It’s been a tough few weeks, but last night’s results showed we are not alone in our toil. Hearts beaten at Falkirk means that a win on Sunday would see Celtic go at least seven points clear at the top of the table (eight, if Hearts drop points on Sunday). That is a huge incentive for players and fans alike on Sunday.
Momentum is hugely important in football, defeats stop it dead. Win on Sunday and we put all others in the position of needing the win to prevent an already slim chance of catching Celtic from disappearing. For the same reason, I don’t believe we can take the eye off the Europa League tomorrow night. This side needs a result, a performance, and to put some confidence back into the support. The coaches also need the 90 minutes to taste whatever they have been cooking at Lennoxtown this week.
If you were too young to see him at his peak, believe what you read about Danny McGrain. He was an outstanding footballer and genuinely considered one of the best right backs in the world. Despite suffering two terrible injuries, his Celtic career lasted 17 years. He was also an absolute gem of a man. Funny, self-effacing and never more at home than when he was with Celtic supporters. We send Danny and his family our best wishes following the news of his Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
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.. gotta whole lotta love
No zep lyrics Fred -))
Hh
Love Danny Bhoy 💚 🍀
Hopefully Danny McGrain and family knowing they are in the thoughts of many, many Celtic fans gives them a source of strength.
https://x.com/snsgroup/status/2099976718056337655?s=20
Jambo cognitive dissonance just won’t let go
Fake £50 quid notes with John Beatons face on them
Lets hope that bank transfer from the Vatican bank to John Beaton never gets discovered 😜
An abiding memory… Danny at the touchline in any given match, imploring us in the jungle to give it laldy.
Which also reminds me of the punk who got arrested at virtually every match one season, or so it seemed. He’d be hauled out of the crowd and marched down the track in front of the jungle to great applause. Emdy else mind him? It wasn’t Ernie Lynch was it?
Hail, hail Danny McGrain!
Dan, a live version of the song that started it all …
Track 1, side 1, Led Zeppelin 1 …
https://youtu.be/7VlYmkFlNUo?si=KswQw1c4mOw5cPaO
When my boys were younger I was forever telling them that Celtic had the best full back in the world.
It wasn’t until they were much older that they understood.
What a player and hard as nails.
Back to Basics – Glass Half Full on 16th September 2026 10:14 am
I know Douglas. He is a genuine St Mirren fan and like so many non-Celtic/hun supporters believes we get lots of biased decisions but he is not a hater.
One of the best ever Celtic players, Danny McGrain.
I’ve kept well away from here since Sunday due to that performance, no amount of bitching on here would have helped. However I did notice something earlier that is very telling. In the league there are only 4 teams who have scored less goals than the Huns, they have scored just 7 in 6 games. For those suggesting all is well have a look at that stat and compare to the defeat we just had.
Unfortunately our board will not take any action, that is the normal reaction to adversity.
The Battered Bunnet on 16th September 2026 12:15 pm
===============
one of the great experiences of being a Celtic supporter has been the number of charcters you got to meet or even befriend over the years.
I remember the punk well, regular in the jungle, and seen at most away games, not even an aggresive guy, just a total wind up merchant, which included tormenting the polis, and getting huckled often.
Mostly started because he would stand in the passage ways and they would try push him back in the crowd.
Others I recall, the deaf bhoy with bright ginger hair who looked like a young Tommy Cooper, he was from Pollock.
The wee fat rolls in a box guy.
The old yin that stood under the jungle side floodlight and nly ever shouted one thing “cmon the celtic” over and over again
The poor guy in the wheelchair who got worse over the years and had an electric buggy controlled by his mouth, and there he would be in the dark down the middle of the gallowgate.
Many more gone but not forgotten.
In a bizarre coincidence, when I went to Seville, sitting in front of me was the two brothers who sat in front of me at Celtic park, and along the row, a guy I had worked with in Blairs.
Anyways, here is hopeful of a better reult thursday and sunday.
The Battered Bunnet on 16th September 2026 8:33 am
We don’t need a ‘defensive midfielder’.
We need a midfield that can defend.
—–
Correct. Lot of chat about personnel v systems. We have who we have and we now need to show that they can defend, and more importantly play on the front foot, aggressively winning the ball.
It’s now all about the coaching. I worry that we have in effect two managers – one running training and one picking the team – and therefore no clear vision. And so we stick with the same old 4 3 3 that we’ve had for years, with no variation. Opponents can see it and know that a high press kills us. We respond by taking goal kicks with about 5 players inside the 18 yard line. Utterly insane.
Our captain is now totally frustrated by it all. If our coaches can’t vary things and get us motoring up the field with the fast attacking players we have spent millions on, then we need someone who can. For me, the next two games will tell us what we need to know about whether they can learn and change. If they can’t…
Daniel Fergus McGrain
A genuine World Class footballer & person.
Pler.
Celtic legend.
🍀🍀🍀
Unless we plug the gargantuan hole in our midfield tomorrow night we’ll struggle. Offering an opponent free hits at our goal will continually trouble us, even in our mediocre domestic scene, so Euro teams will definitely take advantage.
We can try & win 5-4 or 6-5 or whatever but as exciting as that may sound it isn’t a foundation for success.
We really need to remedy the situation urgently & to get us through to winter. Then the board will splash out in January to bring in a top quality DM. 😜
With the haunting melody of The Hovis advert in my ears, eeeh lad, I remember
Sorry, the old skool team formation. 2 3 5
Thtas right. 2 full backs, 3 half backs and 5 forwards, and it worked. When we were going forward that was it, if we were under pressure, either the two wingers or tw o inside forwards dropped back to help the half backs. Can we not do that now, after all , it worked well in 67
kinglubo ( Auld phart)
Paul 67,
I dont think that going at least 7 points clear on Sunday should be the greatest incentive for our players.
Surely it should be about pride and redemption of bottler reputation.
However tomorrow night is arguably a much bigger game and challenge. No amount of victories in our domestic game will ever give us the exposure that European progress can give us.
Staying one step ahead of the huns, although pleasurable should not be our aspiration.
It is certainly not our progress barometer.
HH.
Babasonicos71
We really need to remedy the situation urgently & to get us through to winter. Then the board will splash out in January to bring in a top quality DM. 😜
—-
Yep. It’s last year all over again – squad needs not addressed, let’s somehow get to January then we’ll invest…in more loans.
If money is tight then that’s fair enough, when you’ve trousered another significant transfer surplus then it’s unforgivable.
ziggydoc1 on 16th September 2026 1:45 pm
The Battered Bunnet on 16th September 2026 8:33 am
We don’t need a ‘defensive midfielder’.
We need a midfield that can defend.
_____
I immediately thought of Paul McStay and John Collins. Creative players who could get around the park and defend also 😁
If we can put in an assured performance tomorrow night and get the three points then Sunday will take care of itself. Ferencvaros are a better side than Sevco.
It’s a huge game. With Benfica and Celta to come, we need the three points.
An Dun
It’s like deja vu of deja vu.
_______
Midfielders.
Remember the yesteryears when midfielders played in midfield (the whole lot of it) instead of parts of it. Radical.
Wonder if it’ll ever catch on again.
I’ll hazard a guess that the team we play tomorrow is better than the Huns. Quite incredible that we’ve been more inept against them, a few times in recent years, while other Scottish teams and lesser European ones have made them look poor. A rigidity in how we approach these games, is perhaps our downfall. Had good results last year, away from home, against decent European teams. Need to get smarter.
BABASONICOS71 on 16th September 2026 1:55 pm
An Dun
It’s like deja vu of deja vu.
_______
Midfielders.
Remember the yesteryears when midfielders played in midfield (the whole lot of it) instead of parts of it. Radical.
Wonder if it’ll ever catch on again.
_____
😁👍 Remember Danny, not only immense defensively, but looking like wee Jimmy attacking England in the home internationals. Used to love it when you had English players and pundits rave about him. The other great fullback at that time, was Breitner.
On Danny
2 things.
Had the pleasure of meeting him a few times professionally over a short period a few years ago.
A totally assuming , wonderful guy who was very patient with a totally starstruck youngster.
I recall Tommy Burns being asked at the time who his toughest, hardest opponent was.
His answer ?
“Danny McGrain in training.”
https://drive.google.com/file/d/10GcbSS106KbP7nbyPy-T0ONkCeqfsGMU/view?pli=1
Stivs, great memories
Official ticket prices for Crystal Palace’s UEFA Europa League matches at Selhurst Park start from £25.
Standard individual match tickets are tiered by age group, with the club also offering multi-game bundles. [1] (https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/tickets/palace-in-the-europa-league-selhurst-park-match-ticket-details/)Standard Match Ticket PricesFor single home fixtures (such as the match against Lech Poznań), standard entry prices are as follows: [1] (https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/tickets/palace-in-the-europa-league-selhurst-park-match-ticket-details/)Age BandSingle Match Price
Adult £40.00
65+ & 18–21£30.00
Junior (Under 18)£25.00
ZIGGYDOC
Danny was a better winger back then (playing fullback) than actual modern wingers are now.
Wonder if we’ll ever produce a talent like Danny again?
Then think of all the other quality Scottish players around that time.
Standard nowadays is levels below.
SAINT STIVS on 16TH SEPTEMBER 2026 2:29 PM
Have they got Disco Lights?
World class was Danny. Always moved to LB with Scotland to accommodate a Hun.
A privilege to watch him play.☘️
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdVEIlMPmBD/?stkn=OXhmbHl5c2l3aGUz
Very clever
A wee song for dear Danny
He led the hoops down many a glory road…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUSzLE4Te4s
Compare and contrast ticket prices re Crystal Palace and ourselves.
Bearing in mind, our stadium is far bigger. Palace are spending circa £200m on a new stand and the cost of living differential in London.
PS : Who needs Dusco lights when you have the Crystals to warm you up.
Never mind a defensive midfielder we need a back 4 that can defend.
No Camilo Duran at training today
Duran’s wife due to give birth,that’s why he missed training
RC- If the midfield defends better, it’s less pressure on the back 4