Joe Mcbride Poem by THE HOLY POET

Born in sunny Govan, June Nineteen Thirty Eight
And just two hundred yards from home were Ibrox's wrought iron gates
Though he started out at Killie, he was loaned out to Rob Roy
At 15 years straight out of school, wee Joe was just a bhoy.

He proved his worth at Killie and was sold for English pounds
But he'd unsettled times in England with Wolves and Luton Town
So it was back to sunny Glasgow to The Jags and Motherwell
Where he gave Scots clubs, including us,5 years of bloody hell!

Big Jock Stein was taking note and Joe lived out his dream
As his boyhood heroes signed him for, Celtic's greatest ever team
These Lions played in Paradise with The Jungle as their friend
And Joe McBride will always live, in the hearts of Celtic men.

Hat-tricks were commonplace but he'd gladly bang in four
And he carried on, relentless, no matter what the score
Fearless and a battle, he wasn't one to hide,
The fear of death faced every club, when the striker's Joe McBride.

He's mentioned in the same breath as all The Lisbon Lions
And would have been out on that pitch, of that there's no denying
Though his injury was serious, he was in that famous squad
As your op revealed a cancer, was that an act of God?

If he'd played in Lisbon, what would have been the score?
A debate that's still ongoing with the only answer: More!
Inter would not have fazed him, they were just another side
He was a striker blessed with greatness, that was Joe McBride.

Respect and admiration, he earned while he played
And even in retirement those human traits have stayed
In death we mourn the striker and the man who gave us joy
A man's man, I've heard them say, but to me he's just a bhoy.