The reason Br Walfrid started a football club

unbelievable!!

I will be there - well done on getting this up Paul.

For me the 'next level' is putting Rangers in their place and ongoing domestic superiority. Period. Anything else after that is a bonus. C'mon Gordon - you can do it!

TreuTim, more importantly, well done to you. Thanks for setting an excellent example.

Wishing Katie all the very best. Due to having the big C some years ago I am not allowed to give blood/bone marrow but she'll be in my prayers tonight

Georgiebhoy,

For Celtic to be devoid of ambition to progress would be criminal.

I would imagine that with the calibre of employee presently enjoyed by Celtic, Celtic would have a rather meticulous and calculated plan for progression.

However, to take your yardstick, the top eight in Europe, that at the moment might just prove an ambition too far. After all, there are several other clubs in Europe more attractive to players and with a far more disposable income than us.

What we wish for, so too, do countless millions of other clubs supporters.

At the moment I’d love a top eight spot but would settle for qualification to the competition proper as a realistic ambition. Then see where we can go.

Never forget that clubs in the big four leagues can spend more on reserve player than we can on our whole squad.

pistonbroke & mort
ive replied on the last thread

Having experienced the pain of losing a sibling to leukaemia the very best of luck to Katie, I understand there have been significant technological medical developments in finding a fix for this disease which I sincerely hope young Katie can benefit from.

Paul67 :- Congratulations on this post, you have shown that despite the hysteria we all fall into at times fottball is nowhere near as impostant as we think and true matters of life and death put it into perspective.

Paul, i sat down at my PC with my coffee and ,as usual, directed the mouse over to my favourites to open up CQN. In my surprise at seeing a new article with 0 comments I quickly did as all other 1st posters seem to do, only I never read the article before doing so and would like to apologise for my comment's flippant tone.

Young Katie and her family are indeed ALL that matter in many respects, along with the untold suffering which surrounds us all on a daily basis, just watch the news.

When reminded of the origins of our club it's difficult not to revel in a sense of pride, a sin I know, only it's not the place of Celtic fans to think or believe that these noble beginnings are ours and ours alone to enjoy. This is a very timely reminder of the bigger picture.

God bless the Curries.

One Star (from previous post)

Cracking post. I really hope WGS stays, and gets backed in the transfer market this summer. Rangers exploits will have just about paid for their spend last summer, Sir Minty will have to gamble if Celtic spend on the right quality, or face a fight against a seeded team in the CL next season.

If we win the league, then spend £20m, sir minty will be crying in the Record come August.

Thanks Paul.

Just had me in tears, I'll be going up to EK tomorrow.

well done P67
perspective.

My details must be on record having given blood in the past.

Can they be dragged up? If so I will gladly fly back and do what I can.

With posts like this it makes you realise: Its only a game...

Would it not be possible to erect a tent in the vicinity of Celtic Park for these tests to be done there? I presume they just take samples and analyse them later. There´ll be 40,000 fit and healthy tims without a care or unit of alcohol in the world on Sunday

Paul.

I have just contacted the Anthony nolan trust but unfortunately the age limit is 40..(rules both of us out then)

you can still join the british bone marrow register up to the age of 45.

tel 011 799 12068

Having been touched by this disease by a close family member i can visualise what this family have gone through and by the fact they have gone public looking for a donor shows how desperate a situation they are in. We were lucky when a family member supplied a perfect match but even then the road to recovery is long and hard.

God bless them and please bhoys and ghirls remember them in your prayers and even better get over to EK and pledge your support.

I heartily apologise now as i wont be able to go as i have a first communion on tomorrow but for sure she'll be in my thoughts.

As for Sunday, it will take care of itself, fate is in Celtics hand for this one and with our vocal support we can push the boys accross the penultimate hurdle.

Hail Hail

Thanks rt rev david hay (preaching pure football),

I honestly wasn't having a dig at anyone. It's just you hear so much about taking Celtic (or any football club for that matter) to the "next level" and it got me thinking about what would be the next level for Celtic.

In the 1990s for instance it was being able to challenge Rangers at the top of the Premier Division and not to be fighting with Aberdeen, Motherwell etc for a UEFA cup spot. Tommy Burns was able to bring us back up to that level and win a Scottish Cup to boot. I know that wasn't all that great but we were almost at rock bottom and the 1995 Cup final was my first memory of silverware at Celtic and made me very happy.

Unfortunately Tommy wasn't able to bring us to the next level again which would be champions. Wim Jansen was brought in and with the help of Henrik Larsson he brought us to the promised land. 10 years ago today and that was and remains my favourite memory of supporting Celtic.

The next level at that stage I think would be to be regularly competing and winning the league and maybe making some inroads in Europe. Alas that too didn't come to fruition until Martin O'Neill took over in the summer of 2000. He did bring us to the next level as over the 5 years he was in charge we won 3 leagues and came a very close runner up twice. A number of Cups were also secured and our reputation in Europe was once again enhanced.

MON left under a cloud due to Black Sunday and at this stage things could have went one of two ways. The team could have disintrigated like it did under Josef Venglos and John Barnes with Rangers winning the league by a number of points each season or the team could be brought back from the brink. After Black Sunday I would think the next level would be to continue our performances in the league (i.e. winning more than we lose) and getting past the group stages in Europe.

I honestly believe that Gordon Strachan could have done no more for Celtic in his first three seasons (Bratislava excluded, but we shouldn't have been in that position to begin with) and with the right investment in the summer, regardless if we are champions or not, I believe that Gordon can keep taking us out of the group stages and maybe not next season but in a couple of years take us to quarter finals or better in Champions League.

I also think that in the present financial climate it is possible that we have reached our level and that we are far exceeding expectations by getting to the last 16 year after year.

As you can probably tell I am firmly in the Gordon Strachan camp but I would far rather Celtic be in the position they are now than the position we were in when I started supporting them 19 years ago.

Hail Hail

Mort

Paul,

You just made me come out of my (self imposed) break from all things t'internet, and create an account just to say this.....

Fantastic post Paul! Absolutely fantastic!

Of course the downside to this is that you guys will now have to put up with my rubbish posts again. :-)

Thanks for brinnging us down to earth Paul. Suddenly I feel very shallow for even caring about the result of an upcoming football match.

Morning one and all

Paul67

God bless you for that post

may God lead them to finding a match

YOU WILL NEVER WALK ALONE

Mort

your only 19 ??

Firstly I'm sorry.

I am new on here and maybe I wont post again after this. But..... How difficult would it be for us all to be on a "register" which allows our, blood, organs etc etc. to be matched to people like this in need?

Yes I know that people have issues with donating organs and stuff, and to be fair, I have said in the past that if it helps "anyone can have anything apart from my eyes" and hey I am still up for that. Really have an issue with my eyes (dont know why).Is that stupid, or selfish? Dont know. But surely by the same token we could all, at a certain age, be tested for xxxxxxxxxx, and given the choice of what we want to do from there?

I am sure this is a contentious(s) issue and by no means do I want to detract from the original aticle. But......????

Can someone please post as to where the Holiday Inn is in EK

thank you

Hail Hail

Good luck Katie and good work CQN.

Can anyone confirm that age limit is 40. I am marginally over the limit...OK i am 42 but being a EK dweller it would seem
inappropriate if i didn't make the effort in between my Bhoys football tomorrow.

Paul

Thanks for posting this, I know from personal experience, my wife, just what a hell of a disease this is and the pain and suffering we all went through at that that time. Thankfully she appears to be getting better after Chemotherapy but it is a long hard road. I will certainly offer a prayer for young Katie and her family and hope that she and they come through this

prayers with katie and family, too old to participate, anyone know why the age limits ??, I mean I can understand kidneys, liver, heart and lungs, especially mine, but the bone marrow??

JC2
I posted earlier. anthony nolan only take donations from age 18 to 40..( i called them direct)
british bone marrow reg allows peoplke up to 45..
Tel 011 799 12068

canamalar,

I'm no expert, but from what I know they actually transplant blood stem cells from the bone marrow rather than the marrow itself. I think that the production of stem cells decreases with age, so it is simply much easier to harvest from a younger donor.

Nick

http://www.hieastkilbride.com/getting-here/maps.htm

holiday inn

Spirit

Thank you very much your a gentleman

Hail Hail

Edward, rev David, Gordon J, let’s hope a match is found.

Southbhoy, I knew that was the case.

Blantyretim, excellent, well done. I have checked the age details, you stand a better chance of being a suitable match if you are below 40, but if you are over 40 you can still get tested.

The Anthony Nolan Trust allows you to join their register until the age of 40, but once on it they keep you there until your 60.

StevieS, see the steps I’ll take to get you to register!

Niknaktic, please, nothing to do with me, let’s hope for a match. The Holiday Inn is easy to find, right beside Centre One.

Welcome PistonBroke, a fine idea.

Celt4ever, great news.

Brilliant article Paul, I have lost both my mother and more recently a close friend to Cancer and am always willing to do anything I can to help those in need.

Unfortunately i'm in Balloch doing a 10k run to raise funds for the teenage cancer trust and Marie Curie tomorrow so wont be able to attend to be tested.

Do you or anyone in the CQN community know if there is anywhere else I could attend to be tested? I will try to make it to EK before 3pm but may not be there in time.

Hail Hail
Gogo

Awe naw

I'm actually 28, didn't really support any football team in my younger days as was from a more gaelic than soccer family. The first thing I knew about Celtic was when I watched the 1988 Cup final and really wanted the team in Green and White to win. When they did I learned more about Celtic and my da got me a video about Celtic's history which was brilliant and from then on I was a true Celtic fan.

Had to put up with a lot of slagging through school as everyone else supported Liverpool or Man united and treated Celtic with disdain.

Would also like to say that this is a great post Paul and young Katie will be in my prayers.

Mort

Good call Paul67. This is a worthwhile cause. I personally have been on the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow register for around 10 years. Go on hoopies make your way to EK. You can do it.

Paul67

thank you for bringing me back to the real world with todays article

a reality check is always just around the corner.

i live near ek but sadly wouldn't be able to get tested, because i am attending the funeral

of my sister in law this afternoon in irvine.

she was diagnosed three short weeks ago with lung cancer at the age of 53

I have a daughter katie to, and really feel for those parents today but i'm sure the celtic community will rally.

god bless katie and her family

hail hail

Gogo, register with the Anthony Nolan Trust online and they send you a pack which allows you to go to a local clinic for the test.

Mort, I believe there is a great programme on CelticTV next week on the Centenary Season.

Mort,

your excellent posts contents convey to me a very mature young man. Hence why I was surprised that you´d only been supporting the hoops since 19 years.

Just to make you a little jealous though I was born in 1965. I was 10 years of age before I discovered that Celtic weren´t always champions. It was a bit of a shock to find out that it wasn´t my birth right. ;-)

Hail Hail

Paul :-)

It's the compassion on this site (from owner and posters alike) when subject like this are raised, that puts it on a different level from the rest of the sites out there. I know this first-hand remember. You do a great job Paul.

Anyway, best go cut the grass as this is my last day off before I start my new job on Monday.

p.s. You know how everyone has:
1) 15 mins of fame
2) a novel in them
3) one great idea

Well..... I think I've had my "idea", but haven't a clue where to start. You want in? I need a business brain involved, and you seem like the entrepreneur(sp?) type. I'll email you if you want to hear more. This time next year Rodney......

:-)

Fine post Paul, our thoughts and prayers are with the Curries at this time, I hope someone will come through for little Katie this weekend.

A very timely post, Paul. As EU says, there are more important things than football. My mother died of cancer; so, I know at first hand the awfulness of that disease. As I will be here in England tomorrow, I can't make it but I seem to be ruled out by age anyway.

Katie and her family will be in my prayers. God bless them.

Paul, thanks for raising the profile of the Anthony Nolan Trust. It's surprising to me that so few people have heard about this organisation given the fantastic work they do.

Guys, get on the website. There's (the .org seems to be down right now but you may access www.anthonynolan.com instead). If you can't make it to EK on Saturday then there are other clinics going on up and down the country on a reg basis. You can even have a testing kit sent to your home and visit your local GP to have the test performed.

Please consider the trust for any future sponsorship if any of you guys are considering running 10K, full or half marathons in the near future.

The Curries are a magic couple with a superb attitude. Get well soon Katie.

LTPS

Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo.....1965, great year!

Paul, i take it if your on the NIBTS list and tic'ked teh bone marrow box you've been checked already...not that i'll be near there though

Awe_Naw,

Looks like we are the same age. I too can remember the shock of finding out what it was like to lose the league. Scarred me for life, I think!

Is anyone involved with this trust on here? If they want to contact me I have a top I would like to donate.

Interesting post on the previous thread about Smith admitting to being sacked by Murray in 1998 and Advocaat being in the frame to replace Big Feck in 2005 -

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport/Smith-admits-he-was-sacked.4066939.jp

Even more interestingly (and predictably), the BBC chooses to ignore the part about Smith being sacked, reporting only the part about Advocaat.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rangers/7391825.stm

THE TRUTH IS WHAT WE TELL YOU IT IS.

Thanks Paul, registered online and will be making sure my Borther and everyone else I know does the same.

Brother Walfrid would have been proud of the reaction this article has cause amongst us.

Hail Hail
Gogo

Cant be there, but genuinely wish I could.
Great stuff Paul for hghlighting this, and absolutely wonderful to read some of the posts on here.

God bless Katie and her family.

Bournesouprecipe, it’s a dreadful business.

Moombeams, well done.

StevieS, good luck on Monday. You have had at least two great ideas already, which is more than the rest of us put together, so I’m intrigued.

LetThePeopleSing, an excellent contribution.

PC1888, Parkheadcumsalford, nakasleftpeg, indeed.

BelfastBhoy, I presume you are correct.

Gogo, well done.

STAND UP AND SUPPORT THE CHAMPIONS.
STAND UP AND SUPPORT THE CHAMPIONS.
STAND UP AND SUPPORT THE CHAMPIONS.

to-3-in-a-row

C'mon bhoys and ghirls, remember the good old days in the terracing at CP. Whether it was the Famous Jungle (no. 7 was for me) or the Celtic or Away end, how we used to love standing and supporting our Bhoys. Well Sunday is a day the Bhoys need our backing to the full. Let's get on our feet and support the Bhoys. Create an atmosphere to drive the players on.

C'mon STAND UP AND SUPPORT THE CHAMPIONS.

Can someone else keep up my campaign to STAND UP AND SUPPORT THE BHOYS this Sunday as this is my last post before the game on Sunday as I am unable to post from home and can only lurk at this time. How about you BigJock67. Go on you know you can do it. Or you Mouldy67 you can be that Mhan.

Hail Hail.

3-in-a-row-is-a-cert-you-know.

Gordon_J,

I remember summer 1975 very well. I come from a place where we used to have mass in a phone box! One of my mates had red white and blue electrical taped broom handle attached to a baldy tennis ball so that they could practice the throwing of the magic orange stick. I had no idea what it was all about and thought it was great fun. I´d practice with him in his back garden.

Much to my mothers shock when one day on the street where we lived she saw me twirling it around my fingers and hands up and down my back throwing it up and over the lampposts. I was the best in the whole street and the only tim. No Kiddin !!

Mother to the whole street "Awe Naw I think you should give that back to Mrs. Jamieson so she can start cleaning her house"

"But mum ....I´m the best in the whole street"

"with the company you keep laddie that wouldn´t be difficult"

and this from a woman who married a good protestant

Hail Hail

Thanks Awe Naw

I actually feel that by starting to support Celtic in the 1990s when things weren't going great I can appreciate that we aren't going to win everything every year and that when success does come it feels all the greater.

The bad times make the good times even better.

You are very lucky having so many wonderful memories of Celtic and I hope there are many more to come.

Thanks Paul, I remember watching the BBC Scotland program "The team that was" or something like that about the centenary year and looking forward to seeing CelticTV next week.

Did anyone see the Daily Huddle last night and the interview with Lee Naylor. I know Lee hasn't had the best of seasons but I really like him and anytime he is interviewed he has a big smile on his face. He spoke about the confidence going through the team and if the rest are as confident as he is I have no doubt we will win our remaining 2 games. Anything else that happens will be a bonus.

Mort

Awe Naw

1965 yer face has worn out three bodies

Love

First time poster, long time reader from way back in the days when I could refresh the page on 56k dial up, make a cup of tea and a sandwich before all 500+ psts came up (would have been much quicker if I could have filtered out P&ddy's, but never mind)

Anyhoo Paul well done with this article, if one person from the Celtic family goes along and God willing finds a match you could just have helped save a wee lassie's life. Wow! I myself have only just started giving blood after putting it off for selfish reasons for nigh on 20 years and I feel brilliant for it, so will look into something along the bone marrow lines where I live in Essex, bound to be something. Prayers for Katie already offered too.
At first I thought this was a bit of a downer as a first contribution, but it's not... it's a sign of the wonderful celtic family.
Mon Katie and mon the hoops
Del

Arthur,

Thanks errm I think ;-)

Tonybananas - I remember Smith being interviewed on Five Live when he was Everton manager on the day of a Celtic/ Rangers game. He was on to reflect on "what's it like" and whether he missed it. He clearly did miss it and I guess in response to a follow follow up question of "so why did you pack it in?" he said he'd been sacked. At least that's my recollection, but that Smithesque slightly embarrassed chuckle he gives when making confessions is somehow lodged in my mind.

When football is all consuming, this reminds us that it IS only a game. Well done for highlighting this Paul.

bournesouprecipe
That's shocking and terrible news. Sorry for your loss.
All the best
Corrib

PS, can I just flag up another worthwhile charity.
Scottish International Relief. www.sircharity.org
I don't want to hijack attention form Katie but if any of you have a spare copper or two this organisation are close to my heart and do a wonderful job.

Well done Paul. A colleague is close friends to the family and they will be delighted to hear what you're doing.

KUNG FU

German Style

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGplCUlBCtw

Corrib 04

thank you - take care

hail hail

lanarkcelt - yes its certainly common knowledge that a taxi was phoned on behalf of the cardigan. I just don't understand why the media continually shy away from stating this simple fact.

At least, I wouldn't understand if I wasn't completely paranoid ;0)

Well done for this post Paul. I'm already on the bone marrow register, so unfortunately I'll already have been ruled out as a possible match.

Guys, if you can, go along to the Holiday Inn tomorrow and get that blood test! Good luck and all the best to Katie and her family.

Paul 67 well done,having just come back in from a funeral you realise that football is not as important as we sometimes think it is,from past experience I know that there is an age limit on potential donors,I am not sure it could be forty or forty five years old,so as an old tim I can only pray for Katie,God bless her and her family.

Paul once again... thankyou

To everyone else who is passing on their best wishes, letting other people know and most importantly attending, thankyou so much.

You have no idea what this means to Katie, Siobhan, Neil, Libby and all their family and friends.

I knew i could count on all you ladies and gentleman.

Sincere thanks and best wishes,
Mark

Katies uncle mark

I wish you all the best in your search

I will pray for a good match for you Katie.

My best wishes to you and your family.

TT

Excellent post, some people should bear posts like this in mind when they start pontificating about clique's and happy clapper board puppets!

Gogo, I'll give you a wave from the G83 contingent if you're running through Balloch tomorrow!!!!

Today marks the anniversary of Celtic winning the league the day in the same week that I left school! Considering the previous league win coincided with my communion, I think what we currently face from Rangers can be taken in context!

I gave up on the league title, I'm now convinced Scott McDonald is about to get his revenge - for the good guys!

TonyBananas

Can you put a link on to your own website on here (if that is ok?) Someone has told me it is definitely worth a look.

Thanks

"H"

Aw Naw...

Your post got me thinking.

I'm only a young'un so until 1998 I thought it was my birthright to watch the teddy bears win everything!

A terrible childhood.

ST

All I can offer from here is my prayers for Katie and the Currie Family. I will ask my three girls to say a prayer too.

Paul67

It's at times like this I am at my absolute proudest to be a Celtic man. Ed's nice comment notwithstanding, I genuinely believe we are different.

Katies Uncle Mark

When I read your comments I shed a tear for the first time in a long time. All the very very best to you and all of your family at what must be a tortuous time for you all. My sincere wish is that a suitable match is found.

SwanseaBhoy

ST,

Think positively. It has stood you in good stead so that when your 21 year old laddie has to go through Celtic not being champions for the first time in his life. You´ll be there for him !!

Gordon J,
sounds about right, but if there are none found I'd expect any sufferer would be happy with tired old stem cells if thats all that was available.
I'm one of those silly rare blood groups that can be used by anyone but need a specific donor match for myself, even at this age I would have no problem giving any child any assistance I could, so yes I understand the reasoning but I believe the age limit as a waste of resources. However that discussion is for another day, do your best Lhads and Lhassies, I pray a healthy match is found soon.

Katies uncle mark (1.04pm), I wish you the best of luck in finding a suitable donor, but I can assure you there is more than one gentleman on this forum!

:o)

Excellent post, Paul.

I'm in the same boat as Muppetbhoy and won't be able to help but will raise awareness among friends and family, in the hope of swelling numbers. Also thought ANNAOAN's suggestion of the tent outside Celtic park was an excellent idea. Timescale may be too tight to get that organised for the Hibs game but plenty of time for it to be done in conjunction with the Phil O'Donnel tribute game, i would have thought. Could the Anthony Nolan Trust be encouraged to explore the possibilities with the club, or vice versa, Paul?

SOAL, SB and BCUK ... thanks

also, apologies for the spelling... gentlemen! :-)

Welcome doonhame del, good to hear from you. It’s incredible to think how pervasive broadband has become in just a few years.

Corrib 04, it is.

Mkbhoy, thanks.

Mark, let’s hope we get a match.

MDCCCLXXXVIII, good call.

Stpatricksbhoy, it is.

SwanseaBhoy, too true.

The big guy at the back, an excellent idea.

PS - from what I am hearing, the holiday inn might not be big enough..... maybe celtic park would be a better option.

Jeez Paul - you've got me almost greetin and I'm just starting the work day.
Perspective right enough.
Good Luck to all going and let's hope someone matches.

Here in the US (at least here in NJ) we have to indicate on our drivers licence if you are an organ donor.
They are talking of changing it to be opt-out instead of opt-in.

Georgiebhoy from the other night - yes - I'm related to Jim and John from the Vale.
Also the late Fr Hugh from Dumbarton, not the Vale.

Cheers
TLB

Could this ever happen to Hoopy

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/ModernTube-Mr-Redlegs-violates-the-principal-r?urn=mlb,81398

Headless mascot

Katies uncle mark,

I sincerly hope you are right. I hope it's not big enough.

I feel almost ashamed to have to say I will not be able to attend, but my thoughts are with your family.

StevieS

Paul67

Well done on this, I hope it bears fruit

One Star Means More @ 2:26 on previous article

Best (football related) post on here in ages, totally agree.

Paul,

will knock up basic details and email you soon. I've got a feelin in me waater about this one!

it was the "Rodney" comment that got you hooked wasn't it? :-)

Right... Back to the grass cutting.

An article in the true Celtic Spirit. Good man Paul, playing a blinder in a different vein today. Unfortunately being outwith Scotland it wont be possible for me to get to EK but well done to everyone who makes the effort.
Thoughts and wishing every success to wee Katie and her family.

HAIL HAIL

I dont live in Scotland either but I am hoping to get over for Phil O ´D memorial match.

I´ve emailed everybody I know in Scotland instead emotionally blackmailing them that I cant make it and they´ll need to go for me instead .. even though I´m over 40

Sorry to be so insensitive and ask at this time but will the Phil O´D match be a sell out ?

test
oldtim67

StevieS,
I hope I'm not being out of line but knocking up the basic details of an idea and sending them (unprotected) by email to anyone is probably not sensible - especially if there is commercial potential.
Chris
ipCSC

Afternoon chaps
I've been on the register for about ten years and about 5 years ago was a match with someone in England. The Anthony Nolan Trust flew my wife and I down to London where I donated and then they flew me back up. I was knacked for about a fortnight and had very minor lower back-ache for about the same time. I mean very minor. The procedure itself was under general anaesthetic and didn't take long. I had prepared myself for much worse discomfort and was very pleased with the outcome. The recipient (whom I never knew) had another full year of life before she had a relapse and, not being strong enough to go through the whole rigmarole again, decided to pass away peacefully. The trust sent me an excellent letter in which they asserted that she had had an extra Christmas, New Year, birthday, and saw her family and loved ones for longer than she would have without the match. She was an adult but the remission and victory stats for kids is massively higher.
Thanks Paul for highlighting this wee one's plight. True altruism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crkY6ZlNpYc

Now that's how to do it.

New article posted.

TheLassieBeattie, is that a challenge? I bet the next article brings a different kind of tear.

Senor Pablo Diablo, hope so.

StevieS, see this time next year…

SlayerCelt, the Celtic spirit sure is something special.

Lardo66, excellent, well done.

Really good article at any time, but brings us all back to earth at this particular time. Katie's match is more important than any other match.

I was on the Anthony Nolan database, when we lived in the UK. Unfortunately we are now living in Charlotte, NC. I would occasionally get notified of a potential match, but it never came to anything. You are usually just asked to be on standby as they refine the matching process.

We can't be in EK tomorrow, but we will be praying and hoping for the match Katie needs.

Like you Paul, I encourage all to register with the Trust. It's so easy and we all have the gift of life within us.

Paul (and anyone else thinking of screening for the bone maroow appeal for Katie.

in the sunday mail article it states

"Ideal donors are males aged 18-40."

While I dont live a million miles form EK its a reasonable round trio so I called the hotel and have been told that at least the upper age limit is strictly applied.

I just wouldnt want anyone to make the trip unnecessarily.

Sorry not to be able to help Katie and her family out.

tlwio

incidentally you can donate here:-

anthony nolan trust donations

if you are donating online you should mark the box "yes" that asks if you want Gift Aid to apply.

tlwio

Regarding the Bone Marrow donations, there is a list of criteria at the following link: http://www.ampthill.org.uk/donor.htm

Might help people make a decision beforehand. Unfortunately, I seem to be unsuitable.

just a test....

I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who has left messages on this site.

I'm one of Siobhan and Neils friends who was at the Holiday Inn on Saturday helping with the clinic. The response was over-whelming. There was people from all walks of life and who had all heard about the clinic from different sources; friends, family, newspapers, TV and I'm delighted to say this website. So Paul67, your plee was enough to get at least one Celtic fan to come along! (You know who you are)! I couldn't believe my ears when the gentleman I directed into the clinic said he had heard about it here.

Every single person who came and waited in the long queue was appreciated but to have complete strangers, especially very young men coming along (some on lunch breaks, some missing football, some even dressed to go to weddings!) really restored my faith in humanity. Everyone just wanted to help this wonderful little girl.

To re-iterate what has been said before, the age for registering with the Anthony Nolan Trust is 18-40. You can register with the British Bone Marrow Register until you are 45. Next time you donate blood, please just ask to be placed in this register and they can do it for you. Also, if you would like more information on registering or making donations, please visit the Anthony Nolan Trusts website at www.anthonynolan.org.uk

So a massive THANK YOU to everyone who came! You are fantastic and have done a wonderful thing and hopefully you will be a match for Katie or someone else just like her.

Also thanks for the offer of the shirt and the suggestion for donating per match at Celtic Park - I will make sure the Anthony Nolan Trust is made aware of this.