Our articles in November last year on legendary Hibs chairman Harry Swan provoked response from Rob Boag.
The Canadian resident, usually a champion of all things Lochee, opened: “I read Andy Walker’s response to the Harry Swan contribution and I wasn’t surprised.
“Indeed, I understand Andy’s thoughts on Mr Swan.
“It was in 1952 when a malevolent Referees Committee of the SFA ambushed Celtic FC with what is now known as the ‘Flag flutter’.
“In the late 1950s, I was of an age where I could cross the threshold of a place of libation.
“In certain premises, there was a leaning toward Celtic FC, and emotions were still raw.
“The articulation and succinct description of the SFA at that time, and George Graham, can never be printed.
“And yet, among the elder statesmen of Celtic supporters, there was always caution – a benefit of the doubt, when Harry Swan’s name was mentioned in the Flag affair.
“I am a long-time admirer of that fantastic Edinburgh Hibs FC’s ‘Famous Five’ team and its management. When I thought of paying homage to them, I did a little research to take the pulse of today’s Celtic fans on Harry Swan.”
Rob, who is a regular contributor to BwB, went on: “On www.thecelticwiki.com site, the 1952 Flag flutter debacle is well documented. On the same site, I came across a letter written in 2004 by the Celtic View Editor. The letter is in response to a critic of Swan.
“I have copied parts of the letter to illustrate the Editor’s opinion of Harry Swan.”
Dear sir – I refer to your article, Fly the Flag, published on January 14.
In relation to Harry Swan, chairman of Hibernian FC and his supposed attempt to eradicate all Irish references and links to the Edinburgh club, specifically the old Harp mosaics which adorned the south entrance.
In fact, The Harp remained in place for the first 22 years of Mr Swan’s chairmanship until ground reconstruction and deterioration in the mid-1950s meant the entrance had to be demolished.
In its place, an expensive new mosaic Harp was commissioned from craftsmen in Ireland and shipped over to Easter Road, where it hung in the boardroom. When Harry Swan died, it was gifted to his widow by the club. Ultimately, while I would agree the SFA adopted a very heavy-handed and extensively confrontational approach to Celtic FC during the Flag flutter of 1952, I would suggest that to imply that Mr Swan had some heinous and anti-Irish agenda is both unfair and highly inaccurate
Yours faithfully –The Editor, Celtic View.
Rob continued: “It’s unfortunate that Mr Swan’s reputation is still tainted with that unnecessary and ugly Flag conflict of 1952.
“As a football visionary, Harry Swan was head and shoulders above his associates in Scotland – and England.
“His contribution to Scottish and British football at that time was immense.
“Harry Swan should be an inductee into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame.”
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.