12th May 1968
I dropped into the park around lunchtime and found the guys just winding down after training. Had a chat with Jinky, who, like me, was going to miss the tour to North America and Mexico. Instead, he was organising a motoring holiday for himself and his wife Agnes on the Costa Brava. Very nice, I thought at the time. Afterwards, though, I wondered ; was he going to drive all the way? He was not a happy traveller on a plane?
13th May
Cumbernauld United stars Freddie Pethard and Kenny Dalglish have a special reason to play well against Celtic in the special challenge match organised for tonight, when Jock Stein opens United’s new ground – Ravenswood Stadium.
For both Fred and Kenny are booked to turn senior with Celtic. Jock Stein has also named Dalglish in the Celtic youth party to compete in an international tournament in Italy next month.
14th May
Cumbernauld had a gala night last night when Jock Stein opened the local United’s new ground and kicked off. Then Celtic’s European Cup-winning team took over and played United in a 15-minute each way game, which they won 2-0, the goals coming from Lemon and Wispy.
The Celtic starlets then replaced the top men for the remainder of the game and won 4-1. The ground was packed to its capacity of 4,500 and there was a celebration banquet after the match.
15th May
Celtic’s tour of Canada, America and Mexico may be cut from four games to THREE – and manager Jock Stein and his players are delighted.
Today, news reached Parkhead that the match due to be played against Rochester Lancers, in New York on 28th May, is likely to be cancelled. No official reason has been given but if the game is off, it will suit Celtic ‘just fine’, manager Jock Stein said today –“In terms of the number of matches played, this may not be a strenuous tour but the main opposition is going to be formidable. We want to come back to Scotland on 9th June not merely with an unbeaten record but with victory in all our games. If the game with Rochester is called off, it will allow us to get to Canada as soon as possible and start preparing for the match with AC Milan on 1st June”.
In the Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Real Madrid and Manchester United drew 3-3 in the second leg of their European Cup semi-final, a result which put United through to the final on a 4-3 aggregate.
16th May
Celtic were one hour behind schedule as they flew across the Atlantic today because of a traffic build-up at Prestwick Airport. The players on the trip were Simpson, Gemmell, Murdoch, McNeill, Brogan, Quinn, Wallace, Gallagher, Lennox, Hughes, Fallon, Cattenach, O’Neill, McBride, Chalmers and Clark.
Celtic full-back Chris Shevlane joined Hibs today and he will travel with his new colleagues for a three-match tour of Nigeria and Ghana.