It was a night of awards: approximately 20, as each of the ten teams playing under Copenhagen Celtic’s banner bequeathed their players of the season and top scorer with small trophies to remember their achievements in the years to come. The losers had to settle for waking up with nothing but a hangover.
But there was more at stake this time: 2022 marks the 40th anniversary of the foundation of the international football club, and Celtic therefore pushed the boat out (not literally, although they celebrated their 25th year on a dock near Nyhavn) and hired Bellahøjgaard – a venue more known for fancy wedding receptions, which was quite fitting considering how many players, past and present, are married to the club.
Pictured below is regular prize winner Hrafnkell Birgisson, an Icelander who knows how to find the net – for target and fish. He only passes if you pronounce his name correctly, which may explain his ridiculous goal numbers.
When the hour comes, the man comes. In the same way as other great footballers – like Pele, Zico, Jairzinho … err … Motto, Statto – the founder of Copenhagen Celtic goes by only one name: Coogan. In between courses (below), he addressed the hundred in attendance with a speech that was surprisingly poignant … and sobering. Granted, he won’t be around to mark the 80th, but at least he woke up with clear memories of the 40s. Don’t ask him about the 10th, 20th, 25th or 30th.
Among those in attendance were a mix of current and recently retired Copenhagen Celtic legends (below) Ray and Ronnie, Stuart and Jonesy, Darren and Simon, and Vernon, a sweeper-cum-winger with a Beckenbauerian instinct for goals turned scorer – tell to an art form.
Just in case you’re wondering, the majority of the club’s members are under the age of 40, but they were conspicuously absent when the official photographer walked around. Pictured here (below) is Mick Carpenter, the first ever player of the season, with 1882 … sorry 1982 teammate Patrick Brennan; long-time treasurer and manager Stephen ‘Baller’ Ball, current treasurer Dave Kavanagh (nice try but he’s just turned 40) and 1995 DAI Cup-winning co-manager (with Baller) Stevie Harris; Hrafnkell Birgisson and Roberto Montella, the respective over-45 and over-50 top scorers; and finally the top table with Mick Hayden, the only remaining player from the 1982 brigade who has played every season since, with Captain Coogan and his faithful lieutenant – his partner of 40 years (haven’t aged a day) whose body he has been known to share with many teammates. Of course we are talking about the Tuborg bottle.
It was not only an occasion to pay tribute to the men, but also to their long-suffering wives. Of course, most of them have long since been cleared, but a few still remain, including (under) Gitte Brennan, wife of former first-team boss John; Tina Ball, the better half of Stephen; Pia McCoy, is indoors at Des; and Suzanne Harris finally pinning down serial table jumper Stevie.
Source: The Nordic Page