Astra started their season on a historical high, eliminating Lyon from European competition, but their 8 games since August have brought five defeats, two draws and a solitary win against opponents currently 14th place in the Romanian league.
On paper this sounds as straightforward as previous European ties did against teams from Karagandy or Maribor but as we found out on those occasions, European ties are seldom straightforward.
The cynic in me suggests there is more going on at Astra than meets the eye. Any team who can win in Lyon would be heavy odds against shipping three goals in the cup to lower league opponents a few weeks later, which Astra did. They then turned up away to league leaders Steaua Bucharest to keep their only clean sheet since August. Another coupon buster.
Astra, it would seem, are a gift to those who bet outsiders. They are long odds tomorrow, so I’d caution against backing Celtic for a comfortable win. The visitors will apply themselves, just as they did earlier this month against Salzburg, who won by a single goal.
The Celtic books we have published in recent years have been a real labour of love. After a biography of Willie Wallace and a football journey from Tommy Gemmell, we published your story of Seville, a record of its impact on the Celtic Movement.
Today we launch Caesar & the Assassin, the accounts of Billy McNeill and Davie Hay as Celtic managers, told in their own words. It documents the period of our history from when Billy took over from Jock Stein in 1978, through to the end of his era 13 years later, including Davie Hay’s four years in charge.
Most of us lived experienced that period first-hand but it has been an absolute education to read about the games and events which we watched as spectators from the managers in charge. It’s the best CQN book yet.
The first batch of orders will receive a copy signed by Billy and Davie, more here.
If you fancy watching Sunday’s game against Kilmarnock in comfort…….. We have secured another pair of Premium Seat tickets for the Jock Stein Stand from Celtic sponsor Magners. To win the tickets answer the following question:
Which country do Thursday’s opponents FC Astra come from?
Optionally, if you have £1 available, please donate it to Mary’s Meals at this MyDonate page, which will send your £1 straight to Mary’s Meals, then send me your contact details (with or without donation confirmation) to celticquicknews@gmail.com
Competition closes tonight (Wednesday) at 10pm, so get your entries in now and watch your inbox Thursday morning. You can donate more than £1 if you like, of course. Terms and conditions are available here.
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Bawsman
if you post up your
16 digit card number
start date
expiry date
3 digit security
we’ll sort it out ASAP.
thanks in advance for my new 70″ TV :-))
MWD said AYE
BMCUW – you’re probably right mate, cheers.
Celtic’s last involvement in the ‘European Cup’ was against Werder Bremen in 88/89.
We were then KO’d by Dinamo (Croatia) Zagreb in our first participation in the new Champions League in 98/99.
Our next participation was the away win against Ajax in 2001/02.
What a long way we’ve come since then, eh?
Tim tanium- The delights of Croy
I don’t know if you have considered parking at Croy Train Station while your boy trains,as the station is a 5 minute walk from the football pitches.
As for Trojans and Crojans I have heard the good people of Croy getting called Crojans.
Do you live in Cumbernauld or go for a beer there?.HH
IGC
Just checked uefa website. Beat St Pats 2-0 after 0-0 at home which is as I remembered. Then lost to Zagreb.
Bawsman
Can you send me an email and I will sort? – we had set an initial stock allocation for the signed copies and they sold out. We have increased this now to accommodate orders received today.
david@cqnmagazine.com
Joy and optimism from Fallow Fallow:
One of the local Rangers Supporters Club buses leaves from right outside my door. It has been a source of some banter between us that, while they have to run to catch the bus, with my other half acting as my chauffeur, I can enjoy an extra pint or two in the pub before heading for the match.
But that was then and this is now. One Monday night earlier this season I emerged from my humble abode, I said my hellos, my ‘not a penny more’ stance was acknowledged, I hoped the guys would have a good night, then I crossed the road to the pub.
And therein lies a tale. Previously there might have been as many as 30 guys waiting for the bus, with various other pick-ups ensuring a full busload, but that night there would have been no more than ten Bears awaiting their lift.
The pub on the other hand was as busy as it has ever been on a Monday night, yet each and every bloke at the bar would class himself a good Rangers man. And I’m not talking about glory-hunting fair-weather fans here, these are guys who hitchhiked to Turin during our Cup-Winners’ Cup run in 1972, who suffered Timmy’s nine-in-a-row, who follow-followed to Europe to see the Gers getting gubbed by Twente Enschede in 1977, who planned their summer holidays to take in pre-season tours, who endured all the pre-Souness embarrassments and who were so loud and proud when our club got its act together and returned to the top of the tree.
Since then, we’ve celebrated our own nine-in-a-row, sang about Super Ally, Laudrup and Gazza, we’ve argued about Wee Dick, Big Eck, PLG and Walter, debated the relative merits of Negri, Mols, the De Boers, Lovenkrands, Prso, Novo and Boyd, the mismanagement of Murray and Bain never failed to have us at each others’ throats and, of course, the sad state of affairs which ensued when the Charlatan masquerading as the Custodian fecked off to his vineyard and placed our beloved club in the grubby paws of the most despicable collection of fly-by-nights, including a convicted fraudster, has seen as all grow a little greyer and more dependent on the blood-pressure tablets.
Each of us has now made the decision that enough is enough. Like most Rangers pubs, over the years the guys in my local have spent tens of thousands (do the sums, it ain’t long in adding up!) following our team and, while we all accept that we have to take the rough with the smooth, what has been done to us towards the end of Murray’s reign and in the wake of his abdication of responsibility has amounted to one monumental piss-take. Well, nobody is taking the piss out of us any more.
We have no issue with those who are still in the everywhere-anywhere camp. I have agreed to disagree with some of my closest friends but I can’t help thinking that, with more displays like that Monday night’s debacle, the ‘not a penny more’ crowd will grow and the numbers continuing to follow on regardless will steadily diminish.
The saddest thing of all was that, before the half-time whistle had gone, our attention had turned away from events on the telly and we were discussing the Ryder Cup, the post-Referendum fall-out and a weekend incident which had resulted in the polis descending in numbers on a nearby street. Nicky Law’s consolation goal was hardly noticed.
In a recent item on the FF Messageboard, poster ‘support cluan place’ raised the topic of his pals choosing to play golf rather than go to watch the Rangers. It is a decision I reckon many have already made and the danger is that, having found an alternative way to pass our leisure time, it will be so much harder for the Rangers to lure us back once we finally get shot of the current crop of conmen in our boardroom. Sooner or later we will rid ourselves of them, of that I have no doubt, but I fear that the damage they have done and continue to do will leave us stuck behind the eight-ball for years to come.
We need to be able to believe in the Rangers again. The recent utterances, whether from Easdale, McCoist, his former team-mates or cheerleaders in the media do neither our club nor the manager any favours. Seeing our team outplayed by a Hibs team which has been struggling underlined the shortcomings of our coaching staff and our first team squad. Failure to recognise this is head-in-the-sand denial and, as our desperado directors jockey for position by shuffling shares around in the build-up to the forthcoming AGM, it all suggests things are likely to get worse before they get better.
The possibility of Rangers not playing in the top flight next season is quite simply unacceptable. Yet the evidence of recent games and the ever-present threat of another brush with administration, with the inevitable heavy-duty points deduction, casts a dark cloud over any future ambitions. Under current management, on and off the park, there is not the slightest sign of any light at the end of the tunnel.
The prospect of Rangers stumbling back to the top flight, only to be the laughing stock of those who have gloated so loudly over our plight, turns my stomach. When we are again amongst those who’ve made no effort to conceal their hatred of us it will test even the most mild-mannered Bear’s temperament. I’m not quite ready to put myself to that test. When we are back in the midst of the corrupt ones, I want us to be there to deal out retribution on the pitch and to sing ourselves hoarse as we enjoy their pain.
The Rangers of today are a million miles away from delivering payback time and, while that is bad enough in itself, the most depressing issue is that our hopes are conspicuous by their absence from the wish-list of those currently calling the shots.
So some of us will be heading for the golf course, others for the bowling green, some will be dragged through the shopping malls with the wife and weans, while quite a few of my mates now check out the local junior scene. I tend to spend my Saturdays and Sundays with the best seat in the house, whether at home or in the pub, watching genuine top quality football from all across Europe, the likes of which I haven’t seen at Ibrox for a long, long time.
Guess what? I’m actually enjoying it. No national-minimum-rate numpty in a high viz jacket telling me I can’t do this or I can’t do that, no bounty-hunting polis looking at me suspiciously just because I’ve left a pub on my way to the fitba, no big-mouthed small-minded supporters of wee diddy teams feeling free to give me the verbals, no being herded here there and everywhere just because I support the Rangers. I pass my weekend doing what I want to do, in pleasant surroundings with good people and it will take something pretty dramatic to tear me away from such a stress-free lifestyle.
I daresay a Souness-like spending spree, letting all our enemies know the days of having a laugh at our club’s expense are drawing to a close, might tempt me. The ball is in the Rangers’ court, the club has to re-establish itself as the treasured institution I want to be part of, work has to be done to coax me and so many others back to the fold.
C’mon Rangers, at least give me some food for thought
CHARLIE HORSE
THE BATTERED BUNNET
Thanks very much for that,mate.
Still makes me laugh,and it made them miserable gits I was with laugh too.
For that,you deserve a medal,an under-19s coach and a pint or six.
Btw,copied so I don’t have to annoy you again about it!
The following article is from footy boot.com
I wonder just how many sevco taps Mike Ashley is hoping to sell to the hordes? It likes they are simply second best again though!
EUROPE’S TOP SELLING CLUB FOOTBALL SHIRTS
Posted on October 9, 2012 in Adidas Football Shirts, Football Shirts, Nike Football Shirts, Puma Football Shirts, Reebok Football Shirts, Umbro Football Shirts
Always an interesting read, a new study by a leading sports & marketing research agency has revealed the top-selling club football shirts from the world’s two biggest sporting brands; Nike & adidas.
Whilst many believe that most team’s football shirts retail in the millions every year, the reality is that only a handful of elite clubs have the fan-power to shift kits in that number, which is why Nike and adidas have such lucrative contracts to market them.
Compiled by Dr. Peter Rohlmann, these figures show the yearly average sales encompassing 2007-08 to 2011-12 – and make for some pretty interesting reading.
adidas
Real Madrid – 1.4 million
Chelsea – 910,000
Bayern Munich – ‘ 880,000
Liverpool – 810,000
AC Milan – ‘ 350,000
With superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka & Mesut Ozil Real Madrid have a global appeal that few can match – so it’s no surprise to see them at the pinavvle of adidas’ shirt sales. Chelsea & Bayern Munich contest second and third, undoubtedly both teams seeing their average sales boosted by their presence in the Champions League final earlier this year.
With this being an average taken up to the end of last season, Liverpool are still in adidas’ top 5 – and whilst their performance on the pitch has been less than stellar, it’s no surprise Warrior were willing to pay top dollar for the technical supplier deal at Anfield when they can shift shirts in that quantity.
Nike
Manchester United – 1.4 million
Barcelona – ‘ 1.15 million
Arsenal – 800,000
Juventus – 480,000
Inter Milan – ‘ 425,000
Whereas Real Madrid are adidas sole million-shirt-selling clients on average per season, Nike can boast two in the titanic clubs that are Manchester United and’ Barcelona.
Manchester United’s global presence is the envy of every club, with fans in the Middle East and Asia all coveting the famous red shirt of the Old Trafford team, but Barcelona are also on the rise. Employing the services of the lauded Leo Messi, as well as many of Spain’s World Cup & European Championship winners, the Catalan giants command a massive fanbase, most willing to splash out on a shirt.
Despite their well-noted lack of success in recent years, Arsenal remain a force to be reckoned with; their stylish play and astute business (as well as savvy tours of the Far East the past few pre-seasons) have done wonders for their shirts sales.
Rounding out the top 5 are two Italian giants; as well as being fanatically followed by those in Italy, the brands of both Juventus and Inter Milan carry a lot of weight thanks to their multi-national teams packed with top international talent.
Other Clubs
Whilst many of Europe’s biggest clubs are accounted for here, there’s plenty missing – so we’ve picked out some highlights from the rest of Dr.’ Rohlmann’s study to see where they stack up:
-‘ Manchester City sold somewhere just over 250,000, but their five-year average is 175,000 per year sufficient only to place them 17th in Europe.
– Turkish giants’ Galatasaray and Fenerbahce are well known for their fanatical followings, but would only manage numbers at the lower end of the 10 in good years, largely due to the increase of counterfeit goods in their home market, and relative unpopularity throughout the rest of Europe.
– Dutch giants Ajax average shirt sales only usually hover around the 100,000 mark. Despite a history of excellence and virtual ever-presence in the Champions League, the lack of popularity of the Dutch leagues overall provides a limited opportunity for the Amsterdam club to showcase themselves to international fans.
– Celtic can look forward to sales that max out at several hundred thousand – leaving them just outside the top ten. The strong connection to Irish history and success in the SPL often gives them strong sales in the US, Canada and Australia.
Are you surprised by the top ten? Or are there teams in there you’d have expected to see, but didn’t make the cut?
ACGR
Stress is fur wimps btw :-)
Was doing a bit checking on the Astra team and found this
http://www.demotix.com/news/2289910/astra-fc-qualifies-over-omonoia-fc#media-2289871
Which led me to wiki Omonoia and found their history quite interesting especially the origin of their club colours
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_Omonia
Tim Tanium /Zico-Maltese Bhoy
Apologies lads I’m just catching up on my break.
Zico, thanks for the offer but I have a delightful, warm, welcoming home to go to in Craigmarloch on those 5 nights :-)
I don’t work in Cumbernauld or Hamilton, thankfully Glasgow has the benefits of my skills, knowledge and understanding :-)
Defo beat st pats away.
Came after a 0 each at CP!
P67
You are making me worried, the last time you wrote a header like this it was before hamilton accies, I suggested that you were in the business of expectation management and surely you didnt expect a defeat.
follow much ado from the usual suspects about my negativity
then came the inevitable defeat
You are making me worried again!
jist aff a Jet Plane… A few Minutes .. oan here,,,, then bed..
But.. Here is Ma Five cents Worth.. aboot the Morra’s Game..
Ronny has Found the Golden Line-Up..
n.. He must no waver…
The Team fur the Morra ..Picks Itsel.
The Same Line-Up Which he Picked tae Go Agin the Rossers..
Sans..
Guidetti.. Malheureusement!
Howevhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…
The Serb, wull Tak HIS place..
Noo.. ye know..
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
ACGR
I feel super naughty if I come out of a pub and it’s still daylight. So if this happens I go back inside and keep on drinking till it’s dark!
HH jamesgang
HT
Nice to see you on the telly on Saturday withoot a fishin rod in yer hand :-)
ExtremefishinCSC
IGC
I think you have missed one mate.
St Pat’s looks right to me.
http://www.celticprogrammesonline.com/PROGRAMME%20COVERS/9899/StPatricks/stpatricks9899a.htm
LB
Any idea when kerrydale suite opens tomorrow night.?
Nothing on official site and lost jpt email address..
Pedrocaravan,
Speaking of TV on Saturday, you’ll never guess who i saw at Dingwall…
Only a certain Brendan Gleeson.
Celebrityfans csc
Hamiltontim 13:30
Skills and knowledge…of being a Celtic Supporter…:)
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Lennybhoy
see above, lost email for jpt
Is anyone going to the Lola/Simba dinner on Sunday night or would I be just talking to mysel………..
GM
really? Mad eye moody?
Loved him in “in Brugge”
Sometimes see Tony Curran ( actor that played Lou Macari ) up @ CP.
Brendan Gleason trumps him though ( with all due respect to Tony ).
When we are again amongst those who’ve made no effort to conceal their hatred of us it will test even the most mild-mannered Bear’s temperament. I’m not quite ready to put myself to that test. When we are back in the midst of the corrupt ones, I want us to be there to deal out retribution on the pitch and to sing ourselves hoarse as we enjoy their pain.
The Rangers of today are a million miles away from delivering payback time and, while that is bad enough in itself, the most depressing issue is that our hopes are conspicuous by their absence from the wish-list of those currently calling the shots.
Still the morons blame everyone else for their plight.Dont you just love their pain?.
Turkey Bhoy
Love how THEY refer to us as ” the corrupt ones “
blantyretim is praying for the Knox family 13:47:
Saw that mate, just on lunch. back to the grind at 14:00. If you get a response please text me.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
A well deserved coconut to Glass2/3full.
I make that 10/10
“Still the morons blame everyone else for their plight.”
Turkeybhoy, funny you say that does any other club who went to the wall blame anybody else for their demise?
Another world first for them??:)
LUKASZ ZALUSKA ASSAULT:
Couldn’t agree more re the DR being completely out of order in trivialising this, surely that has to be the final straw, they should be banned from Celtic Park forthwith, to do nothing Dear Celtic, will only encourage them to do more. I’ve long since stopped buying the thing and never click on their links. Somehow in this instance that seems a wholly inadeqate response.
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Oscar Knox, MacKenzie Furniss and anyone else who fights Neuroblastoma
13:47 on
22 October, 2014
Is anyone going to the Lola/Simba dinner on Sunday night or would I be just talking to mysel………..
After a wonderful night at the inaugural John Hartson Foundation Ball I was hoping to acquire a couple of tickets but was at a loss when scouring the net to find them. Do you have a back door?
Hamilton Tim
No problem
I know you are a professional but Do you go for a beer in the Craigmarloch Lodge.HH
Livibhoy
I linked to your post re Celtic’s current position in Europe on Twitter to SuperscoreBoard.
You comments getting good response from readers. Doubt SuperscoreBoard will pick up on it . It would mean giving an informed opinion..
m6bhoy
Fat Sally lives in Bridge of Weir
AOA
Igc – We can’t make it this year but if you let me know how many tickets you are looking for I can try and sort them for you
Afternoon Timland from a very warm hun free mountain valley.
Auldheid.
You and I know fine well that the gig at the sfa will be never be up.
Uefa and fifa dare not open the can of worms, the sfa know this and will act with total impunity.
As you know, there is a hotline to uefa, you yourself have informed them of the goings on at the sfa, they are ignoring the rules to suit, and are doing so with uefa’s blessing.
The game is corrupt from the top down.
Willie Collum reffed the Barca Ajax game very competently last night, I would wager my life he will resort to type the next time he refs one of our games.
This is where the club should be vocal, Dr John was vocal, then he was silent, why I ask myself, so should every other supporter, but naw, silence, our silence will kill us, it already is doing so slowly.
The team masquerading as the huns will be in the top div next season, the rules will be-have been broken to accomodate them, the honest mistakes will reach new highs, things will be back to normal, the blogs will bleat, the clubs will do nothing, our club will rub their hands at the prospect of the extra millions and increased ST sales, we will still be at the back of the bus.
Sad, so feckin sad, but I wager I will be 100% spot on.
HH
Auldheid
Superscoreboard? Do people still listen to that?
If Gordon Smith is on tonight he will claim this as his idea.
Do I get a wee cash prize from UEFA if they take up my idea.
TBB
Are you taking over from Mark Wotte?
LB
IGC
See the reply from Minx – They can be gotten if you know the right kinda folk.
Personally I know someone who knows a man who is friendly with someone that once bought the Minx a drink…………..