Anxious about defeat is not being greedy or unappreciative

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Do you remember the midweek game against Dundee in April 2001? Win that game, and Martin O’Neill could win his first league title at the next game, home to St Mirren, but it was a fraught evening. Dundee equalised midway through the second half, before Johan Mjallby scored a winner six minutes from time.

Afterwards Martin O’Neill complained that the crowd was unnecessarily anxious. Celtic were well ahead, the title was not in doubt, but Martin didn’t appreciate how much we all wanted to be there when it was won, a few days later. To the manager, we seemed to be demanding too much. But while Martin was guaranteed a ticket to wherever the league winning match would be, Celtic needed to beat Dundee and St Mirren to ensure season ticket holders would be in attendance.

Similar themes are evident now. It is not that Celtic fans don’t appreciate the exceptionality of our season-and-a-half unbeaten domestic run. We do, but it’s that exceptionality that makes the prospect of the run coming to an end after being two goals ahead at Easter Road so disturbing. We know that when this run ends, the chance of anything similar starting up again is remote. The cost of defeat is meaningless to the outcome of the league title, but when it happens, you are going to feel it. Rightly so.

Celtic Foundation Auctions

The Foundation has several auctions which close at 7pm tonight. There are some exceptional prizes, currently at very competitive prices. Including a ‘Lisbon 67’ golf club, signed by Ryder Cup player, Stephen Gallacher.

Funds from these auctions will help around 300 local families living in poverty, who will have a mean on Christmas Day and presents for the kids. And you are bound to be struggling for a gift idea for someone, so take a look at what’s available…….

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  1. glendalystonsils on

    AH! Memories of the old Celtic end at Hamdump.! Soaked overhead by the rain for lack of cover , soaked underfoot from the cans of pish cascading down the muddy black ash steps!

     

     

    The delights!

  2. And of course when it came to providing cover and concrete steps for the fans – which end did they choose.

     

     

    FTSFA

  3. Like others many memories of Hampden,not all Celts, but standouts for me Leeds, McCluskey goal against Huns before mayhem, centenary cup, 6 3 v hibs van Hooijdonk debut against Hearts I think cup against Airdrie, in north enclosure, bright sun red red face :))). Many others.

     

     

    Dalglish v Spain dalglish v England

     

    St Etienne in green and Zidane for Madrid champions league finals

     

    Maradonna at 18 for Argentina

     

     

    Worst memory v Thistle in league cup debacle

     

     

    Anyway despite all the issues I lived 10 minutes walk away and was able to go with my dad for all sorts and while there were bad times mostly they were good. I for one despite its issues would be sorry to see its demise

     

    HH

  4. glendalystonsils on

    BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 12TH DECEMBER 2017 7:39 PM

     

     

    The ash raised a fine black dust on dry days, probably more toxic than Chernobyl-))

  5. Hrvatski Jim

     

    I too was at that game between Kirkintilloch Rob Roy and Cambuslang Rangers in 1969 and it was my first visit to Hampden as well. My team got beat.

     

    My first Celtic game was the 1971 LCF v Partick Thistle. Aye, that wan. My team got beat.

     

    My last game at Hampden (pre-boycott) was against Ross County during the reign of NFL. And again, my team got beat.

     

    Raze it to the ground I say!

     

     

    BTW I should say I HAVE seen Celtic win several finals.

  6. thomthethim for Oscar OK on

    BIG PACKY on 12TH DECEMBER 2017 6:48 PM

     

    Fred Colon. sadly hung up my drumkit 26 years otherwise would have been up there. by the way my first cup final the 67 aberdeen game. had the biggest ever crowd at hampden .146,000 anybody remember?

     

     

    *******

     

    You were actually only 30 years out.

     

    The record club attendance was 146,000 for the 1937 v Aberdeen Cup Final.

     

     

    My father was there and he said it was a bigger crowd than that which attended the Scotland V England game shortly after.

     

     

    They gave that as 149,000.

     

     

    They didn’t like us then, either!!

  7. Current league table after 17 games (16 for Celtic)

     

    Celtic 38

     

    Rangers* 33

     

    Aberdeen 33

     

    Hibs 30

     

     

    Likely position by 31st December – all having then played 22 games

     

    Celtic 56

     

    Hibs 41

     

    Aberdeen 41

     

    Rangers* 40

     

     

    The 6 game winning run starts ramorra!

  8. In 1926, Huddersfield Town became the first club to win a hat-trick of First Division titles having finished top of the pile in 1924 and 1925, too.

  9. A wee fall out at level 5??

     

    Stephen Kerr has left the firm to set up his own OR company, leaving Traynor behind.

     

    Source Andy Muirhead.

     

    Hail Hail

  10. GENE on 12TH DECEMBER 2017 8:36 PM

     

     

    In 1926, Huddersfield Town became the first club to win a hat-trick of First Division titles having finished top of the pile in 1924 and 1925, too.

     

     

    *more entitled than a 5 year old one with 5 grey ones.

  11. THETIMREAPER on 12TH DECEMBER 2017 5:06 PM

     

     

    “Warning, absolutely horrendous language”

     

     

    *****

     

     

    Reflected his team’s horrendous performance. Played off the park, out-thought, out-skilled by Guardiola’s team, unheard of (lack of) possession stats for a Manure side at OT, especially in a game Mourinho admitted they had to win.

     

     

    But the master deflector has everyone now talking about “milkgate” rather than the paucity of his team’s performance. I mean, he never “over-celebrated” as an away manager at OT, did he?

     

     

    He did the same with Conte following a hammering dished out by Chelsea last year, chastising him on the touchline for “overdoing” goal and final whistle celebrations.

     

     

    Looks like at least one poster who had Pep as “found out” and “past it” at this stage last year, struggling against the methods of the likes of Conte, was a bit premature in his judgement. Yes, his club’s loaded, but so are Manure, and the difference in the standard of football is huge, if the first 45 minutes on Sunday especially are anything to go on, not to mention the 11 point gap.

  12. TT and Gene….

     

     

    Interestingly the Huddersfield manager Herbert Chapman left to go to Arsenal and they promptly repeated the 3 in a row although Chapman had died at a young age before the second trio was completed.

     

     

    Like Bill Shankly he was the creator of a club identity and ethos which survived long after death….. in reality for decades and in essence to the present day.

     

     

    Stars? A joke. Will be glad to see ours vanish tbh.

     

     

    HH

  13. Can’t enjoy the Hampden memories, the pain of my dad turning back after we got there later than planned for the 1972 Hibs final due to the crush at the gates,and my wee brother only being a 9 year old at the time, still smarts.

     

     

    Especially when we heard the roar as Caesar scored as we headed for home.

     

     

    Going to the final and getting in the following year failed to compensate!

  14. Chelsea fans singing to Huddersfield fans tonight.

     

    Champions of England you’ll never sing that.

     

    They obviously don’t read T.T Gene and Thirds.

     

    Incidentally Huddersfield won their first league title 31 years before Chelsea.

     

    Hail Hail

  15. Jimmynotpaul

     

     

    Yeah, but you can only sing it if your team are the current champions, so, while not forgetting Leicester, they’re probably right!

  16. The old Div 1 trophy is now given to the championship winners – this is now the top div in the EFL – the EPL being a modern institution

  17. The Terriers also discovered Denis law, sent him for an operation to correct his squint when he could throw away his glasses, nae contacts back then. They flogged him tae Man City, who beat Manure to his signature, for 55 grand, a British record fee.

     

     

    Within a year he was off tae Torino for twice the money, another record transfer fee. BTW a Scottish club were allegedly in for him when he was with Huddersfield, aye so they were.

     

     

    Their most illustrious supporter was Harold Wilson who was born in the town.

  18. Jimbob.

     

    I honestly don’t know.

     

    Game was at Hamilton tonight, Paul The Tim and Joe McHugh from videocelts were both at the game and tweeting.

     

    Anyone out there able to answer Jimbob at 9.07.

     

    Hail Hail

  19. Hi CQNers

     

     

    Some marvellous memories of Hampden from Tontine Tim and a few others…sort of contemporaries of mine.

     

     

    My first visit was SC Semi v Airdrie 4-0 and on to Dunfermline in Final 1-1 and 0-2 in Replay

     

     

    After that my visits to Hampden from home in Kinning Park and then Househillwood were many and different in their atmosphere and excitement

     

     

    Glasgow/Charity Cup Final v Third Lanark in a 3 quarter empty stadium 1-1 Cup shared Wee Jocky Robertson Thirds goalie.

     

    World Cup qualifier Scotland beat Eire

     

    Friendly to open floodlights Select side(?) v Eintracht

     

    World Cup qualifier v Czechoslovakia ….3-2 Scotland Denis Law hat trick.

     

    SC rnd 3 or something v Queens Park…4-0 to Bhoys???

     

    Home International 134,000 all ticket v England …Scotland 2-0 Caldow pen, Wilson

     

    Pre-season v Man City

     

    Pre-season v Spurs

     

    World Club Championship v Racing Club…1-0 to Champions of Europe

     

    ….and then all the successes.

     

    The Leeds Semi was memorable for the noise generated by the biggest attendance ever at a European Cup club match 136,000 I think.

     

    I have been in attendance at many many more and I always think of happy things when I think of Hampden. I cant imagine many Huns have that joyous feeling that so many Celtic supporters are able to recall.

     

    Not all great but i’m a glass half full kinda guy

     

     

    Hail Hail

  20. TT

     

    your mention of harold wilson reminded me of the old joke along the following lines

     

     

    South African talking to a yorkshire man –

     

    SA – we have a surgeon who transplanted a heart into a man and made him well again

     

     

    YM -That’s nothing we took a tw*t from huddersfield and transplanted him to london and made him PM

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