The Maestro returns to Paradise for Flag Day unveiling

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·1 agosto 2025

The Maestro returns to Paradise for Flag Day unveiling

Celtic have confirmed that club legend Paul McStay will unveil the league flag at Celtic Park this Sunday…

1988: Paul McStay and Tommy Burns of Celtic during the Scottish Cup Final match at Hampden – Celtic won the match 2-1 Photo Allsport UK /Allsport

As the new 2025/2026 season gets underway, the club legend will make a pre-match appearance on the pitch.

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Brendan Rodgers’ side wrapped up the 2024/25 campaign with a 1-1 draw against St Mirren, but the Celtic boss will be aiming for a better outcome when they face the Paisley outfit again this weekend.

On the opening weekend of the season last year versus Kilmarnock, Lisbon Lion Jim Craig had the honour of unfurling the league flag, while the season before, that role was carried out by Celtic’s most decorated player James Forrest.

Paul McStay scoring at Ibrox in 1988. Photo The Celtic Wiki

Now, the responsibility of unfurling the league flag will fall on The Maestro. McStay dedicated 16 years to Celtic, from the early 1980s to the mid-1990s, becoming one of the club’s all-time greats.

During his Celtic career, McStay amassed close to 700 appearances in all competitions – a remarkable feat that places him among the club’s highest appearance making players in Celtic’s history.

Over the course of his Hoops career, McStay played an influential role in securing eight major trophies for the club, including the memorable league and Scottish Cup double during the Centenary season of 1987/88 – widely regarded as his standout year in a Celtic shirt.

Perhaps Paul McStay’s happiest times playing for Celtic was in the 1980s and his outstanding contribution to the cause is documented brilliantly in David Potter’s final book ‘Celtic in the Eighties’ which is published on 5 September by Celtic Star Books. You can pre-order a copy now and this will be signed by another Celtic legend and former club captain, none other than Danny McGrain. Danny is only signing a small batch of copies so get your order in today to get one of these signed books. Order on our Celtic Star Books website.

Paul McStay and Roy Aitken celebrate Celtic winning the 1988 Scottish Cup Final on 14 May, against Dundee United at Hampden. Photo Imago/ Colorsport.

In 1995, with his playing days coming to an end, the Maestro led Tommy Burns’ Celtic team to a Scottish Cup triumph, ending a six-year wait for silverware and signalling the beginning of a fresh chapter in the club’s history.

Speaking to Celtic’s official website, Rodgers spoke about McStay unfurling the league flag this coming weekend. The Irishman said: “Paul was a great player. He always gave you hope watching Celtic.”

“You always felt that, in those tough times when Celtic maybe suffered a bit, he could produce that moment of magic. He was a brilliant player, a really humble guy and I have been fortunate enough to have met him.”

“That was a real privilege and a real honour for me. He will get an incredible reception, and it will be amazing to see him again.”

This Sunday’s encounter against Stephen Robinson’s men kicks off at 4:30pm, with Celtic keen to set the tone for the season ahead.

🏟️ Ahead of Sunday’s Flag Day celebrations, the club is delighted to announce that the Maestro, Paul McStay, will return to his beloved Paradise this weekend to unfurl the flag for the champions and kick off season 2025/26. Read more below ⤵️ #CELSTM | #CelticFC🍀
– giovedì 31 luglio 2025

AND THEY GAVE US JAMES McGRORY AND PAUL McSTAY…

PAUL MCSTAY TAKEN AT THE 1995 – 1996 CELTIC PHOTOCALL. Photo: Allsport UK/ALLSPORT

Here’s David Potter writing about Paul McStay on The Celtic Star…

The “Maestro” was well named. In all his years at the club from his debut in 1982 until he limped off the field at Stark’s Park in 1997, there was no-one who could really challenge the claim that he was Scotland’s best player.

What a pity it was that it was his misfortune to come at the wrong time when Celtic were in the doldrums both on the field and more particularly in the Boardroom. Had he been around when Jock Stein or Martin O’Neill had been Manager, what a difference there would have been!

It wasn’t that he didn’t have success – three League Championships, four Scottish Cups and one League Cup – at Celtic and 76 caps for Scotland speak for themselves – but it could have been an awful lot more. A visionary passer, a passionately hard worker, an ability to take a goal, he was a very complete player for the only club that he ever wanted to play for.

He played for no-one else, and will always be Paul McStay of Celtic. Once at the end of the 1991/92 season he threw his jersey into the crowd as if he were leaving, but he changed his mind. Like Jimmy McGrory of old, he couldn’t really have played for anyone else.

David Potter

Conor Spence

CELTIC IN THE EIGHTIES BY DAVID POTTER, FOREWORD BY DANNY McGRAIN is published by Celtic Star Books on the fifth day of September. You can pre-order now to guarantee your copy which will be signed by Danny McGrain, with just a limited number of signed copies available.

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter, pre-order now

Alec McNair – Celtic’s Icicle, available now at just £5 with FREE postage when ordering with David Potter’s last book Celtic in the Eighties

Thank you to everyone who has already pre-ordered and don’t worry, your copy will be signed by the legendary Celtic and Scotland star who captained Celtic for the early years of the 1980s.

And from today we’ve reduced the price of an earlier David Potter book – Celtic’ Icicle – Alec McNair – to just £5, so when you order with Celtic in the Eighties you get two books and better still the postage is only charged on one. Offer available for a short period only as we have a very limited number of copies of David’s wonderful book on Alec McNair left.

So why have one brilliant David Potter book when you can enjoy two?

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Foreword by Danny McGrain. Published on Celtic Star Books on 5 September 2025. Click on image to pre-order.

Help raise funds for Celtic Youth Academy by playing the Celtic Pools Weekly Lottery and you could win up to £25,000. The lottery is £1 per week. Click on image to join.