![]() |
||||||
PO Box 306, Glasgow, G21 2AE, Scotland |
||||||
|
This is another excellent Celtic book from the pen of Tom Campbell, a biography of one of Tom’s heroes - the irrepressible and legendary Charlie Tully. Too often Celtic were not organized enough to tackle Rangers and Tully himself in his own autobiography ‘Passed To You’ (published in 1958) hints that the reason was that Celtic were always smiling and joking while Rangers, playing methodical football, did not seem to be enjoying the game. Yet they were the successful team. Jock Stein, on the other hand, who played with Tully was quite adamant that there would have been no place for Tully in the team that he managed. The twice - taken corner kick at Falkirk, the gaining of a corner by aiming a throw-in at the defender’s back, and the infamous Sammy Cox incident which had such serious repercussions for the club. All these are in the book, as is the part that Tully played in the Coronation Cup of 1953, the League and Cup double of 1954 and the 7-1 beating of Rangers. Contrary to what many people (including Sean Fallon) think, Charlie never sat on the ball in a game against Rangers. Certainly, many supporters wondered about the loss of the 1956 Scottish Cup Final to Hearts and the 1957 Scottish Cup Semi Final replay to Kilmarnock. Tully’s sudden death in 1971 is dealt with, and, as we suspected from the cases of other great players, alcohol played its part in the sad demise of Charlie. And how’s this for a brilliant description of the annoying know-all who sits near you at Parkhead - “the argumentative certainty of the working class, where emphasis compensates for accuracy”?
David Potter
|
|
||||