Title-winning captain Tom Boyd on the immense pressure of 1998 & Foundation trek | Celtic FC Podcast

This is the Official Celtic FC Podcast and on this episode, we are joined by Hoops legend Tom Boyd for a fascinating interview.

The title-winning captain joins the podcast to look ahead to his incredible Sahara Desert Trek, as part of the Celtic FC Foundation’s brand new ‘Celts in the Sahara’ event which takes place next week.

Celts in the Sahara will see the group trek approximately 32 kilometres over four days through the world’s most famous desert and you can donate to the Foundation at the link below.

Donate here: https://charity.celticfc.com/donate-now/

The club ambassador also chats about the current first-team following the weekend’s draw against Aberdeen, as we also look ahead to facing Hibernian on Wednesday night.

Thereafter, he reflects on his incredible 10 years as a Celtic player from 1992 to 2002, as he details his curious signing from Chelsea.
He shares some great tales about the pressure of winning the Scottish Cup in 1995, through to captaining the 1998 title-winning Celts and lifting a treble under Martin O’Neill.

He also has some brilliant stories from his time working under Tommy Burns, and playing alongside Celtic legends such as Henrik Larsson.

Make sure you like and subscribe to the Official Celtic FC Podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode, and keep in touch on our social media @CelticView or by email at celticview@celticfc.co.uk to get your questions in for future episodes.

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Just been as I say consider himself very fortunate that been to be part of the the success of football club coming up on the official Celtic FC podcast we speak to Celtic Legend Tom Boyd ah head of the Celtic FC Foundation Trek across the Sahara and Tom reflects on his

Playing career and his days with Celtic this is the official Celtic FC Podcast hello and welcome to the official Celtic FC podcast your host for today’s episode Matthew Campbell absolutely delighted to be in the hot seat and I’m joined today my guest with Celtic views very on Ryan Mah Ryan I’ve got to say it’s very strange to be on

This side hosting the Pod and you being uh the guest today so I’ll treat you the way that you treat me how are you how was your weekend H I’m very very good um as I was saying over the weekend when we decided that you were going to be taking

The hting seat and I was going to be in this chair all of a sudden got a lot more nervous sitting in here I feel like I need to be a lot wiser a lot more wise and come up with with better things to say so it’s h I’m feeling the pressure a

Little bit it’s quite a a experience sitting here so pressure maybe that says something about me but the fact you’re saying you need to be wiser and so on I’m going to take that as a positive that I I sort of contribute wisdom and sort of intelligence when I’m in that

Seat you know without you this podcast is nothing that when you’re in this seat so it’s I’ve got a very very high bar and a high ceiling to live up to that’s a headline that’s a headline well listen it’s wonderful to be here wonderful to be hosting today I’m also a we bit

Nervous we bit jangly here today but I’m sure we’re going to have uh a bit of fun because of course we’re joined by a wonderful guest today and for anybody who’s watching the Pod you already know who it is because you can see the man sitting there but we’ll give this guy

The introduction that he definitely deserves because today we are joined by a Celtic Legend a Celtic Captain uh a man who won three League t titles three League cups two Scottish cups with this football club he captain in Celtic to our first league title in a decade in

The 97 98 season of course we won a league and League Cup double That season this guy was the captain he’s a ex Celtic TV commentator some would say the voice of Celtic TV back in the day and of course he’s a Celtic Ambassador we’re talking about the one and only Tom boydd

Tom it’s wonderful to have you here with us today how are things absolutely brilliant yeah thanks very much for that nice introduction you but that’s yeah um yeah looking forward to uh the few challenges that I’ve got up now coming along but um obviously had a

Few in my time when I played and I’m more than 97 League Championship which was so important for us and obviously my first season is Captain so but you one around were justs hope hopefully we’ll learn if few things today and he a few good stories we’re going to chat a

Little bit about um Tom’s career with Celtic Ryan we’re going to look back you know on that wonderful season in 97 98 we’ll chat a bit about your career um with with Celtic we’ll also of course reflect on the weekends match against abine and look forward to to the midweek

Game against hibs that’s coming up but um before we do that we’re going to chat we bit about Tom’s work that he does with the Celtic FC Foundation which is obviously such a pivotal part of the of the makeup of the club and how the club

Operates and Tom I know that you take your work with the the foundation incredibly seriously yes I do um I’ve I’ve been with them for a we while and done quite a few challenges with them um uh all to to raise funds for the m and

Work that the foundation do and I think as a supporters I think we’ve got we duty to to follow in the footsteps of how we started with club and try to help as much as you can and with me in the position I’m in um to be able to go out

And help and do some of the challenge that they threw up with me I’m still waiting in the the beach in the Caribbean sitting in a Lilo somewhere but they’ve had me up they’ve had me up Ben n three times I’ve done the Arctic last year and now we’ll be doing the

Sahara this year in fact uh next week fantastic yeah it’s it sounds really exciting so tell us just a little bit more about this Sahara track that you’re about to embark on cuz it sounds really difficult it’s it will be difficult um I love the Artic TR the challenge was br

We might have been lucky it was minus only minus 20 in the T Frost inside but the T I’ve say to everybody the tents were great think they get you to minus 50 you can go that the weather we had although cold wasn’t one day uh which so

You didn’t have that real wind chill factor uh and so it was any more severe what sort of distance are we talking then for the for the Sahara it’s in total it’s 32 km right doesn’t seem that long for a 4-day track but it’s what you’re walking on uh I’ve had many of

People uh so there’s a few uh people who are doing the track that know someone who has either done this track before or I think run madans and they’ve said it’s the hardest thing they have ever done right we will be walking um uh heading into Morocco uh to maresh and then for

Our journey into the desert and that one next day and uh we will be climbing San Junes and there is a sandun which is 100 m tall you this is soft sand that you’ll be walking on um so that will be very very hard it reminded me came back to my

My very first preseason with mother right and it was uh Jo Wallace that was at mother at the time and he had his up gullen uh run up the sanin at G um I know we don’t have to run as much is what we do but um uh that that will be

Testing um very very testing so um that there’s I think about 1560s uh and uh another guy who was part of that team way back in 2000 sorry 1997 uh 98 was Simon Dy who we doing it with us so uh both us together are going

Along um and uh we’ll try and help and raise as much funds as we can that’s marvelous I mean it’s it’s a serious undertaking as well I was having a little look at some people’s testimonials who have you know went on these Expeditions before um checked

Across the Sahara and you know it’s it’s quite obvious that it’s it’s going to be warm and it’s going to be very difficult I’m just I’m curious as to how you prepare for something like that how do you train your body to do that SAA

Somewhere in terms of scales of uh he um I’m sure seltic Park here’s a quite 100 me not as quite as that but um there’s a lot of stairs that we can maybe climb or whatever there’s quite a few that are trying to climb some hills um to get

Into that sort of um way of of but you can’t reenact this I think here certainly here where we are we don’t have enough sand don’t think we’re going to get a desert here anytime soon in the middle of Glasgow um but we don’t have enough good San or san of that height

That you can climatized so to speak um so it’s especially long walks um I’ll get about a few times the weather conditions are horrendous for that just now so it’s mainly walks um and uh try to walk up Hills uh I know there’s quite a few other ones that taking part in the

Track we’ll be doing that um but uh yeah just trying to keep yourself taken over uh as best as you can we can’t reenact the I know as you try to do you can’t reenact the sandunes that we’re going to be climbing how soft are going to be uh

And it’s going to be very very hard so it will be a challenge uh a 4- day challenge and uh um it’s yeah listen I love it it wasn’t as hard is try to beat uh Rangers for doing back in 9798 so um that that was harder that was harder get

Nervous before doing these types of things no no no no nervous not umart from waiting up in the mid light and screaming how am I going to get no as I’ve done before and I’ve done Ben n about seven eight times for different charities um I’ve done other house got

Do it with my daughter so I love a we challenge um and this will certainly be one never been to this part of the world before yeah take off I’ve played against Morocco but we no F than that that was one of the ones in France 8 again um uh

You getting your revenge now in Morocco no no we we should be welcomed we lost for now to Morocco so um and uh we were we were very good in that day um but yeah I’m I’m I’m really looking forward to you know a lot of people say mares is

A great place for for Market bring back some food and I’m just the only thing we you’ll be concerned about is just the climate the weather um uh because I think we’ll be able to do the the Junes um we’ll get by there we’ll take we’ve got quite a few hours

To we’ve got a whole day to pass you know so or four days to do the 32 km um so as long as we can get a good recovery thing let me ask you you’ve won you know you won these honors during your playing career and you know that feeling of

Being a winner especially winner for Celtic that must be you know when you sit down after a match you sit down that night the feeling of achievement must be wonderful after see after these kind of expeditions that you’ve been on traing across the Arctic of course you’re going

To be know traing across the the the Sahara what is that feeling of accomplishment like at the end of doing something like that knowing that you’re doing it for such a good cause there the similarities I know the pressure on winning a leuk championship here is is

Far greater but in terms of there there’s a team effort there M um and there similarities about you try to help each other out uh trying to give them support um what you would do as a captain what you would do is a player here um and try to help your your other

Teammate so there’s there’s a lot of similarities to what we’re trying to come together there’s I think about 15 or 16 is um so it’s a good number um you know good squad number that that we can you can work with uh and so you get

You’ll get to know a lot of people and we’ll be friends for life you know having met the Arctic challenge I’ve done Cycles with another Celtic group so um yeah I love I love going along and doing these things but there is uh that process of of coming together getting to

Know each other Senor strengths and weaknesses as we’ve seen in the Arctic there was there was other people that were stronger than others and that’s that’s a normal process the same on the football field uh so we’ all you know the serious nature is that you know

Going to the Arctic or even going to Sahara you’ve got to be very very careful I think we’re certainly under good tuition with the the the people who were taking these tracks so um you that’s just something that you’ve got to be very careful with yeah but what the

Reason that you’re doing this yeah it’s for the foundation it’s for the amazing work that they do the reason we’re talking about this as well is it’s 15 16 people that are going to do it but that’s just not the only people that can get involved because people can donate

People can get involved and people can help the foundation and you know more than most to just how important that is listen we do and and it’s absolutely fantastic work that uh you know our foundation do for our behalf as as I mentioned it’s to uh for us to get back

To the core of where we first started how our club was founded was to help those uh in need in the East End of glasgo so um we’ve expanded that and we’re just helping those that uh need our support uh and it’s unfortunately that we need to expand that to so many

Different things to try and help as many people as we can so when we need all the money we can get uh and the for for the foundation to continue uh because as Celtic supporters uh 99.9% Celtic supporters that will be donating monies towards these CH the foundation uh so

You know we thank them for for that effort and we hope that you know they continue to give us the uh the the Fantastic support and obviously hopefully F’s get a little bit of spare cash about after Christmas and New Year if they could uh make any donation as

Well we will put a link then won’t we ABS in the the bio for the podcast and YouTube wherever you listen to It’s the Sals in the Sahara so that’s where that’s where we’re lining and a few players doing it myself and Simon uh with couple ex players but

There’s quite a few players doing it four I think four are returning from the Arctic so they’re glutting for punishments much like myself I think you know what I mean fantastic so they’re um there’s a lot of nice people we’ve all been out had a couple of we walks just

Preparation to get to know each other so uh I think we’re going to have a good time proba will wish you all the I wonder if TV when you’re over there actually to watch to watch some of the games no it’s a very good question uh

You need to give me some we Wi-Fi or something got that next we a home I think it’s think the commic game that um we’re missing and I need to have a word with the Tony and and Jane and and uh tell them that if there’s any other

Challenges that they don’t do it when there’s a home game or even there’s a Celtic game on there there’s a there’s a close season there’s a winter break there you want be doing that in the summer period because going bad enough but June and July maybe yeah

That are we advice that we got from one of the guys was doing the Arctic thing and and there’s there’s a a everybody wants to get the worst conditions to see or went when I doing the Arctic I want itus 40 but these things become lifethreatening and seriously really

Threatening C the Arctic frostbite and and stuff we’ll be bit fortunate that way and the same Arctic the warmer it is it’s getting warmer um not to what it be in the middle of summer I think get up to about 27° which uh you know you you’ve got to watch yourself and and

Those when you’re out tracking for the length of time yeah rehydration is is is or nothing no cover other than me looking like a we ar with the hat sces and everything for the stone Rosies look with a bucket hat and so I I’ll need to

Ask Simon he know if there’s any Simon Stone Ros I don’t know any song getting old or something is 100% going to be wearing a bucket hat got so disappointed listen Tommy you know I can’t wait to hear the updates um and see how you got on I’m sure as

Always you’ll succeed um and all the very best is that’s whater but the succeeding is is what the the foundation do for us and the work that they do for us and we’re just a little bit going along we have hopefully have a good time

Um but the serious stuff is to to help the foundation so um what we do and and the people that need our help uh is far greater um so we just can do a we hill we can go to the Arctic or whatever uh just to try and help that process along

Absolutely good words and it’ll be uh be very interesting to see how how you get on over there we’re going to um move on now and chat a little bit about the football um so of course we’ll start with the weekend’s match which is just passed the weekend’s game against aine you

Know with a victory 60 Victory get away from of course it was dropped points and uh uh of course it finished one each um at P doesn’t get away from the fact it was a disappointing um result and a disappointing afternoon for for the team Ryan I think looking back towards

The game um at the weekend there we did create chances and I suppose if you’re looking at it and well of course we always trying to find the positives so not getting you know not get away from the fact it was a disappointing result but the positive I when when you’re

Looking at it Adam Ida comes on the park and I assists Nicholas K who gets equalizer for Celtic we did create chances but how did you reflect on the game from the weekend it’s just two different 45 minutes really when you when you look at it I was up there at P

At the game in first half we had so many clearcut opportunities Palma hit the bar didn’t he made the keeper save he obviously scored which was which was offside um and I think really if if we’ scored early on if a had put it in and

Not hit it at Rose then I feel like personally it’s a different game Aber second half then come out they get a little bit of belief behind them and it’s a great goal from from the offs SC in terms of bit of individual Brilliance and then from there on the the home

Crowd are are up they’ve obviously got a little bit of a bounce of the fact that Barry unfortunately a former Celtic player had lost his job but I think that kind of played into the atmosphere a little bit as you said positives are could and uh ad coming on and impressing

As well but I think you’ve only got to look at the manager comments after the game to have a real reflection on that 1990 minutes and he did say his two points dropped and not Point gains so I think hopefully though at the end of the season that’s where it’s going to really

You’re going to understand if it is two points dropped or a point gained because you can go to P Tom you’ve done it tons of times it can be a hard place to go so we’re going to have to wait and see the end of the season but clearly it’s a

Disappointment yeah Tom you’ve you know through your career with Celtic through your your playing career as a whole I guess you have played in games where you’re playing for the team that creates the most chances and and looks like the most in control of the match but don’t

Get the victory how frustrating is that as a player it’s it’s very frustrating because obviously the the the looking to what wins your games as goals and we’ve had opportunities it’s not as if we’re not creating opportunities we’ve certainly had opportunities and there were similarities in this game to the commander game um

Where you’re not going to dominate a game for 19 minutes the way we did in that first half uh was immense in terms of how we controlled the game but uh the second half when the home team came out and had a goal Kam on that did it as

Well um we were found wanting at times in terms of whether that’s defensively um but to score go I don’t know it’s the hardest thing in the world to do I they get too many myself right enough you know um but to score the goals would

Relieve some of the pressure on you and especially the way it seems to be going at this moment in time um so taking your chances putting the ball on the back and uh we we we created quite a few um but um just always we concern about how we

Have let and conceded opportunities to opposition in the second half again especially Office of the commic game and uh we lost that one and saine game so how do how do you fix it it’s the difficulty the manager got to do with the players that he’s got available

Wereing a few injuries as well to two key players and obviously a couple being away at the Asian cups and um so um yeah well hopefully that’s a point gained and pursuit for uh retaining the title um but as Ryan says it’s that will time will tell that um disappointing thing is

How many points were dropped um and recently it seems to be recently um and I think that’s something that we’ve got to address yeah I mean Ryan you know we talking honestly and talking about how you know it was disappointing and then the games this season with Dro

Points have have been disappointed but not just as supporters disappointing for Brandon and the team as well but you know talking with that sort of honesty I think everybody would accept now that going up to Easter Road midweek to play against hibs it becomes a a pretty

Massive match it’s obviously going to be difficult it’s a place one of these little anomalies where it’s a place that that Brendan Rogers has has never experienced a victory how are you feeling going into that game on Wednesday night well I mean again conver back to

To you Tom having played and known what this experience is like but anytime you drop points as a Celtic player as a Celtic fan you know when you’re just involved in this club dropping points is is not expected it’s not it’s not what the fans expect at all it’s not what the

Club expect so even when it is a a kind of tough place like P so all that does is just slightly add a little bit more pressure into the next game which again as you mentioned as a tough match on paper of going to to Easter Road I think

What we have to do is of course go out and win that match I mean hibs had a pretty poor result on Saturday they got defe 3-0 at home to St M but the thing is well there is the disappointment of the result we as we were mentioned we have

Been creating chances and it’s just about hopefully on Wednesday night it’s one of those games where we create those chances early on we take them we alleviate that little bit of pressure from ourselves and we can go and enjoy our game and I think hopefully once we

Get a result like that we can kick on from there but yeah not I’m not going to lie it’s one of those games that you’re never really kind of looking forward to anyway s Ro’s going away from home and off the back of a of drop points

Probably adds a little bit to that as well Tom you’ve obviously played um in some fairly pressurized moments and pressurized Seasons I think again it would be um pretty obvious to anyone looking on that there’s a lot of pressure going into this game now and going into the rest of the season in

Your experience though how can that pressure Galvanize a team and Can it can it make the difference can it push them on yes it can that that’s what the the best players thrive on uh situations like that in tight moments and you know uh games uh at the moment seem to be

Going against us so you you need to get out that very very quickly uh or else we could see that just uh crumbling away a challenge crumbling away so we need to get uh and address that why we drop them the points um it’s weird in terms of how

I think we’ve got an Absolut fantastic record at p in terms of some of the victories of her yeah going Easter Road and you would think it be way aine usually have been the closest challenge just have not really and yet we’ve always had a hard a game know the record

We’ve got um there recently hasn’t been not great um in terms of this game um it interesting to see how their manager project we hear that sitman obviously 13 now weekend but uh Nick mcgomery I think just wants to go out and play football at all costs um

That’s slightly different to what other teams do against us um they usually just sit in uh and and and conceit territory and and usually Lo of chances opportunities um but I think hubs are slightly different than that in terms of they want to come out and play whether

The players are good enough I’ve seen some of their games I watched them against Hearts they come out flying at the start the same against rangers flying at the start and then they just faded away um whether they’ll do that against us I don’t know interesting to see but we’ll wait again

Um we need to get back to reals we need to start getting victories victories change everybody’s philosophy if it’s a good victory you know in the performance uh you get a good performance and a good victory at a place that invariable have struggled in the past then that could

Give a huge lift and uh you know give the relieve a little bit of the pressure that seems to be honest absolutely I mean it’s it’s going to be exciting it’s going to be interesting but of course we’ve got to keep the optimism as much as possible defitely keep the faith here hopefully

We go up there yeah listen every time before the game as you do we’ll talk about we certainly get a team that’s good enough to go there we’re not sitting at the bottom of the league or whatever you know we’re sitting at the top of the league at the moment um

Hopefully that will continue after that game um was a a convincing Victory but of course uh Tom you know talking very privileged position here to be talking to Tom about currently pressurized matches and and what it takes to win he knows what it’s all right absolutely so

We’re going to move on to that now and chat a little bit about your career with uh with Celtic and just just us on that you’re talk president it’s nice when you have something like Henry lson quite a few times and Thompson and guys big big game players got world

Right here yes oh well there we go I salute yourself what I’m going to clip that up and I might have that as my ringtone or something like that Henri yeah absolute Legend we’re going to chat about Henri well um but I mean you know what an

Exciting time for yourself in terms of when you were involved in the club um because you you you joined Celtic in 1992 of course what I I always look back in that sort of time period as we’re just on the cusp of Celtic coming into the sort of I guess the modern Celtic

That we that we that we know been so successful over the last 20 plus years of course you come in in 1992 as part of a a swap deal um you’re playing at Chelsea PL your trade at Chelsea at the time Chelsea get Tony casaro and Celtic

Get Tom Boyd yeah I was delighted talk us through that that that moment paint since I haven’t seen him no I’ve never don’t think you ever mean in his company obviously passing yeah sorry passing in planes and I I thanked him for being rotten um because that would not have happened had

Tony done well here uh there’s there’s no way that Celtic would have wanted to get rid of him and and but just because whatever for whatever reason it didn’t work out here and so I thank him for it’s only time you thank somebody for in

You know so um yeah um yeah it was great um obviously that got me realizing my dreams of of wan to play here thought that opportunity had uh gone when uh I transfer down to to England to Chelsea um so I thought that wouldn’t have been

Very very it wouldn’t have been as quick as what I thought it would be just 6 months later um um it was very strange but absolutely delighted that uh it did happen for me and uh as you see running out here in my first game against eldre

And here’s in the backer neck just still do walking through that tunnel it C but it’s brilliant absolutely fantastic feeling and uh just delighted made my debut here could have been it’s so funny how these things happen football strange how thing about you’re saying some people think that that was

Pre-planned that the stage of meing down to go to Celtic was was planned and and and some way but when you think about it and analyze it I believe at the time that Tony casar was a uh highest ever transfer fee 1.2 million um now 6 months

Later he’s had to have an absolute horendous time and and to get down uh and and to to put themselves on the transfer mode or the club trying to get rid of him it wouldn’t happen you wouldn’t think it you know so um it just

It was just a series of events that that worked for me and even for myself uh leaving Chelsea I was doing okay I was on the team my last victory was a victory at anfield we won 212 to one to know um against Liverpool um and the

Manager called me in to say um just completely at the bo didn’t know what was happening that there was an opportunity for me to go to Celtic par and before he even finished the sentence I was on the pl unbelievable of course you Boyhood Celtic supporter as well what was it

Like for the family as well that you were coming to Celtic great well listen you can look back in the family my my dad was actually there was three years at the press conference uh Liam Brady myself and my D I was at the top table

Um so I don’t think he asked to many questions to be fair um but the pride that he shown that day uh and I don’t think that ever left him you know obviously his son playing for the club and then to continue to become the club

Captain um you know he was he was well we first to he wasn’t it Dad came along have you have you been promoted to Captain when Ryan gets back on this dad’s G to come in and sit at the side in the podcast um I know there so much

We can talk about of course we time at Celtic but we’re going to kind of pick points I guess along the way just to kind of punctuate it a little bit um because you come to Celtic 1992 I might fast forward a couple of years if that’s all right with yourself yeah nothing

Much happened the first couple years nothing Happ you think about it like looking back on it we obviously just know Celtic as success yeah it was sixs before but that period I think when you came in it was like two third place finishes two fourth place finishes in

The first four seasons like I think we probably don’t appreciate that as much now being a more kind of modern day supporter you know obviously disappointed to we got a draw at where time in the 90s it was Tom comes in in 1982 but at that point you know we’ve

Won the Scottish Cup in 1989 you know Joe Miller scoring scoring a goal a couple of years has past we’ not won anything but as that continues to to then creep on of course what the point I was going to cut to was the Scottish Cup in 1995 under Tommy you’re talking six

Years every year that passed without a b of silver be Tom could you feel that pressure Rising oh without a shadow of a doubt I I thought I was coming up to Celtic next may have not won the league that that season uh that we were coming

In um but I thought we would be competing and up there but obviously that was at the height of our problems financially and and the club was uh heading down a slippery slope so thankfully Fergus come in uh when he did with with the rest of

The the team that were were in the Takeover so um yeah but I thought as a player I’m a a support of had that you know it was on and off every so often but never that length of time in my time there’s older guys that will tell you

Way back in the 50s it was worse uh but in that in my time uh never known the like of it so you’re talking about that that season that we won Scottish cup at the end of the hton season I think when we talk about how successful we have being more

Disappointed about a draw I tell every this there was a period of 17 games I think um where we only won two of them you know you think of that as a Celtic history you know raging if we lost two games a season uh you know in terms of

Some of the Season we’ve had Invincible season under br uh and now look you know that’s what we we at that time but that was the start of transition Tomy was coming in um and eventually we won U the the Scottish Cup against the it was not the best game

There was huge amounts of pressure on us uh having lost as well um earlier in the The League Cup Final to to race RS a championship team as well at the time as well as um so there was immense pressure and thankfully big Pierre Tosh McKinley

Got crossed of all with his usual pach and and accuracy uh to Big Pi’s head there was a good Target right you know mean 7 fo five or um so that that that took a lot and I think you seen that the uh the the picture the reminiscing was

Obviously was it Paul jump top Grant or some um that was that was a very emotional moment so um yeah that was that was huge for us it gave us a little bit of belief that we could you know get a little bit of that gave us a bit of

Pridey back in winning something for the first time in six years I think it was um so that that gave us a little bit of pray back and we started then to compete uh Tommy started to bring in better players as all managers are judged on

The players that they bring in and uh we got Andy Tom and B Pierre big Pierre was the first one of of them so we started to compe in that season unfortunately never when we came back here the Celtic par that was a that was a huge left for

Us coming back here no even though it was just at the time when got a stand but it was it was massive toing back to our own ground and can get playing here so yeah it was uh listen there’s tons of things we can talk about and talk about

That season we can talk about The Following season um the huge disappointment of that was yes we won a cup under Tommy Tom Tommy buns but I think we should have won a league for him and what he gave you know to the to football club everything his whole heart

And soul yeah whether it be support whether it be a player whether be a manager a scout whatever he did did it be so heart and um that’s sad that we we can we’re playing against a decent uh Rangers team as well that time with some

Of the players that they had well I feel like R there’s a few names that quite often come up on the podcast and and it’s just because of you know who they are or status within the the story of the club one man’s name who comes up quite often certainly with next players

Of that ER is Tommy Burns um you’ve spoken a little bit about Tommy that you know and you’re talking a about the foundation how it represents the the soul of who the what the club is and who we are Tommy Burns you know it’s not a stret say Tommy buns epitomizes what who

This club is and what the club stands for you’ve obviously got fond memories of the man you me sharing just a coup couple I remember him sh at me at Hen was going too well you know what I mean uh but yeah listen there something that

You cannot dislike um you every going so well at that moment and and I used to hear him having I think him and granty would fight like cat and dog in in a football field but just showing you the kind of uh motivation he had for the for

This football club he wanted to be successful um and uh you know as he was as a player he was as a manager H and he probably what cell supporter should be and then you know his faith is absolutely was outstanding as well uh he loved his family and obviously loved her

Club uh equally I think amongst the three of those things um so a fantastic example for every Celtic supporter to be show passion but he also gave respect to everybody he met and I that’s what an enduring mem of Tommy down the years um and aw Master stroke in terms of positionally changed

Uh he put me back in I prefer to play sweeper I know I was a fullback for it I I was a sweeper was all through my school career in my mother days and eventually my mother had to become a fillback and adjusted and in Tom of the

Season we we only lost the one Le game he put his back in sweeper was a big alongside Big John H at the time so that was that was in his wisdom and I think that allowed for us to bring in Tosh obviously Tosh is the ball The Crossing ability is I think

Second to none that I’ve seen um so it changed in in that kind of way so yeah a man of of huge Integrity Tom me um a great honesty and uh and somebody who very much sad yeah I think see just on told me I know so we mention him a lot

In the podcast we have people on we had John y was on a coup weeks ago which was a great laugh who was just again so emotional speaking about Tommy yeah but I think it’s something that it’s important that we always talk about him because even I can remember when I was

Younger and I’m getting into Celtic now I didn’t get to see Tommy play I didn’t get to see Tommy manage yeah but those stories were passed on and it was passed on from my dad and from other people about you know this is what it is to

Like be a Celtic supporter and to represent and I remember I used to always go I’m from be B and the science Parks the under 17s 18s whatever would have been would play at the science marks so we’d always go and walk the dog down there on Saturday mornings and

Things Sunday mornings and the s team are playing we stand and watch it and Tommy Burns was always there and he used to stand like the top of this hill at a tree with like his hood up almost like trying to be in Disguise but the people

Everybody knew knew that he was there and just from that it would strike to you that that’s somebody that is just so ingrained in the club and would do anything for it and I think that’s something then passed on to you as a fan about what it means it’s not just about

Turning up on a Saturday it’s so much more than that i’ being a Celtic fan and and I just I just thought it’ be important to say you know it’s always important just to keep talking about Tommy and his memory and other people like him yeah it’s influence as you said

There rightly uh not just as a as me when I was under him as a m as a player but um more to do with what his influen as and and could affect young kids and and but it’s amazing though how much time he gave to he he he gave 100% in

Everything he done where he was where he was watching what he was doing and and I wonder he had any time for for family or anybody else in terms of what he had to do um but uh you Julie did and and gave to the best of his ability it’s a

Measure of the man that the Legacy the impact that he had on the club is such that supporters maybe like ourselves who didn’t grow up watching Tommy plane and didn’t have a lot of time watching Tommy’s Celtic team when he was a manager even supporter so younger than

Us as well we’ll still talk with such a affection about the man I guess that’s the measure of the qualities of of the man and the impact that he had on the club but you’re talking about John Hughes there like you say we had a good

Chat with John as well but one of the things that John said I find it really interesting was that what struck him when he came to Celtic was the standard at training was so high what was your experience of that you know when you were training at

Barfield what was it like day to day Tomy and work with these teams we see it’s a bug bear mind sometimes when you see passes and pass appreciation to your teammate and that’s what Tommy was uh renowned for the he brought in went over to Holland watch I think it was ha

Whoever it was over there um came back and we always done this Dutch Square which was a thing and it’s a bit passing just you’re right but we reverse it pass everything had got to be played in the right manner ahead of people never behind because moments could be be lost

Chances could be lost if it’s behind you so we’ done that religiously right through um every just of every training session um and uh but but it showed and and and cly for players us certainly appreciate of you know as the keep saying pass the ball as

You would like to receive it and so you put it in a little bit firly good players going to be able to handle that um whe it’s you know it speed the journe prefa that so it gives them a little bit more time we get things under control so

Uh but that that was Cy Tommy in terms of the intensity and how much you would work in a training ground everybody um um and and so yeah as rightly say just gave his heart and soul went our football club to um sort of fast forward

Then a couple years so we won the Scottish Cup in 1995 we then don’t want anything for the next two seasons 95 96 96 97 there’s there’s no silver we then comes 97 98 which is a huge season because of course we haven’t won a league title since the centinary season

So it’s of course a decade since we’ve lifted the league title F jansen’s in charge of the of the club at that point in time there’s a certain Mr H lson also on the books I think he want to do okay for just a 242 goals I think it was yeah

Never let forget his first pass though yeah appreciation I think he must have check when John Hughes was on a couple of weeks ago and we we spoke about that game because John was playing four hibs yes and I think he said the same as well it’s like who’s Celtic a Swedish we’ve

Got here but obviously you know Ryan the pressure got into that season we know what it was all about we know that we know the expectation of the support of course Tom you are given the honor of being Captain you say it’s honor you talk about pressure I know what was it

Like then that that pressure and KNN what that season was going to be yeah the pressure’s on as you talk about pressures on for every game but as you see as a captain you want to be lifting trophies you want to be uh being a captain walking up there first and

Picking that up um that’s what you’re judged on in terms of your your time your career uh what you did as a player and what you’ve done as you get the honor of becoming a captain what you done as a captain and so there huge imense price because of what’s went

Before and all the the the the outstanding players that have captained a football club uh and there’s not as many is what played our football club so in terms of captains dur the years um it’s an Absolut meic honor um and something that um something that puts a

Little bit of pressure on you to be successful with and a time where we had been struggling obviously to perform um and so thankfully that um uh I think the recruitment for what we had um the players that come in were were were outstanding um and their contributions

To help us as well as the ones that were there you know because as you see it was a full Squad thing um but the the guys that come in performed tremendous supporter can I ask so in that summer of 97 when B comes in um as you’re

Mentioning like we all know the pressured About That season and you’re giv the armband what’s discussed in the changing room in that summer going into the season and what do you have to do differently as a captain learn um a role to out of control everybody you know an individual

You can look after yourself you can be we selfish you’re looking after yourself as a captain you got to try and help and get everybody on I know that’s a manager job but as a captain there you as well you you can do things and talk to a

Player that the manager can you do U and so you could layers between the two or you could just help players along um so yeah there was there was pressure on um go I remember last losing my first two League games uh which was not the ideal

Start in the the season that you’ve got to was it hson fman yes um remember playing it here thinking we’ll get we’ll get back in the rails with them FM on the home but that didn’t work out that way but then after the influence of players coming in and and uh the

Signings that we started to make uh the contribution was fantastic and help raise the squad level obviously coming in with Craig bully Big M was outand and then we got a guy by who had just won the European Cup the year before you know for 4 million pound

Don’t think we’ll be able to do that noways good we um talk about the captain say yeah Tom like it’s something that I’ve heard a few times so I’m going to ask about it how important was that this this might sound I don’t know a little

Bit um D here but how important was the the social aspect of that group cuz I know that you you like to be H out and that wasn’t just myself let me say and a few of the boys did um yeah I think they try and include bringing in a lot of foreigners

Which wasn’t usually like us um um so we started to bring in those kind of so just trying to bring them in together trying to get them out getting away for either hotels or or rooms and maybe you know have family over there so you’re trying to give them a a reason

For for being there and trying to feel um a part of the team rather than just you go and play your game you go back to your room and stuff so we either try to go know everybody lik some of these things but we try to go golfing uh which

Quite a few were popular go C we’ve done uh amongst other things there was um paintballing as well so we know some dangerous things that you to do I don’t know clear insurance at the time you know LS out for season with pball listen and and it did get nasty

Time you know but it was a good laugh as well that you know just players no adherent the rules you know um but um yeah so it was just some of these things that you got to do and it it just served a function of trying to get everybody

Together um you could have a few drinks if you wanted um sometimes players opened up with that one and become a be bit more friendly with us um but yeah so that that was that was key um to helping us um create a good team spirit um so it

Did go in for a few and we certainly had a few good occasions um some enjoyed them more than most she remain nameless I like the fighting moments in that season so the first two games we lost I imagine that’s one but then are there other points probably some of the derby

Games where you’re going right we can do this now the biggest one was the Derby and the New Year’s Day game we didn’t realize at the time but one we look back and you see that we hadn’t won the Derby in the 10 years previously or nine years

Previously so this was the 10th year and significantly the the team that not lost or something won that one but not WN the league yeah so we knew that was vitally important and we were just again I think just a little bit behind I think Four

Points as well I we lost at seven points at that time I think might have been a we Bridge Too Far So we had to try and get a a victory in that game and and we played we played ever so well again talking about taking my chances we never

Took my chances they a good goalkeeper in there right enough you know so um but um we certainly missed a few chances electric that night yeah it was it was great um loved it Absolut loved it Absolut brilliant fantastic game and uh obviously really jumped at end it so um yeah that that

Was that was hugely significant um and there was a few others along the way that listen you that was one you can pinpoint with the pressure and be behind and stuff that they all count yeah that abine draw that might be the one that gets is it could be that close at the

End of the season that might one getting it uh and we talk about performances I think it was at that season that we went up to Padre and it was a rotten game end of the season rotten game I think we won one0 um but it goes towards you know

Terrible terrible game I think we only one short at goal or something um so a terrible game um so you can’t you don’t play well every single game of the season um but as long as you do get the victories and try and get a point at

Least to to take you somewhere towards it so yeah thousands of talking points of the seasons and impact of players and impact of decisions then uh all culminating together to come to uh the St Johnson game here but it was an important game the week before up nicely

Because of course the um well you we speak about this we spoke to spoken to Simon about it before as well that um G against different opinion yeah of course because he could have been the he could have been the man of course seals the seals the deal for Celtic it doesn’t

Quite happen that week at East End park because the the F got a a late a late goal yeah was feeling like that was part of the plan yeah we at East End Park 15,000 Sal supporters there if not more um uh out here we’re building a stadium that’s

Going to hold 6 it was only 45 50 at that time we want to win it had won the championship for 10 years so we had to win it in front of what a better place to Paradise so we had a we Arrangement um am I allow to say

That FAL bridge and we ask know to come up for a cross um for a one disagreed with that was Simon Simon Simon would have been the guy that scor I still do um a couple of a bit of work with with the the tours Department here and there so whenever I’m doing

Tours and talking in the boardroom the thing that always comes up is the thread of drama and excitement that runs through this football club if there is a way to make something dramatic Celtic will find a way to do it of course the best example of the European Cup you

Know won the European Cup in 1967 we battered Milan it’s well accepted and it’s well documented we we gave them a roasting that that day but we wait till 5 minutes to go till we get the You drama yeah this league title obviously being as massive as it was it

Goes right down to the final day another example of that drama you’re the captain yeah what is it like in that dressing room pre-match knowing we’re not so much pre-match the whole week and the buildup uh to the game um trying to keep players at as as you would as a normal buildup

It’s not we know it’s not the players will know it’s not everybody will tell you it’s not the significance of it you better not lose this you know what I mean the pressure that’s on you um so we we we would try to do a our normal um

Build up with uh going out for a we game at got was can’t remember exctly but it was probably Golf and then a we night out and I think the Tuesday we did day off and the Wednesday so try to keep everything the same keep everybody

Involved um uh and uh obviously turn up on the Saturday and hope that what you’ve done what you’ve prepared how the manager prepared you in the training games um there’s not a lot done to end the season stuff and there’s no real Fitness that you need uh so it’s just

Try to keep you taking over um and working on uh your maneuvers of uh or tactics whatever it is that he wants to work on um so yeah in the last few moments just trying to say a few words of encouragement to them in the HUD but

Uh what did you say uh sorry this camera’s on live I cannot I cannot repeat what happens in other it’s amazing how that’s changed in terms of became the captain that started doing I think because we were getting a lot of players in foreign players maybe English

Was not the first language it used to be anyone could say anything in the H of suay was feeling confident at the time that’s what the initial thought was but I think as it developed it then became the captain so at that point was it the captain it was yeah the captain that

Um I don’t know if Harold would Harold’s great English speaker or St you but then I just became the captain I I don’t know exactly the the timing of it the pick whe it was Paul V I took over but um certainly it became just the captain and

I think it sub been that um so yeah it was um a a very a very NY time for everybody I think at that that space other than the players you’re you’re nervous before don’t be wrong here you’re nervous but see on the field of Play Once the game start the whistle

Goes there’s so many things you’re concentrating on that you don’t need to be nervous unless you’re playing along somebody who’s rotten that’s could a few thing so and we getting a perfect start uh with Henry scoring a goal and and so much so that I didn’t involv I didn’t go

To join in the celebrations over there I was just trying to keep every low key and I think I was trying to hold back a here as well that this could been a moment you know H gave us a perfect start and like a lot of things we had ch

With opportunities to seal it early on in the first half and we didn’t and then I think everybody was having kittens just at that we moment before halftime with Georgia Bo who missed an absolute sitter so um I think you could sense we knew um we had to get another goal

Because uh the fans reaction we knew it wasn’t going well for us situation that Rangers must have been winning at uh at tanise um so we had to get another goal and uh up step the captain he play he be Jackie to play he what pass by the way oh honestly

Has was a I don’t know much enough you know but but I was waiting me Jack getting a better Allen Preston and I know the boy was Sly Olo was coming and closing me down and the fans could see this and and was as he was getting Clos

Pass it pass it and words to that effect repeat the words to that effect um but then the way a pass for we talk about pass appreciation the way a pass for Jackie’s ball fantastic was outstanding it’s on a plate on a plate and don’t know Harold’s missed a couple on the

Plate before um but he put that one away thankfully which was uh outstanding and then that was it we knew we would never going to lose a couple of goals um to Johnson at that time that was left so it was party time could you have Everly

Just so picture all that moment because I think every Celtic fan that was at the ground can L picture the moment where you get the ball and you play into Jackie but only you have the memory and the image play that and seeing it all

Devel well I remember who I took off the St Johnson player I took off and and running up the line I remember everything and waiting in the moment I think the fans probably could have seen um Harold uh maybe running through the middle and expecting maybe that pass but

My focus um whether it was right or wrong it was on Jackie and thinking hoping Jackie would get the better to get him down the line um so that was what my focus was on um putting how I didn’t have a thought of that may I

Didn’t have was just a tunnel vision I didn’t have peripheral vision I don’t know um so from that point of view then that was that was F right wait and and it’s just the timing of when Jackie was going to get the better of him and I

Knew Jackie would have got the better in terms of his Pace um so then just to lift it over the top so yeah I can remember amazing and then just sto at that moment and um just a b cheing it’s an iconic IM Kevin just blow the whistle 12 minutes

Kind it was to go but just blow the whistle CU we going to get be it was um it’s always wonderful I love looking back at the footage from that day as well because obviously such an outpouring of listen you can see outpouring of Joy I think it’s clear to

See an outpour of relief as well mostly but once the relief is kind of you know worn off and it’s sinking in with the Champions Tom you’re you’re absolutely loving it at full time I you cutting about with the yes’s hat on on the picture stuff like that yeah can’t

Remember you point as well didn’t you start I don’t yes okay I hope there’s no any videos of that going I can that if I was on it what is one of the game shows that singing contest I’d be honestly singing wasn’t my best thank God it was it was better

Than other things um so yeah I I’ll blame that 20 ham for that I still work with him as well the foundation he was in there he was he was the comp in the middle of the pict that time won the league against FL flag potentially

Might have been the song of choice no it was stand up for the stand up for it was stand up for the chat gladly I’m not as bad in the shower I sure I think I don’t know singing There’s space in the Sahara that you can sing and nebe they’ll hear you

So as long as it put some as long as put your the 16 and we’ll do the h stand up for the Champions be must what a part must been that night and just yeah but then it get ciled a little bit the following day I me you with the news you

Knew the news and we were over in the Portugal for the game um for George Cadet and so we knew the end so thing was ciled a little bit celebrations for our listeners it’s the news of course that is that Vim is yeah was leaving was

Going to be leaving as as manager must have came like a bit of the blue a bit of a a hammer BL listen you knew there was there was issues with him um as as players that you know talk to him and stuff and and the feelings so he finally confirmed it then

Um was no really news to a lot of them um but uh yeah it hit a lot hard in terms of obviously a manager comp myself as well manager coming in um that’s just won the first championship for um 10 years our football club and and had me

Leave left at the end was s moment um and was a we damper for us when we we heard that news there was of course more excitement um on the horizon we’re going to finish up talking about sort of towards the end of your career at Celtic

But of course you end your care Celtic J really exciting time with just one of the oldtime Celtic managers really yeah and Martin and talk to his about what Martin’s arrival was like for the club and and and his achievements yeah uh a guy again at the time we’ lost wave just

For a couple of years um Rangers had B in some standing players um and uh and so Martin had to try and match that with the players there was there was a few players that that were there well it was at the time of marer who left um That

Season end of the season I think Martin said that he did try to keep him but um I think we went out that in terms of the guy that CR something in terms of a player um so yeah that yeah he came in totally changed the the thoughts of the

Club by adding again like under them adding quality players to the situation um and certainly not better than than certain both for Haren and you know we could through Lenny and all that you could go through the whole list of players that come in and players coming

In and making an impact um but yeah it was it was a fantastic time and you know a year that I had a testimonial that we went and won a trouble a lucky boy for sometime fantastic first time as Captain in the year in 97 we won the league as well so

97 98 season so yeah um I’ve been I’ve been very lucky to be here at this football club and play under some exceptional managers and I think certainly Martin pretty success was was outstanding I mean obviously wonderful players there great manager W in the tble we we we mentioned the guy earlier

On we’re going to have to ask about him hanky what was CU you play Martin is obviously that’s like that’s Peak Henrik that’s well I think was I think the influence of Chris suton come in I think to so much pressure off Henry and I

Think he was as you say just at his Peak I think that was when he was at his Peak at that time an a standing player everybody’s seen what he’s what he could contribute towards a football team and and not just the sense of a goal scorer which way was

Outstanding um but as a team player you know we see the way we team the high pressure and all that and he could do all that kind of thing was a fat boy yeah um the leap that he had the spring that he had incredible header of a

Football just I would say one of the best headers of the ball I’ve seen and that’s including all the big ugly center backs I’ve played alongside um the timing of his John I think that’s that’s key to some of the best people who you talk about Canad the ball I think they

Jump early and they talk about hang time and all that and it certainly had that um um yeah outstanding player for us and he he could create as well he wasn’t a selfish player that I just want the glory I’ll take off of myself if somebody else was in a bit position he

Would pass it and uh just so many assists as well just a complete all player for us um and so just glad that we had what seven years him here Cel you know and he he talks about that himself when you think of the clubs he played for including us Barcelona Manchester

United and he says the best strike partner ever had was Chris so that that definitely worked we got the fruits of it as well yeah I think that it was a perfect foil was the guy wasn’t as good a goal scorer as um Henrik but um he certainly

Added some outstanding go thrs um and I think it just just click for the toour him but I think Chris was somay I think you could if you had a strike of him I think he did it was year as well you know I think you can you get a stri

Chris can do a lot of the donkey work more physical work but but her could handle himself yeah in so many occasions he looked slight but he was he was a strong boy very strong boy that’s what Tom you saying a couple of answers ago about H how sometimes you can be you

Feel you can be lucky you’re here as captain for the 98 season and then for the treble but I think what’s not lucky is the fact that you come in at Celtic and you stay in the team for 10 years from 92 to 2002 and when you look back

On your career you mentioned earlier on as well Celtic don’t have a very long list of captains you know you think M now Scott Brown was Captain for a long time um there’s only a couple of people that have been a captain and left the league title only a couple of people

That have been Club captain in a treble maybe only three or four four did it it was only two it was big buly was the only guy had done that you know me yeah um I know earli we didn’t have the league cup so was that in the 50s or something Le

Leag Cup first played for 46 so 46 but you’re right so so before then you know we may have had captains who have lifted it but that’s it wasn’t available yeah so some other the Glasgow cup at that time was very strong competition what I’m trying to say really is that yeah you

Look back on that Tom and you are a legend at this football club for what you’ve done and for what you’ve achieved and I just wonder what it feels like do you think back to those moments Legacy list I appreciate every time some we going and start talking about and I know

How fortunate I was and and to to achieve those positions I was somebody who was well respected by the peers and I think I think that’s certainly what got me to ro as Captain the way back at the start um and so well liked by by

Just about everybody so I got in well with them I tried to meet them it was some harder than others to some huier than others the Hest guy was Stephan Mah he was some could throw a wober he could throw a wober um and and trying to even

Appease him at times and help him bring him out it but no he was he wasn’t he was in fact refus to come me a couple of night or some yeah but uh he he was a great play for us as well St as well he was he was

Good so yeah I have uh I’ve just been as I say consider myself very fortunate that I’ve been to be part of the the success of football club which I think ultimately what your judg on and so absolutely delighted it have been great just as a player but obviously then to

Go and be as a captain it cly comes with its own pressures but um I’m glad I was I was uh up there to be counted and and thankfully had a great time a great feeling would have loved to have won more love to have been around at the

Time of BR when you’re a so significant in a way that ccum I think that’s a good sort of point to I guess round up on there because it’s a wonderful reflection on a great career and um hopefully now uh I’ll get an the foundation and stuff that

Remember and I’ll get that we Beach l in the Caribbean I’m sure you want to come along with that I think I think we should do a sort of um Caribbean podcast I think I think it’s I think it only right that that happens I think the foundation must

Do so I can bring that you bring we’re sending us straight to the C Foundation we want with Tom Boyd Tom you’ve definitely sort of lifted us up after what was uh a fairly disappointing result at the weekend wonderfully wonderful memories and I think just sort of sitting

Listening to you you know he certainly led by example in the park and even now off the park still very much a a Celtic Captain and the work that you’re doing with the foundation is is exceptional so wish wish you all the very best with the uh Sahara TR so um

Nice chat there with uh with Tom enjoyed sitting the as well Eno yeah it was fun um but I wonder if I been invited back to be in the host seat again I know we’re going to have to decide actually Tom you can decide actually maybe who is

The next person in the host and seat the two of us you like Matt’s performance pick the captain enough had some pressured situations when I was Captain here at Celtic and I think I’m going to pull one here and just head leaving him he’s got scales from sitting on that fence there

Gu big time so thank you very much for uh joining us today for the official Celtic FC podcast make sure you like And subscribe on all the platforms we’ll be back later in the week as we build up to the weekend’s uh Scottish cup and reflect on Wednesday night’s game

Against hian but All That Remains to be said is thank you very much for listening and watching and he he