Emenike, Ashley and only Montrose

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I suppose we should start by heading the warning from Sevconian under-performer, Ian Black, who suggested that the Third Division is harder than the SPL.  By this logic, Second Division Arbroath will terrify the life out of the Celtic defence ahead of their Scottish Cup tie tomorrow, they did, after all, put three goals past Inverurie Locos in the Third Round tie, and again in the replay.

Only Montrose

Having previously experienced the delights of Brechin, Forfar and the Dundee clubs, after tomorrow, the only Tayside club I will not have seen will be Montrose.  These opportunities don’t come around often enough!

In all seriousness, Second and Third Division football is not difficult, it is essentially Keep Fit on the cheap.  Celtic must deal with the sincere endeavour of their opponents while giving an opportunity for several fringe players to grace Celtic Park.

With our midfield already stretched by injury and suspension ahead of the Spartak game, Neil Lennon will want to guard this area of the team in particular.  Spartak play their last game before heading to Glasgow tonight, at home to Zenit, who sit five points about them after 17 games.  This is a huge game for Spartak and interim manager Valery Karpin, who will either succeed as interim, and be made permanent boss, or to fail and to also lose his general manager position.

Unusually for the Champions League, they have five days to recover before facing Celtic, a game Karpin is keen to win.  Celtic will technically only have four days rest but the bulk of players likely to play in midweek will surely be rested tomorrow.

Spartak will be without striker Welliton, who travelled to Germany for an operation this week.  Emmanuel Emenike, who scored twice against Celtic last month, is likely to lead the line.  Emenike is a penalty box striker who is more than capable of exploiting gaps in the Celtic box.  Karpin may instead opt to play target-man Artyom Dzuba as a sole striker.  Dzuba is not a prodigious goal-scorer but he is able to hold play up and bring others into the game.

I loved media suggestions today that Sports Direct have a fight on their hands from other firms if they want their brand used to rename Ibrox.  You have to admire the intellectual endeavour that goes into news coverage in this country.  Sports Direct area THE key business partner for The Rangers.  The only issue open to question is how much skin they are in the game for and what they get in return.  Remember this when you’re buying sports kit for Christmas!

Unlike the CQN Annual, the perfect Christmas present, available here and not found in any Sports Direct store.

Lower league clubs will all surely be quaking in their boots at the news The Rangers will not only bring in well over £20m in a share issue, but could also earn countless riches from stadium naming rights.  The leaked IPO PowerPoint presentation suggested the Offer for Subscription would commence on Monday. I am sure it is on-plan.

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1,178 Comments

  1. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    TALLYBHOY

     

     

    A coupla months back,I saw a young fella on his skateboard. Taking his (large) dog for a walk.

     

     

    My sister’s dog won’t walk further than her car….

  2. BMCUW

     

     

    Dont laugh – but my dad likes Heavy Metal as well!

     

     

    Mantovani never did an album of HM covers – did he?!

     

     

    HH!!

  3. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    TALLYBHOY

     

     

    Your old man sounds cool as ….!

     

     

    I canny imagine mine getting Iron Maiden,Whitesnake or whatever out for a blast.

     

     

    Though he did introduce me to The Rolling Stones.

     

     

    And the Rebel Songs……

  4. The auld fella has rather eclectic musical tastes!

     

     

    The other day he was blasting out some Cajun stuff, and some Tex-Mex tunes (Flaco Jimenez) on the old turntable – full volume because he’s a wee bit deaf!

     

     

    HH!!

  5. Tallybhoy

     

     

    My auld man god rest him was a Mario Lanza fan and to my eternal shame when he passed away in 2003 when I cleared out the house I gave away the 76,s he had in the sideboard. He used to blast them out at all hours because he was ” corn beef ” as he would say . The neighbours knew he was deaf alright .

     

     

    HH

  6. ohits

     

     

    Yes old Mario had some pair of lungs!

     

     

    Think my auld fella has some of his stuff as well.

     

     

    He has a hi-fi and a turntable in his bedroom – whenever he decides to play some tunes we have to close the door! Being rather ‘corn beef’ he tends to sit about a foot from the speakers! No wonder he’s hard of hearing!

     

     

    HH!!

  7. Tallybhoy

     

     

    Couldn’t sleep – having an early cuppa while catching up with the blog.

     

     

    Saw your post about your old man’s tastes – download him some Rodrigo y Gabriela – here’s a sample:

     

     

    http://youtu.be/vNc5o9TU0t0

  8. Vmhan

     

     

    Things will be extremely raw for you right now and the absence of your dad will feel like an all consuming demon.

     

     

    It will pass my friend and you’ll be left with memories of happier times with him.

     

     

    God bless and stay strong.

  9. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    VMHAN 0806

     

     

    We’ll be back on tonight-those of us sufficiently sober,or even remotely capable of typing unadulterated pash.

     

     

    It is what we do.

     

     

    Step aboard the midnight train-it’s a crazy ride,destination unknown and irrelevant!

  10. praecepta

     

     

    Many thanks for the link.

     

     

    Fantastic virtuosity!

     

     

    The Latins sure know how to ‘carry a tune!’

     

     

    HH!!

  11. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    Wee mention for Hamilton Tim’s youngest-going to her first Celtic game today.

     

     

    And doing her bit for WEE OSCAR earlier.

     

     

    Great stuff…..

  12. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    Right,off to the pub for the early-shift.

     

     

    Have fun,y’all!

  13. Dontbrattbakkinanger on

    Whither the cash strapped scrofulous hillbillies, and their scrofulous cash strapped cuzz, the day?

  14. MWD:

     

     

    Just this minute came in from the gardening. Send me a number and I’ll give you a call.

  15. Dontbrattbakkinanger on

    Scrofularity [noun] -a state of hilarity achieved by the thoughts, words and actions of the scrofulous.

  16. Dontbrattbakkinanger on

    Kit -gardening?

     

     

    You lucky bhoy.

     

     

    Today I’d have to call it re-arranging the frozen mud.

  17. DBBIA

     

     

    I escaped ipox easily, we where in the ipox suite..upstairs from their corner shop..o))

     

     

    Kit

     

    thanks very much for the email..

  18. Stairheedrammy on

    Due to GB bhoycott I have one concession ticket available for today’s game- section 111- bought on the home ticket scheme and the wee man says Celtic can stick it up their erchie for their collusion with the polis. Still its easy for him to say that when its me who paid for it- if anyone wants it remember don’t sit in section 111- as you will be the only one there

  19. Hamiltontim – take the time and hang around for the players leaving. Wee HT will love it if she meets a couple…and have your camera ready. Hope she enjoys it as much as my bhoy enjoyed his. HH

  20. Dontbrattbakkinanger:

     

     

    From 8.00 am until 6.00 pm in 30+, and it’ll more or less be the same again tomorrow; I welcome the cold.

     

     

    One good thing is I live on the corner block of an estate with only one road in and one road out so all the guys have to pass my house if they are going anywhere, and when they come home, quite a few of them pull over for a beer or two which they always have in their cars. If they didn’t pull over I might get finished by lunch time.

  21. oldtim

     

     

    the boy jinky will call you at 11am..

     

    doesn’t have his phone with him at the moment..