Vagaries of fortune has limited impact

1st?

Woo hoo go me!

Podium with style!

You can't see it but I'm doing a bit of a victory dance

In the points?

Obviously they would rather not have had the injury but it does give the Carmyle Cardigan a convenient way to promote Barry from the bench without upsetting any of his many midfield star performers.

Re the saltire, we see many teams in the SPL (even the quintessential British team now) with a small label-size saltire on the back of the neck. It seems ridiculous to say this but I think all hell would break loose amongst our support if we did that. The tail that wags the dog will fight to ensure that we ONLY recognise our Irish heritage.To celebrate and recognise our Scottish heritage and our present day Scottishness is in their eyes something of a betrayal......and that really gets my goat (figuratively speaking, not a real goat like the ones Murray bothers).

Hey, Mansell and Hamilton, where ur yeez?

ok Hamilton..I see ye

I miss the days when podiums didn't matter, I blame Maggie Thatcher for that for she sold all the Council Podiums.

I have a small Saltire to customise my iPod. I really wanted the flag of Scotland but they couldn't do it. I also have a picture of Shaun as he's my favourite player and also Steps as they're my favourite band but I think I'll change it for Leona. I also have a picture of Bowser, he's my gran's cat and he's completely mental.

He's been barred from the vets three times.

I hope Rachel wins Strictly.

I'm hoping for a repeat of the last January transfer window, we bring in some quality, and TFOD sell what quality they have (and that was with them still getting money from their run to the pillaging of Manchester that cupboard is bare this year).

I miss the quality half-time Entertainment at Celtic Park we use to have in the sixties and seventies, wait a minute maybe that wasn't Celtic I was watching come to think about it maybe it was Lokomotiv Moscow.

podium67. your gran's cat is sane next to you. Still listening to that dirge by Lennon?

My last word on this subject. Just trying to make folk THINK not argue, so no replies sought. If you like the sentiments pass them on. If not ignore it.

Paying Respect- Speaking for the Dead.

From the land of beyond
I watch and shake my head
At those fighting to pay respect to my sacrifice
In the way that they think respect should be paid to the dead.

I’m an unknown soldier killed in a trench somewhere
Bled to death as I watched rats drink from my ebbing earth life.

I died in the hope that all fighting would stop
NO MORE WAR.

But war takes may forms
It is not all bullets and shells
It’s not always fought in trenches either
Its most common battlefield is in the heart and minds of men.

In the last few days I have witnessed a battlefield
I have watched the team I support dragged through the mud
By the mistaken, who have turned what was intended as a show of respect
Into yet another battlefield.

You do not respect me when you wear a poppy
You do not respect me when you have a minute’s silence
You do not respect me when you have a minute’s applause
You do not respect me when you walk out

You especially do not respect me when you try to divide a community
Then a country
With spurious arguments of what constitutes respect
And then broadcast those views to the nation
In radio and newspapers
In a manner and tone that encourages division
Division that becomes a cause of
MORE WAR.

If you think that all these are respect
You are among the mistaken.

The Poppy, the minute’s silence, the minute’s applause
These are all SYMBOLS
They have become empty symbols
Ditch them in the trench in which I died.

If you want to truly respect me
Remember why I died

LEST YOU FORGET

It was so that there would be
NO MORE WAR

And let NO MORE WAR break out
In the only battlefield that counts
In each heart and in each mind

If a symbol is needed at all
Find a symbol that unites
Use a symbol for eternity
(For eternity is where I am)
And do not war over which one!

But the best way to remember my sacrifice
Is not through symbols
It's to cultivate peace in your heart
Your mind and your soul
So that no matter the symbol
No matter how much anyone may turn it to their particular cause
You always and truly respect the sacrifice I made.

So that there will be
NO MORE WAR

Cadizzy

IMHO there should be nothing on the hoops. No sponsor logo, no manufacturer and especially no number. Numbers should be planted on shorts only.

There is no need for CFC to embrace any specific embroidery if we are truely a club open to all.

Internationale CSC

Stunningly brilliant Auldheid.

My team has requested an enquiry into my 5th place. I am awaiting the outcome for me to be promoted to a true podium finish of 3rd behind the master of cool Graham Hill, Dad is at their office now persuading them with some sweets. Cadizzy, I am glad you could keep up, your helmet wiper must have been working overtime to keep your visor clear in the slipwash of my mclaren monster

Paul-

Any info on who they might punt to keep the wolves from the door?

I agree re: the fact the saltire should always fly in tandem with tricolours. To say no is to ignore that the vast majority of us also have Scots heritage and blood as well as Irish. I have an Irish name and my father is catholic but in reality three of his grandparents are protestant as is my mother, making me a full one-eighth Irish despite the surname and catholic parent!! On another site I lurk on there was a thread about parents religion and among the Scots the vast majority were of mixed parentage or certainly grandparents. I don’t think its healthy to chose one heritage over another as it is only half the truth. Too many let their religion dictate their ethnic identity. I sometimes think Celtic and Hibernian should swap names because the imagery at Celtic is far more Hibernian than (pan) Celtic.

I love the saltire and it is odd that Ulster loyalists and local Orange types use it but you should never surrender a symbol through ignorance. That goes for the red hand too which adorns many an Ulster Gaelic Irish family crest.

I am glad to see the tail wagging the dog imagery is catching and may soon rival 'elephant in the room on CQN : 0).

P.S. I much prefer the beautiful old Irish green flag with gold? harp to the more gaudy looking tricolour.

Taggsybhoy.

you have mail.

I never like to see ANY footballer get a long term or career threatening injury but it is part of the game.

I was beginning to think Celtic had cornered the injury market and it gives me no satisfaction that our main rivals have taken a bit of their share in it.

I do wonder how they would have coped with the number of first choices we have had injured?
Blown their season out of the water I suspect.

What is interesting is that WGS has over the four seasons (and damn my impatience) actually built the framework of a solid team with an interesting mixture of home grown, home bought and foreign imports.

In all three arenas we seem to have at least matched or out performed our rivals and also appear to be growing stronger season by season.

I said two seasons ago that I heard WGS say something that made me think he was in this for the long haul, a bit like Fergie.

If our injury situation improves and we keep turning out the kind of performances that have managed so far would anyone want to change anything/anyone in what we are doing?

eurochamp
Thanks.

It is an idea I think would benefit from spreading. I posted it elsewhere but it was removed, not because there was anything objectional per se, it was just not the right time or place to post it.

I would love to see it e mailed by lots of supporters to Real Radio, Radio Scotland and Talksport for although it applies to us all, it applies more than anything to them.

It is an idea that I hope takes wings because its time has come.

I've like WGS approach to things from the start trying to bring in good homegrown talent instead of run of the mill over paid and sulky imports. Don't get me wrong I'm not against imports, just rubbish ones.

so what you're saying paul67 is that we are going to be net spenders again come the transfer window and they will be having a firesale?

Paul,

’The vagaries of fortune can be an inconvenience, but long term financial management determines the impact your luck has.’

TOO true but what makes things ALL too easy for us in Scotland is the blight that makes it almost impossible for us to even become also rans in the Champions League.

SO as DontB put it ’things I dislike most about modern 'football' Local, plucky well organised, hard working, skillful underdogs winning the European Cup!

A few more………………..

Goalies Gloves the size of Coco the clowns shoes!

Assistant Referees that don't understand the nuances of the OF side rule - I'm all about being in-touch with your feminine side BUT FFS!

Not getting lifted over the turnstiles!

Having to use the urinals at half time!

A personal one - sitting in the Pub Saturday 12 noon with a couple pals and a newspaper, deciding which London ground was worth Our £3.00……..

nostalgiaCSC

Auldheid @ 1:48pm - Stunning.

Auldheid at 2:26pm - I think Strachan has proved his worth beyond dispute. His record stands comparison with anyone - 3 titles from 3, Cups, CL last 16 etc.

But what brought it home to me more than anything else was the performance against Man Utd last week.

Compare and Contrast the resources that Alex Ferguson has at his disposal, not forgetting the value he adds as an outstanding football manager.

If we came up against opposition as far behind us in terms of resource as we are behind Man Utd then I would have been gutted at a draw.

WGS has built a team that looks to be dominating Scotland and can compete without being embarrassed with most CL teams - and all that on a relative paupers budget.

Long may he remain at the helm.

Lewis Hamilton, of course I kept up with you. I am no slouch on these roller blades. Graham Hill, king of cool? Bet you he's feart of flying!

Dumbhoy,I don't particularly disagree with you re no logos of any type though unfortunately, we can never go back to the numbers only on shorts. My point is more around the feeling that our Scottishness is in some way an embarrassment or merely a geographical quirk. Thelordknows.....mentioned the tail and dog imagery last week and it is exactly how I see it also. I think that if Celtic were to put the Irish flag on the neck, there would be very little objection from our support (maybe an outcry from the media,mind you)because any sort of objection would be seen as a slight on Celtic supporters from Ireland and a betrayal of the club's history. An objection to the saltire, if it were the other way round, would of course be deemed the correct and justifiable thing to do.

Auldheid @ 1.48pm - just brilliant!!

SwanseaBhoy @ 2.45pm

Agree completely, we have the right man at the helm who's record cannot be disputed. A young team, with some really talented players who look like dominating domestically for the foreseeable future and who are making an impact in Europe, regardless of the financial position we find ourselves in.

2 (very difficult) wins and results our way and we're last 16 for 3 in a row. It can be done!!

If we continue the way we're going in the league then it's 4 in a row.

It's all smiles here in the Shetland Isles, that's for sure.

Cadizzy

very interesting. do you think the objection of the saltire would be from the Irish Support or the scots of irish extraction that make up the green brigade and the jungle bhoys and the like and who are the majority at away fixtures and sing irish rebel songs.

do you forsee the day when scottish folk songs are song at celtic park.

Ulster-Celt

I think the IT polis are monitoring my ‘tinterweb access so I’ve decided to keep a low profile from now on !!!

In no particular order………………

My thanks to Jinkysboy for a wonderful weekend and for the very generous offer of accommodation and I can only apologies to your wife once more for leaving the unwanted “gift”. All I can say is a Mhan’s gotta do what a Mhan’s gotta do :o)))

Great to meet up with SFTB again and it was a pleasure to spend so much time in Vman’s company in the LR Social Club also. It was also a pleasure to meet your son and his mate. Good to see the Celtic baton being handed on to such willing recipients. BTW V, I was in that audience when Christy welcomed us :o)))

Good to meet Larson7 as well and I’m still waiting on you getting in touch if you wish to receive the wee pressy we were talking about !

My thanx also to UNEW Mike for the ticket from his CSC and for his offer for this week but doing that journey twice in one week just isn’t gonna happen.

Ted re, your Beatles post of the other day. Thanx for that mate, but having just finishes Geoff Emerick’s book recently, I was familiar with the naming of Abbey Road and I am also aware of the new one about their travels in Scotland. Did you also know that they supported Jonny Gentle in the Alloa Town Hall as the Silver Beatles ? I believe they also played in Bridge Of Alan as The Beatles circa 1963 !

Anyhoo, it’s back to playing catch-up at night and missing the chance to post on things that I would have if I was on during the day and hopefully I’ll be manning the decks at the weekend as normal :o))

Pablophanque

Ps, Subterranean, Gabriel era Genesis !!!??? How very dare you !!!

Auldheid

Superb. Thank You.

Ulster-Celt, if we did sing Scottish folk songs at matches we'd be labled Racist (anti-English) and Sectarian (singing songs supporting a rebellion to put a Catholic king on the throne)

Cadizzy,
agree about the saltire on the back of the shirt, looks to me like another wee game being played though.
We ply our trade in scotland.

I gave two minutes silent prayer today, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in respect of the honourable who died on bloody conflict. The devil can keep the dishonourable.

people fight for dishonourable causes with honour
people fight for honourable causes with dishonour

Auldheid
keep fighting the good fight
hail hail

I thik we'll get kicked off the park tomorrow, maybe another two injuries hope no though.

Sorry about Kevin Thomson getting such a bad injury, he was rumoured to be heading for the Hoops at one time and yet was it not the same Kev who FEIGNED injury at Ibrox last season after (not) conceding a penalty so that he would not get a second yellow. What goes round, comes round, I say

canamalar

heard a rumour that wee shuggie Keevins is at a Q & A in partick this friday evening...are you going along to give him your support.?

I'd quite like to know just how many SPL clubs have the Saltire on the neck (back) of their jerseys.

Are we the only team not to have it?

If so why not?

Is it offensive to some of our support?

If so, why is it offensive to some of our support?

How offensive is it to some of our support to IGNORE our Scottish identity?

If so Why etc....

It would be an interesting poll. Perhaps I may suggest to the official Celtic Website to take a poll on the matter.

Auldheid,
That's superb. It's even brought me out of blog retirement!
Thank you

LFT

blantyretim,
No, whats the point ?
I suppose I could say thanks, for letting me raise the right revs credentials for refereeing Celtic or scotlands shame games, on air. :oD

canamalar :¬)))

re auldheid 1.48 And your point is?

Ulster_Celt, the point you infer, I think, is that a lot of the protest would be from the Celtic supporters you mention who are Scottish and I agree with you on that,though the debates on here last week lead me to believe that some Celtic supporters from Ireland would not be at all happy either.

I also think that a lot of those supporters who were born in Scotland do not consider themselves particularly Scottish and maybe feel more at home celebrating Irish culture and fairly recent Irish history. I have no real axe to grind with them doing so. However, the very fact that those Scottish supporters (however unwillingly Scottish) would protest at the inclusion of a saltire on our strip still strikes me as quite strange and quite disappointing.

As to your point that those people make up the majority of our away support, I am not going to argue on that because I do not have any evidence to the contrary. One thing I would say is that they almost certainly do not make up the majority of the home support which must be around ten times as many.

On the Scottish folk songs, I don't particularly want Scottish folk songs but I hadn't given them any thought before you raised the point.

I know this is all hypothetical and nobody can say for certain what would transpire, so it may be a pointless debate. Perhaps we should get back to finding fault with modern football or something equally less controversial like a songs debate...or whether Bobo should get a game.

hail hail

i used to love going to european matches and getting taken down to the wall at the front of the rankers end..
it was nice and peacful, then all of a sudden you turn round and it was jam packed...
real madrid at celtic park was my first recollection of a night like that...

happy days.....

Greeetings Auldheid

I would be interested to find out who wrote the poem you have posted above

ragnar

I think its one of Obama's :oD Only kidding Auldheid, well done, best post of the day so far

Hail Hail

CC

caldwell McManus Brown Hartley Robson Maloney
all included in the scotland squad

meanwhile after 3 appearances as a sub the unbookable 1 gets a call up

The Scottish saltire on the jerseys is a complete red-herring.

I love it when I see Scottish flags flown by Celtic fans at games, but there's no good reason why we should put it on the shirt.

We've been playing football for 120 years without a Scottish flag on the shirt and I don't see why we should now.

If Rearrangers want to take advantage of the last refuge of the scoundrel, then let them. We know by the number of call-offs for international duty how much Scotland means to them.

No sponsors, no manufacturers logo, no number, no flags. I'd even happily take the badge away too - until the 1970's, the hoops was all the badge we needed.

mark brown after 1 match?
better than ferguson... :)

Paul I agree wholeheartedly. This really puts a spanner in the works as the other mob have spent their cash and now must flog some other asset, if indeed they have one left.

Their defense is thin on the ground for me and if they got anything like our injuries their season would already be over. They are lucky that Boyd cant run or he might get injured. Then where would they be.

They lost their best weapon for playing us to Hull. Boyd and Miller will still underscore our strikers over a season. Where is Velicka? After that they have nothing left.

When we are fully fit and buy in January we should be able to leave them provided some magic money doesnt appear from nowhere as it has for them previously.

I am amazed at how well we are coping with this injury crisis where last year we fell apart at this time. I hope we continue to churn out the results.

By the way I no longer live in Krakow, I live in the land of Lubo now. But I will keep the same name.

Paul67,
is it possible the objection to the hbos takeover, was the final delay and the scotish banking industry's last chance of holding on to their autonomous decision making?

Do you think scotlands shame might go into the "red" this year ?

hail hail

St Michael's Bhoy, maybe I should have been clearer; I am not advocating the saltire on the shirt.I am hypothesing on the reaction of our suport if we did so. It is therefore not a red herring with regard to my "what if" scenario. Anyway, as I said last post, maybe this is a pointless debate given that it is never going to happen.

Murray and the schemers of RST etc are on the look out for anything and everything that will cause us problems within our own ranks and withe media. The Army parade at Ibrox and the unprecedented tribute to the dead on a a day other than Remembrance Sunday and Remembrance Day itself are examples of their scheming.
The fact that The Green Brigade played into their hands was regrettable in my opinion but let's move on and be more wise in future.
We can start by not getting involved in saltires and folk songs debates.
If we are going to win leagues and get rid of the Famine song we have to stand together,..... don't give them rope with which to hang us.

Just got round to re-registering after some months out.

Regarding the waving or wearing of saltires, count me out. In my opinion, the flaunting of one's national flag in one's own country (any country, not just Scotland) is a bit sinister. Who is the intended target of the show? Foreigners in the country? Immigrants?

Fair enough, wave it while following your national team, but if two club sides are both waving the same flag, what's the point? Let's stick to the tricolour, and flags of other "outsiders". That's what we are about.

Cadizzy,

I'm not trying to police the blog, but I did think it was a pointless question, and one that has the potential to cause division here out of nothing. Given that elements of the old media trawl Celtic cyber-space for stories, there is the potential here for more manufactured outrage over "unpatriotic" Celtic fans.

Probably best forgotten about.

St Michael

Can we keep the gold trim on this season's hoops though?

Paul

Are you envisiging the club spending in january? I cant see it myself. I think we have a good enough squad this year to claim the title. Cant see us forking out for a uefa cup run either. I would suggest plans are in place for a summer overhaul. Have to disagree with you re Lenny coming back, my water tells me plans are afoot within the club on that one, he ticks all the boxes apart from management experience, elite coaching badge. But he's ginger, must be a cert, erm, maybe your right after all.

CC

Never mind the cash , I believe Rangers will really miss Thompson on the field. I remember when he signed for the Bad Guys and wishing it had been us he had signed for. We missed the boat on that one although his "acting" made it easier to think of reasons to be grateful for not signing him.

Prior to his injury WS had the problem of who he was going to fit into his midfield. Accomodating Davies, Thompson, Ferguson. Mendes and Hemdani meant going back to one up front. He doesn't have that issue now which is fine as long as he's injury free.

Cadizzy

Seriously do you go to celtic games?

If you do when was the last time you took a saltire to the game?

Come on folks this site is getting like follow follow

What next the brit national anthem before the games.

We fought for the right to fly the flag on high lets stop this hun campaign to rid celtic of everything irish.

We are an irish scots club not british.

Captain Crosas,

I will consider your request, and get back to you with my non-negotiable decision shortly!

The Gate In The Wood continueth....

Monday Club, Teser - Last Night

NAFOS: ...... so Ah think it's safe tae say wu'v goat the Mothers' measure

Hugh Richards: I was a 'Well fan when I was a youngster. Mother always said 'stay away from those tough Celtic fans or the Rangers fans will beat you up'. I always liked the claret and amber colours as worn by Harry Potter

SOAL: Pansy Potter in your case, Hugh

WG: This isny the time fur anurra Flower Debate, Arthur

NAFOS: Anyway is this the same Hugh Richards, the Saviour of Old Twafford, haudin a Sellik scarf aloft like a new Polish signing ?

HR: It was my singing that was polished, Naf. Not that I've had any burly agents breaking my door down to offer me a recording contract. It's a fickle industry is show business.

WG: Hugh, it does, however, has its consolations. Like so many of your light-loafered companions you seem to have a natural affinity with women. You seem to be able to get inside their heads.

HR: It's not THEIR heads I want to get inside, WG.

WG: Exactly, you disarm them with your .... er.... sensitivity. Oor links wi Boynita and Catriona have dried up because ay aw the Banchester cairry-oan. We're really gaunny huv tae start fae scratch again.

HR: I'm following you, WG. Cut to the chase, please, lads.

NAFOS: We need ye tae plead financial poverty. Arrange a pre-Christmas refinance interview with the lovely Boynita.

HR: I'm not exactly cash-strapped, Bhoys. Uncle Tristan left me lots of dosh in his will. The bank girls are going to know I'm not in dire financial straits.

WG: Vanity, Hugh

HR: Pardon, WG ?

WG: Vanity thy name is Hugh Clifford Richards of ML2.

HR: You've lost me.... and not for the first time.

WG: Tell the girls you can't get a recording contract for love nor money so you need additional funds to DIY, Hugh. It's like vanity publishing wi a tape-deck. Promise them promos - I said promos, Arthur - appearances at the branch, Christmas Number Ones, the works.

SOAL: Ingenious, WG

WG: Then just when you've revealed several letters of your father's maiden name you throw me and NAFOS into the equation. Ask the lassies if they're prepared to squeeze their considerable collective bellows at the ashes of our fading relationships.

HR: Maybe they'll withdraw the loan when they learn I'm in cahoots with you lot ?

NAFOS: Don't be daft, Hugh. We're in the iron grip of a recession. The bank will be desperate to throw money at the sole solvent saver in ML2. It's a slam-dunk.

HR: I've been looking for one of them for years.

WG: Then it's agreed, settled. Any final questions, Hugh ?

HR: Just the one. I'm going to have a cartload of money I don't really need, what am I to do with it all ?

WG: Sweet, tender, gentle Hugh - at this juncture I will hand you over to Mr Arthur Lee, Wishaw Militia Christmas Party Planner, 2008

TBC

STRACHAN CALM ABOUT SCOTLAND

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has no qualms about losing six players to Scotland for next week's friendly against Argentina, despite revealing the club's injury crisis has led to him implementing non-contact training routines at Lennoxtown.

Scotland boss George Burley named Gary Caldwell, Stephen McManus, Scott Brown, Paul Hartley, Shaun Maloney and Barry Robson in his squad for the glamour match at Hampden, which will see new Argentina boss Diego Maradona take charge of the twice World Cup winners for the first time.

However, Strachan is struggling to cope with injury problems which peaked after Saturday's Clydesdale Bank Premier League win over Motherwell, when he was left with a full team of injured players.

To help prevent the possibility of any more casualties ahead of the visit of Kilmarnock on Wednesday night, Celtic's training has been restructured appropriately but Strachan waved away concerns about more problems at Hampden and praised the patriotism of his Scottish internationals.

"There are a few players like Glenn Loovens, Georgios Samaras and Shunsuke Nakamura back but training has been non-contact," Strachan said.

"We have tried our best not to have any contact in our training because we have so many people injured at the moment.

"There's nothing I can do about players being called up. If they are called up, they are called up, and we will get on with it.

"Six of the guys participated in the last Scotland game.

"To get six players in the same international side is some going.

"I'm proud if them. I'm proud that none of them felt it was too much for them and they wanted to play and George is pleased with them.

"He is absolutely delighted with the Celtic lads."

Strachan, who revealed Artur Boruc's operation on a knee injury yesterday had been a success, insists his non-contact training drills will have no impact on preparations for the visit of Kilmarnock.

"It's not really unusual," he said.

"You can keep it to crossing and shooting, passing without any pressure, technique - there's loads you can do without contact.

"I can assure you there is plenty to do and plenty to keep them fit.

"Our fitness is okay at the minute anyway because we are playing enough games, so it is about resting and making sure we have enough players to make 11.

"It's the worst (injury situation) since I've been here but I've not mentioned it.

"We just want to get on with it but people just keep bringing it up and I'm answering questions on it.

"We are doing all right at the moment.

"We had a fantastic victory against Motherwell so we are doing fine."

Strachan remained circumspect when asked about newspaper reports claiming he is interested in Barcelona left-back Sylvinho.

He said: "I will keep to what I've been doing for the last three and a half years.

"If the player is at another club, I can't speak about it."

Draw tomorrow at 3pm for the CO-OP Cup, anyone else feel its been a while since a final against the enemy and this season would just be nice to have one.
I know this is the least of our priorities but a trophy is a trophy and would stop their drivel about a treble in its tracks.

Bookies giving any odds on a re-draw if Celtic get drawn with Falkirk.

http://www.cscbadges.co.uk/html/scotland_a-e.html

http://www.cscbadges.co.uk/html/scotland_f-l.html

http://www.cscbadges.co.uk/html/scotland_m-z.html

Count the number of Saltires on these CSC´s

Look at how old they are.

Somebody not being paying attention in class these last 60 years ?

captain crosas,
I still think we need a left back

awe naw

first link shows 76 badges and 6 saltires as expressed by the huns many celtic variations i will give you that.

All are combined with the tricolour the harp or the shamrock.

Face it you go to an old firm game the huns have the saltire.

This debate is pointless but another example of how this site has drifted to the brit side of life.

A shocking example for any celtic minded site.

As i said what next the last corrie at half time of the three hun tenors.

canamalar,

I hear you. The form of willo though is looking good. If only he was 6 inches taller, possessed a left foot, could cross from the left and defend back post crosses he would be a great left back. Ok smarty pants, we need a left back. Sylvinho anyone?

CC

gweedorebhoy,
your in a bit of a fiesty mood eh :oD

Songs....Poppy's......Now badges. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Jog on

Genius:
Buckie Bhoys CSC Buckfast
Johnny Cash CSC Braemar Bar Light
Roy Milne Posse CSC Alloa

gweedorebhoy,

do you have a British passport ?

Awe naw

I have a british passport but I normally speak in an irish accent at passport control just to confuse the plods

CC

Gweedorebhoy, as I said,I am not advocating the saltire on the shirt nor was I the one who mentioned flying saltires or taking saltires to the games. St Michael's Bhoy was probably right. I should have said nothing that would upset sensitivities,(one way traffic on that one) though someone who mixes it the way you do is probably thick skinned enough to be okay.

Your leap to playing the british national anthems is beamonesque but at least you've moved from last week and recognise that we are not just an Irish club. I don't suppose you'll ever get round to puting Scots before Irish?

Yes, I do go to games. I wouldn't want you to think I was in the SofaCSC

Gweedore- the huns are fond of flying the Union flag rather than the Saltire.

The vast majority of the Celtic support are born, living and working in Scotland, and have been for generations. They will be a mix of Irish/Scots/English blood mainly, with other nationalities thrown in for good measure. We get enough hostility from the 'natives' from not being Scots enough without getting it from our Irish friends for not being Irish enough.

Sometimes we can't win ;~)

Celtic have always been inclusive ,and much less bothered about ethnic and religious purity than the other lot. Once you start to discuss whether someone or something is 'Celtic minded' then that denies the ethos the Club was founded on.

Canamlar

Feisty or fighting probably both.

I’m sick of seeing things on here, which bear no reality to the games I go to see, the people I go along with to see them or the people I sit beside.

I go to every home match and most away games.

At the away games, it’s the same old crowd you see as most of us get the tickets the same way through the CSCS. Its people my age around 40 and perhaps a few of the young lads who will replace us in years to come.

I see tri colours, I see the starry plow I see Irish and Scottish republicanism and a deep love for our club.

I see passionate chanting and songs of hope, joy and history.

I do not see people disgracing celtic or making people ashamed.

At the home games, I sit with people I have known since our new temple was erected.

A diverse crowd from taxis drivers, construction managers to police sergeants.

Each one of us with an Irish background, Catholicism at our roots and a sense of defiance against the Hun.

I do not see people embarrassed to be celtic, Irish or catholic.

I do not see people who would bend the knee to the Hun media and strip our club bear of its history and its culture just for a quite life and just to ensure the Huns get punished for the famine song.

They stop that they will move onto another fascist, sectarian or racist chant.

They are scum they will not change.

It’s strange but kojo said something sensible a few nights ago which was

The British are allowed to remember but the Irish must forget.

I do not forget what celtic is, was and always will be to me.

Most on here won't like it but funny enough i dont care.

awe naw

Scots born but irish passport

Some days this blog is just like when we take my gran's cat bowser to the vet and he ends up getting barred for causing a breech of the peace. The vet says if they had ASBOs for cats Bowser would be head of the queue.

I have this on my iPod. It is a bit like a Scottish folk song

It would be great to hear it sung at Celtic Park before a big European game.

gweedorebhoy -

What? No capital initial for our club?

Celtic.

You even gave Hun a capital!!

8-)))

Lycru

podium67

sheena easton = scotlands sinead o'connor

moving hearts

re auldheid 1.48 And your point is?

We are missing the point.

gweedorebhoy,
so yer speaking for yourself or everyone you mention?
sorry pal the crowd is too diverse even the away crowd for you to claim how they all feel, I'm thinking its how you feel when your there, and good on you, but I dont remember relinquishing my "best celtic fan" title to anyone :oD
its only me who is allowd to speak for all Celtic supporters and thats only when I've had enough of the magic elixir :oD

ragnarhairybreeks

Me. This morning after some inspiration, coming funnily enough from something Roughie said on the Real Radio Phone in about how the dead would prefer applause by many rather than broken silence by a few.

That got me thinking......

I’d like to make a general point. We are a football club not a political party seeking election. We don’t have to appeal to people, newspapers, organisations etc We’re not trying to attract floating voters.

I rarely read Celtic boards these days as the vast majority of content relates to political type chat. None of this impacts our injury list, our tactics, Champions League prospects etc I think there was less thought put into Obama’s election campaign than there is to some of the ‘issues’ surrounding Celtic.

I now find it strange when I talk to Spurs and West Ham fans and they talk about what happens on the pitch.

Captian Crosas

Why thank you. I was once asked to run for President by an American friend now gone alas, but I think a wee green midget is too far even for an emerging more enlightened America. :)

(To explain: I have an Avatar of Yoda wielding a green and white light sabre on another site)

Captain Crosas- Sinead is like the coolest nun in the Universe.

And just like Sheena she sang a song by Prince, but it was much better than when he sang it.

canamalar

I’m only speaking for the people I know and I know a lot of celtic supporters. I also have a lot of brothers two of whom post on here. Can you guess?

Of course I can’t speak for everyone that would be daft and i would never claim to do that. Also I would never denegrate anyone of any religion or colour who is part of the celtic family.

It’s only on here that every celtic fan is supposedly ashamed of rebel songs, legitimate poppy protests or the fact that spending money on players is tantamount to financial suicide.

However with a few pints in me everyone who does not support celtic is a hun. Should that be lower or upper case i forget.

Looking at some of the posts on here and I tell you the spirit of Harry Swan lives on on this site eh? Disgraceful if you ask me.

Funny how most of the people who complain post right up to kick off and through the game, now unless there has been an explosion of BlackBerrys in the world that means you're not at the game!

Fair play to Gweedorebhoy and Dublinbhoy for sticking up for what they believe, this site is getting more and more sticky as the weeks pass, funny how none of it actually filters through to the games hmmmmm funn that!

DD

South London Tim.

Indeed, but then they are not Kelts.

hey paul67 man, word in the afterlife is that youve got a happening site for all us celtic fans man. did you know i paid a visit to paradise in 67 paul67 man. what a trip man, went with janis but she got thrown out man for being ugly, not like me dude, i am the lizard king, i can do anything man, whoa, hey come on!!!

Gweedorebhoy,

some of us dont have that option. In fact most of us are British whether we like it or not.

The only time my Celtic supporting credentials have ever been called into question in my life was here on CQN and it was due to the ferocity of my disgust with regards joint sponsorship deals with the huns. Now that does prove how broad a shop we truly run ?

I am proud to be Scottish. I have a Scottish Catholic mother and had a Scottish Protestant father. I am proud of my roots. I cant be anything else. I dont feel British but living abroad I am classified as a brit btw no matter how hard you tried you would too if you were talking in a Scottish accent!!

Q) Now how can you confuse this malaise even further ?

A) Marry a German and have German kids :-)

I have lived in England and Germany for many years and found it sad how fragmented Scottish and N. Irish society really is. Far more fragmented that say England or Germany based on religious differences. I have a British passport. I haven´t met a Scot that didn´t possess one.

My son loves Celtic. He cant quite get to many games being located in Frankfurt but he is on the sofa watching all live games. He has already started to question why my business trips always seem to coincide with Celtic playing away in the CL. I cant take him to these games as he would miss school and I am not prepared to do that. I am prepared to lie to him knowing the trouble that would arise. In a lot of ways his love of Celtic is borne from the Father and son relationships that are so dominant within Celtic culture. I despise the SFA more that I despise joint Old-Firm ;-) commercial deals. I have been to Ireland twice and have no living relations there that I know off. My son has a Saltire up in his bedroom. His choice ..now if he was to put the tri colour up I would have no problems with it. If he was to try and claim some kind of Irishness I would be worried. The Irish link was tenuous enough for me .. but for him ...I´d worry that he would be diagnosed as suffering from some kind of disorder.

There seems to be a mis conception amongst some of our Irish support that we are all somehow pining to be Irish. That Ireland and catholicism is the only reason that we are Celtic supporters.

I can´t and wont speak for anyone else but the only reason I support Celtic as far as I am aware is Jimmy Johnstone. That´s my honest recollection. I may have been influenced along the way over external non football matters and warned never to marry a hun but in the end I did and it gets even more complicated. Especially one that now speaks in a Scottish accent - now that is interesting when I come home !

Do I need more than a love of an infant watching Jimmy Johnstone getting hacked down and getting back up again for more treatment, this time with the socks rolled down. Basking in that defiance. That he was doing it for me and me being wee to that he was somehow like me. That he was the best. The under dog that never gave up and always came back for more and usually ended up victorious. It may be a thumbnail sketch of what Celtic is one thing is for sure it is not defineable.

yours in Celtic

Awe naw

Gweedorebhoy,

Im not ashamed to say that I'm proud of being born in Scotland By default my flag is the Saltire. Sorry if that annoys you. I think you know that Celtic are a club who welcome support from all all nationalities, yes even Scottish.... or English for that matter.

You are one of the posters that i never skip on this blog as you come accross as passionate and genuine about Celtic as anyone.
You have been on the site from very early on as have I.
Your remarks about this being a brit site is intended to offend people who hold a different opinion than you. I have to say I didnt expect that from you. I dont read about anyone wanting to march down the queens highway or wanting to include rule britania on our song sheet.

Flippin Heck, Im away for a cup of tea.

SouthLondonTim
"We’re not trying to attract floating voters."

Yes we are, why else are the team dragged all over the world to play pre season friendly's, to attract the imagination and money of the locals, Japan, America and Poland.

amca

Re TFS Have you written to the polis? ;)

Seriously it is the only legitimate avenue open to us for addressing this sore.

aw naw

We are indeed a broad church and we all fight our cornor.

I just wish everyone was a celtic fan!

I could never have a brit passport i would have been a hypocrite

Donegaldanny,first of all, I am going to assume for the moment that I am not in your catch all "disgraceful" description since I have not resorted to personal abuse at any time and have consistently said that I have no axe to grind with people having the views they have...so,yes,I agree...fair play to the guys you mention for sticking up for what they believe in but you surely must accept that others have a right to a viewpoint also....and sticking up for what they believe in. The more intemperate language,on both sides of the debate,that has been used is regrettable and disappointing.

sent from my blackberry (joke! honest)

I qualify for a German passport under the Brussels Nacho Novo ruling.

Q) What would ingratiate me most to staunch Irish republicans. A British or German passport ?

Hint: It´s a piece of paper

Been out most of the day and just read back though most of the posts - well who reads every one?

I think we have a game tomorrow!

If Naka is back that will bolster the midfield - is Sean fit? A dead leg shouldn't keep him out too long.

It would be good to see Big Ben and Koki get some playing time - hopefully after about 70 minutes when we are 3 or 4 up.

It will be good to be playing at the same time as them for a change. I miss the days of radios, rumours of goals, etc. Hopefully we will end the night more than just the two points clear at the top.

Harry Swan? My gran's neighbour is Harry Swan. When my granpa was alive he used to go with Mr Swan to the Legion for a pint and a game of dominoes. Harry Swan is one of the few people Bowser will allow in to my gran's house without going psycho on them.

I expect it's a different one.

Touch and go for Sean since I would expect it takes 3 days to resurrect a dead leg

Corrib04

My comments are aimed at those who would harry swan like take the tri colour down and water down our history.

I had a big debate before the last old firm game of last season about the idea of reclaiming the saltire. As i sat in the north stand lower the posters who said they would bring one to the game seemed not to be there or perhaps they were in the hun end.

I intend to offend no one. I intend to use this site as we do others to fight our cornor.

Some on here would label us social misfits, malcontents and stuck in the past. We are seen as a section of the broad church that clings to what others do not want the future celtic to be.

I am a marketing professional and have the published work to prove it. Take it from me.

Japan and the like will be but sidelines for us. Remember the best rule of marketing work with the existing customers first.

Yes adapt but not at the cost of wiping out the entire species first.

If i have offended anyone then that was not the intention.

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend.. South London Tim @5.00

Your point is sharp..my friend..

Howevahhhhhhhhhhh.

When ye talk aboot supporters of anither team.. ye ur speaking aboot followers o a completely different Ilk.

Fur ye see, if Celtic Supporters wur being Honest.. on reflection,they wid admit,that the fact that they follow Celtic has a loat mair tae dae with their Brand of Politics, rather than their Appetite fur the finer things of the Beautiful Game.

The Love fur Celtic by their Supporters is Real.But, I am speaking of the Political Reasons that encouraged their ancestors to follow the Celtic Football Club, in the foist place..way back when..in the mists of Time.

And naturally, it follows that the Apples that fall from those Original Trees,are Stamped Accordingly.

There'saStrong Political Streak that rails agin the sufferage o' the Crown,in the attitude of maist of the decendants of those Original Celtic Followers.. which is carefully passed down,from faither tae son and reverently maintained for posterity.

Noo,ye know why... pal.. wonder nae mair.

Kojo.
yer pal..who like ye a loat.

Awe_Naw @5.10,

I have similar family tree, although I probably inherited my love of Celtic from my Dad, who started standing in the Hayshed about 1930, with his father.

I couldn't agree more with you about our inclusiveness. It is what the very word CELTIC means. We are not Irish Republican Catholics, although we may have those among us. We welcome all, who share our love of Celtic. As Sir Robert Kelly said, "we are for Celtic and against nobody". He also said something which some of our Irish alone support might find odd: "our colours are green and white Not green white and gold." It was the expectation of that particular group to identify themselves as the only real Celtic supporters and belt out IRA ballads at away grounds that stopped me going to away matches about 10 years ago (when I was about 50).

My Dad longs for the day when the support will wave the Saltire. He delights whenever he sees it at Celtic Park.

Watched the Joe Calazghe-Roy Jones fight in the early hours of Sunday morning. A tremondous win by Joe and great respect shown by the big Welsh support to the American national anthem This was in stark contrast to the boorish mob in the recent Ricky Hatton fight fight in Vegas.
Good piece in the Sunday Independent on Cillian Sheridan. Young Sheridan played with Bailieboro Shamrocks and was considered an outstanding GAA prospect. But if Celtic scouts didnt get to him first, somenone else would have - and not just in professional soccer either. Scouts from Aussie Rules team, The Brisbane Lions had picked him up on their radar while he was playing for Cavan but he chose Celtic instead. Afraid of Ferdinand and Vidic - definitely not.

donegaldanny,

there are many reasons why Celtic supporters cannot make it to the game even on a regular basis. You casting suspicion on their credentials or the strength of those credentials does you a complete disservice.

Hail Hail

I'm thinking 4-5-1 tomorrow night, better safe than sorry :oD

If Loovens is fit for tomorrow then I´d play him with Mick and push Caldwell up into midfield so that he can kick some Killie backside. God knows it needs kicking after their abject meek surrender on Sunday

Gweedorebhoy,
DBBIA said it better than I could. 11/11/08 - 4.33

'We get enough hostility from the 'natives' from not being Scots enough without getting it from our Irish friends for not being Irish enough.'

Fair enough. I know you were not deliberately setting out to offend and you tell it as you see it. (Hence the reason that you are never skipped!)

Truth be told, my blood is 100% irish but born and raised in Scotland. Now living in Ireland, in the not too distant future I will have spent as many years in Ireland as I had in Scotland (25 in Scotland). I am caught defending the Scots and the Irish in equal measure and feel passionate about both.

Anyway, Hail Hail

Donegal Danny. I don't get to many games, I watch a lot though from the comfort of my chair at home. I love watching our fans sing loud and proud. It fills my heart with a joy that I know you know. Shame that you look upon those who cant get to the games with such disdain.

Awe_Naw,
wait a minute, I've only got one finger, and I drag myself back from manchester every weekend and half the time they're no even there, where do they go :oD
So to make excuses for some is just no good enough

Canalamar- is that 4 for Cillian, 5 for Scottie and 1 for God-like Gary?

In looking for a symbol that would unite rather than separate I suggested in Speaking for The Dead to use the symbol for eternity.

There are a few eternity symbols but after a wee browse around I found many sites with this symbol (see link).

How spooky is that? :O)

http://altreligion.about.com/library/glossary/symbols/bldefscelticknots.htm

Dbbia,
its no laughin matter, its sbout this time last year we started getting cocky innit.

well maybe just a wee snigger then

Corrib 04,

there are plenty of good Celtic fans that can no longer afford to watch Celtic and thats having followed them for decades, OAP´s , unemployed, low income people, weekend workers, those who have immigrated, those whose wifes will batter them if they go, those with young children or relatives etc.

What type of person would call their credentials into question? If your an imposter then fair enough but if your on CQN posting then that surely is enough indication how much you feel for Celtic , especially if you have been doing so for a long time.

Awe_Naw,
yer right, Ed I hope you listening, jump the dike, go on, go on ,go on, we now know why your here :oD

canamalar,

If you take your one finger out the dike then maybe you´ll get a jump from Ed ;-)

beardsunitedCSC

Awe Naw at 5.48

I hope you don't mind me pointing thiss out but I think you may have got Corrib 04 mixed up with someone else. His post actually agrees with yours. How are the media going to react to Celts who agree fighting. 0-)

Awe_Naw,
no need to mock the inflicted and leave the dikes alone too.
fingerbobsCSC

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend.. canamalar.

You ..I see.. have suggested the ole..tried and true...

4-5-1 Team formation.

Howevahhhhhhhh...

I am for a far more bolder and.. Dare I mention It?.. a far more exciting and entertaining.. Team Formation.. so ..
throwing Caution tae the winds..

I shall Indeed...Dare... to mention it~

I plump for...

the

4-2-4 Team Formation..

As a matter of fact.. I have ayeways Plumped fur the...4-2-4 formation.
But every time I have brought the matter up...
I have been shouted down by the Technocrats amongst us..

Who, I am afraid, seem to Know everything that there is to know concerning..

Just Why.. the 4-2-4 Team Formation..at least that is their claim..

Their studied opinion is...4-2-4 formation...

Wullnae Woik.. Noo a days..as it is a hoary idea of the dim past.

In modern football.. that kind of exciting and attacking formation.. simply dinna woik

I say...

Oh, Yeah?

And why wid ah say that?

Well, partly because.. Ah dinna know whit else tae say~ but also... it is my way of saying .. Prove it!

Fur ye see..

Ah hiv nevah, evah, seen the auld fashioned 4-2-4 Attacking Formation.. given an honest try in recent times..

So....

Why no run that idea up the Flagpole... and see if it Flies?

At least, my detractors..if it disnae woik..have the pleasure of telling... yours sincerely...

"See.. Ah told ye so!"

So .. Mr. Strachan... gie it a shot..wull ye.?

Kojo.
yer pal .. who likes ye a loat.

gweedorebhoy - I cant stand the saltire or lion rampant, one ostracises any scots man or woman who isnt christian, the other pays homage to the house of windsor. Come independence I hope we create a new vibrant flag which has no religious or monarchical ties.

I better go and make the kids' tea 'cause I can feel the schoolboy jokes just building up with all this talk about fingers in dykes

1. About 75-80% are still Catholics in terms of baptism at least. It still dictates to a large degree what one considers a credible option in club choice. No surprising really.

2. Many big Celtic fans have a much more recent Irish connection than the famine period, often a grandparent, suggesting immigration in the 50s produced more recent immigrants who are more strongly attracted to the Irishness of Celtic than say Hibs where the Irish seem to be more overwhelmingly from the 19th century. That probably reflected in Hibs Irish background being only lightly reflected these days.

3. Despite that, it also became clear the majority of youngish Celtic fans are of mixed parentage or at least grandparentage in terms of the big divide, very commonly with mixed parentage with 50-50 backgrounds.

4. The overwhelming majority defined themselves Scottish (often relating to Scots heroes like Bruce, Wallace etc) above Irish, even if this sometimes seems odd given the heavy Irish symbolism. Many seem to have bought into a (pretty naive) post-Braveheart) pan-Celticism where Scots are seen as victims of the English too and so its easy to create this kind of Scottish-Irish rebel identity. The idea is also common among Americans.

5. I think it was about 75 or 80% support Scotland before Ireland although a significant number abstain.

6. Politically they are very mixed. As well as republicans, some are new/old Labour, a good few are still far left folk, a good few are SNP. In the last decade or so the SNP has as big a vote among Catholics as Protestants, something not true 20 or 30 years ago. I have met and talked to a surprising number of tim Tories too.

All of this is a bit confusing but it is clearly wrong to imply the Celtic support are purely Irish descent people born in Scotland who are republican and are catholic. I would be surprised if even a quarter of our Scottish fans ticked all those boxes, possibly far far less than even that. We are a mixed blood group of complex and varied identities and political creeds.

Joe Biden VP elect secret service code name "CELTIC"!! A big tim at the white house!!

Cadizzy,

no no I wasn´t confused I was just picking up on his point that he and I had made with regards Donegaldanny and the attendance factor. How many fathers in Scotland pay for 2 or 3 of their bhoys to go to the game and so they bow out ? How many actually have to play the game rather than go and see Celtic ?

Peace, Love and Understanding CSC

Methinks Real Radio got a wee boot in the haw maws - Inappropriate to discuss Celtic's decision to have a minutes applause.

Cadizzy

p.s you have a filthy mind. Wash your hands before you make the tea ;-)

If you want a laugh please listen to this wind up

A Great radio wind up

if anyone watched the excellent Scottish history programme on BBC on Sunday night, they'll know that we all descended from a mix of Scots and Irish (the Picts and the Gaels) long before the 19th century

themanfromghordknowswhere, where did you get those stats?

Cadizzy,
If I'm not mistaken Awe_naw was referring to the latter part of my post at 5.42. regarding my comment to DonegalDanny.

Cadizzy you shit stirrer! :)

In Galway there is an excellent theatre facility called 'The Black Box' Its address is Dyke Road, Galway.....

What?...what did I say? Oh come on...please!...Google it!

Pujol said
'Regarding the waving or wearing of saltires, count me out. In my opinion, the flaunting of one's national flag in one's own country (any country, not just Scotland) is a bit sinister. Who is the intended target of the show? Foreigners in the country? Immigrants?

Fair enough, wave it while following your national team, but if two club sides are both waving the same flag, what's the point? Let's stick to the tricolour, and flags of other "outsiders". That's what we are about'

my reply:

I find that a very strange sort of logic. I thought you were going to conclude that no national flags should be there which seemed the logical conclusion to your piece then you left me astounded of forehead with the punchline. Surely if you are concluding that nationalism/patriotism/jingoism is at the core of the problem then dump all national flags, not keep one. Note too that the triclour is not the flag of an outsider for the Irish born element in our support.

I could go either way - either none or a more representative selection which would certainly have to include the saltire as well as the tricolour.

Good old donegal danny and gweedore bhoy.

Every day its the same old story.

According to them, you are not a proper Celtic supporter unless you see yourself as Irish, sing rebel songs all day long, and go to every game irrespective of your personal circumstances.

The poster who said that we get a hard enough time off the Scots for not being Scottish enough and a hard time off the likes of those two for not being Irish enough hit the nail on the head.

kojo,
yer right, why the hell not
and ma burd wants to play 5-5
I think, why the hell not?
so after he's played your 4-2-4
and after he's played her 5-5 formations
then he'll listen to me :oD

canamalar who likes to like yea

hail hail

Being a Scottish born man, Scottish father, grandparents etc but son of an Irish Mother, (Dublin, Donegal, Buncrana), and all grandparents thereon Irish, maybe I would be allowed to say that I am ashamed of the country of my birth because of the instituitionalised racism against Irish people that is endemic in my homeland, Scotland.
I actively attempt to make some small changes to this by various forms of agitation and protes. Alas we live in an uneducated, intolerant, anti Irish community that somehow still cleaves to the belief that they are indeed, "the peepil" and somehow superior.
However I feel that anyone who genuinely cares about this issue should never provide the kind of "open goals" that some on this forum advocate.
The poppy debate, the ill advised song sheet and the Irish claim on Celtic.
I love Celtic, I understand it's traditions and history, I look forward to every game at Paradise and I fully understand that Celtic IS a Scottish club with Irish roots and connections. While we embrace our Irish heritage, Celtic is NOT an Irish club, never will be, and those who wish to rebrand it as such, do us all a disservice.
I would have loved to have been born and bred in Ireland but I wasn't, I was born here in Scotland, so I have to deal with it.
Celtic are the same.
We should not be making it harder for the club we love to maintain their dominance. We should not be making easier for the racists to say "they are the same as us".
We have to be better than that. We have to be CELTIC.

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend.. canamalar.

See?.. tae agree wi me..dinna hoit.. efter awe.

My Motto is... if it dinnae woik... then don't try it again~( Well.. that is so wise,pal.. why disnae,Mr.Strachan realise that,then?...d)( Search, me pal.. but he still insists in playing Wan Man up Front. in agin the Big Yins in the C.L. and ah keep oan tellin' him.. it disnae woik!)

Kojo.

yer pal... who likes tae like ye

Come all you young rebels and list while I sing
For love of ones land is a terrible thing
It banishes fear with the speed of a flame
And makes us all part of the patriot game

My name is O'Hanlon, I'm just gone sixteen
My home is in Monaghan there I was weaned
I learned all my life cruel England to blame
And so I'm part of the patriot game

It's barely a year since I wandered away
With the local battalions of the bold IRA
I read of our heroes and wanted the same
To play up my part in the patriot game

They told me how Connolly was shot in a chair
His wounds from the fighting all bleeding and bare
His fine body twisted all battered and lame
They soon made me part of the patriot game

This Ireland of mine has for long been half-free
Six Counties are under John Bull's Monarchy
But still DeValera is greatly to blame
For shirking his part in the patriot game

I don't mind a bit if I shoot down police
They are lackeys for war never guardians of peace
And yet at deserters I'm never let aim
The rebels who sold out the patriot game

And now as I lie with my body all holes
I think of those traitors who bargained and sold
I'm sorry my rifle has not done the same
For the Quislings who sold out the patriot game

5-0 for Celtic tomorrow night, the spirits have gave me the vision, whoa, yeah, come on!!!

I used to get a hard time off my supporters' bus mates for not having a Tim enough name. I have absolutely no Irish bloodline that I know of. I shouldn't have to justify myself to anyone. My reasons for supporting Celtic are lost in the mists of time, but as a young girl in the early 80s, I'm pretty sure a fleeting crush on Charlie Nicholas was involved (don't worry, I'm well over it now!). I have no interest in singing rebel songs, waving a tricolour or having to apologise for not being able to afford to go to away games. None of this makes me any less of a Celtic supporter than anyone else on this site.

Anyway, I do believe we have a game tomorrow. I don't care if Naka's fit or not, we're not sending him out against the hammer-throwers (Ayrshire division) to get kicked again.

Awe_Naw - I didn't know that McGonagall had an Irish relative ;-)

oneantonrogan

is your real name elizabeth windsor?

Ulster-Celt

lanarkcelt,

Wullie Topaz ?

"I am your gracious Majesty
ever faithful to Thee,
William McGonagall, the Poor Poet,
That lives in Dundee." RIP

jaradthescot

I actually cut off the start of that post when pasting it from word (which I do to spell check). They are not exactly stats. They are observations based on threads and polls on religion, nationality, Irish roots and international football, mainly from Celtic websites inhabited by a considerably younger punter than seems the norm here. I am always struck by the generational difference in opinions on things nationalistic.

Auldheid on November 11, 2008 6:08 PM

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

The Other L Hamilton @ 10:26am,

Sorry mate. My apologies for grasping the wrong end of the stick.

oneantonrogan,

Can't we put Naka on for the last 10mins just to hit the 6th in from another free kick? The more misery we pile on that miserable, moaning, sour-faced Jeffries the better I'll feel. (Naka would enjoy it as well)

So we're back onto the 'what credentials do you need to be a Celtic fan'.

Does it matter what background you're from as long as you love the club? It took me quite a while to feel comfortable enough to say on this site that I'm 100% Scottish and proud of it. I have no Irish connections and I couldn't even get to Parkhead until I was 15 as my mother is from the highlands in Scotland and she didn't want me supporting either of Glasgow's big two. My father never took me to Parkhead when I was younger. He was an avid footballer but never went to see a club team but always went on the Wembley weekends. Anything for a booze up.

mountain_bhoy

The lion rampant pays homage to the house of windsor WTF?

If you know your History? Try reading Nigel Tranter if you want to know about Scottish History

King "the Lion" William I of Scotland who lived from 1143 to 1214, adopted a heraldic device showing a rampant lion, the king of beasts, rearing up with three paws stretched out. This became the royal coat of arms in Scotland. The lion was also incorporated into the Great Seal of Scotland which was placed on all official documents.

When the royal coat of arms was being designed, the lion rampant was incorprated, with the Latin motto "Nemo me impune lacessit" meaning "No one attacks me with impunity". In Scots, that became "Wha daur meddle wi' me?"

Too bad. If we could get some form of official Celtic Census I have a feeling it would make for some very interesting reading.

I am Scottish, of Scottish parents. My parents parents were Scottish. Their parents were Irish. I couldnt give a fig about this argument. are we a Scottish club? are we an Irish club? I couldnt give a monkeys. All I know is that Celtic is MY club. My dad brought me up on Celtic. I love the songs, I love the fans, I love the heritage, the morals, history, everything about Celtic. I love Scottish Celtic supporters, I love Irish Celtic supporters, I love any Celtic supporters anywhere in the world because they love Celtic, just like me. So all you Scotland v Ireland are we are we not timewasters out there, We are Celtic, WE!! are Celtic, no -one owns us, not Scotland, not Ireland we are from all over, we are one club of many faiths, historys and beliefs.

Hail Hail

CC

A Celtic Census may well be interesting in an academic sense - but it could also be incredibly divisive.

I'm a Celtic supporter and proud of it. I've been a fan for close on 40 years. I haven't missed many home games in years, although living in Glasgow makes it easier for me to go to games than it is for a lot of our support.

I could outline the nationality, politics and religious beliefs or otherwise of several generations of my family but I won't. Because none of that is in any way relevant. It doesn't make me any more or less of a Celtic fan.

Can't we simply concentrate on our shared love of our club and stop trying to split ourselves into categories?

Not had the time to read all psts so av skirted.

Gweedorebhoy 4.38 well said.

If we as Celtic fans behaved in every way impeccably,the people who currently hate us would still hate us.

The Irish aspect of Celtic is the thread that holds everything together,pick at that thread and it will unravel.

We would become just another club.

Auldheid
@ 1:48 pm

That is the best post on here today.

On TFS

Looks like wee Georgie boy has just volleyed their "Poppycock" return back over the net.

'FAMINE SONG' CAMPAIGN TAKEN TO PARLIAMENT

By Craig Woodhouse, PA Political Staff

A campaign to stop Rangers fans from singing an offensive song about Scotland's Irish Catholic community reached Parliament today.

Respect MP George Galloway tabled a question asking Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy if he would hold discussions with Holyrood ministers on "instances of anti-Irish racism at football matches involving Scottish clubs".

Galloway was referring specifically to a chant known as 'The Famine Song' which has gained increasing popularity among Rangers fans this season and even prompted the club to warn its supporters they could be arrested for singing it.

It refers to the Irish famine of the 1840s which killed an estimated one million people and sparked mass migration to Scotland, and contains the line: "The famine is over, why don't you go home?"

Junior Scotland minister Ann McKechin said she and Murphy had not discussed anti-Irish racism at football matches involving Scottish clubs with the Scottish Government.

She added: "Tackling such issues falls to the Scottish Football Association and Scottish football clubs, in conjunction with the police. Sport and policing are devolved matters."

Rangers received a number of complaints about the song following the Old Firm derby with Celtic in August, prompting them to warn their fans against singing it.

But the chant has provoked a wider campaign against it, with Irish diplomats contacting the Scottish government following complaints about the behaviour of Rangers supporters.

It is not the first time the club's fans have been involved in controversy. In 2006 Rangers were forced by UEFA to urge supporters not to sing 'The Billy Boys', which contains sectarian lyrics.

They were also fined by European football's governing body for crowd disturbances following a Champions League match against Villarreal.

And in May, Rangers fans clashed with police in Manchester after television screens due to show the UEFA Cup final match against Zenit St Petersburg failed.

Outside the Commons, Galloway - a Celtic fan - said the song was the latest instalment in a long-standing anti-Irish campaign among Rangers fans.

"To be fair to the club, they have tried to clamp down on their fans for behaviour like this, but the fans use a lot of illusion and symbolism," he said.

"Last season it was the Big Jock Knew campaign, but this season they have moved on to The Famine Song. Whenever they are pulled up they move on to another song.

"As a former Glasgow MP, I have had a lot of complaints from former constituents about it since the start of the season, and bringing it to Parliament is an attempt to get the Scottish Football Association and Rangers football club to come out to have the song banned."

40-30 to Timmy.

Regardless on one's thoughts on the Famine Song, I'd be wary of allowing George Galloway to become a mouthpiece on this.

There is always an ulterior motive with him, and its seldom honourable.

Auldheid with thanks to RRC above av just read your poppy poem,outstanding and a lesson to me to take mare time when skimming over posts.

ItaliaBhoy

What?

Explain yourself

Italiabhoy

I luv Georgeous George.The man should be knighted.

eventheolivesarebleeding

I second that....That's it passed!

Terry, why glory in being a victim of racism?
Do something constructive about it.
How puerile to opine "I'm here deal with it".
It is not the Irish aspect that holds everything together.

For progress to be made, those who hate must be made to see the folly of their hatred, not given ill thought out reasons to justify their hatred, e.g they support the IRA so we are justified in telling them to go home. They can't observe Rememberance day so they must be anti British!
By claiming to be something that we are not,Irish, just to antagonise them, is detrimental to the Celtic family and diminishes us and the Irish people.

Italia Boy

He's not one I would have chosen in terms of ticking acceptability boxes, but no one else with a high public profile is running with it.

Besides what is going on is perefectly clear.

The government say it is a problem for the police and for football authorities. I have their letter telling me I posted it here yesterday plus a copy of mine to the police.

Neither have actually done anything direct and the louder and longer we ask "Why not" the better the chance of getting an answer.

Anything worth doing takes effort.

Auldheid 1.48pm

Great post.

No More War.

Terry O Neil

Many thanks. I have to thank Alan Rough of Real Radio for the inspiration. Odd bedfellows indeed.

Feel free to pass it on - speak for the dead.

Gweedorebhoy

Over the past couple of weeks those among us who have defended the singing of Irish nationalist songs and criticised the clubs stance over the Poppy farce have been castigated on this board being called everything from bampots to bigots and at least one regular poster has been so disgusted by the abuse he's recieved that he's walked away from posting here.

Not living in Scotland anymore I cannot claim to know if this represents the general feeling amongst the support but I do know its a million miles form The Celtic support I grew up with.

narrowboat tim, the lion rampant flag is a asymbol of monarchy and therefore pays homage to the house of windsor/hannover, i dont see any other monarchs populating Holyrood palace, do you?

Go Goonerettes

Somebody has got to condemn that song.

Good on George Galloway a man that has taken on the full might of the establishment

let alone some white trash huns.

I'm with George regardless of his politics unlike some on here, who are extremists.

George Galloway had a fight once with our very own Dr Reid at westminister apparently!

MC/ Gweedorebhoy,

The Celitc I grew up supporting was and still is inclusive.

The bottom line is Celtic is a Scottish Club.
We have Irish roots and history.

What we are not is a club and a support who openly attack being Scotish as if it is a crime. I am proud to be Scottish and proud to call myself a Celtic supporter.

In Scotland we have Scots and Celtic players who put their life on the line for democracy. If we choose to respect them by wearing poppys or having a minute silence then please allow us to behave in line with the traditions of our country without making us feel like we have to defend our behaviour.

If you make the decision to support Celtic please respect our Scottish domicile.

Seville67

10 PM tonight on More4- a documentary on the Thrilla in Manilla, with more emphasis on Smokin Joe's view of events than Ali's.

Could be even more interesting than the Poppy/Songs/Scottish/Irish debate on CQN.

Is it true? Will it really be over by Christmas?

Evening Ghuys

For the first time in YEARS and YEARS and YEARS I'll have to walk from the city centre to Paradise tomorrow night. London Road or Gallowgate? Does it matter?

PS George Galloway; as Celtic minded as Dr Reid.

God save Celtic from Celtic minded men.

Celtic is a club that has been open to all since 1888.

Peter Lawwell and John Reid are fond of this wee phrase that says so much. Every time I hear them say it, or read it in an official statement, my heart gives a leap.

The club says that everyone who loves Celtic is welcome.

So who is any of us to disagree.

What's the alternative?

Celtic is a club that has been open to all since 1888, but in 2008 it decided that this should no longer apply to …

…

…

… ?

It's impossible to imagine. It would be like saying the sun was cold.

KC

George Galloway had a fight once with our very own Dr Reid at westminister apparently!

Now THERE are a couple of strange bedfellows!!!

See us Tims for fighting among ourselves eh? Its like watching The Committments.

Here's something that hopefully won't cause too much controversy - who's up for a CQN Quiz Night?

I had a chat with Paul on Saturday and we're looking at something in February 2009. Get the holiday season and the credit card bills out of the way first!

I'm thinking a Saturday night of a home game and in Glasgow, so hopefully those travelling can stay over. A mix of general knowledge and some Celtic questions too. Teams of 4 paying an entry fee and competing for the prestigious title of CQN Quiz Champions! And raising cash for charity at the same time.

I'll look to confirm the date early so we can all get it in the diaries, and more details will follow early in the new year.

Views??

(Porridge and Bananas - could you drop me an e-mail??)

TGITW......continueth

This Morning 09.30

WG (on moby from work): Mum, I take it you'll be heading to 10am Mass in St Pat's this morning ?

WG'sM: Of course, son, and I'll say a prayer for each and every one of the family as I always do. Have you any special intentions in this Holy Month of November ?

WG: Yes, I especially intend to prove the Wishy Monsignor wrong. Can you steal me a traditional votive candle from the Lady Altar, mum ?

WG'sM: Indeed I will not. 15p is nothing in this day and age although when your dad and I were courting we could go to Dun Laoghaire for the weekend - separate rooms of course -, get an Aer Lingus flight back to Prestwick, stop for high tea on the way home, buy two 99s from Toni's and still have a tanner change out of three bob. Those were the days, WG Jnr. No credit crunch nonsense back then, we looked after the pennies and the punts....

WG: Mum, I don't need you to light me a votive candle. I need you to procure me one so I can compare burn time with the dimpled alternative. I'll give you 15p the next time I see you.

WG'sM: Burn time ? Dimpled alternatives ? Sure, in the month of The Holy Souls, the fires of hell......

WG: Mum, can you hand the candle into my work ?

WG'sM: I'll ask your father to do it, I won't be party to reset. Burn time, indeed! Sometimes I've no idea what I've reared. I'm just like Lee Remick out The Omen, when's the last time you had your hair.......

TBC

Gallowgate Seabee.
Pop into the pubs on the way up, Bar 67, wee man etc. good craic.

London Rd can be a bit unfriendly around Brigton Cross.

Well, The Famine and The Poppy debate has succeeded in causing quite a split in the Celtic support. Maybe we should just ignore the many wind up merchants and enjoy the football.

My gran was born in Ireland but her favourite sweet when we watch Coronation Street is the Mint Imperial. Is that ok? And she says she won't touch Werthers Originals as they are "just hard hun toffees".

Super investigative documentary on Radio 4 right now on football and finance.

Bad boys so far:

Port Vale
Luton Town

Auldheid 6.08pm,

What does your comment in regard to real radio refer to?

Swindon Town

Gordon_j 8.03

i'd be up for the quiz night, charity i take it?

Gordon J

I am up for that.

yes 53
let us ignore
cameron
traynor
young
keevins
booth
why do people listen to these morons and also boycott all the press working to castle grey scull agenda lets hurt the morons

lurgan56

booth (.) Comments on the Celtic games

56.

Just don't ignore me. You wouldn't want to miss my caustic wit and not inconsiderable football knowledge.

You going Saturday night?

Lurgan53

could not agree more.

I said last week that I was about to join the right Rev Davie Hay as I can't take much more of the politicos.

For me football is an escape for a high pressured job and a way of releasing some pent up energy and at the same time loving watching the hoops.

Right now I am really begining to wonder.

I find myself scanning the posts more and more and looking for people like WGS's gallant struggle to find the next hero.

I miss Noel and his type more than I look forward to reading about political struggles , FFS we accuse Rangers for singing about battles fought 4 centuries ago.

A few years ago Noel posted a picture from a Champions League game of the crowd from his seat at Celtic Park - I replied saying that I was in the photo and Noel came back with - " I knew you were" - simple humour but I found myself laughing at it for days.

For me that is what it is all about.

Seville67

seville 67

Of course I respect those who fought against hitler Donegal has its fair share of VCs.

I just hope you will also respect our right to remember the victims of the same british army who raped our country for 800 years. No black and tan deserves a minutes silence but a thousand years in hell.

No one is slagging scotland, just the prevading mood on this site alone amoungst celtic cyberspace to take the irish roots out of celtic by frankly many who don't even go to games.

Remember where you will see the saltire and lion rampant at the next old firm game at ibrox. It won't be in our end. Anyone who says otherwise has frankly never been to an old firm game at ibrox.

squire danaher

Good to see i am in your wee black book don't worry you won't chase me away like you did dublinbhoy and sean south. You stickies need someone to debate with.

micheal collins

Good man the more who stand up against those who would wipe our history away the better.

aye mick
keep the sound off

York City, Lord have mercy.

Cadizzy, you about ?

you keep bringing up more memories for me. jeese oh, Mandy Miller !

I started work in the old Blairs on west shaw street, and caught the bus at kilblain street ever day.

Collectively 4 of us, YOPpers from the Port, made a pact never to go to the busses alone because of Mandy.

Truelly scary and intimidating man or madam depending on his mood.

Once he had you fixed in his stare, TERROR.

Seen him onetime punch a guy clean off the deck with a cartoon slide down the bus shelter.

nightmares for me tonight.

aye 53
i will be there will you be calling or is it on to late for you lol

saint stivs fp,

Mandy was a very scary guy.

Today the kids have the same fear of CatMan - who sleeps in St Patrick door and hangs around the Celtic Club.

Seville67

Sheffield Wednesday: debt is three times turnover. “The club is desperate for a buyer.”

Gweedore,

Disappointed in you- didn't have you down as a fundamentalist on this issue.

Saturday was about respect- respect for the dead, and remembrance of the tragedy of war.

Sad that people couldn't bring themselves to respect others' right to make that simple gesture, without bringing their own politics into it.

Also, this is nothing to do with ridding the club of its Irishness. But remember this: the vast majority of Celtic fans are Scottish. The vast majority of Celtic players and staff have been Scottish. The club represents Scotland when it plays abroad, and it plays its home games in the greatest city in Scotland.

Yes, we have an Irish heritage, but the Scottish strand is without doubt the dominant gene in Celtic and its fans. That's not to minimise Celtic's Irishness- but you cannot understand Celtic if you only see the tricolour and not the saltire. The club is an amalgam and all the better and more special for that.

Therefore respecting Remembrance Day (which has for eighty years been an important moment in the Scottish calendar, for those of all religions and none) is a perfectly natural thing for the club and its fans to do.

A bit of respect for these long standing, indigenous, and peaceful traditions would have been nice.

Seville 67,

I didnt realise Catman was real, rela if you know what I mean.

I allways felt sorry for Mandy , compassion even, well until I saw him perform in public,

lets leave it that.

DrLecterCSC, North Carolina.

Seville and St stivs fp

Has mandy not passed on ,as iam sure he was nursed in the irh.

Saint Stivs fp,

very real.

After my son saw him for the first time he had sleepless nights.

Inverclyde is not short of characters.

MaggieOrabine CSC.
Seville67

celtic first
auld heid
other posters

it doesnt matter where you are, where you come from, whether you can get to games, thats what makes us different................its having celtic in your heart that counts.....thats right celtic in your heart..........I am sure there is a wee song there!!

mccluskeybrotherscsc

gweedore

I hope you realise soon that there is a big world out there that is now actually living in the 21st century.

The USA has a black president. Former IRA men are running the 6 counties.

For all its faults, the world is not all that bad a place and I'd prefer to be part of it than not. Maybe you should join us.

You know nothing of me, my ethnicity and background, and yet you deride me as a stickie. Celtic supporter does not equal Militant Republican.

You have some neck, son.

WG

Did you get to see Nafos with his new bib?

Lee

Paul

If you get the chance, I think you'd find that programme very interesting.

This is a link.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7721251.stm

It's repeated on Sunday evening as well.

In some cases, the public purse really is paying to keep football clubs going in the sense that they, collectively, owe an estimated £50m to the Revenue. Apparently, the Revenue is starting to pursue its money aggressively.

I should hope so too. That should keep it from chasing us for Mrs First's P60 details for the child tax credit thingy, about which they're being very aggressive.

Arthur -

dwarfs him

Dopey

Paul, I should warn you that, at no stage, throughout the whole of the documentary, did anyone use the word 'amortisation'.

Most disappointing.

Id 67 & Seville,

I am sleeping with the lights on tonight ....

Maggie O as well, is it not scary enough allready.

italiabhoy

Politics is a two way street, both sides are due respect. We had a minutes applause. I like many did not take my seat until after this.

My choice. I fully respect those that died fighting hitler and in the sad war of 1914-18.

However, what was not given respect is the fact that many british soldiers were murderers, rapists and torturers throughout 1914 to this present day in ireland.

Are there victims to be remembered? Seems we are not allowed to do that.

The poppy is not a symbol or rememberance to all. To many it is seen as hun triumphalism.

The fact is people are trying to use the smokescreen of putting one over the huns to rid celtic of many things which a section of the support hold dear.

This site is frankly not representative of the support but for posters to label many other celtic fans Bambots, etc is wrong.

One guy even said that the away support where all social misfits who would rebel against any authority.

Now thats fundamentalist hunnery.

soal ,

surely you mean 'priceless Celtic memorabilia' ?

Off to see if the Young Guns can hold on......

WeeGooners, N5

Made the trip back to Kirky last week, enjoyed the tension of the Manure game in the pub with other Tic fans unable to get a ticket.

My 88 year old Mum is moving home shortly so I took the opportunity to remove my football scrap books from the bottom of the wardrobe and brought them back down to the South East with me.

Had a wee look at them when I was up there. Ah, memories of the very early sixties and beyond.I was born in 1951.Some Celtic Views from 1964 to 1968,including the one immediately following Lisbon. Daily papers from the day after, not all in good condition. Some programmes from the Annual Celtic Rally including when Jimmy McGrory was Guest of Honour, also the Tommy Burns one. Good coloured magazines of the 66/67 season and of the 9 in a row achievement.

My late Dad also obtained the autographs of Jimmy Johstone, Bobby Murdoch and Evan Williams on his Kirkintilloch CSC 25th Anniversary Dinner dance ticket in 1972!

I'm looking forward to reading the Views and other memoriablia and I cut many photographs from the Times and Citizen and other newspapers and even attempted colouring the Hoops green on some.

Oh to be 10 years old again and be a Celtic Supporter.

Inverclders

Maggie O forgot about her awolf in sheeps clothing.

Irhcsc

squire

I have a brass neck. You need it on here

Seville 67

The problem is that it appears to me and many other that Celtic is now no longer inclusive if you are an Irish republican or oppossed to glorification of the British war machine or if you bring politics into the stadium that are not the politics of Dr Reid and the Celtic board.

As I've said before the club treats its Irish fans like a drunk Uncle at a family wedding. Tolerated because he's always been there but in general ignored and marginalised. It is very strange to me that the club would act in this way to a group of people who make up around an eighth of its customer base.

I've no problem with Celtic being a Scottish club but we have more than just "Irish roots and history". Our Irishness is the very reason we exist and is intertwined into the fabric of our club. Cut it away and there is no Celtic as we all know and love it.

Bring the Saltire to a game if you like but respect the rights of others to shy away from the flag. Scotland is a unique country in religious terms in that it was the only European country where almost 100% of the population converted to Calvanist protestantism and the country was at the vanguard of anti catholicism post-reformation. The anti catholic hatred that came from Calvanism has permeated through Scottish society and shapes many of the bigotted racist stereotypes that we are battling on a daily basis. This is the reason why the Saltire is seen by many including loyalists as a symbol of protestant supremacy as a flag of a nation that stoutly rejected popery. We could and should try to reclaim the flag for all Scots but until we can there will always be an element of suspicion surrounding it.

There is also the point that almost every Scottish establishment institution throughout or history has attacked Celtic in one way or another with the SFA at the forefront. Clothing ourselves in the flags of the same establishment is not soemthing that sits well with many Celtic fans I know.

If the club are serious about retaining our Irish roots then lets see it. Promote our Irishness and dont hide or be ashamed of it.

Am I right in thinking sticky is a term of abuse for those republicans who kept their socialism on at least a par with their nationalism (worker partty etc) instead of paying it lip service. A strange form of abuse. Its like 'stoops' being applied to nationalists who had a realistic vision and spirit of compromise. Well we all know that those who were once extremists now, despite being 'slow learners' (copyright Hume and Mallon) have stolen the 'stoops' clothes after a lot of loss of life pursuing the hardline.

None of this is on Wikipedia, but apparently this guy walked into York City “with nothing to my name except a ten-year-old Mazda and an overdraft of £100,000”, and persuaded the board to sell him the club for a pound.

He made all the right noises to the fans, promising them whatever they call moonbeams in Yorkshire, but a few months later sold land belonging to the club to a developer and walked off with £400k. He's now in discussion with several struggling lower league clubs and is in serious negotiation with Mansfield Town.

Be afraid.

Nafos

call it what you want

http://www.kitbag.com/stores/kitbag_4_5/products/product_maxzoom.aspx?intPID=50487&maximage=prd_maxzoom_celtic-50487.jpg

Bib

Evening Bhoys

I,ve read through nearly all of todays posts and I feel a little bit sad.

I maybe wrong but I doubt if Paul set this site up for people to discuss How Irish Celtic is / is not, what the poppy means to people etc.

Anyone else totally fed up with non football related talk on CQN today specifically and over the last week in general??

P.S. In case anyone has forgotten we have an important league game tomorrow evening.

Gordon_J, good idea regarding a cqn charity quiz.

But it raises some questions:

If there's to be 4 in a team, where would the coterie find 3 additional members?

Will the racing drivers join forces to form one formidable team or will petty jealousies mean they just crash and burn?

How many teams of splitters are allowed?

Can Leo be persuaded to "do a turn"?

Will the music round have to start after midnight?

etc etc

Chris
tooMuchTumbleWeedCSC

ld67

do you work in IRH ?

Seville67

The famous, and quite expensive, picture of the massed Celtic supporters in Seville is quite stunning. It has no equal that I know of.

For me, one thing leaps from the tapestry of Green, White and Gold… the Blue and White of the Scottish Saltire. It does not swamp your attention by its profusion, instead its sad scarcity demands your conscious acknowledgement. Consequently an awareness of the unbelievable reality that one of our very own republican, and I mean ‘our own Republican’ flag is a poor stranger to the indigenous support of our club. If it were not for that flag defiant in that picture, that picture would just be another picture for me. That flag is Jacobite, would be nice if the Celts among us remembered that.

(I’ve always found it hard to comprehend why so many Celtic supporters focus so much of their time studying Irish History at times being apathetic to the most nationalistic history that once was Scotland’s) Each to their own I suppose.

(I use the word Republican rather than Nationalistic in the first instance deliberately and I cite the Declaration of Arbroath… “It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up…” in justification)

I live for the day I get a passport that below my name will be the boast…Citizen of Scotland.

corrib 04

Taken from Scotland.org:

A sign from above
The legendary Saltire, which you see adorning public buildings, incorporated into the heraldry of major companies and painted onto the faces of the Tartan Army, dates from even earlier – to 832 AD if historians are to be believed. For it was then that an army of Picts and Scots under King Angus (or Hungus) invaded Lothian to drive out the Northumbrians. Things didn't go quite according to plan and the army found itself surrounded by an overwhelming force of the Angles under their leader Athelstan.
From here accounts differ, but a popular version tells how the King prayed for deliverance. That night, St Andrew (the Patron Saint of Scotland) appeared to King Angus and promised him victory – a victory that was assured when the following day, a white saltire or x-shaped cross (similar to the one on which Saint Andrew had been crucified), appeared in the sky. Other accounts talk of King Angus' army carrying banners made from x-shaped crosses from which a heavenly light shone. Either way, the Scots won the day and the Saltire became the flag of Scotland. It's a shame that the record-breaking Saltire (measuring 65ft by 82ft), which accompanied Scotland's World Cup squad out to Australia, didn't secure a similar victory.
You might have thought that with a story this old, there would be nothing new to report. Well, in the words of Flower of Scotland, "think again!" Following literally centuries of uncertainty surrounding the correct shade of the blue, the Scottish Parliament's education, culture and sport committee has recently decided on the optimum shade for the Scottish flag. It is to be Pantone 300, which in layman's terms is "azure" or, appropriately enough, "sky" blue.

subteranean

you missed

where will it be held? :)))

Apologies if I missed an earlier question, been busy today.

Celtic_First, thanks for the link.

Roccobhoy, I called the poppy debate a non-story last week and events in the real world suggested this was right. The entire distraction was thrust upon us by others throwing some bait.

blantyretim

The Springfield Vaults Lounge

HAil, hail

In case anyone is interested, here is the response to Galloway’s Commons move on TFS, from, you know, the usual suspects...

HSA6420 11 Nov 20:26 2 COMMONS Rangers
(reopens)

Mark Dingwall, editor of the Rangers fanzine Follow Follow, said: "I think
it's absolutely ludicrous that anybody should attempt to raise this in
Parliament or at Holyrood.

"It is, quite simply, football rivalry and a bit of mickey taking and they
should get used to it.

"Taking football rivalry into the political sphere is killing the passion in
the game."

end
HSA6430 11 Nov 20:29 3 COMMONS Rangers
(reopens)

Stephen Smith of the Rangers Supporters Trust said: "Our position is that the
song is neither racist nor sectarian.

"There are many, many Rangers fans who are of Irish descent themselves so the
idea this is racist against Irish people is completely nonsensical and does not
stand up to scrutiny."

He added that the matter being brought up in Parliament was "extremely
worrying".

"We are going to end up doing nothing but applauding each other, which would
be like going back to Victorian times. It is lunacy."

end

This site reminds me of left wing union and political organisations to which I have belonged or had some association. There was more discussion and campaigning within the group about our differences than there was about the matters which should have united us in pursuit of our stated aims.

And before long, there were splits and schisms.

soal
that all right then....
good entertainment ....

Boywithwaferthineyes

They said that because theye were doing a "special" at 7o clock about our boys in Iraq it would be inappropriate to discuss Celtic having a minutes applause.

Thats what they said. I'm maybe reading more into it, but it was no more appropriate last night than tonight, unless our boys were not in Iraq last night.

For sheer hypocrisy Real has been hard to beat.

amca

is this a monty python life of brian ref again..

i'm in the peoples front of judea...

logged on to see some insight into the big game in paradise tomorrow

but couldn't find any so i'll read my own. anybody thinking football

i hear wee maloney is out, along with the rest of the wounded. here is the team

wgs will put out.

brown hinkel caldwell mcmanus wilson
robson brown hartley nakamura
skip sheridan

hail hail
dropthepoppytalkcsc

Michael Collins

Chunks of the north of Scotland never became protestant - parts of the north-west Highlands and islands such as Moidart, Knoidart, Loch Aber, north Argyll, South Uist, Barra, Benbecula for instance. In addition the rural area inland from Aberdeenshire under the Gordons remained catholic. Also, most of Scotland north of Perth, especially the east and parts of the highlands were reluctant Presbyterians and hung on to their milder Episcopalian ministers as long as they could, sometimes to today. The hard line covenanter type Protestantism was restricted to the south-west and central area. They were later supplemented by the return of planters of the covenanter and later orange tradition from Ulster to west-central Scotland many of whose families had come from the very same part of Scotland. The two-thirds of Scotland north of Perth have very little of the more extreme forms of sectarianism. Anyone who judges Scots on the worst element of west-central Scotland doesn’t know Scotland at all.

BTW, Ireland is also guilty of being overwhelmingly Catholic. Why is that OK? Catholics in Scotland have certainly suffered heavy discrimination but its equally true that protestants have very badly weathered in numbers since the Irish Republic was established and by all accounts they were made to feel very much like outsiders and under threat even though their ancestors have often been there for 3 or 400 years.

Blantyre TIm

No, you’re the Judean People's front....SPLITTER!!!

Paul 67

cheers for that. I thought as much.

I,m Irish and I have strong views around politics, culture, heritage, religion etc but for me CQN is not the place to debate these things.

I,m football daft and I,m Celtic daft and for me CQN provides a brilliant platform to talk about football in general and Celtic in particular.

So once again Tahnk you Paul for providing us with hours upon hours of entertainment.

For me you effort in running and maintaining CQN can get overlooked but I for one am extremely grateful so once again a sincere and big Thank You to you (and probably your Wife and kids aswell)for CQN.

Hail Hail Roccobhoy

inkboy

It dos not matter what their position is. All that matters is what position the authorotoes take. So far they have said its racist and singers are liable to arrest.

Authorities have either to change the view its racist or make arrests.

The song in its entirety is racist in content. End of.

inkybhoy

I,m flying to Glasgow on Sunday morning, I,m meeting that young lady that I met at Edinburgh Airport (She is Celtic daft) and I,m taking her to Hamilton game.

I,m also heading back to Manchester in a couple of weeks to score again on Celtic,s behalf.

How are you anyway mate??

inkybhoy

what have they done for me? oh that as the romans

roccobhoy

keep the faith..

TTTT as I said to you my time will come!!!

Subterranean I think Leo will do a turn if Mandy turns up.

ld67 You also forgot about Maggie Bottles.. Maggie O sold the tele and Maggie bottles collected the bottles. If memory serves me right both were in school with my maw.

Auldheid,

I wouldn't have expected that pair to say anything other than what they did, but posted it just for the record......

Sir Paul

Your ear..

Will Paul Caddis be in the team tomorrow eve?..

And if he is... will he show everyboady who is anyboady that he is a much more profitable player than, Sean?

I am convinced he is.. but, I am a sucker for a Trier and an Instigator and a Charge for the Guns.. type of Player .. which , Molly does threaten to be..but,after running up agin a phalanx of opposing joiseys.. Molly, decides that discretion is the bettah part of valour.. and returns to his passive and ineffectual role..

Howevahhhhhhh..

Master Caddins.. does not... He tries to break thru the oppo ranks and go fur the jugular.

He takes the game to the opposition... I luv his spunk..

Verily, Verily , I say unto thee...

Master Caddis, must become a permanent fixture in the team..

He desoives ..He his earned it..and he will prove to be a Winnah.

Whatdya think,kiddo.. whadya think?

Kojo.

seville67

can ye please keep ma burd oot o this

ur I'll set MANDY on ye.

MaggieOrabineCSC

Blantyretim

How are you mate?

How is your dad keeping?

P.S. You did well to last 18 hrs off the drink!!

I might be tempted to break my cover for the quiz. Might have one other interested party to come with me, should I hold Eggheads-style auditions to see who else could join forces with us?

Rocco,

In work, bored, but OK, mate. Go to Manchester, make love, not war

BlantyreTim

Romannii ite domum - or is that something else?

roccobhoy

longer than you can stay of the fillies?
my dad is good, thanks for asking..

I see both sides of this remembrance day debate, what rubs me up is the way it is forced upon us every year, with all the parades and the royal family ever present. This should be a personal thing, not enforced. It is quite ironic that the same establishment who sent our ancestors and current countrymen to war are the same establishment who enforce us to 'remember' the tragedies of the past and present, but who also remind us quite unashmedly of the politics which they perceive as being 'right' - that of the ever present imperialist might of the british system.

I have made my own personal pilgrimage to the trenches of the western front to remember the men from my own part of the world who got slaughtered for the benefit of a few powerful people, I dont need to be told to remember.

inkybhoy

i'll need to dig out the vhs,,biggist ?

56

Will be there along with she who must be obeyed. Staying up late too!

And less of the insults if you don't mind!

You're as young as the woman you feel! LOL

Blantyretim

You are probably correct :)

I hope this will always be the case even when I get a wee bit older!!

Inkybhoy

in respect of your job I,m going to throw a few names at you via initials and I,m enquiring as to whether their sympaties lie with us or Rangers OR NEITHER

D.M (Irish surname)

G.P

J.T (THE GAFFER - Airdre apparently)

E M

C D

Celtic 5 Kilmarnock 1.....but I hope I am wrong about the Kilmarnock goal.

D.M them

G.P Who?

J.T Can't speak highly enough of Celtic Park on Euro Nights, honestly

E.M Not Sure, insignificant anyway

C.D Who?

Parks and Duncan

Seville67

I do indeed work in that lovely tower block of the irh.

ld67

Gweedore,

You say: "The poppy is not a symbol or rememberance to all. To many it is seen as hun triumphalism."

Sorry, but as a Catholic growing up in West Central Scotland, I can honestly say that it has never, ever had that connotation where I've lived/gone to school/worked. Never.

I'm afraid you might just have to accept that most Celtic fans don't see it as you do- we just don't have your outrage (thankfully). And when you are in Glasgow on Remembrance Day, I'm afraid you just have to be tolerant of the attitude that prevails here. Call it good manners.

Michael Collins
You say: "If the club are serious about retaining our Irish roots then lets see it. Promote our Irishness and dont hide or be ashamed of it."

I suspect you don't mean "Irishness", you mean "Republicanism". Celtic it seems to me are very open about our Irishness (did you miss the gigantic tricolour behind the goals against ManU?). But Republicanism is a different matter entirely.

Mick from much earlier:
Gorgeous George. As a former member of the Glasgow University Labour Club, I can honestly say I've never liked the man! Irrational maybe, but hey...

you say:

G.P former player at lower levels, a pure numpty, don't know, think he is a football fan in general

CD them

Inkybhoy

I thought C D and D M were definitely supporters of the otherside.

As for K UNION J no need for further explanation.

P.S Did you tell me he played for "them" ( K UNION J )

If so Was it as a kid?

A joy to behold at The Emirates, incredible really

Hey Paul67 man, your site rocks man, not half as good as I rock though man, cause I'm the Lizard King and I can do anything. Hey Paul67 dude, the spirits have taken me on a trip and tell me your the man for all things Celtic. Can you tell me though is that Ray Manzarek a poster? because he is not to be trusted man, he says bad things about me you know. Oh yeah, come on!!

Jim

Stay away from Paris. 's all I'm saying.

Rocco,

Totally true, I've seen pictures, on their books as a youth. He also has regular arguments with HK regarding the subject of Catholic schools, but that's another matter.....

BLantyreTim

That Cleese the centurion correcting Brian's appalling Latin Grammar. It's a biut like something people sing to us

For anyone interested a Celtic 11 are playing Morton at Cappielow on Thursday night. £5 entrance for Adults

Courtesy of Jinkys oars.................

If ye like a wee bit o craic.........

http://www.jinkysoars.co.uk/20081111.htm

GL2 how ur ye...

themanfromghordknowswhere

The central belt in Scotland is where the vast majority of the population live and the anti-catholic attitiudes that where spawned there during and after the reformation. Catholicism was almost completely extinguished in Scotland in all but the most remote parts of the country.

Your point about the Irish being 100% Catholic is a strange one as protestantism was forced on the Irish like the other parts of the Empire albeit rejected by force of arms by the irish themsleves. I see very little evidence either historical or contemporary of ant-protestantism manifesting in any siginificamt way in Ireland.

Italiabhoy

You make my point for me . Irishness is ok but no Irish Nationalism. You can come to the game but if you dare sing about the events that shaped your nation then we will deride you as a bampot and a bigot even though the majority of our support share the same ethnic background . Theres alaways a but nowadays when Celtic talk about our Irishness. Tricolours at the game are brought ny fan groups but I would like to know what Celtic really does to promote our Irish heritage.

I've one suggestion. Why not play the Irish National anthem before each games and encourage the crowd to sing it in Irish. That way we could promote our heritage with an inoffensive anthem and teach the fans to cut out the add ons .

The Scots/Brits amongst us surely couldnt object to that.

Inkybhoy

Final Questions

Do you believe him to be a bit of a bigot who disguises it well??

I heard a rumour that he tries to portray himself as a Liverpool fan, Any truth in that rumour??

Kojo, I think Paul Caddis has an excellent chance of starting tomorrow and also agree he demonstrates an excellent attitude, but, you and I know how young players develop, two steps forward, one step back.

As for Shaun, let me return to an earlier theory of mine....

Celtic either play to the beat of the touch players, or they are as well asking them to sit in the stand beside me.

Any two from Shaun, Aiden and Naka can dictate how Celtic play, one alone (playing or on form) is not enough.

Jim Morrison, Ray, may, but I’m no’ saying.

whooosh > yo! paul67..regards to you and yours..
yo! peeps what gives?
busy busy aldo...managed a few hours before next shift in bedlam beckons...
glad to see hoops playing well, more of the same tomorrow night please...
apologies to peeps ive missed..will be in touch soon.
awe naw..your background is almost identical to my brothers (so ist das leben)...

some very dysfunctional malignant social pathology on display here recently.... no comments from me but most disconcerting to read...

peeps might pay heed to "Joe McCann" and his contributions before cyber slapping labels onto others they know nothing about....

any news on kano?- wish you well big yin...

just read a match prediction and team line up article on An Phoblacht forum... ;-)
slan
aldo

Whoa yeah come on!! bloke_109 whoo!! I'm in Paris right now, it's a bit dark though man, yeah come on, I think the band are preparing for a gig though man, they better light my fire soon man cause I'm driving down the freeway, yeah whoo, yeah oh yeah whoo come on!!!

Chris Sutton Is A Legend @ 6:42 PM, no worries mate :-)

Talking about Sutty, I don't think I ever appreciated how good the big man was . . . I was always more of a BBJ man myself! Perhaps I should be grateful we had both?

I always remembered that Sutty was really versatile and played in all 3 areas of the pitch.

Hail, hail.

Rocco,

I don't think he disguises it at all. Liverpool may be his English team, but they are not his first team, by a long way.

Moaning face Jeffries is saying he won't field his top side tomorrow, as he thinks it's a lost cause at CP.

Mick :- The two best rivers for grayling down this way are the Ayr and the Nith both allow float fishing and you can get a day permit for both of them. Sorry I'm not sure of the price or where to get them.

Jim Morrison..how are you..i went to paris to visit your grave..you werent there...
just for you...>

When the still sea conspires an armour
And her sullen and aborted
Currents breed tiny monsters,
True sailing is dead.

Awkward instant
And the first animal is jettisoned,
Legs furiously pumping
Their stiff green gallop,
And heads bob up
Poise
Delicate
Pause
Consent
In mute nostril agony
Carefully refined
And sealed over.

aldo,

thanks for avoiding Unknown Soldier tonight ;-)

Sir Paul

Let's face the music and dance...pal..

You hiv a liking fur Molly.. which ah dinnae share.

And Ah widnae hae it any ither way.. fur..

YOUR ARE USUALLY RIGHT.. and Ah Am Usually, well no always Usually.. sometimes Usually..a wee bit teensy weensy in error.

S'atright?

Awright!

Kojo.

Inkybhoy

Cheers

I,m off to bed.

Talk soon mate

The only 'ness' we should be promoting is our inclusiveness. If we actively promote any of the other 'nesses' that might be applied would probably make as many feel excluded as it attracted.

edward.. the " lady of the stream" is also available on the river irvine i believe.. i have heard of a few caught there....
similarly, i caught a 2lb rainbow trout that escaped from a fish farm on the river Girvan (maybe it hijacked a tractor) and no one believed i caught it...

Jim Morrison -

you couldn't lace Arthur Lee's drink

Whoo yeah awwww yeah, hey aldo67, i was there man, i'm always there, you know man you owe me royalties now man, but hey man I'll let you off cause its five to one here and i'm breakin through, oooohhhh yeah, whoo come on!!

Auldheid - Wilfred Owenesque !

Read this whole thread and ma heid's burstin'

Kudos to Kojo for trying to inject some fitba'

Hail Hail
Human Being CSC

Rocco

Finishing soon. Take care, fella.

Poppys Lie Down

whoo yeah whoo awww, hey winningemmell, i had a spliff builder by that name, whoo come on, he stole my stash one night, whoo aww, you know I had to send him to morrison hotel after cause he was ooooh yeah, at the end of his employment, come on!!

awe naw. lol damn and i was gonna do the youtube video linky thing....with all the blood coming out his mouth....

anyways i " just got into town about an hour ago..took a look around see which way the wind blow"...

richie
kojo

read or heard earlier canny mind which cos ma heid's burstin tae

big ben oot the squad...dead leg

sami, loovens, naka in the squad

fitba breaks ooot on cqn shocker!!

Kojo,

I'm just waiting for Molly to take off. Wait for Sammy and Naka to return. Do you know something after seeing a bit of young Mizuno he's going to be another one to add to the beat of the one touch two two players.

Paul67,

I hope to see Ben take the place of Cillian tomorrow.

Mr Mojo Risin -

are you sure you're no Jim Kerr ?

Arthur Lee -

great wind up 6.10pm

WG

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend... Richie..

So you're thae Wan?.. Ye Noticed,pal..

Guid fur ye.

Ah see it wid tak an early riser tae get anything past... YOU!

Thanks,pal fur caring.

Kojo.
yer pal ...who likes ye.

EdwardUrsus

You a true gent! I'll give them a try.
When the weather is a bit better!

Thanx mate.

Aldo67 2lb Rainbow? :-~ right.

Reposted from earlier. Thanks to those expresing support so far!

Here's something that hopefully won't cause too much controversy - who's up for a CQN Quiz Night?

I had a chat with Paul on Saturday and we're looking at something in February 2009. Get the holiday season and the credit card bills out of the way first!

I'm thinking a Saturday night of a home game and in Glasgow, so hopefully those travelling can stay over. A mix of general knowledge and some Celtic questions too. Teams of 4 paying an entry fee and competing for the prestigious title of CQN Quiz Champions! And raising cash for charity at the same time.

I'll look to confirm the date early so we can all get it in the diaries, and more details will follow early in the new year.

Views??

Paul67, agree with you on that reply to Kojo. Do you expect to see Samaras, Loovens or Naka back in the team at some point against Killie?

Hail hail

Arsenal show again that if you're good enough, you're old enough. Mizuno is a full 4 years older than some of those Arsenal boys and is the same age as their oldest but some say he's not ready yet ??

I'm a supporter of WGS but he has the same malaise as so many of the modern managers wrt playing the youngsters.

Mix and Match, I say !!

TOLH,

I agree with Paul67 assertion but if your going to play like Spain, Arsenal, Man U you have a bit of dig about you. Aiden , Shaun and Naka donthave enough of it IMHO

Ach I'm off to ma bed Knackered.

mick ..its as true as im sitting here typing...
i was as surprised as anyone..never seen one on the river before..its all natural brown trout and the migratory big brothers and sisters...never fished for grayling yet... ive read they smell of cucumber... so they would be fine in a prawn sandwich right?

jim morrison> did the monk buy a little lunch?

Gordon J quiz nite sounds great...

Jinkysboy...........if yir around.....post to you.

Ed.......re the fishing.....ye don't need a rod, jist throw in yir soo side brick, ye alluded too last night and all the fish will surely jump oot the water lol.

Gordon_J,

Re the quiz - include me in.

Gordon J

Could I suggest a starting question for your quiz night

Q. 1 Is Celtic a Scottish or Irish club?

I can guarantee there'll be no time for Q.2 by the time that's answered :-)

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend.. WGS.

I agree wit ye,pal.. Koki, is... Oki Doaki~

Ah hiv seen him in the reserves a few times.

He isnae too shy tae hiv a pop.. fur goal.. he is an entirely different kind of player than Naka.

And... dinna forgeet.. he has hid couple of International Games tucked in his C.V. wallet.

It is time that Mr. Strachan gave him a full run oot,insteed of a Who hit John, type o chance..

Ben, of course .. should play tomorrow as well..

Let's see..

Caddis, Koki and Ben... let's hope The Manager, gies this trio a chance tae see if they are ready tae play in the Big Room... they hiv starred in the Lounge fur too long.

Kojo.
yer pal.. who likes ye.

Awe Naw

I see where you're coming from, but these teams usually pass or run their way out of bother.

I think that Robson has lots of dig, for example, but he had his spade well and truly taken off of him by ManU's pace and accuracy.

Also I've seen a big improvement in Aiden on this front, and even Naka nips a few heels these days!

kojo

hav a look at my 10.02 post, think big ben is oot!!

yir pal who s heid is melted re the long debate aboot nae fiba!!

SFTB> first answer would be " as a soldier of CQN i refuse to recognise the questionmaster." ;-)

I know it wasn't everyone's cup of tea but I enjoyed the debate tonight (which I partly started I think) regarding the Saltire. There are some very different opinions out there. Such is life, It would be a boring world if we we all thought the same.

Come tomorrow night we will all be pulling in the same direction again.

Kitalba,
Thank you. I knew you'd come up with the goods.

Hutchinson in the squad. It's Maloney who is out with a dead leg.

WGS

must be me and the long debate but thought they said Ben was oot on celtic tv, would like to be wrong and see him get a run tho

HH

I think there a lot o lurkin lurkers on here tonight.

this'll wake ye up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9udxbvHiqGw

vman

kitalba 09.02

The famous photo is somewhat bereft of the old flag but I can honestly say I have never been to a Celtic event where saltires & kilts were so much in evidence.

I think the photo is an unintentional tiny lie. Having seen the occassion dvds, videos, recorded television news and with my own eyes the saltire is seen often enough and in prominent cluster on occassion.

Though an emotional rather than political nationalist, I saw as only natural the cross of St Andrew as culturally part of us.

I hope to see it used more often oficially by the club, not excluding that part of our identity which is Irish (& proud) but rather complementing it and our founding fathers.

PS - not on the strip please - there's too much there already!

Vman im doing well. Just watched Later with jools there was some good music on it.

Gordon_j im up for the quiz if I get Gordon on my team and awalk for the music as long as the music is none of that kerrang rubbish.

If you a Christmas theme you can rule out the Port team as they wont get 3 wise men and a virgin....boom boom...Chic Murrays not dead whilst im around.

greenlion2.........ha thats some mailing list.

Jinkysboy n Blantyretim.........mail

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT9eQ2smjUM&NR=1

vman

Maybe we could adopt the St. Andrew's cross in support of Georgie Samaras.

Vman I thought I had taken you off!!! As your in already. Its a trimmed down Pablo list.....

My brother wore a kilt in Seville, and I like the dude in the full regalia who plays the bagpipes at the Gallowgate end of Janefield Street before the home games. Must look out my Saltire for the Villarreal game.

I still reckon for the picture round of the quiz you should do a picture of Magdalena Hedman from the neck up only - no-one will recognise her!

Aldo, yo! Regards straight back to you and F.

Kojo, in the long run, we’re both right. In the very long run, we’re still right. But in the very, very long run, don’t ask!

WGS, I think Cillian has been exposed to the lights enough for this stage of his career, agree.

The Other L Hamilton, I would be surprised to see any of them tomorrow but hope we still have enough to squeeze three points.

SFTB, ha!

GL2..........you probably did.........but a good buddy on here (blantyretim)jist pinged it to me.......

so I know whit yir up tae.......ye canny hide.

Gordon J, I am up for that. Don't think BB's will be big enough though. Jock Stein Lounge would be perfect and surely Celtic would be charitable enough to throw it in as a freebie to maximise the charitable nature of this venture.

Mountain_bhoy, hey dude. There was a wee cafufel today in oor wee office at 11am when no minutes silence was observed. I am in no way against this but I did have a wee chuckle at the annoiance some members of team Ingexcentrasism. You'd have thought it was the end of the world. I personally would not have an issue observing the silence in the office or at Celtic Park for that matter but what I do not understand is why 90 years after the end of WW1 has it now become a necessity to bring this into football and workplaces enforcing people to observe removing the individuals choice to do so. Why was there no outcry last year when no one observed in in the SPL? I just don't get it.

On the Scottish note. At the Man U game an older gentleman took out his saltire on a stick and waved it during both renditions of walk on. Even with it's blue I would like to see more saltires on display at CP. If the Jacobite Saltire happened to be Green with a white cross it would be more readily on display at CP and in turn not on display at all at the REARS home of racist bigots.

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend.. Kikin

Ah believe that ye possibly goat that yin wrang.. as ma pal ..WGS .. noted.. it is Molly who has a dead leg..

That is not to say that Big Ben could possibly hiv wan of those as well..

Howevahhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

Could someboady tell me.. whit a "dead leg" is,anyway?

And More Importantly ...

How the Heck, dis Wan get wan of them things,in the foist place?

As Ah wid like tae wisely avoid, whatevevah it is that encourages yer leg tae die~

Also, whitevah it is....

Ah hope it in no Catchin'~

Kojo.
yer pal... who likes ye

WG whooaaaa yeah, oh awww alright, come on!! Jim Kerr, faboulas guy man, nearly joined me a few time whoo yeh ok alright, but I paid him a trippy visit one night and told him to whoo yeah alright, come on, move to love street instead , oh yeah alright, come on whooo. aldo67 whoo, your crazy man, not as crazy as me whoo yeah, come on, but i'll tell you what man, i'll make peace frog with you man, awwww yeah whoo come on!!

there may be trouble ahead........................

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQXgfD0UKIY

night all.........Hasta Luego Amigos

vman

Vmhan aw

you will be famous one day :)))

off to bed, 3days now, 1 day at a time sweet jesus....

hail hail... don't forget if your that way inclined a wee prayer for kano...

Sir Paul

That is the foist time that hiv understood ye..poifectly~

Kojo.

vman> i always though richard Jobson(singer) looked a wee bit like a young murdo mcleod...

i know its before midnight but ive just finished a 14 hour shift and the same awaits in the early hours of tomorrow...

Ceiling unlimited-Rush

It's not the heat
It's the inhumanity
Plugged into the sweat of a summer street
Machine gun images pass
Like malice through a looking glass

The slackjaw gaze
Of true profanity
Feels more like surrender than defeat
If culture is the curse of the thinking class
If culture is the curse of the thinking class

Ceiling unlimited
World so wide
Turn and turn again

Feeling unlimited
Still unsatisfied
Changes never end

The vacant smile
Of true insanity
Dressed up in the mask of Tragedy
Programmed for the guts and glands
Of idle minds and idle hands

I rest my case -
Or at least my vanity
Dressed up in the mask of Comedy
If laughter is a straw for a drowning man
If laughter is a straw for a drowning man

Ceiling unlimited
Windows open wide
Look and look again

Feeling unlimited
Eyes on the prize
Changes never end

Winding like an ancient river
The time is now again

Hope is like an ancient river
The time is now again

vmhan
that last note was not for you but for all...

keep the faith

Do you know what eats me?
Let me tell you..

I am Scottish born and bred, with three Irish grandparents, and a second generation Irish fourth. My wife has two brothers and four sisters, all of whom are Catholic and still practising. Hoever, this is neither here nor there. The issue I have is that whilst one of her brothers is very proud of his Irish roots, so much so he joined republican movements in Scotland. The other, if he was given the chance, would whitewash the Irishness from his heritage. He is one of those people who has made it, in inverted commas. A wannabe pillar of society, who sees his heritage as a barrier to his social standing. Now, this is not the end, his parents, God rest them, were fine working class, socialists, he on the other hand is one of the Blair/Thatcher socialists, one who beats the egalitarian drum, but has no interest, particularly in a member of his own family who has severe health difficulties, and cannot work. He treats this member as a pariah, an embarassment, imagine a New Middle Class type with a family member who lives on the state. How demeaning.
This is the type of person, who like some on here, would whitewash the Irish influence, and totally inclusive nature of our club, and sell it for his thirty pieces of silver, and a few seps up the social ladder.
He would belittle the sacrifices made by his Irish parents, in order to make his life better. Instead of celebrating his background, he sees it as a source to show his indignation towards Celtic supporters, who dare to be working class, socialist, and heaven forbid, Irish. He sees his investor club ticket as a stick to beat the 'normal plebs' with.
If this is gibberish, please ignore, as I've had to put up with this Tory for the last few hours, and told him a few home truths over a few Italian reds, and Stella Wifebeaters.

I'm sure you all know someone like this, who will destroy the very ethos of this club.

Now , ah'm away tae ma scratcher. I'm half drunk, but fully peed off.

G'night

Vman your 1 of the definites

Wishing you a full and speedy recovery Kano.

:)

James Morrison! Well I never! You get straight into your bed young man. Nearly eleven o'clock and up to no good I'll bet. It'll no be that in the morning! Now off with ye!

Sorry folks.

U

Trousers = 'the garment of disgrace'.

Kojo its probably better to experience a dead leg than have it explained. Get a friend, or even better an enemy, to ram his knee forcibly into the outside of your thigh about two thirds of the way up from the knee to the hip. If administered correctly you will suffer an out of body experience, albeit very localised. The inability to do very much with said leg will provide eloquent explanation of the term "Dead leg".

Hope this helped.

Your pal andycol

coorslad............................

Just had word back............The St Pauli bash is weekend 7th Feb.

Get onto Derry John frae Hamburg and get us booked, there are three definates from doon here. Tell John, I'll be picking up a St Pauli/ Celtic flag at the next weekend home game for the pub.

There may be others so let us know details of the hotel soonest so that I can pass on the details................

greenlion2, Pablo, Blantyretim, Pablo ??????????

velvet underpants and nico> hopefully your anger subsides.. you will always wake up in the morning not being like him...

kojo

ye may be right and I may be wrang...I hope you are right and he's runnin oot the morra

a dead leg is a severe dint to the thigh muscle...not sure if thats a charley horse!

a wee bit o wisdom......a great player can have bad game but a bad player can never have a great one....

Paul

go now... as kojo says you understand him perfectly....worrying for you surely

marcellacsc

I am off to bed, knackered.

FREE THE OWEN 1 !!

Velvet Underpants,
The Irishness will never be removed from Celtic and nor should it.
Sleep well.

GL2,

I was away to me bed, but my tinternet detector system flagged up a flashing red light beside the bed and I knew someone somewhere had made a joke about ra Port.

your on dangerous ground buddy ......

Mandy's gonny get ya.

lol.

whoo, awww, yeah, Uly magoo aw oh oh, come on!! alright, hey man, i'm in my bed man, my permanent bed whoo yeah alright, come on!!!

Not too keen to expose too many of our rookies to the Ayrshire hammerthrowers. Hopefull some of the more vigorous of our chaps will do unto them first etc. Like many of that ilk, bullies, they dont relish having the muscle applied to them. Step forward Brown, Hartley, Robson, McManus, Caldwell and MacDonald. OOne or two rookies but no more.

GL"..............I knew that, sorry fur the confusion.......had to fight like fleck to get the time off work.......they were not happy.

Greenlion - Should that not be our Under 11's with our injury problems?

Kojo - I think you would explode with delight if you were an Arsenal fan tonight. However unlike our young players theirs are big and strong. While ours continue to get smaller, like Koki you wouldn't think it possible but he is even more delicate than Naka!

ps Shaun is a class act!

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,friend.. Anycol

Ye hiv explained it only too weel,pal

Ah kin feel it, right noo.

My description o that kinda thing.. wid be...

It is a numb sensation.. like efter somebody gies wan a Knuck, Knuch..oan the airm muscle.

Hiv ah goat it right?

I am sure ..the Three Stooges Knew awe aboot that kinda stuff.

Kojo.
yer pal...who thanks ye.

Got it in one Kojo. One thing having your arm hanging uselessly at your side. Effectively being rendered a monopod is an altogether different level of torment though.

VMAn,

How are ya.

During some mispent time at the workplace today I happended to come across the Blackpool Shammy website and a brief history of the club, very very interesting, and probably atypical of the experience of anyone going down sarf and trying to set up a club.

DC has told me it was his idea to adopt the Shammy name from the Greenock club ..... but I didnt beleive him, I though he was pulling me leg , so to see it scripted on the site as itso facto was good.

cheers.

Kojo I should also have said that to get the full effect the dead leg should be obtained in the middle of a Scottish winter on an ash pitch with horizontal sleet playing for a team with no available substitutes. Laugh! I almost cried.
Glad to help my man.

Pablo,

You have got mail,

Msrtin.

James Pearse Declan Gabriel Mandy Morrison! Get to your bed right now! It's nearer tomorrow than it is today now. And not another word, I'm warning you.

My dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear,dear, friend.. Kevtick.

A guid Big yin, is ayeways bettah that a Bad Big Yin...

Na.. that's no it..

Try it again..

A Bad Wee yin, is no as Bad as a Bad Big Yin...

Na.. . still no right...

Here we go..last time.

A Guid Wee yin is ayeway preferred tae a Bad Big Yin..

That's it.. ah wull stick wi that..

So.. what diz that tell ye?

That Caddis is as Winnah...

So furgeet the Arsenal Youngsters..

Ah wull tak a Caddis type.. any day.

fur that guy his ...

HERT... and Enthusiasm ..and love of Celtic..

and where kin wan find those kinda talents, the Day..

fur a Fiver and a Pat oan the Heid...like he coast us?

Kojo.
yer pal..who ayeways hiz time fur you.

Kikinthenakas, I think I’ve just mastered Kojolese.

ANNAOAN & Canamalar from around 5.50 :- I' starting to think you two are refugees from some strange Python convention :-)

The Arsenal kids can all play more than a bit as well as being physically strong. They also get a lot more protection from referees than their counterparts playing for Celtic. Referees in Scotland are far more lenient in deciding what constitutes a fair tackle. Caddis is one of the youngsters I think can handle it though.

St Stivs its good to see they went for a second string club..... Well if your going for the Port bhoys may as well go for the Shammy and port bhoys

Sir Paul

Last call..

Celtic 2 Kilmarnock 1

And if ye believe that..how aboot???...

Ah jist foon oot ... the Man in the Moon ... IS, Jackie Gleason!

Kojo.

G'nite Folks.

Awe_Naw, good point mate. Surely the grit in our team comes from Hartley, Robsob and Brown though?

I miss Aiden atm but as long as we keep winning who cares?

Paul67, same but I cant wait til we have Samaras back!

whoo yeah alright man, time to run, let's run lets run man, whoo yeah, come on!!!

Corrib 04:

I have posted the history of our flags before and I am now hesitant to be to boastful of my country of birth lest some might call me a ‘green hun’.

The best and singularly most informative book I have ever read about Scotland was Magnus Magnusson’s Story of a Nation

I think if more people were to read that book, or others like it, we might not have so many misinformed posts about Scottish History. (btw Pablo, he has a wee dig at Nigel Tranter in it and he slaughters Sir Walter Scott for his ‘airbrushing’ and the bastardisation, of our history in ‘Tales of a Grandfather’.)

Fresh Start:

I never made it to Seville (I had some rather important business to attend to elsewhere) though I was in Milan.

I don’t doubt that many carried and displayed the Scottish flag in Seville. I just wish that our ‘jacobite’ flags were more prominent within Parkhead. Others are stealing the symbols of a history of which they are not deserving.

For me when I look at that picture it is the Scottish flag I see first and last and I too am a ‘republican’ who has an Irish passport.

Nevertheless I was born in Scotland and by the graces of God, Glasgow was my birthplace and my father was a Celtic supporter.

themanfromghordknowswhere at 6:18 PM

Not trying to reopen the flag debate, but I wanted to clarify my previous post that you queried and explain my logic.

The point, as you say, is that flags denote nationality, and in particular, differences in nationality. People waving Scottish flags at other Scottish people while in Scotland are either saying "we are more Scottish than you" (which is the sinister aspect) or are engaged in an exercise in futility, both sides waving the same flag.

The tricolour is a flag of the outsider when waved in Scotland, no matter the nationality of the bearer.

I could talk all night about symbolism etc, but everybody would be bored rigid.

Big Ben to start tomorrow. Cillian was shattered on Saturday.

EDIT! *Robson

Aldo67 @10.08 :- The bloke I was asking about it said both the Irvine and the Garnock were very poor for Grayling but I don't know myself.
BTW :- My guese is that it probably weighed around a pound :-)

This Flag/Irishness/Poppy debate is never ending.

Hope there are 8 goals, 3 sending offs, 15 bookings and a streaker tomorrow...

kitalba

Exactly. I have socialist leanings although I'm a pragmatist too but even though I have an Irish first and second name, I'm a Scot and always will be.

My only question about the flag, is that it should be sky blue and not navy blue in colour.

Vmhan :- Forget the brick, local tradition reckons the best is a half stick and a net :-)

ive just watched showboating on socer am best bits there . Ronaldo looked good against us. It shows what they can do with 20 seconds of footage.

Dundee Perth

The streaker better not have a poppy tatoo.

Do you think we can score 8 goals after we've had 3 sent off?

Velvet underpants

The problem is one man shouts uncle tim at a part Irish-part Scots blood person who feel Scots and another shouts plastic paddy at the same who feels Irish. I think the mongrel has a choice. It may come down to chance and may come down to which side of the family influenced you but the smart man will recognise his mongrel status and celebrate both heritages to at least some degree.

Billy Connolly is a half Irish, half Highland Scots blood chap and I think he is a wonderful example of how a Scot with Irish blood can deeply relate to his country of birth and also hold deep affection and feel linkage with the country of his paternal grandfather. However, there is no doubt he sees himself first and foremost as a Scot.

Sean Connery is of an almost identical Irish-Highland mix. He clearly feels very much a Scot and although he hasn’t hidden it he is pretty disconnected with his Irish roots. As an east coaster I can understand that because unlike Glasgow the flow of Irish pretty well stopped dead in the later 19th century, intermarriage was far greater, Irish constitutional politics didn’t get a big grip, sectarianism was far less and the Irish connection became totally vague, romantic and a bit 'quiet man-esque' for many who had never been to Ireland or even met an Irish man for generations.

I respect that too. I am not sure it is laudable or even philosophically sound to say you, your identity or politics are defined/limited by your ancestors you never met. Not everyone has good parents or grandparents so may not feel a great debt or connection to your ancestors beyond the basic sperm donation.

pggtips:

I think it now is officially 'sky' blue, but let me check on that.

It was of course one of the more prominent flags that took the field 'against' Billy of the Boyne. Though so many people choose to either bastardise, forget or ignore that.

pggtips:

If you are interested in the colour have a look at this

DundeePerth

Now yer talkin'.......a streaker!

It's been a while since a female streaked at a Celtic game or in my case never!

A long long time ago a week after the famous Erica romped (maybe not the right word) across Twickenham, Celtic played Thistle in Maryhill a copycatress ran about Firhill until she was escorted away by a couple of very lucky coppers. The game was on the radio and I'm sure Gerry McNee described the seen along the lines of
"....and I can exclusively reveal it took two policemans' helmets to cover the offending items up!"

No problem getting pass the stewarding at Celtic Park but who would be daft enough to do it on a cold November night?

kitalba

There was a debate several years ago in the Herald and its good to know that it was resolved.

This is the quote I more-or-less understood the claim to be:-

"By tradition the flag is based on a saltire-cross of St Andrew which appeared in the form of clouds in the sky above a battle between the Scots and the Saxons. This encouraged the Scots to victory and ever since the 'sky-blue' flag with a white saltire has been the national flag."
Graham Bartram, 17 March 1998

The or any national flag on the hoops would destroy the inclusiveness we hold dear.

Reading comments today you'd think 'Irish' was a bad word or an illegal practice. Anti-Irish sentiment is the greater danger being bred from the lyrics of the famine song or a hun/media smear campaign. Unfortunately it seems to be reaching across the spectrum now and again.

alas we seem to have run out of steam regarding football chat if the blog over the last week is anything to go by, it seems media house employees have ruffled a few feathers posting on this site with anything and everything to try and take attention away from the racism of scotlands shame.

role on the transfer window, or the very least a celtic game, when's the next game?

SFTB 11:56

Possibly, but only if Naka is playing against Kilmarnock...... ;-)

Re Saltires on Celtic shirts.

If we end up in the English Premiership, will the Saltire be replaced by the English flag or a Union Jack ?

Right havent read any of the posts tonight. Stuck in Mexico City for the next few days. Have had a (very drunken and quick)look at the Celtic Bars site but cant see anything for tomorrow night. Any clues greatly appreciated. Is there a Mexico City CSC?

Are none of the night shift here? Looks like 5 hours since anyone posted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obviously not then!

Seroiusly though any hints in Mexico City would be appreciated.

A wee song for the proud 'Scottish' born Cltic supporters who fought the very same enemies as their Irish cousins, and just like their Irish cousins, they'd cross the water if it meant an opportunity to fight their common foe.

Ghosts of Culloden

A song in commemoration of Scotsmen who died fighting the very same crown that their Irish cousins did.

Morning all, Que pasa amigos?

Coorslad..............speak to derryghirl today.........

I got info last nigh re the St Pauli weekend .....which is the weekend of 7th Feb............pass on the info to our friend in Hamburg........3 definates from doon here plus Derryghirl is a mibbees aye mibbees naw.

talk later must dash........all work no play...

St Stivs you should have believed DC as he was on of the three founding members o the Blackpool Shammy.

vman

Big Liam

Spot on 100% mate

Celtic are a team for everyone
no flag should be on the hoops

I'm up for a quiz as long as the questions are not too modern.

I'd also respectfully suggest that some of the money raised goes to the ICU in Perth where Kano is being looked after.

On the subject of 'proper' football- when was the last time Celtic were involved in a proper Cup tie, ie one that went to at least a second replay?

I don't know the answer but I expect Gordon or WishawGuerrila might.

I'd also respectfully sugest that as it's now November 12th we draw the Poppy debate to a close. YOu can type til your fingers bleed but views are too entrenched.

A good 3 points tonight, secured in sufficient time to allow the likes of Caddis and Mizuno some game time.

Still no answers about Mexico City....

But in the mean time anyone fancy buying my car? Need the money so unashamedly putting this link on here.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330284762403&sspagename=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT&viewitem=

Dontbrattbackinanger

I seem to recall Celtic playing Aberdeen in a 2nd replay around 1984 (?)

A draw at Pittodrie, follwed by a draw at Parkhead resulted in a 2nd replay at Dens Park in which I think Brian McClair scored the winner.

might be wrong though.

cheers Vman.

For the Greenock/Port guys

There also used to be a guy who sold the Greenock Telegraph who was disabled (his head sat on his shoulders without a neck in between. Uncharitably, he was referred to as "the man they couldnay hing". I remember buying an album and going to see a band of the same name (Pogues-alikes)in the 80s and being almost surprised they were not from Greenock.

DBBIA, we could form a quiz team that only takes part in the history rounds..or we could get young Chris to be our answerer on modern stuff.

Cadizzy,

Was that the guy who used to stand outside Poundstretchers? Or the one at the underpass next to the back door of Woolies?

Marty T, it's 25 years since I lived in Greenock so I can't really remember.Maybe there were 2 brothers who are the result of the one and only instance of inbreeding in Greenock or,perhaps they were visitors from Ayrshire or some other faraway planet.

Does the Greenock Telegraph still do the Variorum? This was little snippets of local news that was not news at all. The Variorum made the Francis Gay page in the Sunday Post seem like the breaking of Watergate. For example (and this is true)

"A streetsweeper in West Blackhall Street was left bemused today when the head came off his brush"

Other stories were less momentous. My father swears that he was featured in one story in the 40's when they reported that "two young boys seen walking back from Inverkip looked tired" As my father and his brother were heading for Gibbshill, the tiredness lay ahead of them but what a scoop for the Tele man to know that in advance and that they were actually coming from Inverkip. More spooky than the Catman!

How sad,when a cousin who worked there for years told me that staff increasingly used to make them up.

Cadizzy,

I think they still make half of the stories up! I mean, they reported on Monday that Morton won at the weekend ;-)

Should say, they do still do the variourum - I flick past it these days, there was never anything worth reading in it.

I only read it to see if I know anyone who got lifted at the weekend!

Cadizzy

reporters making up stories.....Never.....

Dbbia
agree on the debating, time has come and gone, there are plenty more to come, like is all of modern life rubbish? or just some things, I like the bit that people are no longer expected to die at their job place :oD
hail hail

canamalar
good job for you, it would cost a fortune to get you back up the road:)))

Is there a cup draw happening today ?

to all those who picked me up on my points last night

By no means am I criticising thse who can't get to games for whatever reason, I myself flit between Donegal, Mayo and scotland so can't get to every games but I get to 90% of home and away, well neareer to 99% of away games to be fair. However many on here decry the tricolour and the so called plastic paddy type element of a so called 'minority' of our fans. The point I'm making is, the games I go to I very rarely see the saltire in our end, if at all, I see it at tynecastle yes in the home end, at Ibrox in the home end but never in ours!

If you never get to the games you'll have no idea of the anti irish anti catholic abuse we take from all away fans, bar hibs and possibly dundee utd it has to be said.

My question to those on here who don't go to games but decry the away support as bampots, stuck in the past and social inadequates to quote gweedorebhoy, if its just a minority how come the saltire isn't all over celtic park yet the tri colour is everywhere? how come the rebel songs are sung enmasse at away games? even more so when we play them at mordor?

as I've said many times we should not deny or forget the intrinsic irishness of our club just because other forces would wish we do so. Now before you all go off on one thats not to say we aren't scottish its just without the irish we wouldn't exist, without the irish we wouldn't be anywhere near the force or size we are.

We should never forget it!

DD

blantyretim,
I have requested a viking funeral, problem being theres a shortage of longboats, so maybe narrowbhoat can advise on the availability of narrowboats, but then again after I've ascended to valhala, the water authorities would have to dredge the canal, back to the drawing board methinks eh :oD
hail hail

Many, many, moons ago (well it is the same moon, just that much water has passed under the bridge), the local Banffshire rag had on it's (note the apostrophe!!) front page, the following headline -

"Sheep killed on Dufftown to Rhynie road"

And that was the news for that week!

Cluyr

PS On the quiz front - I would be interested in being the 5th man on a 4-man team.

Canamalar
looks ok to me.....:))))

Valhalla
The most beautiful mansion in Asgard, where the heroes slain in battle feasted each night with Odin on the boar Schrimnir and mead from the goat Heldrun. The heroes rode out each morning and fought one another until they were cut to pieces; they recovered from their wounds each evening.

Freya
Freya, or Freyja, was the goddess of beauty and love. A beautiful, blonde, blue-eyed young woman, she was the sister of Frey and in later traditions the wife of Odin.
Freya claimed half of the heroes slain in battle, carrying them to her realm of Folkvang in Asgard. Most of her myths concern attempts by the giants to abduct her. In Teutonic mythology, she was named Frigg. Friday is named after her, Freitag in German and vrijdag in Dutch.

Kitalba,
Thank you for the heads up on Magnus Magnusson book. I will be sure to add it to my list of books to read.

Donegal Danny.
I was a bit sour yesterday and let one go in your direction (ooo-er matron!)

I was at plenty of away games in the past and know first hand of what you are talking about. I agree with most of what you say in fact. But for me its not that Id like to see less of the Tricolour, more that I would like to see MORE of the St. Andrews Cross. The fact that rangers and hearts fans wave it furiously in our direction cannot deflect the fact that this is MY national flag. Am I just to lie down and let them take it from me?.

Anyway, there is a game on tonight, Ill be in my chair as usual and for those going as TB would say 'God bless every one of you'

The quiz sounds a great idea but maybe there should be regional qualifiers for those of us far from our native land.

Specialist rounds too? DBBIA would shine in "Ayrshire's contribution to Culture and Society".

... and Cadizzy could do the same for Greenock ;-)

Oh how the variorum has gone downhill. Reporting real sporting events and real crimes. Tom Shields,when he did the diary in th
re Herald, found the Greenock Sheriff Court a wonderful source of material. For some reason, Greenock does crime as if directed by Dali on a bad LSD trip. My "spanner" shows a mild example of what I mean but there have been ones that are truly bizarre.I used to think that we had normal nutters caught in unusual circumstances....the wedding guest stripped to the waste standing on the top table brandishing an axe, that kind of thing. Then I recently saw one about a guy who dressed up and....well, suffice to say, he was sent to jail for soiling himself (though the fact that he had an audience of underage girls at the time was an important factor.

to the waist!!!! or on second thoughts

blantyretim,
could you tell me more about what freya did with her half of the warriors, as it may have a bearing on whose house I'd rather dine at.
Its no wonder the giants tried to kidnap her if she was the only decent totty up there.
:OD
keepitsmuttyCSC

dontbratt -

that would be the Scottish Cup of 1987

01/02/1987 Aberdeen 1 Celtic 1 , McInally, McClair (pen)

04/02/1987 Celtic 0 Aberdeen 0 AET

09/02/1987 @ Dens Park - Celtic 1 Aberdeen 0 , McClair

so over 21 years ago ffs, format changes etc

WG

First game 2-2 (boss looming here !!!)

WorkdodGer

Curly,
I bet that headline didn't come from that infamously salacious publication "The Turra Coo".
I'd be up for the quiz as it looks like I'll be around in February.
Surely we could "russle" up another 2 members of the NE CQN clique?

LFT

then of course there is the famous, though possibly apocryphal, headline from the Dundee Courier on the day after the Titanic disaster

"Local man lost at sea"

Curly,

Why should we note the apostrophe? It's wrong!(This one is correct.)

Donegaldanny,

Like most people here, I imagine, I have the greatest respect for those supporters who regularly make long trips from Ireland to support the bhoys. They are some of our most faithful supporters. But we don't need any more of the divisive Irish v. Scottish stuff that's been going on recently on the blog. One guy even insists that Celtic is an Irish club, then says lots of people from his part of Ireland support Man Utd, and he doesn't see the irony in that. We are Scottish, Irish, English, Welsh, Polish, German, Norwegian (look at the great website of the Norwegian Celtic supporters), Dutch, Australian, etc, etc, etc.
Hail, hail.

canamalar

google freya. i'll say no more :¬)

canamalar
i hope for your sake that there is a block on your work pc..
oh er misses...

LFT -

Greetings from sunny Eberdeen. Are you here yourself, or still back in the historic fishing village to the north, and smelling of smoked haddock and garlic mussels?

Lycru

DBBIA / WG

Remember them fairly well - was at all 3. We were 2 up at Pittoddrie in the snow/ice only to throw it away.

Remember being in the stand at Dens ABOVE the Aberdeen fans in enclusure below - a strange arrangement.

WG - was at a gig last night in Fife - ALBERT Lee. Fantastic.

Tully who witnessed Living Spirit of Albert Lee.

Lubomiraculous -

You are correct! And unfortunately that means that I am wrong, again, boo hoo, woe is moi.

Ho hum . . . . . . . .

Curyl (no Higher English.csc)

LFT -

Should have added that the headlice came from the Dufftown squeak, ca 1977!

Last Greenock story.
For those of you who knew Greenock 25-30 years ago, this will be unsurprising. For the rest, I hope it still amuses.

The Black Cat pub in the town centre used to be run by a guy called Eddie who would never be a candidate for landlord of the year. For example, he would look for a puddle of slops to drop your change in or tell you that he’d barred you last time even if it was your first time in the pub.

Anyway, 2 guys who worked in the Co-op funeral parlour just round the corner tended to nip in to the Black Cat on Friday lunchtimes. However, one day just after parking the hearse, a man dropped dead at their feet. The obvious thing to do was to report it but this would mean that they would miss their couple of halves and half pints. Shoving the body in the hearse until later seemed an obvious solution until one pointed out that dead bodies in hearses usually are accessorised with flowers and, more to the point, screwed down coffins.
“Tae hell wi’ it. Let’s take him in wi’ us. If we get the wee table (the pub does have one table) we can buy three haufs n haufs, sit him in between us and take turns to drink his drinks.”

This they did and to the notice of nobody (which says so much about the clientele). However, as their time drew to a close, they both needed to go to the loo at the same time so they propped the guy up in the corner, figuring he would just look like a drunk guy getting his wind before heading out. This was exactly how he looked to Eddie! “Hey you! You’re drunk. Get oot ma pub. Yer barred” No response. “ Ah’m naw gonnae tell you again” accompanied with a not too gentle push.

The result of the push was that the dead guy fell forward and butted Eddie on the end of the nose. Eddie, of course, took action and when the 2 undertakers came from the loo they found the dead guy on the floor with Eddie kicking lumps out of him.

“Hey Eddie, leave him be, the guy’s deid”. “Is he f***”, says Eddie. “The b*****d pulled a knife oan me.

Lyruc,
I'm taking a break from the big city today. I've got a report to deliver for tomorrow and I thought that I'd be more productive working at home - nae chance of that. Obviously, the smell of smoked haddock is too much of a distraction.

LFT

blantyretim,
google is rubbish :oD

LFT -

to paraphrase our esteemed contributor from the darkness down south, "modern smoked haddock is rubbish"!

Just get a move on and get you report done.

Later,

Urcyl

I have yet to read a single post on this site saying we should drop or dilute our Irish heritage, of which we are rightly proud.

What we need to get rid of is this idea that Republicanism is somehow an integral part of Celtic. The idea that you can't really be Irish if you are not Republican. It's like saying you can't be Scottish if you're not a Socialist. Celtic are not a Republican club and never have been.

Most of the Irish people I have met find the Republicanism they associate with Celtic a turn-off.

Irishness is an intrinsic part of Celtic. Republicanism is not.

Cadizzy @ 10.24: wouldn't have seemed unusual in Paisley either. I'm sending the tale to a couple of Greenock friends and shall let you know about their reaction.

From your 9.59, I've heard that same Titanic tale too. There was another, reputedly around that time, down here -- "Channel fogbound, continent isolated".

st micheals bhoy

You seem to have changed your tune fair play to you.

All we need now is to get you singing the boys of the old brigade and we are all happy.

anyway any team wil do tonight. As long as that lanky streak called donatie is not playing we should win easy.

Curly anf LFT,
I live in Arbroath and would be up for joining the NE Team for Quiz Night. Team name?

anf? Obviously etymology will not be my strong suit!

Lhondondave, in Paisley, you would have needed an outsider in order for any drinks to get bought.

After I had left a shop in Paisley once, the shopkeeper noticed I had forgotten my change so, as I walked away down the street, he tried to attract my attention by chapping the window with a wet sponge. This is all Christopher Brookmyre's fault;if he had lain off Greenock in his books, I would not be creating a Renfrewshire schism on this blog.

"Channel fogbound, continent isolated". Is that indicative of the blinkered Einglish attitude to the rest of the world whereas the Dundee one is an endearing and touching vignette illustrating the importance of locale?

Samaras to play some part in the proceedings tonight, I think.

DoublestandardsCSC

I have a young bhoy from Arbroath working with me, it's his birthday today 26years old.

now got him supporting the hoops,
actually taking him to bon accord tomorrow as he is a whisky fanatic as well as a celtic one...

Hotsmokedsalmon

Combine what you're all famous for....how about, "you smoke one sheep..."

'Titanic' is my favourite movie of all time! Even my gran's cat Bowser loves it!

This morning I was listening to Celine singing' My Heart Will go on' on my iPod.

Bowser killed two mice last night, and as per usual has bitten off their heads. Yuk!

Maybe Koki will get a game tonight. That would be great as well.

Blantyretim

Arbroath 36 Shotts Bon Accord 0.

Do you think he'll be safe? There may still be a wee bit of bitterness yet.

NE team name

fur its a grand old team to play for..

cadizzy

it's ok big paul is a tim

Thanks for all the comments on the quiz idea, bhoys. Look for further news on the date soon.

On another note: the Herald has just revamped its comments section into a new blog - and it uses Movable Type.

Obviously CQN is blazing a trail yet again!

Seville67 and st stivs fp from last night

I think you're getting the 'Catman' and the old dosser who sleeps inside St Marys door and hangs around West Blackhall St, Argyle St and Laird St area mixed up with the original 'Catman' who 'lives' in the area around Scotts Lane between Bakers Brae and the garages of Wilsons Coaches which are behind the BP garage on Regent St.

I've never seen him myself but have heard about him as long as I can remember. Some guys managed to video him and put it on youtube. I can't say it's definitely real but if it's a fake then who is brave enough to put a dead rat in his mouth?

CATMAN

nasty smell starting to infect the air in ML1.....

..... like when excrement meets excrement

DirtyProtestCSC

Podium67, are you at the wind up?

Celine Dion, Sheena Easton? Why don't you go the whole hog and get Shirley Bassey, Barbra Sreisand, Judy Garlane and her mental daughter on your iPod. Better still, there are discos where they play that kind of music all the time. You'd meet lots of other people who like that kind of stuff also.

Jeez, bring back the Lennon dirge!

Cadizzy -

think that Bon accord differed from the ML7ers

WG

Gordon_J

I've not got your e-mail address but I'm definitely up for the quiz night. February sound ideal though looking at the fixtures we have Rangers on the 14th (though I suspect it will be moved to the 15th) and St Mirren on the 28th. Maybe the St Mirren game would be perfect in that most people would just have been paid at the end of the month so would maybe be up for a night out more around then?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article5026752.ece

Well worth the read

St. Michaels Bhoy

Irish Nationalism and Irish Republicanism are two facets of the same core belief system that the future of Ireland should be decided by the people of Ireland without the influence of foreign aggressors.

There is a marked difference however between Republicanism and Armed Force Republicanism and its important not to confuse the two as there is nothing wrong or distasteful with Republicanism.

Celtic were formed by men with strong Nationalist and Republican backgrounds and the clubs Irishness stems from these political ideologies.

A large percentage of Celtic fans can see this and feel no fear, shame or embarrassment in expressing it.

Hotsmokedsalmon,
You obviously haven't met Curly and myself otherwise you'd know that we'll be counting on you in the etymological rounds. As for a team name I'm sure we'll come up with something incredibly witty but I see that the suggestions have already started to come in from our fellow posters.
LFT

WG poetic(prosaic) license.

I wonder if the referee carried an abacus as well as a whistle. Is it still a record and why was the team named after a real ale pub in Glasgow?

I cannot help thinking that one of the reasons it is so difficult to persuade anyone else of the reasonableness of one's own views is that what one person means is either not what they actually write or if what they write is what they mean it is not the meaning taken by the reader.

So when someone says Celtic will lose its Irish identity (for example - not an issue for debate) my inclination is to think that is an unfounded fear because TO ME it is unfounded.

However if someone is going to all the bother of setting out their fear and what they think it will then mean TO THEM the fear has foundation for THEM.

The obvious next step in that situation is to ask the other why do you fear what you do?
Then look at those fears as if they were your own in an attempt at understanding.
THEN express why you think those fears are unfounded in an attempt to PERSUADE the other person that what they fear is not actually real.
In my experience most fears fall into that category and even when the are real, what emerges is much better than what was left behind.

Life is littered with examples of things created by fear leading to a better situation than in the fear filled existence that prevailed beforehand.

The other difficulty of course is that such discussions require an environment were those exchnaging views are prepared to suspend judgement so that free and frank exchange is encouraged.

It is unlikely that such an environment will be found on football web sites of any colour that primarily exist to pass judgement albeit on football matters.

I keep bringing TFS up which is not directly football related because Celtic football web sites are a great medium for informing, correcting and focussing on an issue which most readers can agree needs tackling and where the process for doing so is limited.
But on wider debates that involve the politics that surround the game the most likely outcome is divisiveness, not because of any inherent failings on the part of those contributing but because the environment in which the contributions are being made is naturally hostile.

You would not try to plant rice in a desert.

What is required is a totally separate non judgemental environment with a set of rules for clear communication where such discussions of a more political nature can take place.

Is there one? If there was one would it free regular football sites of the discord or make them less interesting?

Note: This is not to debate on any of the recent issues its about HOW and where we debate those issues.

porridgeandbananas,

Sounds good. I usually avoid being in the city centre on the night of a Glasgow derby anyway.

I think I have your e-mail - will drop you a note and see if it works!

new article posted.

Michael Collins

I would not disagree with any of that if Celtic were on a green field site but there is a blue field site next door that cannot be ignored.

Some form of accommodation is required that is not perceived as either side surrendering to the other.

Cadizzy,
On the same day as Arbroath won 36-0, another team (Dundee Harp?) beat another Aberdeen team 35-0. Same day!! Perhaps the fixtures` list needed looking at.
LFT,
I have met Curly (Golf Day)and I got the impression that he could take humiliation in his stride. A definite requirement for our team (see, it is `our team` already).
Auldheid
Another excellent post.(11.59).Often in life, someone says something and we say: That`s just what I think but needed someone else to actually put it in words and out in the open. You do that extremely well.....would you like to move to the NE so as to be in the catchment area for our quiz team?
Cadizzy again.
Loved that one about the brush handle! A question in The Sunday Post Quiz once was: Why are our policemen so handsome! I kid you not.

Sure, Cadizzy, I do recognise that the two newspaper headline gags were not quite of the same ilk.

Liked the wet sponge one, though, I have to admit.

Like the seagulls in Paisley bringing packed lunches ...

Where's the new article (12.05)? cannae see it. Might have to do some work.

Hotsmoked Salmon

If the NE is NE of England I had an auld auntie stayed near St Jamas Park. Could I qualify on that basis?

If the NE is Scotland/Aberdeen I have a fondness for Arbroath Smokies but NOT mutton lest rumours start!

Michael Collins,

Celtic's Irishness stems from the fact that the club was formed by Irishme. Their original objective was to raise funds for the poor of the east end, both Irish and Scottish. Celtic's very name was intended to show they were not exclusively Irish.

I am fully aware of the differences between the aim of Republicanism and the various means of achieving it. It still has nothing to do with Celtic though.

The men who formed Celtic were not Republicans.

gweedorebhoy,

I haven't changed my tune at all.

Still proud of Celtic's Irish roots, still against confusing Irishness with Republicanism.

I grew up singing the Boys of the Old Brigade and am still known to indulge occasionally, but never at a Celtic match. I keep them separate, as they should be.

Hoping Naka is fit for tonight, as he has plenty of form against that lot.

Right, as I can’t post during the day and by the time I’ve caught up at night it’s too late to do so, I’m typing this in preparation for my “allowed” browsing at lunch time, so I’ll apologies in advance for it’s length, but not for it’s content.

There is an orchestrated campaign by malignant sources known to us all, with the express objective of bringing “us” Celtic Football Club and all it’s adherents in to the huns’ spotlight with the hope that we will be punished to the same degree that they will.

It is being managed by professionals who are very experienced in the black arts of Media Management and up until now, they have performed this task exceptionally well. I have no idea of the numbers involved, but I would imagine those that are, are some of the best in the business.

You get what you pays for in this game and Murray must be paying Top-Dollar in order to achieve what some would consider an impossible task, but from where I’m standing, “they” are surely getting there !

One of the first principals of war is to divide and conquer and in order to achieve this, one must first identify the enemy’s weaknesses and as has been witnessed on here over the past week or two, one of our biggest is our club’s identity and that of it’s followers.

Up until now I wouldn’t have thought of this as a weakness, but as has been evidenced on here recently, it would seem that it is. We have lost long-standing posters and probably many more lurkers over this than any other issue that I can remember. Whoever identified this from our attackers knows their audience better than probably many of us did and make no mistake, IMHO this has been a very carefully and well orchestrated campaign by them.

There will be protagonists from their side on here masquerading as posters and there will be members of the Fourth Estate doing exactly the same, after all, if your livelihood depended on it, you may well do the same, so let’s not kid ourselves on here, we are being attacked and undermined by those that wish us much harm and it is up to us to identify the “enemy” and to come together as supporters of our club in order to defeat them.

Instead of dancing to “their” tune, we should be focusing on what makes this club so different from ALL other clubs. There is far more that should and does unite us, than is dividing us, but having read most of what’s been posted on here recently, you wouldn’t think so.

I will defend by any means open to me, the right of any individual to have and to express freedom of speech. But as any reasonable person knows, that freedom carries responsibilities and it is this that our enemies are using against us. They are urging some of us to express our feelings to such a degree that others are finding it unpalatable and those in return are then expressing theirs to the same degree. How many of us have read posts mirroring the very sentiments that TRS extol and against which we are all united against ?

As everyone knows, there are certain subjects that should never be discussed by people in unknown company and these include politics and religion. And before anyone says, I would have thought also that this was not mixed company, but as we’ve all read recently, it is !!! People’s political and religious beliefs are personal and will be held dear by those that have them and they will not sit idly by and watch them being attacked. Some will chose to go elsewhere and others will defend them on here irregardless of who they fall out with, or offend.

I am not advocating their exclusion from the blog, but I am trying to identify why and by whom they are being used against us all. And make no mistake, they are being used by the malicious forces currently raging this war against our club, all we have to do is acknowledge this, accept it and agree a common strategy against it, no ???

I humbly suggest that we all focus on what brings us all here together rather on what divides us. We love our club and I feel pretty certain that if any of us met outwith the blog, regardless of our politics and religion, we would get on famously, finding common ground in our football club and being the polite individuals that I think most of us are, we would steer well clear of any contentious ground for fear of offending those we are talking to, or those that are around us.

This is not a sop to all that would harm us, more of a rallying, “call to arms” to those that feel alienated from our club because of what has been written both here and in other places. We have a fight on our hands and we wont win it unless we all fight the same enemy and I hope you can all agree who that enemy is. It’s not the true Celtic supporters on here or at the games, it’s the bellicose (been dying to type that fur ages !!) enemy that lurks on here and all around us.

This blog was conceived and executed by Paul67 to provide us with a platform that was and should be an alternative to platforms that existed and still exist, who’s primary objective was and still is, to either see our club put out of business, or at the very least, see us put (in their eyes) in our rightful place.

Not while I’m still drawing breath !

KNOW YOUR ENEMY, and it’s not any true supporter of our club on here, or at the games

On a lighter note, as said previously by me, If I can manage, I’m in oneanton’s team (if she’ll have me) !

pablophanque

Ps, I wore my kilt in Seville and I also had a Saltire round my neck the whole day. Try doing that in an army issue kilt (probably weighs about 5lbs), Hoops, full-length woolly socks and desert boots and all in 42°C of glorious sunshine :o)

My point being, I should not be seen to be deliberately trying to identify our club as a purely Scottish one by those who think it’s purely Irish, nor should I feel unwelcome by others just because I think it is (with Irish roots). As far as I’m concerned, the day it stops being “All inclusive” will be the day I stop supporting it.

Pps, Kitalba, what does that Icelander know about Scottish History writers anyway :o)))

Ppps, Travelbhoy, (can’t remember your new Nom-De-Blog), forgot to acknowledge your post from a few days ago. Brian’s still the man for me I’m afraid !

Two of the best posts you would read ANYWHERE have appeared in quick succession from Auldheid & Pablo. Plenty of thought provoking material there for all of us, carefully & skilfully presented.
Thanks, lads.

pablo
IMO a certain chairman has privately admitted defeat to the bigots and the only light at the end of a dark tunnel is to drag us into the abyss .If anyone was under any illusion as to who the media would side with,see this week and the rest of the season .
because they are not finished yet .they really are GUTTED that there was only a tiny minority who protested at the weekend .
So c'mon BHOYS do not fall for their plan ,do not throw the drowning rats a lifeline .
Somtimes you have to concede a battle or two ,in order to win the WAR .
hail hail

For anyone interested.

Encouraged by the positive feedback to Speaking for The Dead I have written to PoppyScotland about the using of their SPL approach by A NUMBER OF PARTIES to suit their own particular agendas.

Their reply should prove enlightening as to what they hoped to acheive compared to what actually was acheived.

If interest has not totally evaporated by the time I get a reply I'll let you have the gist of it.

fergus

Correct. Everyone is making assumptions about why the SPL were approached. Personally I think it unlikely Poppy Scotland could have foreseen what might constitute a good slice of their donor base alienated by that approach and the way it was used to promote other agendas.

As I said above I have written to them to ask if they are aware of the negative impact and what might be done to avoid a repeat.

Whatever we might think of it, it cannot be good business for PoppyScotland to be involved in creating strife no matter how unintentional. I am sure they will wish to distance themselves from it.

Fergus

I should have added the very way that the media waded in and created further strife can be used against them.

That was part of Speaking for The Dead to expose their hypocrisy.

It is also why I would like to see it passed around, not for any royalties :D or kudos for the words, but to expose the media hypocrisy.

People who are born in certain places in the world are brought up to believe that their way is the right way and the ONLY way.Not only that, but they can PROVE that their way is the right way by telling us THEIR history and giving us examples from it..
Auldheid ,in one of his excellent posts on this matter, alluded to this same point. Somehow,we have to stop hating and begin understanding.
I am an atheist but have really admired some people who have had a son or daughter murdered but forgiven the murderer because they truly believe that forgiveness and understanding are the only way forward.

Hotsmokedsalmon

You might be interested in exploring this site.

http://www.forgiveness-institute.org/

It used to produce a quarterly newsletter. In one of them the mother of a victim explained how she came to forgive the murderer. Astonishing stuff.

Interestingly enough the Professor at The University of Madison from which the IFI operates - Rob Enright - has spent some time in the last few years in NI promoting the application of forgiveness.

He needs to come to Scotland.

Got this reply from Poppy Scotland to the letter that follows. Lets hope the message gets across.

Dear Mr

Many thanks for your letter and email. It is our aim to raise as much awareness as possible about the Scottish Poppy Appeal, remembrance and the work that we do to support veterans and their families in Scotland, many of whom have a number of issues, including financial needs, physical or psychological injuries and social welfare issues. We appreciate your sentiments and thank your for your support.

Thank you so much for your poem – it is extremely poignant and I hope we are able to use it in the future.

Best wishes

My letter to PoppyScotland

I was dismayed at the way the well intended involvment of SPL clubs in the Poppy Appeal was hijacked by a number of parties to push their own particular agendas.

One agenda came from a small part of the Celtic support but what was made of that was seized upon by others to pursue their won particular agendas.

I am sure that this has not gone unoticed by PoppyScotland and hope that lessons will be learned from it.

There are a number of issues arising, one being what the Poppy Symbolises and clarifying that symbology.

There was much debate in cyberland on the rights and wrongs of Celtic taking part and then on radio and newspapers about how they took part. In doing so everyone taking part completely missed the point. To make the point I tried looking at what unfolded from the eyes of a soldier killed in battle. It got a positive response from a fairly well balanced but small audience who read it. I pass it to you to consider if it contains any sentiments you would like to get across in readiness for next years campaign.