John ‘Yogi’ Hughes, a Celtic legend and the club’s eighth-highest goal scorer with 189 goals, shared a deeply emotional account of his departure from Celtic in his autobiography, *YOGI BARE: The Life and Times of a Celtic Legend*. Hughes had a remarkable career at Celtic, contributing to six league titles, four league cups, and one Scottish Cup win, but his time at the club came to an abrupt end. He recalls how his final appearance for Celtic was during a 3-0 European Cup victory over BK Copenhagen on September 29, 1971. Despite his significant contributions to the team, he was unexpectedly transferred to Crystal Palace just 20 days later.
Hughes expressed his heartbreak over how Jock Stein, Celtic’s manager, handled his departure, revealing that he never had the chance to properly say goodbye to the fans or even have a final conversation with Stein. His account illustrates how, despite his loyalty and performance, he felt discarded and deeply hurt by Stein’s brusque handling of his exit. He admitted that while he understood the club had to evolve with young talent, the manner of his departure left him devastated. Hughes never played at Celtic Park again after that fateful match, marking the end of an illustrious 11-year career with the club.
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