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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A Glimt of the ole Bodos
The Battered Bunnet
15:42 on
11 May, 2015
quonno
To be quite clear, I was referring to the management of WGS’s succession.
Apologies.
And events surrounding NL,s departure were not exactly inspiring.
In football as in much else ‘business confidentiality’ gets a few off the hook.
jamesgang
good mhan
If you thought ole Jo Inge was rubbish Jérémie was much worser.
Started nain, scored nainer.
*FFS starting to sound like Kojo must go cut the grass*
RWE
The bill for the MON era was run up in desperation as on the field we were going nowhere and DD was hoping to get into EPL.
Since MON the Board has been careful to avoid appointing anyone with Martin’s clout.
As for WGS’s last season. The whole world except PL knew that in the January we dearly needed at least one striker of class. Sacrificing a league title to save money, PL gave us Willo.
Further to previous post.
I believe that at a subsequent AGM Pl admitted, in polite terms of course, that he had made a right erchie of things.
Bit of an odd question – but CQNers can usually answer anything.
What colours was the school tie for the former John Street Secondary in Bridgeton?
Note – there is no prize!
I wonder if wee Niall Mcginn has a complex about the Willow window.
Geordie -he will if he posts on here.
bournesouprecipe
15:59 on
11 May, 2015
If you thought ole Jo Inge was rubbish Jérémie was much worser.
Started nain, scored nainer.
*FFS starting to sound like Kojo must go cut the grass*
—————————————————
Stéphane Bonnes anyone…?!
:-))
Hello team, would be looking for your help to spread the word about campaign;
“The 8th May 2015 will mark the first anniversary of our friend’s child, Oscar James Knox, gaining his Angel wings. To celebrate Oscar’s short but memorable life, we’ve organised a 223 mile bike ride over three days.
We’re using this opportunity to help another young child who desperately needs support: and fast. Eileidh Paterson needs £100K by June in order to receive specialised DFMO cancer treatment in the USA. That treatment is not currently available in the UK.
On Saturday 16th May 2015, the cyclists will leave Forres, Eileidh’s home town, bound for Inverness. There, they will take in the SPFL match between Caley Thistle and Dundee United, raising awareness of neuroblastoma, and in particular Eileidh’s plight, before setting off south to Glasgow, and Celtic Park, home of Wee Oscar’s favourite team.
We have set up this team page to raise awareness and much needed funds. Our team have a common goal to raise money for the Neuroblastoma Childrens Cancer Alliance (NCCA UK). The team are Steve Taylor, Kevan Lawler, Iain McGovern, Robert Campbell and Paul Muldoon.
We are football fans of different teams with a common goal: to make a difference for Eileidh in wee Oscar’s name.
We would like to ask for your help by donating to Eileidh’s campaign.
https://www.justgiving.com/HighlandbikerideforEileidhPaterson
OR
Text EPAT50 £1-10 to 70070
The Highland Cycle Team.”
Thanks mouldy
natknow
16:13 on 11 May, 2015
Stéphane Bonnes anyone…?!
Justin Whittle ?
There’s enough bhoys at Celtic just now to form a Stephane Bonnes tribute band.
John Dowie
Roy Kay
Ian Andrews
John Weir
Jim Melrose
Paul McLaughlin
TBB
Ok got it now.
Ignore all the previous ramblings.
I agree completely that the transition from manager to manager at Celtic has been abysmal.
The abrupt leaving of managers is also symptomatic of other issues I think.
And of course, both of those points are related.
HH
I’ll see your Justin Whittle and raise you a Stephane Henchoz
Gerryfaethebrig
16:17 on
11 May, 2015
natknow
16:13 on 11 May, 2015
Stéphane Bonnes anyone…?!
Justin Whittle ?
————————————————–
At a place fo work a few years ago, there was an opportunity for us workers to get a photo taken with the EPL Trophy and an “EPL ambassador”. Me and my mate Gavin went to get a pic. Turns out the “ambassador” was none other than Luigi Macari. Conversation went like this :
Luigi (to Gav) : “What team do you support”
Gav : “Liverpool”
Lou (to me) : “What about you”
Me : “Celtic”
Lou : “I’ll be back in a minute…”
Bada,
They’ve about a hunner appearances between them :D
Fernando de Ornelas and Michael Herbert.
HH
RWE
Great summation of the 2-1 game earlier, its always stuck with me that wee skippy was so delighted to set up the winner after missing the penalty. Great night and great memories
HH
!!bada bing!!
16:21 on 11 May, 2015
Ian Andrews was a broken goalie after 5-1, too this day it annoys me that Roughie didn’t play, Alan Rough could have been magic for us, by the way Ian Andrews was tipped for English caps, that Bhoy never recovered, it didn’t help we weren’t that good back then, only twice I have been at Ibrox 5-1 & 4-1, Macca scored 1st & Chris Morris scored 1st, maybe it wasn’t Ian Andrews fault it might have been mine Jonahfaethebrig
quonno at 16.04
RWE
The bill for the MON era was run up in desperation as on the field we were going nowhere and DD was hoping to get into EPL.
Since MON the Board has been careful to avoid appointing anyone with Martin’s clout.
As for WGS’s last season. The whole world except PL knew that in the January we dearly needed at least one striker of class. Sacrificing a league title to save money, PL gave us Willo.
…………………………
Not how I see at all but that’s your point in posting I think.
MON only took the job at Celtic on the condition that he could spend the millions on players. His career moves then and since have underlined that this is his only strategy for success, and that continuity for him is simply a question of spending money in every window to replace those he was losing.
I respectfully submit that GS had as much, and perhaps even more clout that MON (when MON joined Celtic). GS was not known as a fool or a boardroom doormat – ever. If the board had wanted a compliant yes man, they made a very, very poor choice.
In GS’s last season, it seemed to me that the team played from Christmas as if they knew that GS was leaving at season’s end. They played with less passion and with more caution than in the previous two seasons, marking time till the new guy was announced. The 0-0 with Hibs in the last few weeks had me hyper ventillating, such was the poor level of commitment.
For me, if the team could have retained their early season passion and commitment GS would have left on a high. That manager transition issue seems to have been a bugbear for us for a long time.
Hope you are well.
HH
RWE
Mucking along as usual, dipping in and out of CQN as the hours while away.
I don’t think the models used during either MON’s Celtic or WGSs Celtic were more or less valid, one against the other. Each was designed with an end in mind, and the ends being different, so were the models.
MON’s was primarily about re-establishing Celtic as a major European player, with a punt taken on the Regionalisation of league football that ultimately didn’t materialise.
WGS’s was all about a transition to a self-sustaining model.
Both managers exceeded all expectation in my view, and although both tenures ended painfully, each gave us some remarkable moments to add to the collection.
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
14:58 on 11 May, 2015
BURNLEY78
Strachan downsized the quality on the pitch,but he did not downsize the wage bill.
——-
Bobby, WGS reputedly signed Boruc, Naka and Zuruwski on less wages than Bobo was receiving on his own.
My old man went to his first Celtic game in 1934.
Ask him the Worst Ever ? and he will reply – Roy Kay..
.I admit to having a real downer re Mikey Galloway.?
Gerryfaethebrig
If by any chance that mob come up next season please dont go
HH
gerryfaethebrig-correct re Rough,he should have played.The huns put a cross in after about 3 minutes,4 yards from goal,Andrews froze,the rest is history.HH
South of Tunis @ 16.40
Then you didn’t make the trip to Ekeren?
That would be a first rate third rate tribute band.
LivedTheDream CSC
South of Tunis
My sons are sick of me telling them how bad Roy Kay was, but then they didnt have to watch him !
HH
In fairness to ole Iain Andrews he was up against some supercalifragilisticexpialidocious side contracts.
twentyfirstofmaynineteenseventynine
16:41 on 11 May, 2015
Surely against this new team I might have better luck, stuff that I won’t risk it, we actually queued up from midnight for the tickets then got offered three figures outside the ground, would never sell the ticket after the 8hrs waiting at the turnstes at Celtic end, by the way another great thing about us I have never known one fan to charge over the odds for a ticket, don’t get me wrong any of us that got a ticket always gav an extra tenner for a few pints for the seller
Ahhhh. So it’s rubbidge players.
I thought it was players who made you go ‘whoooooo?’
HH
Modren punt taken on the Regionalisation of league football that ultimately didn’t materialise is rubbish.
79caps
16:43 on 11 May, 2015
South of Tunis @ 16.40
Then you didn’t make the trip to Ekeren?
The best ever rendition of
“Ooh Mikey, Mikey…. Mikey, Mikey Galloway”
Quite
Just to demonstrate how anonymous Roy Kay must have been in a Celtic shirt . . . Who is Roy Kay?
I believe the board will change there MO this summer. The 4 pt strategy will be:
1. Nice turnover
2. Europe if yer lucky
3. EPL fodder
4. Wunner whit the Huns are Darin?
Life could be much more tricky if you weren’t Keith Jackson and got paid gazillions, for saying Sevco just aren’t good enough.