It took until 5th October but Celtic are top of the Scottish Premiership for the first time. The valiant stand by the Highlanders went the way of Culloden but whereas the competition for first place us over for the season, the league has a promising look to it.
The SPL suffered for many years not exclusively because Celtic and Rangers dominated but because those teams who should have been snapping at their heels – the city clubs – were hugely underachieving.
Motherwell have done enormously well finishing ‘best of the rest’ for three years but they are inhibited by being the third best supported team in Motherwell (population 30,311). Their coaching and scouting infrastructure would provide a completely different platform if they were one of the top-flight clubs from Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen.
Below Celtic sit Motherwell, and the other very well run SPFL club, Inverness, but behind them are Aberdeen and Dundee United, who for once sit above the detritus (sorry, Kilmarnock, but you are a terribly run football club) and plucky upstarts (Ross County, from Dingwall, population 5,026). Even Hibs are rallying. They will return to the top half of the table if they beat Partick Thistle tonight.
Of the big city clubs, only Hearts (in Administration) are off the pace, and even their league status is bound to be rescued when Kilmarnock’s name is inevitably written with the accompanying parenthesis.
As we’ve noted here often before, when the Daily Record finally acknowledges the reality Celtic websites have long explained about the Rangers group of clubs, you know it’s too late to do anything about it. Today’s piece in the newspaper confirms what we’ve known for a long time, the white flag has been raised. If they were more circumspect before declaring the unquestionable business acumen of the Ibrox key-holder, at any point over the last 15 years, the spivs would have been unable to fill their boots.
All those fawning pieces simply enabled the misdeeds.
While we are on the topic of enablers, what is the price of loyalty? £825k, apparently.
Congratulations to all who participated in the Great Scottish Run for 1254125. It turned into a great Celtic day with participants ranging from the dedicated athletes to those on the high side of 20st who grabbed the chance to make a different to their own lives, as well as others.
It’s happening again next year, so you have plenty time to get ready. The sooner you start preparing the better.
My sincere thanks to the many people who contributed to the 1254125 MyDonate page I put up on Friday. It now sits at an incredible £935, I’ll leave it up for a few days more to see if we can break into four figures.
Thanks for all your help.
Order Sean Fallon, Celtic’s Iron Man, below.
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mighty tim
I got caught with that tax in Rome 2 years ago, something like 3 euros per head per night, I was in a flat and some city official came to the door to collect. Tidy sum when there’s 4 of youse:(
Tribute to George Ryan posted on previous thread this morning:
Big Nan
08:21 on 7 October, 2013
Top of the morning to you all from a grey Fife where the rosy dawn peeped out for a quick look then was smothered by rain-filled clouds coming in fast from the west.
I didn’t know George Ryan but it is obvious from the tributes paid to him on this site and elsewhere he was a gem, a rare thing these days a politician with conviction and bravery, not afraid to put his head above the parapet and take the flak that goes with being outspoken.
George was outspokenly critical in his criticism of the police in their handling of the Green Brigade.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-21832701
And in that he and I had something in common. The horrific scenes of police officers bent on provocation and intimidation that I saw on television prompted me (hardly a young demo groupie at age 68) to attend the demonstration in George Square that followed. I wanted to record on film any repeat.
In the event there was none and thanks to the protestations of George and others in the mass demonstration that day the police sitting in vans in side streets did not engage with the thousands who attended the rally and we stepped back from the brink of a Fascist state that sunny afternoon.
My disgust at the “kettling” of the Celtic fans by the FoCUS police had not abated however and I volunteered to help Thomas Rannaghan, the Independent (Axe The Act) candidate in the Govan council election. And that is where I was on Saturday, and then, like George, watched the game before travelling home. Sadly as we know George never made it home.
When I heard the news of George’s death the name rang a bell in more ways than in connection with the police “kettling” incident and yesterday I checked the signatories to my petition calling for judges to register of secret society membership one of the first to sign was a George Ryan.
In the petition roll of supporters (now numbering 1,490) coming in at number 26, when only the hardy, such as the Celtic Trust officers were stepping forward to put their names on the line there is one George Ryan.
Of course I have no way of knowing that it was CQN’s St John Doyle, but I’d rather like to think that it was. From what I read and what I recall of his posts it was the sort of thing he would do.
R.I.P. George Ryan.
BT
I was hoping for Madrid this season, as was Lenny.
They are no a patch on Barca, would have been an easy 6 points >}
HH
bournesouprecipe
19:32 on
7 October, 2013
That’s a bold thing for him to do considering the possible ramifications from that mob which support the deid club.
mcgrory1888 and Hotshot
Were either of you at the School Reunion in 2004?
TBJ
After seeing him at the Stan game, he could well do a job for us in the spl.
HH
philboy
im pretty sure that you are right about McGonigle, cant recall the name either. He hated me cos I stood up to him, feeling was mutual though. Mind you he did goad me into passing English Hire with an A. I did it to spite him, he said that he wasnt going to let me sit at all.
Hx2
philboy
No I wasnt aware of it or I would deffo have gone, did you go.
Boy on twitter was sayin that tony watt has been sent home from training twice this week!
If true he’s on a slippery slope to the scrap heap!
Hope it’s not true!
Well done Gorgeous George.
canamalar/jeez
Thanks bhoys just found it a bit strange as I have travelled a fair bit and this is the first time I have come across this tax.
KTF
HH
Perfectly appropriate that the SFA allowed a wee diddy to make the Scottish Cup draw for the wee diddy teams stages today.
mcgrory1888
Brilliant night!
I remember getting to the hotel and entering a small corridor just outside the function hall which was already full of people.
I gave the two ladies at the desk my name and they gave me a name tag to clip on to the front of my jacket.
I turned and walked into the hall and immediately thought “god, who are all these old people?”
Yes, a great trip down memory lane!
Mcdowell
Ffs … its only Monday and tony has been sent home from training twice this week. :))))
Tet
Just sign bobo for the one match …. bonus for the number of lasleys bones he breaks
This one is for the golfers, I am going out to Albuferia for 5 days at the end of the month
Was there last year and played the Nick Faldo course, Salgados, Christy o Conner course
And Laguna. Looking to do some different ones so looking to see if anyone has played
Any they could recommend
Thanks
Brnobhoy
Braying fans?
I thought goats made more of an ole bleatin’ noise?
philboy
Where was it, how did you find out about it, is there another one planned. Yes its the same with me, everybody else looks old but I dont………aye right.
in would definately have attended. Was Gerry there.
I’m really not a good patient, vomit and doo flowing and I’m
Starving and what does wife put on TV, bloody bake off. I’m starving .
She’s been taking torture lessons of BSR
Back later!
Been in Boston this last wee while and immersed myself in it’s rich history. From the early settlers with their Puritan values, through the great immigrations- particularly the Irish; in the North End of Boston in the 1860’s the population of that area was around 34,000 and more than half were Irish born, to the later industrial struggles of unions with militant and organised bosses.
I have also been reading about the assassination of John F Kennedy ( now 50 years ago next month) and the plotting and military coup against Allende’s government in Chile in 1973.
Of course, there is also the coming commemoration of the First World War, now 100 years distant.
What really interests me is how events change through time or rather how they are seen through time. I suppose it is all about perspective. When we are really close to events we have to make instant judgements and see our way through the maze of information/ disinformation. It is usually only much later when further information emerges that the initial interpretation of the truth is often seen as quite wrong. The Bloody Sunday killings or the White House denials around the Chilean coup come to mind.
We are all caught up in the Sevco fiasco so it will be a while yet before a clearer picture emerges about the true scale of the skulduggery. I look forward to that.
Meanwhile back at the events of 1914, many of us were brought up to believe that German militarism and their push for a place in the ( our) sun was the root cause of the conflict. Brave efforts were made by Socialist organisations in both Britain and Germany to mobilise their respective working classes to avoid conflict but sadly failed.
A wee insight from a forthcoming book by Margaret MacMillan, warden of St Antony’s College, Oxford University – The War That Ended Peace- Kaiser Wilhelm 11 wrote to his chancellor,Bernhard von Bulow “first cow the Socialists, behead them and make them harmless, with a bloodbath if necessary, and then make war abroad. But not before and not both together.” One wonders if this note had been made public to the German people if we would have had all the jingoistic stuff that followed.
McGrory/Philboy,
No, was unaware of it.
From Gartcraig Rd. Also went to the annexe, Sugarolly days, remember Mr Clark well.
Had some great games of football in that yard with Jim Diamond and Bano Pettit.
TBJ
Sent home came back in the afternoon with a ball under his arm – no good – Get Hame (in Belgian)
Can I Have
It’s o.k. there’s a doctor in the house
@celticrumours: Lose 23 lbs of Belly Fat in 1 Month With This Simple Tip – Don’t eat as much as Ally McCoist.
mcgrory1888
It was a guy on Friends Reunited who organised it.
The name of the hotel escapes me but it was one or two streets south of George Square, something Ramada?
Gerry wasn’t there, unfortunately a few of the boys had passed away, mostly ill health!
Nothing else planned as far as I know. Next year would be the 10th anniversary, so you never know.
I remeber the guy who organised it said he had sent something in the region of 50,000 emails, so it takes a bit of organising.
If I hear anything I’ll post it on here.
Jobo Baldie’s time for the 10K was incredible for an amature athlete! Well done that man!
I was almost 20 minutes longer. Haille was a minute faster than me albeit his distance was more than twice mine ;-)
I’ve raised over £1,025 including Gift Aid which I’m totally chuffed about. I am privilledged to have seen at first hand the educational benefits Celtic Charity has bestowed on young people, most of which goes unpublicised.
Much of what is raised through 1254125 will enable young people to achieve their true potential. Dont expect to read about it in the MSM.
On the subject of education my youngest has started university and has informed me he needs a textbook costing £93!!!!! Wish I’d written that one !!!
Can anyone post the link to cheap text books again? Wasnt the Open Uni sell on site .
Hi Ghuys
Just had to come on to report on Lasleys attack on Matthews
First, if what the experts would have us believe happened(he played the ball first)then the ball would have landed in row z
.But
instead it trickled over the byeline.
And ,if you look carefully the ball hits Lasley high up his right thigh
So all in all a vicious assault on our player.
HH
Phil
BSR
What type of ball did tony bring on the afternoon . ?
Im impressed by his attitude. .. if my manager sent me home it would be his Ali mcgraws I would have under my arm .. :(
Garcia..,
There must have been what now scathingly known as a think tank, that for any individual country to try and slaughter its socialists at the time would have lost, hence the was abroad was the only way to go. So IMO she’s so close yet so far.
The war abroad even
Check book prices here
– very reasonable
philboy
Yes that would be great.
hotshot
was that Jim Diamond the singer or Jim Diamond the brother of the red headed triplets.
My younger brother Jack was in their class at St Phillips.
Hx2
Winning captains…you will need to speak to my agent…:-)
Tony Watt on the naughty step again?
Allegedly.
I did say on here shortly after it was announced that he would be going on loan to Lierse, that ‘tho the town of Lier has a population of c35,000 it does have about 70 bars and several night clubs.
Who said Belgium was boring?!
HH!!
TBJ
Has to have been a Mouldy, – *really really sent home or just twitter sent home?*
ThisIsTheQuestion CSC
LennyBhoy, joint account. So yes Mrs Docs name is on it.
Hmmm
Which set of fans is singing :
” one team in Glasgow ?”
Does anyone have a kindle fire?
Is it good ? Value for money ?
Had a wee look at the HUDL and apart from the name, the reviews aren’t quite as good as the kindle fire, which is now the same price….
A wee present for the missus without the expense of an iPad…. I know, I’m all heart :-)
Any tips / help appreciated.
HH PC67
McCoist opted out of yesterday’s run ’cause someone told him there were no Gregg’s bakeries along the route…
Our Glasgow Derby rivals have had the best of the first 20 minutes but no goals yet.