The term unsung hero is regularly used to describe certain individuals in the beautiful game.
We’ve had a few of those in the long illustrious history of Celtic football club, both on and off the park. One of those men, perhaps Celtic’s all-time unsung hero was John Keane.
John, who sadly passed away at the weekend, was a successful businessman, and a former director and honorary chairman of Celtic Football Club. John was an instrumental figure in the Fergus McCann takeover back in 1994.
He might not have got the public recognition that Fergus received, but John Keane more than played his part in saving our wonderful football club from the brink of financial collapse.
John Keane lodged £1m with the bank to save Celtic from going into administration
John stumped up a massive £1 million of his own hard money to finance the club amidst the threat of administration during those dark days of the early 1990s. It was John Keane’s money that saved Celtic from administration and it was given with no guarantee that it would ever be repaid. It was also given without any fuss or publicity. Quietly, with great dignity, this wonderful Celtic man saved our beloved Celtic. He did it because he was a Celtic man.
The rest is History
John then went on to support Fergus McCann in his successful pursuit of taking Celtic football club off the hands of the old board who seemed to be running Celtic into the ground. The rest as they say is History.
A history that might have suffered the same fate as our rivals from Ibrox in 2012 had it not been for John Keane.
He might not grab the headlines that were reserved for the likes of Fergus or Brian Dempsey, but John Keane more than played his part in saving our football club and allowing us to enjoy the success we have today.
You can read the full story on John Keane’s role in saving Celtic on The Celtic Star this morning.
We will forever be eternally grateful. Rest in peace John Keane, Celtic legend. YNWA.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
