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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On Wednesday I am coming over for ten days – my first trip back in six months – and I am wondering what I can expect to find.
Apart from the welcoming smiles of Mrs and Ms Tally and some close dear friends, I do not know.
Can I expect to meet angry, bitter follow followers of a dead club who have systematically cheated their way to ‘success’ over a period of 15 years or more?
Can I expect to meet others who, while professing to be neutral, come across as crass apologists for this dead club?
Can I expect to go into a pub to watch the two matches Celtic will play while I am there, against St Mirren and Barcelona, and hear ‘peepul’ cheer on these two clubs?
I will answer my own questions and say – probably yes!
I will be in Ayrshire after all!
BUT – while I am there I will be proud to announce that I am a Celtic supporter: they know that anyway!
Another thing that I DO know will happen is that I will meet that most excellent CQNer – BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS – for a wee refreshment!
Cheers!
HH!!
Awe Naw
How did Craigie pass the famous sniff test??
*sequientur
apoligies
BB
Awe Naw,
Great list of questions never to be asked,
Great list of questions never to be answered.
Great work.
Hard to believe that a year has flown past since that nightmare at Kilmarnock.
Not alone has Neil Lennon established himself as a manager of stature but he and his coaching staff have rejuvenated the careers of many of the players at the club since that day of shambles. Just look at Charlie Mulgrew, Scott Brown, Kelvin Wilson and Joe Ledley probably playing the best football of their careers and performing well in the promised land of the Champions League. A young team still improving if we can manage to keep the at Celtic Park.
Anyways, if Scotland does become independent Michelle Mone has said she will leave Scotland forever.
And me and Charlie Mulgrew reckon that would be no bad thing.
Evening bhoys, warm on the hun free mountain.
Went to Granada today, was intending taking the weans to the science museum, only to find it shuts on a monday….doh.
Anyways, lovely little town is Celbridge, traffic is a nightmare at rush hour though.
JohnnyClash – Did she?
That’s settled it for me….
:)
Thoughts and prayers with the family of Willie Hughes from Dumbarton, who sadly pased away earlier today.
Willie was a very fine gentleman and a great Celtic man.
Johnny Clash-wee Blythe Duff, stayin’ or goin’ if the Nats get their way?
DBBIA
Wee Blythe’s not committing one way or the other ’till she hears how DCI Burke’s intending to vote.
Celbridge Celt
16:42 on 15 October, 2012
‘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…”
#####
So you’ve been a member of the SNP for 30 years and you still don’t know how to spell independent?
Have you ever heard of Andrew Dewar Gibb? Have you read any of his books? Do you remember William Wolfe’s comments about the Falklands war? About the Pope’s visit?
BIGbones8867
16:51 on 15 October, 2012
Are you talking about Scotland being a member of the EU and having its interest rates fixed by the Bank of England?
Is that what you mean by ‘free from foreign influence’?
Ernie,
I’m guessing that a copy of the Nicola Sturgeon 2013 Calendar wouldn’t be the best idea for your Christmas pressie??
#HopeMySpelling’sOkay
miki67
16:44 on 15 October, 2012
‘Castigating someone for their spelling is antiquated, anachronistic snobbery.’
You maybe want to find out what castigate means.
Willie Hughes YNWA.
Hail Hail
Teuchter ár lá
as an irish republican
i cannot understand why all celtic fans are not in favour of an independent scotland
do ye not want to be free of england and be an independent nation
rangers are not my favourite team csc
17:14 on 15 October, 2012
‘as an irish republican
i cannot understand why all celtic fans are not in favour of an independent scotland
do ye not want to be free of england and be an independent nation’
Do you mind me asking what age you are?
In the bright new smoked Salmond world ole Cadizzy will be a genuine foreigner in Foreign.
Awe Naw
We all owe you a cyber pint for your painstaking effort – well done.
Your subsequent post regarding the SPFA is also another legitimate area to probe, as there must be some serious doubts regarding their representative FW and where exactly his loyalties lay.
Hail Hail
Teuchter ár lá
ernie lynch
17:11 on
15 October, 2012
BIGbones8867
16:51 on 15 October, 2012
Are you talking about Scotland being a member of the EU and having its interest rates fixed by the Bank of England?
Is that what you mean by ‘free from foreign influence’?
The Scottish people can self-determinate these issues when they are free from foreign
influence
BB
If Great Britain can have Gibraltar and the Falklands, surely there can be bench at East Croydon Station that will be forever Caledonia.
As Celtic supporters looking for a fairer deal we want to be looking to be part of a bigger state(Europe) than a smaller one (Scotland). The more we dilute the power of the bigots the better deal we are likely to get.
Just my opinion like.
Just listened to the Beyond The Waves podcast with Paul Larkin talking about his new book, By Any Means Necessary.
A magnificent show and well worth the near 3 hours it lasts for
Forget the crazies on Clyde + Sportsound and give it a listen
One for the punters:
What re the odds on Ernie Lynch being mistaken for Christine Grahame?
rangers are not my favourite team csc
17:14 on 15 October, 2012
It’s a bit like asking, how you would feel in an independent Ireland where the leader is Paisley.
After Salmonds antics -punting Hearts on official business-constant silence on the issues
affecting Celtic(assaults ,bombs,etc)-pleading for sevco to the taxman-how can you vote snp? its like turkeys votin for xmas
TBB
Is she from Wick too?
Celbridge Celt,
“Scotlands education is actually better because it’s Independant”
I think that was true 2 decades ago. Of course I wasn’t long out of Scottish education 2 decades ago.
BIGbones8867
17:23 on 15 October, 2012
‘The Scottish people can self-determinate these issues when they are free from foreign
influence’
No one anywhere on earth is ‘free from foreign influence’.
Does nationalism make people stupid or does it just attract the stupid?
I have been reading the posts by the worriers who are concerned that Hooper and Wanyama will leave the club in the January transfer window.Now this is only paper talk due to the fact that neither have extended there contract yet the key word being yet I am certain that during negotiations there are many bluffs and counter bluffs before they are done and dusted.Celtic are in a strong position in respect of these two players as we hold there contract and they can only leave in January if Celtic agree to it now in my opinion that sale would have to exceed 20.Million pounds money that could secure Celtics future for many years to come. Players have come and players have gone throughout our history but Celtic have and will continue.The group of quality players we have at the moment did not happen just by chance there has been a programme of bringing in young unkowns and developing them players will move on that has allways been the case but I trust our current strategy and would encourage you to do the same. H.H.
I always give a wee sigh when I hear history and politics debated or argued in terms of black and white.
Independence for Scotland – marginal either way.
On one hand I can appreciate the benefits of a union with a bigger, stronger, neighbouring nation – but don’t tell me that that the bigger, stronger nation doesn’t get reciprocal benefits.
Why were they so keen to get us in the first place and why are they so keen to keep us?
A democratic, (this time), renegotiation of the Act of Union 1707 is where I would head.
After independence.
For those entrenched no argument will ever change the mind on something like the independence vote.
For what its worth I wouldnt trust this country to govern itself. Outside the central belt in Scotland there is almost uniform hostility to catholicism and to Celtic (there are notable exceptions).
If you want proof as to whether you can trust nationalists all you need to do is remember the introduction of the bill last year that introduced the bizzare and orwellian concept of “political sectarianism” in an attempt to criminalise the Celtic support.
Nuff said……
Aston Villa FC have accepted Charles Green’s apology for calling them useless but are still waiting for Sevco’s apology for not warning them about Alex McLeish.
Richard Hughes rode 7 winners out of 8 today.
The best way to get rid of the SNP is to vote for independence. That way we can get a proper Scottish labour party that’s prepared to put forward some proper social policies. That the SNP is the only party demonstrating any level of socialism (deliberate small s) must be remedied.
With the GDP and population of scotland, the only way we could even contemplate an independent Scotland would be if we all paid tax out or backsides.
Nations like Greece and Portugal who ate similar in size to us have a vastly greater GDP and look at the state of them.
Without subsidy for the uk government, which works out percentage wise more than salmons says we could make for ourselves, why does anyone think scotland could possibly prosper?
Does fat salmons forget the royal and the bank of scotland ate scottish banks???
Man is a clown.
SSN reporting Ranger fined £750 and suspended sentence for assaulting two police in Newcastle.
It was Nile Ranger.
I blame the name.