JOHN FALLON: CELTIC LEGEND, LISBON LION AND QUIZMASTER...
- BY LIAM CARRIGAN
- Jul 23
- 4 min read
This is something I find myself saying all too often lately, but I was once again saddened today to hear about the passing of another Celtic Legend, John Fallon.
Of course, having met both men during my time working at Celtic Park, the passing last month of John Clark, and indeed the loss of Evan Williams earlier this year left a similar feeling of emptiness and sadness.
However, from a personal point of view, I have to say this one hurts more than most. John Fallon was the player from that era that I feel I got to know the best.
John Fallon: Celtic Fountain of Knowledge
John graciously accepted many invitations to be my dad’s guest at our table for several events and functions, both at Celtic and elsewhere over a number of years.
Back then, our family business regularly hosted such things at Celtic, Motherwell, and a number of other clubs. John was always great company and every bit the ambassador for everything good about Celtic that one would expect.
Now, I could spend the next few hundred words reminding you all of John’s magnificent accomplishments over his 13-year spell at Celtic.
However, plenty of other, better, writers have either already done that or will do so over the next few days. Besides, John certainly wasn’t the type to brag about his achievements. So, I don’t think he’d want me to do so on his behalf either.
Instead, I’d like to share a funny story, from the first time I was in John’s company.
It was at the end of the 2009/2010 season. I had just finished up my first spell in Japan, and had a few months to spare ahead of beginning my next job in Hong Kong, so I went back to Scotland for a few months.
As luck would have it, the Celtic Player of the Year Dinner took place at Glasgow’s Thistle Hotel not long after I arrived back.
My dad had a table at the event, and invited me to be one of the guests. What he didn’t tell me was that I’d be sitting next to John Fallon.
Now, to paraphrase the actor Willem Dafoe, “I’m also something of a goalkeeper myself”.
Well, I say that, I ended up becoming a goalkeeper because I was too slow to play anywhere else. My career didn't take me to any European finals, but it took me as far as a trial with Queens Park!
But anyway, as my dad knew well, getting the chance to spend an evening in the company of, not just a Celtic goalkeeper, but a Celtic goalkeeper who was part of the greatest game in our history, was an absolute dream come true for me.
The event was great, the food was delicious and the drinks flowed as plenty of interesting chat ensued about Celtic past and present. Yet, I wasn’t saying much. Truth be told I was kind of frozen, in awe of the guy sitting next to me.
After dinner, there was a quiz, with prizes for the winning table.
Now, if there’s one thing I excel at, it’s the memorization of useless trivia. So, I became a bit more vocal, telling the rest of the table with some sense of authority the answers to some of the questions.
And then came one that initially stumped me. The final question of the quiz:
“Who did Celtic play in their first ever European tie?”
I knew it was some time in the early 60s, a few years before Lisbon. But I couldn’t remember the exact statistic. The knowledge I had accumulated from reading all those “Playing for Celtic” books in my youth momentarily deserted me.
Then, a flash of inspiration came. “Basle!!” I said to my dad. “It was Basle. That year, we got to the Semi-finals of the Fairs Cup (as it was called then, later the UEFA Cup and now the Europa League).”
Then John nudged me. He said: “No, son, I’m sure the answer is Valencia.”
I felt certain it was Basle. “Are you sure?” I asked him. John smiled, and said: “Aye, fairly confident.”
I was sure the answer was Basle but out of respect I said: “Ok, dad, better change the answer then. Valencia it is.”
Fast forward to the answers stage of the quiz. We’re in the lead, thanks largely to John Fallon’s almost encyclopedic knowledge of all things Celtic.
We reached the final question. And our compere for the evening announced: “The answer is...
“Basle”
Then, in a moment vaguely reminiscent of Still Game, John politely but firmly and with a fair degree of volume said: “Naw it isnae!
“The answer is Valencia. In the Mestalla Stadium, we lost 4-2, in 1962.”
Someone from another table, who in fairness I think 1) had no idea who the dissenting voice from behind him was, and 2) had probably consumed a few shandies, shouted: “Aye? How would you know?”
At which point John, with a wry smile on his face, said cheerfully: “Because son, I was the goalkeeper that night!”
I didn’t think it was humanly possible for someone to go from pale white to almost purple with embarrassment in the space of mere seconds, but somehow this guy at the other table managed it.
John took the whole thing in great spirits though, and event spent some time at the offending gent’s table later on chatting about Celtic.
Suffice to say, the point was conceded and we won the quiz!
So, when I remember John Fallon in the days, months and years to come, I think that will be my defining image. Legend, gentleman, and a guy you would always want on your quiz team.
