| era il più vecchio ex celt in vita. oggi a 93 anni è deceduto Bill Bolland che aveva vestito la hoop fra il 1944 e il 1945. anche se per poco, ma si sentiva la hoop cucita addosso. vi allego qui sotto alcune notizie biografiche. R.i.p.
Death of former Celt, Bill Boland, at the age of 93
By: Newsroom Staff on 24 Sep, 2013 09:11
FORMER Celtic player Bill Boland has died at the age of 93. Bill, who played for the club between 1944-45, was the oldest living Celtic player. He passed away peacefully at his home in Muirkirk, Ayrshire.
Born on November 30, 1919, Bill joined Celtic from Hibernian in September 1944 following two public trial games when he played alongside Bobby Evans, and he made his debut for the Hoops in February the following year in a League Cup qualifying section game against Clyde that finished 0-0.
An inside-right, he was a miner throughout his working life and did a double-shift on a Monday so that he could play football on the Saturday.
He played four games for Celtic, and scored two goals. The first of those came in a 3-2 win at Celtic Park against Falkirk and he followed that up by scoring the only goal of the game in the next tie against Partick Thistle.
Speaking to the Celtic View back in 2009, Bill said: “It was great to be a Celtic player, just to play with some of the players I played with and represent the club was a great honour. I only played four games but the fact I played those four games, I am very proud of that.”
Bill, who was an invited guest of the club in February 2009 at the age of 89, also took a bow on the Celtic Park pitch at half-time in a league match against Hibernian.
And being in the centre of Paradise brought back a lot of happy memories, including those two goals he scored for the Hoops.
“I did score against Falkirk,” Bill said, “but the best goal I scored was against Partick Thistle.
“Our outside left took the ball across the centre-back and just as the ball came to me there was a man closing me down from the other side to make the tackle. I took the ball off the outside-left’s foot, carried it forward and scored from there.
“Afterwards I couldn’t have told you whether I beat one man or another, but I can see it clearly today. Just coming to the park on a day like this brings a lot of the memories back.”
After leaving Celtic, Bill returned to Muirkirk Hibs, who he had played for before joining Hibernian, but his heart always remained at Paradise as he explained back in 2009.
“I am still just as much a Celtic supporter today as I ever was,” Bill said. “In football terms, the club means everything to me. It’s always been that way and always will be.”
The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Celtic are with Bill Boland’s family and friends at this sad time.
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