90 minutes of European drama ahead

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The juices are flowing ahead of tonight’s crucial third round Champions League qualifier against HJK Helsinki at Celtic Park.  Not only is it the first competitive game Celtic have had something to play for since winning the league at Rugby Park almost four months ago, it will be one of our most important games of the season.

The Finnish champions are midseason and have already negotiated an earlier qualifying round.  After recent August disappointments against Sion, Braga (how little we knew about them at the time) and Utrecht, Neil Lennon will know only too well the pitfalls of summer football.

It will be a long and tiring 90 minutes for the players but a special Celtic Park atmosphere should see them through.

Best wishes to Morten Rasmussen, who joined FC Midtylland yesterday, or to tell the fuller story, was removed from the Celtic payroll with around £250k in compensation heading our way.  Morten arrived in January 2010, shortly before Robbie Keane and a host of other loan signing pitched up at Celtic and squeezed his chances of first team football.

Tony Mowbray was replaced by Neil Lennon two months later and Morten was clearly not in the new manager’s plans.  It all looked promising for him when he came on as a substitute, scored a goal and turned the game against Hamilton Accies in his first week at the club, but it was pretty much downhill from there.

Lesson here: for several years we signed too many players.
Enjoy the game!

Remember our raffle.  All proceeds go to the good causes; The Haven, Cancer Respite Centre, Blantyre, Oscar Knox Neuroblastoma Appeal, Martin Chambers Ecuador Trust and Aberdour Primary School Parents Association.

For the price of a £1 ticket you can win:

A celebrating Henrik Larsson painting.
A painting of Scott Brown in classic pose.
A Neil Lennon print.

Check them out and buy a ticket!

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443 Comments

  1. bubblegum on 1 August, 2012 at 14:05 said:

     

     

    I’ll be the tall, good looking, although folically challenged chap there.

     

     

    I’m not that good looking but Sannabhoy is usually standing next to me and in comparison I look like a handsome God!

  2. Right. That`s me just about to leave a sunny Arbroath for what I believe is a wet Glasgow. Not to worry. I expect a good result tonight (3 or 4 nothing). Will probably pop in to BB`s about 6pm for half an hour or so.

     

     

    JJ

     

     

    JJ

  3. Thanks GG!

     

     

    gourockbhoy – Gilcomston Bar & Regent Bridge Bar were the 2 Celtic Supporters Bars when I was living in Aberdeen 3 years ago, have you tried them?

  4. After phoning around I’ve finally found a bar (The Shamrock Sports Bar!) that is showing Saturday’s match. For whatever reason,they’re not showing tonight’s game as they say they don’t have the relevant channel !

     

    MissingGlasgow CSC

  5. a href=’http://funees.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/funny-faces-01.jpg’ target=’_blank’ >a bit ambivalent about the night

     

     

     

    don’t know whether to smile or frown.

  6. Gilcomston Bar reopened about 4 months ago (had been closed for a year for refurbishment after it was trashed by Aberdeen casuals – nice) and although I have been in it does not appear to be a Celtic pub. Regent Bridge Bar would be a possibility but no one answered the phone !

  7. AND AGAIN :)))

     

    =======

     

     

    Ryan\o/D on 1 August, 2012 at 12:14 said:

     

     

     

    Nearly There :-)

     

     

    HH

  8. Ladbrokes have announced that they have cut the odds of Celtic winning every SPL game from 100/1 to 66/1 after steady betting on it.

     

     

    I wonder if it is SydneyTim who has put money on it…

  9. !!Bada Bing!! on

    Embdae know if Ryan Nelsen New Zealand CB has found a new club since being freed by Spurs? Good solid defender.

  10. ScotPatsFan on 1 August, 2012 at 13:23 said:

     

    FourGreenFields on 1 August, 2012 at 12:38 said:

     

     

    Just catching up mate , thanks for that .thats what I was looking for.

  11. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    On 18th June 2012, it was announced that Ryan Nelsen had signed a one-year deal with Queens Park Rangers.

  12. gourockbhoy – the Garmpian Emerald Celtic Supporters http://www.grampianemeraldcsc.com/ bus ysed to run from the Gilcomston Bar, and I have watched a lot of Celtic matches in there, was always full of Celtic fans, although that may have changed due to the trashing by Aberdeen casuals!

  13. Bedtime here in oz

     

     

    Really gutted I won’t see game tonight and just heard setanta oz haven’t confirmed if they are showing Aberdeen game. Be absolutely gutted of don’t see that at least.

     

     

    Anyway everyone enjoy the game, back the bhoys from the go and drown out the moaners and groaners..plenty time for that after game if doesn’t go our way.

     

     

    I’m confident the bhoys will get result tonight.

     

     

    Let the people sing

  14. Big Swee walks on with Neil Lennon on

    Any Cornish Celts know of any pubs in St Ives area that may show tonight’s game?

     

     

    Hail Hail

  15. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    I hope Lennys pre match inspiration speech is all about throwing off the psychological shackles that the hun stink no longer permeates the air. That this season anti Celtic agenda on the domestic front will not be as overt as normal and possibly not as extreme and to get out there and dick them.

     

     

    Hail Hail

  16. •-:¦:-•** -:¦:- sparkleghirl :¦:-.•**• -:¦:-• on

    Happy New Season to all, whether you’ll be there in person tonight or not :-)

  17. Hail Hail CQNers

     

     

    I’m in Bognor and would appreciate any advice on where I might be able to watch the match tonight.

     

     

    For Sannaboy or whoever was asking….Celtic friendly bar opposite Rayners Lane Station The Man of Aran Ambrose is the guvnor and he will probably (almost certainly) put Celtic game on if requested. Just say Give me the money Barney sent you. Good luck.

     

     

    Hail Hail

  18. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on 1 August, 2012 at 14:56 said:

     

    I hope Lennys pre match inspiration speech is all about throwing off the psychological shackles that the hun stink no longer permeates the air. That this season anti Celtic agenda on the domestic front will not be as overt as normal and possibly not as extreme and to get out there and dick them.

     

     

    Hail Hail

     

     

    ………….

     

     

    I hope its be ready and awake from the 1st peep of the whistle, remember who you are marking and then kill!!!!

  19. Miki67:

     

     

    If I was you I would settle for a half-decent stream.

     

     

    At least its better than the wireless.

  20. fella on the cycling there

     

    time trial

     

    chain snaps in the first 2mtrs of his race

     

    shame that

     

    surely he can have a re-start ?

     

    top 3 riders should agree to it

  21. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    Greenjedi

     

     

    come on it wouldn´t be Lenny in Europe if we dont let in a soft sloppy needless pathetic avoidable pathetic goal :-)

     

     

    HAil HAil

  22. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    Greenjedi

     

     

     

    …………. in the first 5 minutes ;-)

     

     

    Hail HAil

  23. !!Bada Bing!! on

    The mucho sideburned and Mod loving Wiggins, or Voguepunter as hes known locally,is off and running.God’s Speed.

  24. jabba in Edinburgh having lunch with Sir Walter EBT and Mr Moonbeams as we speak…….

  25. Sixteen roads to Golgotha on

    Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on 1 August, 2012 at 12:35 said:

     

    kilbowie K…..,

     

    articles are posted on twitter a few seconds before they are posted here, get a twitter account and follow Paul67 if you want to compete with philvis its a dawdell.

     

     

    ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

     

     

    Everyday a mystery is solved.Nice one Neil canamalar.Well done.

     

     

    Never chased that podium,there was just something not right about it.Now it’s just a joke,even for the posters that genuinely got first when the cheats were making their dinner or something.

     

     

    Cheats just like the huns,and they never got tired of getting that podium,just like the huns never got tired of those titles the kept stealing.

     

     

    Anyway,i always chased things like the 111 post of the 333 or 777 for luck.Hit 666 once by mistake,not good.

     

     

    Celtic 4 – 0 Helsinki