Martin O’Neill’s first time in charge of Celtic got off to a flyer, but we hit a bumpy patch in November 2000. Rangers extracted significant revenge for their 6-2 defeat at Celtic Park earlier in the season, beating O’Neill’s team 5-1 at Ibrox. What made it worse, was that David Murray had splashed £12m on Tore Andre Flo three days earlier, with the Norwegian scoring on his debut. 26 years later, Flo is still the most expensive signing in Scottish football history (we could talk all night about that one).
‘The past is a foreign country’ and for anyone below the age of 40 it will be difficult to understand just how overwhelming Rangers ability to spend their way to success was for Celtic fans. It was reckless, sure, but Celtic were also overspending during this period, just so dangerously and not enough to follow the lemming over the cliff. Rangers were still 12 years from liquidation, with no guarantee that some structural change to income would not come to their rescue.
In that context, our next game was away to Hibernian, which ended in a 0-0 draw. 5 points dropped in two games, our early season hopes were significantly dented. Post-match at Easter Road, Martin O’Neill was pragmatic, “It was important not to lose the game”. That comment stuck with me, as it felt to me that it was important to win the game, dropping another two points just piled on the misery.
Martin knew that defeats compound. One loss makes the next game more likely to result in the same outcome. Even a hard fought draw allows a manager to look his players in the eye after the game and contain the damage.
That sentiment came back to me twice in recent weeks. When Dundee levelled Benjamin Nygren’s opener at Dens in April, the pressure felt overwhelming. We had suffered defeat to Dundee United on the same street one week earlier and title credentials were hanging by a thread.
Martin O’Neill contains the squad’s anxiety, “It’s important take something from the game”, helps players a whole lot more than that unhelpful idea football people often pretend is true, “Winning is a must”. We could have done with some of this thinking in season 2020-21.
The other time I thought back to Martin’s comments that day at Easter Road was when watching Hearts play Newco earlier this month. Danny Rohl’s side had lost the previous week to Motherwell and were full of “five cup finals” chat. Winning at Hearts felt like an absolute, whereas a draw would have left them with a sporting chance of the title. Instead, defeats compounded. Celtic remained calm at Dens in April, with Kelechi Iheanacho scoring the winner 8 minutes from time. Martin’s psychological containment played its part.
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Hi
those two games against the rangers and hearts ……………….
SOLD OUT, MAXIMUM AWAY SUPPORT FOR BOTH GAMES.
Segregation for Rangers less than 286 unused seats as the buffer.
Segregation for the Hearts game – less than 200 seats.
Hundreds with fistfuls of cash outsode trying to secure a ticket.
Hundreds in the car park during the game, just waiting.
Capacity is 60,441.
Sold out mind you, ……………….. what have Celtic finally published (Hampden managed to do it in game last weekend) as the official attendances ?
And whyt does it bother you saint stivs I hear all the time, simply any empty seat, while there are supporters wanting that seat, is a failure. Systematic of an organisation that just doesnt try to hard.
HH troops.
What is this weekend thing all about?
“Rangers were still 12 years from liquidation”
————–
Rangers were liquidated? Crikey, you would never know it…….
Sorry to bring this up but it really gets to me, especially as it’s a tax funded organisation, not for me thankfully but for so many readings these pages. Bastion of truth and impartiality? You’re having a laugh!
“‘Fan violence in football shrugged off,’ says Police Chief.” That’s the BBC Scotland headline. And to illustrate it, they’ve chosen a photo from the final Celtic v Hearts game showing Celtic fans celebrating on the pitch—arms aloft, players milling about looking dejected. Not exactly a scene of ‘fan violence.’
Curious editorial choice, that. Especially when, only a few weeks earlier, there was both photographic and video evidence from Ibrox of hundreds of masked individuals on the pitch, with some clearly engaging in confrontations with police and stewards.
Yet somehow that didn’t make the cut as the defining image for a story about fan violence. Funny how these things work.
Answers on a postcard…
dessybhoy on 29th May 2026 11:30 am
AH
Are you sending all these board suggestions on behalf on someone or yourself? Phone call apart, I believe Celtic plc under the leadership and would appear to some ownership of Desmond, have no interest in improving anything, they want as much money as they can create, hoard it, pay costs including Corporation Tax spend as little as is possible on transfers and repeat . If my summary is correct they will change nothing with the statement from Jnr testament to what they think of some of the supporters, supporters they recognised late in the season they had to have back in the stadium. Good luck to you though .
Correct
https://youtu.be/m6Ojq7VouQs?feature=shared
Rat Nevin lying at CP…..
McPhail Bhoy on 29th May 2026 12:21 pm
Sorry to bring this up but it really gets to me, especially as it’s a tax funded organisation, not for me thankfully but for so many readings these pages. Bastion of truth and impartiality? You’re having a laugh!
“‘Fan violence in football shrugged off,’ says Police Chief.” That’s the BBC Scotland headline. And to illustrate it, they’ve chosen a photo from the final Celtic v Hearts game showing Celtic fans celebrating on the pitch—arms aloft, players milling about looking dejected. Not exactly a scene of ‘fan violence.’
Curious editorial choice, that. Especially when, only a few weeks earlier, there was both photographic and video evidence from Ibrox of hundreds of masked individuals on the pitch, with some clearly engaging in confrontations with police and stewards.
Yet somehow that didn’t make the cut as the defining image for a story about fan violence. Funny how these things work.
Answers on a postcard…
____
STV sports, last night, were talking about controversial VAR decisions, with Maxwell. They showed two clips, our penalty against Motherwell and the Johnston tackle on the Sevco player. Yet our illustrious leaders choose to ban our fan media.
“ What made it worse, was that David Murray had splashed £12m on Tore Andre Flo three days earlier”, which is equivalent to £23,416,912 in today’s money😂
the Bada Bing on 29th May 2026 12:43 pm
https://youtu.be/m6Ojq7VouQs?feature=shared
Rat Nevin lying at CP…._____
“Two or three have punched him”, firstly, it’s either two or three, if he saw it. Where is the video evidence of what wee (I’m really clever) Pat claims? We should be taking legal action against a few people.
Jimmy Johnstone tribute BBC ALBA 9.35pm
Paul
Good article . Psychology is a key skill Martin has . If Danny Rohl or McInness had even a tenth as much their teams might not have crumbled at the critical time .
The run in must have been incredibly intense and taxing for Martin and I just wonder if he has enough in the tank for the permanent job .
Martin O’Neil knew what he was up against in that game v Hibs after we’d been beat 5-1 at ibrox. I can’t recall who the match fixers were that night but at some point in the game a Hibs player ran on to a ball played forward & was bearing down on our goal, obviously offside but no flag was raised, Martin sprinted 20 yards or so up the touchline & remonstrated with the linesman, then & only then was it correctly called offside.
Martin knows how they operate. Recently when we were 3-1 up against Sevco with 20 odd minutes to go, Nick Walsh like the rest of the match fixing clique does, utilised the only powers left to him to try & affect the outcome by issuing 5 or 6 yellow cards to Celtic players in 20mins whilst every challenge or tackle was a free kick to Sevco.
The data from numerous games especially at Celtic Park reinforces how they operate, we have more possession, more attacking, more shots on goal, more touches in the opposition box etc etc yet by the end of the game we have more fouls against us & more yellow cards consistently.
Martin O’Neils phone call to one Willie Collum sometime after the recent Hibs game when the clique couldn’t bring themselves to disallow the Hibs goal for a blatant handball or award a penalty for the blatant 2 handed push on Nygren is what imo gave us a chance. There’s a lot of money at stake in this industry if you qualify for the CL, so the cliques tactics ran the risk of being blown open by a corruption scandal the SFA can’t afford. It was very clever of Martin to release to the media that he’d previously called Collum, on the morning of the upcoming Motherwell v Hearts game that night.
Martin fundamentally restricted & reduced the cliques wriggle room to cheat & ensure a Hearts title win & it tipped Boyd McInnes et al over the edge completely when VAR intervened at the end & the clique, tails firmly between their legs, had to award us a penalty. I often wonder if Boyd McInnes Beaton Dickinson Walsh etc etc are in a group chat or do they just share a few pints & a blether. They must think we’re pheqin stupid,
God bless you Martin.
Ziggydoc 1
I just don’t understand the clear lack of media engagement our club has adopted. I don’t want to turn us in to Statement FC but there are times, and these are times when they need to act. Firstly call out falsehoods (lies) ask for the ahem falsehoods to be corrected on air and in print otherwise threaten legal action and also suspend all media privileges for both the individuals involved and their parent company and let the world know why. A suggestion, made by many on here, is that we do not cooperate with their Glasgow based subsidiaries, (Hun infested) but will work with the BBC nationally.
MCPHAIL BHOY on 29TH MAY 2026 12:21 PM
Sorry to bring this up but it really gets to me, especially as it’s a tax funded organisation, not for me thankfully but for so many readings these pages. Bastion of truth and impartiality? You’re having a laugh!
“‘Fan violence in football shrugged off,’ says Police Chief.” That’s the BBC Scotland headline. And to illustrate it, they’ve chosen a photo from the final Celtic v Hearts game showing Celtic fans celebrating on the pitch—arms aloft, players milling about looking dejected. Not exactly a scene of ‘fan violence.’
Curious editorial choice, that. Especially when, only a few weeks earlier, there was both photographic and video evidence from Ibrox of hundreds of masked individuals on the pitch, with some clearly engaging in confrontations with police and stewards.
Yet somehow that didn’t make the cut as the defining image for a story about fan violence. Funny how these things work.
Answers on a postcard…
———-
I can give you the answer on the back of a postage stamp.
The BBC seems to me to operate on one basic tenet:-
“ABC”
GALLAGHER on 29TH MAY 2026 1:20 PM
Great points
McPhail Bhoy on 29th May 2026 1:23 pm
Ziggydoc 1
I just don’t understand the clear lack…
___
There’s been a frenzy since the Hearts game. No supporter should be on the pitch (a selfish act) and there certainly shouldn’t have been goading of Hearts’ staff. I think if there was any real assault, it would have surfaced. It’s only been left to Martin, to form any sort of response.
The Long Wait is Over
It was ever thus, but that does not mean it always has to be. We are not and never will be the establishment club and we don’t want to be. But that mindset, ABC in 2026 is incredible but not surprising. We have the tools at our disposal, we are a large, successful Club and business and we surely can afford some legal representation to set the record straight. Not bend it or twist it just set it straight.
dessybhoy on 29th May 2026 11:30 am
Either as a reprentative of shareholders or as a consequence of such.
The point is I got listened to by being sensible.
Will elaborate when I get home.
ziggydoc1 on 29th May 2026 12:51 pm
McPhail Bhoy on 29th May 2026 12:21 pm
You both make good points on BBC and STV. The fan violence claim is shocking. If they want to talk about a few eejits throwing bottles at the Trongate that’s one thing. There was no violence at Celtic Park. The police have confirmed no complaints.
And as for dodgy VAR, we could line up countless decisions that were much more questionable than the pen we got at Fir Park, starting with the push on Maeda in the same game and the handball assisted goal at Hibs.
Part of me is endlessly unfuriated by the media and by our club’s failure to speak out. Part of me also sees this for what it is – desperate pain at our success. But as for the BBC, I am not willing to be taxed by bigots, and so have given up my Beeb licence fee. They can come after me if they want.
on to a completely different subject.
did anyone see a chappy walking about the cathcart end of hampden with a lovely parrot ?
the Bada Bing on 29th May 2026 12:26 pm
dessybhoy on 29th May 2026 11:30 am
AH
Are you sending all these board suggestions on behalf on someone or yourself? Phone call apart, I believe Celtic plc under the leadership and would appear to some ownership of Desmond, have no interest in improving anything, they want as much money as they can create, hoard it, pay costs including Corporation Tax spend as little as is possible on transfers and repeat . If my summary is correct they will change nothing with the statement from Jnr testament to what they think of some of the supporters, supporters they recognised late in the season they had to have back in the stadium. Good luck to you though
Correct
===
As I replied to Dessyboy I was either representing a group of shareholders or acting as an individual shareholder using a facility for all shareholders to use that was the result of pursuing another matter on behalf of shareholders.
That very few shareholders have used it since its introduction at 2022 AGM is not down to me.
I suggest you be careful of making any insinuations that I have acted incorrectly in any way.
The shareholders I represented will put you right although I will be more than happy to attempt that on a more conducive platform like a pub. :)
DEAD BUDGIE FOR SALE ——- NOT GOING CHEAP
Martin’s towering strength is his leadership.
More than his management.
More again than his coaching.
These young whippersnapper managers have been immersed in process & data (which have their role) to the exclusion of almost everything else.
Martin was interviewed after the cup final (can’t recall by who) during which he (borderline scornfully) talked about football managers who go on about “philosophy”
His philosophy is “to win football matches”.
(His quote)
One of my favourite business quotes …
(there are tonnes of these kicking around, many of which are just bull5h1t philosophy invented by psuedo intellectual no marks who’ve never delivered an outcome in their life)
… often attributed to Henry Ford
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast”
Gallagher @ 1:20pm
Really good shout about Easter Road.
The linesman raised his flag … then lowered it after a few seconds … and followed play.
Martin’s reaction looked intentionally theatrical (from memory it was more than 20 yards 😁) but intended to influence an outcome which it did.
BTW – a BBC hire, discussing this post match said “I thought it was embarrassing” (accurate quote)
His name was (is) Gordon Duffield Smith.
A serial dissolver of companies, declared bankrupt in 2013.
https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/BzqYEoKblHJCdjp4zyeLuxj8rqg/appointments
Auldheid- for clarity,I was agreeing with the points made,not trying to get involved in a wee crossfire there
The most ludicrous of the crazy conspiracy theories being promulgated by fans of R2angers and Hearts is that Andrew Dallas is part of some SFA cheating to give Celtic the title
Below is Andrews father doing his best to give the family beloved team the title
The penalty award is Laughable as Vidmar throws himself backwards to cheat for a penalty, or did he know he could get one ?
All sanctions day the SFA
https://x.com/Paidallthebills/status/2059922428080292024?s=20
I was there that night, In 1999
Did Dallas
deserve to get hit on the head with a coin? 💯 NO
Was his performance as referee that night, the most one sided I’ve ever witnessed?
Putting it mildly. It was fcking disgraceful
Going forward we have to as a fanbase to get pro active and smart
A campaign should be initiated by the club and endorsed by all Supporters Orgs
Stay in the Stands
No more pitch invasions, no gifts to our enemies
Starve our enemies of our cash
Don’t buy the rags, Don’t tune in to phone ins ETC
July 2025
Liverpool are super smart with transfers
(Including obligatory statements of the bleeding obvious from the goto rent-a-gob football finance expert)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c8xv2rndzj7o#:~:text=%22They've%20still%20got%20plenty,be%20spread%20over%20multiple%20seasons.%22
May 2026
Er … not quite so smart
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cx21dqd7j01o
Bandwagons.
Dontcha-Just-Love-Em?
Scunnered for Jota among all the celebrations this past 13 days.
Worried we might never see him again or if we do, it will be John Kennedy mark II.
Rough
the Bada Bing on 29th May 2026 2:33 pm
Auldheid- for clarity,I was agreeing with the points made,not trying to get involved in a wee crossfire there
===
I get that and my invitation to meet in a pub was not a threat but an invite tto hear stuff that BSR will confirm is worth the time.
Well he thoutht so lol.
Gallagher
I completely agree that MON has taken on the officials well towards the end of this season, but it shouldn’t just be left to him. We have the resources to analyse every game thoroughly and highlight mistakes and gross inconsistencies. A report should be sent to the SFA after each game where we find said mistakes/inconsistencies. A well run club with our resources would use its weight when it is justified.
We should also be controlling the narrative. As soon as the Motherwell game was finished we should have issued an official complaint about no penalty for the assault on Maeda by the goalkeeper. We should have made this the story right off the bat, adding it to the two atrocious decisions against Hibs. Instead, we have allowed the BBC and others to push the line that we receive favourable treatment.
Some argue it is better to say nothing. I can see some logic in this, but when the whole football establishment is trying to prevent – and if they can’t prevent, denigrate – our success, we need to be more robust.
Bhoys Town on 29th May 2026 4:08 pm
Gallagher
I completely agree that MON has taken on the officials well towards the end of this season, but it shouldn’t just be left to him. We have the resources to analyse every game thoroughly and highlight mistakes and gross inconsistencies. A report should be sent to the SFA after each game where we find said mistakes/inconsistencies. A well run club with our resources would use its weight when it is justified.
*We did, he was called Peter Lawwell, and we was despised by those who hate us, so when he decided to leave DD kept him on mainly to be our voice in Europe and it seems he has done so well there that UEFA are keeping him on in an advisory role.
Reminds me of an old saying my Connemara granny used to say “be careful for what you wish for”
Auldheid- deal
Bada
Thanks for sharing the Nevin commentary.
He really is a vile bitter wee guy. Worse than McCann in my view.
Celtic really should be asking bbc exactly where the evidence for his misrepresentations is and if none exists then the corporation should provide a full apology.
Ironically the period of 20 minutes prior to the but you shared are about the best radio commentary in any Celtic game I have ever heard since KoK scored in Porto v Boavista.
Taurangabhoy on 29th May 2026 6:32 am
There is a narrative that BR was a great coach, never heard anyone say he had an eye for a player. His play was to take on teams with existing good players and make them winners. Teams all seemed to deteriorate when he started on his own transfers. He didn’t get a lot out of £30 Million so maybe more like sausage roll than big Ange. When the last of Ange’s bhoys move on the next manager really will need an eye for a player, and coach some new young talent.
*I believe that was to be Shaun’s role but he had to be reallocated to support MOM who in his role before was rarely seen on the training pitch, in fact I believe that it was Shaun who brought in Fozzie and Mick to supplement him in the coaching side.
As for your comment about BR and coaching established players, well that’s why he has always been a short term manager, check his other clubs on Wiki, when he left us earlier this last season there were comments on the MSM about mibbees moving back down south again, 2 of his former clubs supporters said to keep him away fae Anfield and King Power Stadium, says it all for me.
And if you read what Auldheid and Burnley 78 write, nowhere do they say he wisnae initially a good coach and neither do I in fact he was a great coach but he’s nae Sir Furious, Pep or God forbid Jock as he has nae sustainability.
In fact I would place in my lifetime Jock, James Edward who built Jock’s side for him, MON, Big Billy, Tommy Burns, Davie Hay, WGS and Lenny who rescued the team when he did his first walkabout, above him only for the scheidt they all had to go through when leading our club while he was up against nobody.
The earlier chat regarding Wee Sneaky Nevin was interesting…..I know for a fact he tells lies
It was about the chat about how he now supports Hibs because of celtic fans singing. ‘IRA’ songs and having to explain to his son !!
Well if its the son I know ( not saying how I know/knew him) of …he certainly wouldn’t know what wee Sneaky was on about as he had quite bad learning disabilities……I thought at the time it was horrible for him to use his son like that…..Sneaky
LIONROARS67 on 29TH MAY 2026 5:57 PM
https://x.com/jhnmcgnly/status/2060396061282177287?s=20
ohn McGinley@jhnmcgnly
“Hits the hand”, “his hand is up in an unnatural position”, “his arm is above shoulder height”.
This is a pretty bog standard penalty decision that few people would care about if it happened in October.
Sky Sports Scotland@ScotlandSky
▶️ Take a look at the VAR check that saw Celtic awarded a late penalty at Motherwell for handball.
At 6pm on @SkyFootball watch Scottish Football VAR Review to hear what the SFA’s head of refereeing Willie Collum made of it
What was all the fusss about…………………….Stonewaller
Good to catch up with so many old friends in The Shipbank today.
Just Magic,
HH