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You are at:»»Echoes of 2003. You can take them, Brendan

Echoes of 2003. You can take them, Brendan

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

European Union flagBayern Munich and Paris St Germain will bring some autumn glamour to Glasgow in the Champions League group stage. Bayern are second favourites for the trophy, PSG, fifth. The challenge to reach the knock out stage could scarcely be greater.

Anderlecht, by comparison, offer substantially less-ominous opposition, but a quick glance at their European form will dissuade anyone from underestimating the Belgian champions.

The group bears a remarkable resemblance to Celtic’s 2003 Champions League group, the last time we faced Bayern and Anderlecht, with another French side, Lyon, ending up as group winners.  All four teams finished within three points, with Bayern and Lyon both winning the final games by a single goal – dropped points would have seen them eliminated.  Celtic qualified for the Uefa Cup, courtesy of a superior head-to-head record against Anderlecht.

Anderlecht started last season slowly (as they have this season), failing to reach the Champions League group stage, but that only spurred them on for a memorable Europa League campaign. In Europe’s second-tier tournament, they won away in Azerbaijan before recording draws in France (St Etienne) and Germany (Mainz, whom they beat 6-1 in Brussels).  Fortunate form for trips to those two territories this term.

They knocked-out Zenit and APOEL Nicosia in the first two Europa League rounds before being eliminated 3-2 on aggregate in the quarter-final by Manchester United. Those are very decent European results, but it you want some comfort, Ajax went all the way to the final 14 weeks ago, and they were beaten home and away by Rosenborg this month.  It’s not about what you did yesterday that counts.

At Celtic Park, we have a punchers’ chance against Bayern and PSG, but our measure of progress this season will be determined by results against Anderlecht.  The night we beat them 3-1 in 2003 counts as one of our great Champions League performances, the stadium rose to a man and blew the Belgian champions away.  Watch the highlights if you are in any doubt about this.

The 2003 1-0 defeat by 10 men in Brussels still rankles as an underachievement.  Losing to an 86th minute goal in Munich, after being ahead with 17 minutes to go, and losing to an 86th minute penalty in Lyon, leaves me feeling we have some scores to settle.

Let’s take them this time, Brendan.  You know you can…

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NEW CQN PODCAST – PAUL DYKES PRESENTS WITH FORMER CELTIC CAPTAIN ANDY LYNCH AND SPECIAL GUEST PAT STANTON

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  5. QF on

    blantyre

     

     

    when did i get to my first euro game.

     

     

    That’s a good question – but i never had to pay as i got lifts in.

     

    i lived in castlemilk and walked down to hampden for the bayern st etiene CL final and got in without paying with a german guy. that was the first game i remember. i didn’t get to celtic balse or athletico as it was a school night. my dad got me a ticket to real game in 1980 when i was 13 and me and about six pals tried to get in on it. i remember the guy saying not tonight lads – too busy – and being in on my own for the rest game. it was a bit mental but managed to get a 46 after the game back home after being chased by huns about baltic street.

     

    my celtic bug came from watching every sat with my dad until about P6 when i started playing on sat myself. big euro games were for adults when i was young. maybe that’s why i did well enough st school to be able to afford £38 a ticket.

  7. KINGLUBO on

    What I do not understand is why, every season we are at the arse end of signing players, always. Why can’t, for once, we go and sign the players we want sooner!!!! It’s beginning to get on my tits to be honest. Are we waiting for the VVD money or what?????? Get things done Celtic FFS,

     

     

     

     

    KINGLuBO

  9. GreeninbingleyinOslo on

    The first European game I actually remember is Leeds United at Hampden in the semi-final, 1971. I was ten.

     

     

    Can’t remember how much the tickets were, we had two, but my big sister gave me a lift-over anyway.

     

     

    You can take the girl out of Clydebank…

  10. ernie lynch on

    QF on 25TH AUGUST 2017 7:06 PM

     

     

    ‘maybe that’s why i did well enough st school to be able to afford £38 a ticket.’

     

     

    ###

     

     

    The spirit of Brother Walfrid lives on.

  15. Jimmynotpaul on

    Tonyrome.

     

    Jobo has just stopped for his holidays.

     

    What about Holidays in the sun by The Pistols.

     

    Hail Hail

  18. Ron Bacardi on

    Am looking forward to Celtic being in yet another CL group stage. No pessimism. We will triumph at Celtic Park in home games to secure progress to the knock out stage after christmas.

  21. Jimmynotpaul on

    Tonyrome 7.21.

     

    Brilliant, thank you.

     

    I sent the link to my mate too, he’s off to Berlin on holiday next week, obviously the song encompasses holidays and Berlin.

     

    If Smashingmilkbottles is lurking, he will love that.

     

    He used to make me listen to that in 1977/78, when I still thought ELO and Wings were brilliant. I hadn’t discovered Sam Cooke yet, I was only 13/14 though.

     

    Hail Hail and thanks. Hopefully Jobo liked it.

  22. mild mannered Pedro delgado on

    My first memory of going to European football was the home leg v benfica

     

    Poss. 1969 quarter final

     

     

    3 nil to us tommy gemmel thunderbolt eusebio et al

     

     

    We were in the old wooden stand

     

     

    First thing to affect my senses was the smell of tobacco then the noise

     

    Sparking

     

     

    School next day . Terrible parents terrible uncle davie (who took me)

     

     

    God rest all their souls I love them

  24. QF on

    brother waldrid was a teacher. going to a CL game is a luxury not food and drink. To equate what he did to the price of a ticket for a game starting at 7.45 on school night is an affront to what he did for glasgow’s east was! i’m confident he would empathise with me!!

  26. THE EXILED TIM on

    Ins and outs.

     

    We gambled with CL qualification again this year, we got there but we may well have not, the Rosenborg game at home we were blessed.

     

    Out

     

    GMS – £150k

     

    Izaguirre – £250K

     

    Janko – £100k

     

    Commons – Released

     

    Toure – Released

     

    Ambrose – Released

     

    Bailly – Released

     

    O’Connell – Released

     

    Fasan – Released

     

    Christie, Allan & Ciftci- Loaned Out

     

    That’s a few bob off the wage bill and prob about £500k fees in.

     

    In

     

    Hayes – £1.5m

     

    Ntcham – £4.5m

     

    Benyu – £500K

     

    Spend – £6.5m

     

    Net spend – £6m

     

    If we get £6 mill for VvD net spend £000

     

    We can always play the balance sheet in the defence I suppose :-)

  27. Gerryfaethebrig on

    JNP

     

     

    First euro game SSW Innsbruck 1977 as an awestruck 7yr old, think programme was 10p and competition was “win a ball” still gutted I didn’t win the ball :-)

     

     

    Don’t ask me the score or who was playing the programme & the ball competition have always stayed in my mind, think the programme was four bits of paper with a dodgy staple :-)

     

     

    PSG v St Eitenne .. Mon the French Saints

  29. ernie lynch on

    QF on 25TH AUGUST 2017 7:33 PM

     

     

    I’ll be charitable and assume you’re somewhere on the autism spectrum.

  31. Ron Bacardi on

    MILD PEDRO, that was a great night. We beat Benfica 3 nothing and looked forward to getting in to next round. Unfortunately Celtic as usual made it difficult. Lost 3 nothing in Lisbon but got through on toss of coin. I went to the Lisbon match and only found out the result til next morning.

  32. BABASONICOS71 on

    JNP…

     

    Nobody loves you when you’re down and out. ;)

     

     

    Hope you’re ok mate.Always good seeing you posting.

  34. Dumbhoy on

    So there we have it. Corporate Celtic the purveyor of ‘entertainment’ charges fair market prices. Feck the low waged, feck the unemployed, feck the weans, feck charity as long as those with income can cough up the world is rosy.

     

     

    Here was me thinking we still had supporters and not a market segment of ABC1 customers. Why stop at £38. Could probably squeeze the pips of twice that if they really tried.

     

     

    Celtic soul rapidly becoming as ethereal as Club Rangers it would appear…

     

     

    HH

  35. Jimmynotpaul on

    Gerryfaethebrig.

     

    From memory I think we won 2.1.

     

    I read on St Anthony/ Celtic Underground the other day that Celtic didn’t always print programmes for early round Euro ties. You might have a collector’s item if you didn’t throw it away in a huff after not winning the ball.

     

    Hail Hail

  37. South Of Tunis on

    Europe

     

     

    Fair Cities Cup thing v Valencia (62?)

     

     

    2-2 Missed a penalty. Beaten 6-4 on aggregate.Valencia went on to win the Cup.12 yr Old me got an education re “Continental “skill and cynicism

  40. Jimmynotpaul on

    Baba 7.42.

     

    How true, if our lives had taken a slightly different turn we could be the down and out.

     

    We should all try and remember that, try and help rather than being smug pricks.

     

    I couldn’t help myself, decided to join your clique :-))

     

    Hail Hail.

     

    P.S. Thanks for kind words.

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