Bertie Auld

If a Glaswegian encyclopaedia had a pictorial edition, then the entry under “gallus” would have Bertie smiling out at you.

In Celtic’s greatest era, he was half of a dynamic duo in central midfield.

Along with  Bobby Murdoch, Bertie was in the engine room of the team that conquered Europe that day in May.

I was blessed to see Bertie and his peerless teammates at the height of their powers.

Only now, looking back, have I started to grasp how exceptional they all were.

It was a team of characters, and Bertie Auld was Numero Uno in that category.

He was the guy who famously kicked off a rendition of the Celtic song in the subterranean queue in Stadio Nacional as they lined up beside the movie stars of Internazionale.

Helenio Herrera’s well-drilled exponents of catenaccio had never encountered gallus in such indomitable quantities.

That day Bertie, like all of the Lions, became immortal.

The easy way in which he engaged with the Celtic support in his later years was indicative of an era when footballers were not multi-millionaires living cosseted secluded lives.

As a wee Hoops fan, Bertie was part of an ensemble that lit up an otherwise drab austere world.

In manhood, meeting him was always a pleasure, and a chuckle was guaranteed.

One bleary-eyed morning at Glasgow Airport, Bertie and the Buzz Bomb took time out to make my son’s day, posing for the inevitable pic.

Not all heroes wear capes; these ones wore the Hoops and they were certainly heroic again and again.

Bertie embodied the spirit of that group who knew that they could rule Europe, and they did just that!

My thoughts tonight are with the Auld family.

 

 

42 thoughts on “Bertie Auld”

  1. With each one who passes it must get harder for the guys who are left. Do you really want to be last man standing?

    My mother was the youngest of a HUGE family. She was in that position. All her brothers and sisters, all her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, all her cousins and all my dad’s cousins died before her.

    It must be a terribly lonely place. Knowing that there is NO ONE else. You’re next. Truly awful!!

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  2. Purely by chance I had to go down to Saltcoats yesterday to keep an appointment made some weeks ago. I went out of my way to visit the statue of Bobby Lennox. There were actually a few people pausing there. I couldn’t help but think that the wee man will be hurting badly right now. Opposite poles attract and in terms of personality, you could not meet two more different people than larger than life Bertie or his great longtime friend, quiet reflective Bobby.

    Immortal and legend are two words that REALLY don’t apply to many people. BOTH words DO apply to the eleven GIANTS who took to the field wearing our beloved hoops on that sunny May day. There, a third often misused word that applies. More than Giants, Titans.

    Ach, there aren’t enough superlatives for you guys Bertie. Rest in peace. Tell Cesar, Jinky, Bobby and the others that they are NEVER far from the thoughts of any of us lucky enough to see them play.

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  3. Berties name and memory will live for ever, not only for footballing reasons but also on account of, “its a touch Bertie oot the day.” better wrap up.

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  4. Bertie was “Gallus”.

    I always was of the opinion that word “Gallus” originated in Glasgow because it was so apt in describing many characters of that great city, but alas I was wrong.

    Gallus dates back to the early Roman times, it is a Latin word meaning cockerel.
    I was reading a short story in French history the other day and the word “gallus ” came up, and I was really pleased it did.

    It dates back to the time of the Roman Empire as they marauded across southern Europe and ended up on the borders of Gaule, which we now know as modern day France.

    The early Gaules had a pastime for cock fighting and the story goes that when they observed the attire of the officer corps of the Roman legions they compared their attire to that of the cockerel (or Rooster), The Gaules then adapted this word “Gallus” for cock fighting.

    And you can see the comparison, the Roman generals in their colourful attire and the cockerel strutting about his pen, chest out, with all his hens in tow.

    That’s the origin of “Gallus” that I prefer.

    How on earth it has transcended to the east end of Glasgow and rested on the more than capable shoulders of Bertie Auld for me is a bit of a mystery, but a pleasant one.

    Bertie was Gallus, Bertie will forever be the heartbeat of our club.
    Gone but never forgotten.

    Requiscat in Pace.

    Bertie Auld
    HH

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  5. Given today’s update, I would like to clarify that when I used the phrase “shoo-in” with regards to one Mr Lampard and Sevco’s managerial position in an earlier post, I actually meant to write would be “shooed- out” . Easy mistake.

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  6. I’m not prone to grief when I learn of the passing of celebrities. However the Lisbon Lions are a rare exception. I feel myself filling up and shedding tears at their passing. Hail Hail

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  7. Legend , saw him play, he was terrific. VASTLY underrated. I recall, Auld and Murdoch v Bremner and Giles and Leeds actually thought they had a chance. That night they were immense. But most importantly he embodied everything about being a Celtic Legend. Gemmell , McNeil, Johnstone, Murdoch, Chalmers. Lennox. What men – I am proud to say I am a Celtic fan because of men like this. They made the World a better place. Auld was the heart of that team and the heart of Celtic in recent years. What a sheer joy to have seen him play and meet him. Thoughts with his family tonight. He was loved by so many. A true Celtic Legend and then some.

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  8. Met Bertie on several occasions always up for a bit craic.
    Five in the morning, Standing in a long queue of Celtic fans going out to the convention in Benidorm.
    In comes Bertie and his entourage, chick Charley, Willy Mcstay and Dixie Deans.
    Wee Bertie starts walking down the queue shaking hands and giving us all a bit banter, he gets to the front hands the girl his passport, turns holds op his boarding pass and says, Only a Lisbon Lion would get away with that…so don’t you try it chick you’ll get lynched.

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  9. Hi Phil, just had a quick peep at the stats for the Lisbon Final.
    Though I was aware that Celtic ran the show that day, with Bertie and Bobby pulling the strings in midfield, I still had to look twice at the numbers to take in the fact that Celtic had 45 shots that day, that’s one every 2 minutes.
    It’s amazing and will never be beaten. But for Sarti’s heroics it would have been a cricket score.
    No surprise that Ten Thirty led the sing song in the tunnel in Lisbon.
    This week’s semi final will take on extra importance as Berti is laid to rest and the fans will respond accordingly on Saturday and pay due homage to yet another of the Lions passing.

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  10. Years ago I was getting my Lisbon dvd signed and Bertie was telling a young kid when he crossed a ball the laces were always away from strikers head ,Bobby Lennox and Stevie Chalmers agreed

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  11. Bertie Auld was my man of the match in Lisbon,was lucky enough to meet him several times over the years,there’s really nothing I can add to all the tributes already offered,we adored him and the feeling was entirely mutual,as chance would have it,I’m heading to Lisbon tmrw for my first ever pilgrimage,taking my late fathers match ticket with me for its return to the stadium,I’ll be thinking of him and all the lions,both with us,and sadly departed,and yes Phil,Berties last match was indeed the lions final hurrah,Simpson led out the team but did not play that day,a young Even Williams took his place,magical memories indeed,RIP BERTIE AULD.

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  12. A little-mentioned fact about the bold Bertie: he was the first Scottish player to play in a European final when Birmingham City were runners-up in the 1960 European Fairs Cup.

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    • 1961. BC played in two consecutive finals. He wasn’t there for the first.

      He was also the FIRST British player to play in the Finals of TWO different European competitions, AND the FIRST to play in THREE European finals.

      Not at all bad for a gallus wee boy who honed his skills on the streets of Maryhill.

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  13. I was ten years old when we became champions of Europe my particular hero was Tommy Gemmel
    In later years no one spoke more eloquently and with deep affection than Bertie about the Lions
    A formidable footballer and a wonderful human being God rest ye Bertie 🍀💚

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  14. Sad news, indeed. I remember Bertie sitting on the ball in the sunshine at Parkhead in his last game for us against Clyde (May, 1971). The fact he decided to do this during the match as Celtic romped home 6-1 victors is seared on my mind to this day. Bertie was and will always remain a footballing genius, a fans’ favourite and, most of all, an enduring source of joy to all who had the privilege of seeing him playing for Celtic.

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    • I was at that match.
      As I recall he was in the centre circle when he sat on the ball.
      Was it the last time the Lisbon Lions took to the field?

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      • An untypical hiot May day with a nonchalant Bertie strolling about. I recall he was to the stand side in our half to the left of centre facing the Clyde goak.. I was with my dad and brothers. There was a technicolor brilliance to the occasion… sizzling!

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  15. Many on here will have heard this story, some directly from Bertie’s own lips.

    He was recounting a verbal exchange he had with referee Tiny Wharton, a well known mason with Dallas like proclivities.

    Bertie: “Mr. Wharton, if I called you a bastard, would you send me off?”

    Tiny: “Of course. That would be verbal abuse of a match official.”

    Bertie: “But if I just thought you were a bastard, would you send me off?”

    Tiny: “Of course not. You can’t be penalized for thinking something.”

    Bertie: “O.K. then. I think you’re a bastard!”

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  16. I remember my father saying that Celtic in the early ’60s played great football but were usually “kicked off the park” but the signing of Auld, possibly at the behest of a soon to arrive Stein, changed that.

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  17. I remember years ago two of us walking home from a game along London Road towards the city centre in the rain and trying to hail a taxi. I told my pal Frankie to forget it it as the oncoming cab had it’s light out – obviously occupied. Nevertheless it pulled up to the kerb and the passenger, Bertie, called us to get in. A real gentleman.

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  18. I remember years ago two of us walking home from a game along London Road towards the city centre in the rain and trying to hail a taxi. I told my pal Frankie to forget it it as the oncoming cab had it’s light out – obviously occupied. Nevertheless it pulled up to the kerb and the passenger, Bertie, called us to get in. A real gentleman.

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  19. I remember when Man Utd won the European Cup in 2008 Bertie was asked who he thought would win if the then Man Utd team played against the Celtic team of 1967. Bertie thought for a moment before replying: “It would be a close match but I think that Celtic would win. The reason I think it would be close is because the Celtic players are now all in their 70s”.

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  20. My favourite memory of BA was when he was manager of Partick Thistle. Many a shout from the terraces was “Bertie, give us something to cheer about, take Benny Rooney off.
    A great both on and off the park. RIP.

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