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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Celbridge Celt
16:18 on 15 October, 2012
”Scotlands education is actually better because it’s Independant”
Somethings don’t need comment.
Phil
It was the Devolution Referendum organised by Donald Dewar and he decideded that if a person on the electoral register was one of the following
Dead
In Jail
In Hospital
Mentally Incapable
On holiday
or just couldn’t be arsed
that there were a No vote. It was a scandal
God bless wee Oscar and his family.
Philbhoy / Ritchie
The referendum resulted in a 51.6% support for the proposal which, with a turnout of 63.8%, fell short of the required 40% condition for the Scotland Act 1978 to be implemented.
Onlooker.
ernie lynch
16:23 on
15 October, 2012
Celbridge Celt
16:18 on 15 October, 2012
”Scotlands education is actually better because it’s Independant”
Somethings don’t need comment.
……….
Do you know where Celbridge is?
Politicians are chancers. All of them. Everything they say in public is calculated and said for a reason. Salmond is a chancer. He is head and shoulders above every other politician in Scotland today, but still an utter chancer. What he said about Oldco was nothing more than an ill-judged attempt to curry favour from a significant proportion of his electorate.
I like SoT’s policy of don’t vote for any of them, it will only encourage them.
But…… if some people are willing to decide how to vote on something as significant and historical as independence based on something a chancer politician said about a football club then we’d be as well extending the vote to 6 and 7 year olds.
Goodly news on Oscar Knox – God bless this wee Bhoy
In hindsight, were Scottish sports journos suitably competent to deal with the impending doom that was widely ignored.
Presently, why haven’t journos investigated why players who weren’t on rangers books receiving payments from oldco.
In future, should the rest of this story be covered by business or consumer protection reporters who may understand and educate/protect readers more factually
Celbridge Celt,
“Scotlands education is actually better because it’s Independant”
Where were you educated?? (Sorry, couldn’t resist – don’t want to start up a schools debate)
JC
I believe that every ballot form should have a “None of the above” option and if that option gains the most votes there must be a new election with all the previous candidates barred from standing
What’s the UKplc good at doing? Killing debate via inquiries. Talking nonsense and lies and getting the public to believe it’s all true. Ripping us all off with impunity and glee. Brainwashing. How would I know? I don’t. I just have this sick feeling in my gut any time I hear or see the talking heads on the visual valium and hear them on the radio.
Then I go compare and contrast with all the unfettered info out there, in here, elsewhere, and I then understand why I feel ill. My suspicions are real. This place is not got called ‘rip-off Britain’ for nothing, and it’s not confined to the wallet or purse. Our minds are having liberties taken with them by those who want us to remain in their thrall as they continue to steal and corrupt at will.
Anyway…..what’s for tea?
Celbridge Celt – “A lot that’s wrong with Scotland is due to people dragging their knuckles and following the Union Flag without getting anything better in return”
And being independent of the union will change this how?
“Watch Cameron and Miliband (or whoever they get to replace him) come out with we’ll give you something better and renege on it later”
And Salmond et al are not just as capable of the same thing? I am surprised there has been no mention of an Independent Scotland starting up Unicorn breeding with us all getting a profit share.
“The UK Governments gave us the Poll tax, Miner strikes”
They absolutely did. God knows what what else could be foisted upon us whether we stay or go from the union. Casting up ghosts of the past as some sort of warning for the future is not a coherent argument in my opinion. I am sure there were numerous horrendous things enacted upon us by our Independent government pre 1707. How far do you want to go back with this argument?
“I’d rather see a multi-party group determine our future from Scotland, made up of Socialists of Labour, SNP etc. with an opposition arguing for something better for Scotland.”
So would I. I would much rather see this debate rising above party politics. But it hasn’t and it won’t. It shouldn’t be about the SNP but it is as they will be the party shaping a new Scotland.
“Let’s not make the debate about Celtic v Rangers”
I have no idea where to go with this one
Glasgow Ghirl –
Celbridge Celt’s recommendations are good spots, can’t go wrong there, if you go to the Shelbourne expect to burn a hole in your pocket.
steer clear of Temple Bar and probably best to stay on south side of the river (that’s coming from a northsider – although a blow in one)
Have a great time, I came over 11 years ago and stayed!!!
On Independence – does Salmond really think a country can last for ever on depleting oil revenues and selling whiskey? Guess where my X is going…
JohnnyClash
16:26 on 15 October, 2012
JohnnyClash
16:26 on 15 October, 2012
‘But…… if some people are willing to decide how to vote on something as significant and historical as independence based on something a chancer politician said about a football club then we’d be as well extending the vote to 6 and 7 year olds.’
Except of course it’s sometimes these off piste comments that give you a real insight into the nature of the beast. Unwitting testimony I think it’s called.
Salmond’s comments were entirely consistent with the Strictly No Papes heritage of his party and the strand of Scottish society which it represented.
Richie?The Onlooker
Thanks for replies!
Awe naw,
Sorry I should have mentioned that these questions (probably with better vocab) might be suitable for the list. I think the msm list contains some very good questions but other others that would also permit the msm to claim “were just as bad as them” or “were paranoid” type
In hindsight, were Scottish sports journos suitably competent to deal with the impending doom that was widely ignored.
Presently, why haven’t journos investigated why players who weren’t on rangers books receiving payments from oldco.
In future, should the rest of this story be covered by business or consumer protection reporters who may understand and educate/protect readers more factually
Anyway im off
One Moment in Lisboa
celt55
14:25 on
15 October, 2012
I thought Super Joe’s headed goal against the Zombies at the end of the year was the turning point ……
Salmond wants independence but to maintain the union with the crown – if you want a republic you won’t get one.
As I am domicile in England I can only say that there are many down here that would be only too glad to see Scotland go it alone
Ernie, let he who makes no typing errors cast the first stone… but if that makes your argument, then you would have typed “Something’s don’t need comment”
One lives in Ireland, but hails from Scotland… :o)
Back to the main topic… I was leaving Limerick after a boring Lecture last October… when I logged into BBC Scotland and saw the last 3 goals were ours, I expected Killie were given a mauling…!
Heading to Glasgow for the Killie home game at the end of the month, I hope there is a good atmosphere… haven’t been over for a while and last time it was kind of like a morgue especially versus the away games.
JohnnyClash – “But…… if some people are willing to decide how to vote on something as significant and historical as independence based on something a chancer politician said about a football club then we’d be as well extending the vote to 6 and 7 year olds.”
So we are not allowed to use idiotic, duplicitous behaviour from the party leader no less, to shape our opinion of probable future behaviour of said party/leader?
Interesting concept. Is that Goldfish Politics in action?
tamrabam,
There might well be gagging order placed on them via the police that we dont know about.
Completely open for the questions to be reconstructed or represented better ?
They cant call us paranoid anymore can they ?
HH
Gene’s a Bhoys name
16:35 on
15 October, 2012
Salmond wants independence but to maintain the union with the crown – if you want a republic you won’t get one.
As I am domicile in England I can only say that there are many down here that would be only too glad to see Scotland go it alone
……..
One step at a time
My rant is to indicate that my allegiances lie with the people I love, Celtic F.C and all it stands for. All else is meaningless. This is what life has taught me; that, and decades of the same old lies being spun in different ways to make us delude ourselves that we have any say in anything that those with the most power,land,treasure and influence, and their catspaws who act for them, do.
Ernie,
You stated “Salmond’s comments were entirely consistent with the Strictly No Papes heritage of his party and the strand of Scottish society which it represented.”
I was part of the Young Scottish Nationalist party in the 80’s… The party had a Troops out policy… so where do you get your information? The DR?
Sturgeon was the leading member of the YSN… which had plenty of Tim’s as members during that time, one of the reasons why the party has a majority is that it is Diverse and not “Ma Faither voted Labour… so…”
Salmond changes his view of what independence would look like depending on what’s popular and what he thinks he could sell.
That’s why his independent Scotland would have the royal family, the pound, interest rates set by the Bank of England and membership of NATO. He knows he couldn’t sell a republic.
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo
We would like to carry the questions in Issue 11 of CQN Magazine, with your permission. Good to give these questions a fixed media berth, for the record…
RL
If you agree with the concept and practicalities of independence, vote for it. If you don’t, vote against it. If you can’t be arsed, do neither.
If independence happens and you consider the leader of one of the parties to be more of a idiotic, duplicitous tube than the other party leaders then vote him out of office.
67Heaven … I am Neil Lennon..!!.. Ibrox belongs to the creditors
16:34 on 15 October, 2012
Yes, another big goal, there’s always a few when you look back on a season.
Castigating someone for their spelling is antiquated, anachronistic snobbery. Ah am tellyn yez…rite?!
Language is fluid and was only dictionaried with the rise of imperialism and colonisation of elsewhere by powerful interests.
Texting is changing the eng. lang. @ a r8 ov notz. And everyone understands that.
Yoo say potato, I’ll say potahto, let’s call the whole thing off.
winning captains:
>>>>>
A great idea.
Perhaps one of the presstitutes who lurk hereabouts might think to take them further,too.
miki67
You lost me at “r8 ov notz”. Is that Russian?
Awe naw-Great piece of work sir.HH.
Seems there’s not much confidence in home grown politicans in Scotland
Still,having the chance to vote for your independence,national self determination free from
foreign influence,rather than having to die,or even kill to achieve it, is a no brainer for a
person who spent many years in jail trying to achieve what you(the Scottish nation) can
possibly achieve by simply casting your vote. Carpe momentum et cetera seqientur
BB
winning captains
16:42 on
15 October, 2012
Its not mine its ours.
permission granted
HAil HAil
Bhoys been swamped with requests for the Barca away tickets, the 2 spares I had are away, hope you enjoy Mick, I may have others but will only know on the day of the game.
HH kikinthenakas
JohnnyClash – it is said idiotic, duplicitous tube who will be implementing the mandate given to him should the country agree to become independent.
It is not as simple as voting for a concept.
A cross parliamentary body will not be overseeing the transition to independence. This is not free of party politics.