BT Sport had Alan Thompson on at the weekend previewing the Cup Final and I was reminiscing about him. When he played, I wrote he was the most influential Celtic midfielder since the Lisbon Lions. Not the most talented, McStay and Collins among others could claim to be more gifted, by Thompson pushed Celtic into places none of the others managed.
His goals in Europe and against Rangers are legend, and his assists record is outstanding, but despite my complete adoration of the player, he had a clear drawback. Whenever he was absent through injury, it took weeks in the first team before he looked moderately competent. So much of his game was about sheer physical effort that anything below 100% fitness made him ineffective.
This week Boli Bolingoli, Mohamed Elyounoussi, Leigh Griffiths, Jonny Hayes and Mikey Johnston started games for the first time after injury. Bolingoli (that corner kick!) and Elyounoussi both reminded me of Alan Thompson returning from injury. We should cut them some slack as they build fitness.
The same cannot be said for Leigh Griffiths, who looks as sharp as a tack. He will benefit from 90 minutes last night but he is ready to lead the line, if required.
Scott Robertson looked the part, especially early on, when Celtic had more shape than they did at the end of the game. Delighted too that Karamoko Dembele got his first outing of the season. He was not able to contribute much but he is a lad we should have plans to develop into a first team player.
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the raffle for Tom Rogic’s signed shirt for the Celtic FC Foundation’s Christmas appeal. It is humbling to see Celtic fans in action like this. The winner has been informed by email – so check your inbox!
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Oh dear Rod, oh dear.
https://twitter.com/rodstewart/status/1205576361668046849?s=20
Dallas 10.36pm
Of course, only kidding as you mentioned Kilbowie … you posted about Dallas junior attending games, he is literally only following in his fathers footsteps :-)
Dallas Dallas
You tinged a memory of my first game,April or May and a bright sunny summer’s day, 68 or 69.I was used to playing primary schools football on the sodden quagmires of cowglen….so….from my minds eye I can still recall walking up the steps and suddenly it was there in front of me,the lush green grass,looking perfect, wow when I think of it then and now😊😊
My brother always left early so I was disturbed the following morn we won 3-1,it was 1-1 when we left!! Even today and after years of then living down sarff i am literally last man out of Celtic park.
Went to see luggy come back in an Austin Wellesley which had upholstery I can still smell.we got to outsiders due to crowds
I suppose following Celtic has been downhill
since lol.
Cheers Dallas and HH to you
HH
Austin Wolesley 😊
AT
Wolseley I think!
rod stewarts an arsehole.
who knew?
Disgusting comment .
Taxi duty so need to go!
Oh and it takes an arsehole………………………
Night all!
Taxi Duty here to.
See ya, back down to paradise to pick Mrs David66 up, God knows how she canny get a taxi like I have to.
HH
D. :)
TOBAGO STREET-my brother n law buried his dad 2weeks ago,he came from tobago st
Jimmy louden
Well played rod,brilliant ambassador for our club💚
god!!! you have to vote labour to be a tim, i have heard it all now.
An Tearmann , i still cherish the memories of going to games with my dad , being impatient with him as he always went to the toilet next to the turnstiles after giving me a lift over. I wanted to get to our spot in the Rangers end quickly so we could watch our team.
My dad passed away 2 years ago at the ripe old age of 91 . He spent his last 4 years in a care home. While a resident in the care home and despite his mobility problems , he managed to get to his last ever Celtic match courtesy of the care home , a two nil win against Motherwell in the invincible season. He was delighted apart from him and two other residents being deafened, in his words , by that bloody drummer. They were in a small disabled access area close to the green brigade.
He stayed with us until the day after we beat St Johnstone to set a new record for unbeaten games . We believe he wanted to be here to see the record being beaten.
DALLAS-brilliant wee story,my dad will be 80 in march so hopefully a few more years going to paradise with him to 🍀💚
Is David 17 a troll 🤔
Fairhill bhoy, thanks .
I hope your dad’s visits to Celtic Park continue for as long as possible with you both savouring and enjoying our brilliant success .
Jack Ross wiil have Hibs up for Sunday’s game however we will hopefully have a fully fit Ed starting and our players as focused as they have been this season.
My first time at Celtic Park was for Big Billy’s testimonial agin Liverpool (Shankley’s last game in charge I think)
1974 ?
I went with my da’s pal, who was a schoolteacher and his brother.Our tickets were for the hun end but they wasn’t happy with that so we walked under the Jungle to the Celtic end.The noise was deafening as we passed under the Jungle.I had never heard anything like it.The whole ground was singing Walk On before kick off.Shankley was out on the pitch with Big Jock.It was all very emotional and magical.
This is how it feels to be Celtic.
HH
Even though we are now fucked by these racist tory rich boys and their public school banking chums, it was nice to wake this morning to see the county of Angus is free of the nazi, homophobic witch.
A horrible tory ex MP who,s voting record wouldnt look out of place in the deep south states in 1950.
A truley horrible woman.
She can get a job in lidl in Brechin now and see how she likes living on shit in her home town.
Rod is just another exile without a vote voicing his opinion on matters that have nothing to do with him.
He is an arsehole. Best ignored, like our own tory exile.
Moravcik67 about the co efficient
https://twitter.com/Moravcik67_/status/1205468503899328512?s=20
HH
FAIRHILL BHOY. I was brought up at 145 Tobago street between Stevenson street and mill road street. We emigrated in 1966 to Canada. I was 10 at the time. I’m 63 now. Sorry, I don’t remember the Louden family name. But I’m up for stories from Tobago street as you can imagine.
T
My first game was March 1954 against East Fife.
Johnny Higgins, my hero at that time, scored twice in a 4-1 win, and I was delighted, despite being drenched and bewildered down at the front of the Rangers end.
My abiding memory is standing outside the local pub for ages wondering why the bus wasn’t leaving to go to Celtic Park.
It was part of a rare winning season for us, with a league and cup double, led by Big Jock at centre half.
A couple of weeks later on a sunny St Patrick’s Day my uncles walked me from Plains to Broomfield where to the strains of Hail Glorious St Patrick we won 6-0.
What more could a lad ask than 3 days school holidays with a Celtic win to celebrate?
GG
Thanks for your written history of your first game.😊Class😊.as may I add,your choice of hymns😊
Dallas Dallas.
Its great to have those memories,of those who gave us Celtic..Your not a bad chronicler of Celtic yourself,putting it into words,I swear going up them steps and reachin the top.dont think I have seen a lusher green since.
Fb- as dd says cherish them times with the old fella,😊
Cheers AT.
The follow up to that season was listening to the second half of the Scottish Cup Final on the Scottish Home Service in my Granny’s. Sean Fallon scored the winner and my granny showed some rare emotion when we celebrated the final whistle.
Next day I couldn’t get enough of the pictures in the Sunday papers. The one I remember most was of Big Jock making a clearance with his knee.
For the following weeks I was desperately trying to engineer situations where I could knee the ball as often as possible.
This must be the first Carol I learned in Primary 1at Longriggend.
https://youtu.be/HuF-D7eaars
Sir fraud Stewart the soup Taker
I have been well and truly duped ….. He has the cheek to make money out the song Grace. A right slap in the face for all those in 1916 who fought against imperialism my god. I hope to hell this is an unfortunate hack on his account but I doubt it. Maybe he’s aligning with the board.
First game?
We played Dumbarton at Celtic Park, I think I was P4 or 5………..I was pally with Tam Dempsey at St Paul’s…….it was an evening game as I remember. Tam’s Da’ took us, we went on the bus.
Can’t remember the game really or the score but I remember the smell of the bus, the jostling of the crowd and the thundering roars, shouts and swearin’ from assembled adults.
My overwhelming memory is one of anticipation and anxiety.
I think we won.
Returning home, I was deposited by the Dempsey Clan at the top of Primrose st and tasked with finding my way back to Harland st…….in the dark- a new experience for this fledgling Tim.
I remember every step.
Dumbarton road was sparsely lit save for the passing lights of No 64 buses. By the time I hit Earl St (at speed) the terrain was becoming more familiar and the genetic scent ever more familiar………. much relieved and further enlivened by a sherbet infused liquorice ( pocketed on the way up and kept for emergencies)………. with a gallus gallop I rounded Harland st, homed-in on Number 3 and belted it up The Close to safety.
Shortly afterwards Tam and the rest of the Dempseys left for Canada and I never saw him again.
An Irish Macbeth invented Whisk(e)y
Good morning from a cold overcast North Staffs.
A club open to all – unless you’re a Tory mmm
Some poor comments on Sir Rod
And I voted labour
Busy day ahead – replacing some blown double glazing units at my mother-in-law’s
Back later
Good morning CQN from a soaking wet Garngad
What a read back of tales of yesteryear. Superb.
In general I also remember going on the old double decker Whiteinch Celtic Supporters bus from the Dry Dock pub as a young bhoy with my pals and it being crammed, and also it stopping at the Dolphin in Partick.
I remember watching all the older bhoys with their bottles of Eldorado, 4 crowns, old England or some other cheap shitey wine or as they called it Electric soup and singing every Celtic/rebel song on the way there and back.
I also remember getting a pink paper (evening times) I think on the way home and a poke a chips (cause we had skipped in) and reading all the football results .
The characters, the smells everything was so simple then. Ahhh
Hail Hail
D. :)
Rod Stewart does more to promote Celtic to a global audience that any other living person.
The Celtic foundation is on record thanking him for his support.
Because Rod was one of the 44% in the UK ( >25% in Scotland) who favoured the Conservatives is immaterial.
PS: When OB Mark 2 takes effect and the dawn raids and show trials recommence I put the blame fairly and squarely at the door of those who made up the 45% in Scotland.
rod stewarts songs are shite
nice drum kit though
Have to laugh at some on here.All up in arms about Rod Stewart’s comments,full of venom for a harmless tweet about Torys.This from the same people who will suck up another Tory government,as long as the SNP don’t get in.When they went to vote on Thursday,they did a lot more harm than Rods tweet,by voting Labour or Lib Dems.Been as well just writing on their ballot papers,”On ye go Boris,fill yer boots”.
The mock indignation of some is astonishing.
The SNP are and where a complete irrelevance and if you don’t understand that you have a real problem
Greenpinta,
Those in the 45%,kept Boris out of a Win in Scotland.
Wish I Had a memory like some others for my first game at Celtic park
Vaguely remember seeing Celtic beat Hibs 6-2 in a Cup final, ( Bobby Lennox hatrick ?) I was only about 6 at the time – 1969
Most certainly remember beating Hibs 6 – 1 in 1972, a Dixie hatrick
My Auld Da, said we score 6 in cup finals with you watching us 😂
Now for another 6 tomorrow Celtic 👍
Taking 80% of the seats available in your country now makes you irrelevant.?That’s some feked up kind of logic. Not totally unexpected from the blog Guru.
Let’s just see how they get on with the second referendumb, then let’s talk about relevance.
Last comment from me on politics
I voted SNP, for the first time, solely to remove a Tory from his seat in Stirling
Labour a long way behind in 2017
Now, my belief, the only way in future to remove the Tories ( IF ? Still a UK in place)
Labour and Lib Dems, need to work collectively in England shire, a pact or they merge into a Democratic Socialist type party – ( I thought the Lib Dem policy on refusing to and denegrating Corbyn had an impact in this vote ?)
Both parties need to bury hatchet, and as above combine to create a new brand and then tackle the Tories
Just my view
Canamalar- again a personal view, Labour are finished in Scotland until Scotland can become an independent state ?