They played for Celtic – Joe Miller
Joe Miller joined his boyhood heroes Celtic from Aberdeen in November 1987, just a month shy of his 20th birthday for a fee of £650,000, a then Scottish record fee for a teenager…
Joe Miller who was raised in the east end of Glasgow, and while he played for Celtic at youth level he was enticed to Pittodrie where he signed his first professional contract, and was soon handed his first team debut by Alex Ferguson at the age of 17.
Joe was mainly played as a central striker for The Dons, making a total of 81 appearances, scoring 21 goals, and won a Scottish Cup winners medal in 1986 with Aberdeen.
Billy McNeill finally got his man at the third attempt after two earlier bids were rebuffed in the summer of 1987 for young Joe, who was in high demand. Indeed the likes of Manchester United, Nottingham Forest, and Liverpool were said to have been serious about making a bid for the player.
Joe made his debut in a league clash with Dundee at Celtic Park, and made it a dream debut as he scored in a 5-0 win.
Despite playing as a striker at Pittodrie, Billy McNeill utilised Joe on the right wing, to provide chances for Frank McAvennie and Andy Walker. It certainly worked as both front men scored 50 goals between them that campaign as Billy McNeill’s side secured a dream double in the club’s never to be forgotten Centenary year.
Joe himself made 32 appearances, scoring three goals as he made his debut season one to remember, earning himself both a league and Scottish cup winners medal. Remarkably it could well have been a treble winning campaign for the youngster if he hadn’t been on the losing side for Aberdeen who lost the league cup final on the lottery of spot kicks just weeks before he joined Celtic.
The following campaign would be one of disappointment for the club, finishing third in the table, but we experienced the high of retaining the Scottish Cup against our bitter rivals the now defunct Rangers, denying them a treble in the process, with Joe Miller the hero as he grabbed the winner after latching on to a slack back pass by Ibrox defender Gary Stevens, and thumping the ball beyond Chris Woods.
Joe was handed the centre forward role after the departure of Frank McAvennie and injury to Andy Walker, scoring the winner in both games leading up to the final, and of course the final itself.
That summer seen the arrival of Daurisz Dziekanowski, and with the presence of the not long signed Tommy Coyne, meant Joe was reverted back to the right wing role, something that soured his already shaky relationship with Billy McNeill.
That relationship was severely tested in a League Cup semi final loss to Aberdeen, after Joe suffered the indignity of being the sub who was subbed, after only 22 minutes on the park, and it resulted in Joe handing in a transfer request.
That was naturally turned down, and after some frank discussions, Joe decided to stay put at Celtic Park.
The following season seen Joe have his most productive period, as he made 31 appearances, scoring 10 goals, although yet again the side finished empty handed.
The appointment of Liam Brady was seen as a clean slate for Joe, but he was still expected to play on the right wing, and the the reminder of his Celtic career somewhat dwindled out, with resulted in him rejoining Aberdeen in the summer of 1993.
Joe Miller appeared 199 times for Celtic, scoring 32 goals, and winning three major honours.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
