Leigh Griffiths has had plenty of uncomplimentary discourse written about him this season, most of it deserved, so it should be recorded that he was the first Hibs player to return applause in the direction of Celtic fans yesterday, closely followed by his team-mates.
This is the way football should be. For too long our game has been poisoned by the unique kind of rivalry you got in Scotland. More of the same, please.
You can contribute to the 1254125 1254125 call to ensure Celtic retain our affinity with our founding cause by buying a raffle ticket for a fabulous framed Celtic top, signed by the equally-fabulous Seville squad. Do it today.
Willie Wallace had a great time signing copies of his Heart of a Lion at Waterstons in East Kilbride and Falkirk this afternoon. East Kilbride was busier but the photos of stock Falkirk (below) before and after tells you all about his day. I hear our most recent treble winning captain came alone for a book at East Kilbride.
We’re at Waterstones, Stirling, on Thursday evening for late night shopping, will confirm times tomorrow. If you can’t make it along you can still order your signed copy below.
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Every single one of those Celtic footballers,and the management are an absolute credit to the club.
They have every right to be extremely proud of themselves,and so they should be.
Legends.
Kojo,
Why don’t you go away.
I wonder does Leigh Griffith know something we don’t, to say he was first over applauding. If he was on our radar a wee wink the week before a Cup Final is not unknown, unofficially of course.
67th Heaven
So THAT’S the Kinda Guy YOU ur?
Hmmmmmm
So Ye happen tae No Agree wi’ Ma Wit Ah wrote in that Particular Submission o
Mine.
Therefore..
Ye turn Right around and
Call Me A Bad Name?
My O My..
How Auld Are Ye.. son??
Next thing ye wull be challenging Me tae a Fight ,after School.
Kojo
Still.. Laughin’
Ah Wonder Whit Happened Tae Some O’ Kojo’s Other ‘Fair-Heided’ Boys Of Yesteryear…?
Like Wee Ibrahim,Adam Virgo..
And Chris Killen….
Jings..! We Must Hiv Enough Of Them Noo…
Tae Replace Oor ENTIRE Present Squad…
Unless They’re All Poised To Make A Stunning Breakthrough…..
And Show ‘World Fitba’….
Exactly Whit It’s Been Missin…
‘ All This Time….?
You Need Tae Re-Focus Yer “Inner Nutsy”
TransAtlantic Palomine…..
Still…..Joshin’
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon
That’s only three and half weeks, have to get all those wee jobs done that never get done during the season!!
Kojo.
Is there anyone you would keep in your rose garden?
Operator
Why Dae Ye want Me tae Go Away, son?
Enquirin’ folk ..
Demand tae Know.
Kojo
Still.. Laughin
Delighted Neil Lennon got most of his best players onto the Hampden pitch including Efe Ambrose who’s had a magnificent debut season, and is certain to play many more games for Celtic.
tiny tim
seem to remember PSG getting a standing ovation at CP after in my opinion the best footballing display against us I have ever seen to this very day absolutely awesome they were
STV………………………..”It could have been oh so different if Hibs had scored first”
If my auntie was my uncle CSC
Sipsini
Hiya Pal.. Thanks fur the Civility.
Ah Like Yer Style.
well.
Like Ah wrote at the end of that Submission tae which we are talking aboot
With the Exception of those whom Ah Mentioned..
Ah wid Keep.. ALL the Rest of the Team..
Including.. Hoops.
By the way..
Ah wid Definitely Sell. Get Rid of.. Transfer..
Wanyama.
Fur
He is NOT NEEDED .
Yesterday.. Proved it…
Wanyama Is a Luxury.. we kin Wel dae withoot.
Kojo
Still….Laughin
bsr,
If yer auntie was yer uncle and her name was gene, you could still call him gene, innit
Kojo,
You are not as bad as people say – you are much, much worse.
Hamitontim
there is a horrible section of their support who detest us and I’ve seen this first hand especially at Easter Rd. I was fortunate yesterday to meet 4 gentlemen Hibees on the train fulsome in their praise of Celtic’s play, it was quite refreshing.
However I know where you’re coming from.
My Dear, Dear,Dear, friend.. The Singing Detective
Hiya.. Palomine.
Well..
Sure Ah hiv hid ma Share of Putzes..
Who Hisnae?
But..
Well..
jist
But.
Nice chatting Palomine..
But Ah gotta Split…
See Ya..
Kojo
Still… Laughin’
masty is neil lennon
Agreed mate and that was when TB had both McStay and Collins in our midfield.
Still remember big Pierre losing that ball in the glare of the floodlight in Paris, mind.
Zbyszek
Apologies for the late reply.
He is decent going forward and a good crosser of the ball but defensively not so great.
Bsr
Walter “It could have been oh so different if we’d paid our taxes -we would have won zilch”
Sir Paul….
We Demand The Return Of The Auld ‘Original’ Kojo/Accept No Pale Imitations..
The Present ‘Imposter’…Is No ‘William Wallace”….
But A Mere….”Toom Tabard”….
Right..? Darned Right..!
Bsr
According to neil canamalar -i am both your auntie and uncle-so don’t be cheekie
:oD))))
bcw
remember loko running us ragged,bravo and Guerin totally ran the show, le guen played that night also I think as di stephane mahe
Steviebhoy66
13:52 on
27 May, 2013
Here is the Lubo Story….. Great Read
A little long , but well worth it
The story of how Lubo became a Celt…
The hotel was no different to many of the international hotels that the man had been in over a number of years. It was modern,luxurious, had all the necessary facilities and was close enough to the airport as to be convenient. He hoped that he would not have to be there for too long and that his business could be conducted quickly. The arrangements had been made in the main, soundings made,fees agreed. The only thing that he had left to do as to convince his prey that the proposal he was making would be mutually beneficial— and he had wrestled with himself as to just how to achieve his goal. After all he had known the man he was about to meet for years, knew him really well– and yet he was not sure if that made the conversation to come easier or considerably more difficult?
Time would tell– Nothing ventured nothing gained– and besides the younger man was a friend was he not?
He sat in the lobby waiting. He had insisted in coming alone– this was to be a personal meeting, so he did not want the executive types present with contracts and details– that could be sorted out later. This was just a chat between two men– old friends– but with a business proposal thrown in. That was all.
Yet it wasn’t all at all was it? The older man knew fine well that he may have to dig deep into his own past to make the deal work. He may just have to reveal a part of himself that he had kept hidden for years in order to gain the trust of the younger man. He may even lose a friend on this day, with the younger man concluding that his old friend had finally grown too old for the real world and had lost his marbles entirely!
He was thinking about that very thing when he saw the young man come through the door. Small, diminutive and with an impish grin which immediately lit up his face on seeing the old man, Lubomir Moravcik still looked like a schoolboy in his eyes! Yet he knew he was 33 years old, and now a veteran in the eyes of the footballing world!
” Josef!” “Lubo!”
The two men hugged and embraced as only old old friends do.
After some brief pleasantries, they retired to a waiting room where they could be alone for their chat.
Moravcik, too had come alone. He had driven the short distance from Duisburg to Dusseldorf to meet Josef Venglos, and knew in advance that the old man would be alone and the reason for his visit.
Once in the seclusion of the room, the two men asked about one another’s families and talked of old times and acquaintances, before Moravcik brought up the business in hand.
” So– you are now in Glasgow– Scotland? And managing Glasgow Celtic?
” Yes Lubomir, that I am”
” And you want me to go there too– at 33?”
“Yes , I do– very much so”
” Boss,– ( He still called him boss despite the years )– I am 33 years old, not at my fittest and I cannot hold down a place with Duisburg. My time in the footballing light has come and gone I’m afraid, and as much as I would like to play forever I have to face up to the fact that mother nature is telling me it is time to move on in life. Maybe coaching back in Slovakia, maybe somewhere in France, but the playing days are coming to an end if I am not at the terminus already!”
The older man sighed, poured some water into a glass, and looked at his countryman.
” Lubo, I know how old you are. I know where you have played, how often you have played and who you have played with. I first saw you as a schoolboy and know fine well that here you are in Germany and that you are not the youngest in the squad that you currently play with. But, I also know that you can do a job for Celtic, even if you do not play the full 90 minutes of each game. This will be good for you Lubo– I promise you– and besides it will stand you in good stead for when you do finally hang up your boots. I have every confidence!”
” But Scotland,Boss? It is a very different standard to here in the Bundesliga. It is different to France and St Ettienne and whilst everyone in Europe knows the Celtic of old– with no disrespect they are no longer amongst the big teams of Europe. I tell you, if it is a physical league– requiring fitness and physicality– then I am not up to it– at least I feel I am not up to it. I know Duisburg have agreed a fee– they see me as surplus. But I can see out my time here, make contacts on mainland Europe and plan for the future. In Scotland? Well I know no one– and no one knows me. I may find myself in a wilderness and miss out on chances here– chances off the park and away from the game– I am not certain at all.”
The two talked back and forward. Venglos outlined how he found the club and the squad. He repeated that he was confident and that whilst Rangers were the dominant team in Scotland– he knew the day would come when they would be toppled from the top of the Scottish tree, and how he believed Moravcik could play a part in that process.
Despite all of this and despite their friendship, the younger man remained dubious and unconvinced.
Ultimately, Venglos knew he would have to make the last throw of the dice. It was taking a risk and would test a long held friendship with his young counterpart but he decided to go for it.
” Lubomir? Do you remember when you first came to Prague?”
” Eh? Yes– I think it was when I was maybe 15 or16.”
” I was younger– maybe ten years old.”
” Why do you ask?”
” Lubo, I am going to tell you something that you may find hard to believe– something hard to comprehend. Please hear me out as I thought long and hard about telling you this, and at the end I will ask you one question and no matter how you answer I will respect your decision no matter what!”
The younger man looked perplexed and out of respect for his older friend simply nodded his assent.
The old man continued
” As you know I was born in Ruzomberok in Slovakia. Until 1918 the town was In Hungary– all mountains, streams and cotton mills. I was never anywhere near Prague until I went with my school not long after the end of the second world war– 1946. I was ten years old and all I wanted to do was play football– football, football, football– that was all I cared about. That visit has stayed with me ever since– though I have often been too embarrassed to speak of it because people would think me a fool.
On that trip to Prague, the school team played in a mini tournament that was held in the Letenske Sady Park. We were not very good I’m afraid but we played a number of games all the same.
At the end of one game, we noticed that our match had been watched by a few spectators, one of whom was an old man in a wheel chair. He was very animated this man. He had a nurse with him who kept telling him to be quiet, but despite this, he continued to shout instructions at us boys. The instructions were in broken Czech and they were barked– he seemed angry to me, he spoke in a funny acccent– yet he also seemed knowledgeable about football and at the end we were taken over by our coach to meet him as apparently he was quite famous– or indeed had been famous at one time.
He was introduced as “Dedek” or Grandpa and he was 80 years old. We were told that he was the Grandpa of Czech Football. He had been the manager of Slavia Prague for 25 years and had won many championships, including what could be regarded as the forerunner of the European Cup. He coached in a different way to anything or anyone that had come before. He knew about tactics, and muscles and physiotherapy long before anyone else. He was a national hero! He had helped coach the most successful national teams, at the Olympics and in the lead up to the world cup. We hung on his every word.
However, the strangest thing about Dedek was revealed in a ten minute story he told me that day. For despite being a hero in Czechoslovakia, he was born in Scotland– in a town called Dumbarton. He was a riveter in a ship yard and played football part time for the local club and he gained some success getting to the Scottish cup final in 1887. Then he said everything changed– changed in a way that he could never imagine, that you would never believe.
In 1888, he was asked to turn out as a guest for a new team– for a club to be called Celtic in Glasgow. He was reluctant at first but eventually agreed. He told me that there had been several attempts to start a club called Celtic and that they had all failed.He honestly felt that this club would fail too, but this time there was something different. So– on the 28th of May 1888– Dedek became the very first player to kick a ball for Celtic Glasgow. He was their first centre forward, and as such he took their first kick off and so started the whole Celtic ball rolling– literally. They played against a team called Rangers Swifts and won 5-2.
After the game there was a celebration which Dedek went to.. and at that party he was asked to join Celtic permanently, but he said no.
He returned to play for Dumbarton,which was a good team then and about 25 miles from Glasgow– but could not get the Celtic thing out of his head. He was pursued by other clubs from England but kept bumping into a Celtic man called Glass and another called Maley who promised him that something special would happen to him at Celtic Park– a park that the supporters built themselves Lubo. The way he spoke, it was as if they said that Celtic Park had been fashioned out of magic– you know like by a wizard? Eventually he signed for Celtic in August 1889 and stayed until 1897. He was apparently like you, Lubo, an entertainer, good feet, ferocious shot and a crowd pleaser. His nickname there was the rooter– because his shots were so hard they uprooted the posts. He won leagues and medals with Celtic and never left.
After he retired from playing, he went back to working in the shipyards but kept up to date with football. He travelled, and in 1905 Celtic toured through Europe and by coincidence came to Prague– by design or accident– Dedek came too and somehow got the job of managing Slavia Prague on 15th February 1905– He was a huge success– and he never went back to Scotland.
But on that day in the Letenske he said that his whole life in football truly started that day he turned out for a team called Celtic. As a young boy I listened to this old man in the park and he told us that if you can play football at all then you can play at Celtic Park in Scotland. He said it was a place where, for some, their real destiny awaited and that strange and wonderful things happen there. So I always knew about Celtic Park, always believed in the old man’s tale that it was a magical place. So when I got the chance to go there I didn’t hesitate– and I have seen it Lubo– seen it with my own eyes– I have seen and felt what the old man told me off– and it exists Lubo. It is there and it is real– and most of all it says to me ” Moravcik! Moravcik!”– you are the kind of player that can play there Lubo– you will shine and achieve things you have never before experienced– believe me.
The old man’s real name was Johnny Madden– go look him up– the very first guy to kick a ball for Celtic, Lubo, and he ends up a national hero in our back yard? A guy who was destined to fit rivets in a shipyard all his days– until he went to Celtic park– and I meet him in a public park one tram stop up from the Sparta station in 1946? And he looks into my eyes all those years ago and says if you get the chance one day go to Celtic park because strange things happen there? And so here I am– all these years later. the manager of the club where that old man kicked the first football which in turn lead him to be a legend in the country that both you and I played football for.
So here is my question Lubomir. I know you have doubts about your fitness and about Scotland. I know you have a future to think of and that you could have gone to Marseilles and Juventus and regretted not making those moves. So trust me Lubo– just this once more. Will you come with me to have a look at Celtic and their ground? Will you come and “feel” what it is like? See what the old man said was true all those years ago– and if you don’t get that feeling that you can play there, that you won’t fit in and that there is not something different about the place– well we will pay all the expenses of your visit and you can come back here– nothing lost at all!
“What do you say Lubomir– will you walk through the Parkhead gates with me for a look at the place where Dedek kicked the first ball?”– I swear you will just never know if you don’t!
Lubomir said yes!
Hail Hail
canamalar
there are more jokes in there ;-)
Gene’s a
indeed – S(weet)FA
bcw
don’t think Collins was playing…maybe wrong?
Hamiltontim
Yip, their support is split, a big chunk are great, football orientated and sympathetic.
But there is a vile element too. it’s like they are jealous and resentful of Celtic’s success. On the street that sometimes has them resorting to Hun-like retorts.
Never understood it and through it all, I still have some empathy with them.
just cheated and gad a look at wiki Collins did play against psg
gad= had
don`t like the way this is turning into a Leigh Griffiths love in…good player but surely we havent lined him up as Hoopers replacement?
Roy C
Their support will be the same as most. There will be some like the gents you met and some like the scum we encountered.
Glad you enjoyed your day mate.
corkcelt
The guy next to me said that we must have signed him as he was watching his antics. He also went in amongst the Celtic players as they were changing into the home top to shake hands. hmmm…
2012 will probably be remembered by celtic fans for our euro run
by sevco fans for their ahem… 4th tier world records
by well fans for their CL place
by jambos for avoiding liquidation
by Dundee fans for an unexpected spl place
by buddies for a LC run
by the msm for Armageddon, nuff said
masty
Agree with you mate.
Was in Paris for the first game and came back and told ma Da PSG were nae great shakes and was confident we would overcome the 1 nil deficit.
Shows u what I know about fitba !!!
Socrates’ brother Rai was unbelievable at Celtic Park. He couldn’t run but he just stood in the middle of the park conducting proceedings , spraying passes left right and centre.
We couldn’t get near the baw.
To date the best performance from an away team at CP that I’ve seen.
This is FUNNY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbimfBar5C0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
I hope we haven’t signed Griffiths he looks like the son of Bilbo Baggins, too ugly for the Hoops..
Hamiltontim,
Is it a case that we define a club’s support by their LCD?
I don’t know.
Every club has an element of followers who embarrass their club….even us.
I think yesterday provided a small wibdow into what supporting football in Scotland can be like.
I believe that we must take as many positives as we can from the absence of the evil force.
The opportunity is there to perhaps build cordial relationships with other clubs’ fans.
Make Celtic Park a welcome place for all visiting fans and not just Europeans.
It would also mean us being respectful guests when we visit away grounds.
If the respect shown from the stands at Hampden yesterday could be built upon, then “their dying would not be in vain”.
paulrobesoncsc.
There was a battle after the game at the top of the hill up from the polis station instigated by Hibs supporters.
I am also right in saying most of their section booed when we sang ‘The fields’.