NUMEROUS footballers who had hailed from outside Great Britain and Ireland had represented Celtic by the time Johannes Edvaldsson arrived in the East End of Glasgow.
Dan Lavery (Australia), Joe Kennaway (Canada), Bent Martin and Lief Nielsen (both Denmark), Mohammed Salim (India) Ronaldo Ugolini (Italy), Gil Heron (Jamaica), Konrad Kapler (Poland) and August Julius Hjulin and John Donoghue (both the United States) had all spent time on the Parkhead club’s books prior to him joining.
So Edvaldsson, the Icelandic internationalist who spent five memorable seasons in a green and white hooped jersey during the 1970s, was by no means a trailblazer for foreign imports.
Yet, did the impact which Edvaldsson, who quickly endeared himself to the Celtic support as a result of his wholehearted and highly effective performances in a variety of outfield positions and who was soon affectionately nicknamed Shuggie, pave the way for other overseas players?
Andy Lynch, who was involved alongside the defender cum midfielder in some of the most momentous victories in the Glasgow giants’ long and storied history during that era, is convinced the success which his old team mate enjoyed on these shores led to the foreign invasion which followed his departure.
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The Celtic side which has taken to the field in the past season has comprised of young men who come from Denmark, Canada, Finland, South Korea, the United States, Japan, Ghana, Belgium, Germany, Portugal and Poland. But the football landscape on these shores was entirely different 50 years ago.
“It was a bit of a novelty for us to have an Icelandic player coming in,” said Lynch. “I think Johannes was the first foreign player we had played with. It was a very unusual at that time. But looking back I think that was maybe the beginning of more outsiders coming in to the Scottish games, of more foreign players coming in.”
Sean Fallon, the Celtic assistant manager who was put in charge of the first team in 1975 while manager Jock Stein was recovering from the injuries which he had sustained in a near fatal car crash, was tipped off about Edvaldsson by Joe Gilroy.
Gilroy, the former Clyde, Dundee and Fulham striker, was the head coach at Valur in Iceland at the time, had seen the player in action in an international match and had been highly impressed.
The 6ft 3in utility man, who had previously been rejected by Dundee United before following a trial at Tannadice, joined a pre-season tour of the Republic of Ireland that summer and was offered a contract after scoring the winning and only goal in a friendly against a Derby County side packed with England internationalists on his Parkhead debut.
“He liked a pint after the game, liked to let his hair down a wee bit. We used to go out for a pint in town after a home game, but it would always be quiet. But Shuggie would always want to go out and party. There was no stopping him. He would say, ‘I played my game, now it’s time to relax’. He was a funny big guy.
“He formed a good central defensive partnership with Roddie MacDonald. Roddie was a quiet lad from the north of Scotland, Johannes was far more outgoing. But they really hit it off. Opposites attract I suppose. They were good at their job, were a real handful for opposition players. They would just kick them for 90 minutes.”
Lynch is perhaps best remembered by Celtic fans for scoring the winner against Rangers in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden in 1977. The left-back converted a first half penalty, his first of his professional career and the first of many, after Derek Johnstone had handled the ball on the line. He is reminded about the moment to this day.
However, that was arguably Edvaldsson’s finest hour-and-a-half as a Parkhead player. He was drafted into the starting line-up in midfield after Ronnie Glavin was ruled out by an injury he had picked up on Scotland duty and performed brilliantly. He always seemed to rise to the occasion in Old Firm derbies.
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“That was a very tetchy game,” said Lynch. “But I think we deserved to win. It was a big thing for the club, beating our greatest rivals to complete a league and cup double. Shuggie had a very good game that day despite being played out of position.
“Pat [Stanton] slotted in behind Roddie and Johannes and that meant Danny [McGrain] and I were able to attack down the flanks. We were forced into it because of Ronnie not being available, but it actually made us stronger. Our defence was able to cope with Rangers’ long ball game.”
Both men were in the Celtic side two years later when they came from behind to beat leaders Rangers 4-2 in their final Premier Division game at Parkhead and clinch a famous Scottish title triumph despite Johnny Doyle being sent off – a victory which has since become known as “When 10 Men Won The League”.
“That's probably the biggest game I was ever involved in,” said Lynch. “It was incredible night. The official attendance given was 52,000, but there were far more people than that there. When Johnny got sent off with Rangers leading 1-0 and we went down to 10 men. I thought, ‘That’s us done’. But we came back to win. Johannes played his part that night too.”
“He opened a pub in Bridgeton Cross after he left the club and I popped in to see him shortly afterwards,” said Lynch. “I said, ‘Johannes, this area is a real Rangers stronghold, it’s not a Celtic area!’ He said, ‘Oh no! They told me they’d love to have me here!’ He picked the wrong spot. But that was the sort of guy he was, he would just go for it.”
The 34-times capped player certainly had, after stints with Valur in his homeland, Cape Town City in South Africa, Metz in France and Holbaek in Denmark, no qualms about moving to this country to further his career. His old captain is adamant that, despite the overseas players who had plied their trade here before him, he had a seismic impact on Scottish football.
“I definitely think Johannes was the start of the influx of foreign players,” he said. “He had a good attitude, he adapted to the game and to the lifestyle here well, he was popular with his fellow players and the fans. Yes, more foreign players coming over would have happened at some point. But if he hadn’t been able to do the business then clubs would have been put off.
“I think foreign players are good for the Scottish game. I know people get upset at the lack of Scottish players coming through and I understand why, but I do I think they’re good for the game. Look at all the brilliant players we’ve had over the years. They give the fans a bit of colour and excitement. Johannes certainly did when he was at Celtic.”
