On Tuesday, 11 February 1975, Celts continued to throw away points in the quest for ‘The 10’ by losing a two-goal lead at home to a Dumbarton side featuring three former Celts, Donald Watt, John Cushley and Wallace, the equaliser coming from a future Bhoy, Tom McAdam.
And McAdam would be on target again in Willie’s final fling against his old club, set up by the Lisbon Lion to head an equaliser for the Sons of the Rock in the eighth minute of their Scottish Cup quarter-final tie at Boghead on Saturday, 8 March 1975. Ronnie Glavin had opened the scoring for the holders, three minutes earlier, and Paul Wilson would seal a place in the last four on the hour mark. Celts would go on to lift the trophy again in May, as Billy McNeill said goodbye after the most wonderful career in green-and-white. He would be closely followed by Jimmy Johnstone, freed in June 1975, leaving Bobby Lennox as the last Lion standing.
As Cesar was taking his leave from Parkhead, his old colleague Willie Wallace was bidding farewell to Scotland, the family making the life-changing decision to head for Australia, where Willie signed for Sydney-based outfit, APIA Leichhardt, a club formed by the Italian-Australian community. He would enjoy a successful spell there before returning to Scotland in March 1977, where a player-coach role at Highland League club Ross County would bring the curtain down on his on-field career.
Willie then hooked up again with fellow Lion Tommy Gemmell, as the big full-back became the new manager of Dundee in June of that year, Wallace a key part of his coaching team. They would be joined by a third member of that exclusive club, as Jimmy Johnstone had a last throw of the dice as a player, whilst a young Gordon Strachan learned his trade at Dens Park.
The Wallace family would later head back to the sunshine of Australia once again, as Willie took up a coaching role at his old APIA club, setting up in business and for life back in Sydney, where he has remained ever since, barring the regular trips back to Scotland to keep in touch.
There was a lovely moment when Celtic captain Scott Brown went up those famous Hampden steps in May 2017, to receive the Scottish Cup, after an Australian Bhoy, Tom Rogic, had made the dream of that Invincible Treble a reality in the dying seconds of the 2016/17 cup final.
There to greet him, almost 50 years to the day when the European Cup had been won against all the odds, were Lisbon Lions John Clark and Willie Wallace, the latter home to celebrate that Golden Anniversary with his lifelong friends at the Hydro on the previous Thursday, then to watch the latest batch of Celts make their own piece of football history.
Willie incidentally later criticised Rodgers and received dogs abuse from some Celtic supporters
The INVINCIBLES meet the IMMORTALS.
I like that.
A Lisbon Lion…and so very much more.
Matt Corr
David Potter’s new book, Willie Fernie – Putting on the Style is featured in the new edition of the Celtic View which is out now and available from the Celtic Stores. You can also pick up the Willie Fernie book there too or order direct from Celtic Star Books, link below…
