The moment Scott Brown threw himself into a challenge on the edge of his own penalty area, laser-like in precision, to dispossess Barry Robson, brought the memories flooding back. Barry was regarded by many as a journeyman when he signed for Celtic alongside Georgios Samaras in January 2008. A month later he scored against Barcelona in the Champions League knock out stage and was well on the way to convincing the Celtic support of his ability.
At the time, Scott Brown’s fortunes were different. He’d arrived the previous summer, a £4m buy from Hibs, but had yet to acclimatise to the central midfield role at Celtic. In the spring of 2008, Celtic were well behind in the title race, and playing poorly. Robson was on the bench with Brown given midfield responsibility.
The script for that season was written by a gifted hand. As the season reached a climax, Scott was suspended for three games, punishment for a rash of misjudged tackles throughout the season. Gordon Strachan turned to Barry, who was made for the moment.
Seven years ago Barry Robson could tackle, in fact, he could foul, without being noticed. He brought determination and menace to a team which was questioned in the CQN comments section for an apparent lack of leadership.
Two of our last five league games that season were at Celtic Park against Rangers. Rangers had a games in hand but the effective gap was 10 points, Celtic needed five wins, and even then their chances of winning the league were regarded as remote. Towels were thrown everywhere.
The first, a midweek game, memorably started with Barry Robson putting a thumping challenge into Christian Dailly in the opening minutes. The tone was set, Celtic were there to fight for everything. Rangers thought they had the point they needed, their manager offering high-fives in the technical area as they cleared the ball late into added time.
I still can’t quite believe what happened next. In the 95th minute Gary Caldwell threw a long ball into the Rangers box, which was won in the air by Scott McDonald, the smallest player on the field. McDonald headed across the face of goal for Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink to head into the net. Celtic survived to fight another day.
11 days later Celtic Park saw an equally dramatic game. Scott McDonald (scorer of incredibly important goals) put Celtic ahead but the season looked to be in tatters as Rangers struck back with two goals direct from corner kicks.
1-2 down in a must-win game it was an uphill struggle, but McDonald struck again two minutes from the break to level the game with the assistance of a deflection. The second half was a tense affair, so much was invested in one game of football, but one man was made for the moment.
McDonald broke free inside the box and was hauled down by Broadfoot. Barry Robson stepped forward to take the penalty, it was the defining moment of his career. If you’re in Celtic Park early enough before kick-off these days you can still hear the echo of the roar that went up when his penalty hit the net. His celebration was unforgettable.
It’s remarkable that Barry is still performing at this level so many years after his peak but yesterday’s decisive challenge by Scott Brown demonstrated the enormous leaps our captain has made since becoming a Celtic player. We need players with that fight and craft.
Many of us are still telling stories of the 1985 Scottish Cup Final. A goal down, Celtic roared back to beat Dundee United with a Frank McGarvey diving header. Frank’s offering the jersey he wore that day for auction to raise funds for Maryhill Foodbank. It’s a genuinely unique piece of Celtic history, for a very worthy cause. Check it out here.
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Geordie Munro
____________
Who’s Kev?
Robson and Hartley were in the same team as Brown at Gretna – I think?
The point your obtusely ignoring is – look what happened when, Brown was removed.
Both MON and WGS were great managers of Celtic.
LYMMBHOY,BEATBHOY
Thrown off at Wigan-euphemism for an unsuccessful sexual liaison?
Hamiltontim
__________
Hear, hear.
Work calls – later.
BMCUW
Guinness Interruptus?
HAMILTON TIM
I was quite clear in my admiration of Gordon Strachan’s achievements in my original reply to BURNLEY 78. See my post at 1458.
He was the one who brought up the alleged successful downsizing. I simply don’t believe it was successful,and the figures back it up.
BEATBHOY
Just on the way right now. Fifteen minutes away from a better day!
HT,
Exactly. And some should stop taking offence when praise is given to either
HH
BMCUW,
I’d say the downsizing came in the form of less quality for the same money, the wage bill was spread across more players WGS squad was much bigger than MON, no ?
Bobby @0859
I think you are getting confused with ‘tossed off at Towcester’ :)
Chris Torey,
What’s your source, that the pope is a mason ?
Was at the huns u-20 game last night watching one of the boys playing against them, with the 1st team huns struggling along from one disaster to another I always wondered why the 20s never got a look in, now I know, there shite aswell struggle with the basics and miss out midfield and punt the ball as far as they can.
I thought it would be great to do 10 in a row now I would be disappointed if we don’t we are miles ahead of them at every level.
The future in scotland is all green HH
CANAMALAR
How true. Little quality,massive quantity,same bill.
Morning all.
Embdy interested in cycling?
The Giro d’Itália rolls into town today – La Spezia where I’m based. Stage 4.
On Eurosport. Dont know if it’s on cooncil TV over there.
Look out for an auld git in the crowd wearing the Hoops!
HH!!
It is incredible that the only answer Chris torey can give to people questioning his position on Vatican II is the assertion that it was the work of Masons. What an insult to those who worked all their lives for renewal in the Church! He follows that by a scurrilous accusation about Pope Paul VI knowing full well that he has no proof of his assertion but like a lazy journalist spouts utter drivel.
parkheadcumsalford
08:18 on 12 May, 2015
TOSB,
I’ll take you home again, Kathleen was my uncle Eddie’s song. Lovely voice he had too.
…………………………………..
Still love it myself. It reminds me of happy times with my Dad whom I miss every day.
tallybhoy
09:25 on 12 May, 2015
Morning all.
Embdy interested in cycling?
The Giro d’Itália rolls into town today – La Spezia where I’m based. Stage 4.
On Eurosport. Dont know if it’s on cooncil TV over there.
Look out for an auld git in the crowd wearing the Hoops!
—-
Terrible accident yesterday for Pozzovivo. Sadly there seems to be no coverage here.
Tallybhoy
Enjoy the Giro d’Italia as it whizzes through. I met Mrs Tallybhoy in the Harbour Bar at the weekend. Good live music on.
HH
chris torey.@ 8 42..
Van Allen Belt with aluminium ? Relatively easily..( but clearly beyond your ability to understand.)These days the job would be done with polythene.
Yorkbhoy
Yes a terrible accident. Hopefully the boy will make a full recovery.
Some treacherous roads/descents in this part of the world.
…but rather scenic.
Surprised there appears to be no coverage. Thought it would be on UK Eurosport.
HH!!
Chris torey dearie me your assertions are getting shot down here – defend them. H H Hebcelt
ger57
Yes she told me.
Hope yer well.
HH!!
tallybhoy
Will be watching..Usual complaints here that Italia = Italia Nord.
S o T
The locals here are moaning.
Roads closed ’til tomorrow night and bus routes altered.
Weather good ‘tho. Clear sky and 26 degrees.
Buona visione n HH!!
tallybhoy
On cooncil TV here in Oz…….and on Eurosport too.
HH
lymmbhoy
A few Aussies in with a shout of winning the Giro.
HH!!
Jeez oh,
Means testing in Italy is a bit tough eh
TALLYBHOY
Don’t forget yer scarf. Nae scarf,must be an imposter!
Canamalar,
Vg:))
BMCUW
Too warm for a scarf, but I will be wearing my two CQN badges.
HH!!
Lymmbhoy
Thanks for that.
In the English Play Off games, the fixtures are advertised using the division the teams have been playing in. Why, then, has the BBC been doing this:
SUN 17 MAY 2015 – SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP
Rangers v Queen of Sth
(agg 2 – 1)
15:30 ?
JJ
Canamalar
09:11 on 12 May, 2015
Chris Torey,
What’s your source, that the pope is a mason ?
————————————————————–
It’s a secret, sshhh!
There are lots of pics on the web of Frankie Boy giving funny handshakes, and posing in grand “hidden hand” manner like Karl marx, US civil war Generals and lots of other famous people.
Take it from me Canalamar. He is and so are his favoured Cardinals. Why even that goog old Aussie one George Pell ( the new money master) sees no need to believe In Eve or the Virgin Mary, such mediaeval nonsense.
The truth is there to those who seek it. Trust me.
Go on, be brave.
viva cristo rey
How the Aberdeen cops prepared for our visit and how great they thought they were.
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/575453/pj-reporter-goes-undercover-for-aberdeen-v-celtic/?
JJ,
Same as last year neebs. Dinny sweat it :))
BMCUP
“Downsizing” is the wrong word. While wages reduced in the first couple fo years, they reverted to MON levels in the 2nd half of WGS’s tenure.
Player spending similarly – the net spend of both was the same over their tenures.
The big difference was that MON’s period was unsustainably loss making, while WGS’s was profitable.
Rather than downsizing, WGS’s time in charge was about stabilising and resetting the business.
Chris Torey,
The days of “trust me” are long gone, provide links to these funny hidden handshakes and I’ll at least look and consider