Bertie embodied Celtic, he championed the club at every attempt with his humorous patter, gallus ‘Maryhill boy’ attitude but along with that he was a technician of the game and known for his hard as nails style of play.
He was Mr Celtic, part of the colossal Lisbon Lions team in 1967 where he famously rang out ‘The Celtic Song’ in the tunnel before going out to play the movie stars in Estadio Nacional.
Celtic supporters flooded their tributes today with amazing stories that the man shared as he was adored by the entire Celtic support with his love and care that he always showed.
The boy from Panmure Street in Maryhill signed for Celtic in 1955 at the age of 17 having impressed at Maryhill Harp, after being moved out to Dumbarton in the 56/57 he first featured for the Hoops against Rangers in 1957 in a Charity Cup match.
With playing just over 75 matches for the Celts in his first spell, Bertie left to join Birmingham City in 1961 where he would go onto enjoy legendary status for the Midlands Club delivering a League Cup for Blues.
One of football’s great raconteurs, the stories Bertie told are the stuff of legend. He recalled playing for Birmingham in a European tie and noticing the referee was fellow Scot, Tiny Wharton. He approached Wharton and said before kick-off, ‘You know, we’re the only two Scots on this field so any chance you could do us a wee turn tonight? Tiny ignored him until later in the game when Bertie clattered an opponent. The six-foot four referee approached him saying, ‘Remember you said there were the only two Scots on the field? Well, there’s only one now. Off!’
Bertie had some measure of revenge when he returned to Celtic in the mid-1960s. He asked Wharton what would happen if he called him a bastard. Wharton replied that he’d send him off. He then asked, ‘what if I just think you’re a bastard?’ Wharton replied, ‘I can’t do anything if you just think it.’ To which Bertie replied, ‘well I think you’re a bastard!’
When he would rejoin his boyhood club in 1965 thanks to the eagle-eyed Jimmy McGrory. In the next two seasons he would go onto enjoy his best footballing days featuring in the renowned 1965 Scottish Cup final where Bertie scored 2 goals in a 3-2 win over Dunfermline signifying the start of the glory days under Jock Stein.
It was in 1967 where Bertie would reach Everest with Celtic, being an integral part alongside his midfield partner Bobby Murdoch in clinching not only the European Cup but every single trophy that Celtic entered that season in a team that contained greats which will be treasured forever.
Having won 5 league titles, 4 league cups, 3 Scottish cups and the big European Cup with the Hoops, Bertie made his way into management at the start of the 1974 season first joining his local team Partick Thistle spending 6 years at the Jags, moving then onto Hibs where he spent his last two seasons as a player, following that Hamilton, then back to Partick Thistle and finishing at Dumbarton in 1988.
However it was at Celtic where Bertie was dearly loved, it is near impossible to describe how much the Celtic support will miss him. Bertie was a legend much more than just an incredible collection of winners medals, he was a man amongst men.
Anyone blessed to have ever been in Bertie’s company will know how he made you feel, he made you feel like the most important person in the world and that should define what a wonderful character and person he was.
As he leaves the field of play, it is the sound of tremendous applause.
God bless, 10:30.
YNWA.
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