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Packie Bonner Is Mean

Written By Justin on Friday, September 7, 2007 | 1:05:00 AM


Remember former Celtic and Ireland keeper Pat Bonner? I met him twice, both times as a fellow (if far less accomplished) keeper, and both times he was a pill.

The first time was in 1988, after my team Orlando Lions played Celtic in a friendly. Afterwards in the players' lounge I was chatting with Alan Rough, and he called Packie over to introduce me. I told him that I remembered the blinder he had played against New York Cosmos in a friendly back in the early 80s, and he nodded without smiling, said thanks, and walked off.

I met him a second time the following year, when I tagged along with Dunfermline reserves to watch them play Celtic reserves at Parkhead. In the same players' lounge, this time before the match, Pars manager Jim Leishman introduced me to Celtic midfielder Paul McStay, a lovely fellow who chatted with me for several minutes. Packie walked in, and McStay
waved him over to introduce me. I haltingly admitted that we'd met before,
in that same room, and Packie said, "Yeah, I remember," then walked away again.

It's been nearly 20 years. I wonder if Packie Bonner still hates me?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Yeah, I still hate you.

TSVDP said...

Chris: I hope you see this since this is an old post. That is a good story. Was Packie being mean or what?? Those are two intriguing tales. I know a bit about Packie as a spectator. Also, per your writing story and on a related topic you write: "Celtic midfielder Paul McStay, a lovely fellow...", you know, we Americans don't generally say "...a lovely fellow..." it makes me wonder what your background is because I know of one person I have heard say that, guess, 3, 2, 1.... okay, Paul McGrath in his autobiography. I'm a bit stunned by your article, I've always had a sideways admiration for Packie as a goalkeeper and have read one of the two Jack Charlton world cup diaries ('90 but not '94) as well as Cascarino's famous book and McGrath's. Impressive, let me point you to another blog on the net written by a friend of mine "via the internet" http://whitecapsfan.wordpress.com/ , I'm led to believe he has been a goalkeeper too, perhaps for the Whitecaps in the past if I understand correctly up in Vancouver.

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