Country Bhoys Serbia

This week it’s Serbia

CELTIC Football Club is a name known throughout the football world, while in just about any country you care to mention, you’re guaranteed to find Celtic supporters proudly wearing the green and white Hoops.

And as well as having universal appeal, the Celtic first-team squad has a global look to it, with players from 13 countries playing their part in the historic success the club has enjoyed in recent seasons.

Over the course of this season we’ll be taking a closer look at these countries and their current Celtic links, as well as other nations who have played their part in our unique story.

AND IF YOU KNOW THE HISTORY

Serbia, of course, used to be part of Yugoslavia, and on competitive duty, Celtic’s first trip to what was Yugoslavia was to play in what is now Croatia, to meet Dinamo Zagreb in 1963, and even their first trip to what is now Serbia was, technically, a trip to what is now the Socialist Autonomist Province of Vojvodina, of which the capital is Novi Sad. It was a trip in which Vojvodina would become one of only two teams, the other being Dundee United, to beat Celtic during the season of 1966/67. It was the quarter-final of the European Cup and a 69th-minute goal by Milan Stanic made for a night of taut passion at Celtic Park just a week later. Stevie Chalmers levelled the tie just before the hour mark and, with a play-off in Rotterdam looming, Billy McNeill rose to head in Charlie Gallagher’s corner in the 90th minute to send Celtic through to the semi-final – and the glory of Lisbon beckoned.

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