Fergus McCann made a low key return to Celtic Park yesterday, making the half-time Windfall Draw and departing without just a few words to the supporters with the media body-swerved.
With a dramatic week anticipated across the city at Ibrox the return of ‘the bunnet fae Croy’ was another reminder of a previous age when Celtic came close to the humiliations of administration and liquidation.
Since 1988 McCann had been trying to invest in Celtic but was ushered aside by the ‘custodians’ as the Kelly’s and White’s insisted that they were the only people to run the club.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you, Fergus McCann, the original Peaky Blinder@CelticFC pic.twitter.com/ja7GL5S4xK
— ???????????????????????????????? George Mutch ???????????????????????????????? (@gmutch1972) September 22, 2019
Love that wee Fergus McCann rocks up to Celtic Park as guest of honour, ON THE TRAIN ????#BiscuitTin #CelticLegend #CelticFC pic.twitter.com/Kr5vq4aDP4
— Chris Harkins (@Henke1982) September 23, 2019
“What was it Nixon said? You guys won’t have me to kick around anymore.”
Fergus McCann on the media as he neared the end of his time at Celtic, 1999Below is example type of disgraceful abuse McCann received from the SMSM.
Biog https://t.co/ojCT8qZzKa pic.twitter.com/nvFxrdmmUB
— JoeBloggsCity (@joebloggscity) September 23, 2019
By the time 1994 came around Celtic had gone five years without a trophy and looked less likely than Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs to pick up silverware.
Rock bottom came at Fir Park when Motherwell ended hope that the Scottish Cup could salvage a season of failure that saw Lou Macari take over from Liam Brady.
The five years until McCann’s departure were equally dramatic but when he left the Scottish title had been won with a 60,000 seater stadium and 50,000 season ticket holders his legacy.
Twenty years on Celtic are the dominant force in Scottish football with McCann again slipping away, sidestepping the spotlight and the chance to rub some noses in the dirt.