Football Without Fans – Jim Craig CSC Belfast

The Celtic Star

·24 October 2024

Football Without Fans – Jim Craig CSC Belfast

Jim Craig CSC Belfast…

Jim Craig with members of the Jim Craig CSC Belfast, Photo from the CSC.

The club was founded in October 2000 under the name Belfast Shamrock CSC. The CSC had been brought about following the intent and desire of likeminded Celtic supporters who had forged friendships and shared a common interest in all things Celtic following membership in the Queens University Belfast CSC in the 1990s.

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Graduation and subsequent dispersement throughout Ireland, Scotland, and England had seen the members struggle to find the same bond and friendships in other CSCs that they had developed whilst at university, and so it was discussed and agreed by several founding members that there was a willingness and desire to form a club of their own in which to operate.

Jim Craig CSC Belfast, Photo from the CSC.

First meeting held at Dukes Hotel in Belfast

The first meeting was in the Dukes Hotel in Belfast, where Michael Kelly sounded out former members of QUBCSC. The inaugural committee was duly elected, with Michael Kelly as chairman, Frankie McKay as secretary, and Conor Mulholland as treasurer. A small, tight-knit group was preferred over a large, loose membership.

While the membership was drawn from places throughout the island of Ireland and into Scotland and England, it soon developed and functioned without having a common base or location from which to operate, like many other CSCs did.

Meetings were focused on Belfast, and membership grew as other Celtic-minded people came onboard.

Jim Craig CSC Belfast, Photo from the CSC.

Membership in the AICSC greatly assisted the club

Membership in the AICSC greatly assisted the club in these early years, and with Belfast being the location of the university and an early meeting point, along with the Shamrock from the association with Ireland, Belfast Shamrock CSC was formed. The club was renamed in 2011 to the Jim Craig CSC following an agreement by Jim to become their honorary president.

As with all CSCs, the onset of social media and the internet has seen the functioning of the club change with modernisation, but the membership has largely remained strong with little change over the years.

May 21st 2017, Celtic Park, ; Scottish Premiership Celtic FC vs Hearts; Tom Boyd, Jim Craig and Willie Wallace stand behind the trophy Photo Vagelis Georgariou

The club prides itself on having been formed on friendships and similar Celtic-mindedness, and they look forward to continuing their association with what they all agree is truly a club like no other.

Jim Craig CSC Belfast has been fortunate to have been represented on numerous memorable away trips, including Seville, and with season books amongst the membership, continues to come together and meet in Glasgow for home games while planning for further away trips.

In the words of Willie Maley, ‘It’s not his creed nor his nationality that counts. It’s the man himself.’

Jim Craig CSC Belfast, Photo from the CSC.

🦁 From one Lion to another. In this interview from 2004, Jim Craig and Jimmy Johnstone remember that great day in Lisbon.
– Friday, 25 May 2018

An extract from Football Without Fans – The History of Celtic Supporters Clubs by David McIntyre (Celtic Bars). Football Without Fans – The History of Celtic Supporters Clubs is out now and available in print and kindle versions HERE.

More to follow from Football Without Fans on The Celtic Star, the Celtic supporters website. Will it be your CSC that’s featured?