I’ve been to a few non-Celtic games over the years and always found is striking the different reaction mid-table teams have to a defeat compared to how we react. There is simply not the expectation that every game has to be won. For most of the last 40-odd years Celtic have been nip-and-tuck with a direct opponent at the top of the league, so a single defeat can have a significant bearing on league title prospects.
Even when we were not involved in a close league race, the desire to win by an astonishing number of points provided an edge, whereas, back in the 90s, the chasm between Celtic and the top was made increasingly unbearable by each passing defeat.
This season is different. We’ve dropped 10 points in 10 games but substantial evidence exists that the team is making solid progress, a fact not disputed by the support, even as they left Celtic Park on Saturday. For most, the distress of defeat has tempered.
We’re two points ahead of three teams at the top of the league, with a game in hand, which makes this the most competitive SPL ever. The gap between second and second last is just six points, St Mirren who sit second bottom, would be level on points with joint-second St Johnstone had they won the game between these two earlier this month.
All this honest competition has resulted in a rise in average attendances for most clubs during “Armageddon”. It’s too easy to poke fun at the miscalculations of the SPL and SFA chief executives who believed the game needed a fatally flawed giant in the top flight. Instead, what it needed was genuine competition, which we have, to a degree.
Hibs, Aberdeen and St Johnstone are all two points from the top of the table while Inverness and Killie are only one win below them. Can you imagine how good a league this would be without the last remaining over-sized behemoth?
The SPL didn’t need Rangers, in fact, it is a better, more competitive league without them. The same goes for Celtic. We are not good for the league and do nothing for Aberdeen, United, Hibs or clubs who want nothing but a sporting chance in the game. Many of these clubs seem to have Stockholm Syndrome; locked into the belief that they need to be with their tormentors.
If I was writing a blog about any of these clubs I’d tell Celtic to go find themselves some fantasy football league and let the rest of the country get back to a proper sporting endeavour. They have nothing to lose but their loser labels.
The next issue of CQN Magazine is due out shortly, let me know if you would like to advertise, advert@cqnmagazine.co.uk.
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Happy starry birthday
Dont know if its been posted but highlights of Feyenord European cup final
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bE2l9m5tg8&feature=youtu.be
Going with the highlights we were lucky to only get beat 2-1
Paul67 – good article. Very much my perception, I’m pleased the league is thriving with introduction of fairness – We (Celtic) are misplaced but at least our advantage has been achieved fairly.
As a regular attender at Pittodrie, I am attending with a real hope of seeing Aberdeen attaining 2nd place as are many of the others who support the team.
It does make you wonder if SPL would thrive without Celtic, I suspect many Celtic fans like myself would find a 2nd team, hopefully their most local team in addition to their support of Celtic.
fgf,
Give me a shout.
Weeminger,
there are very strict conditions and compliance requirement to be followed for surveillance operations to be initiated and operated, all the club need to do is have a lawyer confirm these have been achieved and the operation does not subject the support to undue harassment.
The fact the board have issued personal details without permission is already an infringement on the data protection act, the only justification can be they were demanded under the antiterrorist laws.
Maybe the question should be
Are anti-terrorist laws being used to justify breaches of the data protection act at Celtic park ?
!!Bada Bing!! – Welcome to Salmond’s Scotland.
Get used to the finger-waggling know-it-alls wasting police time by having them search eagerly for things to be offended by, so they can criminalise football fans. It’s now illegal for football supporters to offend anybody. Voltaire and Bill Hicks warned us. (thumbsup)
Charles Green – divorced twice – you’ve got to wonder why?
U
Greenlion2-I was 9 years old watching the game,and remember we got well outplayed by Feyenoord. The start of the Total Football Dutch philosophy probably.
Ahhhhhhhhhh Wee Claire, the memories of Glasgow in the 80’s, Joanna’s, Doune Castle, Maestro’s, Bungalow in Paisley…Rock Garden, Hurracaines, Cul De Sac, Nicos…
Worra a life…
Tomorrow night me and my son will once again take pride of place at Celtic park sitting next to the GB.
The last time I sat there was the St Johnstone quarter final.
Here was my impression of that:
http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/?cqn_match_reports_=celtic-4-1-raith-rovers&cpage=3#comment-1572160
MWD
ulysses mcghee – Maybe he’s an incurable romantic who loves weddings? (thumbsup)
philvis-Strathclyde polis will do what they do,but it’s the lack of support to the paying punter which concerns me,and as Canamalar suggests,possibly CFC compliant in breaking the law?.Maybe Paul McBride’s good friends Mr Anwar on Mr Ogg could advise…..
Bada, GL2 was there……………..
Bma
Greenlion2
I was at the game,I think tactically it was Big Jocks worse mistake,he said himself that he took the game for granted.The Dutch turned out to be some team.Thats life.
BMA-He sounds like an older poster…..:}
starry plough – As an impressionable kid I often wondered about Maestro’s.
I thought: where does Paul McStay find the time to run a nightclub?
Sadly didn’t get the chance to go in there before it became The Cotton Club.
Glasgow in the 80’s was some place. Bremner’s, Goldbergs, and that dancing robot guy. (thumbsup)
!!Bada Bing!!
18:45 on 29 October, 2012
Some of the defending was very suspect.. Ive still not been able to watch the Seville final again yet so im weaning myself towards it slowly
If Vmhans looking in does this remind of you of anyone?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20117987
Van Hanegan ran the show that night. BJ underestimated him and feyenoord in general. Also the Feyenoord fams outsang and outshouted us (and those bloody horns).I dont know why but our support was all over the place in the SS but the Dutch were all at one end and their noise was awesome. I was there aged 16 with my older brother and I still cant get over it. Bitter bitter disappointment.
!!Bada Bing!! – Maybe Paul McBride’s good friends Mr Anwar on Mr Ogg could advise…..
Don’t hold your breath my friend in Celtic. (thumbsup)
Bobby Murdochs Ankle
18:54 on 29 October, 2012
I was booked on the flight with the club but never made it.. I’ll tell you about it..
The Onlooker
On reduced income from SBs I agree something needs to be done and that is a change in how Celtic go about enabling the support to contribute each according to their means to the financial well being of the club.
A start has been made in the form of the Overseas Season Book but I think the concept can be extended to cover all supporters.
However there has to be a realisation that the cost of supporting has to be shared more equitably. For a SB holder it costs around £27 a game but for an overseas watcher its around £4.50.
There is a clear disparity here and ways of evening it out have to be found or there will be no club to watch.
http://www.celticunderground.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=962:the-overseas-season-book-scheme-not-just-an-emotional-commitment&catid=49:season-2012-2013&Itemid=85
Greenlion2
Another big mistake,was leaving George Connelly out of the starting line up.
starry plough
18:47 on 29 October, 2012
Ahhhhhhhhhh Wee Claire, the memories of Glasgow in the 80′s, Joanna’s, Doune Castle, Maestro’s, Bungalow in Paisley…Rock Garden, Hurracaines, Cul De Sac, Nicos…
Worra a life…
—–
Zhivagos, Danny Browns, Sylvesters. :)))
Call me an old cynic
If there is an escalation of harassment of the GB would that mean that the peepil in the polis might want a reaction from the GB in time for a certain date coming round .
just my opinion ,no offence intended
Philvis
Of course you’re right – there was me thinking the worst. Silly me. Not giving love a chance. Thinking that Charles Green was a vacuous, arrogant, moneyed fool who had attracted some cheap, spent, jet trash who were nothing more than what he deserved and took him for what they deserved. But, yeah, you’re right – The heart wants what the heart wants…
U
Starry Plough
Happy Birthday.
Have a good one.
Sylvesters was my first pint in Glasgow, before cup final lost to Aberdeen when big Roy got sent off, we lost it in extra time…
was that 83?
fergus slayed the blues – After the Hillsborough revelations, I’m afraid you’re entitled to be suspicious of the police’s agenda. (thumbsup)
84 sorry..
MWD – We had a charity function at the Celtic Club here in Toronto yesterday to raise money for Oscar and his family. I’m pleased to report that it was a grand occasion with many people contributing to the success of the event.
Could you contact me either on here or through my email addy (BT do yer stuff big fella) in order for me to wire the funds to the appropriate place / account.
We managed to raise $2000 or pretty close to it; some monies have yet to be counted.
Thanks to all who gave their time and energy to such a great cause.
slainte
tony
The Laddy McGeary
*************************
I have passed your comments on to the Chair of Strathclyde Joint Police Board and added some questions on how much this costing and at what other grounds this happens at.
The GB are like pussycats compared to my behavior of me and my mates at the old Number 8 in the Jungle and various away grounds.
It also of concern if there has been a breach of the Data Protection Act with regard to private information being shared without consent.
If the GB were chased away by these actions then I would consider not renewing my SB, if our Club assisted in these tactics.
GL2-Don’t think I will ever watch the Seville game.HH
philves-You are right I fear.
philvis (sp)!
Starry
Hope your having a good a time as my 7 days in Spain and Barca.
The rock garden was nearly ma local, cool grooves, dudes and gals!
Loadsa other places but ma head still to scrambled, place that the first space invaders machine was installed and owned by some director from partick thistle! Remember the howff!
Anyway hope your starry plough flag flying tall and tonight…
Kikinthenakas
ulysses mcghee – These days, marriage is at least a three year commitment.
Unlike owning a football club.
Just sayin’. (thumbsup)
Green Brigade statement on Police harassment
This is heart breaking.
Enough to make you stop supporting the club
HH
BT,
Yup 84, bob valentine ref, mark McGhee ‘victim’.
http://celticunderground.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=807:the-bhoy-in-the-picture-roy-aitken&catid=36:images&Itemid=60
Feed the bear.
Tony at 19.05
done..