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Fixture gains and worries

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We travel to Ibrox the day before the transfer window closes.  I’m not entirely happy about this.  My expectations are that several of our key players will be subject to offers, some of which will go to the wire, some of which may not be accepted.

Approaching deadlines are unsettling.  There can be a tacit acceptance that the player will move after a game, such as Odsonne Edouard moved to Crystal Palace two days after he ‘posted in’ a losing performance at Ibrox.  And there can be an outright refusal to contemplate a transfer, such as when Lyon were given a heard ‘No’ when attempting to sign Moussa Dembele, only for the player to throw a hissy fit in front of teammates, coaches and press photographers.

Even getting replacements in early does not fix all problems.  Kyogo was on the field when Odsonne performed so poorly at Ibrox, but the our new Japanese forward played on the wing until the last 20 minutes, when he started to terrorise the Newco defence.

Managers are understandably reluctant to bench a tried and tested player for an untested one in important games.  Ange Postecoglou should have started Odsonne on the bench and put Kyogo through the middle, but no one seriously considered that before the game.

The most positive reading from the fixtures is that we are away to Aberdeen, Newco, Hearts, and Dundee United in the first round of fixtures.  These are difficult games and will mean we have the same sides at home during the winter months, when away pitches are often poor, and for the deciding set of fixtures in April and May.

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Plastic pitches are a larger than normal feature for next season.  We have Livingston and Falkirk at home, and Kilmarnock away, in the first 11 games.  I don’t expect any of these sides to make the top six, which means we will have one less game on plastic than we would if we had two away games at these venues during the opening set.  It’s a small (potential) benefit, but still welcome.

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  1. scullybhoy on

    Finance expert hails Celtic’s £30m ‘extraordinary’ merchandising

     

     

    To gain a further understanding of how Celtic’s income and merchandising is about to increase the club’s financial earnings, 67 Hail Hail asked TBR’s Head of Football Finance and Governance’s Adam Williams to break down how successful the recent Adidas launches coupled with the tour could benefit the Hoops financially.

     

     

    Williams told us, “The 10-year deal with Adidas tells you everything you need to know about just how illustrious a commercial partner Celtic are.

     

     

    “From the manufacturer’s side, you don’t strike an ultra long-term deal like that unless you have complete confidence in the club’s ability to sell merchandise come rain or shine.

     

     

    “They made £30m from merchandising alone in the last financial year, which is pretty extraordinary. If you look at the frequency with which they release, not just kits, but other items too, they know they can sell just about anything with a Celtic badge on it.”

  5. jimtim on

    Just read about Leigh griffiths there ,god I wish he could have behaved himself , he was some goal scorer for us . A wasted talent . . I remember that goal at snake mountain when he battered a through ball into the net . Terrific stuff .

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  7. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    Interesting chat earlier about councils, democracy et al with GCC getting a mention.

     

     

    IMHO, a big root cause of the problem is voter apathy.

     

     

    The current council leader’s mandate?

     

     

    The choice of c.11% of voting aged adults.

     

     

    A low bar by any stretch with real competence tests never figuring in the equation.

     

     

    These elected members (GCC) are then handed several billion pounds per annum to play with …

     

     

    … whether they can count to 12 without taking their socks off or not.

  8. Por Cierto on

    An Tearmann on 20th June 2025 10:36 pm

     

    “https://www.theirishvoice.com/post/hail-hail-the-celts-are-everywhere

     

    A few,names in there :-)”

     

     

    Jim also remembers his dad’s trip to Budapest when Celtic played Ujpest Dozsa. When Jim went to book rooms in the Dunas Blancas Intercontinental Hotel he was informed that Liz Taylor and her husband Richard Burton were staying at the hotel and had booked out the entire fifth floor for Liz’s 40th birthday celebrations. So Jim requested to book the fourth and sixth floors. Who would have imagined eh? Liz Taylor and Richard Burton, famous Hollywood stars in a nice wee Glasgow Celtic sandwich? I bet she never forgot that birthday. They were formally invited to the game, but couldn’t go. However, the following night Liz had her 40th party and invited the Celtic fans along to celebrate with her. She was presented with flowers and a Celtic strip and scarf. Jim was offered money by loads of fans to cover the cost of the flowers, because, in his words: “I think these guys wanted to go home and dine out on a story that they’d met Liz Taylor and bought her flowers.”

     

     

    Yes, I was there for that party! :)) por cierto

     

     

    https://CelticPools.co.uk scroll to the footer…..

  9. bigrailroadblues on

    Por Cierto

     

    So was my Dad. Wish I could find the photo of him standing behind Taylor and Burton with a few Celtic fans.

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  15. scullybhoy on

    TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on 21st June 2025 2:49 pm

     

     

    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

     

     

    Obviously well brought up.

     

     

    HH

  17. TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on

    ScullyBhoy

     

     

    He was a good lad. Captained the younger Celtic teams at every age group and also a very fast runner. East Dunbartonshire Schools’ Champion over 650 metres. Sadly got a very bad injury not long after he had broken into Celtic first team making his European debut against Rennes.

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  20. scullybhoy on

    TheOriginalSadiesBhoy on 21st June 2025 3:00 pm

     

     

    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

     

     

    He has had a decent enough career.

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  25. garygillespieshamstring on

    BRRB

     

     

    Was he in the photo that was featured in Gerry McNee’s book?

     

     

    I’ve still got the book in the house and can dig it out and try to get it on my phone.

  27. bigbhoy on

    Por Cierto

     

     

    Was your photo not on the front page of the Daily Record?

     

     

    Why were you not at School?

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  33. Saint Stivs on

    Hungary, invaded Czechoslovakia on the night of 20 August 1968, Celtic chairman, Bob Kelly, subsequently sending the following telegram to UEFA;

     

     

    “In view of the illegal and treacherous invasion of Czechoslovakia by Russian, Polish and Hungarian forces, and in support of the Czech nation, we, the Celtic Football Club, do not think that any Western European football club should be forced to fulfil any football commitment in any of these countries.”

  34. bigrailroadblues on

    GGH

     

    Photo may have been in the evening times. I remember he came home and never said a word about it but his pal did. Asked my Dad about them he said “they weren’t playing”.🤣🤣

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  37. An Tearmann on

    Por Cierto

     

    Thats à grand post,my memory of that is running over backroad from Bellarmine

     

    Horvath for them and us,then wee Lou Macari

     

    Scored it gave us victory,

     

    I remember pics of it posted here.A great chapter In Gerry McNees “youll never walk alone” worth a read.

     

    HH

  38. An Tearmann on

    m/736x/a9/87/ca/a987ca3b3c68ab81b7210ef82a978081.jpg

     

     

    bigbhoy on 21st June 2025 3:25 pm

     

    Por Cierto

     

     

    Was your photo not on the front page of the Daily Record?

     

     

    Why were you not at School?

     

     

    You widnae mess Mrs Chandler bout like that,if he went to st.vincent :-))

  39. garygillespieshamstring on

    Didn’t we draw them two years in a row?

     

     

    Remember watching the game we won.

     

     

    I have a vague memory of rushing home to watch the game the second time around and getting home to find it wasn’t on. Possibly not shown due to power cuts but I can remember the reason.

     

     

    Also took the afternoon off from Higher maths to watch the game against Sachsenring Zwickau being broadcast live from East Germany.

     

     

    That game didn’t end well either. Roddy McDonald at centre forward I think?

     

     

    Tbh, the higher maths wasn’t much better.

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  43. scullybhoy on

    From Celtic Wiki

     

     

    Ujpest had recently beaten Leeds United in Europe and the Leeds team raved about the Hungarians so this was a tremendous result for Celtic. Jock Stein had also received a warning from thew manager of Dynamo Kiev when Celtic played them at home as a warm up Friendly before this game.

     

     

    For the first 20 minutes the heavens opened and the pitch was deluged with rain from a thunder storm. Horvath scored for both sides and as Ujpest took control McNeill’s experience was invaluable. Horvath’s own goal came when he diverted a long Brogan through ball past his own keeper. He redeemed himself with a 30 yard pile driver which gave Evan Williams no chance.

     

     

    Both teams played open football and came close to scoring. Ujpest grew stronger after their goal but Celtic pressed late on and Macari nabbed an invaluable winning goal when he swivelled in the area and scored from a Dalglish pass.

     

     

    Jock Stein rated this as Celtic’s finest result since Lisbon and was ecstatic about the performances of his young players – McGrain (21), Connelly (23), Macari (22), Hay (24) and Dalglish (21) especially with the experienced Johnstone, Deans and Craig all out injured.

     

    Teams

     

     

    Ujpest Dozsa: Szentmihályi, Nosko, Maurer, Juhasz, Ede Dunai, Horvath, Fazekas, Zambo, Bene, Antal Dunai, Toth

     

    Goals: Horvath (64)

     

     

    Celtic:

     

    Williams, McGrain, Brogan, Murdoch, McNeill, Connelly, Hood, Hay, Dalglish, Macari, Lennox Substitutes: Connaghan, Quinn, Callaghan, Davidson, Wilson.

     

    Goals: Horvath (og, 20), Macari (85)

     

     

    Referee: H Weyland (West Germany)

     

    Attendance: 31,000

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