What Jock Knew

At first sight this campaign by some Rangers supporters (and more recently by those of Hearts) to sully the reputation of one of Scotland¹s greatest managers appears baffling. Why even make the effort almost a quarter of a century after his death - on active service with the Scottish national side in Cardiff?

Perhaps some within the Ibrox club’s support simply cannot accept that a player generally recognised as coming from a Protestant background in Lanarkshire could sign for Celtic and find himself appreciated as a steady centre-half and inspiring captain … would lead Celtic to a League and Scottish Cup double in 1953/54 … and would be a central figure in Celtic’s astonishing Coronation Cup triumph in the summer of 1953.

Perhaps they could not accept the heart-felt words of one of their own who said: “Unlike many other Celts, I cannot claim that Celtic was my first love … but I can say that it will be my last love.”

Perhaps they could never accept nor forgive the fact that as a manager his Celtic side totally dominated Scottish football and was a major force on the larger European scene. It must have been hard to take … and it must have been galling to admit that efforts made by backroom insiders to tempt him to take over at Ibrox failed utterly.

No, they cannot disguise the resentment oozing out of every pore when they are forced to examine Jock Stein’s contribution to their greatest rivals.

But what is the truth behind the smear that Big Jock Knew?

Celtic Boys Club came into existence in 1966 when Jim Torbett, a successful businessman, was granted permission to use the name Celtic by the club’s chairman Bob Kelly and its manager Jock Stein. This new club was independent of its more famous namesake and started life from a hall in Maryhill. However, Celtic after a while granted the organisation some use of the facilities at Barrowfield for practice and for fixtures.

John Higgins, whose Celtic career was cut short so tragically through knee injuries, had become a scout for the club and he proposed a closer connection: the Celtic Boys Club would operate an under 16 side which would act as a potential nursery for Celtic. However, not all the youngsters graduating from the Celtic Boys Club were obliged to sign for Celtic; for one example, Alan Brazil, later a Scottish internationalist, decided to join Ipswich Town.

For many years the General Manager was Frank Cairney, a civil engineering executive and keen Celtic supporter. Throughout its existence the Celtic Boys Club consistently supplied players for Celtic (and other Scottish clubs). Some were to go on and become legends for the parent club: Tommy Burns, George McCluskey, Roy Aitken, Charlie Nicholas and Paul McStay …

Despite its apparent success all was not entirely well behind the scenes. Jim Torbett was arousing suspicions with his friendships with some vulnerable youngsters on the Boys Club roll.

What did Jock Stein know, when did he know it, and what did he do about it?

According to insider information - and I have heard it from those whose word I would trust - the matter was eventually raised semi-officially inside Celtic Park. Torbett was called to a meeting at the ground. Apparently, Jock Stein - a man whose instincts were invariably right, and a man not noted for his patience - demanded explanations, found them halting and unconvincing and literally kicked the Boys Club founder out the door.

When I use the word literally, I mean it. I have been assured that Jock Stein kicked him on the backside as he was leaving the room.

Stein was a straightforward Lanarkshire man, and probably did not have too much sympathy or understanding of homosexuals. What he recognised was that this matter was one which could embarrass the club if it was revealed, and so he acted instinctively to root out the culprit and remove him, permanently he hoped, from the premises and the club.

In fact, Jock Stein had an even greater incentive than most for dealing with the matter so vigorously; his son George was a promising player and a member of the Celtic Boys Club. Thus, the smears and slurs are entirely unjustified.

In 1978 Jock Stein retired as Celtic¹s manager and was no longer privy to the ins-and-outs of life at Celtic Park. He would have been shocked to learn that Jim Torbett had insinuated himself back into favour at the ground through friendships with board members who almost certainly were unaware of the past accusations against him.

In the early 1990s Celtic were stumbling in every sense: on the pitch they were light-years behind their great rivals Rangers, then in the early stages of their nine-in-a-row; in the board room cliques were forming and re-forming depending on the issues; financially, a once-great organisation was slipping towards potential bankruptcy.

The Celtic Shop, which should have been a money-spinner, was hamstrung through basic inefficiency. Jim Torbett, either volunteered to re-organise it or was invited to do so. One of Torbett’s successful business interests was The Trophy Shop and his commercial expertise was generally recognised. In fact, he did do some good for the club in re-organising the Celtic Shop and putting it on a secure footing.

However, his past was to catch up on him and several former Celtic Boys Club players came forward to accuse him of inappropriate conduct with them.

Later he was to face criminal charges arising out of these relationships, was found guilty and sentenced to jail. This, of course, was manna to those who dislike Celtic and the supporters of some clubs made the most of it for a season or so in the mid 1990s. Gradually, they got tired of it … until it has re-invented itself with the almost bizarre chant of Big Jock Knew!

As has been shown, it would be manifestly unfair to blame Jock Stein in any way throughout the affair. When it was pointed out to him, he acted immediately and in a way that he thought entirely appropriate.

However, Celtic cannot be viewed as entirely blameless. Some youngsters lives were affected adversely, and that is shameful. There had been gossip and speculation about the Boys Club for some time and that should have been investigated thoroughly at the time and dealt with.

Perhaps those in charge at Celtic Park should have had a less idealistic view of the world. Even worse is the suggestion that some board members may have been involved in a conflict-of-interest situation in that they were actually employed by Torbett in the running of his Trophy Shop. For them it might have been easier not to look too hard into an unfortunate and messy situation.

Written by Tom Campbell and reproduced from Issue Seven of the Welcome to Paradise Fanzine.

Celtic’s Paranoia: First published in 2001, updated and revised in 2004, this work outlines Celtic’s long-standing grievances against hostile press coverage, dubious refereeing, and controversial rulings by the SFA and the Scottish League. Highly controversial …

Tears in Argentina: First published in 2006 with more than 200 pages with previously unpublished photographs, this book describes all three tempestuous clashes between Celtic and Racing Club of Buenos Aires in 1967 for the World Club Championship - a series of violent matches that hurled the continuation of the competition into jeopardy …

Charlie Tully - Celtic’s Cheeky Chappie: Published in 2008, this book describes the career and life of one of Celtic’s greatest players and possibly the club’s most engaging personality. A fitting tribute to a Celtic legend …

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Celtic - the Encyclopaedia: First published in 2008, this highly entertaining tome will settle many arguments and also start a few. Lavishly illustrated and handsomely presented, it deserves an honoured place in a Celtic library …

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