On This Day in 1989: Billy McNeill goes Pole to Pole for Celtic

BILLY McNeill strolled into the Celtic Park boardroom yesterday and at his shoulder stood a slim young man called Dariusz Wdowczyk. McNeill had just paid out a fee in the region of #400,000 for the left-sided Polish defender, who speaks barely a word of English but, by all accounts, is fluent in the universal language we call football.

Wdowczyk, pronounced "dove-check", has signed for three seasons and no secret was made of the fact that Celtic's other Polish import, Jacki Dziekanowski, helped persuade the 27-year-old captain of Poland that his career lay in Glasgow.

The Poles were team-mates at Legia Warsaw, and McNeill was impressed by Wdowczyk's ability and composure when he went to watch Dziekanowski. "In fact, in several ways Dariusz made a bigger impression the first time I went to see Jacki play," McNeill said yesterday while his new man was blinking against popping flashguns.

Naturally the manager hopes the defender turns out to be as good a buy as Dziekanowski, whose touch and flair have made him a hero of the faithful. "I must confess to having been worried about whether I was doing the right thing by signing another Pole," McNeill added. "But we watched him plenty of times and he has such an ability and assurance about his play that I'm sure he'll settle.

"Besides, I think eastern Europeans can adapt better and, of course, there is a big Polish community in Glasgow."

McNeill also recalled that perhaps the most successful foreign signing south of the Border was the Argentinian, Ardiles, who had fellow countryman Vilas playing alongside him at Tottenham during the settling-in period. The fact that Dziekanowski and Wdowczyk have been friends for a number of years will help.

Celtic had been trying for some time to sign the defender, who has been capped 50 times by Poland, and only last week McNeill announced that his interest in Wdowczyk had ended. Various other clubs, including Manchester United and four other English sides, as well as Eintracht Frankfurt and Paris St Germaine, had been attracted by his talents, and according to McNeill some were attempting to do business through side doors.

"However, the Polish authorities wanted everything done properly. They decided to straighten things out," McNeill explained. "They were happy with the way we conducted business with Jacki and suddenly it all opened up for us again."

There is a danger, however, that the fans might expect too much too soon. He might prove as good a buy as Dziekanowski, but he should be given time to find his feet. He will not begin that process for another 10 to 14 days, by which time McNeill expects to have the necessary papers which would allow his new signing to earn a living here.

In the meantime, Wdowczyk has been allowed to return to Legia Warsaw. They had wanted to keep him until their winter break begins in four weeks' time, but McNeill refused, although he was able to see the value to be gained by allowing the player to go home and play a couple of matches rather than confine himself to training at Celtic Park.

His track record suggests he will become a key player either at full back or in midfield, but the fans will have to wait, probably until after next week's Old Firm game, before seeing him in action. First, they and the players have a job to do at East End Park where Peter Grant could come back into contention.

The midfielder has been added to the squad, all of whom have been reminded of Dunfermline's good recent results. ''We respect their abilities,'' McNeill said.

The game is a 20,000-plus all-ticket sell-out and, as you might expect, Dunfermline manager Jim Leishman has returned to ways of old in an attempt to spur his players. A few gems from Arnold Palmer - "if you think you will lose, you are lost" - have been pinned to the players' notice-board. Perhaps they should avoid thinking altogether, since Celtic have been in menacing form themselves of late.

The other half of the Old Firm, Rangers, are determined to beat Hibernian - remaining tickets for this match will be on sale at the Ibrox ticket office from 9.30 this morning - and thus maintain their improvement after a disappointing start. Scott Nisbet and John Brown have been added to the squad, but attention will be focused on the directors' box. Alan Montgomery, the chief executive who was conspicuous by his absence during the match against St Mirren in midweek, will be in his usual seat.

Jim McInally, who at the beginning of the week had been adamant he was never again going to play for Dundee United, could face Dundee in the Tannadice derby. "A misunderstanding has been resolved," said United's assistant manager Steve Murray yesterday. "Jim is back. It was not his intention to leave, and his respect and affection for the United supporters is total."

Billy McKinlay and Miodrag Krivokapic are added to the squad, while Dundee have restored Stuart Beedie and Albert Craig, who have been injured.

Elsewhere, Motherwell go to Pittodrie without Colin O'Neill, who is unwell, and John Philliben, who is suspended. Hearts will stand by the team which lost to Celtic last week for their game against beleaguered St Mirren.