Celtic Soccer Crew: What the Hell Do We Care? (Pennant Books Ltd) by John O'Kane

Author:John O'Kane [O'Kane, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781857827552
Publisher: Perseus Books Group
Published: 2012-04-18T22:00:00+00:00

Towards the end of 1992, my life took a much unexpected turn. I had been out of work since being paid off in May. The DSS were putting pressure on me to find a job and had suggested that I go on a government training scheme. I wasn’t keen and didn’t fancy working full-time hours for just an extra tenner on top of my Unemployment Benefit. The DSS made an appointment for me to see a training adviser, but I didn’t expect to find any courses that would appeal to me.

As the adviser went through all of the training schemes available, one in particular caught my attention. It was a training programme based in a day centre that cared for severely disabled adults, and the adviser arranged an interview for me. I was very interested and was offered a place on the programme, which I started in November 1992.

The training was intensive and very hands-on. I took to it like a duck to water and passed my certificates in all aspects of the care work in a matter of weeks. I was only three months into my training when a full-time post came up in the day centre. I was encouraged to apply for the job and was told by my training manager that I had a fantastic chance of getting it.

I sailed through the interview and was offered the job that day. I couldn’t believe it. I had gone from a £50-a-week trainee to a £15-grand-a-year full-time care officer in the space of three months. My first priority, once I had started in my new post, was to contact Celtic Park to enquire about getting tickets for the disabled section. I had been appointed to act as the key worker to five clients in the day centre. Two of them were football crazy and supported Celtic, but had never been to a match.

I managed to get tickets from the Celtic ticket office and began to escort the two lads to most home matches. This also helped me to stay away from the CSC and gave me a real chance to get my life on the right track.

I had been living at my sister’s, in Bridge of Weir, a small village not far from Paisley. I was enjoying living outside Glasgow and away from all the trouble that seemed to follow me about while I was in the city. So, when the flat next door to my sister’s was put up for sale, I made enquiries about obtaining a mortgage. I had no problems at the bank and secured a 100 per

cent mortgage, with me moving into the flat in a matter of weeks.

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