When people think of five-a-side football, they probably associate this with friends playing for fun and to get fit.

However, in Celtic history, five-a-side football was often an important part of the club’s experiences.

This is the story of the five-a-side Celts.

Every week, you can listen for free to more tales from Celtic’s past, as told by Matthew Marr (Hail Hail History).

You can also take part in free walking tours which visit the sites that have shaped the Bhoys’ history. To find out more, visit: www.celticwalkingtours.wordpress.com

Enjoy…

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In this week’s free podcast, Andrew, Matthew and Ross pull no punches as they dissect a dismal 2–0 defeat against Dundee United at Tannadice. On a pitch that looked closer to Prestwick Beach than a professional surface, Celtic somehow managed to be just as poor as the conditions. The performance lacked structure, urgency, and any clear game plan, prompting serious questions about tactics, leadership, and direction. As one comment neatly summed it up: “Where’s the strategy? Where’s the game plan?”

Beyond the immediate frustration, the discussion broadens into Celtic’s wider struggles this season… a team “living close to the edge” and relying too often on moments rather than method.

On a less depressing note, there is a reminder of the club’s deeper foundations, with attention turning to the upcoming Celtic history conference, a timely nod to a past built on clarity, innovation, and purpose. The contrast with the present could hardly be starker.

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Most footballers would love to be a hero at just one club; one famous Celt achieved this in two countries.

Johnny Madden was at the heart of Celtic’s rise to success, and then became a legend in the Czech Republic. This is his story.

Every week, you can listen for free to more tales from Celtic’s past, as told by Matthew Marr (Hail Hail History).

You can also take part in free walking tours which visit the sites that have shaped the Bhoys’ history. To find out more, visit: www.celticwalkingtours.wordpress.com

Enjoy…

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This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com

Jimmy McGrory (the fact he wasn’t voted the greatest ever Celts is one of the reasons I’d never have such votes, but that’s for another day) bowed out at Celtic in October 1937. Since then we’ve had the 2nd world war, Charlie Tully, Neilly Mochan, Bertie Peacock, Bobby Collins, John McPhail and Bobby Evans. Then McNeil, Johnston, Murdoch Auld & Hay. …

Some men are truly born to ‘wear the green’. That was certainly the case for Johnny Doyle.

A popular Celtic player in the 1970s and 1980s, his life ultimately ended in tragedy.

This is his story.

Every week, you can listen for free to more tales from Celtic’s past, as told by Matthew Marr (Hail Hail History).

You can also take part in free walking tours which visit the sites that have shaped the Bhoys’ history. To find out more, visit: www.celticwalkingtours.wordpress.com

Enjoy…

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The Celtic Underground Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

John Clark was a true Celtic legend.

Not only was a Lisbon Lion, he is also the second longest serving figure in the Bhoys’ history, having been a player, coach, assistant manager and kit man.

This is his fascinating story.

Every week, you can listen for free to more tales from Celtic’s past, as told by Matthew Marr (Hail Hail History).

You can also take part in free walking tours which visit the sites that have shaped the Bhoys’ history. To find out more, visit: www.celticwalkingtours.wordpress.com

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

On Sunday Celtic visited Ibrox. Of the players in the 1st team squad who would be expected to start if all fit, the hoops had almost an entire XI missing - KT, AJ & CCV at the back, McGregor & Engels in midfield with Jota from the final 3rd and Osmand missing from the team that won the league cup semi under Martin earlier in the season.

The current poor squad was further depleted. And still they couldn’t win. So angry at losing on their patch, the Kendo Nagasaki loyal invaded the pitch at the end.

We discuss it all - including another Hail Hail History walking tour.

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The Celtic Underground Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

“Day-ta” or Da-ta”. “Shed-ule or shced-ual”. It’s the important things in life that are discussed weekly on the CU Podcast and that’s why you keep coming back and have been doing so for 20yrs!

This week we review Ibrox (the points not raised on Harry’s Monopod) and we review Pittodrie. Then we preview Ibrox and it’s all bundled up in a neat 50 minute podcast prefaced with the state of teeth for the 50+ gent and whether pronunciation is the American or UK version.

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Thanks for reading The Celtic Underground Substack! This post is public so feel free to share it.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

When celebrating Celtic’s history, few people will think of the 1889 Glasgow North Eastern Cup.

But for the Celts, this is where it all began, the club’s first trophy.

This latest podcast tells the story of that competition.

Every week, you can listen for free to more tales from Celtic’s past, as told by Matthew Marr (Hail Hail History).

You can also take part in free walking tours which visit the sites that have shaped the Bhoys’ history. To find out more, visit: www.celticwalkingtours.wordpress.com

Enjoy…

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The Celtic Underground Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com

This week, Andrew is joined by legendary Scottish football writer Hugh MacDonald to explore the history, identity, and modern dilemmas of Celtic.

From European triumphs to agonising near-misses, the discussion revisits defining chapters in the club’s story including the enduring legacy of Billy McNeil and the transformative influence of Jock Stein, whos…

This Sunday, the Celts will head to Ibrox, a ground that has been home to both of the Rangers teams.

However, Celtic have also been the ‘home’ team at Ibrox on various occasions.

This latest podcast tells these surprising stories.

Every week, you can listen for free to more tales from Celtic’s past, as told by Matthew Marr (Hail Hail History).

You can also take part in free walking tours which visit the sites that have shaped the Bhoys’ history. To find out more, visit: www.celticwalkingtours.wordpress.com

Enjoy…

Apple podcasts

Spotify

Amazon

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Audioboom

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This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thecelticunderground.substack.com/subscribe