If they can become champions of Europe, anything is possible

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But somewhere out of the darkness must come light.  My generation coincided with Celtic’s worst period.  Yet they still occupied a special place at the edge of my imagination, as a powerful, strange force that always somehow held the promise of a sense of meaning.

And now, incredibly, that promise threatens to be delivered.  So savour this moment.  Remember this place.  Remember the way it looks and sounds and smells.  Remember the way the moment feels.  Savour it when life gets tough.  Because if this can happen – if a football team that contains Catholics and Protestants, a set of players who all hail from the Glasgow area, a club set up to feed the hungry children of despised immigrants – if they can become champions of Europe, then anything is possible.

From The Road to Lisbon, a novel, published today, by Martin Greig and Charles McGarry.

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  1. alex thomson ‏@alextomo

     

    Ha! Guys I get it! SFA don’t get it. Allowing Ogilvie to hand out cups and remain unsuspended is an affront to all known norms of governance

  2. Henriks Sombrero

     

     

    I did it on-line and had to pay the full amount. You need to complete a finance agreement to pay instalments and that is not available on-line.

  3. !!Bada Bing!! on

    greenjedi (happy birthday btw)-I think the opposite mate,if he was included, it would prove to him that he doesn’t need to go back south to be recognised.HH

  4. KevJungle – “1st Flag on the JUNGLE roof for LENNON’S LION’S” on 25 May, 2012 at 10:19 said:

     

    Vmhan @10:13

     

    ________

     

    Where would be the best place to buy the book ?

     

    Hail Hail

     

    ………..

     

    Good question, I’m on a mobile so cannae open up any video etc, perhaps our sainted Paul67 has a link? Or some of our intrepid book club members can assist, personally I’ll ask wee Derryghirl to buy it on amazon.

     

    V

     

    Hx2

  5. IniquitousIV on

    Merseycelt:

     

    It was Iran in 1978, not Costa Rica.

     

    Paul 67, you have predicted Regan surviving, but called for his resignation. Do you have any further thought on which it will be?

     

    By the way, I think all of us owe you, RTC and Paul McG a huge debt of gratitude for your dogged persistence and diligence in uncovering what the evildoers are so desperate to cover up.

     

    Thank You a thousand times over!

     

    Iniquitous

  6. Vmhan

     

    Already booked to play in the tourny in Derry, what is your team name? apparently 16 teams confirmed.

     

     

    Merseycelt,

     

    You will find it was Iran that Scotland battled all the way to get a draw in 1978 WC.

  7. Nine Celts in Scotland U20 squad

     

     

    By: Laura Brannan on 24 May, 2012 10:10

     

     

    NINE Celtic players are heading to Amsterdam with the Scotland Under-20 squad for the 59th ADO Den Haag Youth Tournament in another sign of the strength in depth at the club’s Youth Academy.

     

     

     

    Scotland will face Manchester City on Friday, May 25, before then taking on the hosts, ADO Den Haag, and Brazilian side, Cruzeiro, the following day.

     

     

     

    Joe Chalmers, Marcus Fraser, Michael Miller, John Herron, Callum McGregor and Tony Watt have been named in the squad, while Jamie Lindsay, Lewis Kidd and Stuart Findlay, fresh from making their Celtic first-team debuts against Norwich City on Tuesday, will also travel with the international squad.

     

     

     

    Dylan McGeouch had also been named in the squad but has had to withdraw through injury.

  8. Dying to play the auld guitar, should I go up into the loft and bring down the takamine or nip over to the shops and buy new strings for the Seville guitar……?

  9. Bada

     

     

    My thinking is that clubs down south would be going to him with a huge cheque book

  10. Followed Paul’s link and book is winging it’s way to my auld man.

     

     

    He took me to a cinema (can’t remember where) a few days after the match and we watched an 8mm colour movie of the game.

     

     

    Many Happy Returns to the Lions!

  11. !!Bada Bing!! on

    twists n turns on 25 May, 2012 at 10:09 said:

     

    I meant to add…Hamilton races – we are pay at the gate and not hospitalty. £18 or so.

     

     

    Groupon still have an offer available £16 for 2 entries into any Scottish course,use before November 3rd

     

    frugalcsc

  12. merseycelt lmfao as the big house door slams shut on 25 May, 2012 at 10:25 said:

     

    >>>

     

    Aye,in agreement with all that. I think he wasn’t celebrating his goals as much because,like all young men with a talent,he’ll be his own biggest critic & expect much from himself.

     

    Hope we keep him.

  13. twists n turns on

    WDH

     

     

    Was able to watch Balding’s horses gallop recently. They are happy with Bonfire’s progress. So, whilst you may be correct, I’d be daft to ignore the fancy of the yard. Did you know Andrew has only ever sent one horse to Epsom for a classic? 2003 oaks. It was Casual look…..and it won. Took it at 9/1. Now 11/2 and 6/1.

  14. twists n turns on

    Bada

     

     

    thanks for that. Will have a look. You fancy Hamilton on 7th June?

  15. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    Hey life look at me, I can see the reality

     

    Cause when you shook me, took me out of my world

     

    I woke up, suddenly I just woke up to the happening.

     

     

    When you find that you left the future behind

     

    Cause when you got a tender love you don-t

     

    Take care of, then you better beware of the happening.

     

     

    One day you-re up, then you turn around

     

    You find your world is tumbling down

     

    It happened to me and it can happen to you.

     

     

    I was sure, I felt secure, until love took a detour

     

    Yeah, riding high on top of the world

     

    It happened, suddenly it just happened.

     

     

    I saw my dreams torn apart, when love walked away from my heart

     

    And when you lose that precious love you need to guide you

     

    Something happens inside you, the happening.

     

     

    Now I see life for what it is

     

    It-s not all dreams, it-s not all bliss

     

    It happened to me and it can happen to you

     

    Once!

     

     

    Ooo, and then it happened

     

    Ooo, and then it happened

     

    Ooo, and then it happened

     

    Ooo, and then it happened.

     

     

    Is it real, is it fake, is this game of life a mistake

     

    Cause when I lost the love I thought was mine

     

    For certain, suddenly I started hurting.

     

     

    I saw the light too late, when that fickle finger of fate

     

    Yeah came and broke my pretty balloon

     

    I woke up, suddenly I just woke up to the happening.

     

     

    So sure, I felt secure, until love took a detour

     

    Cause when you got a tender love you don-t

     

    Take care of, then you better beware of the happening.

     

     

    Hail Hail

  16. merseycelt lmfao as the big house door slams shut on

    IniquitousIV

     

     

    Ta, mate! My useless memory is one of my many weak points.

     

     

    Scotland did draw against the hapless Costa Ricans at a World Cup, did they not?

     

     

    HH

  17. Everyone is saying, quite rightly, that it is scandalous that Ogilvie is still SFA president.

     

    But when is the Celtic board going to issue a statement about the BBC’s relevations? So far it was right for the club to remain silent apart from that one statement about a possible newco. But is now apparent, irrespective of the tax tribunal’s decision, that the toxic club systematically broke SFA rules for a decade and thereby gained an unfair advantage over all its competitors.

     

     

    The club must now question the SFA’s failure to act and call for all the tainted titles to be withdrawn.Otherwise we should be threatening to call in UEFA.

  18. Bada

     

     

    But then we would also get a big cheque. We’ve developed him immensley for 2 years and will get nothing for that

  19. One of many I would assume.

     

     

    Rangers defender Carlos Bocanegra says he aims to remain with Rangers next season unless he is asked to take another pay cut.

     

     

    The American international, who is currently away with his national team preparing for the game against Scotland, joined team-mates to sacrifice up to 75% of their wages for several months last term.

     

     

    The 32-year-old says he has enjoyed his year in Scotland and would like to remain with the Glasgow club next year.

     

     

    However Bocanegra says he would look to leave if he was asked to give up more money.

     

     

    He is quoted in the Daily Express saying: “I won’t take another pay-cut.”

  20. Aye, it’s very expensive ….. Limited edition etc….. I’m feart in case we get robbed…. TAL … Tims Are Laughing.

     

    V

     

    HH

  21. whitedoghunch on

    twists

     

     

    I am a huge fan of the golding yard and bow to your better knowledge.

     

    I don’t bet but bonfire is certainly the value.

     

    They are both stars.

  22. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    Imagine me and you, I do

     

    I think about you day and night, it’s only right

     

    To think about the girl you love and hold her tight

     

    So happy together

     

     

    If I should call you up, invest a dime

     

    And you say you belong to me and ease my mind

     

    Imagine how the world could be, so very fine

     

    So happy together

     

     

    I can’t see me lovin’ nobody but you

     

    For all my life

     

    When you’re with me, baby the skies’ll be blue

     

    For all my life

     

     

    Me and you and you and me

     

    No matter how they toss the dice, it has to be

     

    The only one for me is you, and you for me

     

    So happy together

     

     

    I can’t see me lovin’ nobody but you

     

    For all my life

     

    When you’re with me, baby the skies’ll be blue

     

    For all my life

     

     

    Me and you and you and me

     

    No matter how they toss the dice, it has to be

     

    The only one for me is you, and you for me

     

    So happy together

     

     

    Ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba

     

    Ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba

     

     

    Me and you and you and me

     

    No matter how they toss the dice, it has to be

     

    The only one for me is you, and you for me

     

    So happy together

     

     

    So happy together

     

    How is the weather

     

    So happy together

     

    We’re happy together

     

    So happy together

     

    Happy together

     

    So happy together

     

    So happy together (ba-ba-ba-ba ba-ba-ba-ba)

  23. My abiding memory of ’67, the sad guy waving the Inter flag in the face of Billy when he raised the cup; I suppose you could get a hun or two in Italy too.

     

     

    Another thing that rocked my world was the genuine and loud praise of the English. To a Scottish boy their appreciation of our team was the sweetest of songs, bearing in mind the media xenophobia that only the year before proclaimed England the champions of the universe.

     

     

    We were a wee parochial football team from McWoop Woop. It was bohemian Celtic ‘67 that put the gallus into Glasgow.

  24. Is there a word for worse than untenable?

     

     

    Because that’s what Campbell Ogilvie’s position is right now. It is incredible, even within the context of Scottish football, that he is still in post.

  25. Good morning from a sunny and warm Devon.

     

    45 years ago I was a 2nd year apprentice in the textile industry. Having just

     

    finished day release at the Scottish College of Textiles my Dad and I sat

     

    down to watch the game with apprehension and expectation. When they scored

     

    from the spot, doom and gloom prevailed. Back then when an Italian team

     

    scored first, that was normally the final score. My Mum left the house for a driving

     

    lesson(good planning) about a minute before big Tam scored. My Dad jumped

     

    up and shouted out the front door, “they’ve scored, they’ve scored” the

     

    whole area must have heard him. The rest as they say is history.

     

    Because it was a holiday of obligation we both went to Mass straight after the

     

    game, arriving late, with every one looking at us for a hint of the score.

     

    A great day never to be forgotten.

     

     

    Hail Hail

  26. merseycelt lmfao as the big house door slams shut on

    Gordon_J

     

     

    Yes, the word is corrupt!

     

     

    HH

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