Learning From The Best

Danny Crainie still appreciates being able to play alongside world football’s greatest ever full-back

- Tony Connelly

DANNY Crainie was another talented player to progress through the youth ranks at Celtic and into the first team. The midfielder’s talent and work ethic were enough to catch the eye of Billy McNeill who handed Crainie his debut in 1982.

Testament to the teenager’s quality was the fact he emerged into a Hoops team alongside other established talents such as George McCluskey, Roy Aitken and his friend, Charlie Nicholas.

Crainie left Celtic in 1983 but he looks back fondly on his time playing with the club he has supported all his life.

What can you recall about the sequence of events that brought you to Celtic?

I was actually playing for Holy Cross in Croy, and Burnley, Sunderland and Aberdeen were looking at me. Burnley especially had shown a very keen interest and I went down there for the Easter holidays and summer holidays. They had really looked after me, and I was about to sign for them, when a phone call came through to my Mum and Dad’s house in Kilsyth. Celtic told me not to do a thing because they were interested. I made my mind up very quickly and Burnley weren’t very happy. Sure enough, two or three days later Sean Fallon appeared at our door and I was signing an S-Form. Sean appeared in this lovely big car while I was out playing football. My Dad knocked the window to tell me to come in so I came in, Sean shook my hand, told me to sign the form and then turned to my Dad and asked him to tell him all about this greyhound he had heard so much about. My Dad had a really good greyhound that ran at Ashfield, so Sean got my signature and then went to spend some time with the greyhound. I joined the Under-16 set-up, and that was it. I took it from there, did well and went on to the ground staff and then got a professional contract.

What can you recall of your debut?