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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lets all do the huddle
Brilliant!
Can someone please pot the video of the ghirls singing ‘Simply The Best’ in the changing room, please?
It’s a belter.
Not ‘pot’…POST.
Fat fingers.
Gene- from listening to Maloney, I don’t think management is for him,not a great CV from Hibs and Wigan
Bada
You’re probably right
Gene.
51 years,thats a celebration.
To occur on double day that kudos Gene
I hope you and family had a great day
HH
Vale bhoy
https://x.com/i/status/2061112657986363805
HH
I,ve just baffled Mrs philcool , I told her that Celtic wummin had beat Sevco hunnies and they even had a man sent off!!
Mind you if i said that sevco wummin had a man sent off she wouldn,t have queried it , lol.
PARKHEADCUMSALFORD on 31ST MAY 2026 4:26 PM
BBC News devoting hours to Arsenal’s tour of North London. One wonders why or maybe not…Can you imagine them doing that for us? Can you imagine Glasgow Council even letting us do it? Even if they did, the Polis would probably put a stop to it.
I’m sure the mayor of London and the Met commissioner will be on tomorrow to complain about the mess, the disruption to business’s, the intimidation of residents etc first thing tomorrow – and say that it was the result of Celtic fans that had infiltrated the celebrations- I’m sure I saw fans on the road, not on the pavements. I’m hearing that some spurs players were punched during it too (Nevin and English say so).
An Tearmann
Thanks.
Better/bigger on the laptop than the phone.
Makes me chuckle.
Sad bastard that I am.
Cheers.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZAjN7ytm6d/?igsh=bzVuMnNlc3RyeWUz
Well played Ghirls
Well played ghirls, superb, I saw a MacGregor among the ranks !
The shortbread commentary team were delighted with the result…not
With the ghirls winning , is that another treble !!
An Tearmann on 31st May 2026 5:31 pm
Vale bhoy
https://x.com/i/status/2061112657986363805
HH
———–
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Wonder how long it’ll take (organisationally) for the penny to drop that they are being trolled and parodied mercilessly …
… and they stop using this “anthem”
I’ll guess 7 years.
Have they still got that silly sign up about being the most successful etc .. ?
Mikel Arteta’s EBT £674,000
across tv and dickie back it was an ebt love in yesterday.
have they no shame.
SAINT STIVS,
Rhetorical question my good Mhan?
Ave Ave
the flag is still up on the lamp post at the pollockshaws roundabout since last week 😄
marvellous
🇮🇪
Moon update! Yup time for another full moon this evening! Second of the Month of May so a “Blue Moon”, and not just over Kentucky, ol Glasgow toon an aw.
Should start to be visible just after sunset rising in the east around 9.45pm
That said some of our resident moonhowlers are way ahead of the game……still intent on attacking the mighty Glasgow Celtic, even after a League & Cup double and a Scottish Cup win by the Ghirls. ….
I’d like to adopt the Lord’s approach, Auldheid even, and forgive them for they know not what they do……
But that’s not me, not the real me…….I Pity The Fools!!!
Top story
Celtic ladies win the Scottish Cup or
Lad who has played 17 mins called into Scotland squad
No prizes for BBC choice
ziggydoc1 on 31st May 2026 5:09 pm
I think Martin will be the manager. Tough gig for someone that age (I’m a few years younger but couldn’t dream of doing a high pressure job now). If it is Martin, you have to hope we will have far better recruitment. I understand and partially agree, with those wanting a younger manager, perhaps with a fresh approach. However, Martin is probably the best manager we’ve ever had, after big Jock.
*fully concur with you there but I actually put James Edward up there as well, as he took a side decimated by WWII which was nearly relegated and built it up signing typical Celtic players, you know the ones that passed through Parkhead gates, won our first double in 40 year plus the St Mungo and Coronations Cups and also “Oh Hampden in the Sun” as well as along with Jimmy Gribben brought Jock up from Wales and when he had to retire had him work with the Kelly Kids some of whom became the Lisbon Lions and then built the side that won our first trophy in almost 8 years with Big Billy’s bumper.
Celtic inflict four year first on Rangers as 741-day trophy drought comes to an end at Hampden
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/celtic/latest-celtic-news/celtic-inflict-four-year-first-on-rangers-as-741-day-trophy-drought-comes-to-an-end-at-hampden-8650095
The sick Scotsman lol
Gene
At first I thought you were pulling a joke, but sadly not, a ridiculous leader by BBC Scotland 😡
Looks like a MO’N type of player but who knows.
https://celtsarehere.com/celtic-transfer-rumour-sinedin-smajlovic/
Moon update! Yup time for another full moon this evening! Second of the Month of May so a “Blue Moon”, and not just over Kentucky, ol Glasgow toon an aw.
—
i will be staring out my window, beer in hand, to see it. 🌚🍺
tonight, the blue moon will see me standing alone.
#TheMarcels
https://gettr.com/post/p40bm9a9241
vale bhoy on 31st May 2026 4:04 pm
An Tearmann I am in complete agreement with you. I heard Tony Benn speaking in the Denny Civic (not Honda, you’ll note) Theatre in Dumbarton (in the 1980s). and he was superb. Not a note in sight and no spin like these useless feckers today…regardless of Party. All chancers.
*when I first come over here there was a public affairs television show called Firing Line, the longest-running public affairs show with a single host in U.S. television history; he was William Frank Buckley Jr. an American conservative writer, public intellectual, political commentator and novelist with an IQ of 150.
One Sunday night he had Tont Benn on his show, it was around the time that thatcher was PM and Buckley was an arch conservative, it was a highly congenial interview until Ton B stated that every OAP in the UK should have a free phone, when Buckley statred to question him Tony gave him all the reasons pretty much what is happening in the world today, fair taxation would pay for every thing, at the William said “ok Tont and I am NOT going to debate with you” I almost fell off my chair as here was one of the most respected pollical commentator in the US not prepared to go head to head with our Tony.
BTW I have no doubt that I would have had family members in the Denny Civic that particular night.
The State We Are In Episode 1: The Elephant in The Room
https://youtu.be/bTppjElxBtc
Interesting….
David Tanner finally breaks his silence as he reacts to a Celtic fan blessing himself at Ibrox
https://videocelts.com/2026/05/blogs/latest-news/tanner-defends-his-claims-about-celtic-fans/
lol
Pat Nevin quits Twitter as Celtic backlash grows
https://videocelts.com/2026/05/features/pat-nevin-quits-twitter-over-celtic-row/
Years ago we played Everton can’t remember if it was Chelsea, in a friendly at Parkhead and the JUNGLE kept singing “NEVIN FOR CELTIC….” to which Pat would turn around and applaud the JUNGLE.
Will he now try and get Celtic fan accounts banned from Twitter – X?
What Lobby is controlling Pat?
Hmmmm.
In all honesty I’ve only ever seen glimpses of the women’s games , I do though check out the scores most weeks. I’m sure the Celtic women had to beat all the top teams to reach and win the final, so well done to them.
Also, most weeks the sevco women are the beneficiaries of a penalty or a sending off or both
Funny that!
Celtic interest in Frosinone forward Fares Ghedjemis ‘hasn’t waned’
https://celticshorts.com/2026/05/celtic-interest-in-frosinone-forward-fares-ghedjemis-hasnt-waned/
Gers back in for striker Ian Ormousdik
Faily Record
🤣
As much as I love MON , I really don’t see how keeping Martin for another year moves us forward.
What happens at the end of next season ?
We need a new younger manager, or someone who is happy to work with the current management team ( difficult ) to take on the role long term.
Note : not S.M.
We should have identified a permanent manager at least 2 months ago………honestly don’t understand how DD has done so well in business by procrastinating on important decisions…… sometimes in life you are just lucky !!!
Who wants to be a lucky billionaire 🇮🇪
Congratulations Mr&MrsmcCowan on your wedding day.
The trolling continues :-))))
https://x.com/i/status/2061164504742772999
HH
Breaking news, rangers sack Danny Rohl and appoint the up and coming Dutch coach Jaiket Von Shooglynail. More to follow.
The sun.