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Bhoys and Ghirls in the Media
Celtic’s fame has spread far beyond the pages and screens of the sports media. The club’s unique origins and worldwide fanbase means its presence has seeped into all aspects of popular culture – no more so than in film and Television. This section takes a closer look at how TV producers and film-makers across the world have found time to squeeze in a reference to the Bhoys in their work.
Books
- ‘Shuggie Bain’ by Douglas Stuart – Booker Prize Winner 2022. Glasgow-born Douglas Stuart won the Booker Prize in 2020 for “Shuggie Bain” (probably the most prestigious book award in the English speaking world). He confesses to not being a football man but, growing up on the city’s Pollok estate, the name and fame of the playboy goal-getter McAvennie was unavoidable. So for his tough tale about a boyhood not a million miles from his own during Thatcher’s 1980s, Douglas Stuart decided to unsubtly give a family the name McAvennie and call one of them Francis! So Macca, it was revealed, was the inspiration for a character in Shuggie Bain and so now he can be Frank “Whaur’s the Booker?” McAvennie!
Films
- A Mug’s Game (2012). The introduction reflects the Irish famine, immigration and the search for Paradise
- Tickets – Ken Loach’s tale – set on a train journey in Italy – features a section about three Celtic supporters heading to a European Cup tie.
- Glasgow (2011) – Piotr Subbotko (Polish) director’s debut about a Polish boy who thinks his Dad plays in Glasgow for Celtic.
- A Shot At Glory – In this film Robert Duvell is the manager of a small Scottish football team. The film features cameos from a number of real footballers with real life Rangers favourite Ally McCoist playing an ex-Celtic striker. Future Celt Didier Agathe – then with Raith – also makes an appearance.
- This Year’s Love – The main character tattoos ‘Celtic Forever’ on Kathy Burke’s backside.
- City by the Sea – there’s a guy sitting opposite Robert De Niro on the train with a Celtic hat on. The Director of the film was Michael Caton-Jones, a Celtic fan who hails from Bathgate. Michael Caton-Jones was the uncredited man on the train with the Celtic hat on.
- The Day After Tomorrow – where Man Utd and Celtic were playing each other in the Champions League. The footage used was a match between Manchester United & Boca Juniors at Old Trafford but the commentary used in the film claims that it is a Champions League match between Celtic & Manchester United in Glasgow.
- Playing for Keeps (2012) – Actor & Celtic fan Gerard Butler plays an ex-Celtic player who has moved to the US and has fallen on hard times starts coaching his son’s football team as a way to get his life together. His attempts to become an adult are met with challenges from the attractive ‘soccer moms’ who pursue him at every turn.
- Rob Roy – Michael Caton Jones dedicates the film to Jock Stein.
- So I Married An Axe Murderer – The father singing “Celtic United”
- Goon – Celtic badge used for a team in the film
TV
- Lost – A worldwide hit for US network ABC, Lost was screened in the UK on Sky 1. In one epsiode the character Desmond Hume – played by Henry Ian Cusick – starts to sing, “For It’s A Grand Old Team to Play For’
- Heroes – The NBC smash series – shown on the BBC in the UK – features a character in an Irish bar watching Celtic play AC Milan .
- The Simpsons – The 2009 St Patrick’s Day special of the legendary cartoon series – episode entitled ‘In The Name of the Grandfather’ – features a scene in an Irish pub where one character was wearing the Hoops and there was a Celtic badge behind the bar.
- Cracker – In the memorable episode ‘To Be A Somebody’ Robbie Coltrane’s Fitz chants ‘Celtic, Celtic’ in response to suspect Albie (Robert Carlyle) chanting ‘L-I-V-E-R-P Double O-L, Liverpool FC’ during an interview.
- This Life – Tony Curran (in real life a Season Ticket holder at Celtic Park) had a Celtic poster (Paul McStay?) on his bedroom wall when he played Lenny
- Taggart – The long running Glasgow-based police series – originally starring Celtic fan Mark McManus in the title role – has, in its lengthy history, included various references to Celtic. The episode ‘Double Exposure’ (originally broadcast in Jan/Feb 1992) even evolved around murder committed on the day of a game V Rangers at Parkhead and featured footage from the match as well as seperate scenes shot at Celtic Park. (For more on this episode click here)
- Glasgow Kiss – A BBC drama following single dad Stuart, a football reporter and Celtic fan, as he falls for hardnosed businesswoman Cara.
- Scully – A Channel 4 drama first aired in 1984. Written by Alan Bleasdale ‘Scully’ concerned a teenager from Liverpool who was obsessed with the Anfield club. Without ruining the programme for those who may wish to view it the climax features a number of references to Celtic.
- Coronation Street – (UK Soap) A character called Tony Gordon (played by actor Gray O’Brien a real life Celtic fan and Season Ticket holder) slipped references in the script which were humourous jibes against Rangers. There were subsequent complaints from Rangers fans and further quips were dropped from future scripts.Further to this however a young character called Josh was seen wearing a Celtic top and “Celtic” was scratched on the door of local mechanic Kevin Webster’s garage workshop door.
- Shameless – Channel 4’s long-running Manchester-based comedy drama series features an Irish family called Macguire. During several episodes of the hit show a statuette of a Celtic player is seen in the family’s living room.
- Hollyoaks – (UK Soap) In the Channel 4 teen soap the actor Kent Riley, who plays the character Zak, was seen wearing a Celtic T Shirt.
- Eastenders – (UK Soap) The actor who plays the character “Gary” wears a Celtic Hooped T Shirt occasionally in the programme.
