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Cynical look at coupon busters

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

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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  2. blantyretim is praying for the Knox family on

    Lennybhoy

     

    No luck so far. Even emailed auldheid but nothing yet.

  3. jamesgang on

    minx1888 praying to wee oscar

     

     

    BT hope you’re recovering better now your ghirls are home

     

     

    —-

     

    The ultimate loaded question.

     

    Check mate in precisely 1 move!

     

     

    Answer negative and your busted peg will soon be the healthiest part of your body.

     

     

    Answer positive and enmesh yourself in the perennial, ‘ooooh men, what are they like? Where would they be without us?’ Infighting that rivals only the poppy debate in its ability to rent CQN asunder!

     

     

    BT -stay very still and stay schtum!!!

     

     

    The danger will pass.

     

     

    ;-)

     

     

    HH jamesgang

  5. Richie #TeamOscarForever on

    Oldtim

     

     

    I’ll be coming down on the train and will be there before 4. Remind me to give you your season book back!

     

     

    Went to the Mogwai concert last night with Lambo’s Front Teeth of this parish. First time I’ve seen them live and they were superb. Ears still ringing!

  9. michaelj on

    Just watched sky sports could not believe what I have just seen a convicted rapist given airtime to say he wants to play football again has the world gone mad

     

    What about the victim who has had to move and change her identity

  10. jamesgang on

    From josefin Lustig’s blog

     

     

    Great news!

     

     

    Less good news. MSM.

     

     

    HH jamesgang

     

     

    —-/-/

     

    We are finally at home and Lexie is feeling well, as you can see on the picture! Feels so good to be home after these hard days. After 4 nights at the hospital I´m ready to sleep in my own bed. These days have been really hard physically. To wait for the test results for 48 hours wasn´t fun. It showed that she had a virus going on, nothing dangerous. After some antibiotic the fever was gone and I hope we all stay away from all of that now. It´s so scary when they are sick and that small.

     

     

    We really appreciate that so many people care and showing sympathy but when you just got home from the hospital you don´t want someone you don´t know knocking on your door! The papers have written about that Lexie have been ill in hospital, they take stuff from my blog. That´s not ok! But I have accepted that´s how it is here and nothing I can do anything about. I have to think about what I write and post but I still want to be able to write what I want in my blog, I want my readers to read about what I have to say. But I want them to read it here! This time it went a bit too far in my opinion. I don´t want the papers to knock on my door 3 hours after we got home, I appreciate the gift for Lexie but I know there is a thought behind it and all they want is a story. I didn´t give them anything because it´s not ok to show up at someones house! Please, show some respect.

  11. Zico-Maltese Bhoy on

    Minx 1888

     

     

    Just back from hospital and seen your earlier post re Thursday night football in ludge,i have played a couple of times with them.GC,JH his son SH,BC and Tony.I now them.

  15. ElDiegoBhoy on

    TET

     

     

    Totally agree. Additionally I’d have no time for family members or friends being part of that shower.

  20. blantyretim is praying for the Knox family on

    Jamesgang

     

    I’m saying nothing re minx question. Mrs BT has been known to lurk…8)

  21. Celtic Mac on

    Paul67 et al

     

     

    Outsiders? Well Inverness were 5/1 earlier this season, and Hamilton Accies were 10/1 just a couple of weeks back. Cannot recall what price Morton were against Neil Lennon’s team this time last year but I’m guessing double figures minimum. Would never bet against the Bhoys myself, but there are rich pickings, (as opposed to Slim Pickens), to be had for the erstwhile gambler when Celtic lack the consistency of say, Martin O’Neill three season home record. So no I do not consider Astra to be outsiders at this point in time, but Celtic will be down to win, a win which would put us in a good position to advance from this group.

  22. jamesgang on

    BT

     

     

    Tis the least bad of a long list of bad options!

     

     

    You’re a wise Tim so you are!!!

     

     

    ;-)

     

     

    HH jamesgang

  25. ger57 on

    skyislandfill

     

     

    Good for Wilco. Saw Dr Feelgood at Hammersmith Odeon in the mid 70s. Great band, good choons.

     

    Good too for the Lustig family. Shame that our 4th estate disgrace themselves again. Real scumbags. PL, time you barred the offenders from CP.

  30. Macew on

    Evening all, long time daily lurker, extremely infrequent poster. My son finds himself in Swindon this week, any of you well travelled chaps aware of a Celtic friendly bar in the area for Thursday ? thanks in advance for any advice?

  32. ElDiegoBhoy on

    Just finished a lovely story from Dennis Lehane. Read all of his books but as yet haven’t visited Boston. His latest is titled The Drop.

  34. blantyretim is praying for the Knox family on

    Lennybhoy

     

    Email to JP about ten minutes ago.

     

    Unknown source sent me the address.

  35. ger57 on

    Saw Annabell Goldie struggling with a door on STV news there. She looked a bit disorientated.

     

    ACGR, anything to do with you?

  40. ohits on

    ACGR

     

     

    Looking good for new year , hope to go to Paris then Newcastle in Nov/Dec

     

     

    will keep you posted , might go to BV for a swally pre match , booked in to Brunswick hotel 50 quid .

  42. WeefratheTim on

    Good evening all.

     

     

    Thank you all who posted support for me this morning. I have to return to Haimyres in January. For another possible biopsy. I’ll be at the ole corner tomorrow night at my usual time, 7ish. Hope to see you all again. Canny wait. Oh, and good news for the ML family. COYBIG.

     

     

    Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.

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