Exactly one year ago today, just after lunchtime, one of the pivotal moments in Celtic history occurred. Neil Lennon took his Celtic team to Kilmarnock, who had lost their three previous league games, and for 73 minutes looked like surrendering their league title chances just as Tony Mowbray’s team collapsed at St Mirren Park seven months earlier.
The manager later admitted to thoughts of resignation. 3-0 down at half time while already in heavy deficit to Rangers, who were riding a wave of positivity under the reinvigorating ownership of Craig Whyte, events looked to have escaped Neil’s grasp.
It is tempting to write the narrative that a half time talk or tactical change turned things around but turnaround was more difficult to explain. Celtic were awful for the opening 28 minutes of the second half; like condemned men waiting for the inevitable.
Anthony Stokes started the recovery by exploiting Kilmarnock’s weaknesses. A free kick drifted over a wall which didn’t jump and into the net. Had the wall jumped, would history have been different? Three minutes later Stokes fired into the corner of the net from distance, Jaakkola in the Killie goal was not equal to the challenge. Suddenly, we were back in the game, back in the title race.
Charlie Mulgrew, who erred to gift Kilmarnock their third, equalised with 11 minutes remaining, surely there was only one winner now? Not so, images of Heffernan’s last minute header from inside the Celtic six yard box gliding over remain vivid.
We escaped with a draw but it felt like a stay of execution, not a pivotal moment. Neil didn’t resign, he stayed, beat Stade Rennes in the Europa League and never looked back. The imperious positivity which surrounded Craig Whyte was ultimately proven to be a charade, those of us who told you Rangers were in peril were proven correct.
It is impossible to calculate just how much football has changed since Anthony hit that free kick, although imperious positivity still surrounds a charade which is doomed to fail, leaving a lot of football fans out of pocket. If only the football authorities had a warning from recent history that light-touch regulation is dangerous, or had the mechanism to order a financial audit. They do, of course, but despite the traumas of 2012 I doubt they have the appetite to head-off potential problems. It’s easier (in the short term) to hope everything will turn out well.
Not that you need worry about any of this, you can chill and enjoy the season.
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The orange order are an insignificant bunch of Neanderthals who shouldn’t be a considered. in the debate on independence
Clink\o/
20:06 on 15 October, 2012
‘Ernie
for how many of those 300 years has Scotland been part of the Union’
The Reformation was in 1560 and the Act of Union in 1745 so it’s about half and half.
Mountain_Bhoy is Neil Lennon
20:14 on 15 October, 2012
‘clink,exactly. 300 years of anti catholicism while part of the union.. the hanoverians never did forgive the jacobites..
perhaps folk using the catholic card as a reason for keeping the union must be happy with the way its been dealt with in the last 300 years!’
I despair.
Will be still be able to watch Nigella for free in an independent Scotland?
David Hockney with his iPad
theweegreenman
20:20 on 15 October, 2012
‘Italiabhoy
How many of the OO would want to remain in a country that is not part of the Union?’
All of them. And when Ireland’s reunited watch the movement of people from Norn Irn to Ayrshire. Back to their roots.
‘Blood of our blood, bone of our bone.’
As Alex Salmond called them.
Hoopy – do
Yes, but we’ll all end up 30 stone
Burghbhoy @ 20.32
Socialist…..Bevin…..nice typo mate.
Hail Hail
Teuchter ár lá
burghbhoy
20:32 on
15 October, 2012
Fully understand what you are saying but, believe me, the only reason the barstewards aren’t beating their drums outside your local chapel right now is that, in the UK, politically, they are in the minority, and the UK people have moved on …….. The loyalists would in the majority in an independent Scotland, and Salmond would ‘beating their drum’, to gain / retain their vote.
Just as The Republic of Ireland is a ‘catholic’ Country, Scotland is a ‘Protestant’ Country AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT …….unfortunately, the knuckle dragging loyalists are in the majority over the very good, God-Fearing, practising, Protestants & Catholics put together ….and Salmond knows that ………simple politics……the majority rule
Most fortunately, the ‘loyalists’ won’t vote SNP, under any circumstances…….so, we will remain as part of the UK…..!!!!!
TBB
Again ..only speaking from my experience
Where a racial harassment offence is pursued as an offence in itself as opposed to an aggravation then it can be more difficult to prove
Your point re religious aggravation and the nature of the complainer is well made ….
I agree that the stats don’t make good reading ….they don’t however tell all the story
Not au fait with your stats so I’m not really in a position to comment much beyond what I have said
hoopy-do
20:46 on
15 October, 2012
Will be still be able to watch Nigella for free in an independent Scotland?
Yes but that background music will be banned :=) awful stuff…
Burghbhoy
20:32 on 15 October, 2012
‘The orange order and institutional sectarianism have diminished in my lifetime and majority of Scottish people see them for what they are, doomed preachers of hate.’
The 15 Scots on that Edinburgh jury must have been an anomaly then.
bournesouprecipe
20:32 on 15 October, 2012
You’re a bad mhan, building up my hopes…..LOL
1707 not 1745.
Just been handed a bottle of Bezique
FFS nae sell buy date
prestonpans bhoys,
thats fine, BBC Alba will show her making a ravishing chocolate gateaux to the background music of Killiecrankie
My mind’s made up
Free Scotland and keep Nigella
MuchShallownessCSC
Ernie,
The OO was founded in Ireland.
Why would a Unionist want to remain in an independant Scotland or a unified Ireland? That doesn’t make sense to me?
SFTB,
Good to see some footie talk on here.
I agree that the Killie game was pivotal for us.
I was there thanks to getting a ticket via CRC and a couple of things I would point out are that it wasn’t just Kilmarnock who could have clinched it , I am pretty sure we also had a chance in the last 2/3 minutes.
Also, I recall the ‘ NL must go brigade’ were very much in the minority , and apart from those in the press box, I don’t recall hearing any.
Since then, I think we have really kicked on , and where we have had poor results ( Hampden) the responsibility for those lies more at the players doors than anyone else’s, more importantly, I think we have learned from mistakes.
quite remarkeable.. so the OO, whose whole raison d’etre is the Union,will be the new powerhouse in an independent scotland, repressing catholics and extraditing those of Irish blood.. dear god, what utter emotive, fantasist claptrap! and someone accused me of being stuck in Brigadoon!
hoopy-do
20:46 on
15 October, 2012
Will be still be able to watch Nigella for free in an independent Scotland?
Possibly. But maybe not. BBC will cease to exist. The SNP want to set up an “SBC”, funded by adverts and a Scottish license fee. They want to use BBC assets in Scotland (but have not asked the BBC if this will be ok – I think Salmond is hoping BBC will just hand over millions of pounds of property and technology assets.
Even assuming the SBC gets to use BBC premises, there is simply no way the SBC could afford to pay the BBC to transmit its entire output.
More likely, some famous BBC programmes would remain, and the majority would become pay per view on a digital platform.
There’s always STV.
Whoop ee doo…
Ernie,
Does “blood of our blood, bone of our bone” include the Gaels who founded ‘Scotland’ or just those who went back across 1000 years later during the Plantations?
ernie lynch
20:48 on 15 October, 2012
Burghbhoy
20:32 on 15 October, 2012
‘The orange order and institutional sectarianism have diminished in my lifetime and majority of Scottish people see them for what they are, doomed preachers of hate.’
The 15 Scots on that Edinburgh jury must have been an anomaly then.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
It certainly has diminished, but independence would ‘put paid’ to that good progress…
FT Celtic 1 St Johnstone 2
….pfayr
20:31 on 15 October, 2012
BT
I watched that game in Tenerife ….think I was drunk by 4
I remember in a bar laughing like a drain at the Hun score …think St Mirren equalised in the last minute
********
I watched it in the same bar.
From the half time despair, it seemed like a victory at full time.
I think it was the spirit shown in the last twenty minutes, rather than the result that lifted the mood.
PFayr
Cheers. It’s a hugely complicated area, and one apt to be hijacked by assorted interest groups, but none of it makes good reading, and few come out well from it.
theweegreenman
20:53 on 15 October, 2012
‘Ernie,
The OO was founded in Ireland.
Why would a Unionist want to remain in an independant Scotland or a unified Ireland? That doesn’t make sense to me?’
Because they aren’t English.
The ancestors of the people from whom the OO now draw their membership were Scottish.
That’s why you see saltires flying on the Shankhill.
When Ireland’s reunited those that can’t take it will head for Scotland, not England, whether Scotland’s in the UK or not.
bournesouprecipe
20:36 on
15 October, 2012
Can I have your Baby ?
HH
Mountainbhoy.
Simple maths.
300,000 Orangemen in population of 60million. Insignificant.
100,000 Orangemen in population of 5 million. Much more significant.
People who dismiss this simply don’t know their history. For centuries, Scotland has been the most anti-Catholic part of mainland UK. If Scotland becomes independent, they would – overnight- have much more leverage in politics.
The SSP got 7 MSPs with less than 6 percent of the vote. It is entirely conceivable that an Orange party could achieve something similar. How long do you think Catholic schools will last then? Salmond going to save them?
For economic reasons, independence absolutely terrifies me. But the social and cultural aspect is very very worrying too.
Ah mountainbhoy – avoiding directly answering the question eh. Tsk.
The Battered Bunnet
20:55 on 15 October, 2012
‘Ernie,
Does “blood of our blood, bone of our bone” include the Gaels who founded ‘Scotland’ or just those who went back across 1000 years later during the Plantations?’
When Salmond used the phrase about the people of Norn Iron I think it was pretty clear he was referring to the Ulster Scots as we know and love them.
Sevco 6 home match package tickets, now available.
GettingEdgy CSC
Any you bhoys travelling to barca next week know if they are setting up a fanzone?
Any body been to the george payne irish bar and ryans irish bar over there? they seem to have cheap drink and good atmosphere in them….
ItaliaBhoy
21:00 on 15 October, 2012
‘Mountainbhoy.
Simple maths.
300,000 Orangemen in population of 60million. Insignificant.
100,000 Orangemen in population of 5 million. Much more significant.’
Yes. It’ssimilar to the argument Irish republicans used to the OO. That as part of a united Ireland they would have a louder voice than as part of the UK.
bournesouprecipe
21:02 on
15 October, 2012
Sevco 6 home match package tickets, now available
Are they free to ex-SB holders:-)
ItaliaBhoy
21:00 on 15 October, 2012
I’d be amazed of OO membership in Scotland is anything north of 30,000.
neganon2, i voiced my dissapproval of the bill at the time, and it was the snp governments low point thus far.However,I dont believe it was due to anything sinister and more down to incompetence. I am not an SNP supporter, but will vote for independence.
Awe_Some
Cupid draw back your
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and let your arrow go
mountain_bhoy is neil lennon
20:54 on 15 October, 2012
Brigadoon is a nice place……..what mountain do you live on …….?
If I thought for one minute Independence wouldn’t strenghthen the OO, I would vote for it tomorrow………however, the debate is mute since you are correct …..they won’t vote for independence, which makes it a non-starter…….all I am saying is that, if by some quirk, Scotland became independent, hod oantae yer cap….. LOL