Celtic’s run of 27 games unbeaten in domestic football came to an end yesterday as Kilmarnock surprised even their own fans, who bought fewer tickets for the final than they did for the semi-final, perhaps anticipating a reversal.
The bedrock of that magnificent run has been incredibly strong defensive performances; even when Aberdeen scored to take a point earlier this month, their goal benefited from an enormous deflection and the interaction of two debutant defenders.
Kilmarnock’s goal yesterday benefited from no such fortune. Ki didn’t match the forward run of Lee Johnson and Kelvin Wilson didn’t attack the cross. It was, however, a good goal, exploiting the expansive Hampden pitch with some fine passing and excellent movement.
Cammy Bell deservedly won Man of the Match but none of his many saves were spectacular. It could be argued that the stop from Gary Hooper five minutes in turned the match but it was a gift to Bell’s highlights DVD.
Celtic looked like a team who have run out of steam. Profligacy in front of goal and a momentary lapse in defence was all Kilmarnock needed to secure the cup.
I didn’t get a good view of the Anthony Stokes penalty incident at the game, it was Hampden after all, but on the radio going home I heard the evidence clearly confirmed it was not a penalty, which Neil Lennon would realise after he calmed down a bit, despite his initial reaction on seeing a replay.
Television evidence could not be clearer. Michael Nelson went to ground to tackle Stokes and didn’t come within 2 feet of the ball but clipped the Celtic player’s ankle while he was in the process of controlling a fast moving ball.
There was no dispute that Stokes ankle was clipped. No claims were made that Nelson played the ball, or even got close to playing the ball. The incident was an indisputable foul.
When you are running at speed the contact required to force you to lose to lose control of the ball is slight, more than enough contact was made on Stokes to hugely reduce his chances of scoring. Nelson made a rash and ill-timed challenge which should have resulted in an injury-time penalty.
Our sincerest condolences to the Liam Kelly, his family, Kenny Shiels and the Kilmarnock players on the death of Liam’s father Jack in the minutes after full time.
Check out ‘Celtic in the 1980s: The Lost Decade’, by CQN Magazine contributor, Sean Huddleston. Available on Kindle for a bargain £1.64.
Issue 7 of CQN Magazine is out now! Go to the dedicated magazine site here to read it properly (which you’ll not be able to do below).
We are now shipping hard copies of the magazine from the UK – and sold out last month. Order your copy by clicking on the link below.
Pay by card or Paypal.
You can support the online edition by making a discretionary donation here.
955 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- ...
- 26
- »
I think I heard goats in the background on R5L !
Gobbledygook being spoken now…..”double donor”….can I have cheese on that?
Wee Pat is on
Did he hear any singing from the audience ?.
A panel with that collection of failed agents, managers, commentators who are all on the BBC gravy train or have been for far too long at licence payers expense is naturally going to bring up tripe of the highest order.
I have not listened to a word of it but I would be very interested to know who sanctioned this love- in and propaganda fest at 5Live.
Rat Nevin: Walter Smith was a genius with his prudence and the hordes go wild.
Prudence when you spend 36 million (or don’t actually pay the other clubs for all these players) in the space of 4 years is prudence is it?
It’s like the 95K Campbell Ogilvie got which Chick Dung said amounted to a night out (aye for Charlie Sheen mibbe).
To think you lot have to pay for filth like that to pollute the airwaves.
Gordon Smith is a failed businessman, failed agent, failed Chief Executive and failed footballer and yet he is held up as someone who is worth listening to.
Brian McNally said it best on twitter:
Brian McNally @McNallyMirror Reply Retweeted Favorite · Open
BBC Radio 5 start their #Rangers special with claim of a “distinguished“ panel. Second up is Andy Goram. Enough said. Hit the off button.
What a pathetic country Scotland is but equally it is great for us that these cretins are their cheerleaders.
A paid-for advertisement……….
The RTC Blog can close down now.
Keith Jackson and Roddy Forsyth have said they have both spoken to HMRC and they wll agree to a pence in the pound deal and a CVA.
Problem sorted then.
Another two muppets from the MSM have spoken and we all must listen.
God help us.
p.s i would also make clubs with anything over a 25000 home games give 50% of away support gate back to the away clubs
every little helps!!!!!!!!!!!
Duffield very passive-aggressive there.
BBC 5Live programme l had to turn it off. Even Lassie, Bamba and Grey Friars Bobby movies are less of a tear jerker than that love in.
Where is the investigation we were promised on 5Live? This is a comedy show….and a kack one, at that.
Any searching qiestion to any one on that panel and they get belligerent and sullen.
Paul67 et al
A total travesty of a programme!
Arrogant, smug, self-satisfied horrors….what a self congratulatory travesty of a programme. And yes. I did expect better.
I must be mad.
Andy Goram asked what’s important about the future of Rangers, “keeping our name….Glasgow Rangers!”
Naw ya big flying pig numpty, that’s yer new name!
Henry McLeish and Roddy Forsyth sounded like passionate, huting currant buns.
Cowpat….about as far beneath contempt as it gets. Calling him a weasel would be an insult to small mammals.
TTTT
There we have it
All Whytes fault …. Bad man
Let’s rally round this wonderful institution
Jesus wept
Has to be a five man midfield against TFOD on Sunday.
FF
CHA TR CM AM
PM/JF SB VW JL GS
PB
Give the big Pole a run, see what he’s got.
I would drop big Kelvin as his confidence will be low and he looks like a confidence player to me.
I would love to see Paddy running at them……..
Nuremberg Circus, clowns et al.
If this what passes for objective, informed debate…. Makes you wonder about all the other non football news we are drip fed….
Informed public?
Aye, it makes you wonder.
Only heard the last hour, a total joke.
On the positive side, they think everything will be hunky dory and they will be our main challengers next year, dearie, dearie me…….
They are getting liquidated, and I would bet my last cent that they will not be playing football next season, let alone be challenging us.
When rangers radio hosts a show about rangers with a panel of rangers men in Glasgow, in Scotland, did you really expect an inquisition?
@MrPuskas: @celticservant Here’s the table. Last five years we spent £35M Rangers* spent £33M. So much for ‘nae dough’. http://t.co/R7koSLpd
It’s all a myth boys.
im sorry, 5live has now lost all balance in my eyes, having been a listener since its inception, i can not believe that any statements made by anyone from the crowd was questioned. the muppet on about their prudence, especially the cardigans. then the triumphalism from all the panel has convinced me no matter what the outcome from 7 investigations and numerous court cases, that mob are sure where they are going to be.
I worry so much for my children.
HatethiscountryCSC
Wee lassie Zoie on BBC1….God luv her..
HMRC WILL accept a pence in the pound deal………………………
100
BT , just mailed you
An old Marine Pilot sat down at the Starbucks, still wearing his old USMC flight suit and leather jacket and ordered a cup of coffee.
As he sat sipping his coffee, a young woman sat down next to him. She turned to the pilot and asked, ‘Are you a real pilot?’
He replied, ‘Well, I’ve spent my whole life flying planes, first Stearmans, then the early Grummans…. flew a Wildcat and Corsair in WWII, and later in the Korean conflict, Banshees and Cougars. I’ve taught more than 260 people to fly and given rides to hundreds, so I guess I am a pilot, and you, what are you?
She said, ‘I’m a lesbian. I spend my whole day thinking about naked women. As soon as I get up in the morning, I think about naked women. When I shower, I think about naked women. When I watch TV, I think about naked women. It seems everything makes me think of naked women.’
The two sat sipping in silence.
A little while later, a young man sat down on the other side of the old pilot and asked: “are you a real pilot?”
He replied, ‘I always thought I was, but I just found out I’m a lesbian.’
Just caught the last 15 minutes of that pish. Nevin a disgrace, Smith blabbering we didn’t know. Henry MacLeish should be ashamed showing his Masonic side and quoting Obama yes we can nice of him to confirm what we all new. Goram a complete clown and sunbed Jackson should be battered for well just for being him. The sooner this lot die the better it will be all round. Scum the lot of them. We should ask radio 5 live would they now like to come and here the truth and answer the proper questions that should have been asked tonight.
HH
Randall vs Murray on SKY
http://youtu.be/H2h6gqk_Ybw
So that’s it!
After two hours of so called incisive debate …
We are the peepul ! …buy us !
( gonnae please!)
Team for Rangers must have Mulgrew at centre half which means Ledley at left back as no one lese can currently be trusted to play there. That leaves Rogne as a partner for Charlie as he has been the most consistent beside him. Matthews at right back although his delivery is only marginally better than Chas. Wanyama in front of that defence, Brown on the right, Sammy on the left, Ki and Commons in front with Stokes up on his own.
How to pick a team around the player of the year. Actually I think Lenny might play Cha in that team.
http://youtu.be/H2h6gqk_Ybw
The Murray comedy interview
Did I just see on SSN that the huns are selling 43,000 union jacks before sunday’s game for the fightin fuds ?
FFS – irony – sad f***wits
gordybhoy
To name K L in the same paragraph as any professional footballer im afraid is being silly!!
JackieMac
replied mate.. Hail Hail
I am going to ask Forsyth and Jackson tax advisors to agree a similar pence in the pound agreement for all my forthcoming tax that is due in the coming years!
I am sure that all other businesses in the uk and scotand in particular will also be availing themselves of this super tax duos financial skills in simply paying pence in the pound instead of the full minty !
Rangers supporters at work came out of their vow of silence today. how strange.
I was told by one through venomous gritted teeth to expect lots of reference to ice cream and jelly and child abuse next week. Not shocked. I hope the authorities are ready.
Actually meant monty .but somehow minty seems appropriate hh
Big victor at centre half with rogne on Sunday !
I didn’t listen to 5Live but you all have to understand that Pat Nevin (scum as we know him to be) is well known and well respected in England, which, mostly, has no idea of or interest in the bias and bigotry which passes for the norm in these parts.
Roddy Forsyth is the only other member of the panel, who might be known down there, as he reports on Scottish Football to them. Duffield would only be known, if at all, for thon miss.
If they were to sell each of those 43,000 flags for £3,000 apiece they could just about pay off all of the debts.
Well that’s about as likely to succeed as any other plan they’ve come up with so far.
obonfanti1888 on 19 March, 2012 at 20:46 said:
Indeed. I see Delahunt on Twitter verbally doing the equivalent of a head shake. You would think after this length of time some evaluation of the risks would have been properly articulated mainstream.
They are probably waiting for TBB to do it for them, lazy journalism indeed.
Oldco
Here’s a starter: CVA/HMRC/moral hazard? HMRC lose more than they will collect from a deal. (pipedream)
SFA/Game into disrepute/Owner not proper/Ratified accounts not submitted by 31 March/licence to operate. (if the SFA follow the rules)
SPL/two contracts/ points reduction/UEFA ban?
Ticketus/Up to 65% of SB money (25K tickets from say 40K sold) to Ticketus for 3 or 4 years.
Newco.
3rd Div start or games a bogey.
Tax STILL dodged.
History gone
Lower fan base
Still huns by association.