" The old firm"

Pa:
Whitever ye dae- don't stray                                  
Thir's forty thousand fans the day,
All goin tae the game.
An' if ah lose ye, son
Then make yer way tae the polismon
An' they'll Tannoy oot yer name.

Now pocket this hawf crown
An' if ah lose ye in the toon
I'll see ye at Parkheid.
Mind it's the  Uddingston bus,
It'll drop ye wae the 'Parkheid  pus'
You'll get thir in good speed.

Don't wave yon 'royal' scarf aloft
'Cause thae left-footers arnie soft
Just swear a bit an currie them alang;
Or they'll keep ye frae the game
Give guid back an' sing their refrain
Pretend yir in their gang.

Yir hame an settled afore me !
Did ye see yon goal frae wee Wullie?
He stole the bloody game.
The fightin started at the end
Eftir the deflection's goal-ward bend.
It was an awful shame.

Me:
I don't agree. I saw it all
In comfort, warm I watched each ball.
I enjoyed the game.
The half crown bought Irn-Bru and mutton pie
An' I watched at home on a twenty-six inch pye.
I hadn't any shame.

My green hooped boys made history
Stein led them to the top o the tree.
Then  Ibrox money bought THEM fame
An  we languished  into  second place
Our trophy tally fell from grace.
I lost interest in the game.

The years have had their toll on me
An now it's the twenty-first century.
Celtic park is now the hame
O'Neill has laid the ghost of 'Stein'
An I am once more proud of 'Green'
An a much more beautiful game.


My dad would turn in his grave

© Jim Dillon

Jim Dillon is a born Scot who has lived in England since childhood. He has vivid memories of "Old Firm" games which he attended with his father and uncles at Ibrox and (vividly) Parkhead.  On match days he was left to wander around Argyle St. and St. Enoch's square whilst the men drank in local bars. On one occasion the game was being shown on T.V. and Jim had not been able to find his father or get on a bus to Parkhead.  On a previous "Old Firm" day at Parkhead wee Jim had had a nasty experience with the 'crush' and a police horse  so on this occasion he was quite happy to go home.  Dad was a Rangers supporter but wee Jim had secretly supported Celtic and continued to
do so through the great days of May 1967. Martin O'Neill has brought renewed hope to the Celtic faithful.