Being as celebrated as the Lions have been for the last 54 years must take its toll, but with Bertie Auld, it never showed. If you have only met one Lisbon Lion, it most probably was Bertie. The news, released by his family yesterday, that he is the latest Lion to suffer dementia, will be distressing to all who cherish him. This is not the time to share our fondest memories of him, but I know we all send him our best wishes.
I have enjoyed watching much of the Euros. The element of surprise and the hope of discovering an emerging force. Watching how weaker teams, like Sweden, successfully earn a point against feted opponents. Watching talents such as Ronaldo prance like a prized stallion; it’s sheer theatre. The best part: for me, it is stress free. I can watch the sport as entertainment.
It is different, of course, when you have skin in the game. I have watched great and not-so-great Celtic teams all my life and I often find myself less than entertained by Celtic teams at both ends of the ability spectrum. Celtic is a mood-altering phenomenon. The joy from wins can be merely satisfactory as the result was expected, or it can lift spirits beyond anything else I know. Defeats, well, you know about them.
The problem here is that I have no choice in the matter. For me, Celtic is an addictive mood-altering phenomenon, I would not have it any other way, of course. Fortunately, there is more sunshine than shadow.
I want Scotland to win tonight and it would be great for Ryan Christie to score a cracker (eye on the LSD, if I can confuse the metaphor). But this is Scotland, the pain-joy balance is not the same as with Celtic. My expectation is they will lose, there will be trauma and we will probably hear about it for the next quarter of a century.
Watching Scotland is also a mood-altering phenomenon. For me, though, it is not addictive. I can take or leave it; build a shield of indifference against inevitable disappointment. I might see if there’s a film on tonight, leave the intoxicant for others. Enjoy your night.
579 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- ...
- 16
- »
HOT SMOKED on 18TH JUNE 2021 4:17 PM
To echo Scullybhoy re the Unionist troll.
He persistently pleads innocence and claims a right to the moral high ground, on the basis that he is hard done to etc.
He regularly indulges in sarcasm while playing to the gallery and when challenged refers to it as satire with the implication his superior intellect is such that the reader cannot comprehend his subtlety.
He bludgeons the blog to death on a daily basis with cut and paste nonsense. He treats other posters with condescension.
He generally presents as the kind of character who, if he behaved in a public bar the way he does on here, would be puzzled why people, at best, would drink up and move on.
I am a CELTIC SUPPORTER FIRST, and a Football Supporter second. I do NOT support any other team. Obviously I love football, and Celtic Football in particular, but part of the joy of football for me is being sporting enough to appreciate the many fantastic moments of joy and awe that other players/teams provide… 😊 ⚽
Pele, Best, Eusebio, Yashin, Jairzhinho, Cruuyf, Van Basten, Maradona, Platini, Puyol, Ronaldo, Pirlo, Iniesta, Ibrahimovic, Messi and even Schick all come easily and quickly to mind. 😊 👍. Far too many not mentioned on this quick list.
Having said that I WILL be watching the England Vs Scotland game. I hope that Scotland win, despite the FTSFA involvement, but much more than that, I hope to enjoy a good game of football and particularly wish to see our 🍀Celtic and 🍀Celtic-minded players doing well and avoiding injury. 😊
Yours in (only) Celtic,
TB&F. 😊 🍀
P.S. Why can’t we have Euro-Standard Refereeing in Scotland? 🤔…
ScullyBhoy – Penalty was definitely revenge for the coin throw and a GIRUY to us from a man who hated us at the best of times. It was for a bit of jostling and arm wrapping at a corner that was so common in those days.
Agree with team letting us down, Mahe and Riseth lost the plot for sure, Mahe especially. Wallace was actually unlucky, I thought, to get a red. Porrini was the one who probably should have been off.
Atmosphere was absolutely toxic. I was upper tier close to them and I thought it was going to explode. Didn’t think the yellow line would have stood a chance if there had been a charge of fans.
SCULLYBHOY on 18TH JUNE 2021 4:17 PM
Hot Smoked on 18th June 2021 3:57 pm
‘ Anyway, I promise (probably won’t) to stop trolling him if he answers one simple question, ‘Should the North of Ireland be allowed to leave the Union?’ A simple YES or NO will suffice.’
###
I think SF’s position at the moment is that NI ‘should not be allowed to leave the Union’ unless a majority of its population vote to do so.
So maybe a simple YES or NO is just a bit too simplistic.
!!BADA BING!! on 18TH JUNE 2021 3:04 PM
Would have the young Sevco Rainjurz right back instead of O’Donnell.
Dallas game – yes, the idiot who fell from the top stand – just to the left of our seat and remember it as clear as a bell.
Steamboats – ran down the stairs towards the top tier wall, slabbers spraying everywhere, red face, neck bulging – never accounted for braking distance, hit the wall and kept going.
Could have killed innocents below – tube.
Person(s) who threw the coin(s) – arseholes.
Dallas – a hun cheat of the highest order (or heroic referee if you prefer – MSM) – couldn’t give the penalty quick enough. A poison on Scottish football for years.
HH
BGFC
Paul67 – I agree 100%
I expect passion v quality tonight England just have too much
Thoughts with Bertie Auld BTW if ever there was a gallas Lion – it is Bertie
67ECW
SQUIRE DANAHER on 18TH JUNE 2021 4:15 PM
They are nothing if not emphatic, so they’re not.
Ange meets Dom
TRUTH_BEAUTY_AND_FREEDOM on 18TH JUNE 2021 5:14 PM
The answer to your final question is the fact that a dubious throwin awarded in the 1989 Cup Final is still so clearly remembered as the exception that proves the rule.
ERNIE LYNCH on 18TH JUNE 2021 5:19 PM
That’s right soitis
Darren Jackson just on previewing tonight’s game. Forgot what a decent bloke he is. Insightful and articulate. Wonder why he’s not used much more often, scrap that, we know why.
Would really emphasize how bad Boyd is.
Pub beckons with my bhoy and 3 of his mates and 1 of mine, could only get a table of 6.
Sorry Big Jimmy. 16th is a given.
D :)
“Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has exited isolation shortly before holding key talks with Dominic McKay in London.
While the Hoops stars who are not on international duty returned to Lennoxtown today, Postecoglou was in the English capital with new Celtic chief executive McKay.
The squad is in need of a massive overhaul following the trophyless season last term and with the likes of Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer in the final year of their contracts.
Postecoglou has now completed the required initial period of quarantine having flow in from Japan after leaving the Yokohama F Marinos.”
HOT SMOKED on 18TH JUNE 2021 3:57 PM
JHB is treated abominably on here. Could anyone of his detractors give examples of JHB comments which warrant such abuse?
_________________________________________________
Agreed – not a god look for the blog and comes across as sheer bullying.
Steamboats – ran down the stairs towards the top tier wall, slabbers spraying everywhere, red face, neck bulging – never accounted for braking distance, hit the wall and kept going.
The guy said he was going for a pie.
Deniabhoy,
I had been out clubbing the night (possibly 2) the night before, enjoying all that it entailed for me in the 90s early 00s.
Let’s just say I was feeling rather on edge the day of the game.
I’ve never experienced such a toxic atmosphere in my life and I was genuinely concerned someone was going to try and enter the pitch to severely damage someone.
I spoke to my dad and brother at half time and we agreed if it continued second half we would go but fortunately it calmed down.
It was a real low point for me – losing the league and some fans behaviour.
The media had a field day going through the events, and it gave them headlines for days.
However, one of the rags had a view from down south and the reporter absolutely loved it – goals, sending off, penalty, the ref getting hit with a coin and the boy falling from the upper tier and still singing Celtic songs as he was stretchered away!!
As a neutral I can see how that would be brilliant
Philbhoy @13:29
Thanks for getting back to me. Do you know when his back room staff are available?
Melbourne Mick,
Good to see you posting. Look after yourself 👍🏼
Re: scotland team, see a few folk saying gilmour to start. He has played a little over 700 minutes of professional football mostly in lower end cup games but plays for chelsea in EPL so must be good aye. He has a long way to go before I would be starting him in a scotland shirt.
Re: celtic good to see manager will be up next week, time to get players sign up asap
Hh
Ange speaks to Celtic Media
CQN 18/06/2021
The guy who fell from the top deck sat right beside me every week. He and his pal came from Fife.
Normally they were good to sit beside but that day they were indeed steamboats
They didn’t return after half time and I never saw them again.
Ernie
if you insist ulsterscots may i suggest you are
a.saftinthwheid
b.awa wi it
c.pyuirweedauftie.
all descriptions by planter dialect.
:-)
not exactly politically correct talkin of people with learning diffuculties
hh
SCULLYBHOY on 18TH JUNE 2021 4:56 PM
DeniaBhoy on 18th June 2021 4:31 pm
We were in the corner of the Jock Stein Stand, quite close to where the Rangers corner kick was taken that led Hugh Dallas to give a penalty. I honestly believe he gave the penalty as much out of anger at having been hit by the pound coin (can understand it a bit) as there being a foul. Also have vague memories of a guy running on to the pitch and being rugby tackled and his mobile phone fell onto the running track. I think a guy fell from the upper tier (?). Yes, it was an awful day and the atmosphere in the stadium was poisonous. TBH I think the support let themselves down big time as did Mahe.
*I’ll never blame big Steph, IMHO that wee Inverclyde ratbag caused all the mayhem.
DAVID66 on 18TH JUNE 2021 2:06 PM
— Marshall —
——— Cooper —- KT —– GH ——–
—- Patterson ———————– Robbo —
Forrest ———– Gilmour ——McTominy
— McGinn —
— Adams —
*IMHO if the covid kid pays Raheem Sterling will have a field day and be MOTM.
DeniaBhoy- ditto
Just received an E Mail from Celtic about opting in for a reduced capacity game.
Surely if you purchase a ST you have opted in by default.
We are sitted in various parts of the stadium, to attend a game together will be a troublsome logistical operation.
By the time the season commences, the overwhelming majority of the adult and vulnerable population will have had the two jags.
The vaccines work, subsequently there is no logical reason for not resuming normality.
HH.
ernie lynch on 18th June 2021 5:17 pm
SCULLYBHOY on 18TH JUNE 2021 4:17 PM
Hot Smoked on 18th June 2021 3:57 pm
‘ Anyway, I promise (probably won’t) to stop trolling him if he answers one simple question, ‘Should the North of Ireland be allowed to leave the Union?’ A simple YES or NO will suffice.’
###
I think SF’s position at the moment is that NI ‘should not be allowed to leave the Union’ unless a majority of its population vote to do so.
So maybe a simple YES or NO is just a bit too simplistic.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Forgive me (and the rest of you folk) but I am not really a political animal. Having said that, can I make a couple of observations and then just talk football?
1. You mocked there being a referendum in Scotland, so would you support one in the North of Ireland or argue that would be similar to Scotland and simply raise tensions and cause a backlash?
2. JHB believes that the voters in Scotland are not politically sophisticated enough to make their choice – are the people of the North also too stupid and easily duped?
BTW I think the voting slip will simply ask for a YES or NO and won’t actually ask for a dissertation. Just observations as I do see overlaps between Scotland and the North.
Now back to the football – come on Scotland.
HH
Shocked to hear the news about Bertie Auld always such a bubbly, effervescent lad and a brilliant footballer in his time with the Hoops. Wish Bertie the best in coping with this disease.
Despite what the English Press may think Scotland have a very good record in their clashes against the English chaps with a winning record of 41 matches against Englanders 48 with 25 draws. We are all in Scotlands corner on this side of the pond for to-night’s game. Robertson and Tierney I would rate in the World class category and best of luck to the rest of the squad and hoping the Celtic players in particular do well to-night.
Great pity Leigh Griffiths is missing from the squad, brilliant goalador.
Wee story here about wee ten thirty, many many years ago, at least 50, the Renton CSC were having their POTY award and dance down in the Lennoxbank in Balloch.
Guest of honour and recipient of the award was the wee mhan, after a while and he had still not shown up a phone call was made tae the ground inquiring of his whereabouts, they got the old Phil Collins, “No Reply At All”
A bit of consternation arose within the committee until one of them mentioned he had been pally with wtt when he was on loan tae Dumbarton and that friendship had continued all the way down tae Brum and back so would call him and find out what the hampden roar was.
It seemed that in light of the big games coming up Jock had confined the first team squad tae barracks; however since he was sitting at home nursing an injury and watching tele this didnae pertain tae him and would they mind if he came down.
Elated they said, great, so off he came. The committee informed the guests that a wee change had occurred, the wee mhan wisnae available but a special guest would replace him, obviously there were a few groans, but doing the old Doris Day it was que sera sera.
When Bertie appeared there was a huge roar of approval and a standing ovation, in typical Bertie fashion he entertained the crowd no end and a good night was had by all.
Later on that week the Big Mhan contacted the club and apologised for the mix up and if they wanted tae schedule another dance he would ensure the wee mhan would be there, in which he was along with Wullie O’Neil, a great night was had by all with Jinky up on stage singing, he was a rare chanter BTW.
I know because I was fortunate enough tae be there.
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2021/june/Ange-Postecoglou-We-ll-be-working-hard-towards-Champions-League-qualifier/?utm_source=club&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=manager_podcast&g4id=3
Come on Big Ange! I think he speaks very well.
SAINT STIVS on 17TH JUNE 2021 8:06 PM
great read. humbling, inspiring, funny, in equal measures. not picked for 7-1 game
*He played in the semi against the Bully Wee in a 4-2 win but seemingly dropped for the final due tae his belligerence especially against the thug that was shearer.
I don’t see Shop Window Christie featuring in many of these mooted line-ups.
We will be stuck with him unless he can turn in a performance in Scotland’s remaining 2 games.
If no bids appear, he’ll run down his contract and walk away next summer.
I hope he plays and manages to show something to con a decent bid from the Championship. Moving him on should be high up Dom’s ‘to do’ list.
Marshall
Hanley
Tierney
McTominay
O’Donnell
McGregor
McGinn
Gilmour
Robertson
Adams
Dykes
Good result for Scotland, Croatia 1 Czech Rep 1
hopefully we can get some points tonight.
Scott Brown on ITV now at pitch side.
biggest upset since bannockburn,
https://twitter.com/i/status/1405820950562709504
So Stevie Clarke has believed the hype
Well lets hope wee Gilmour really can live up to it
Paterson was the young player more deserving a chance
Scots need to score first, John McGinn the likely lad
Scotland have to win tonight.good luck
i would love to see a victory.
hope is a good thing.
Go for it Scotland.
HH
SCULLYBHOY on 18TH JUNE 2021 6:24 PM
‘1. You mocked there being a referendum in Scotland’
###
Are you referring to the once in a generation/ lifetime independence referendum. I don’t recall mocking the concept. No doubt if my recollection is wrong you’ll provide evidence.
Top tip: don’t construct an argument on fantasy or wishful thinking.