It’s been one of the saddest weeks in many a Celtic fan’s life as a supporter with the club in mourning.
Just days after our greatest ever captain Billy McNeill passed away, we’ve been rocked by the passing of Stevie Chalmers.
Chalmers was most notably viewed in heroic status for his winner in 1967 against Inter Milan. It was the most important goal of Celtic’s history. But in addition to that, he also managed an incredible six Scottish titles to his name, three Scottish Cups, and four League Cups in some of his main highlights.
Stories regarding supporters and their individual meetings with Cesar were hitting the headlines last week. But a touching one about a Rangers fan’s Celtic supporting uncle and Chalmers has emerged on Twitter. Click on the Twitter thread below to read the story in its original source.
For those who perhaps can’t get the link to work, Rangers fan Donald McCrorie said the following:
“I am a rangers fan always have been and always will be but I will never forget what Stevie Chalmers did for my family and my uncle Brian. Brian was born with an incurable illness and wasn’t expected to live past 5 years of age, he lived till he was 17, he was Celtic daft and Stevie Chalmers was his hero.
“Brian would write to Stevie every week and Stevie rather than reply would visit him both at home in Ochiltree and in the hospital when he was going through tests and when he was poor. This photograph is of Brian outside his back door. with Stevie’s European cup winning shirt and shorts from 1967 final.
“Brian also received hand signed photographs from all the Inter Milan squad wishing him well as he fought his illness. When Brian passed away aged just 17, Stevie was first on the phone to my gran and grandad to pass on his condolences, Stevie then came to my uncle Brian’s funeral with a wreath from Celtic football club.
“I wasn’t born to witness all this, I wish I was though but I will cherish the stories, Stevie you were a star to my family and will always be remembered. May you rest in peace and I hope you can enjoy another kick about with Brian up in the football fields of heaven”
Superb
What more is there to say to follow that up? It’s an incredible story full of care and respect for the Celtic great. It’s yet another one of those cases where rivalries mean nothing.
More tributes to Celtic’s fourth-highest ever scorer will continue to flood in. This will hopefully give some of the younger generation of Celtic supporters the chance to learn more about Chalmers the same way we got to learn more about the man Cesar was.
The Lisbon Lions are Celtic’s greatest ever achievement. The men behind the legend appear to have done themselves just as much justice off the park as they had done on it, however. Their heroism never seemed to stop at touchlines of football pitches.
Chalmers had been another keen spectator at Celtic Park in recent years. After spells at Morton and Partick Thistle, he did some work with the Celtic Pools before settling down and watching the club as a supporter.
And he’ll have had the opportunity to watch us knowing that we wouldn’t be the club we are today had it not been for his special strike on May 25th 1967.
Rest in Peace Stevie, and our thoughts and prayers as always go out to the Chalmers family.
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