I don’t like playing games when players have transfer or contract business swirling around the dressing room. Give a team an excuse to underperform and they tend to grab it, so I expect a difficult challenge at Easter Road tomorrow. If we want to maintain our unbeaten run and two month old clean sheet record we’ll need to bring our A game.
Neil Lennon’s comments at yesterday’s media conference, about potentially dropping players who plan to leave in the summer, point in this direction. Few manage to perform with an eye on their next gig.
Well done to the new regime at Newco Rangers who used Latin in their stock market announcement yesterday. There was no “ex-gratia” payment to resigning director, Brian Stockbridge, who instead had his contract paid up.
Paying Stockbridge in full is hardly a money saver but with him not around it will sweeten the medicine others will have to take and allow a fresh angle to be pitched to supporters at season ticket renewal time. Let’s hope their manager sticks to his contractual guns.
Daily Record columnist, Chris Sutton, has today made the case for Neil Lennon to leave Celtic and move to England. Nice one, Chris. If you hand around long enough to get to see it all.
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Delaneys Dunky
03:25 on
26 January, 2014
Think she fancied me.
Mebbe.:-)
I married a Latina,pal.
Mexicana.
Can`t wait for the game tonight.
They kicked us off the park last time ……….and now they have Bootcha.
Anticipating a donnybrook
Hopefully.
MacJay
Don’t fret, we will score four today.
Neil Lennon knows that we are Celtic
D.D.
I`ll be watching.
And missing my ain folk.
Loved the chat,pal.
Keep well.
MacJay
GNGB StPaul’s produced good people :)
Delaneys Dunky
04:02 on
26 January, 2014
They did indeed,mate.
I cherish my background and early influences and the joy that comes from re-connection with my roots.Thanks to lads like yourself.
My kids are up to speed on our culture although we live in a distant land.
Their hearts are in the right place.
Best of both worlds.
Ye cannae whack it.
NEIL LENNON would rate an invincible season with Celtic as his greatest managerial achievement.
The Hoops go into today’s Easter Road clash with Hibs unbeaten in 21 games.
Lennon’s rampant side haven’t even CONCEDED a goal in their last nine Premiership matches.
There are 17 fixtures left for the reigning champions as they pursue three in a row. And with every week that passes their dream of a league campaign without loss appears ever more likely.
Asked where it would rank, boss Lennon said: “It would probably be the best thing I’ve ever done.
“I think it’s almost an impossible thing to do. And we are just over the halfway mark — so there is a LONG way to go. Just one bad day and that is it.
“So it’s a real test for us to keep them fit and healthy and keep them at their peak both mentally and physically.
“But we are enjoying that challenge. The unbeaten run is a great incentive for the opposition and for our players.
“It gives an extra edge to each game, which is brilliant. You want to keep that competitive edge to the game and they’re playing very well at the minute.
“They know what’s at stake. We want to build as big a gap as possible between us and the rest — and we’ll treat the Hibs game no differently.
“The clean sheet record as well — not that they need any extra motivation — but it is there if it is needed.”
Celtic have made two signings so far, £2million Norwegian Stefan Johansen and young Icelandic striker Holmbert Fridjonsson.
But Lennon — who could be without James Forrest for today’s game due to a groin strain — admitted: “I’d like to bring one or two in between now and next week’s deadline.”
The Celts boss has sent out a host of his leading prospects on loan.
Striker Bahrudin Atajic has gone to Shrewsbury Town, centre-half Stuart Findlay has joined Morton while attacking midfielder Callum McGregor will stay with Notts County for the rest of the season, as reported by SunSport a fortnight ago.
Dylan McGeouch looks poised for Coventry City while Tom Rogic last week moved to Melbourne.
McGregor is top scorer for County in League One with 12 goals. And Lennon revealed he’s knocked back several cash bids for the 20-year-old.
He said: “I’ve had numerous calls from clubs in England wanting to buy him — so he has done himself no harm.
“But we want to bring him back. He’s enjoying his football and there’s no reason to change that.”
Dud forward Mo Bangura — just back from Elfsborg — is another likely to be sent out on loan again.
Celts are keen on Falkirk defender Stephen Kingsley and had him watched in yesterday’s win over Dundee.
Bairns boss Gary Holt believes the 19-year-old would be a Parkhead hit.
He said: “He has all the attributes to cope in a team of Celtic’s quality and would flourish.”
The Celtic Trust.
Report from Open Meeting 22/1/14
Published on Saturday 25th January, 2014 by Celtic Trust
The meeting, open to all Celtic supporters, was convened by the Celtic Trust and in the absence of the Trust Chairperson who is abroad, it was jointly chaired by Jeanette Findlay, immediate past Chairperson, and Tommy Brannigan Vice-Chairperson of the Trust. An estimated 250 Celtic fans attended the meeting including those who are members of one of the supporters’ organisations and those who do not.
Jeanette opened by welcoming all present and setting out the parameters for the conduct of the meeting ie that some issues had already been suggested but participants would be given the opportunity to raise any further relevant issues
Everyone who wished to do so would be given the opportunity to speak but this would be done in an orderly manner and through the chair.
All contributions would be heard and respected
The meeting agreed to a Twitter feed going out
After full discussion any further proposed action would be put to the meeting for decision.
The following issues were suggested for inclusion on the agenda
Stewarding and policing
The closure of Section 111
Club silence on crucial issues such as the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act
Living Wage issue
Dam Justice
Proper checks for stewards ie PVG or Enhanced Disclosure
European Ticket allocation
The Celtic Board’s position on the SFA.
Present Board and custodians of the Club not being representative of the Support
Closure of the Bus Park.
Catering
It was accepted that it would not be possible to cover all issues at this meeting and that some of the issues raised although important would be better dealt with through the existing supporters’ organisations’ links to the appropriate responsible personnel within Celtic.
The tone of the meeting was immediately set by Eddie Toner who had brought to the meeting the Fair Play Trophy awarded to the Celtic Support by FIFA in 2003. Eddie recalled how, as the then General Secretary of the Celtic Supporters’ Association, he had received this award at FIFA World Player Awards in Switzerland on behalf of Celtic supporters in recognition of the magnificent way they had supported the team all the way to Seville where over 80,000 people had congregated for the final match and had behaved impeccably throughout. Eddie reminded those present that ten years later nothing has changed. We are still the same support welcomed and praised throughout Europe. It is only in this country that things are different and that reflects the bias in Scotland and within Scottish society.
What follows is an attempt to summarise a number of contributions to give a flavour of the meeting and is not meant to be a verbatim account.
Stewarding and Policing
The first issue to be raised concerned the recent actions of stewards and police. The following points were made by a number of speakers:
Police harassment and intimidation has intensified over the past year.
Celtic as a Club is complicit in cooperating with the criminalising of Celtic supporters and has endorsed this process. The claim that heavy-handed policing was at the request/knowledge of Celtic has been made on several occasions by Kenny McAskill MSP to a constituent present at the meeting and can be confirmed by others.
The management of stewards was called into question. It was felt that the heavy handed approach from individual stewards was ordered by the Head of Security and his staff.
It is noticeable that there is a marked difference in the number of police and stewards in the Main Stand as opposed to the other stands in the ground. Why is this the case?
Hypocrisy of Celtic’s stance on ‘political’ emblems and expressions. Supporters are being prevented from wearing scarves with the Green Brigade logo and from taking Irish national flags into the ground. One speaker reported being stopped from entering wearing a scarf commemorating Nelson Mandela while the Club endorsed a tribute to Mandela.
Searches of particularly young supporters by unauthorised personnel. How many stewards do not have PVGs or Disclosures?
Offensive Behaviour at Football (OB) Act
It was felt that much of the above stems directly from this Act. Through this legislation individual police officers now feel able to harass and even arrest supporters for a range of activities which would be perfectly acceptable in any context other than a football match. As previously mentioned stewards are also being used to implement this piece of unjust and discriminatory legislation.
Although Celtic have said privately to representatives of supporter organisations that they have and do oppose the Act they have not stated this position publically despite being urged to do so on many occasions. When an early review of the Act was recently before the Justice Committee at Holyrood the Club were asked to make a statement, or to contact the Justice Committee, supporting this but they declined to do soThe Supporter Liaison Officer also told a group of supporters that the Club intended issuing a statement at this time. This has not been forthcoming strengthening the widespread belief that far from opposing the Club is actually collaborating with the police and authorities in implementing the Act and so criminalising its own support. The Chair indicated that at a meeting between the Trust and officials from Celtic, theCEO and the then Company Secretary statedthat the Club were not aware that legislation was being planned until late summer 2011 but minutes of deliberations at Holyrood reveal that not only did Celtic officials know about the plans by at least early June, they were actively involved in supporting them.
One speaker also highlighted how quick Peter Lawwell was to condemn Celtic fans often without any basis in fact. Is this to curry favour with a press and media who are never going to be on Celtic’s side whatever happens?
Another speaker made reference to the enormous power now wielded by the Chief Constable of Police Scotland Stephen House. It would appear that the Scottish Government has abrogated its responsibility and allowed this man free rein to do as he pleases.
All of this needs to be challenged.
Match at Motherwell on 6th December 2013
The aftermath of this event has been widely reported in the press and media and several speakers regretted the fact that some Celtic supporters are still willing to believe everything they read in the tabloid press which is noted for their anti-Celtic slant. Several speakers spoke about their experiences at that match. Fans were denied access to the areas for which they had tickets and were herded into other areas of the stands. Aggressive behaviour from police and stewards and heavy presence of both was evident before and after the game but when flares were thrown and seats broken there were no police or stewards present. It is generally accepted that seats are damaged at many grounds but that the practice has been for Clubs not to publicise this but sort it out internally and between themselves as Celtic and Aberdeen had done after many seats at the section housing Aberdeen supporters had been damaged on 23rd November. One speaker said that Motherwell FC expected this to happen in this case but that Celtic had insisted on going public. It was felt that this was one more example of Celtic targeting our own support and that they had a definite motive for doing so ie the closure of Section 111 and the demonising of the Green Brigade.
After the match Celtic suspended the Season Books of 128 supporters including some members of the Green Brigade who were widely blamed for the trouble. However the letters giving notice of suspension could only cite the fact that the recipient had not been seated on the seat noted on the ticket held. That these supporters were suspended was widely reported on the Celtic website and in the press but when the suspensions were quickly rescinded no such reports appeared. It was decided to compile a report of incidents which people experienced or saw on that night with as much detail as possible along the lines of the reports drawn up after the kettlling by police in the Gallowgate in March and the more recent incidents in Amsterdam. Anyone who has any relevant information on this is urged to contact Alan Cochrane at alan.cochrane2@ntlword.com
Political Banners and the closure of Section
The banners which had been shown at the both the games on 23rd November and that vs AC Milan on 26th November came about because a section of the Celtic support were being harassed, and arrested from their homes, sometimes in the early morning, for nothing more than singing a song.
As these actions were obviously politically motivated and given that Celtic had not denounced them as promised, the Green Brigade felt that they were justified in using these banners to draw attention to the intimidation being experienced by Celtic fans.
The speed with which Celtic accepted the UEFA ruling and fine and moved to close Section 111 troubled many fans. They felt that Celtic had ample grounds to highlight UEFA’s inconsistent and hypocritical response to similar situations in other countries. It was also doubly ironic that while fining Celtic because our fans displayed a banner portraying two freedom fighters UEFA issued a decree that Nelson Mandela also a freedom fighter had to be honoured at all European matches that same week.
Those seated in Section 111 received letters saying that the section was being closed and offering either relocation or a refund of the unexpired portion of their season tickets. Supporters seeking an explanation are still awaiting replies.
The statement issued by the Club on 9th December is very misleading and has never been corrected. Police Scotland have now arrested a number of young persons all from the same area in Lanarkshire but this is apparently in connection with disorder after the game at Fir Park. While it is unclear if these young people are actually Celtic fans what is certain is that no member of the Green Brigade has been arrested regarding this yet the Club have punished this group for the sins of others.
As the time was wearing on brief reports were given on some topics (Amsterdam, Living Wage, FAC) while it was decided to remit others to the next meeting so that there would be time to discuss strategies for the future action
Discussion of Action points
There was considerable support for a boycott of both away and home games and much discussion around this. Those in favour felt that the only way to highlight the harassment and intimidation of supporters using the OBF/Act was to hit Clubs where it hurt ie in the pocket. Since many Clubs now rely solely on the two matches against Celtic for a large part of their income it was felt that losing this would encourage their officials to lobby the Government for a review of this legislation. It was also felt that regrettably this was the only language the Board of Celtic plc also know. Some speakers drew attention to what was termed the existing unofficial boycott evidenced by the many empty seats at Celtic Park not only in the section of the upper Lisbon Lions stand but also those who are just not using season tickets and are unlikely to renew them for next year. It was felt that there was a window of opportunity between now and the season ticket renewal date to make our points.
The possibility of holding one or more demonstrations outside Celtic Park was also discussed and found favour with many.
Others at the meeting felt that while they would support such boycotts in the long term there were steps which could be taken prior to this action and which would give the Club time to respond to and hopefully address the expressed concerns of supporters. After full discussion the following was agreed:
Peter Lawwell as CEO of Celtic would be asked to respond to a number of questions on the points raised during the meeting. He will be asked to respond in writing. These questions would be posed in writing but the officers of the supporters groups were also authorised to meet with Celtic officials if this was considered to be useful.
A leaflet listing the concerns to be distributed to the wider support was suggested and is being considered.As previously mentioned a full report of the events at Fir Park Motherwell will be compiled.
It was also felt that we had allowed the press and media to dictate the agenda on matters concerning Celtic and that of course this was always going to be detrimental to our Club. It is time we started fighting back and this report could begin that process.
A further meeting would be held in two weeks’ time on Wednesday 5th February the business of which will be to receive the responses from Peter Lawwell and in the light of those to decide on any further action.
NEIL LENNON has revealed that he has no idea if he’ll ever see Celtic play Rangers, writes JOE McHUGH.
The Hoops are on course for a third consecutive title with little in the way of competition in the SPFL following the liquidation of Rangers in 2012.
Fears about the future of the new Rangers were intensified last week when Chief Executive Graham Wallace had his proposal for a 15% wage cut rejected by the first team squad.
The Ibrox club are believed to be losing £1m per month with some analysts predicting that they could be in administration before the season is out.
As a player and manager Lennon was in the thick of the action when the big two clashed and while admitting that he misses the intensity of the rivalry he’s unsure if the he’ll ever face square up to Ally McCoist again. “I don’t know when they’ll be back and I don’t know in what form they’ll be back,” the Celtic boss said. “They’re having problems at the minute.
“For the competition and to have an edge it would help to have the two big clubs competing against each other.
“It was one of the great selling point in the game in terms of attracting players to Scotland, it’s one of the biggest derbies in world football. You miss the energy and competitiveness of that match, the interest that it generates,” the Bhoys boss said ahead of Sunday’s Scottish Premiership clash at Hibernian.
The Celtic boss is well aware of the situation, last week he was being mentioned as a future manager of Norwich but takes the speculation in his stride. “I have a big job here which is challenging and exciting,” he added. “I have a brilliant set up at Celtic and the club is moving in the right direction. It’s flattering to be linked with other clubs but I’m at already at a great club.”
Two goals from Tony Watt helped Lierse to a valuable 4-3 win away to Kortrijk tonight.
The on-loan striker scored a 23rd minute equalised for Stanley Menzo’s side then increased their lead seven minutes after the break after Rachid Bourabia had put the visitors ahead two minutes after Watt’s equaliser.
Kortrijk had started the match 11 points ahead of Lierse but with a crucial away win Watt and his team-mates are getting closer to mid-table safety.
Midway through the second half Kortrijk pulled a goal back but 15 minutes from time Bourabia scored again to secure an away win.
Watt spend some time training with Celtic during the Belgian winter break but returned to Lierse after talks with Neil Lennon.
With four goals in his last three appearances his stock is rising by the game as he adjusts to life away from the comforts of Celtic Park.
While Watt was helping his side to victory it was a less successful day for some of Celtic’s other loan stars.
Callum McGregor scored from a free-kick on his return to Notts County but it provided little in the way of consolation with Walsall running out 5-1 victors.
Bahrudin Atajic managed just two minutes as a late substitute in Shrewsbury’s 3-1 defeat away to Swindon which leaves the club third bottom of League One.
Paul George was a 50th minute substitute for Hamilton Accies with the team trailing Cowdenbeath by four goals to nil.
The Irishman helped his new club pull three goals back, including a penalty from James Keatings, but the home side were unable to snatch a point.
In the SPFL Premiership Jackson Irvine helped Kilmarnock to a 2-0 win over Inverness Caley Thistle which takes the Ayrshire side to just three points behind Hibs in eighth place.
A clean sheet today would take big Fra to 855 minutes without conceding in the league and closer to that world record of Van der Sar. Huge ask of course, but hey, at 765 minutes so far, he is 58 percent of the way there! Let’s hope that increases to 65percent after today.
The record is 1311 minutes. Call me cynical, but I can envisage a dodgy penalty being given against us in the 1310th minute :-))
Twisty
5-42
Interesting quote from Lenny re the unbeaten run
Many in here would have had you believe that the desire to achieve an unbeaten league season was a media construct
Whereas , in reality it is clearly at the forefront of our managers thinking
Not that it wasn’t obvious
PF
To be honest, I hadn’t considered that Lenny would have seen it as such a huge achievement. Whilst I agree it would be commendable, it will quickly be forgotten about if we miss out on CL qualification in the summer. There looks to be a fair chance we are going to end this window without our striker in place……and that comment will still be valid if we sign Griffiths.
Twists
Buying Griffiths is bonkers whilst players like Watt and Atajic are out on loan ….they return and another moderate player is ahead of them
According to Lenny we can afford £6m for a striker ….£4/5m for Snodgrass ……very unguarded statements when we appear to have little intention of spending such amounts
PF
He was an unused sub yesterday v Bristol. Wolves are trying to sign Leon Clarke from Coventry for £1m.
No disrespect to Neil Lennon, who I support as manager of our club, but an unbeaten run is hardly a feckin treble. Smoke, mirrors and bollocks. That is what it is. This is the SPFL. Not feckin La Liga. Get a grip NL and look to achieve only what the great Celtic Managers have achieved. Feckin unbeaten run bollocks.
Right. Off to downgrade my percentage support for NL.
MWD
Twisty
Get anything in the gee gees yesterday?? I got stuffed
And
Had that Scunthorpe carry on to cap off a miserable day ……four timer .. Three in … Scunthorpe ( who had been leading 3-0) game suspended ( originally reported as abandoned) with 5 to go score at 3-2 ….game restated after 10 min delay ..played in a storm ….ended 3-3… Done me for £200
MWD
An unbeaten run in a one horse race ….or …not getting beat by Morton in the LC ?
Our domestic cup record of late isn’t very good ..
PF
Snodgrass, McCormack, Rhodes, Ings, Austen, LeFondre, would all be better targets in my opinion. Snood grass would cost £5m or so, the rest could be picked up for less if they were allowed to leave their respective clubs.
MWD
Glad to see yer still alive and well and moaning like fekkk:-))
PF
I was out all day so just had 3 on. 1 win, 1 place, 1 down.
Got home at 4 pm, and made a right few quid betting the ” live in play” football, but better not tell you on which game I made most of it:-). I’ll get sine die from here……
PFayr
Exactly! It is just a means to steer the focus of the support away from the failures. Maybe we could claim it as an unprecedented treble. I’d prefer to hear our manager speak about focussing on going through the SC campaign unbeaten than a league campaign won out of sight by Halloween.
NL will have failed as manager if he cannot bring a treble. Especially so in the current climate. Any Celtic supporter who yhinks differently has obviously had their expectations managed brilliantly well by our club.
All just my opinion of course.
I am becoming so disenfranchised with so many aspects of our club that I am seriously considering giving up my season book next year. Not as if I can’t pick and choose games now.
MWD
Moonb & pfayr….
Steady bhoys!
At no point did NL suggest being unbeaten was better than a treble nor that he was happy with our overall cup record. (V much doubt any Celtic manager is/was happy with our LC record!).
We are where we are this season.
NL is where he is in his managerial career.
To go unbeaten would be great IMO and a fine achievement that would find its place within Celtic folk lore.
If it gives the players a bit of an edge I’m all for it.
When we do get beat there’ll be enough on here willing to be critical about it!
HH
Twisty
Aye! Have an occassional peek in but too many bawbags on here for my liking now-a-days. Don’t need the stress fighting wae them.
MWD
Peeked in and popping back oot.
Hail! Hail!
MWD
Twisty
At 3-2 I tried to get a saver bet on D&R …couldn’t get it
Did you get a bet on that one ??
Justafan
Your opinion is your own
At no time did either myself or MWD suggest it was better than a treble
You looking to have cross words by manufacturing comment ?
Perhaps stick to what I write not what you think I have written
MWD
I’m a season or two ahead of you re disgruntlement
You know my gripes …..
IMO ….if guys like you give up their ST …there will be big trouble ahead
I really really can’t get my head around the Leigh Griffiths rumour.
He’s a decent striker and would probably score goals for us in the SPFL…..but would he score in the Champions League?? I highly doubt it.
To me he is very similar to Stokes….a decent SPFL striker…..we don’t need anymore of those!! We have Pukki and Balde who should improve in the second half of the season. We also have Watt now banging in goals in Belgium…..and that’s before you look at Fridjohnsson or Atajic.
We absolutely need a QUALITY striker……but if we can’t get one in this window keep the money and try again in the summer. Absolutely no point in buying a short term fix.
PF
No, I didn’t get on that one, I was concentrating on 4 in particular. Man city when 2 down on hcap betting, minus 1 ( effectively put them 3 down) went 8/1 to win, Wigan were level when I bet them, 7/2 with 15 mins left, Swansea 5/2 with half an hour left, and the game I won’t talk about even though I made some cash on it. :-))
Twisty
Thats bad behaviour …necrophilia ….. Tut tut
Twisty
Btw
Yesterday was the first game in two or three that I didn’t bet thems to get a penalty
At 2-1 down it was a stick on
pfayr..
Er…yup my opinion is my own!
I think I’m right that moonb mentioned an unbeaten run was “hardly a feckin treble” and you were unhappy about our cup record. The jusxta position seemed to imply (to me) an indication that NL was suggesting it as acceptable substitute.
If you don’t accept that analysis that’s fine but don’t know why you feel the need to be a bit short with me.
Certainly not trying to manufacture anything other than a point of view.
HH
naillo83…
Did you think Gary would be up to scoring in CL when he signed?
PF
Ach ah ken, but it was a stick on the mib effect would kick in.
Think we will win by 2 today. Hibs will be cautious at the back after conceding 3 early doors last week, so I guess it’ll take us half an hour to get the opener. Once we do, and they open up a wee bit, we’ll kill em off.
PF
I guess if hibs do pack the defence, Lenny will have us using width to open them up, so, if the wide players get the crosses in, Virgil and Charlie might be good bets to score.
Virgil is 20/1 first goal and 7/1 to score anytime. Charlie is 10/1 1st goal, 16/5 anytime.
I should back Hibs today. If my luck is as good as yesterday that will guarantee three points for THE HOOOOOPS!
Twisty
Defo be trying both
Kris will score first tho ….it’s what he does !
Morning all.
Just come across an interesting quote from a Belgian pro league official:
“Clubs have chosen to invest in youth rather than bring in third-rate players from other countries.’. !!!
Celtic take note?!
HH!!