Thoroughly delighted for Lille on winning Ligue 1 against one of the world’s most prominent petro-dollar clubs. Lille have a structural commercial income less than Celtic’s, but have traded like a barrow boy for a barren decade since 2011, when they won their first trophies in over half a century.
In 2018, they escaped relegation by a single point; it wasn’t that they did not have talent, but the resources they had were not spread evenly enough to fill a squad. In 2019, the For Sale signs went up; Lille sold their four most valuable assets for a combined total in excess of €150m. They rebuilt and a year later finished second behind PSG.
Again, their best assets were sold, two players bringing in €100m; again, they improved. The margin of victory in this season’s title was the same as the margin they remained in Ligue 1 three years ago, but what a victory.
Celtic’s draw in Lille and win at Celtic Park in this season’s Europa League give an unsatisfactory insight into what might have been for us. Talent like David Turnbull and Ismaila Soro were vegetating in the stands until being released in the 3-2 win over Lille in Glasgow. Others could raise their game, for occasions.
Farewell, Kilmarnock, 9 years after their abstention when the SPL voted to invite Sevco Scotland into the Premier League. 10 clubs voted against the proposal, only Killie, and Rangers – who voted to admit Sevco, broke ranks. Welcome back to the top flight, ‘Club 12’.
The BBC show a Mark Walter documentary on racism tonight. Walters joined Rangers in the 80s and shamefully had a banana thrown at him at Celtic Park. ‘The most famous banana in history’ has that status because of its rarity. It happened, the support self-policed and the incident is still remembered because it was the last incident of note. Without self-policing, nothing ever changes.
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One of these days we’ll get a manager.
hi ho silver?
Happy to see the back of Kilmarnock and their dreadful pitch.
My first proper full time job after education was in Irvine, I met many of the reversible scarf mob down there never made any friends other than other Tims, a bitter lot.
Back to
It’s the same piece
Happy Lisbon Lions Day
As a bhoy who had celebrated his 8th brithday weeks earlier the 25th of May was an even better day.
Mass was at St Teresa’s Newarthill and lasted all of 20 minutes. Myself and my dad galloped down the hill at Burnside Road, him telling me we would be talking about this game for ever. I knew little of how significant it would be both in my life and my family and friends.
We arrived at our old prefab breathless from the run home but also the anticipation. My mum was telling us who had arrived, uncles, cousins, aunties, assorted relatives and friends. The men were drinking copious amounts of alcohol in the living room, the women doing likewise in the kitchen..everyone nervously smoking including some of the kids! We congregated out the back. We had a huge back garden and my dad had made goals with nets! We had a kick about in our hoops, T shirts and homemade hoops tops!
My mum shouted us in, the game was about to start. The kids ran in sat on the carpet in front of the TV, some of the adults sitting most standing other pacing.
I remember the butterflies still but think it was more to do with the adults. The game kicked of to cries of “God bless the Celtic”. I remember us playing well..then penalty! Soft! Then goal! Inter 1up. Half time came. Everyone on a bit of a downer til my dad said “the first team that scored in all the European Cup finals have never won” we had a bit more faith. Second half all I can remember is us playing them of the park with pure beautiful inventive football. Overlap smash goal Tommy! House goes mental chair broke drink spilled kids hugged, everyone hugging kissing singing “hail hail”. It was only a matter of time as we swarmed over them..Stevie Goal! 2-1. Magnificent. Final whistle..house mayhem..men greeting, women greeting, kids kicking the ball about the house..perfecting the goals with drunk adults. Everybody out the back, anybody that didn’t have hoops was inter..adults were allowed to play with slip on shoes and holding drinks.
Celebrations went on til the early hours. 8 o’clock the next morning my da came in to wake me up for school. “Canny believe we’ve done it” he was crying tears of unadulterated joy. Hugging n kissing me and my sister. “Give school a miss today”. Many neighbours and friends did the same and they partied hard again as we relived every part of the game out the back and drank beer and read the newspapers.
I always wondered if the team that scored first had never won and but I have never wanted to know. You believe every our father tells you at that age. “Celtic Champions of Europe” he said every 5 minutes. That was true..he was my hero with the Lions..still the same.
🍀1967 25th May
DAVID66 on 25TH MAY 2021 10:05 AM
Whit awe yous auld yins like – I was 6 months auld on the 25/5/1967. You are all so lucky to have either been there or remember the day so vividly.
And the story’s are what makes Celtic a Family, never any thought of arguing, fighting, causing mayhem.
Wherever I have been watching Celtic in the past its always the same a good time had by all and I mean all, locals included.
Hail Hail
………….
DAVID66…
Your just a ” Pup” LOL.
What Date in December 1966 is your birthday ?…mine is the 19th December….a few years before yours.
HH mate.
DAVID66…
We were allowed home early from primary school that Day in Easterhoose, to get home and watch The Celts v The mighty Milan.
I think some/ALL of the Teachers were glad of an Early finish also !
HH.
Shortie…………………
money kant buy that kinda kover…………………………………….
oh aye.
kikinthenakas on 25th May 2021 12:24 pm
I was only 3 during the 67 final so have no real memories of it, we moved from Carfin to Newarthill just in time for me to start St Theresas. I had a number of pals on Burnside Rd. Its a small world.
You must be about the same age as my older brother.
Kikinthenakas, great post!
More CelticNoNews than CelticQuickNews. Big rebuild and still no manager.
Lot of players going out of contract. They won’t be going to a club without a manager or at least a DOF.
One interesting one I noticed is Gary Cahill. With the loanees and Brown off the wagebill should be do-able if the player was interested. Would help to develop our young defenders, experience, leadership (maybe even a captain).
Time to show a bit of ambition and start going forward again.
Had been in Estoril round the corner from the team’s hotel. Up early, Mass, then hired a limousine to go to the airport to pick up friends and drive to Fatima before the game. Greenock plane arrives too late so pals decide no Fatima. Driver says you have booked car for the day so I will take you into Lisbon and you can get something to eat. Later I will drive you out to the Stadium.
That’s how turned out. On the way to the stadium, our driver took us on a visit to the Geronimo Monastery , one of Lisbon tourist attractions. On to the stadium where we found the police on station with those guns they had over their shoulders. They did not need them because we behaved like true Celts.
Still remember the rejoicing when we got back to Estoril.
What a sight at full time. The pitch invasion is something I was and still regret till this day. It robbed the players, apart from Big Billy , getting to the podium to receive their medals. It would have been wonderful to see that and have it forever in our Celtic memories.
Was a mere 1 1/2 months on 25th May 1967.never forget ut tho😉
Sorry for all the errors. Wrote it in a hurry before going for lunch.
Big Jimmy – Its actually 5 November 1966
Boooooooooooommmmmmmmm
D :)
How good must Lille be to have achieved thus without spending the bazillions of quids they were prepared to pay for Fatty
It’s not all a story of small club done good there. Their owner borrowed a huge amount of money to finance his model of buying players
Oops
Are the BBC making a documentary about the anti-catholic/Irish that STILL exists in Scotland?
‘The banana’ still makes the headlines because of where it was thrown. The incident would be a distant memory had the incident happened at Pittodrie, Tannadice or Tyncastle.
Still, it allows the ‘one sides as bad as another’ narrative to continue.
Saying ‘fairwell’ to Kilmarnock is too kind. Good riddance, hopefully this finishes your klub seems more appropriate.
Excellent blog today.
Delighted to see middle-eastern national wealth masquerading as a football club bested by a provincial underdog.
P67 preparing for imminent sell-off of key assets. We have all been expecting this and the only regret I’ll have is when Ajer leaves.
We need players who want to be here,even if they’re not quite as good as those they’re replacing.
The Turnbull/ Soro decision-making this season was deplorable and a grotesque failing of team management.
I was at the Mark Walters game and the fans went mental when they saw this. An aberration quickly remedied, falsely and repeatedly held equivalent to a core culture. Those doing so know what they’re doing and only the credulous are taken in, but title it continues to provide licence to systemic bigotry.
PS good riddance to Killie, absolute huns without the bus fare.
Kikinthenakas 12.24
Top post, big pal . 👍☘️
DAVID66 on 25TH MAY 2021 12:46 PM
Big Jimmy – Its actually 5 November 1966
Boooooooooooommmmmmmmm
……………..
5th November… You should count yourself lucky that your Ma and Da didnt name you ” GUY” !
Guy Fawkes was a TIM…Although he ever had a season book for Celtic Park.
HH Mate.
LOL.
i dont see them wheeling out Scott Sinclair to explain how he
felt about the abuse he got at ibrox a couple of years ago
hun scum
Lovely memories from KICKINTHE and CONNAIRE…
Also 4 yrs ago, many locals saying ‘Celtic. Celtic! Who are you playing?’ Astonished when we say nobody ;)
And on the train coming back from the Stadium, an old bloke is staring at my hooped top dying to say something… eventually leans in and confides to me and Ms Quad he’s actually an Italian Inter supporter but his second team has always been Celtic.
HH
Bye Bye to Killie and their Crap pitch..and Huns Mr Lafferty, wee Burkey and Broadfoot MUST be Sick…LOL.
Your PIES are ROTTEN ANAW.
HH.
ever ?…NEVER !
there is no co-incidence whatsoever that this documentary is being shown tonight…
Big Tam Rogic has been left of of Australia World Cup squad, to concentrate on getting Fit and playing for The Hoops in Europe.
I LOVE Big Tommy Bhoy as he GLIDES across the Pitch with opponents unable to get the ball off him.
So Graceful and with Ease.
I would Hate Tommy Bhoy to leave Celtic in the immediate future….This Bhoy can PLAY…Get him Fit and signed up for longer.
HH.
BIG JIMMY on 25TH MAY 2021 1:09 PM
I reckon he’d be a better captain than CalMac.
He seems much more mature, though he’s only a year older.
ERNIE LYNCH on 25TH MAY 2021 1:13 PM
Tom Rogic as Captain?
I must say I have never noticed anything in his demeanour that would lead you to such a view nor have I spotted anything showing him to be more mature than Calmac. I got the impression he was something of a loner.
Kikinthenakas 12:24
Fantastic recollection. I love that.
Sick note Rogic as captain!!
Thats surely got to be fishing? It can’t really be a serious suggestion?
Love the Lisboa stories, still watch footage at least once a month 🍀
BIG GEORGES FAN CLUB – HAIL, HAIL, WEE OSCAR on 25TH MAY 2021 11:48 AM
From previous thread
Absolutely correct m8, a bit of civility to locals, especially abroad, works wonders.
Away at Juventus 2001 with Deeping_Celtic of these parts (The Squiresses young brother).
We passed a local near the stadium about our age had a 5-6 year old boy with him. Us both being fathers wi kids a similar age, we attempted the ‘Aaaa, Forza Juve, eh…’ patter with the wide eyed child. I seem to remember having given him a scarf with both dad and he very pleased and thankful.
I also remember being in the Camp Nou for the 1-1 Hartson game and helping ourselves to seats behind the left hand goal. Cue arrival of extended Catalan family. We have pictures of the Granny holding a scarf aloft. Hardly a word of Spanish and they had very little English but it’s nice to be nice.
——
Timmy 7_Noted also from previous thread
We went to the Estadio on the Friday morning, not the Saturday. The Portuguese Cup Final was the Sunday.
Der Kommissar took charge of buying the train tickets from Cais de Sodre and caused mayhem buying an 8-journey ticket as opposed to 8-person.
A memorable trip all round. 🤣👏
ERNIE LYNCH on 25TH MAY 2021 1:13 PM
Unless you’re advocating a club captain like eh T Boyd in his latter days, I can’t have Rogic as a captain and even then I would struggle with it.
IMO the captain is the first name on the team sheet. Rogic is never fit enough for long enough to be a credible choice as captain.
Timmy7
I lived on Burnside Road…still pals with loads of folk from there. What’s your brothers name?
Kikinthenakas 💚
KIKINTHENAKAS on 25TH MAY 2021 12:24 PM
Great post 👏🤝
squire danaher on 25th May 2021 1:30 pm
Well remembered Squire, my recollections were accurate just 24hrs out :-)
Thats what happens when you trust someone from Holytown on the tickets.