Former Celtic captain Tom Boyd to brave the Arctic Circle

By Euan Davidson

October 15, 2021

Former Celtic captain Tom Boyd was always a fighter in the Green and White, but now he’s going to battle the harsh elements of the Arctic Circle.

The 55-year-old ex-Hoops skipper is aiming to make a three-day trek in potentially -42C temperatures [BBC] to raise money for the Celtic FC Foundation.

Aiming to make his journey over January 2022, Boyd is hoping to raise over £1000 for the Foundation. With plenty of time to reach his goal, he should be able to exceed it bountifully with the help of the Celtic supporters. He’ll be joined by Hoops fans on his travails.

On his JustGiving page, Boyd wrote:

“I will be heading to Rovaniemi in Finland to take part in a three-day trek in the Arctic Circle, in January [2022].

“I have been tasked with raising a minimum of £1800, as a charitable contribution in support of Celtic FC Foundation.

“It would be wonderful if you could get behind my efforts by making a donation. Thank you so much for making a difference.”

Beloved former Celtic skipper Tom Boyd showing the self-sacrificing streak he had as captain in Arctic Circle journey

A classy and intelligent defender in his day, Tom Boyd was an excellent Celtic captain. He helped the Bhoys stop Rangers’ 10, and won a treble with Martin O’Neill in the 00-01 season.

However, despite being captain, he was more than happy moving around the defence. He could play at left-back, on the right or in the middle. And he did so with significant class for the Bhoys over more than 300 appearances [Celtic Wiki].

Having moved in a swap deal from Chelsea involving unfortunate Bhoys striker Tony Cascarino, the move to bring Boyd in ended up being an absolute steal for Celtic.

Since retiring, he’s worked as an ambassador for Celtic, and this latest gesture shows just one reason he’s held in such high regard by the club. Given how low temperatures can sink in the Arctic Circle, it takes serious preparation.

From both a physical and mental point of view, it’s not for everyone.

However, you don’t make it in the game the way Boyd did without some amount of courage and fortitude.

The link to Boyd’s JustGiving page can be found here.

We, of course, wish the former Celtic captain immense luck in his fundraising and trekking efforts.

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