The Birth of The Broony
The Broony was born in adversity. 6th February 2011. A 5th Round Scottish Cup tie – drawn away against the Currant Buns at Ibrox. Celtic were reduced to 10 men after keeper Fraser Forster had been sent off. We were trailing 2 goals to 1. Things were bleak as we faced being knocked out of the cup . . . there of all places. Celtic looked to their captain for inspiration.
Scott Brown, a feisty Fifer if ever there was one, rose to the challenge. He’d been tormented throughout by Rangers’ new signing El Hadji Diouff . The Senegalese was making his full debut for the now defunct club but was already loathed by the Celtic faithful (and fined £5,000) for spitting on a Celtic fan during a European game for Liverpool back in 2003. Which, of course, was the main reason for The Deadybears signing him.
In the 64th minute Celtic were attacking the Broomloan Stand when the ball was played back by Mark Wilson to Brown just outside the Rangers box. The captain controlled it with his right foot and then curled the ball beautifully with his left past a diving, despairing McGregor. The Broomloan erupted!
And then this happened:
Arms outstretched, the Celtic captain stared directly at his tormentor with a hint of a smile playing on his lips – and did THE BROONY. Diouff didn’t know where to look, he was the one now tormented, by a moment of brilliance. He had been properly molligated . . . in front of thousands at the Fortress of Darkness and millions on the telly. A legend was born.
Ki enjoyed the view. He wasn’t the only one. Here is The Broony with the pursed lips.
Here is Gary Hooper arriving for a close-up of The Broony and Diouff’s attempt at blaming Brown’s marker for the goal . . . himself.
Here is the reverse view of the first-ever Broony, with a bouncing Broomloand Stand in the background and Gary Hooper now joining in the mocking of the distraught Diouff.
The first ever Broony secured ten-men Celtic a draw. In the replay at Celtic Park the Bhoys ran out 1-0 winners before going on to beat Motherwell in the final.
The Broony was in evidence again at Hampden that year on cup final day:
Then it went on a tour of various grounds home and away:
A soaking wet Broony
Taunting the Jambos Broony
The Broony in Paradise
Another Swinecastle Broony
The European Away Broony
The International Broony
Your Broony, Ma Broony, A’body’s Broony!
Soon the Celtic fans weren’t content at just witnessing the blissful joy of The Broony from the sidelines. “Let’s All Do The Broony was the chant” and it soon had Celtic Park rocking:
The Green Brigade Broony
The full-effect double-tier Broony
The Broony Goes Viral
Not content with living the Broony it was a necessity for the Celtic support that the Broony take on an online persona of its own . . . Broonyshopping was the order of the day.
The Mankini Broony
The Mind-Yer-Manners Broony
The Here’s-Ma-Boaby Broony
The Moony Broony
The P-p-p-penguin Broony
The Sand-dancing Broony
The Jumbo Broony
The Behind Enemy Lines Broony
The Looney Toons Broony
The Halloween Broony
The Bonnie Banks Broony
The Broony Goes Global
From humble beginnings The Broony grew into a global phenomenom, loved by all manner of folks across this crazy world of ours
The Papal Broony
The Wenger Broony
Even Bears Do The Broony
The Broony Bolt
The Sound of Broony
SuboBroony
The Custard Broony
Bereavement Broony 1
Bereavement Broony 2
The Broony Buzz goes to Infinity and beyond
The Hoopy Broony
The “He Looks Familiar” Broony
The Lenny Broony
The Managerial Lenny Broony
The Morphing into Broony
The Mr Bean Broony
The Fat Lady Sings Broony
The Sammy Davies Broony
The Branching-Out Broony
You’re nothing without your merchandising in the modern era . . . and The Broony is no exception . . .
The Broony Badge
The Broony Tap
The Broony Broonys
The Broony tee
The Broony Text tee
The Broony Stickers
The Broony Today
Scott Brown, inventor of The Broony, has captained Celtic to eight League titles in succession and is celebrating his 12th year as a Celt. El Hadji Douff? He was released by an English lower league team in May 2014. Which means that no-one wants him to play football for them. Because he’s pish. With a daft blonde mohican strip on the top of his head.
He will always be remembered among football fans though for being the first-ever recipient of The Broony. Wonder if he’s still spitting mad about Celtic?
The Last Laugh Broony
Watch the inaugural Broony here . . . over and over and over again.
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The Shamrock – Celtic Retro fanzine is available here: https://the-shamrock.net/magazine/
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