Paradise Found

Chris Morris joined Celtic at the start of the Centenary season and he played every single game in that unforgettable Double-winning campaign

WHEN Chris Morris pulled up at Celtic Park for the first time after completing his move from Sheffield Wednesday, he wasn’t sure if he’d entered Paradise.

With the main stand being rebuilt in time for the start of the centenary season, the full-back arrived to a building site. He eventually located manager Billy McNeill’s office after going round the back of the ground and clambering inside via the old Jungle.

But after that inauspicious introduction to life at the Hoops, the former Republic of Ireland internationalist would go on to enjoy a dream season in a fairytale 12 months from Celtic’s history.

The attacking right-back was the only player to feature in all 55 games for the club during that unforgettable campaign when the Bhoys won the league and Scottish Cup double.

And when Billy McNeill’s men clinched the championship with a 3-0 home victory over Dundee, it was Morris who scored the opening goal of the game in front of a massive crowd, having made one of his trademark forward runs into the box.

However, that was not the end of his sensational story of that season. His fantastic club form was rewarded with a call-up to the Ireland squad and he played in all three games for Jack Charlton’s side at Euro ’88 in Germany.

On the 30th anniversary of that remarkable campaign, Morris, now working as a coach for the FA in Cornwall, caught up with the View to go down memory lane.

How proud were you to have been part of that sensational season in Celtic history?