Football Without Fans – Drumchapel No.1 CSC

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The Celtic Star

·20 October 2024

Football Without Fans – Drumchapel No.1 CSC

Drumchapel No.1 CSC…

Drumchapel No.1 CSC. Photos from Celtic Bars.

Founded in 1982 by Bernie Blair, Pat Holmes, Shug Kinnaird, and Bruno, who had all recently left the Drumchapel Emerald CSC, which no longer exists, It was initially called John McKinstry CSC, who was a friend who had died, so they named it after him in his honour. The first game was on August 14, 1982, against Dunfermline. The first away game was on August 21, 1982, against Arbroath. Their first dance was at the Cameron House, Clydebank, on December 4, 1982, after the League Cup Final, when Celtic beat Rangers 2-1. The first POTY dance was at Boulevard with Paul and Willie McStay at the end of the 1982–83 season.

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The first Euro away in 1983

The first Euro away was November 23, 1983, vs. Nottingham Forest. Travelling to Dundee games, they always went into Wattie’s Pub for a refreshment and rolls and mince pre-game. On return journeys, they always stopped at Auchterarder for a refreshment. About 1984, they started doing pick-ups at the Viking pub in Maryhill, with the Maryhill crew becoming a big part of their CSC. Joe Febres, Stuarty, Big Rab, Clarky, and Mannie In 1984, Mick Linnen, an ex-Drumchapel resident who was a striking miner from Dunfermline, came through to Drumchapel at this time.

Drumchapel No.1 CSC. Photos from Celtic Bars.

This resulted in bucket collections for the miners families on the bus and chants of ‘the miners united will never be defeated.’ This happened every game from March 1984 until the end of the season. For games away to Dunfermline, they always went to meet up with the Dunfermline CSC in Jokers Pub before and after the game.

The bus was renamed Brian Scott CSC

The bus was renamed Brian Scott CSC as they had a POTY in May 1984, and Brian McClair won it. He attended the event and brought Brian Scott with him. This was also the first time Oliver’s Bar was used for their functions. Up until then, the Laurentian Club was the base, and the bus left from Kinfauns at St. Laurence Chapel. At that time, Oliver’s was just opening, and at the same time, the Archbishop had deemed that there would be no alcohol in church halls.

Drumchapel No.1 CSC. Photos from Celtic Bars.

‘Championees’

Not only was the bus renamed that night, but Oliver’s was born and became their new base. At the start of the 1984–85 season, a new committee was formed by Dick Hendry, Richie Hendry, Willie Anderson, Rab O’Donnell, and Joe Rozek. The first Euro abroad was September 19, 1984, against Gent, where they shared a bus with Davie Hay Paisley CSC. 1986 was the first time Celtic had won the league since the bus formation in 1982, with the famous day at Love Street.

Not only was it a great football occasion that all Celtic supporters remember, but afterwards the bus travelled to Glasgow Airport to drop one of their members off to catch his flight to Spain. Dropping Eddie McCulloch off outside the front door of Glasgow Airport with the bus parked directly outside the front door and everybody waving him off He was beaming with the whole bus singing ‘Championees.’

Drumchapel No.1 CSC. Photos from Celtic Bars.

Tommy Burns

There was a POTY dance in Oliver’s that night, with Tommy Burns attending. He walked in and went to the top table, kissing the Celtic flag on the wall before sitting down. The whole place was bouncing.

For the centenary season, they had a new committee consisting of Tam McLaughlin, Billy Wallace, John McGlynn, and Stuart Colqhoun. When the new stadium opened, Tam arranged for 30 seats, in 3 rows of 10, in the L in Section 105, where they all sit to the present day. Seasons 96–98 saw a new committee, comprising Paul Dobbin, Willie Bennett, and Gerry McGrory.

Drumchapel No.1 CSC. Photos from Celtic Bars.

This was the time of some classic nights at Oliver’s. A fresh-faced Eire Og from the Brazen Head played their first gig outside the Brazen, and it was in Oliver’s. Seasons 1998–2007 saw the committee comprised of Gerry McGrory, Thomas Montgomery, John Ferrie, Tam Cosgrove, and John Gahagan. 86 members travelled to Seville. They booked with Harry Hynds Travel. Everyone came to Oliver’s on a Sunday afternoon, paying £525 a head. Over £45,000 was collected, and Harry needed Securicor on his way back to his shop.

£1000 on horse number 7

As the seasons kept coming, they always had race nights here and there to boost club funds and keep the members’ dues down. One race night, Mr. John Oliver was always ready for a wind-up. He came over after asking the race event organiser who won the race and putting £1000 on horse number 7. Gerry McGrory was the pay-out guy and nearly collapsed as number 7 won, not realising John was at the end. Thankfully, he never took the winnings.

Drumchapel No.1 CSC. Photos from Celtic Bars.

They are good friends with the Duntocher boys. From 2007 to 2016, the bus committee consisted of Gerry McGrory and Robert Allingham. Towards the end of 2014, Barry McKenna joined the committee. At the start of the 2008 season, their membership list was increasing, and they made a huge decision to start having two coaches leave Oliver’s for every Celtic home game.

Drumchapel No.1 CSC had a huge Celtic jersey flag made

Drumchapel No.1 CSC had a huge Celtic jersey flag made up with the old Carling logo on the front. This resulted in Celtic being fined twice by UEFA for breaching an advertising rule due to their sponsorship with Amstel. The fines were £20k and £15k. The CSC was called into Celtic Park and told that it was fine for domestic games but not for European games.

Drumchapel No.1 CSC. Photos from Celtic Bars.

They had their 25th anniversary dance in the Kerrydale Suite, and 450 people attended the 3-course dinner and another 100 after the meal. Willie McStay was their guest, which was a fitting tribute as he was at their first CSC dance with his brother Paul McStay.

On October 24, 2009, they arranged a special No. 7 Suite Sunday lunch for Davie Bunton’s 90th birthday. 50 of them went, with Billy McNeil and Bertie Auld present. This has become a club tradition on special birthdays. They’ve had a few Sunday lunches for other members, including Joe Dawson’s 80th, Charlie Doc’s 70th, Tam McLaughlin’s 50th, Rab Allingham’s 50th, Willie McGrory’s 50th, Tam Heron’s 50th, Mick Byrne’s 50th, Tam Cosgrove’s 60th, and Chic Harrison’s 50th.

97-year-old Davie Bunton

On May 21, 2017, 97-year-old Davie Bunton and 79-year-old Joe Dawson walked on to Celtic Park carrying the league trophy for the presentation with Peter Lawwell. This was even more special as it was the end of the Invincibles League campaign and 50 years since Lisbon, marked by a full stadium tifo. It was a special time for their CSC, who are all so proud of their two Drumchapel legends playing a part in our great club’s history.

Drumchapel No.1 CSC. Photos from Celtic Bars.

They would like to thank John Paul Taylor for arranging this for Joe and Davie. From 2018 to 2021, their committee was Barry McKenna, Rab Allingham, James McOtter, and Gary Holmes. Gerry McGrory stepped aside after 25 years. When COVID hit the world, it was a difficult time for everyone.

Drumchapel No.1 CSC’s Roll of Honour

Drumchapel No. 1 CSC and Oliver’s Pub lost some great people. Mr. John Oliver had a great turnout from the Drumchapel community, who lined the street with all their other local CSC friends bringing their club banners to be put up outside Oliver’s as John Oliver’s funeral cortège passed by. It was a very emotional day. They also lost members John Monaghan, Peter Houston, and Frances Wilson during COVID time. Their CSC over the years has been full of family generations, which has continued from start to present day. McGrory, Thomson, Cairney, Allingham, McLaughlin, Parker, Herons, Bunton, Montgomery, Wilson, Roberts, Dawson, Bennett, Ferrie, Divers, Byrne, Robertson, Gemmell, Smyth, Doherty, Holmes, Kinaird, Henry, Anderson, Wills, Dyer, McManus, Gigli, Irvine, Clifford, Monaghan, Colqhoun, McCullagh, McCann, Kelly, Kiely, Jinko Byrnes, Burns, Beavis, Lavelle, Shearer, Duffy, Quinn, McKenna, McGowan, McCuskers, Grimes, Kane, McVeys, Robertson, McKinstry, Philips, Clune, McHugh, Lough’s, McFadden’s, Haldane’s, Harrison’s, Rodden’s, Gracie’s, Kilpatrick’s, Graham’s, Edwards, Butler, Gardner, Grainger, Cairns, Cosgrove, Semple, O’Hara, O’Rourke, Cambridge, Mulaney, McCafferty, Trainers, Lynch, Black, Clark, McNeill, Rozek, Power, Carroll, Harvey, Miller, Carrigan, Cassidy, Campbell, Wallace, Ferguson, Haggerty, Gaghan, Nimmo, Clark, McGovern, McKinley, Milesy, Febre, Stewart, O’Donnell and Jarvis.

The list is endless, and God bless them all. Oliver’s Bar and their great staff still have a great bond with their CSC. From John Oliver, Ants Clark, and Tommy J from the early days. Their current committee is John Doc, Gary Holmes, James McOtter, Davie Thomson, and Rab Allingham.

An extract from Football Without Fans – The History of Celtic Supporters Clubs by David McIntyre (Celtic Bars). Football Without Fans – The History of Celtic Supporters Clubs is out now and available in print and kindle versions HERE.

More to follow from Football Without Fans on The Celtic Star, the Celtic supporters website. Will it be your CSC that’s featured? Well next up is Drumchapel No.1 CSC…