40 years ago today

[BILLCOWIE1958]

19th March 1980 I was in Madrid for European Cup Quarter Final 2nd leg v Real Madrid

Holding a 2-0 lead from 2 weeks previously things looked fairly positive

We rolled into Madrid @ 8am arriving at the Vincente Calderon Stadium only for a bleary eyed passenger to advise the coach driver that "we're at the wrang fuckin' stadium pal'

After 2 days on a bus with no toilet wejust wanted back to civilization NO CHANCE!!!

Having travelled through France the previous day my lasting recollection is of 1 of our party ordering up a massive breakfast and handing the bewildered waiter a handful of of PESETAS and being flabbergasted when the guy refused to take them

On our arrival in Madrid EVERYWHERE WAS CLOSED 19th of March St Joseph's Day is a public holiday in Spain


We trundled around the streets until the 4pm kick off

As you will know we lost 3-0 and when we arrived back in Glasgow 2 days later thick snow welcomed us

Youth was on my side then and we regarded it all as a great adventure

Been to a few matches in Spain since with mixed results

HH

 

[Starrynight]

Nice story Billcowiie and great memories one way or another.

 

[Humf]

I think it was the last time we had European football after Christmas for 23 years. Mad!!!!

 

[Spherical Planet]

Meant to reply to this on Thursday but got tied up.

That's a great post, Bill - and a proper reminder of the insanity which was/is following Celtic in Europe.

I remember that game well. I was only 10 and didn't know enough about Real Madrid and the questionable refereeing in European football. I reckoned we would be comfortable winners over there after watching Celtic do a number on them at Parkhead, but my Da' called the result right after the game in Glasgow and (as always) the old fella was right again.

To be fair, Celtic didn't really turn up in Madrid and it was one of the less controversial refereeing performances in Spain (still not great though).

Last time I was in Spain was Seville, but that was just as a part of the mass ensemble and not at the game itself. The time before that was in Vigo and I got a baton over the nugget fae Spanish fuzz for my trouble.

Good times, Bill.........stay well.