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.
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BSR – I take it Eric’s driving?!
T4
Kevjungle dinnae worry about it mate, I think everyone was pissed off, we move on…… mines a double!
V
I see Alex Thomson has enjoyed a fruitful trip to Glasgow.
Quite the mini series in the offing as I understand it.
T4 naw Eric’s playing the guitar in the back :>)
V
Yon piano part of Layla is a key change and its all one chord,C major.
twobobsworthcsc
Anybody hear Nick campbell interviewing Chris McLaughlin on 5 Live.
Paraphrasing-
CMcL- It is generally accepted no retro action on RFC for silverwear if dual contracts proven
NC- Surely standard 3-0 defeat for any games using players wrongly registered?
CMcL- Er no, that won’t happen, SPL has their own rules and will apply a fine or some other sanction.
TBB,
Maybe the reason for Murray looking like a fallen man on the sky interview.
V
goldstar10 on 20 March, 2012 at 09:15 said
An inevitable development, I guess. Predict that one will end up in the CAS in Lucerne.
Was trying to copy a crackin’ photo from Facebook to CQN last night, but couldn’t………. a wee bulldog being (closely) followed by a big bulldog …if you get my ‘drift’ …….wee bulldog saying ” ACT NATURAL, ACT NATURAL, ACT NATURAL ”
I related the big bulldog to HMRC, and the wee bulldog to rfc….!!!!!!!!!!
Lennon n Mc ha!
My post was in jest.
V
we need them?!!?
If you are more interested in watching flowing football interspersed with moments of skill as opposed to shouting down your ugly rival, then quite simply, we don’t need them.
I give credit to Kilmarnock on Sunday. I would rather watch Celtic play such teams playing with energy and tactics.
I mean, really, is Scottish football going to be worse off not having to witness Lee McCulloch elbow an opponent while listening to an encore of the sash my father wore? Er, I don’t think so.
Kevjungle
As Vmhan says, this board after a defeat is often not a place for the fainthearted, especially if the team has not played well. Recriminations and Stooshies abound! Nuanced and more considered opinions are often for much later after some of the hurt has gone.
Onwards to Sunday.
Good morning CQN!
Will be very interested to see Alex Thomson’s reports. I don’t live in the UK, so wondering how?
I have a proxy setting which works for bbc iplayer but not 4 on demand. I can watch the channel 4 youtube channel, does Channel 4 appear on this?
Any advice is much appreciated.
Hmm have I just admitted to copyright infringement.
.
Macleye………that’s it in a NUTSHELL…..my view EXACTLY
so the Blue Knights are going to use Ticketus as a source of working captial. now where have I heard that before ?
KEVJUNGLE
I was as quick as any to jump down your throat. Just because I disagree with your opinions-and hoefully explain why-doesn’t mean you have no right to air them.
Sometimes doing similar is the only way I find out that mine are wrong!
Keep posting,mate. It’s a blog. It would be useless without different opinions now and again.
Vmhan
I wasn’t being corrective or anything pal,just pitching in what I remember about the song,your chords I think maybe right but I know there is 3 different keys used in the song,if you wanted to pick your way through the piano part a C major arpeggio will help as will some C major pentatonic runs.
If you want to ask about the latter runs in more detail I’ll happily give you a better idea and you can use it for everything,especially playing acoustically with minimal soloing,its a neat,neat run to know is the maj pent. ;)
Ralph thanks, like you I was just trying to help a hurting Tim. I was one of the last out of hampden on Sunday, I left my negative thoughts in the stadium, we need to up our game for the rest of the season.
V
SDM
“for ever five pounds that celtic spend I will not pay ten pounds in tax”
CRAIG Whyte’s right hand man at Ibrox was pursued by bailiffs over claims he dodged a £3000 debt with a “switcheroo”.
London property dealer Andrew Ellis, Whyte’s first appointment to the Ibrox board, was chased by debt collectors for the sum allegedly owed to a real estate website.
Ellis, who was photographed at Ibrox in January with controversial boxing promoter Barry Hughes, is accused of switching the debt to a company which was later dissolved.
The tactic, known as a “switcheroo” and associated with Craig Whyte’s business practices, enabled Ellis to avoid paying the debt, it is alleged. It has now become common parlance in the London property market to speak of a “Murrayroonie” when trying to avoid debts that come into the tens and hundreds of millions.
Ellis maintains he is not liable for the debt, over which bailiffs were attempting to have him made
personally bankrupt.
Website lonres.com brought in bailiffs to pursue Ellis after he allegedly reneged on several promises to meet the sum.
Bailiffs abandoned the intention to bankrupt Ellis after discovering the debt had been transferred to a company that is now dissolved.
A spokesman for lonres.com said: “Since our troubles with Ellis arose we have followed events at Rangers and we are not entirely surprised at the way events have unfolded.
“This man gave us a clear indication he wanted to pay then reneged on it blatantly. To find him in partnership with Craig Whyte is not a shock. We must be thankful for small mercies that he is not in bed with the Megladon that is Sir David Murray”
Ellis, through Wilton Estates, began dealing with the website in March 2007 but Braidhall Consultants was only created in November 2008.
In an email sent by Ellis to lonres’s lawyers in July, Ellis claims he always intended to pay his bill.
Ellis also set out an apparent intention to pay in several earlier text messages to lonres’s lawyer.
The debt relates to four quarterly bills for the use of the lonres.com website, for £740.25 each. The last bill related to January this year.
When asked about the debt yesterday, Ellis said: “I asked them to send the contract through. If they show me the contract I shall pay any money that may be legally due.”
Ellis and Hughes, who promoted Scott Harrison’s fights before his career imploded, were pictured arriving for a Rangers game against Aberdeen.
Ellis yesterday said his meeting with Hughes was a one-off.
He said Hughes was introduced to him as the agent for West Bromwich Albion and Scotland player Graham Dorrans, who was identified as a potential Rangers target.
• The term “switcheroo” has been applied to Craig Whyte after companies he was involved in crashed, leaving creditors out of pocket.
• The term “Murrayroondye” has been applied to Sir David Murray and needs the base of a “switcheroo” and a willing fall guy like Craig Whyte to be successful just exactly like what is happening at Rangers FC at the moment
The tactic is regarded as an effective way of avoiding paying creditors. They are told the company will not exist for much longer, so no payment will be made to creditors mainly the inland revenue and customs.
Furious creditors may then have to watch as the person they dealt with in good faith continues to operate the old company like a new company and with a clean slate, as the debts have effectively disappeared.
Craig Whyte’s Vital UK was the disastrous venture that led to his seven-year ban from being a director.
The firm collapsed, owing creditors around £400,000, £33,000 in VAT and £280,000 in income tax.
All of their assets were sold to a company called Pelcroft. They were immediately sold to another company, which then sold them to Sir David Murray’s property group – PREMIER Property Group.
Registrar John Simmonds ruled Vital UK’s assets had been put out of reach of creditors.
KevJungle – “Lennons Lions Get Ready To ROAR!!!” on 20 March, 2012 at 09:01 said:
Morning CQNer’s
Just dropped in to say that, I apologise unreservedly if I annoyed any fellow CQNer’s or, the Magnificent Paul 67 himsef with, the tone of some of my posts yesterday after the Cup Final.
I have decided to, resume lurking, instead of posting :¬)
Have A Ghood Day Everyone.
God Bless.
Hail Hail
Kev
This forum is open to all supporters, no one has an exclusive view,
we all get worked up and dissapointed by results.
so keep your posts coming, if we dont agree we will tell you why,
I enjoy the debate
cheers
HH
Mike
Bought two litres of tippex yesterday,
Big, big mistake.
Lennon n Mc, ive no knowledge of the piano or music, I did teach myself to play the acoustic guitar though. I was just having the craic with Bournesoupe, he’ll be enjoying me squirming here :>)
Vmhan
By email of course.
goldstar
Yes, I heard that, too. I really have no confidence in BBC Scotland being able to provide a fair and balanced picture of the whole EBT/Financial Doping/ Double Payment Scandal. At least Nicky Campbell was prepared to ask these questions unlike his Scoddish counterparts.
However, the one soundbite Radio 5 was using was the Duffield answer to Mark Daly’s questions last night. Old Duffers sounded a frightened man.
On twitter, Graham Spiers claims that Duff & Phelps are strongly hinting that HMRC have agreed a deal with them over taxes etc.
A CONSORTIUM trying to buy St Mirren are seeking legal action against the club’s chairman Stewart Gilmour after he linked them to Craig Whyte.
By GARETH LAW
Gilmour insisted that a bid headed up by current Buddies director Ken McGeoch was KO’d because it was submitted by the same solicitors used in Whyte’s Rangers takeover.
He has since contacted McGeoch to ask him to resign but long-time Saints fan McGeoch says he’s going nowhere.
In a joint statement with business partner Paul Davies, McGeoch who´s son plays for Celtic said: “We can confirm we are speaking to solicitors about what Stewart Gilmour has said.
“We’ve also spoken to the BBC about this matter as they broadcast the original interview.
“We don’t know Craig Whyte, we have never ever met him so to be linked with him in that way is scurrilous in the extreme.
“Stewart Gilmour has also demanded my resignation from the club but I’ve done nothing wrong and I declined.
“As we said at the weekend, we did use Collyer Bristow who are a respected firm of solicitors “This ceased to be the case when they decided to no longer get involved in Scottish football after what happened at Rangers. It is difficult to find lawyers when you mention Scottish football. Murray International holdings have offered us the use of their law firm but under the circumstances we think this would be inappropriate ”
McGeoch revealed they have spoken to SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster about their takeover bid.
He said: “Sadly, fans of my beloved club are being denied a strong sustainable future.
“We believe that the investment will hugely benefit the football club.”
“And will be highly beneficial for Scottish Football
Ragers owe lots of people lots of money.
Lots of people owe Ragers money that was ‘loaned’ to them since mid-nineties.
Ragers ask the lots of people to repay the loans and then Ragers repay the lots of people that they owe money to.
I think my plan is cunning.
How this can be in advance of any FTT decision is puzzling to say the least.
By SCOTT MULLEN
Published: Today at 07:05
RANGERS star Allan McGregor has slashed the asking price of his plush pad by £575,000 — days after taking a 75 per cent pay cut.
Now McGregor, 30, who’s moved out of the pad with girlfriend Leah Shevlin, 28, wants £375,000 for it after buying it for £925,000 four years ago.
He and team-mates took the salary cut after Gers went into administration last month.
A source said: “It’s hoped the flat will now be restored to its former glory”
RalphWaldo
Completely separate issues.
RalphWaldoEllison-is Neil Lennon Season 2011-12
Not at all.
The present bill is for 15 million. SO say the HMRC accept 50p in the pound they at least get 7.5m .. that will cover the court case costs of the EBT shenanigans.
Then in 4 weeks the huns get issued with lets say a 50 million bill
They either negotiate to keep the hun fc alive or they phoenix under Paul Murray not Craig Whyte.
Hail Hail
BSR
Are we talking about a deal for this years tax bill then?
hoopeddreams- Disappointing thing is Chris is a good guy, so did he volunteer to promote this softy softly line on #RFC off his own back or was he advised to do so?
So Spiers is hinting the D&P are hinting the taxman will do a deal for/with rangers,
wonder what Hearts and Portsmouth will think about this, if it’s true???
Alan Brazil was conversing with Andy Gray on TS yesterday morning and stated that he was talking to a ‘tax expert’ who stated his strong belief that the big tax case bill would almost certainly be in the region of £10-£12m, as opposed to the widely reported £49m-75m, meaning a sale of the club would be much more likely. Anyone hear this?
Even if true, the best they should be able to do for the next 10 years is limp on.
HH
By KENNY McALPINE
Published: Today at 08:18
All of the bidders except the Blue Knights Group for crisis-hit Rangers will withdraw their offer if the £24million Ticketus deal stays in force at the club, a court heard yesterday.
Administrators Duff and Phelps claim the finance firm’s deal is with Whyte, not Gers and makes the club less attractive to buyers.
They asked the Court of Session in Edinburgh to rule on whether they can cancel it.
David Sellars QC, told the court: “Of the four bids, only one said it will carry on if the Ticketus contract were in force.”
Ticketus — now part of ex-Ibrox director Paul Murray’s Blue Knights group consortium who have bid for the club — claim the deal is legally binding.
Judge Lord Hodge said he would try to provide answers this week.
THE court corrected a blunder by retrospectively naming Duff and Phelps as administrators.
It emerged the firm’s appointment last month was invalid as Rangers didn’t get Financial Services Authority consent.
AWE NAW 0935
Please tell me you did NOT,under any circumstances,AWE NAW the last bit of that snippet!
Tangled webs,eh?
I’ve also heard a few suggestions that Murray was a guest at Whyte’s wedding,but that would be too good to be true.