We’ve been here several times before. Our first venture into the Champions League play-off round was in 1998 against (then) Croatia Zagreb. Zagreb were clearly the better team but while a 1-0 win in the home leg gave us hope we were outclassed in the return game.
The unforgettable tie against Ajax was next. Celtic’s best away performance in this tournament saw us beat the Dutch champions 1-3 in Amsterdam. Ajax were clearly caught cold and performed infinitely better at Celtic Park, winning 0-1, but Celtic shut up shop to deny them any real chance of progression.
Basel were unknown and un-fancied in 2002 but their movement in central midfield was too much for Celtic, although curiously they only managed to perform for 45 minutes in each game. An away goal defeat blocked our route to the top competition. MTK Budapest were professionally swept aside in 2003.
Who can forget Spartak Moscow? Just as they had done against Ajax, Celtic did the hard work away in the first leg, returning with a 1-1 draw, but incredible dramas unfolded at Celtic Park. Roman Pavluchenko levelled Scott McDonald’s opener but the Russian missed a first half penalty. The game went to extra time and with minutes left a defender punched Scott Brown’s shot off the line. Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink missed with the resulting spot kick setting up a memorable penalty competition.
Vennegoor of Hesselink and Pavluchenko both scored this time as brave efforts from Gary Caldwell, Derek Riordan and Maciej Zurawski, who almost certainly knew he would never kick another ball for Celtic, and a save by Artur Boruc, sent us through. Naka proved that 12 yards is too close a dead ball distance for him.
A favourite Celtic Park memory? You bet.
The adrenaline is pumping already. Bring it on.
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Rousing stuff Paul67, I’ve had the butterflies flapping around my stomach since last night, just want KO to hurry up become (whereupon I will once again become the nervous wreck I always am when watching big celtic games!)
Wouldn’t have it any other way though
Come on Celtic!
Where is ra bommur? Rehab? The pub? Wine Alley? Has he returned the money pressed into his mitts by over-emotional huns? Perchance a wee holiday in the sun befell him fortuitously like a gift from the lottery?
I miss his doorstep oratory….his pay-as-you-go bar binges in Glasgow hostelries,his wonderful mystery tales of what Chucky didn’t say.
I imagine he and Gazza sharing a table on a sun-drenched balcony in Tuscany,sipping their vino collapso and communicating telepathically in alcoholic misapprehension of their respective visions : the fiery floodlit hoverpitches in a swirl of butcher’s apron confetti as they storm the ramparts of European glory.
Then they awake, entangled in the hungover reality of a newco sevco behind the hedge divvy three team built on arrogance and overspending in the clutches of some business mafia types nail-bent on taking them back to the gutter from whence they came.
And thus the dream, the fantasy, the reality are all subsumed in the thrumming orange miasma, grinding,grinding,grinding the once impassioned diatribes under the heel of stupidity.
frankiebhoy
@ 14:26
Thanks bud… can’t believe I didn’t look at ITV… doh.
I need my medicine ,I’m beginning to understand every post on the blog .
Celtic will need to work harder and faster than they did on saturday. Closing down quickly will be key (as opposed to Ki).
HH
My Dear WonkyRadar…
I’m Disappointed To See That Doctor Leggoland Let You Down Last Night…
Clearly,A Quack…. As Well As A Crap Journalist…..
Might I Suggest Spinach…Soitenly Worked For PopeEye…..?
(ThumbsUp?)
VP
You should try gummy bears they’re delicious.
Off oot.
philvis – enjoyed the debate.
Get Paddy oan!
(disappears before shimmies33 can retaliate)
Offski,folks.
Taping the game,but a couple of 12-hr shifts to come so no chance of watching it.
A wee favour to ask-please don’t mention the score till around 1pm tomorrow.
Cheers……
HH&KTF
voguepunter
I got lost at ‘tachnig’ ;-)
I thought I read on hear that Helsinborgs players were big guys?
Anyone?
Philbhoy
Dhjrfgusdfjkhsdfghujnjfghg is they’re centre half, you don’t get much bigger than that!!
Tachnig is ok as long as it’s done behind closed doors.
Philbhoy – It’s just the beginning! 14:33
I was on a school cruise, the Dunera in April, 1964.
___________________________________________________
To Madeira, Lisbon & Vigo?
who are all the players that left this close season
The Battered Bunnet
Nothing too good for Vogue Punter and the Glennies.
Philbhoy
Old habits die hard! Did I ever tell you about the boat trip we took back in the 60s, to Baresi I think, or was it Barassie?
kdc 14:36 on 21 August, 2012
“SRS, where are you tonight??
“I need to decide if it’s worth me tachnig the game..:-) ”
Nowhere near Scandinavia. I can assure you…
I’m like a wee bhoy on Xmas morning – there’s nothing quite like a European game involving the mighty Celtic! And it’s only a play-off for the group stages!
Hats off to Sky Italia for showing the match live as well as the following:
Spartak Moscow v Fenerbache (c’mon Aiden – if you’re playing);
Borussia M’gladbach v Dinamo Kiev;
Malaga v Panathinaikos;
Braga v Udinese (remember them?!)
The Moretti (no sniggering at the back there) is chilling in the fridge – bottles this time, no cans!
No idea what the formation will be, but we need to be disciplined, keep our shape and not concede an early goal! Stating the bleedin’ obvious I know – just the way I am!
Prediction: 2-1 to us!
C’mon you bhoys in green!
HH!!
mammymabawsburst
Vigo, Tangiers and Lisbon.
We sailed around the 20th April and back about the 5 th May.
Went to St Gregory (Lightburn) then.
miki67
14:37 on
21 August, 2012
Where is ra bommur?
Superb.
HH
Back soon, you’ll be glad to know!
A brogue is a brogue for all that.
philvisregurgitates: themudslingingdefective: the duopoly of defiant dunces. the two stooges:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You cannot simply equate a national economy with a household credit card.
And you know it.
Desist or be broken on the wheel of ‘common sense policies’, ‘the pound in your pocket’, and the price of those groceries in your shopping baskets. Thatcher and Reagan produced such as you……economic illiterates.
Voodoo economics. Stupid stupid stupid. Bankster/gangster/toff/aristo landowning guff.
HH!
Saint stivs
Mark wilson, dan, loovens,polish striker ?? Lol and ki although a may be missing some
Not the same one then, I think mine was 1965 maybe. I was at Our Lady of Lourdes (East Kilbride). Split my ankle on one of the bulkhead doors, four stitches. The Dunera must have made a mint form the Catholic Dioceses at the time.
Darren o’dea
Wonkyradar…
Surely You Haven’t Run Out Of All Those ‘Big’ Words….?
Check Behind The Settee….You Might Find The Ones You Mislaid,Last Christmas
ArthurAlbert&EthelKoestlerCSC.
Tallybhoy
you raise a good point, the feeling of anticipation and excitement on a European night is quit different to when we used to play ‘Them’. Then it was the same except with the awful stomach churning feeling of dread should things not go our way, also add to that the anticipation of how many awful decisions we would have to endure.
Now i know we have been on the receiving end of a few of those in Europe, but somehow it doesnt seem quite as bad when you know its not part of an agenda.
I know which games i prefer, give me Europe any day over a game against the orcs.
Ritchie towell .. Think b4 a post lol
Here we go again… this evening is HUGE ! Looking forward to the game big time. Couple of injury worries, and the team kind of picks itself IMO because of that.
Forster, Matthews, Rogne, Mulgrew, Izzaguire, Brown, Kayal, Ledley, Commons, Samaras, Hooper.
Couple of injury doubts even that starting line up, but trust this will be fine. Forrest on for Commons in 2nd half for pace on the break. McGeouch for me as 2nd midfield sub (ahead of McCourt), and if Hooper is coming off, then Watt would be my pick (he handled a pressure situation well at the w/e, and I think Stokes, Bangura and Murphy are all out injured ?)
C’mon Bhoys.. do us proud… wish I was at this game, will have to do with attending the return leg
HH
WageBillDeductions – Ki, Cha, McGinn, Loovens, Rasmussen, Majstorovic, Cervi, Hoovield, Wilson, A Thompson, J Thompson, O’Dea & Juarez
Will Sandazzler or wee Andy Little be awarded the ‘Golden Brogue’ for finishing top scorer in the SuperLiga 3rd division?
Cruise with the school???????/ furthest I got was Prestwick airport.
voguepunter
Embra Zoo!!
The paddle boats in the Alexandra park.
Saint stivs
What !!bada bing!! Says ….. Lol
McBhoy,
sorry pal, dont agree the ref agenda has not reached europe, all the euro refs know is that Celtic declared war on referee’s.
The information leaving scotland at the time was thus.
The only other information they could get was from scottish refs, how do you think that would go.
dallas got a job, even though he used official uefa resources to send sectarian hatemail, he is supervising european games and training refs, he’ll have advice for refs from all over the world, you think he’s preaching the message of integrity of the sport
wonkyradar 14:47 on 21 August, 2012
miki67 14:37 on21 August, 2012
“Where is ra bommur?”
Ra Bommur’s currently giving elocution lessons to Cornelius Graham, Divine Dingwall and Div Legless in the cellar of Annie Miller’s – Divine and Legless are doing a Fran and Anna tribute during half-time in the Ramsdens Cup tie.
The word around the ‘camp’ fire is Ra Bommur will turn his focus on Charuullls Green when the group reach their objective of constructing a full sentence.
Walking thesaurus Cornelius is progressing best and has made a list of sensitive body parts to use as insults towards his detractors.
He also has a dapper pair of shiny brown brogues and matching belt.