We are two games away from the league split. Celtic are due to face the three clubs immediately below them: Newco and Hearts and Aberdeen away from home. We will face fifth place St Mirren at home, but sixth place is still up for grabs.
Hibs have a single point advantage over Livingston, so it could go either way. We have already played both twice at Celtic Park on league duty this season, whomever we meet, will have to travel to Celtic Park for a third time. Livi and Hibs have both proven to be difficult venues for Celtic, so no hardship limiting our visits to the Lothians.
Today we hear from John Sweeney, who is part of the Road to Seville team that plan to cycle from Celtic Park to Seville next month, 20 years after he first visited the city on a Celtic pilgrimage. John is a season ticket holder from Croydon, talks about his Celtic life and why the Foundation is an essential part of his Celtic life.
You can support the great work of your Foundation as well as encouraging John and the other cyclists here. Thank you, it is enormously appreciated.
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Found this on another site and again hope I don’t get done for plagiarism but well worth a read, don’t forget it was the fans that kicked them out of fitba and NOT the board members, Raith Rovers notwithstanding, of the other clubs:
“Brief context before setting forth: I’m not Irish or Catholic or a Celtic fan.
Anyway, in 2012, and the years following, and in common with an abundance of fans who didn’t support Rangers, it suddenly felt perfectly natural to search out their fan sites to see what they had to say for themselves and, of course, to make sure they were suffering just as much as we hoped they were.
If the transfer window must always ‘slam’ shut, for some indecipherable reason (bit windy out, maybe?), the lid on the coffin of Rangers FC was utterly stomped on by the rest of us. Die, die and, if it’s not too much trouble, die again, please (always best to be polite, I find), you despicable bunch of cheating bastards (okay, maybe not always).
So, that’s one thing.
Before even arriving on the pages of Follow Follow, and for a few glorious years after, it was much more fun, however, to visit the sites of any team in any league (in Scotland) you care to mention, to see what they had to say about it all. The joy and mocking was near uniform. But there was also wit, invention, notable degrees of articulacy; a sense that people might actually be enjoying the company they were keeping and having fun.
Can anyone here say that of Follow Follow?
There is no attempt here to equate inarticulacy with what people might call ‘stupidity’ – a great idea can be articulated terribly, after all, and a very bad or dangerous one might be articulated really well – but a failure to be able to express one’s ideas and thoughts clearly, may very often lead to frustration, even rage, and one hellish load of misunderstandings. Has anyone here ever been impressed by contributors on Follow Follow attempting to explain or grapple with the financial position of the clubs over the years? Even just once?
It was always notable how often the thread about child abuse would become suddenly more active on the back of defeat or (very particularly) some Celtic triumph.
Well, okay, fair enough, child abuse in Scottish football is a perfectly valid concern. But this wasn’t about child abuse in “Scottish football”. It wasn’t even about child abuse. And it certainly wasn’t about caring for the victims. The lack of sincerity was palpable. If they knew or cared anything at all of the excoriating pain of the victims, the likely triggers and lifelong scars, they would never once talk publicly about the subject in the way that they do. The two things simply don’t go together. All reasonable people know this.
Fenian. Taig. Bead rattler. You’ll not need told, you’ll have heard it all before – oftentimes aimed directly towards you, no doubt, whether you’re Catholic or not. But yes, those words regularly appear in that thread about child abuse. It actually feels like we ought to have a minute or two of silence to let that fact settle in.
In what moral code is this defensible?
Taking Celtic and Rangers out of the equation, for a moment, but if you were to poll fans of all other clubs and ask them to answer a few basic questions, like…
1) Following a triumph for their team, fans of which club would be most likely to waste the occasion filled with a vengeful rage?
2) Following a defeat for their team, fans of which club would be most likely to find the sight of opposing fans celebrating on the pitch so unbearable, so threatening to their psyche, that they must try to engage in violence?
3) Fans of which club are most likely to express sentiments suggesting they utterly despise the country they live in?
4) Fans of which club, in a distinct echo of fascism, are most likely to believe themselves as being somehow superior human beings to their compatriots?
5) In the event that the rules were suddenly changed and the Scottish football authorities actively started encouraging clubs to adopt a sectarian signing policy, which club would most likely have a disturbing proportion of its fans putting pressure on their board to do so?
…then it’s a near racing certainty the answer would be Rangers every time.
And they wonder why we’re so utterly fed up with them?
There is no evidence yet to suggest that they’ve ever been minded or capable of taking a step back to ask themselves why this might be so. Nope, we’re all just simply haters. No reflection. No introspection. No honest critique of their failings or entertaining of the possibility that they might actually, just once or twice, have done something wrong. Nothing, save for rage and visceral projection.
The anger that is being distilled on the pages of Follow Follow, so incredibly disproportionate to even the most meagre slights or notions of accountability, perhaps cloaks a fear that the world is moving on without them. The fact this is made political by the introduction of politics and religion into Scottish football, and that a most virulent form of British nationalism is at the forefront, bodes ill for any future referendum. It becomes ever easier to imagine violence in the run up and beyond, no matter the decision of the electorate.
As Irish catholic descendants steadily grow in esteem, while oftentimes having the temerity to identify as – probably best if you’re sitting down for this – descendants of Irish Catholics, the lilt towards social parity appears to have threatened them in extraordinary ways.
Yes, that’s right, they appear threatened by the notion of straightforward equality. Is that a healthy mindset?
From the boardroom to the tifos to a signing policy that is so shambolic it’s almost inhumane, a general sense of amateurism pervades the club.
Some of the statements released over the years are so cartoonishly childish and finger-pointing, it may simply take the breath away. But there they are, hailing these things (“good Statement from the club”) seemingly satisfied by these hopeless efforts. Everyone else laughs and sees straight through them, but not the fans of this club. How can they not see? How can they not realise they’re being played by the board, over and over again?
Ah, look, another Statement, this time about referees, and here we all are so close to season ticket time, as well. Imagine that.
And some of the tifos. What is there to say, really? How could they possibly not be embarrassed? How can they not see what everyone else sees?
Follow Follow itself is near unreadable, and not just because of the anti-Irish racism, sectarianism, sexism and homophobia, which are all given free reign by Mark Dingwall. The messiness and amateurism rips out of it, reflecting nicely the seeming disorder of their minds. The fact that the club is affiliated with this website is straight-up f*cking disgraceful. They have become a perfect match for each other. That the press don’t condemn the revolting inappropriateness of this collaboration, is perhaps an even greater disgrace, if that’s possible.
There’s a pretty funny psychology paper (might be available online, not sure) describing a phenomenon that may feel familiar to most people. Written by Justin Kruger and David Dunning, it’s called: Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognising One’s Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments.
In short, not only are some people incompetent, they may also be too incompetent to assay their own incompetence.
Beautiful. It could have been written for this club and its fans.
But also not funny at all, because the fear has to be that they may simply be incapable of ever changing. And that spells very serious trouble ahead for Scotland.”
Tontine
Excellent article. Thanks for posting.
When does the Coronation Cup start?
Most of us have worked for Corporate or Public organisations.
As employees, we are told what the standards are, what is ethical, what is moral, what wont be tolerated, you get trained in acceptable behaviours, but mostly you mature into things and hopefully wont do anything so bad that could be a sacking offence.
I could maybe give one fairness card to the Ibrox HR department, that they had to let things progress with due process, and now action would follow.
I dont know if the fella was suspended from the workplace pending investigations, but if they dont follow this up with one of their famous statements, or indeed a parting of the ways, then that is just appaling.
As a younger man, I did have scuffles in the workplace, it happened surprisingly regular in the IBM days, but it was a high strung workplace, with all sorts off rivalry going on, full time versus temps, temps versus contractors, department v department, sometimes with the dreader religious lines drawn, I talked about Paisley college yesterday and even there i had a real barney with a class mate, he deserved it, but that didnt make it right.
On to today,
can you imagine your employer witnessing you attemping to headbut someone at the place of work ?
Would you expect to still be there ?
6 week ban is nothing , means he haw, what happens at the next game ?
dearie me.
SS- thanks for that
Biden repeats the All Blacks line…😃 the way he meant it I think
I came out of the second ballot and got a ticket in the South Stand. From what I could see there were tickets available in most sections of the East Stand and South Stand.
Tontine Tim
Every word entirely appropriate.
Glad we are not the only ones recognizing it.
6 game ban for the nodding donkey.
Will that be sufficient for Police Scotland to drop the case?
Saint Stivs @ 6.00
Very good point
Assaulting someone at your place of work would lead to gross misconduct dismissal.
Anything else is simply enabling such behaviour
Tom McLauglan Going by your comment back to me ,I take one of them Celtic Supporters Association,and calling me a cry baby ,no you are dealing with the wrong guy 👺👺👺
9 days to Fleetwood Town v MK Dons and hospitality seats for me and Mrs BRRB. 19 days to Dublin for me and Brian M to boost the local economy. 😂
Excellent comment here from videocelts about McPherson’s ban:
“The six match ban contrasts sharply with a seven match suspension given to Aleksandar Tonev for alleged racial abuse of Shay Logan in 2014. There wasn’t a shred of evidence against the on loan Aston Villa winger, just the word of the Aberdeen defender.”
Prestonpans
Aye but he looked like a right wrong un. And he was a wee feenyin bassa.
!!BADA BING!! on 13TH APRIL 2023 6:04 PM
Biden repeats the All Blacks line…😃 the way he meant it I think
——-
Joe Bhoy hoping to duet with Steve Coogan. Play from 1:40😊
https://youtu.be/T-E7n4ypve4
PRESTONPANS BHOYS on 13TH APRIL 2023 6:49 PM
Excellent comment here from videocelts about McPherson’s ban:
_____
That was when they played the balance of probability shite. No probability in what happened after the girls match.
BRRB
Hope Fleetwood win to keep MK Dons below a struggling Vale
Gene
Aye, clocked that. How’s things your way?
BRRB
Brenda’s funeral is a week on Monday so busy with the preparations and writing the eulogy. Got 87 years to cover so it won’t be short.
Although not a Catholic she’s having her funeral service at our local Church.
As for the Vale, desperate end to the season losing to 2 and drawing with 1 of the teams below us. The owners admitted they didn’t strengthen in the last transfer window because they thought we’d be comfortably safe – sold our best defender.
Joe biden codename Celtic has asked if anyone can get him tickets for the upcoming match.
They checked online and he took some seats in the Sean south stand
Tontine Tim.
Excellent post.
Respect both to you and the original author.
On which site did you find it?
Assault a Celtic manager : it’ll end up Not Proven
Assault a Celtic coach : you’ll get a slap on the wrist.
Tonev comparison valid.
As is any comparison with Mitrovic punishment down South.
Grappled a ref from the front (still not acceptable BTW)
Versus
Cowardly assault from behind.
That’s the SFA for you.
The press described the ban for McPherson as an ‘automatic 6 game ban’.
In realspeak that means ‘minimum’. They obviously took into account that it was a rubbish head butt and Alonso wasn’t hurt
Timbhoy
Sorry to hear of your situation Re the semi final tickets.
I have heard a few friends who never get tickets actually got some this time. Also a few who often do who didn’t get them.
I share your concern about how fair things were done historically but I really do think they are improving. I have been lucky myself this time for the SF and yet I failed to get any (out of 4 seats) for Ross Co or Kilmarnock or St Johnstone in 3 most recent league away games. It’s the luck of the draw. I guess the problem is caused by us having such a great team to watch right now.
If I do hear of any further SF tickets (it does sometimes happen) I will let you know.
ON THIS DAY:
1889: James McLaren becomes the first Celtic player to captain Scotland when he skippers the side to a 3-2 victory over England.
Fullname: James McLaren
aka: Jimmy McLaren, Grand Auld Gineral, Grand Old General, Oul Giniral
Born: 27 April 1860
Died: 3 January 1927
Birthplace Lugar, Ayrshire
Signed: June 1888
Left: June 1891 (to Morton/Clyde), retired 1892
Position: Left-Half
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: 3
International Goals: 1
https://wikifoundryimages.s3.amazonaws.com/BLprvuXtG3q1kjp1Nj7jKA24356
https://wikifoundryimages.s3.amazonaws.com/kYK222Kmz0A3LSdZFhCs1Q819932
https://wikifoundryimages.s3.amazonaws.com/jsZ6GsDJkzNT-R0bbQ_lHQ207599
Goodwin got a longer ban for calling Porteous a cheat
Going to see wee Shaun’s Wigan at Blackpool on Saturday. Last chance saloon for them to avid the drop methinks.
Just heard from a very reliable source, that our favourite son, Mr Tierney has signed a deal with Man City.
All part of some other deal concerning both clubs
KINGLuBO
Tierney to city.
Lawwells pawsall over it.
Using it as a stepping stone for a return to paradise
Six weeks is simply ridiculous and will be made to seem even more so if the law of the Land gives him six months.
Any word on the Sevco Financial accounts ?
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/oct/30/celtic-aleksandar-tonev-seven-match-ban-racism
The above was because one guy said one thing and another guy said another thing.
Crawford Allan ,Bobby Madden et al believed the one who didn`t play for Celtic .
People expecting McPherson to get jail time for his assault on Alonso are being silly.
Kinglubo
Probably Cancelo going to Arsenal for cash plus Tierney. Good result
Tom
Exactly; there will be , and shouldn’t be criminal charges.
I’d be doing 30 years if that is assault
Was Cantona charged for assaulting a fan?
Tierney to City is a non-story.
“TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 13TH APRIL 2023 7:48 PM
People expecting McPherson to get jail time for his assault on Alonso are being silly.”
I was simply making a point about how lenient the SFA punishment was. Of course I don`t expect a jail sentence nor should there be even a hint of one .