said Fallon. ‘After the game, Big Jock looked as though he wanted to strangle me.’

‘Strangle him? I wanted to string him up!’ said Auld. ‘He was a dejected figure in the dressing room and didn’t need to be told he had performed miserably. I don’t think either of the shots carried enough oomph to even hit the net. At the same time we were aware the dropped point could have catastrophic consequences at the end of the season. We were two points adrift and that was the second and last Old Firm game of the campaign. Basically, that meant we could win every game between now and the end of the season and still not win the league. Rangers could even afford the luxury of a draw in their remaining fixtures.

‘We needed someone to do us a favour because it was now out of our hands. It’s incredible how things swing about in football. By the way, John’s nickname was Peter and, at least, he had lived up to his moniker that day. Peter? We christened him after a character called Peter Brady who starred in the popular sixties TV programme The Invisible Man. Fallon had that ability to go AWOL at times. Brady used to be swathed in bandages and, after they had unravelled, there was nothing there. We weren’t too pleased with Peter, but we didn’t want to see him in bandages. I wasn’t too sure about Big Jock, though!’

After all the meticulous planning by Stein, two horrendous goalkeeping mistakes had let Rangers and White off the hook. Celtic were by far the superior outfit on the day; there could be no argument about that. What was also undeniably true was the fact that the new Ibrox man in charge had left Celtic Park still unbeaten after ten games and with Rangers remaining two points ahead in the race for the championship after overcoming their most difficult obstacle. Neither Stein nor Celtic received too much praise in the following day’s newspapers. They had played well, controlled the match for almost its entirety and restricted Rangers to two shots on target. Unfortunately, they both eluded Fallon, who would not be chosen for the remaining sixteen league games of the season.

‘I was sent to Coventry,’ said the keeper. One of the more cynical among the players in the Celtic dressing room observed, ‘Big Jock would have preferred to have played himself in goal rather than let John anywhere near the first team again.’ It should never be underestimated what this particular Glasgow derby meant to the Celtic manager. Stein was still seething as he left Parkhead hours later that evening. It would have been either a brave man or a fool to have wished him a belated Happy New Year.

With Scotland in the icy grip of winter once again, Celtic had to wait until a 20 January trip to face Hibs at Easter Road for their next fixture. It had been a frustrating eighteen days for Stein, especially with Rangers’ two games against Falkirk at Ibrox and Hearts at Tynecastle going ahead during Celtic’s enforced lay-off. It didn’t help, either, that White’s team had won both encounters. So, the champions were trailing by six points, an alarming amount, by the time they travelled through to the capital for what was clearly a must-win game. There was no way Celtic could afford to surrender more ground at the top to Rangers.

Simpson, to Stein’s relief, returned to face his former team and Willie Wallace and Stevie Chalmers, missing from the 2 January line-up, were also back in attack. Right-back Bobby Duncan turned one beyond his keeper, Willie Wilson, and Bobby Lennox wrapped up a thoroughly professional performance with the second. How had Rangers fared that afternoon against Motherwell at Ibrox? Goals from Alex Willoughby and John Greig (pen) had given them the identical 2-0 scoreline. The pressure was relentless.

THE BACKROOM BHOYS…Jock Stein in discussion with his trusted team of Neil Mochan, Sean Fallon and Bob Rooney.

Celtic were given a break from chasing league points for their first defence of their Scottish Cup against Dunfermline at Parkhead the following Saturday. Stein was confident enough to give Joe McBride a place in his starting line-up. There was little doubt the marksman had lost a little bit of his sharpness, the quickness that allowed him to turn an opponent and rifle an effort at goal.

Auld said, ‘Joe had taken a terrible injury and, back then, it was career threatening. Even today, with much more sophisticated technology, a cruciate knee injury is a delicate matter. You had to admire Joe, though. He put himself through it in the gym, did extra training sessions on his own, lapping the track at Celtic Park with no-one in sight and not once did he complain.’

McBride didn’t know it at the time, but, as he lined up with the Fifers in his sights, he would play only two more games for Celtic before joining Hibs in November later that year. The Cup-tie against Dunfermline was laced with controversy, especially when it looked as though Celtic had equalised a Hugh Robertson goal for the visitors. Jim Brogan caught the ball sweetly from about twenty-five yards and his first-time drive left his former team-mate Bent Martin motionless as it thumped into the net.

Celtic Park erupted and not one Fife player complained, but, mysteriously, it was ruled out. Later the referee explained that Lennox was in an offside position. That was correct, but it was also accurate to point out that the player was in no way interfering with play. He was wide to the left of the penalty box and not even involved in the ruck of players in front of Martin. Celtic protested, but the match official stuck to his bewildering decision. In these enlightened times, that decision would have been poured over and the referee’s judgement would have been shredded. Back then, unhappily, you could make such a call in the knowledge very little would have been done about it.

If McBride’s Celtic career was coming to an end that afternoon, that also appeared to be the case of Davie Cattenach, one of the original Quality Street Gang, the young reserves who were being lined up by Stein to become the Celtic of the future. Youngsters such as Kenny Dalglish, Davie Hay, Danny McGrain, George Connelly, Lou Macari, Jimmy Quinn and Vic Davidson were being nudged gently along the conveyor belt awaiting their opportunity to make an impact on the big-time.

However, for one, Cattenach, the future was hardly bright on that freezing Saturday afternoon in the grim east end of Glasgow. A wayward pass in the second-half from the youngster was seized upon by Dunfermline striker Pat Gardner, Simpson’s late rush from goal couldn’t avert disaster and the ball was carefully knocked into the inviting net. Cattenach looked on in horror.

‘I believe that was the beginning of the end for Davie,’ said his young team-mate Davie Hay. ‘Jock didn’t say anything after the game. However, I don’t think it was ever the same for my pal after that. One bad pass and goodnight Celtic. Winning wasn’t everything to Jock – it was the ONLY thing.’

The Scottish Cup trail, like the European crusade, hadn’t managed to survive the first test. That bleak January afternoon saw the Dunfermline players celebrate like they had won the tournament and, in fact, they managed that feat late in April when they beat Hearts 3-1 in the final at Hampden on an extraordinary day, not only for them, but also Celtic.

Rangers had toppled at the quarter-final stage of the competition after drawing 1-1 at Ibrox with Hearts before a goal from Donald Ford ousted them in the replay. Rangers’ interest in Europe would also end in March when they lost 2-0 on aggregate to Leeds United at the quarter-final stage.

That meant, like Celtic, their priority was the league championship, both clubs zeroing in on that particular piece of silverware to have something to celebrate at the end of a somewhat intriguing campaign. Stein’s remit to his side was simple: win every game from now until the end of the season.

No doubt White was sending out the same message to his troops in Govan. Who would crack first in this exhilarating pursuit of the flag?

* TOMORROW: JOCK v RANGERS (Part Two): The remarkable title race for the 1968 First Division title takes some unexpected twists and turns. The next dramatic instalment of Alex Gordon’s book, ‘Celtic: The Awakening’, continues – ONLY in your champion CQN.

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