F-word all important for Celtic

F for first?

Can we have an extension to the previous thread?

I'll be in my usual seat fired up and giving it laldy along with the rest of the paradise faithfull. We must be heard and we need the team to react to us.

Hail Hail

F for From previous article:

Welcome Elbhoy from North Carolina, thank you. There is no set protocol, I like to give a welcome to new arrivals but without reference to the Legendary Curly’s Incredible List it’s difficult to know who is new.

Mcgraininspain, many thanks.

The Token Tim, had a great day, thanks.

mymum'scousin, I sure did, thanks.

Loumacarisbettingslip, thanks.

Canamalar, thanks.

Lynott67, thank you.

Welcome Guangzhou bhoy, good to hear form you.

Winningemmell, good to get an away result, but surely it’s too late for 1979?

Southbhoy, cheers.

Thomthethim, the “fifth decade” stuff sounded bad enough until I realised it was worse! How can this be?

There's only one F in first.

From last article:

I typed this out last night but must have pressed the wrong button as it hasn't appeared...

Can anyone suggest a short and concise statement to all Celtic fans explaining why the Daily Record should be bhoycotted? If everyone on this site emailed it to every Celtic supporter they know and asked them to pass it on to all other Celtic fans then I'm sure we could start a fairly successful viral eMarketing campaign.

If it worked, it could be used to good effect in the future for other similar matters. Our strength is in out numbers and our ability to hit the media where it hurts.

Just a thought...

Did you know we are the only team to beat St Mirren at St Mirren park this year? Not an easy game without your best player.

It would seem that a compromise deal has in fact been done with Dignity FC for Saturday. They can play their youth team as Mike McCurry will do all the work! Sad to say the traditional method of cheating has been called into force!

Things will only get dirtier from now on in I fear.

Now where is that Andy Davis character?

Hey Paul67, Long time!!! Have they renamed the Town, where our training complex is, after our new coach???

HAIL HAIL

TMM

Paul,

When you were born you were already in your first year.

Our birthdays mark a completed year. Only consolation is that it is the same for everybody.

Paul 1967,

Well made point re the fans and their role on sunday for me if the atmosphere is close to a european night the players will most definitely respond and Celtic will win easily you are most definitely correct regardless of what happens at the bigotdome tonight or saturday the fans and the players must give 100 percent and focus for the cause. Paul Any news on the injury front - McManus?

Paul, you've actually clocked up five decades, two centuries and two millennia... so far!

If my great gran had lived as long as her mum she'd have lived in 3 centuries! She was born in 1897 and died 1994 having reached the grand old age of 97. Her mum reached 103.

Paul, you are getting me too excited. I am trying to do some work here!

I can't wait till Sunday no matter what the results are like tonight and Saturday (although I have a good feeling about them).

I also have a ticket for Tannadice, in the United end I might add, and I can't wait for that too.

3 in a row anyone?

GingerAvenger

TheMadMurph, or should that be TheCheekyRascal? Well spotted, thanks.

How did I manage that?

Thom, aye.

Roccobhoy, sorry, no news.

TrueTim, I hadn’t realised that.

Lubo, education is the way; people will not be told what to read.

BigChips, aye, but I’m still very immature and that’s what counts!

GingerAvenger, I know, time to do some work.

Beat Hibs! That`s all that Celtic can do. The referee will be Dougie MacDonald.
I suppose that for the majority of us, this is the last game we`ll see this season. Hope it`s a good one!

Amazing scenes in Frankfurt City Centre this morning. Speaking for myself here but when I´m out in a pub or standing at the bus stop etc. its very easy to filter out background conversation as its a foreign language. As time goes on it gets less easy but I do enjoy it and wish I could do the same when I come back home. Switch on the cut out the background BS filter if you catch my drift.

Germans are pretty confident , just get on with it type of people and famous for not being very sociable. Well today was a bit of an eye opener. Rush hour in Frankfurt everyone huddled together and talking in a very animated fashion. Heads been shaked. Gasps being released regularly by commuters visibly shocked at the information that they have just absorbed. Increased police prescence obviously drafted in. Ambulances and red cross men every half kilometer or so. Every 5th person listen to a radio with more gathered around the radio listener waiting for updates.

I decided to ask a young laddie what all the commotion was about. I could tell from his reaction that he was in utter shock that I was not aware of the recent developments in Germany that have shocked the nation. He told me that his father had awoken him in the middle of the night last night to inform him that

Das der Hun hatte keinen Liga verlangerungen bekommen und das der Regierung hat zuzätliche infrastuktur organisert für die Opfern das kann nicht diesen trägishen entscheiden vorstellen"

and in translation

Rangers league extension has been refused so the German government has organised extra infrastucture to cope with the effect that the disbelief that this decision will undoubtedly have on its people

So Davie was wrong AGAIN the people of the world are not laughing ...... at you ...... honest

I'd love to get to Tannadice but having only been at 4 away games this season i'll be lucky to get a ticket but hey i'll be trying.

Sunday first though, bring it on.

I have been confident for a few weeks now that they would drop points and everything they have said and done over the past week has increased my confidence.

However, I do worry that we don't keep our end of the bargain. For me, I get reassured when I walk up the steps and take my first look at the park before the game. On sunday we need to make sure that our player's first look at the park is inspirational - lets make sure we give them a special welcome.

To really build the atmosphere, the club should have a repeat of the half time music from the last game against the dark side. Before the game and at half time.

Stand up for the champions.

Are details available for referees for the next Hun games and our game against Hibs?

cheats v dundee utd

agent mccurry reporting for duty ................... saaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh.

as widely predicted

To crank up the atmosphere on Sunday, how's about a few renditions of YNWA during play, rather than just at the beginning of each half? Should Hibs score, rather than screaming and bawling at the Celtic players, surely a full blown YNWA would be more likely to propel our Bhoys on to victory.

And rather than a huge collective groan at every misplaced Celtic pass, accept that it happens and don't have a go (as any moans & groans will be eminently audible to the player concerned, serving only to make them more anxious amd more likely to do it again!). Instead, how about a huge cheer, "Wahey!", every time a Hibs player makes the slightest mistake or mis-kick. Let's increase the tension and anxiety for the opposition players, not our own!

Cheer, push out your chest, fill your lungs, stand proud, sing loud, sing long, and...
Let's hear it for the Bhoys!

lubo 1977

I will stick this on my website if someone writes it.

www.bhoy4life.com

Paul67

I couldn't agree more.

It's like I've been saying for the last wee while in my annoying posts

2 WINS!!!

6 POINTS!!!

3-IN-A-ROW!!!

There are too many distractions just now and we need to focus on us purley and simply because if when we win our games that is our job done. nothing else should concern us league extensions "diddy" cup finals nothing. All we can do is get behind the team and help them on to 3-IN-A-ROW!!!

I believe that r****** will drop more points before the end of the season. All we have to do now is win our two games.

Forget them and keep our eyes on the prize!!!

BACK THE BHOYS!!!

ONWARDS TO 3-IN-A-ROW!!!

HAIL!HAIL!

Cheers bhoy4life,

I agree with Paul that education is the best way forward and I don't think a statement with a tone that says "you better not buy the Record" will work....but a statement with the tone "just to remind you what the Record has been up to recently" would work.

PS who's the ref for their game tonight?

i'd go for the sme songs as the last rankurs game

atmos was superb, best for ages

at least Damien Duff Stephen Carr and Shay Given thought so
let the people sing

hail hail

the only thing we can do is keep our eye's on the job.
get a victory on sunday, and just keep on going.
and i have good feeling that the huns will slip up one's more.
hail hail to the champions on sunday!!

If they believe what is written in that cheap nasty paper as lots of them do, i'm sure they will believe an e-mail as well.

I really hope the Jungle Bhoys have something special planned like the flag displays we saw in the Champions League. We have to make sure that we create a Champions League atmosphere. The library hush that descends on Paradise clearly transmits to the players but the electricity of the Champions League nights clearly gives them an extra spring.

We have beaten three top seeds in the group stages on the back of the CP crowd (interestingly Rangers have yet to defeat a top seed in the Ch Lg!). I am planning on being unable to speak on Sunday night and the more people who yell themselves hoarse (in support not pointless criticism) the better.

Mon the hoops!!

Craiginho

Awe Naw @10:26,

and here's me thinking it's because they heard we're meeting up for beers Friday???

BigChipsUK

You are right, we need to make it a positive atmosphere- no matter what. This is no time for groaning and if it goes wrong, we just get behind the team even more. Against Motherwell, our away support were brilliant and played a big part in the victory.

Stand up and sing for the champions.

Charlie Richmond tonight for their game against Motherwell
Mike "Cheat" McCurry for their game against Dun Utd
Dougie MacDonald for our game agaisnt Hibs

anyone else heard rumours of possible sabotage to stop the game at Ibrox on Saturday?

Dubhai Bhoy

What time do you arrive ?

Hotel or my place or her place ?

Shall we meet in your local Gay Bandeloroes AGOGO ?

When do you leave ?

Damien Duff, Shay Given and Stephen Carr,let the people sing..
briliant...hail hail

Re: Martin O'Neill. I believe he was listed as injured but actually dropped for continually arguing with Brian Clough.

I recall Clough saying that he hadn't played O'Neill, "which wasn't the nicest thing to do" but that afterwards Martin didn't speak to him for six months.

Paul67 -

Thank you for those kind words. I have never been called a leg end before!

Ylruc

I hope they do try and get their game sabotage on Sat, surely that would mean they couldn't fullfill a fixture and would incur a point deduction.

But like that would happen eh.

Let the people sing.

Paul, I'm new to all this posting stuff but have watched with interest for months - so now I've taken the plunge!!!

Fair play to Dundee Utd for not bowing to the huns - arab mate of mine reminded me that nobody helped them out when they played scottish cup final on Saturday and uefa cup final the following Wednesday

moonbeams - Wouldn't surprise me if the ref cancelled the game if Motherwell scored!

How unfortunate for the huns that after weeks of terrible weather we get a heat wave this week...no waterlogged Ibrox pitch ;)

Hibs midfielder Brian Kerr told the Sun he was cheering on Fiorentina in the Uefa Cup semi-final to save his holiday. Kerr's ten-day break with his wife has been scuppered by the season extension and he's not a happy bunny. "I'll be out of pocket by £2,000," he moaned. "I think the SPL have a responsibility over this."

Just in by e-mail -

BREAKING NEWS

To help Rangers in their end of season run-in, the Glasgow fair shall now been moved to the September weekend, which in turn has been moved to January. Christmas Day will been moved to March 27th, New years day will remain the same but will only last 3 hours. Everybody's birthday have been cancelled and pregnancies will now last 13 months. We hope this clarifies the situation.

END

Luryc

I've been thinking a lot about Sepp Blatter's plan to limit the number of foreign players in a starting 11 to five.

Who would we play? It's an interesting question, since it makes you appreciate a 'premium' for playing a foreign player (I guess that's the exact purpose). So who would my 5 be? Boruc, Naka, McGeady, McDonald, Hesselink. What's really interesting is the ones that fall out. Naylor or Wilson? Hinkel or Caddis? Donati or Robson/Hartley? The foreign player premium swings the balance for me for these players. My regret in that list is Hinkel, but who from my 5 would you drop? It probably clarifies things for Sno, Balde, & JJPD. It makes me wish Aiden hadn’t choosen to play for Ireland too! Would this be a leveller for scottish teams, or would we just make sure that the best 6 scottish players played for us?

The other interesting side to it is whether this would help us get 1st class players. Would some of the players who might not make it into the '5' at ManU, Chelsea, Liverpool & Arsenal consider playing for us to get the champions league? Who would these players be? Not Torres, Ronaldo, Drogba & Fabregas. But maybe Essien, Hyppia, Evra & Gallas? I think this flattening would probably serve us well.

Glenn Gibbons....

But the most curious aspect of this latest development in the saga is the involvement of the Scottish Football Association. This hints at mere political posturing, the national association trying to gain kudos by interfering in a matter that is none of their business.

The report that George Peat, the SFA president, would lean on the SPL to alter their plans in order to assist Rangers also carried the suggestion Peat would have to agree to changing the date of the Scottish Cup final from 24 May to a week later.

When confronted by Peat, it is easy to imagine Gold replying, "Tell you what, George, you put the Scottish Cup final back a week and we'll be able to extend the league season".

Not only would Peat not be empowered to make such a unilateral decision – it is so momentous that it would have to be dealt with by the SFA board, or at least the emergency committee – but the impracticalities of such a switch would render the very idea preposterous.

For a showpiece that has been on the calendar for a year, television schedules, police, stewards, catering and, not least, spectators' arrangements will all have been finalised. Everyone involved in the commotion would know that, but that would not prevent them from sacrificing a balanced, realistic view in the interests of personal points-scor

Aw Naw - Brian Kerr should complain vehemently to the players union. Just wait to Fraser Wishart hears about how his Union Members are being treated by the SPL!!

HHMM (10:50am) said: "anyone else heard rumours of possible sabotage to stop the game at Ibrox on Saturday?"

lubo1977 (10:59am) said: "moonbeams - Wouldn't surprise me if the ref cancelled the game if Motherwell scored! How unfortunate for the huns that after weeks of terrible weather we get a heat wave this week...no waterlogged Ibrox pitch"

If Motherwell score first the referee will have no option other than to abandon the match due to a waterlogged pitch... after 48,000 huns are reduced to tears!

Stuart,

as Mc Geady came through our Academy he would not be considered a foreign player

ST MIRREN manager Gus MacPherson has questioned the SPL's handling of Rangers' congested end to the season.
MacPherson's side will now play the quadruple-chasing men from Ibrox on Monday, May 19 – a game which will be live on Setanta – having originally been re-arranged for the following night.

MacPherson gave the impression of a man who feels his team
ADVERTISEMENT
are being pushed around to fit in with the demands of the considerably bigger club just a few miles down the M8 – as well as for television.

The Ibrox club's involvement in the UEFA Cup, replays in the Scottish Cup and participation in the League Cup final have combined to leave them the busiest climax to a season for years.

MacPherson said: "We are St Mirren – we are in no position to dictate to the SPL. We've seen that for a little while now.

"It is strange though. It was going to be the Tuesday and now it's moved to the Monday and will be shown on television.

"The SPL told us to play on the Tuesday so we try to move things and rearrange things to accommodate that and then suddenly you're told you've got to play on the Monday. It's the latest in a catalogue of things which have happened with the SPL."

MacPherson's team snatched a last-gasp victory in the Clydesdale Bank SPL on Saturday when Will Haining headed home Andy Dorman's terrific free-kick with eight seconds of normal time remaining.

It was Haining's first strike in over 18 months and he said: "My goal has been a long time coming so I'm delighted with it."

Big Chips - aye...and the tears in the press box might cause an electricity outage!

Annaon,

I thought the rule was that you had to be eligible to play for the Country the club plays in. That's what I heard Bladder say on the radio, but I'm sure the devil is in the detail.

hoof hearted minty moonbeams: Wishart has been shown up by this - he spouted off to th express about Riordan and Boruc but when more than 100 of his players are affected by the decision we are told, with no quote, he advised the SPL that some of his members thought they should pay for their cancelled holidays.

Do I detect a slight imbalance? How that shower can call themselves a trade union, (part of GMB) I will never know.

I saw him doing his punditry the other night and he refused to be drawn.

Earth to Fraser, come in Fraser: you're supposed to use your platform to further your members' interests.

Awe_Naw,

Also St Mirren are away to Inverness on the Saturday before and Rangers away to Motherwell.

Stuart,

may well be I have a different understanding. I´ll check it out
and get back to you

I read in today's paper that the uglies are spreading malicious lies, that Mark MGhee deliberately fielded a weakened side to help Celtic.
How low can these animals sink ?
Do they really think he would deny his team a chance to play in Europe?
An honourable sportsman having his good name dragged through the mud.
Then again, after the Jock Stein scenario, nothing should shock us.
All we can do is sing our hearts out on Sunday.
Let those fantastic supporters who have sang and cheered the Bhoys at every away game be our example !

F = FEAR

F = FARCE

F = FICKLE

F = FER FEK SAKE THE HUNS ARE FALLING APART.

www.bhoy4life.com

The reaction by Rangers and their media friends is almost outrage. They can't believe they didn't get what they wanted and aren't used to it.

A few weeks ago (prior to two defeats to Celtic)Smith said Rangers wouldn't ask for an extension.

This was either supreme confidence that the games wouldn't matter as the league would be won or supreme arrogance.
The arrogance being that the authorities would offer the extension without asking.

Football is big business and in business you take advantage of everything that comes your way.
Smith stated the other week that if the roles were reversed he wouldn't want Celtic getting any extensions, and why would he?

Gordon Smith has some questions to answer regarding his "agenda" comments.Every club should have the agenda of winning games and not giving better teams the advantage of rest periods.

As Spock said "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one".

I loved this one from www.MonTheHoops.co.uk: "Rangers are asking Turkeys to vote for Christmas and then slagging them off as they lift their forefinger and say gobble, gobble!".

madra rua: I wish he HAD fielded the same team we beat 4-1 instead of the team that kicked lumps out of Nakamura and didn't let us near their goal for an hour.

Frankly, I hope he plays the same 11 tonight as he did on Saturday - if they are HALF as up for it, Rangers will have a job on their hands.

madra rua,

Team managers have to pick the best team for each game to acheive their objectives over the season. If I was Mark Mcghee I may have rested a couple of key players at the weekend knowing that my best chance of picking up points was at Ibrox and I'd want fresh players, and a couple of niggles straightened out by then.

Nothing wrong with that.

I suppose it would be like Bazza sitting out the Scottish cup games?

Sorry about the long post, but I just got this in my email. I think it sums up the current situation well.

A Celtic fan's view on Rangers attempts to extend the season...
I read this and thought it was a very good piece of collected information. It's long, but I'd recommend it as a read to anyone:

"During the last month I've been alarmed, but not surprised, by the myths and lies peddled by Rangers and the Scottish Media. Indeed, not one hack has dared to speculate that the predicament Rangers are in is mostly of their own making, or has offered a non-jingoistic catalyst for a change to the schedule.

What I've tried to do here is have a look at the most common sound bytes often dished out as incontrovertible evidence.

Lie: Rangers have had no help from the SPL

The season has been extended by the best part of a week to accommodate Rangers' fixture congestion. As far as I can work out, this is unprecedented in the modern era... indeed, Celtic played three games in four days at the end of their 1974, one-sub-each-no-such-thing-as-squad-rotation title challenge.

But that's not the only help that they have had from the SPL this season:

Armed with a piece of paper saying, "Lyon huv hud heir game postponed,"
Rangers petitioned the SPL, aiming to have their match with the mighty Gretna put back until a later date. As we know, it succeeded.

QUOTE (BBC)
3rd Dec: "And, with Gretna giving backing to the request, the decision to postpone was taken by SPL chairman Lex Gold and secretary Iain Blair.

The SPL pointed out that the French authorities had allowed Lyon a similar weekend off, cancelling their tie at Caen."

However, it came to light that Lyon hadn't had their game postponed at all. In fact, they applied for the cancellation AFTER hearing the Orcs had bought themselves a free week.

QUOTE (BBC)
6th Dec: Lyon have failed to have Saturday's league game against Caen postponed to give them time to prepare for the Champions League clash with Rangers.

"We requested the postponement in order to be at the same level as our rivals who succeeded in postponing their Scottish league game against Gretna," he said.

Further questions should have been asked about the subsequent scheduling of both this Gretna match, and the St. Mirren match postponed prior to Scotland's Euro Qualifier against Italy. Why weren't these matches played at the first available opportunity? Rangers had free midweeks pre-Christmas - Celtic managed to play their home match against Falkirk in between their Champions League and SPL fixtures. Indeed, Celtic were able to play FOUR matches in ten days at the start of December, dropping four points in the process (Hearts and St Mirren).

Myth: It's all someone else's fault
Nonsense.

Gretna, and dodgy fixture re-scheduling aside, Rangers have had ample opportunity to fix out their own congestion.

The failure of Scotland's Heroes ((c) Daily Record) to beat Hibs and lower-league Partick Thistle at the first time of asking have padded out their fixture fulfilment requirements.

The match against East Stirling was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. On the face of it, that seems perfectly reasonable in the Scottish winter. However, when the next unchallenged sound bytes emit from President Murray about lowering the Ibrox pitch again to cram more seats in, shouldn't someone - anyone - point out that they are throwing distance from a major river?

Obviously the free weekend after the tragic death of Phil O'Donnell was thrust upon them. But it is worth noting that Dundee United, the team they tried not to play this Saturday, were forced to complete their next fixture at the time, despite watching a friend and opponent die in front of them a few days previous. Placed beside that, Rangers' recent request and subsequent petulant outburst looks embarrassingly trivial.

Lie: "This will make the SPL a laughing stock"
Seriously, the world doesn't care about the SPL's fixture list. Truly.

Take Middlesborough in 2006, they managed to get to the UEFA Cup final.
Here was their fixture list.

March
Thu 30 20:45 A FC Basel UEFA

April
Sun 2 15:00 A Manchester City PREM
Thu 6 20:00 H FC Basel UEFA
Sun 9 15:00 H Newcastle PREM
We 12 20:05 H Charlton FACP
Sat 15 15:00 A Portsmouth PREM
Mon 17 15:00 H West Ham Utd PREM
Thu 20 20:45 A S Bucuresti UEFA
Sun 23 16:00 H West Ham Utd FACP
Thu 27 20:02 H S Bucuresti UEFA
Sat 29 15:00 H Everton PREM

May
Mon 1 20:00 A Man Utd PREM
Wed 3 20:00 A Bolton PREM
Sun 7 15:00 A Fulham PREM
Wed 10 19:45 H Sevilla Futbol UEFA

Let's have a look at some highlights and see how many of Rangers, "Laughing Stock" boxes it ticks...

* Middle of April, four games in eight days.
* A run of three away games in a row at the end of the season.
* Not only managed a game on the Saturday preceding a midweek AWAY tie in Romania, but squeezed in a cheeky match at home to West Ham on the Monday before they flew out.
* Away to Fulham on the SUNDAY before the UEFA Cup final. Not the Saturday that Rangers are being asked to play on, but the FRICKING SUNDAY.

Now, according to Lord Murray's self-declared rules, that should mean we all consider the English Premiership the joke of world football. Don't we? Anyone?

Secondly, and non-Middlesbrough related this year, the FA Cup is scheduled four days before the Champions League final. Is Darth Murray seriously trying to tell us that this would have been moved should Chelsea or Man United have been gracing the Wembley Turf?

Myth: The SPL should follow the Russian FA's lead Yes, the Russian FA have postponed Zenit's matches before the UEFA Cup final, and fair play to them. But this being cited as a precedent is completely insane.

St. Petersburg, literally Baltic, play in a summer league, meaning that they are only a few games into their season... they have the luxury of playing with a whole year's fixture list. If only Walter could turn back time and ask for some games to be frivolously postponed to help Rangers.

Ironically, the two postponements this year, "for the greater good,"
were Rangers at home to Lyon, and Scotland at home to Italy. Both were humped.

Secondly, and covered above, have Zenit actually had their fixtures moved, or are Rangers trying to pull the same Lyon trick again?

Lie: "We're doing it for Scotland"
Just like Rangers had Scotland's best interests in mind when they tapped-up and poached Scotland's manager, in the middle of one of their most spectacular attempts at qualifying for a finals tournament in many years?

And where were the media when Kenny McDowell admitted that Smith had offered him a job at Ibrox BEFORE Beloved Walter had even handed in his notice at the SFA?

Were Rangers, "doing it for Scotland," when they withdrew five players from the squad to face Croatia. Weir managed to evade even being called up, but four were out injured, including Christian Dailly with a BROKEN FOOT; luckily, a trip to Lourdes healed everyone enough to play in the league match the following weekend.

Lie: "It's to help win the UEFA Cup"
If Rangers want the UEFA Cup so badly that they want to inconvenience the other eleven teams, then why can't they now play a play a back-up team against Dundee United so that only they are inconvenienced? Or, failing that, move the Dundee United game to after the UEFA final, and play their last four games in a week, finishing on the Thursday?

Remember, Bolton deliberately got themselves knocked out of Europe to concentrate on league matters. Rangers made sure that they deflected extension talk as long as possible until there was no other alternative but to extend the league. I speculate that their current tantrum is a much to do with them shampooting it over the league slipping away a it is to do with the party line. And where are the journos putting these questions to Rangers?

QUOTE
"We never have, and we never will ask for an extension," Walter Smith "We want an extension," Martin Bain "It's a fking joke we never had an extension," Emperor Murray

Lie: "Celtic got help in the Seville Season"
Again, Rangers and the press are trying to cite Celtic's similar up run as another precedent.

In 2003, the season was NOT extended. In fact, Celtic were forced to play all pre-split games before the split, a decision that made Ian MacLeod consider taking the league to the Court of Session. We also had title decider games specifically scheduled to coincide with us returning from an away Semi Final tie, which ultimately led us to lose the goal that lost us the league. Compare and contrast with Rangers, who get to play St Mirren (one of their pre-split games) after the split.

In that season, only one game was brought forward, Celtic v Dundee - and that was thanks to Jim Duffy at Dundee, not SPL politics (who were said to be reluctant on the matter) and shenanigans. Only one team was inconvenienced by that shift, not eleven.

And while we're on postponements, this is how other teams get on at the SPL.

Aberdeen were not allowed to move their pre-Copenhagen match in 2007.
This was despite Rangers having done so a few weeks earlier.

In October last year, Kilmarnock had to play a match in October with only 5 subs (3 of whom were too injured to play).

Mentioned earlier, Dundee United were told to get on with it a few days after Phil O'Donnell died yards away from some of their players.

Earlier this year Kilmarnock were forced to play a postponed Scottish Cup game (v Airdrie) on a Monday night in order that any replay could be played two days later on the Wednesday night before the commencement of the next round of games on the forthcoming Saturday. Compare this to Rangers being allowed to carry over Scottish Cup postponements and replays into the dates for the next round of games in that competition.

And, my favourite, from September 2000:

QUOTE (bbc)
Rangers have denied the club have been deliberately obstructive by refusing to postpone their Premier League match against Hearts on Sunday.

The Tynecastle club return back to Scotland late on Friday afternoon after their Uefa Cup first round game against Stuttgart.

Hearts had asked the Ibrox club to put back the game, but Rangers turned down their request after consultation with manager Advocaat.

But in a similar situation last October the Edinburgh outfit agreed to switch a fixture between the two clubs to help Rangers' Champions League campaign.

TMM

Anyway, I'm a Celtic fan, so this is obviously biased and one-sided.
I'll leave this poorly-penned nonsense with a few words from someone more qualified than I:

"I don't know what they're (Celtic) complaining about, they should just get on with it, I wish we were in their position," Alex McLeish, 2003. "

If Mcghee did rest some players then he must have a reason as he comes across as a clever and astute guy....could it possibly be that he thought his team had a better chance of beating Rangers away than Celtic at home, so decided to rest some players before the more winnable game against Rangers?

Gordon Smith ties his colours to the red white and blue mast in today's Daily Retard (the Retard continuing it's role of official Rangers mouthpiece) -

"GORDON SMITH last night swore the SPL's decision not to extend the season was unfair on Rangers as they bid to capture the UEFA Cup.

But the SFA chief insisted it would not deter him from asking the SPL to postpone fixtures to help the national team.

Smith, who met yesterday with SPL executive chairman Lex Gold, said: "I don't think these decisions have been particularly fair to Rangers and maybe we should have taken every step we could have in order to try to help one of our member clubs."

So it was a lie that Mc Culloch broke his foot then. No way you´d be playing this w.e if you broke your foot two weeks ago ?

On Follow Follow .official RST statement..its brilliant well worth a read. Particularly like the part about "several neutrals in the scottish press"

BEGINS

In light of their pathetic, though sadly predictable, refusal to in any way help Rangers in their quest to deliver a European trophy to Scotland, we would like to make it clear that the Rangers Support will find it wholly unacceptable if any representative of the SPL was to attend this match in an official capacity. Through exposing the bitter and cowardly hand of hidden forces that permeates and controls Scottish football, the SPL have made it clear that Rangers FC are treated differently from other clubs in the same league, a fact addressed by Sir David Murray yesterday and by several neutrals in the Press today.

To any representatives of the SPL, we say simply this; Do not come. You are not welcome.

ENDS

Madra rua,
I hope thats true, as McGhee will hopefully fire up his team even more for the next 2 games against them.
I´ll gladly take the supposed "weakened" side against them at Fir Park right now.
If they play the same way and give the same effort, Rankers will have no chance.

a fact addressed by Sir David Murray yesterday and by several neutrals in the Press today.

What planet are these guys on? I know there isn't many of them, but what do level-headed Rangers fans make of this bunch of clowns?

Ultimately, Gold decided that there could be no leeway given to Rangers, who will face four games in eight days after their meeting with Zenit St Petersburg next Wednesday.
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"We worked very hard on Monday to see if we could find a solution that was going to produce a fair and balanced outcome beyond that which we produced on April 22," said Gold. "On the 22nd, I was confident Rangers would get to the final. The fixture list which was scheduled Two' was the one which I thought we'd be applying.

"Clearly there are a lot of voices who have a viewpoint on it, but for the sake of our premier competition we needed to arrive at an outcome which was fair and consistent. I indicated to Rangers when they sent a letter over the weekend, that nothing had changed materially since the statement on April 22.

"I had a suggestion from the SFA that they would like to see whether there were any options on their front. I was prepared to look at all of those, but in the discussion we had it was clear that to maintain the fairness and integrity of our competition, sadly, there was nowhere for us to go other than the route we took on April 22."

I´d like to see the original letter. Rangers said Friday. You and me both know it was Sunday night.

Sir Paul,
Spot on as usual.
I was beginning to think the recent ploy was going to distract us from the ONLY thing that is important - focusing on the win .
Thanks for bringing us back on track.
On another point i see that there is another once a tim on the site .......as I'm sure he/she wouldn't want to be associated with some of the rubbish I sometimes come out with - should I change my name ?

You are so right Paul, time to get our eyes back on the ball.

Hibs have always been, maybe not under the bar stewardship of Bobby Williamson, one of the better footballing teams in Scotland so we wiil need to play at our best to have a chance of securing three points. We cannot take anything for granted, we have to keep our title chances alive. We have to keep right on till the end of the road.

Keep right on to the end of the road,
Keep right on to the end,
Tho' the way be long, let your heart be strong,
Keep right on round the bend.
Tho' you're tired and weary still journey on,
Till you come to your happy league title,
Where all the love you've been dreaming of
Will be there at the end of the road.

This song has been popularised by Birmingham City fans I see. I wonder how they are facing up to big pastyface´s barstewardship. Making excuses for the other day Big Freck described Mcfaddens recent parenthood as being "traumatic"!! ehh?? Next weekend's game was also an opportunity for him, not a threat, he spluttered. He must have done that business course on SWOT analysis that is all the rage amongst good suited and tied bluenoses these days.

Stuart,

your right I´m wrong

Aiden would be a foreigner. Any Irish man would

jinkybhoy: Brilliant! And obviously the last part is a cut-and-paste job from Greater Manchester Police.

rimtimtim,

when a newly born baby is put in an incubator it is traumatic. Let me rest assure you as I´ve been there.

Gary67 & Algreen From last threaf, Thanks for the answers

Annaoan,

I suppose we can't have it both ways! I do remember the previous time this was discussed there was something about how many years you's spent in a club's academy. Guess it got too complicated. Lee Naylor must just about have elegibility to play for Scotland now. Would that remove him from the foreign player list. What about Aiden prior to his first game for Ireland, he was certainly eligible to play.

I'm sure there would be fireworks if this went ahead, but do you think it would be a net benefit to us?

So, some possibilities for Saturday have already been mentioned:

Underground pipe bursts flooding the pitch
24 hour virus affects the players
Players get food posening from eating at Ibrox

Here's one for aul' hauns out there.

Back around 75/ 76 the last day of an England v Austraila (I think) test match was forced to be abandoned after a bunch of protesters ruined the pitch in a Free George Davis protest. They dug holes and poured il on the pitch in support of a guy up for armed robbery.

"They always give us a hard game and in heads-to-heads this season we have won one each and drawn the other.

"It is going to be hard and, although the fans have been smashing for us, we need another of those European atmospheres on Sunday." - WGS

Any truth in the rumour that Simple Minds frontman Jim Kerr has been kidnapped by Sir David & locked in Ibrox with 10 crates of Highland Spring at his disposal....?

Also, look out for the Groundsman with the extra long spikes on his fork which might just "accidently" burst the undersoil heating pipes.

WidowTwankieCSC.

If anyone is interested in watching tonights game for Scotlands Shame (and has the absolutly free p2p programme SOPCAST) I found this on Google -

rangers -V- motherwell live

*note that this is a link to the google find, the live feed is not linked to here on Celtic Quick News.
Celtic Quick News takes no responsibility for the contents of Google*

We can only look after ourselves, and I reckon most of us think that if we take maximum points we will remain champions.
Isn't it nice to see our good friends across the river squirm though, but be prepared for the 'it's all the more remarkable an achievement' tosh if they do ruin the spectacle of a European final and win 30-28 on penalties...
My money's on a draw tonight, a win for the dark side on Sat, and a 2-0 win for the good guys on Sunday...
I feel for O'Dea not getting his chance on Sat, especially as Bobo didn't exactly excel. No problems with the youngster coming back in on Sun.
Would also be good to see McGeady hit top form at the right time.
Robson to be the driving force again.

madra rua,

Terry Butcher made the comment about Mc.Ghee fielding a weakened team on Setanta, prior to the match.

In a jocular fashion of course.

BigChipSuk :- You are correct there is only one F in first and it will be Rangers come the end of the season :-)

Am I right in thinking that if they loose tonight and Saturday we can win the League on Sunday! Wishfull thinking maybe but you never know. Anyone see the rumour linking us with Carlton Cole today and Noe Paramot yesterday. Yikes!!!!

Another couple of observations on Huns attempt at manipulation and downright arrogance:
In Feb were they not mumping about having to play Bremen in 2nd leg Uefa game 4 days before CIS v D Utd?

In Jan the farce regarding the Cousin 'non transfer', where they assumed they could re-write FIFA Regulations.
They were told where to go ( eventually, after weeks of FIFA deliberations....a sort of very long drawn out F OFF to them).

How blusteringly indignant they were then.

Isn't Sir David bringing the game into disrepute with his disloyal bleating?

The MadMurph,
Thanks for your post. Very detailed and very interesting. If I may could I point out one issue about Celtic's match V Dundee in the week leading up to Seville.

It has been used a stick to wave at us by a media attempting to justify a further extension. True it was a private arrangement between two clubs and it did give us a week to prepare for the UEFA Cup Final. No extension was requested. It follows that playing Dundee four days early gave Celtic four days less to prepare for that game - a game I believe actually cost us the league title given that we conceded two goals that night. One extremely early in the match and one with practically the last kick of the ball.

It was a calaulated risk and it cost us dearly.

savo01 - yes I think that is correct, but then again maths was never my strong point!

Ye old butterfly effect is starting early on my beer girth this week.

I hope now that we the same as the players can shut out the background noise of the debate around fixtures etc. and concentrate on one thing only. A win against Hibs on Sunday! A dazzling display of sexy soccer would be a bonus but I would take a disciplined and controlled win at this point of the season.

Hibs have always performed fairly well at Celtic Park and make use of their passing game and pace when they have had the players available. Will be interesting of McManus isn't back to see if Bobo will be handed the jersey and the task to shackle/tackle Nish (never thought I would be typing that in days gone by).

I have been very impressed with Gary Caldwell over the last month or so and he really seems to have turned a corner and has put in some steady performances in the defence. Was really good in the air as well against Motherwell last week.

I think we will see Jan and Scott up front to start and I really think we get more out of Samaras coming into a game as opposed to starting.

Hopefully Naka and Aiden will be in fine form and we can see the graft and industry from central pairing Robson and Harltey.

Methinks Hinkel and right back but not sure if Naylor or Wilson will be chosen for left back. I think Wilson sometimes offers more going forward so will be an interesting one for the manager to call.

Artur in goal as usual! (Hopefully we can continue to type that for some time to come).

Hail Hail

I see George Burley is at his intellectual best today insisting that the fact that Rangers still have seven games to play as he names his squad is "ridiculous" and that they are being "punished".

What is his alternative - scrapping the games altogether?

I sense the dead hand of PA Scotland in this story.

'Scotland manager George Burley has criticised the Scottish Premier League's fixtures for failing to help Rangers ahead of the Uefa Cup final.

"I think it's ridiculous that I'm naming the squad and Rangers still have seven games to play," he said ahead of Scotland's game with Czech Republic.

"They are being punished for their success in reaching the Uefa Cup final.

"And it's something that the SPL and everyone in Scottish football has got to look at."'

If they tie 1 game out of the 5 they have to play and we win both our games, we win on goal difference (as GD stands now). I personnally think there is no chance they will take 15 points in 5 games. "So onward we go tae 3 in a row"

Hail Hail....

FIRST TIME ON PAUL,BEEN WATCHING WHATS GOING ON FROM HERE VERY BIZZARE INDEED,

Does anyone know how our lassies got on in their Scottish Cup semi final last night?

quick question - Jock Stein stand..sunny day..sunglasses or not?? been a while since I was there and can't remember...

cheers

Stuart,

My take on it is if a 12 year old went to Liverpool. Who trained him and he made his 1st team debut at 22. He´d be considered foreign unless he opted to play for England. I can see this being used as a loophole

Re George Burley
I think it's ridiculous that I'm naming the squad and Rangers still have seven games to play,"

George so do we think it is ridiculous that at this stage of the season they still have 7 games to play. But exactly how would delaying the playing of those games even further make it less ridiculous and not more so?

jinkybhoy: Why don't you wear them on your head - that way you're equipped but still fashionable.

Cadizzy: Perhaps George believes they should be postponed until after the match with the Czech Republic.

I see the rumours of his fondness for the sauce were unfounded then.

I thought Rangers players dont play Scotland frendlies so what´s George bleating on about now ?

jinkybhoy, going by the compass in my Pathfinder shoes, the sun should be starting to go behind you from kick off onwards i.e. JS is to the west, the sun sets in the west.But don't rely on me, relying on it raining on Sunday would make more sense.

Walters Demise, indeed.

lubo1977, aye.

Curly, you are indeed a legend.

Once a Tim, thank you.

Rimtimtim, aye on the prize.

Welcome CYPBHOY.

Hi there guys - been a lurker since, I think, day 1 but in my current job it's not really deemed kosher to be seen posting on football sites whilst at work. US Holding Company. But hey I've just handed my notice in and as they haven't stuck me on gardening leave, to my great displeasure, who cares what they think is kosher or not!

Generally enjoyed the banter on here

Paul - belated birthday wishes to you , you're a top man in providing us with this outlet for banter and debate.

Anyway, it's a lovely day down here (Derby) and I think I can hear a pint of Stella calling on me from the local pub

And to all the towel throwers mineshafters and ner believers - get yourselves back on board

COS WE’RE GONNA WIN THIS LEAGUE

THE FLAG IS COMING BACK TO PARADISE ;-)

Name © Arthur Montford

Nice article Paul, loving the panto references!

TheMadMurph - Excellent post. Didn't know that about Middlesburgh. Does anyone know if there was any complaining from Middlesburgh at the time? Don't recall any. Like most decent clubs they would just have got on with it.

Thomthethim (and Paul) - I am aware it was Paul's 41st birthday. He therefore completed his fourth decade of life at midnight the day before yesterday. How I love pedantry!

love it

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w276/southbhoy/mintymurray.jpg

One Star Means More - yeah i'll probably wear them on my head and get a pringle sweater round my neck...just remembered i need to get my slacks from the drycleaners and my loafers were getting re - soled..

Cadizzy - I checked with met office and they concur with your forecast..Rain probable so will bring my gucci umbrella..thanks

THANKS PAUL,
HAIL HAIL....

PC1888, if we win both our remaining games by a single goal (say 2-1) we will finish with a goal diff of +10 relative to where Rangers are now, having scored 9 goals more than them. If Rangers draw one of their remaining games as you suggest (say 0-0), they will need a 10 goal diff swing in their favour from the other four games, which of course means that they will need to score at least 10 goals. Thus, if they beat St Mirren 4-0 and win the other three games by 2 goals apiece, Rangers will equal Celtic's points total and goal difference, but they will have scored more goals than Celtic, and Rangers would therefore be champions.

It is thus imperative that Celtic score as many goals as possible in their remaining two games, even if it means conceding a few. In the final reckoning, two 5-3 wins will do us much more good than two 2-0 wins... and they'll be much better to watch to boot.

Then again, two 5-0 wins would be better still, from whatever viewpoint!

PAUL67

Gonna put a link on my website to yours if you dont mind.

Im not gonna do a forum or message board etc so I can se