Bestie to Beastie to Belgium - Interview with author Colin Leslie

[HibsTalk]

We ask Colin about the interviews with ex-players and managers including Alex Miller and John Collins

• George Best signs for Hibs
• That Rangers win at Easter Road
• Fan experience
• European Nights

A fantastic chat with Colin, and an even better book

Apple- https://tinyurl.com/mtzwtex6

Spotify- https://tinyurl.com/44j2yekb

YouTube- https://youtu.be/qIip0FShmP4

[HibsTalk]

You can get Colin’s fantastic book here
https://bestie2beastie2belgium.bigcartel.com/product/bestie-to-beastie-to-belgium

Remember to check out Hibs Talk Extra Time #5 where the boys discussed the Transfers Hibs have completed. And #173 will be recorded straight after the Celtic game.

[Is It On....]

Bought it for my dad. Also got him the Pat Nevin book that he thinks is excellent.

[Nakedmanoncrack]

Currently reading it, author must be same age as me, and brings back a lot of memories of that era. A great read, and as a pedant, not spotted any trivial mistakes as yet, which I usually have with supporter written books.

[He's here!]

Enjoyed watching the interview.

Looking at the cover of the book rekindles memories of that extraordinary game in 1986. I remember really despising Souness as Rangers manager. The atmosphere at ER that day was at fever pitch but it still amazes me that a player with his experience could get so wound up that he'd launch himself into such a cowardly and vicious assault. It's wrongly recalled as a tackle by some but he simply lost the head and went for Beastie with a two-footed attack amid an all-out rammy. You'd have thought he would have been able to cope with the pressure. Or was he simply always a reckless hothead as a player?

[He's here!]

Currently reading it, author must be same age as me, and brings back a lot of memories of that era. A great read, and as a pedant, not spotted any trivial mistakes as yet, which I usually have with supporter written books.

I'll be surprised if you find any trivial mistakes. Colin used to be editor of Hibs Monthly back in the day and had a long career in journalism. He's written a least another couple of Hibs-flavoured books and I imagine knows the club inside out.

Good to hear this book's worth a read. Must remember to buy a copy.

[SideBurns]

To declare an interest, best mate since primary school. But a genuinely entertaining and interesting read; no easy task, given how unsuccessful Hibs were in that decade! It's not a dry historical record, and there's plenty cultural references to the 80s - but Hibbies of all ages will enjoy it, I'd suggest.

[Iggy Pope]

I'll be surprised if you find any trivial mistakes. Colin used to be editor of Hibs Monthly back in the day and had a long career in journalism. He's written a least another couple of Hibs-flavoured books and I imagine knows the club inside out.

Good to hear this book's worth a read. Must remember to buy a copy.

Think he once edited the match programme too and I’d like to hear from him on the subject if he’s watching!

[BS44]

Enjoyed watching the interview.

Looking at the cover of the book rekindles memories of that extraordinary game in 1986. I remember really despising Souness as Rangers manager. The atmosphere at ER that day was at fever pitch but it still amazes me that a player with his experience could get so wound up that he'd launch himself into such a cowardly and vicious assault. It's wrongly recalled as a tackle by some but he simply lost the head and went for Beastie with a two-footed attack amid a all-out rammy. You'd have thought he would have been able to cope with the pressure. Or was he simply always a reckless hothead as a player?

And McCoist sneaking round and whacking Mark Fulton from behind too

[BILLYHIBS]

Did every player no get booked bar Roughie in the melee or did ah just make that up ?

Typical cowardly challenge from Souness

As others have said the atmosphere was something else Rangers with all their big money England internationals Hibs and the fans were up for it

Welcome to Scotland

[Iggy Pope]

Did every player no get booked bar Roughie in the melee or did ah just make that up ?

Typical cowardly challenge from Souness

As others have said the atmosphere was something else Rangers with all their big money England internationals Hibs and the fans were up for it

Welcome to Scotland

Don’t think Mickey Weir got booked either….

[BILLYHIBS]

Don’t think Mickey Weir got booked either….

Unfairly sent off versus Anderlecht IIRC First Leg

Oh Happy Birthday Mickey

[DIXIHIBS]

Did every player no get booked bar Roughie in the melee or did ah just make that up ?

Typical cowardly challenge from Souness

As others have said the atmosphere was something else Rangers with all their big money England internationals Hibs and the fans were up for it

Welcome to Scotland
Roughie got booked earlier in the game complaining to ref about mcoist diving for rangers penalty...i think.

[BILLYHIBS]

Roughie got booked earlier in the game complaining to ref about mcoist diving for rangers penalty...i think.

:agree:

Beastie and Mark Fulton successfully had their retrospective bookings overturned as they were flat on their backs when the whole thing kicked off but the SFA still deemed it fit to fine HIBS £1000

[Col L]

Think he once edited the match programme too and I’d like to hear from him on the subject if he’s watching!

Not me Iggy. I think my opposite number Mike Wilson from fellow Hibs fanzine The Proclaimer did some work on official publications for the club and Simon Pia did a few programmes for the club, including the Gordon Rae and Alan Sneddon testimonial programmes.

As for the trivial mistakes - I’ve spotted 2 wee glitches (which is annoying to me, but maybe to be expected among 110,000 words typed up at break-neck pace) which I’ll be sure to catch if I ever do a second edition.

Thanks again to the Hibs Talk guys for having me on and to others on here for their kind words. Johnnyboy is in the process of reading and reviewing so watch out for that.

Meanwhile, thanks for all the support and to those who have bought it so far - please keep sharing and buying. Much like the fanzine was, this is self-published and a completely independent venture, and sadly covid wiped out the official launch in December… should have rearranged it for Downing Street!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jonnyboy]

Not me Iggy. I think my opposite number Mike Wilson from fellow Hibs fanzine The Proclaimer did some work on official publications for the club and Simon Pia did a few programmes for the club, including the Gordon Rae and Alan Sneddon testimonial programmes.

As for the trivial mistakes - I’ve spotted 2 wee glitches (which is annoying to me, but maybe to be expected among 110,000 words typed up at break-neck pace) which I’ll be sure to catch if I ever do a second edition.

Thanks again to the Hibs Talk guys for having me on and to others on here for their kind words. Johnnyboy is in the process of reading and reviewing so watch out for that.

Meanwhile, thanks for all the support and to those who have bought it so far - please keep sharing and buying. Much like the fanzine was, this is self-published and a completely independent venture, and sadly covid wiped out the official launch in December… should have rearranged it for Downing Street!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A decade many Hibs fans that lived through might choose to forget; an understandable choice but one which is almost certainly based on the negativity surrounding the club. Colin Leslie’s fabulous book Bestie to Beastie to Belgium whilst recording those negatives refuses to dwell on them and instead reminds the reader that there were good times too.

I’ve known Colin for many years having succeeded him as Editor of Mass Hibsteria and having previously been an avid reader of the fanzine. It was my reading of those earlier fanzines that alerted me to the fact that even in his formative years, Colin’s writing skills were very evident and so it was no surprise to me that, as an already successfully published author and journalist, he brought us the well written and wonderfully researched book Bestie to Beastie to Belgium.

Having witnessed the thrills of watching Turnbull’s Tornadoes in the seventies, the eighties came as something of a shock to the system and once Turnbull’s successor Willie Ormond departed the scene we were ‘treated’ to the managerial skills of one Bertie Auld. I’m not sure if it was Bertie that uttered the following words but if it wasn’t it quite easily could have been. Prior to running down the tunnel to start the game the message “you’ve got a point already so don’t lose it’ would have been befitting of a manager whose defensive set up was horrible to watch. Colin deals with these times well and displays a skill throughout the book of getting to the heart of the matter using an interview style that has the interviewee happy to offer honest and frank answers and believe me, those players were both open and honest about Auld’s time as manager.

I found the numerous person to person interviews both enjoyable to read and often a revelation because in the eighties there was no social media. What we are offered in the book is a number of fascinating interviews of many of the characters around the club at that time. Players have spoken openly and honestly, as have the likes of Alex Miller, Jim Gray, David Duff and others. As a keen historian as far as the club are concerned, I extensively researched old match programmes and newspaper reports but never came across the kind of insights offered by those interviewed and so it was a joy to be able to read them and get a flavour for what was going on behind the scenes.

The story begins with the arrival of George Best and confirms many of the widely held beliefs of his time at the club, together with a few nuggets previously unknown to me. Stories from those that played in the team with him are fascinating to read, with those players giving an insight into how it was sharing a dressing room with the great man.

The period of time when Pat Stanton managed Hibs also offers a few insights as Pat, along with Jimmy O’Rourke and George Stewart fought a losing battle against chairman Kenny Waugh whose wallet was home to a whole family of moths. What the trio and the playing squad had to endure in terms of facilities etc has to be read to be believed. There was a bright spot however, with youngsters Collins, Kane, Hunter, Weir and Rice breaking through. Sadly, Pat moved on and was replaced by former team mate John Blackley who was fortunate that the board now decided to spend a few quid. In came Durie, Cowan and a few others but despite winning a couple of cracking high profile fixtures in the cup competitions, league form remained a problem and Sloop was next to vacate the manager’s office.

The Battle of Easter Road offers a full chapter around the disgraceful scenes at Easter Road on the occasion of Graeme Souness being sent off for ripping open Beastie’s leg with his studs in a cowardly act, on his debut as player/manager of the club then known as Rangers. Like Colin, I was at that game and even now, all these years later, the incident and ensuing stramash is crystal clear in my memory. Still, there’s a few nuggets in the chapter that I was unaware of and I’m sure anyone else who attended that day would find those nuggets fascinating.
As you might expect, given the length of his tenure as manager, there’s quite a bit about Alex Miller. Many of his charges offer a positive view of playing under him but for the first time I was able to read stories from players who felt exactly the opposite. Mass Hibsteria, under both Colin and I, often railed against Miller and that is referred to in the book as fans were finding a way to make their feelings known over a broader base because until fanzines arrived on the scene such platforms didn’t really exist. To his credit, Miller steadied the ship when boardroom changes threatened to see Hibs go out of existence and credit to him also for getting us back into Europe and for signing the likes of Goram, Wright, Jackson, O’Neill and Pat McGinlay. All of those guys were good players and are correctly remembered as such, but he signed a few duds too and their names are offered up in this chapter.

Sent off just a few minutes into a friendly against Man United saw Joe Tortolano immortalised in club folklore and Colin offers up interviews with both the man himself and manager Miller as both faced the wrath of United manager Alex Ferguson. I confess I actually laughed out loud as Joe’s take on things and of course those of many of his team mates. Poor Joe often got a hard time from the fans but like Colin, I’ve met and chatted with Joe too and you couldn’t meet a nicer bloke!

Notoriously, Alex Miller was a stubborn man, and this was never more so than when it came to Stevie Archibald. Chairman Jim Gray had pretty much sealed the deal with Barcelona to bring him in, but Miller kept saying he didn’t want him! Apparently, Miller knew that Archie could be a handful in terms of his way of viewing things and wasn’t keen to bring him into the Hibs dressing room. Thankfully, Gray won the battle and Archie appeared, winning the fans over instantly and helping Hibs bury Hearts at Tynecastle. Great on the pitch and in the dressing room, Archie struggled with his relationship with the manager and Colin delves in to the meat of that matter in illuminating detail in his book

It would be wrong to feature this decade without acknowledging the Casuals and rightly, Colin offers views and interviews of their times following Hibs.

The penultimate chapter hails the fact that Hibs were back in Europe and facing RFC Liege, after having demolished a quality side in Videoton in the previous round. Recollections from both players and fans of that wonderful trip are a joy to read, with a few laughs involving both players and fans so for anyone who was there, this chapter is a must in terms of jogging what were probably alcohol induced lapses of memory.

Finally, an interview with David Duff, the man widely perceived as the villain in the piece surrounding the attempted takeover of Hibs by Wallace Mercer. Duff pulls no punches and offers his own memories of that dark period in the club’s history, but I confess that even after all these years I find it hard to even begin to accept his version. Credit to him though for granting an interview and credit to Colin for persuading Duff to do so. Lastly, Colin asked him about that terrible ‘planet Saturn’ badge introduced under his tenure. The reply? “I know, it was *****, eh”

For any Hibs fan that watched Hibs through the eighties, this is a must read. Personally, I’ve read dozens of books related to Hibs and have even written a couple but hand on heart I can say that Bestie to Beastie to Belgium is right up there near the top.

[Nakedmanoncrack]

Not me Iggy. I think my opposite number Mike Wilson from fellow Hibs fanzine The Proclaimer did some work on official publications for the club and Simon Pia did a few programmes for the club, including the Gordon Rae and Alan Sneddon testimonial programmes.

As for the trivial mistakes - I’ve spotted 2 wee glitches (which is annoying to me, but maybe to be expected among 110,000 words typed up at break-neck pace) which I’ll be sure to catch if I ever do a second edition.

Thanks again to the Hibs Talk guys for having me on and to others on here for their kind words. Johnnyboy is in the process of reading and reviewing so watch out for that.

Meanwhile, thanks for all the support and to those who have bought it so far - please keep sharing and buying. Much like the fanzine was, this is self-published and a completely independent venture, and sadly covid wiped out the official launch in December… should have rearranged it for Downing Street!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Really enjoying this, a great read.
One thing that doesn't tally with my memory is on page 109, I'm sure the 'unwelcome guests' invading the North Stand wasn't the Souness game, but 1st home game of previous season. Of course it could be that there was a smaller incursion that day that I'm not aware of.

[IberianHibernian]

Really enjoying this, a great read.
One thing that doesn't tally with my memory is on page 109, I'm sure the 'unwelcome guests' invading the North Stand wasn't the Souness game, but 1st home game of previous season. Of course it could be that there was a smaller incursion that day that I'm not aware of.I haven`t read the book yet but will soon but was at game where Sounness assaulted Beastie . I was in East and my main memory apart from big incident and goals is losing consciousness after being punched in the head by a Hibby behind me who was only raising his fist in anger and wasnt aiming at me . ( I think ). I was also in old North ( now West Upper ) in 80s against Rangers when just before kick off a big group of Huns appeared - don`t think it was an invasion , just a massive balls up by folk at turnstiles .

[BILLYHIBS]

Excellent review as always Jonnyboy

I always remembered the old badge as the ‘Belhaven Badge’ because you needed a drink before and after the game to watch them :greengrin

I remember one period we hadn’t scored a goal for ages so we decided to have another one for the road in the Windsor pre match

We got to the Holy Ground just after kick off and missed Super Joe Tortolano’s opening goal

Petrie! :grr:

[Nakedmanoncrack]

I haven`t read the book yet but will soon but was at game where Sounness assaulted Beastie . I was in East and my main memory apart from big incident and goals is losing consciousness after being punched in the head by a Hibby behind me who was only raising his fist in anger and wasnt aiming at me . ( I think ). I was also in old North ( now West Upper ) in 80s against Rangers when just before kick off a big group of Huns appeared - don`t think it was an invasion , just a massive balls up by folk at turnstiles .

Yes, I was at both games on the Terracing, definitely two different games.

[FilipinoHibs]

A decade many Hibs fans that lived through might choose to forget; an understandable choice but one which is almost certainly based on the negativity surrounding the club. Colin Leslie’s fabulous book Bestie to Beastie to Belgium whilst recording those negatives refuses to dwell on them and instead reminds the reader that there were good times too.

I’ve known Colin for many years having succeeded him as Editor of Mass Hibsteria and having previously been an avid reader of the fanzine. It was my reading of those earlier fanzines that alerted me to the fact that even in his formative years, Colin’s writing skills were very evident and so it was no surprise to me that, as an already successfully published author and journalist, he brought us the well written and wonderfully researched book Bestie to Beastie to Belgium.

Having witnessed the thrills of watching Turnbull’s Tornadoes in the seventies, the eighties came as something of a shock to the system and once Turnbull’s successor Willie Ormond departed the scene we were ‘treated’ to the managerial skills of one Bertie Auld. I’m not sure if it was Bertie that uttered the following words but if it wasn’t it quite easily could have been. Prior to running down the tunnel to start the game the message “you’ve got a point already so don’t lose it’ would have been befitting of a manager whose defensive set up was horrible to watch. Colin deals with these times well and displays a skill throughout the book of getting to the heart of the matter using an interview style that has the interviewee happy to offer honest and frank answers and believe me, those players were both open and honest about Auld’s time as manager.

I found the numerous person to person interviews both enjoyable to read and often a revelation because in the eighties there was no social media. What we are offered in the book is a number of fascinating interviews of many of the characters around the club at that time. Players have spoken openly and honestly, as have the likes of Alex Miller, Jim Gray, David Duff and others. As a keen historian as far as the club are concerned, I extensively researched old match programmes and newspaper reports but never came across the kind of insights offered by those interviewed and so it was a joy to be able to read them and get a flavour for what was going on behind the scenes.

The story begins with the arrival of George Best and confirms many of the widely held beliefs of his time at the club, together with a few nuggets previously unknown to me. Stories from those that played in the team with him are fascinating to read, with those players giving an insight into how it was sharing a dressing room with the great man.

The period of time when Pat Stanton managed Hibs also offers a few insights as Pat, along with Jimmy O’Rourke and George Stewart fought a losing battle against chairman Kenny Waugh whose wallet was home to a whole family of moths. What the trio and the playing squad had to endure in terms of facilities etc has to be read to be believed. There was a bright spot however, with youngsters Collins, Kane, Hunter, Weir and Rice breaking through. Sadly, Pat moved on and was replaced by former team mate John Blackley who was fortunate that the board now decided to spend a few quid. In came Durie, Cowan and a few others but despite winning a couple of cracking high profile fixtures in the cup competitions, league form remained a problem and Sloop was next to vacate the manager’s office.

The Battle of Easter Road offers a full chapter around the disgraceful scenes at Easter Road on the occasion of Graeme Souness being sent off for ripping open Beastie’s leg with his studs in a cowardly act, on his debut as player/manager of the club then known as Rangers. Like Colin, I was at that game and even now, all these years later, the incident and ensuing stramash is crystal clear in my memory. Still, there’s a few nuggets in the chapter that I was unaware of and I’m sure anyone else who attended that day would find those nuggets fascinating.
As you might expect, given the length of his tenure as manager, there’s quite a bit about Alex Miller. Many of his charges offer a positive view of playing under him but for the first time I was able to read stories from players who felt exactly the opposite. Mass Hibsteria, under both Colin and I, often railed against Miller and that is referred to in the book as fans were finding a way to make their feelings known over a broader base because until fanzines arrived on the scene such platforms didn’t really exist. To his credit, Miller steadied the ship when boardroom changes threatened to see Hibs go out of existence and credit to him also for getting us back into Europe and for signing the likes of Goram, Wright, Jackson, O’Neill and Pat McGinlay. All of those guys were good players and are correctly remembered as such, but he signed a few duds too and their names are offered up in this chapter.

Sent off just a few minutes into a friendly against Man United saw Joe Tortolano immortalised in club folklore and Colin offers up interviews with both the man himself and manager Miller as both faced the wrath of United manager Alex Ferguson. I confess I actually laughed out loud as Joe’s take on things and of course those of many of his team mates. Poor Joe often got a hard time from the fans but like Colin, I’ve met and chatted with Joe too and you couldn’t meet a nicer bloke!

Notoriously, Alex Miller was a stubborn man, and this was never more so than when it came to Stevie Archibald. Chairman Jim Gray had pretty much sealed the deal with Barcelona to bring him in, but Miller kept saying he didn’t want him! Apparently, Miller knew that Archie could be a handful in terms of his way of viewing things and wasn’t keen to bring him into the Hibs dressing room. Thankfully, Gray won the battle and Archie appeared, winning the fans over instantly and helping Hibs bury Hearts at Tynecastle. Great on the pitch and in the dressing room, Archie struggled with his relationship with the manager and Colin delves in to the meat of that matter in illuminating detail in his book

It would be wrong to feature this decade without acknowledging the Casuals and rightly, Colin offers views and interviews of their times following Hibs.

The penultimate chapter hails the fact that Hibs were back in Europe and facing RFC Liege, after having demolished a quality side in Videoton in the previous round. Recollections from both players and fans of that wonderful trip are a joy to read, with a few laughs involving both players and fans so for anyone who was there, this chapter is a must in terms of jogging what were probably alcohol induced lapses of memory.

Finally, an interview with David Duff, the man widely perceived as the villain in the piece surrounding the attempted takeover of Hibs by Wallace Mercer. Duff pulls no punches and offers his own memories of that dark period in the club’s history, but I confess that even after all these years I find it hard to even begin to accept his version. Credit to him though for granting an interview and credit to Colin for persuading Duff to do so. Lastly, Colin asked him about that terrible ‘planet Saturn’ badge introduced under his tenure. The reply? “I know, it was *****, eh”

For any Hibs fan that watched Hibs through the eighties, this is a must read. Personally, I’ve read dozens of books related to Hibs and have even written a couple but hand on heart I can say that Bestie to Beastie to Belgium is right up there near the top.

Started following Hibs in the late 60s so was lucky to see some great teams and players. But the 80s still had its highs. Not bought the book yet but does it cover the 2-1 in 87 against Hearts that broke the long unbeaten run of Jambos? Took my cousin who was over from Brasil and we were in the old East. He thought the Hibs fans were crazier than Brasilian fans!

[Danderhall Hibs]

Cheers for that JonnyBoy - will be buying this in the next couple of days.

[Jonnyboy]

Started following Hibs in the late 60s so was lucky to see some great teams and players. But the 80s still had its highs. Not bought the book yet but does it cover the 2-1 in 87 against Hearts that broke the long unbeaten run of Jambos? Took my cousin who was over from Brasil and we were in the old East. He thought the Hibs fans were crazier than Brasilian fans!

It does indeed cover that stupendous 2-1 win 😎