I wanted a home draw but while Hibs deservedly beat Celtic in December, the fortunes of both teams have moved in opposite directions since then. We know the challenge at Easter Road and should be prepared for it.
News that the three teams competing for second spot in the league are also competing for the same place in the semi-finals is welcome. We knew they would take points off each other in recent weeks, and they did. They will weaken each other’s title challenge with the focus which will inevitably fall on these cup games.
The one concern I have is that this game against Hibs will be our second visit to Edinburgh that week; we are at Tynecastle the previous Wednesday, scene of another defeat this season. Before then, we are at Kilmarnock and face Valencia twice. It is a good job we have players returning from injury.
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Only joking, don’t want to upset anyone.
Hail Hail
DAVID17 on 12TH FEBRUARY 2019 8:56 PM
CELTIC40ME on 12TH FEBRUARY 2019 8:52 PM
DAVID17 on 12TH FEBRUARY 2019 8:46 PM
Lets not take on any debt right now, eh.
———
Would need to spend the £37m first and the rest that’s been hidden away.
That’s not how it works
I can’t remember my first game but it would have to be in the early 50s, I recall sitting on the wall in front of the Jungle and hearing Bobby Collins, Willie Fernie, Charles Patrick and John McPhail’s names being mentioned, possibly on the bus before and after the match, good chance the Big Mhan also played. I have no idea who our goalie was but probably George Hunter, the first goalie I was aware of was Johnny Bonnar although listening tae my da and uncles the only good game he had was the Coronation Cup final lol.
My first cup final was against the sheep in 1954, no I wisnae at it but listened to it with my mother on the wireless in our wee single end. I recall her saying as the crowd was roaring that I could hear my da; I thought she meant the commentator lol, I was only 6 BTW.
Later that year as summer came to an end we moved up tae the Bonnie Banks and the final of 1955 was the first ever broadcast live, me and some pals watched it on a neighbours tele, he was a great ould Celtic supporter who came fae the Renton and would regale me with stories of the “Brake Clubs” in the Renton and Vale of Leven, he also knew the Kellys and winger Johnny Browning, Willie Maley’s first signing after the breakup of his initial great side.
My da and his son were at the game and we were on our way to our 18th victory when Johnny Bonnar contrived tae throw the ball intae the net 3 minutes fae time, we lost the replay, mibbees that’s why my da didnae like “Coronation” as he was known.
Johnny retained his place for the first 7 games at the start of the following season but a 0-4 loss tae deidco at Parkheid 4 days after gubbin them 4-1 at hades cost him his first team place, he was replaced by Dick Beattie who retained his place for the cup final at the end of that season, BTW we failed tae qualify for the knock out stages of the LC by virtue of 1 goal, looks like my da was right.
The final of 1956, our third in a row, we lost tae a very good calvinist side with their famous inside forward trio and also Dave Mackay who was a superb player and would end up at White Hart Lane 3 years later. We did have a horrendous injury list but somehow Sir Bob contrived tae play right back Mike Haughney, another Coronation Cup hero and a WWII commando, at inside right, he actually scored our only goal, with the unknown Billy Craig making his only SC appearance that day, he only played another 8 games for us.
My first live cup final was the 2nd leg of a reserve league cup, we were one down and I was in the stand with my da, it’s got to be around 58/59 as John White played for the Bairns that night, he was only 1 season with them arriving from Alloa and departing for Spurs at the end of that season.
By the time he left he had been capped 4 times for the national side and made another 2 appearances for the Scottish League and yet here he was playing in a reserve cup final, at least I got tae see a legend, the future “Ghost of White Hart Lane”. Incidentally I was on vacation in London when he tragically lost his life.
The only Celtic players I remember from that night were Jim Kennedy who was our captain and a young Billy McNeill. This was one of those honest mistakes games, we absolutely battered them and one shot in particular was flying intae the top left hand corner at the Celtic end when a defender somehow clawed it out and it bounced along the six yard box and out, bye kick was the mitb decision.
As the Bairns were being awarded the cup the support gave it the then traditional slow hand clap. I couldnae wait until my da came home the next night with the paper, the Express, tae read about the controversial decisions, 1 paragraph hardly detailing the game.
My first real cup final was the Eddie Connachan one; how he kept a Pat Crerand pile driver out to this day I’ll never know.
The Pars had lost their veteran Tommy McDonald with appendicitis on the eve of the game and lost centre half Jackie Williamson, who had limped off just before half time but returned for the 2nd half, with around 10 minutes to go, no subs back then.
On the other hand we had a decision to make, black north and club captain Bertie Peacock, injured in the quarter final draw with the hibbees, was now fit and rightfully should be back in the side, however, Sir Bob once again, and not for the last time in a cup final, interfered and chose quarter final hero youngster John Clark for the side.
On the way tae the replay 4 days later my da told me we would win as Celtic never lost replays, he must have had a memory relapse as he was at the Bully Wee game 6 years earlier.
Now we had an injury problem as well as fan favourite Jim Kennedy who had headed a Pars goal bound shot off the line, similar to Tommy McDonald, was rushed to hospital with acute appendicitis. It looked blatantly obvious Bertie would either come in at left back or left half with Luggy dropping back.
Not so as Sir Bob pulled another stroke but giving an additional youngster , Willie O’Neil, his debut, now Willie went on tae be a fine servant his highlight being kicking an alec smith goal bound shot off the line in our 1-0 LC victory over deidco, but this was another case of “whose that” from the support, also Willie would only play another 2 more SC games for us, a semi against Raith in 1963 and a 4th round replay against the Bully Wee in 1969, all told a total of 79 games in 10 years.
Meanwhile, wee Bertie who in a 12 year period played 453 games scoring 50 goals and captained the side for 4 years including the legendary 7-1 game turned out and captained his native land in a friendly while we were losing 0-2 tae a team that escaped relegation by 1 point 2 year before.
There were 4 players on the park that night who would win Big Cup medals and 2 more who could lay claim tae being Lisbon Lions. History and Jock Stein have been kind tae Bob Kelly.
Bertie Peacock, who the Swedes nicknamed the “Little Ant” 3 years earlier in the “Pelé” WC and who was capped 31 times for the North of Ireland and also selected to represent a Great Britain side against the Rest of Europe, never played for Celtic again.
‘The average Rangers fan, if he is not solid bone from the chin up, is probably a blithering half-wit and commonsense can never eat its way through the fatty deposit which clouds his brain’
Man In The Know – Glasgow Observer, 25 July 1931
PSG completely outclass Man U. Verratti world class, Pogba pocketed by Marquinos. Mbappe unplayable. Some team.
Stars
I appreciate that, thanks.
Thing is you seem to think that I think in a way that I don’t.
I have NEVER advocated that we spend money, in fact I am the opposite camp, I don’t want us to spend money on transfers, I want us to get players for free and give them decent wages, but we won’t because we have a wages ceiling, IMO this needs looked at.
I accept out policy of buying cheap in the hope is a good one, it’s one we have to work in, we have no choice given where we play, also we are not the best at bringing players through, aye we have had a few in the past couple of years but for what we put in I honestly don’t think we are getting bang for buck, as I don’t know the ins and outs of Lennoxtown I can’t say why.
I also don’t think the board are doing a bad job, they are doing a sterling job for the PLC imo, they could do so much better for the FC if they tweaked their strategy now and again, that’s all I am saying, if that’s repetitive whinging, so be it, it’s just the way |I see things.
As for being anti Pedro, not at all, he does his job and that’s it, I asked you the other night what other than bringing in very, very good sponsorship money he does that enhances the well being of the club, I assume you are still thinking about that ;-)
I just don’t think he deserves all the fawing over him that many bestow on him.
HH
………..
MacJay
At least you agree then ;-)
HH
CELTIC40ME on 12TH FEBRUARY 2019 9:44 PM
Thanks.
Pogba found out playing against top players,a pig in a poke
Exiled
I have no idea what Peter Lawwells job entails
Does he simply sit in his office ringing potential sponsors ?
Do we need a CEO ?
Could the position not be voluntary?
Would removing him and replacing him with a cardboard cut out of Che Guevara make any difference?
You want us to get players for free and pay them big wages?
Ok 100 per cent in agreement there.
How many top quality players become free agents?
There are no easy solutions. I could accept the anti board stuff if the team was struggling….but they’re not
Bada
I wonder how manure would have fared had PSG had their best team out tonight, it was two going on half a dozen, and the brits take the piss out of us, aye right.
Stars
I have no idea what Peter Lawwells job entails…..As a CEO he is the man, the buck stops at his desk, or it should do.
Does he simply sit in his office ringing potential sponsors ?…..I would imagine that takes up a bit of his time, along with running scottish football, which imo he is making a bollix of.
Do we need a CEO ?….Dermo seems to think so, he is the boss so.
Could the position not be voluntary?….Maybes, but as Dermo doesn’t want the shit, no chance.
Would removing him and replacing him with a cardboard cut out of Che Guevara make any difference?…Your best suggestion yet.
You want us to get players for free and pay them big wages?…Not big wages, I’m not that generous, but decent wages.
Ok 100 per cent in agreement there….Phew, in agreement.
How many top quality players become free agents?….We can’t get nor pay for the best players, but we can now and again sign good players and aspire to quality players as opposed to haddies.
There are no easy solutions. I could accept the anti board stuff if the team was struggling….but they’re not…..YET ;-)
HH
The EMSM fawning over Solskjaer for beating dross like Huddersfield and Cardiff has been puke inducing.
Reality check.
Surely Celtic would have beaten that Man. Utd. team?
Playing two defensive centre mids strangely allowed Verratti to much time and space as they both sat deep.
It also left Utd without enough creativity from an important area.
Pogba looked frustrated and this led to his sending off.
I think tactically the EPL is still behind the better European leagues and Solskjaer is more of that ilk hence his success till tonight.
Was surprised he did not take off either Herrera or Matic for LUkaku and go with the Fergie tactic of bypassing midfield and rumbling them up.
Mbappe and Di Maria terrified them with their pace.
Also to often Utd’s defense was to square and deep allowing runs into space between them.
That only works when your defenders are higher and your keeper is a very quick and active sweeper.
Fan-A-Tic & TET,
That bhoy Neil Robertson – The Aussie lad – was brilliant tonight. 147 followed by a 140!
I know it can be cold, but I’m pished,….so here’s a wee bit of doggerel from a few decades ago when cold didnae describe it.
Nae butter, milk or breed, nae chicken fur a feed,
The Co-ops shelves unwelcome, white an’ bare,
Nae tatties, peas or cheese, nae bolognaise tae freeze,
Last week’s scraps have gone an’ we’ve nae mair.
The heatin’s oan the blink, the bath’s a wee ice rink
The garden’s looking like an Arctic roll.
The landin’s like a slide, ah’ve done the palais glide
Skited doon upoan ma ‘Nat King Cole’.
The leccy fire is crocked, and someone’s gone an’ knocked
Oor winter quilt frae aff the washin’ line
Nae coppers, lead or brass, nae shillin fur the gas
‘The future’s bright!’ But sadly it’s no’ mine.
The thaw will soon arrive, tae keep us a’ alive
And so tae work we tae can soon go back
We’ve missed oor’ bosses smiles, we love oor ‘pending’ files’
Except fur me! Last week Ah got the sack.
So in oor polar room, we’re contemplating doom
An icy hand ah feel upon ma soul
Ah turn wae fear tae see, the reaper temptin’ me
Wae square sliced in a well-fired Morton’s roll.
Ah grab him by the neck, we wrestle tae the deck,
Wae two falls, wan submission an’ Ah win!
But every cloud has got, as we have a’ been taught
A silver lining ‘neath its darkened skin
Not everything is lost, for though interred wae frost,
Ah’m wan o’ them whose spirits huv been buoyed,
Fur Ah kin stay at hame, the government’s tae blame
Their policies huv made me unemployed.
Ah smile at my good luck, nae slush or sheugh or muck
Tae freeze ma feet, an’ cause ma death of cold
Jist me her an’ the dug, tae cuddle oan the rug,
At least we would …… but sadly it’s been sold.
Like Scott and Captain Oates, we’re huddled in our coats
We need to stick together an’ be brave
For though the pipes may burst, an’ Jack Frost dis his worst…
The dug jist fits intae the microwave!
Time tae kip
Hail Hail
Matt
Matt, brilliant as usual. You from Shotts? Sounds like it!
Sarcasm ?
https://thecelticblog.com/2019/02/blogs/fury-erupts-on-social-media-as-celtics-sfa-placemen-make-their-move-at-last/
JIMTHETIM53
I once went to Shotts….. on Missionary work…Coatbridge bhoy”!
*************************************************************
Anyway…remember Pablo…here’s ma wee recollection of the man..
Hi all.
I heard through a friend of Pablo’s so sad and untimely death.
I wouldn’t even dream of comparing my knowledge of the man with some of his closer friends on here, but our paths did indeed cross a couple or more times. …….And he annoyed me intensely!
He wouldn’t stop offering to help out, do that, organise that, to get Oldtim from A to B. He should have been in ‘how to succeed in getting things done’.
Steve was an amazing example to so many people. And that perhaps is the reason why when I heard of his passing, I thought of all that he had achieved and contributed. It struck me that perhaps we view life as an allotted set of years when the essence of ‘life’ is actually what you do, how much you enrich and what message you leave to echo down through your descendents and acquaintances.
If we accept that we have the free will to choose, think of the unselfish role model that Steve has been. So perhaps ‘life’ is fulfilled not always in reaching a date, but in building the foundations for others. Perhaps Steve achieved what he was meant to achieve. Perhaps he has built that foundation for many who follow.
They will continue to build.
Time is a mirage, what we do is real and echoes forever.
Mind you as I said he wasn’t perfect .
He always annoyed me with his plan! Well he thought it was one plan; but I knew different for there, staring back at me from his face was a million plans moving around like a hailstorm in a gale. He was going to do this and then and then……this ……this ad infinitum.
I was always exhausted when I watched his ears attune to a room’s 15 conversations waiting to pick up on another opportunity to “I can do that. Friday no problem!”
His eyes told the alternative reality; he didn’t have a plan, he didn’t really know what one was.. Or thinking again maybe he did ….sort of….it’s us that have too many plans, too many passwords, passkeys pin numbers, deadlines, alarm clocks, diaries and organisers. Maybe he had skipped that bit that said ‘this isn’t a plan; this is everything you will do between now and when you retire”
Naw Steve didn’t really annoy me; he just redefined the word plan to mean ‘do as many things in whatever order you want to provided that the balance of the ‘good’ outweighs the ‘bad’.
As I said time is the mirage.
Just to finish and say cheerio, Steve seems to have been noted for his musical contributions to CQN melody makers. This may have been what influenced the other thing that resounds to the mention of his name. He always greeted me with that sort of sixties/hippies greeting ‘Hey Man’!
So just as a wee tribute to Steve
Hey Man.
Hey man, why you headin where the mountains meet the sky
What’s that you call? Your word’s unclear! Hey man, why Goodbye?
The album cover’s no’ designed, the lyrics no’ set down
The melodies are no’ complete, the rhythm no’ yet found
“Hey man see these memories, a witness tae yer past
In brush, or pen, in note or bronze, each by a master cast
Each ache, each pain, each flight o’ joy, each smile a star in times
Each touch, each word, each fear, each hope, life’s poetry in rhyme.
Hey man, what gives you the right, tae up and pack yer stuff
Without sae much as ‘dae youse mind?’ a life lived aff the cuff
Nae ticket bought, nae taxi booked, nae train, nae plane nae, bus,
Hey Man, you’ve nae map, nae plan, so why you leaving us?
But then you turn to wave again, your sands of time have run
You’re off to roam and tell the sky the tales of battles won
Just one glance back and one last grin, and then your music played
Of triumphs, losses, laughter, tears “Hey Man …you could have stayed.”
Bye, Pablo be seeing you some day. I haven’t smoked in 10 years but I’ll try one of your specials tonight. If you are watchin nearby or at a loose end, come and have a chat and we’ll have a giggle about the plans you’ve got in hand for up there. One thing is sure, there will be a four leaf clover involved.
Pity help God!
Hail hail
Matt
Matt, In some ways you are talking about cause and effect.
I remember speaking to girl in Cumbernauld who enlightened me to Sin.
Think of dropping a stone into a pool of water. The ripple effect.
Sin is like that. It’s not just the immediate effect – but the wider consequences.
I don’t believe in Purgatory as a place with time, that’s impossible in the after life, but as a process – a purgation. Where we re live the effects of our sins and come to complete repentance. A realisation.
Jimthetim53
Thank feck you’ve got an inkling of what I may be talking about….cos I’m lost on that one.
Anyway….I once talked to a girl in Cumbernauld as well…that taught me two things
1. Don’t believe girls
2. Never ever go to Cumbernauld.
hail Hail
Matt
Matt, Ha Ha, you’re probably right! I read too deep.
So …battered I may be…and never underestimate the benefits of being battered……here’s a wee tale from 2009…sorry its a link but there are pictures in this tale of my battle to ascend “Devil’s Peak”.
http://alturl.com/8v7bm
Hail Hail
Matt
Matt, you’re a wee devil! That link needs a password etc.
Do you want to talk about Heaven and Hell or anything else?
Or love.
Jimthetim53
Sorry about that, the link was to a place athat I keep special for my youngest daughter….I’ve now reposted it on…
http://alturl.com/bt7jt
If anyone is seriously affected by the content then I blame firstly you and as an accomplice, Gabriella .
Hail hail
Matt
Oh gee thanks matt! It still doesn’t work.
Who is Gabriella? What a beautiful name.
I have two fridge magnets – The Archangels Gabriel and my hero Michael. I bought them in Spain.
I don’t go to church any more Matt but I still believe in God. And His holy angels and mother.
Why don’t you think about your childish thoughts around religion and write about that? I would love that. David Bowie used to write songs like he was a child telling a story.
Jimthetim53
Last attempt…40 years of designing computer systems has obviously just gone up in smoke…the previous 5 years by the way were absorbed in building new types of penecillins.. so dont take any medical advice from me!
Anyway…apart from believing that the devil has a really bad business plan, I tend to steer clear of ir/reliugios debates….although this tale may have given me pause for thought.
BTW the way, Gabriella is my youngest daughter’s name….I was insistent that I wanted her named after an archangel… but my wife wouldn’t let me call her Satan…that’s a Coatbridge Joke!.
https://enematic.wordpress.com/2019/02/13/in-pursuit-of-the-fallen-angel/
Hail Hail
Matt
Dear God Matt, I knew you were a good writer but I am speechless. That was wonderful. I feel a bit foolish now in my previous suggestion but I was ignorant.
“The view and vista of sea roar, wind song, and the sudden enveloping silence of mankind for just a few moments made it the only place on earth where he wanted to be and with a will and foolhardiness that he didn’t know even he had, he stood on that foot wide ledge, stared first out to the distant blue horizon and then at the breakers below, stretched out his arms inviting the up draught to do its worst, closed his eyes and felt what it was like to be truly free!”
You and I have had a different childhood.
It’s no wonder you can tell it.
Sorry, you tell it wonderfully would be more appropriate.
I know for a fact that an English team asked PL in August how much money it would take to allow them to speak to Kieran Tierney.
£28m was the answer and the club came back and said they would pay it and proposed x plus y etc….the usual stuff.
I don’t know why but Celtic said they wanted the money in total the day he signed and the other club wouldn’t do it.
I’ve know this for months but we now know that in August we knocked back…..
Boyatta £12m
Dembele £ 18m ( the 1st Lyon bid ) and
£28m for KT.
£58m or £73m if the Porto/Ntcham story was true.
So how does that sit with PL being money daft and the club having no ambition?
How does having a dozen absolute top-notch footballers that could press the button on a move to England any time they wanted is us showing no ambition
As I’ve said before the Celtic board are obviously not perfect but they’re obviously far from the worst.
Good, misty morning, cloud in the sky…
Great stuff Matt Stewart, what an absolute legend Pablo was, don’t go for the aul meeting CQNers… just geography Id guess but he lite up the blog whenever he appeared.
NALLY81 @ 4:05 AM,
Having no inside information I can believe what you are saying.
Now we have the Board bashers, most for one reason or another don’t post on here any more.
My thoughts are the Board are doing a sterling job but they are business men first and foremost, where we should be a Football Club first and foremost.
That mind set means our recruitment, player management strategy is wrong and not fit for purpose, I believe it comes from this business wise approach.
The squad management should be led from the Football side.
All we needed to do was bring in the quality players in the positions that BR had identified and bring them in quickly… they had to be bedded in for the UCL qualifiers.
We had players at the World Cup.
Identify the players to be sold… Armstrong, Boyata etc
Then tell all the rest of our first team and any suitors they are not for sale, stick firmly to that and get down to the business of UCL Qualification.
The fact is that our businessmen were distracting players by negotiating deals while they should have been 100% focussed with the job in hand.
I believe it wasn’t the Board that refused the bid for KT, Keiran refused to go.
Boyata’s replacement should have been in situ when Boyata returned from the WC allowing us to sell him £12M in the Bank.
N’tcham was offered a better deal by us and told he would get his move in the future.
Dembele was offered a better deal by us and told he would get his move in the near future.
Lustig should have been rested on return from the WC, if we had brought in a quality RB early doors he could have been. The fact is he’d played too much football.
We then could have done some housekeeping, fringe players sold or moved on… Gamboa sold, Scott Allen part of the McGinn deal… etc etc
No prospects or fringe players brought in to bloat the squad.
The focus… focus… focus… on UCL Qualification.
We had no need to be wheeling and dealing constantly with our best players.
From a football point of view – Our chances of UCL would be enhanced, our squad value would have increased and our performances and results would have improved.
From a business point of view – Good player/asset management. £25M brought in, fringe players off our wage bill.
Maybe our cash pile would have taken a hit.
But we would have that value and more on the park, working for us and adding to the value.
Who would prefer that too…
“…Our period end net cash at bank, as indicated above, was highly satisfactory.”
We need to review our strategy and priorities… doing the right thing for the Football Club will bring financial benefits as well.
Aff Oot
Hail Hail
_CFC_?✊ on 12TH FEBRUARY 2019 7:52 PM
Who wouldve thought that, failing to sign John McGinn, would blow a £30 million hole in the balance sheet, and that that corporate failure would be rewarded by hefty bonuses ?
And we’re told its the huns who are stupid!
HH
Tryin ma best to think your way but am not understanding.help me oot :-)
HH
Good morning CQN from a dull and overcast Garngad
Bring on the Spaniards.
Any updates on injury list??
D. :)
Morning Tims….
28 m to talk to KT eh, sounds fair, I wonder how much it would to actually sign him????
I have 2 tickets for sale for Celtic V Valencia.
They are in the club Celtic. Lounge.
£75 each
Text me on 07779888834.
Tt
Following on from the Bard O’ Sharkey’s poetic brilliance here is a wee adaptation of my adopted home, Forres.
“ The Butchers o’ Forres , they aw hae their Pride , an they say that Bertie is the Prince .
For Bertie the Butcher he murdered his wife and Sold as Mutton an Mince . Noo it is a terrible Tale tae have tae be telt , an horrible thing that he had done . For what kind Butcher slaughters his Wife then sell her at a Shilling a Pun . Noo fir lifting his knife an Ending her Life then hanging her high like a Sheep , ye might no object . But ye widnae accept , him selling the poor woman sae Cheap .
But the guid folk o’ Forres didnae object an they didnae shed ony tears . For they say that Berties wife Senga wis the Best Beef he had Selt them in Years.”
Good morning friends from a damp but fairly bright and mild East Kilbride.
Juan Merrzleep ;-)
morning bhoys from a mild Cheshire, matt stewart, just read back wonderful writing, by the way my dads best mate was from Coatbridge, but moved to glenboig ,he was matt stewart as well, wonder if any relation.hh.