Away form will be critical in deciding league

The thing with Spiers is that he actually tells the truth. It's a really sad indictment on the modern Scottish media that this quality sets him apart and makes him the target of direct abuse from David Murray.

I remember Big Fat DJ once saying on radion "I'll never criticise Rangers" and this is a culture that pervades the Sottish media. I've always found it bizarre.

As far as fans go, I do think that Celtic supporters' determination to criticise the club and, more so in the past, to pick up criticisms in the papers has been bordering on the ridiculous at times. But there is a body of the Rangers-supporting public that thinks that any criticism of their club is some kind of treason.

There is no distinction between an unfair attack and valid, measured criticism - neither one is allowed full stop.

By now, for example, I think it can be said uncontrovertably, that the behaviour of a substantial proportion of Rangers fans in Barcelona was not good (on either visit).

Just after the game, though, one of the tabloids had the back page headline, "LIARS", following early reports of anti-social behaviour and the RST's subsequent insistence that this was made up to smear Rangers. Just last week, the Rangers Chief of Security, who you might have expected would work with Greater Manchester Police to head off any crowd trouble, was instead insisting that Rangers were well-known for their jolly good nature and citing the lack of arrests in Barcelona as evidence.

But as far as this extension story goes, Spiers, Phil Gordon and Glenn Gibbons were the only writers who consistently actually had any regard for the facts of the case.

Is it a coincidence that none of these work for the "Weejie Meeja"?

We need to take care of our games 1st and foremost starting Sunday, let them self implode, hopefully this weekend but im sure they will eventually.

Hail Hail, 3 in a row

I'm really curious about the St Mirren and Aberdeen games. I half expected St Mirren to cave in in their game but perhaps that is unfair and the players should certainly be motivated.

I don't know if Jimmy Calderwood would jut be "there for the party" again but the Aberdeen fans won't want the celebration on their patch. However, if JC is for the off and the Dons are out of the running for third place, who knows what would happen.

As Paul pointed out, Rangers haven't scored from open play since Moses was a boy - and last night's was a set piece again - so a sudden four or five nil would look pretty suspicious.

Paul67

So hope your right but I'm still a bit down from last night

lubo1977 - 10:32AM, (from previous article)

Couldn't agree more with the 'McCurry effect' regarding this match on Saturday unfortunately. Lest we forget that Utd have caused TFOD problems every time they've played them this season except for one match and we all know who the man in the middle was for that one.

Nevertheless I'm hopeful that they(Utd) can get something from the match, perhaps spurred on by a sense of injustice as the decisions pile up against them from the off.

Best of luck to Dundee Hibernian

On the 'Unprecedented Quadruple'(copyright, see Scottish Press)

Meaning of unprecedented (adjective)
Unheard of; exceptional; unparalleled.

The Quadruple is a term used in football that refers to a club winning their country's top tier league and the two most highly regarded domestic cup competitions, as well as the top tier continental cup competition - the European Cup/Champions League under the UEFA confederation - all within a single season or calendar year.

The FA Community Shield (or other similar minor trophies), UEFA Super Cup (or Super Cups from other confederations), Intercontinental Cup, or FIFA Club World Cup are never counted as part of The Quadruple. As with The Treble, it is possible to win 4 trophies in a season other than the top tier combination. A consensus view is that such an achievement should be called 'a quadruple' or 'quadruple' as a common noun with The Quadruple or Quadruple as a proper noun reserved for the top tier achievement.
At present - in the majority of leagues - The Quadruple is the ultimate achievement, consisting of every major top tier trophy a club can win in a single season.

Continental Quadruple
To date, only Celtic FC has accomplished the feat in the 1967 season, winning:
The Scottish First Division.
The Scottish Cup.
The Scottish League Cup.
The European Cup.

Domestic Quadruple
Sun Hei of Hong Kong won 4 trophies in the 2004–05 season.
Hong Kong First Division League
Hong Kong Senior Shield
Hong Kong FA Cup
Hong Kong League Cup

International Quadruple
Given the Copa America was held every 2 years (as opposed to every 4 years for the European Championships) it was possible for a South American club to complete an International Quadruple by winning the FIFA World Cup, Copa America twice and Confederations Cup. This is no longer possible since 2007 when the tournament moved to a 4 yearly cycle. This quadruple could have been achieved had the Copa America 1995 been won by Brazil, who having won the 1994 FIFA World Cup subsequently won the Copa America 1997 and the 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup. However, Brazil lost the final 5-3 on penalties to Uruguay

Rangers F.C.
As of 3 May 2008, Glasgow Rangers have the potential to complete a quadruple of UEFA Cup, Scottish Cup, Scottish Premier League and Scottish League Cup. So far, Rangers have won the Scottish League Cup against Dundee United 3-2 on penalties on 16 March 2008, have reached the UEFA Cup final to be played on 14 May 2008 against FC Zenit Saint Petersburg and have reached the final of the Scottish Cup facing Queen of the South at Hampden Park on 24 May 2008. The club trail Glasgow Celtic in the Scottish Premier League by 6 points, but with 2 games (and potentially 6 points) in hand over their local rivals.
Due to the lower standard of the UEFA Cup, considered a second tier competition to the UEFA Champions League, this would not by common consensus be equal to the Continental/European Quadruple ('The Quadruple') achieved by city rivals Celtic.
However, it would be a significant and notable occurrence in European football and would still constitute part of an eighth Domestic Treble for Rangers.

I was sure there was a team to win 4+ trophies in the one season, just couldn't remember who!

Don't worry though, Zenit ARE a class act and will pose a totally different threat to rangers, unlike anything they have faced in Europe this season.

Predominately they play on the counter attack, against perceived better teams, moving from defence with frightening fluidity.
It will be interesting to see Advocate's system come up against the Wattenacio. Zenit certainly have the ability to come out and take the game to rangers but should 'der hun' fall behind and have to, God forbid, cross the halfway line in search of a goal then it could become extremely embarrassing(not for me, I’ll love it! Just love it!)

In players like Andrei Arshavin and Alejandro Domínguez, FC Zenit have pace and more importantly a speed of thought that most top players will struggle against.
Villarreal (2nd in La Liga) and Marseille will testify to that having been knocked out by the Russians; however the Germans, Leverkusen & FC Bayern (Bundesliga & German Cup Champion's) were simply destroyed.

Zenit's first leg match in Leverkusen (1-4) was one of the most one sided European games I’ve seen in a while.
A good playing surface was taking advantage of as St Petersburg
passed and passed and then passed some more.
Excellent passing though, not like the ones from McManus to Naylor, when the ball takes an age to get there and lands a yard in front, behind or somewhere in the first row.
Pin ball passing and then all of a sudden they're on the edge of the box. Really pleasing on the eye, quite like rangers UEFA games....not.

Now imagine Kirk Clubfoot and the gang up against them in Madchester.

Keep The Faith

Edward........from last thread.....I'm just being Mischa....mische.....mischav.....well, you know what I mean.

Motherwell away is the game where they will drop the required points...let's hope for a strong ref as everyone knows this is the tough one for them, including the chaps at the SFA who pick the refs!

Dundee Utd don't lose many goals from corner/set pieces...they have a couple of giant centre backs to cut some of them out.

I noticed that big Rob Jones of the Hibess won most of the set pieces on Sunday, and they never scored!

Biggest concern is the way in which big dreary and co through themselves about in the box last night. I though that the ref had a strong game in view of the pressure applied from the stands (and touchline). McCurry, well we know what he will do given the chance.

Am i right in saying that this is one of his last games as a ref?

31003 :- Isn't it strange than when Celtic reached the UEFA cup final they were going for a top European trophy, it was a fantastic acheivement by a fantastic team under a fantastic manager, Move on five years and Rangers reach the final of the same cup and it doesn't even reach mickey mouse status. Even if Rangers were to win nothing else this season then they have already bettered the 2003 run of what has been described as your best team in a generation under a manager who could be arguably described as your best since Mr Stein. Does it really hurt that much?

31003 :- Sorry for repeating the post then, I thought I had posted it to late for you to read :-)

EdwardUrsus: Isn't it strange how Rangers fans have also revised their view of that achievement?

Isn't it strange how it is already accepted fact that Rangers will bring 100,000 fans to the final (not, I'm sure, just a figure plucked from the air that exceeds the number of Celtic fans who won so many friends in Seville)?

El Madrigal

You are correct that Celtic are the only side to ever win a proper quadruple.

In 1972 Ajax won a treble of Dutch League, Dutch Cup and European Cup but as far as I know there isn't a second cup competition in Holland so like us in 1967 they won every competition they entered.

Even if Rangers do win the quadruple they won't have won every competition they entered this season.

From the way some of the Rangers fans around my bit were celebrating last night you'd think they won something there and then. The sense of relief at scraping a 1-0 against Motherwell on their own front lawn was incredible! They'll win at the weekend, probably, but there will be trouble on the road for them at the Fir Park quagmire and/or at Pittodrie, where they won't get an inch.

If we win on Sunday then this Bhoy is hopeful!

Edward, apology accepted. Let me tell you that many of my friends are of the Rangers persuasion and I have been taking great delight in de-meaning the competition the more Rangers have progressed. It is my DUTY Wouldn't you do the same?

Edward - yes it really does hurt that much!!!!

...it goes without saying that if Celtic somehow end up in the Uefa Cup next year, it will once again become one of the most difficult and prestigious tournaments in the whole wide world and universe

As we have been saying all week, the game we must focus all our positive energy, Memorares and emotions on is Celtic-Hibs on Sunday.

To win is to take the battle to the last whistle of the season, which we would all have signed up for after Celtic 0-1 Motherwell at the start of last month.

They can drop points along the way, the more the merrier, but this is how we can contribute, by adding pressure upon pressure to them. If the dropped points come in the last minute of the last game, it will count just the same.

Win Celtic, win. And on top of that, win.

Ed, I remember the 2003 season well and loved every minute of it. However I am always loathed to make comparisons of teams who will never play against each other to validate any opinions.

I share the opinion that Celtic team of 2003 was brilliantly managed, had some brilliant players and should have done more domestically, only just falling short.

I also share the opinion that this Rangers team are limited and have achieved a lot with very little.

And...if I am being 100% honest, yes I am hurting that Rangers are in the final as I don't want them there. Most Rangers supporters didn't want us anywhere near Seville. I also want them to blow up spectacularly in the league run in.

Maybe thats just being on different sides of the divide!

Possibly if your lot take the field in Manchester and play some Brazil like free-flowing football and score a few goals, I might (just might) upgrade my opinion on your team from rotten to....jammy

The huns winning last night was always on the cards, although if motherwell could defend corners it might have been different. We can only hope that utd, who have a decent record against der hun can get a result and keep their own uefa challenge alive.

Utd have a physical presence about them so hopefully they can pull it off. Another point is that we need aberdeen to win on sat which, will give motherwell something to play for next week against the huns. A real nightmare would be motherwell v rangers next week (with a team full of ex huns)and nothing to play for.

Edward,

If Rangers win the Uefa cup then, of course, that will be a great achievement. Any Celtic fam that says otherwise is being churlish.

However, regardless of co-efficients etc, this Rangers team getting as far as they have done is a disaster for Scotland and for football generally. When Celtic won the big cup in '67 they were the neutrals' favourite; when we lost the Uefa Cup in '03 the back pages of all the major newspapers in Europe were in emblazoned with pro-Celtic headlines, partly down to our teams plucky efforts in coming from behind twice and in being beaten in such an unsporting way, and partly because of the impeccable behaviour of our massive suppport. Rangers, on the other hand, will go to Manchester and play the most negative football I have ever seen and afterwards their fans will give us all a bad, bad name.

Narrowboat Tim

Loved your new name "Rearrangers"! Superb.
A common misconception is that their motto is !" Aye Ready". It is only " Ready" which they patently are not!
Another misconception is that our logo is a shamrock.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH ARTUR BORUC

Re Wattie's latest pronouncement -

"What frustrates you - and I have no criticism of Motherwell because we do it when we are away from home - but when you manage to get the goal it is the team who have not been wasting time who are penalised at the end of the game. That was the point I was trying to make. We weren't wasting time yet we had play for another four minutes, which gives Motherwell an opportunity to get back in the game again."

i.e.We are allowed to dive and waste time but no-one else is

Weren't wasting time? Nacho Neddy spent the best part of minute during aforementioned injury time rolling about as if shot by sniper fire after the ball was kicked off his back (committing an infringement on the goalkeeper!).

There are no depths of hypocrisy and cheating that Rankers will not sink to.

Re journalistic loyalties - I saw someone had Anthony Haggerty listed as a Celtic fan the other day. He attended the same school as me although a few years older and he was defintely a Celtic supporter in those days.

Not sure how he sleeps at night these days though. I suppose there's no other person easier to delude in this world than yourself, so maybe he genuinely believes he works for a fair and impartial newspaper.

Or maybe the 30 pieces of silver each month make it all worthwhile.

bournesouprecipe.
Chin up! C'mon. They were always goinfg to win last night. And if they were going to winthen a 1 - 0 is the best result for us. I was dreading an early goal and then an avalance.

We must win on Saturday and then it goes to the last match. I would have taken you arm off for this scenario four weeks ago.

AND I firmly believe this - and I'm old and ugly enough beleive it.

What comes around goes around!!!!

WHAT COMES AROUND GOES AROUND!!!!

Helicopter Sunday? - Helicopted Thursday comin' up. Just you wait!
Helicopter Thursday!

Until then we play our part! Roar the bhoys on! Roar them on!!! I'll be there. Complete with asprin, plavix, amlopidine, cardicor, elantan and GTN spray.

I'll be roaring - and believing.

And crying too!!

Chin up mate!!!

PRESS RELEASE – UPDATE

Start:
Carlsberg don't do season run-ins...

... but if they did:

Sat 03 May SPL Motherwell 1-2 Celtic
Sun 04 May SPL Hibs 0-0 Rangers

Wed 07 May SPL Rangers 1-0 Motherwell

Sat 10 May SPL Rangers 2-0 Dundee Utd
Sun 11 May SPL Celtic 3-2 Hibs

Wed 14 May UCF Rangers 0 Zenit St. Petersburg 4
(After extra time)

Sat 17 May SPL Motherwell 0-0 Rangers

Tue 20 May SPL St Mirren 0-1 Rangers

SPL DAY OF RECKONING:
(sponsored by Prozac)

Thu 22 May SPL Dundee Utd 2-3 Celtic
(Hunt 90+6; De Vries 90+8)(Samaras 12; Hartley 37; Hinkel 56)
(Sent Off: Samaras 13; Hartley 38; Hinkel 57)

Thu 22 May SPL Aberdeen 0-6 Rangers
(Darcheville 3, 8; Thompson 45+4; Boyd 70; Novo 90+4, 90+6)
(Sent Off: Miller 27; Nicholson 49)

SCOTTISH CUP FINAL:
Sat 24 May Queen of the South 2-1 Rangers
(After extra time)

FINAL SPL POSITIONS:
1. CHAMPS P 38 W 28 D 5 L 5 F 87 A 30 Pts 89 GD +57
2. CHUMPS P 38 W 28 D 5 L 5 F 86 A 29 Pts 89 GD +57

End:

Is there any manager other than Wattie in the SPHell that would not have been sent to the dug out after his outbursts (having to be physically restrained) towards the end of the match last night? Edward?

The cracks are all too evident...

Walter's statement is bizarre. Did he expect the referee to reset his watch when Rangers scored as if the injury time that he would have awarded was somehow a favour to Rangers? 4 minutes was absolutely fair based on the amount of stoppages druing the half.

I thought the funniest thing of the night was Craigen's reaction to Novo's dying swan act. Firstly he mimed a ball - as if to say "how can he be hurt when he was only hit by the bloody ball?". He then pretended to shoot him as if to say "Went down like he was hit by a sniper."

Second funniest thing was Kirk Broadfoot trying to take a throw in.

I think we should all take the Fernando view that reaching the last 16 of the Champions League is a greater achievement.

More realistically, what would be comparable in the Champions League?

I would definitely say that getting to the Champions League semis would be a greater achievement than getting to the UEFA Final and that reaching the CL quarters would be better than the UEFA semis. Is reaching the UEFA final between the two or roughly equivalent to getting to the CL quarters, given that?

Certainly, for enjoyment, you would usually take being in a final than any semi.

I have felt for a long time that the telling games will be
rangers away to Mothers and the sheep.
We must not lose sight of our role.
It is imperative that we create a champions league atmosphere
against the hibees on sunday.
I think we will win it, but only just.
Regarding the UEFA cup. The huns claimed it to be a mickey mouse
cup when we were in Seville.
I have yet to hear one of my comrades call it such now.
Fact is, I would swop a mickey mouse spl flag for it.

Ed - in what way has Rangers run to this year's final "alreadybettered the 2003 run"?

Apart from racking up a more "impressive" tally of zzzz 0-0 draws.

The highlights for the Road to Manchester DVD are going to be thin on the ground.

BigChipsUK: You keep posting that but it is a nightmare scenario as surely Celtic would lose due to the head-to-heads?

Failing that, we would be left with a play-off at Hampden without at least three of our first-team players.

Yes Tony Bannanas is saw that blatant cheating by Novo too, Craigan of the 'Well looked like he was going to flip by his antics, remember his carry on with McGeady also by throwing the ball away, i have as yet to see a booking given to him for either carry on.

5 subs made - 30 secs each - 2min 30..then injuries and stoppages ie - Sally hitting the ball while it was in play...

I hate that time isn't added on in injury time for timewasting..Is there provision in the rules for the ref to add on injury time in injury time?

Novo is a feckin disgrace..if i was playing against him i'd just break his leg and walk off..he's such an odious wee ned...

tonybananas: Because we won hee-haw that season.

Tony Bananas,

That has to be one of the most stupid statements any manager has ever made after winning a football match. The pressure must really be getting to him.

Has he forgotten the time wasted by Kevin Thompson in the last match at Ibrox when he barged into Sami and had to be taken off on a stretcher. I don't think all the time he wasted was added on (though even if it had I still don't think we would have scored that day).

Or the amount of time wasted by Alan McGregor after the penalty Scott McDonald missed. I counted 4 minutes of treatment to McGregor for that one incident. he was also down a few other times and then the substitutions. There were 5 mins injury time given but it could have been 7. At least justice was done and we got the winner that day.

I'm sure every supporter is frustated when their team is losing/drawing and the opposition is wasting time. When your team then scores to win the match the final whistle can't come soon enough.

Can I take from what Walter Smith said that after Rangers scored they didn't waste any time at all and took free kicks, corners and throw ins quickly to try and get a second goal. I would have thought that he would have welcomed the additional 4 minutes in a home match to get more goals to boost the goal difference.

Pressure pushing down on me
Pressing down on you, no man asked for
Under pressure, that burns a building down
Splits a family in two
Puts people on streets

That's ok
It's the terror of knowing what this world is about
Watching some good friends screaming, "Let me out"
Pray tomorrow, gets me higher
Pressure on people, people on streets

Chippin' around, kick my brains around the floor
These are the days it never rains but it pours

People on streets, people on streets

It's the terror of knowing what this world is about
Watching some good friends screaming, "Let me out"
Pray tomorrow, gets me higher and higher and high
Pressure on people, people on streets

Turned away from it all like a blind man
Sat on a fence but it don't work
Keep coming up with love but it's so slashed and torn
Why, why, why?
Love

Insanity laughs under pressure, we're cracking
Can't we give ourselves one more chance?
Why can't we give love that one more chance?
Why can't we give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love, give love?
'Cos love's such an old fashioned word
And love dares you to care for the people on the edge of the night
And love dares you to change our way of caring about ourselves
This is our last dance
This is our last dance
This is ourselves under pressure, under pressure, pressure

EdwardUrsus on May 8, 2008 11:28 AM

Why do Rearrangers supporters always bring up what happen in the past you should be more like Celtic supporters we never live in or talk about the past, look to the future I say! times have changed move on, off course it was a better tournament and we had tougher oponents in 2003 that goes without saying. :-)

Tony Bananas,

Tony Haggerty is OK, nice line in silver shoes at one point, and everybody has to make a living. Don't think he's actually written too much anti-Celtic stuff, it's often the way it's presented that's a bigger problem.

narrowbhoat

I don't read Spiers regulalry, but if he has eulogised the Carmyle Cardigan too much lately then so be it. You can't have everythng. But i still think he's probably the best Scottish sports writer around.

STANDING UP

After George Burley came out yesterday afternoon unprompted saying that the SPL had punished Rangers
I thought to myself I wonder how long before BBC Scotland is going to contribute

Chic Young´s copy at 10 to 6 in the evening !!!

Page last updated at 16:52 GMT, Wednesday, 7 May 2008 17:52 UK

Four hours after Burley .

I watched the gers game last night and I saw that DA was in attendance I was watching it with my bluenose mate. I said to him I bet you DA lines his pockets from the laptop loyal tonight
and we see story after story from DA about how the SPL is punishing Rangers. He refused a 1-1000 bet ? ;-)

low and behold .. surprise surprise

http://sport.scotsman.com/football/Advocaat-returns-with-stinging-attack.4061417.jp
http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/headlines/display.var.2254963.0.Egotistical_SPL_judgement_was_a_farce_insists_Advocaat.php
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/display.var.2255505.0.dick_spl_disney_care_about_gers.php
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/2008/05/08/zenit-st-petersburg-chief-dick-advocaat-blasts-spl-again-86908-20409619/
meanwhile out with the confines of the laptop loyal

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article3891284.ece

"That background puts Advocaat’s comments in a different light."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article3891288.ece

"But what cannot be tolerated is this pathetic charge of the SPL deliberately working against the good of Rangers. This kind of nonsense only stirs some of the neanderthals in our midst, and Sir David Murray should know better than to venture down such a road."

If more than a few gers players conserve their fitness on Saturday for the UC final on Wednesday against Dundee Utd and
they drop points coupled with a Celtic win at Parkhead on Sunday against Hibs. I wouldn´t want to be in the Greater Manchester area on Wednesday night if they lose the UC final. From possible quadruple legends to possible two diddy cup winners will not be lost on the wee narrow minded peeple

Will they get an UEFA and FIFA award either way for fair play?

With UEFA accepting and therefore legitimising the Nazi salutes
performed in Tel-Aviv by Rangers fans I wouldn´t be that surprised.

Mind you as Tony Bananas said

"Simply utter the words "paranoia" or "conspiracy theory" and you have automatically vetoed the argument of the other side. You need not concern yourself with such unsavoury tasks as actually coming up with evidence and reasoned arguments to support your position. Just use the old "paranoid" chestnut and swat timmy away with the contempt he deserves."

paranoid & proud of it

The Narrowbhoat Tim: I agree. Just imagine how this would feel if we weren't the first British team to be crowned European champions - and all with players from within a 30 mile radius of Glasgow. As you say, the present and the future is the thing.

It is interesting that the press have not highlighted Middlesbrough's fixtures prior to their UEFA Cup final in 2006, perhaps, as someone suggested, it would highlight that such a schedule could be the blame for them losing the final in May 2006

I thought it may be interesting to see what fixtures the 2006 UEFA cup winners, Seville had, in the run up to their final

Real Betis v Sevilla Fixture played April 2 Sun 20:00 La Liga Real Betis 2 - 1 Sevilla

Zenit St Petersburg v Sevilla Fixture played April 6 Thu 17:00 Uefa Cup Zenit St Petersburg Zenit St Petersburg 1 - 1 Sevilla

Sevilla v Real Zaragoza Fixture played April 9 Sun 18:00 La Liga Sevilla 1 - 1 Real Zaragoza

Deportivo La Coruna v Sevilla Fixture played April 15 Sat 21:00 La Liga Deportivo Deportivo La Coruna 0 - 0 Sevilla

Schalke v Sevilla Fixture played April 20 Thu 19:30 Uefa Cup Schalke 0 - 0 Sevilla

Sevilla v Schalke Fixture played April 27 Thu 20:30 Uefa Cup Sevilla 1 - 0 Schalke After Extra Time

Real Sociedad v Sevilla Fixture played April 30 Sun 16:00 La Liga Real Sociedad 1 - 2 Sevilla

Sevilla v Getafe Fixture played May 3 Wed 19:00 La Liga Sevilla 3 - 0 Getafe

Malaga v Sevilla Fixture played May 6 Sat 19:00 La Liga Malaga 0 - 2 Sevilla

Middlesbrough v Sevilla Fixture played May 10 Wed 19:45 Uefa Cup Middlesbrough 0 - 4 Sevilla

Sevilla v Barcelona Fixture played May 13 Sat 21:00 La Liga Sevilla 3 - 2 Barcelona

Sevilla v Real Madrid Fixture played May 16 Tue 20:00 La Liga Sevilla 4 - 3 Real Madrid

It looks like the world must have been laughing at La Liga that year as poor old Sevilla had to play Sun-Wed-Sat prior to the Wed UEFA cup. They then had to play Sat-Tue against Barca then real Madrid. Oh how we all laughed. Oh hang on, we didnt. Perhaps the press should run with this fixture list instead of Middlesbroughs

Muppetbhoy: why don't you post that to the news site boards like the Guardian and Times?

One Star Means More,

I believe in the case of BigChipsUk's hypothetical situation, we'd win on "goals for"

?

I stand corrected - that's sort of upright but with a bit of help keeping me straight.

Edward

A blind man can see the difference in quality between Celtic's run to Seville and Rangers sleepwalk to Manchester. No sour grapes from me whatsoever, according to the rules of the competition you deserve to be there but come on, a group stage of 5 teams where 3 qualify?????? I'd say good luck but wishing good luck to Rangers goes against everything that I think about a football team who have led the existence that Rangers have.

Quick bet time, of the teams Celtic faced post christmas - namely Stuttgart, Liverpool, Boavista and Porto - 3 reached the Champions League latter stages the following season whilst Porto won it (to be followed 2 years later by Liverpool). How many of Rangers opponents will even feature in next season's Champions League?

The UEFA Cup has, for the past few years, become more and more of an irrelevance. That's nothing to do with my 'green and white' contact lenses but statement of fact borne out in UEFA's current plan to change the format again.

It is a relic of the past, just like our run to Seville and the attitudes of Rangers travelling support.

ed.
u have lost it. "..bettered.." now come on.
i dont think the dreary dull pathetic sides rangers have destroyed (yeah right) en route is anywhere near the standard of teams celtic actually defeated rather than drew against then scraped penalties against. your mob have destroyed any attraction the uefa cup had on this seasons appearances. the trophy is now dead in the water and far removed from the poor but better than it is now
competition it was in 2003. i do however think it would be an achievement to get to any european final, but not in the way rangers have done.

Onestarmeansmore :- On your first point. It is indeed :-) Your second point, due to the closeness of the game and the ease of travel it wouldn't be surprising if there were more Rangers fans in Manchester than Celtic fans in Seville. How accurate either of the figures often quoted are I have no idea.

31003 :- I can say with 100% honesty that I would never in any way demean this seasons UEFA cup, 2003, now that's a different matter :-)
Btw just read your next post down I think we have a lot in common and a very similar outlook lol

HoofHearted mintymoonbeams :- As with my reply to 31003 I agree it's the nature of football rivalry, long may it continue.

Fightingthefuzz :- You say " Rangers, on the other hand, will go to Manchester and play the most negative football I have ever seen and afterwards their fans will give us all a bad, bad name. " Is it possible to give you a worse name, you are already called Celtic fans ;-)

TicTalk :- I have to agree the rearangers was funny. To be fair to TNT though for most of our history our motto was Aye Ready though I'm not 100@ sure when it was changed.

On a more serious note - the type of language used by Murray and Bain should see them charged with bringing the game into disrepute, if that's not a bit of a joke.

It won't happen of course. Anyone notice any difference in the press treatment of Messrs Murray and Bain and the Romanovs of Jambo lane? Their outbursts have been very similar.

The most important game for Celtic on Saturday is the one at The Everglades, without a doubt.

Rangers will be too strong at home for Dundee United and will win without too many problems. As Paul sugests it is away from home where we must look for Rangers to slip up again, so it is imperative that Motherwell and Aberdeen are still in with a chance of European qualification when they each play Rangers.

If Motherwell do lose at home to Aberdeen then they would go into the Rangers game knowing that a win would secure European qualification... barring a win for Aberdeen over Rangers in their final game by around 10 goals!

But if Rangers also win at The Everglades it would see Aberdeen facing Rangers in the final game with a win sealing European qualification for them, as long as Motherwell don't win at Easter Road.

(This of course assumes that, and is only really of any interest to us if, Celtic win both their remaining games... and if Rangers lose to Dundee Utd and/or Motherwell then we probably won't even know what is going on elsewhere because we'll be too busy dancing in the streets!)

UEFA Cup v Champions' League is an interesting comparison. Sure we enjoyed the run to Seville and the final itself was made to be an occasion by our fans. And of course any team wants to win the competition once entered.

But by definition the top sixteen teams in Europe are those in the last 16 of the Champions' League, the premiere competition. Rangers finished third in their group, so can claim somewhere between 17th and 24th.

Even winning the UEFA Cup would not get them into this season's top 16.

Awe naw

Interesting stories about Advocaat at Ibrox last night. He wasn't wearing a Ranger's tie by any chance.

What other manager in the world, on the eve of his club's biggest ever match would come out with such support for the team his club are playing?

Something very fishy going on.

TEST

Mort: Advocaat is happy to give rangers this support because (a) he was paid handsomely to bring Rangers to the brink of ruin and (b) he would rather have Rangers licking their wounds and eeling sorry for themselves than tell them to focus on the game ahead or give them extra motivation against Zenit.

There is also a lot in the adage that tiredness is as much in the head as it is in the legs and I'm sure Advocaat knows that. It's like when you're in the boozer and someone is half-cut and looking exhausted - the last thing to do is tell them they look tired. If you do, they'll be sleeping before long.

And as Dr Fox would say: that's scientific fact - you can't really prove it but it's fact.

Oldtim67

sent you mail

Aw Naw

Just in case you thought I was - I was not trying to wind you up yesterday. I have no doubt where your allegiances lie and the pride you have in what you are.

I am of the same ilk.

I will not concede a thing and I will forfeit zilch to all those who wish to demean my club or my country.

Just a wee question to any lurking huns – are you now going to replace the ‘quintessentially British’ rhetoric for the ‘quintessentially Scottish’ rhetoric till the end of the season at least.

Rhetorical question, not seeking any sincere answer.

Holahoops :- You would have to ask a ref about that one I'm afraid I can't answer it.

Tonybananas :- I would say it has already bettered it in that we have reached the final and have at least one domestic trophy.

TNT :-)

Ed, can I join in.

You know and I know Rankers are Rubbish and it is only a matter of time before you implode and The Loyal Burberry Cardigan Explodes.

Once we win on Sun, (if we don't then i would sack the lot of them - but we will) the pressure will be hitting the red part of the big pressure dial building at Ipox.

:-) :-) :-)

Anyway, Sunday is a must win for us. Let's get the points and see how it pans out.

I seriously do not want Rankers to win the UEFA cup no matter how important/unimportant a trophy people view it as. I wouldn't want Rankers to win a tidly winks competition if they entered it. If I am watching 2 kids playing on the street, one with a Celtic top and the other with a Rankers top, guess who i want to win - the Celtic kid.

That's rivalry for you. I just want Celtic to win everything and Rankers to win nothing. That's the way it is and vice-a-versa I'm sure.

C'mon the hoops.
C'mon the Arabs
C'mon Zenit St Pete's.
C'mon Murderwell
C'mon The buddies
C'mon the sheepies.

Hail hail.

3-in-a-row-Ed-you-know-you-know.

Come on the Celts you can do it.

Hail Hail

I had a dream last night that Zenit crushed Rangers 7-0 in the final. Funnily enough, Lee McCulloch came closest for them with a cross. They picked up a few suspensions for next season too.

Was a good dream.

One Star Means More

What people forget is that Celtic was not only the first British team to win the European Cup, they were the first Northern European team to win the European Cup as up till 67 the European Cup belonged to the domain of the Latin countries. Most Celtic supporters don't mention that fact because as I mentioned to the resident teddy bear earlier we don't live like Jethro Tull in the past.

To the Future and 3-in a row.

Inkybhoy

Agree with you Spiers is probably the best Scottish based sportswriter.

Kitalba :- Scottish and British, I don't see any contradiction.

hoof hearted minty moonbeams May 8, 2008 11:39 AM

"I might (just might) upgrade my opinion on your team from rotten to....jammy"

I hope only after a thorough investigation into the ref's backgroung and bank account details.

I had a real hope that they lost to well and then the world caved in against Utd. It didn't happen and I was a little upset watching CQN updates at 6am Sydney time only for them to score.
We can still do this but a draw or a win for Utd would make me feel better going into the Hibs game.

Hail Hail

I dont see Dundee Ubited troubling Rangers. They have the benefit of Lee Wilkie at centre back and we should remmember his unique contribution to the Huns last championship. The real danger is Motherwell beating Aberdeen at home ( and we know from last week, Fir Park is a nightmare to play on) . Then assuming that we beat Hibs, Motherwell are in UEFA next year as of Sunday afternoon. Then crap team or not, 3 games in 5 days or not, shit away record or not, the Huns yes come back from Manchester suitably chastised but with 3 games against teams with zero to play for. Not a good scenario.
Just comments on other posters; not "churlish" to want to see Rangers lose in UEFA, 100% natural reaction, I detest them.
As for the Little Genital and his tie, "once a Hun..."

Moonbeamswetdream :- I agree 100% I have wished Celtic well in Europe in the past bt only up to a point I don't want them winning anything. In that our two sets of fans are like any other rival fans whether it be in Milan, between Barcalona and Real or even Cumnock and Auchinleck. Now that last one is bitter.

Ed U

With Rearrangers FC dropping the "Aye" from the "Aye Ready" does that mean they no longer sell packets of "Aye Ready Salted Crisps" at Ibrox.

Thats one for the teanagers CSC

The Narrowbhoat Tim: You're so right. I was just thinking that as I recalled the words of Helenio Hererra from that day: "I take my hat off to Celtic, they deserved to win. Their performance was one of courage and daring. The European Cup is in good hands."

It reminded me that prior to that, the greatest single achievemnt of Celtic and possibly any Scottish club was winning the Coronation Cup in 1953, making Celtic arguably the only legitimate "British Champions" ever - and won in the year of Her Maj taking power.

I say this, of course, only for reference as these will be benchmarks by which our future success is measured by some who can only look back.

Sorry if this has been asked and answered before - but what excuse was given for giving them a run in of 2 Home followed by 3 away fixtures? The away fixtures to be played when each fixture might be deemed meaningless by the opposition.

Neil McCallum

A poor result for them on Saturday would be great, but some Celtic people would then assume the job was done, so that would need guarding against very carefully.

In one of the amateur teams I played for as a lad there was a guy who made me laugh. When we opened the scoring and the opposition were re-starting the game, he'd stand on the circumference of the centre circle, bending forward and applauding wildly, saying to us: "Come on. It's still 0-0."

Quite clearly it wasn't still 0-0, but you know what he meant. I wonder where he is; if your vision comes to pass on Saturday, we might need him.

Look at the games and results below form this seasons Rangers V Dundee Utd.

Why were Rangers so desperate to get the game with Dundee Utd cancelled this weekend?

Note that the only time they have beaten Dundee Utd. this year was the game when Dundee Utd were forced to play midweek against both Hearts and Dundee Utd´s wish to play that weekend. Mmmmhhh

Who was the referee in that game ?

Who´s the ref for thos w.e Rangers V Dundee Utd game ?

Why does Rev Mc Curry get so many games at Ibrox compared to any other Scottish referee ?

------------------------------------------------------
06 April 2008
Dundee Utd 3-3
(HT 1-1) Rangers
Kalvenes 37
Hunt 51
Cuellar o.g. 65
Weir 44
Novo 58
Boyd 67
Bookings:
Kerr 55
Bookings:
McCulloch 4

Saturday, 05 January 2008

Rangers 2-0
(HT 2-0) Dundee Utd
Naismith 9
Ferguson 40

Bookings:
Dods 31
Wilkie 39

Sun 28th Oct

Dundee Utd 2-1
(HT 1-0) Rangers
Wilkie 28
Robson (pen) 54
Cousin (pen) 51
Bookings:
Hunt 5
Gomis 69
Bauben 70
Bookings:
Hutton 5
Thomson 33
McGregor 85
Novo 90

Sunday, 16 March 2008
Dundee Utd 2-2
(HT 1-0) Rangers
Hunt 34
De Vries 96
Flood (pen)
De Vries (pen)
Boyd 85
Boyd 113
Whittaker (pen)
Davis (pen)
Boyd (pen)
Bookings:
Kalvenes 94
Bookings:
Broadfoot 54
McCulloch 64

Rangers win 3-2 on penalties

Weekend referees named
Saturday May 10

Falkirk v Inverness CT - David Somers

Hearts v Kilmarnock - Mike Tumilty

Motherwell v Aberdeen - Craig Thomson

Rangers v Dundee United - Mike McCurry
(Live on Setanta Sports, 12.30pm)

St Mirren v Gretna - Willie Collum

Sunday May 11

Celtic v Hibernian - Dougie McDonald
(Live on Setanta Sports, 12.30pm)

Ed,

sorry about that last one. Ok if the kid with the Rankers top was playing a kid with any other top (Hearts apart - that would be a difficult one, unless it meant the Celtic kid winning some sort of trophy) I would plumpt for the kid not wearing the Rankers top. :-)

MacLeod Whizz Bang Shot GOAL!!: The SPL computer. You can't corrupt a computer!

TNT :- I hope you heard my groan at that one :-)

Ed

Good man, honesty always the best policy. So I'll take the opportunity to say enjoy your team's trip to Manchester, but I hope they don't win. :)

STANDING UP..hoping they don't win any other games for the rest of the season either

Hi All,

I'm a new member but an avid follower of CQN in all it's glory - hats off to you Paul

The title race is certainly an interesting one to say the least & I suspect there will be a few twists & turns before the end.

Edward,
I've got to say that I disagree El Madrigal on Rangers in Europe. If you win all domestic honours & capture the Uefa Cup, this in its own right is as monumentous achievement & should not be looked down upon - definite (A/The - no difference) Quadruple.
I still sit & look back on Seville with the fondest memories although we failed to win it in the end. I would not consider this to be a Mickey Mouse tournament in the slightest, although I've got to be truthful & say that I wouldn't like to see you winning it simply because of the unbearable "noise up/banter/slagging" that would follow. A few of my closest mates will be ther & I hope they enjoy it as much as we did in the carnival atmosphere in the streets prior to the game.

Madra, I agree - Motherwell & the Dandy's away are our biggest hope of a slip up

Advocaat is an egotistical wee so and so. I've heard a few Rangers supporters misguided views that he'll take a dive for them in Manchester. NO CHANCE

He is a mercenary (not a criticism, I would be too for his money) and looks only after no 1. Most managers leave the players to celebrate success on the park after victories. Not we Dick...he regularly got himself involved and I remember the Rangers players tossing him up in the air after one particular victory.

His stalk plummeted after he left Rangers and he needs this to get back into the big time. His time with the Dutch National team was pretty unspectacular (although his last game against Scottish Opposition was the 6-0 scudding og the National team) He has also intimated that he is looking to leave Russian football - he'll fancy a stab at one of the big leagues again. If he loses to this Rangers team,his career in the eyes of the big clubs in Europe, will be completely in ruins.

There appears some despondency because M'well lost.Remember these words as momentum for Celts big clash with Hibs gathers pace;

'the fight goes on
the cause endures
the hope still lives
and the dream shall never die'

Support Celtic as never before on Sunday!

Celtic_First

I think every team I've ever played for, and not just at amateur level had a guy who came out with that line! Another favourite of some is when your team is getting a horsing and you eventually manage to create a chance someone will shout 'see, that's how easy it is'! Never mind the fact you're getting pumped 6-0 or something (though I never played with any teams bad enough to be getting hammered so much!) :)

All I ask is for a win on Sunday, at least then we get a guaranteed last-day finish. We all know we are due a turn in these situations. Third time lucky? Peter McGuire will at long last be able to stick that helicopter up his large rear-end!

MacLeod Whizz Bang Shot GOAL!!

Oh you are cynical, sure the SPL have done nothing to help Rangers. I'm sure it was perfectly innocent!!!!

I bleated on about the Aberdeen game being their last game as Aberdeen, at the time the fixtures were "drawn up", had least chance of being involved in a play off for UEFA Cup and in theory should have had nothing to play for in their last game and a possible Scottish cup final the following week meaning players even less likely to endanger themselves.

lets hope the sheep hump motherwell at the weekend to keep the fight for third place interesting.

Kit,

never thought that for a minute and know where you were coming from. If I thought you were I would be on here as SS winding you up good and proper :-)

Ed:

Correct me if I am wrong, but on these very pages I thought I read your very own words stating that you were republican. If I am not mistaken and you did say you were (Scottish) republican, then I would say that it makes a world of a difference.

Or do you too enjoy watching a Bastardised Royal Family, obscenely in wealth, lord it over all the poorer, and some of the more affluent, peoples of Scotland.

Or Ed, maybe you are not Republican after all.

I know Minty wants it all ways, but I would have expected better from you.

And just for the record: I don’t mind the Queen herself, I think she is not as bad as some and I hope when she comes to Celtic Park she is given a real Celtic welcome.
The rest of the Proctologists in the palace pack, well I hope they explore their passion to its fullest.
Further, I have nothing against the ordinary Englishman or woman in the street (I have dozens of friend who are of that nationality, but that would never endear me to sharing their nationality.

Aw Naw:

good man but please no, never again that.

стахановец on May 8, 2008 12:17 PM
You must have left the game early, the final score was zenit 9 Rangers 0.

Time wasting.

Yes Motherwell were on a go slow, Once the evil empire scored, the rangers players did the same, so whats the problem . Goalkicks taken from the other side of the box etc...

The bit that should be highlighted is:-

The ball boys,(they actually looked alot older than our ball girls and bhoys, not including super sally) spriting to retrieve balls etc..

After the goal Motherwell players had to get their own balls, were some of the ball boys withdrawn? Also Govan stand side - The ball boy is about to throw the ball back, then stops and slowly rolls it to the motherwell player. Going back to the last celtic game at the death star, they did the same (after the ball boy slipped on the park lol)

Are they being told to do this, if so by who?

5 subs made, 30 seconds per sub? 2 1/2 minutes without any injuries or time wasting included.

Kit,

I´m not that cruel ;-) Scotlands Shame we have heard the last from unless we end up with no silverware this season.

And all the abuse I got on here from fellow Celts for telling the truth.

Say it again £5 Sterling for Well vs Sheep on SAT...If United
don't get something at Ibrox then we really dont want a Well win in that game...Get along and give Sheep our backing for all You ML'ers....or anywhere else in Lanarkshire residents.

Bournesouprecipe, there are going to be reversals along the way, we don’t need them to drop points in every game.

excathedra44, pleased to see that’s sorted.

Welcome Celt4life, good to hear from you.

Joe Smith, excellent sentiment; have you been reading my next article?

I can see Wally's comments about injury time cming back to bite him on the keester.

The (honourable) Mike McCurry will pay particular attention to his watch this weekend and when he will play the full 8 mins injury time to take account of all the time-wasting and the 6 subs.

Dundee United will then score in the 97th minute.

One Star Means More

Yes I agree with you we as Celtic supporters don't dwell on the past like when we beat Everton 0-1 (goal by Johnny Crum in the 95th minute)in 1938 to win the Empire Exhibition Cup (the unofficial British Cup) or that we still hold theUK record for the longest unbeaten run in professional football : 62 games (49 won, 13 drawn), from 13 Nov 1915 until 21 April 1917- a total of 17 months and four days in all. No we do not dwell in the past, we leave that to the old men and historians. Instead we look to the future and continue accumulating league titles in the hope of emulating the great teams of Jock Stein who won 9 in a row when it was a lot tougher to win the league than when that manky mob did it. No we as a support have our feet firmly planted on the present while looking to the future, besides nostalgia
is not what it use to be

Moonbeamswetdream :- I think you may have misunderstood me, my fault for sloppy writing. When I said that the last one was very bitter I meant the Cumnock Auchinleck rivalry not the kids in the street.

Kitalba :- I am a republican and a unionist, I don't see any contradiction in this. I would prefer the U.K to have an elected head of state.

Ed:

I've got to go to bed, up at 4.30 but I will come back to this.
But before I go, how exactly would you define U.K.?

Paul 67

Those stats certainly make interesting reading, and I am with you on the matter of the league being decided on away form.

Perhaps this is overly cynical, but their home form, that is specifically the number of victories, does seem REMARKABLE feat for a team built on defensive strength and a "they shall not pass" mentality, or as we like to call it "anti football". The only attack they know is outside a kebab shop at 3am (or so some might say..)

The question for me is this: do they therefore get any help at Ibrox from third parties?

Given the games at Ibrox are not generally shown live around th