Scottish football was waning in 2016. In the five years before then, Celtic won all league titles, while the Scottish and League Cups each saw five different winners – nine clubs won cups across both competitions. The ‘neutrals’ raved at this and fair play to the likes of Ross County and Hibs, (especially Hibs), but there was something missing.
Brendan Rodgers arrival gave Scottish football a team who were not just champions, but imperious champions. 18 trophies have been awarded since, 14 to Celtic. Those neutrals (yet to meet a neutral) bemoaned a lack of competition, but you and I know the truth. The value in even the League Cup has never been higher.
Other teams want to win it because so few sides apart from Celtic get to win anything. Celtic want to win it because we know the historic significance of these times. We are living in a period that 100 years from now football fans will look back at the records and marvel. This. Is. History! You and I know it and we kicked every ball.
When I think back on highlights from those 14 trophies, that magnificently-horrible League Cup win in December 2019 jumps out first. The thought of losing our run, history denied, was such, that the eventual relief was euphoric.
Next is the game we watched from home. We knew the run that led to the Quadruple Treble was over before the Scottish Cup Final against Hearts in 2020. An equally horrible performance before Kristoffer Ajer blasted his deciding penalty into the net brought a feeling no less joyful than beating Newco 5-0 to win the league.
When your status is as high as Celtic’s has been since 2016, historic significance is always on the line. This is Celtic’s gift to the rest of Scottish football. Every competition here has an importance other countries could only dream of, and I include the often-vaunted English game. There, their top clubs use the League (and increasingly FA) Cup as a development opportunity.
Even the second strongest team in Scotland is not robust enough to do that. They need the League Cup. A loss there, while miles behind in the league, would be a disaster. February is a bit early to have only the Scottish Cup to look forward to. Can you imagine looking at the months stretching out between February and August and thinking, ‘at most, three games in the Scottish Cup”? They cannot walk out of Hampden on Sunday muttering, “Bigger fish to fry”, it all goes on the line.
Celtic are playing so well, some of us are disconcertingly confident. Hatate, Kyogo, Jota and Maeda are on fire. The back line is rock solid, and Joe Hart looks ready for anything (except a back pass). McGregor and Mooy will move, block and pass their way through the game, while Ange will make changes that reinvigorate the second half.
Five League Cups out of six, you know the script, Celtic, Hampden is ours!
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BIG JIMMY it might have been me who introduced you to Austin Brown with this song .
https://youtu.be/XRvr7nQE7xM
Anyhow hope you have a great day wherever you watch the game .
I’m heading to motherwell to watch it .💚🇮🇪
BIG JIMMYB…i love this ladys voice
Sissel .
https://youtu.be/W7YTibrHq2w
https://youtu.be/iJFhTb1gi6Y
https://youtu.be/ID8mVtqEHdY
Good morning all from nervous matchday Govanhill. Gerrintaethum Celtic!!!!
https://twitter.com/i/status/1629582536614477833
Brilliant Jotassong getting aired on radio
MARSPAPA on 26TH FEBRUARY 2023 6:39 AM
BIG JIMMY it might have been me who introduced you to Austin Brown with this song .
https://youtu.be/XRvr7nQE7xM
Anyhow hope you have a great day wherever you watch the game .
I’m heading to motherwell to watch it .💚🇮🇪
…………….
Oooops…My apologises Mate.
Thank you for making me aware of AUSTIN BROWN.
What a VOICE !
Cheers, and I hope all the Tims around the world enjoy Today with a CELTIC VICTORY ?
HH
GerryBhoy@lateO’clock
I am on course.
Lost ma bag wae ma favourite shorts/Jumper and other hings like underwear toothbrush etc. Disnae matter as we hud Boyata.
Come on the MIGHTY Celtic put them in their place. 2nd forever.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SV4D_8QNrfg
And
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_8NOW8KQ1dA
COYBIG,
No regrets.
This is the day!
Have never been overly confident when playing any of the Ibrox clubs.
Sad indictment of scottish football that many are predicting sevco ‘winning’ their usual free kicks in and around the box. We know how they’ll play.
Assuming VAR doesn’t have any grade A feck ups, we should win this one 2 or 3-1.
Give us a good birthday present for Fergus.
I am totally confident that after today we can still say :- We are the only team undefeated under domestic VAR.
HH.
Good morning all from a hun skelping Sunday in the Garden of God.
Get intae them.
HH
🏴
🇨🇦 🇺🇸 🇸🇪 🏴
🇦🇺🇯🇵🏴
🇵🇹 🇯🇵 🇯🇵
Staring 11 above.
D :)
My morning patrol of media picks up this gem from the DR
“Michael Beale’s former coach believes the Rangers boss cold lead England to World Cup glory one day – now he’s willing to put in the work.”
Where do you start with that pish 🤷
F.A.O ….BIG JIMMY
Speaking to Blantyretim , he might make the shipbank for an hour or so .👍
Has anyone else noticed media outlets showing Beale first then Ange.
Fracking cnuts.
D :)
First part of the Treble up for grabs today , C’mon Celtic let’s put Beale back in his box ! 💪☘💚🇮🇪⚽️
Morning all.
Nerves starting to jangle.
BIG JIMMY, re Austin, MARSPAPA did indeed flag him up first.
DAVID66
love the flags
BRRB, morning
TLT where have you been? Hope you’re well
SOME tunes to get us going.
HH
The Fratellis -Chelsea Dagger
https://youtu.be/sEXHeTcxQy4
Oasis – Roll With It
https://youtu.be/DrARl0dzd-0
Slade – Cum On Feel The Noize
https://youtu.be/sKYYPh8rvQU
MARSPAPA on 26TH FEBRUARY 2023 9:00 AM
F.A.O ….BIG JIMMY
Speaking to Blantyretim , he might make the shipbank for an hour or so
………………
Thats GREAT News if The BLANTYRE BHOY can make it on Friday ?
The KICK AFF is for HIGH NOON on FRIDAY.
Thanks again for letting me know.
Will your Pets be in the Celtic DUG OUT Today ?………DUG OUT….Get it ?
LOL
HH
BELMONTBRIAN on 26TH FEBRUARY 2023 9:38 AM
Morning all.
Nerves starting to jangle.
BIG JIMMY, re Austin, MARSPAPA did indeed flag him up first.
……….
Its probably an Age thing with me ?
For a wee while I thought a ” P45″ was a PISTOL ?
I also thought that MANUAL LABOUR….Was a SPAINARD ?
LOL
I’ll get ma Coat.
HH.
DAVID66 on 26TH FEBRUARY 2023 9:04 AM
Has anyone else noticed media outlets showing Beale first then Ange.
Fracking cnuts.
………..
This Final is being BILLED as ” Rangers v Celtic” ?
I MAY be wrong, but didnt Celtic qualify FIRST for this Final, so therefore Celtic should have FIRST Billing and the HOME Dressing Room ?
I MAY be wrong ?
HH
Big Jimmy exactly.
D :)
Pitched battles outside Hampden last 30 minutes. Both sets of thugs dressed all in black so hard to tell who is who.
About 6 cops trying to get between around 100 of them.
It’s gonna be a lomg day.
Reasons to be cheerful about Reo Hatate
He plays for us.
Can you effin’ believe it? © Tommy Five-Tone, Hudson Hawk (1991)
We have a good one here.
————————————————————————————————-
Good luck to the Celts today. On the road early using public transport to the ground. Safe travelling to us all.
You are correct, Big Jimmy.
Just checked the weather for Coatbridge today on the BBC weather chart, apparently the temp will be between 7 and -1.
It’s an omen I tell you.
BIG JIMMY
If we win and I’m sober I’ll take pictures of the dogs on their walk round the scheme with the hoops on ….if I survive it 🤣
I don’t think it’s a case of pitched battles, more like two groups of wee boys with identity problems running about making a lot of noise.
WBC
Never fails to amaze me that someone always finds a traffic cone to chuck !!
Heading for a beach taverna for lunch as my wife reckons I need a distraction.
More nervous than usual as the other mob need to be put in their place.
I’ll be bealin if we don’t hump ‘em
Nowt worse than uppity huns
BIG JIMMY on 26TH FEBRUARY 2023 9:51 AM
This Final is being BILLED as ” Rangers v Celtic” ?
I MAY be wrong, but didnt Celtic qualify FIRST for this Final, so therefore Celtic should have FIRST Billing and the HOME Dressing Room ?
I MAY be wrong ?
HH
——————-
Was thinking that exact same thing this morning Jim y on the BBC site they have it as Rangers v Celtic and we qualified first for the final on the Saturday and they played on the e Sunday.
Not sure if our draw was first or what, but doesn’t seem right to me.
Also, they have a few paragraphs of an interview with our captain and a massive article with their manager on their.
Absolute bassas the lot of them.
Cmon Celtic ram this down all their biased hun throats.
🇮🇪🍀😃
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 26TH FEBRUARY 2023 9:59 AM
Pitched battles outside Hampden last 30 minutes. Both sets of thugs dressed all in black so hard to tell who is who.
About 6 cops trying to get between around 100 of them.
It’s gonna be a lomg day.
——————-
Where you hearing or seeing that from Tom?
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 26TH FEBRUARY 2023 9:59 AM
Pitched battles outside Hampden last 30 minutes. Both sets of thugs dressed all in black so hard to tell who is who.
About 6 cops trying to get between around 100 of them.
It’s gonna be a lomg day.
————-
SOURCES ? ANY PICS ?
SS
Go to videocelts
PB…traffic cone chucking should be an Olympic sport. We’d do well in that…
Still, I’d like to chuck wan at Michael Beale…and Douglas Park…and Alfredo Morelos…and……….
Twitter for ‘pitched battles’.
Tom McLaughlin
Are you saying that is happening now ?
How do you know ?
I agree the black dress code is odd.
My bus from fife has about 12 black clothed huns and a few with colours. No one wearing green.
This link should work for the trouble at Hampden:
https://t.co/kyS11JgXae
Really want to win this so so much today.
The media are a disgrace.
The bandwagon needs derailed.
I think Ange thinks the same and hope he has the sense to keep his focus on the football not the sideshow.