How many times have we been here? Miles ahead in the league, League Cup in the bag – or as often, only a minnow to take care off in the final, when some bright spark realises we’re only a handful of wins away from an elusive treble.
Celtic have had more than three great teams in the last 70 years, but anyone with a grasp of history will tell you that trebles are hard to get, particularly for a Celtic team who occasionally have to play teams at Hampden where outfield players are granted goalkeeper rights.
The ’67 team won the League Cup and Scottish Cup before anyone knew where that season would end. Rangers were still very much in the hunt for the league, while only the hearts of Celtic fans believed they would win the European Cup.
By 1969 the league title had become the formality it is now, as had the League Cup – Jock Stein won his first five League Cups as Celtic manager. A Scottish Cup final against Rangers was all that stood in the way of Celtic’s second treble. Big Billy, George Connelly and our own John Fallon with a man of the match performance destroyed our old, old-enemy 4-0.
Only a fool or a liar would tell you Martin O’Neill would overcome a +20 deficit in the league and take both cups in his first season in charge of a rag-tag looking Celtic in season 2000- 2001. It wasn’t so much winning the treble that made this special, or, indeed, the football we played, but the incredible leap forward we made between Martin’s appointment in May and that Glorious Six in late August.
Everyone was stunned, including Celtic fans, although not as much as some others. In a unguarded moment that season, one Rangers fan said to me, “I don’t think I can take any more of this”. All the old certainties came crashing down. A domination, which for the financially blind looked like it would continue for decades, was over.
Martin had the Midas Touch, for a while, anyway, and the treble was secured, but although his team continued to improve for a few seasons, that would be our last full house.
Brendan and the players are new to this. With faith in each other they may well be prone to getting ahead of themselves. There is a lot of work to do to win the Scottish Cup. Should we get past Queen of the South or the Rovers, the trip to Pittodrie will be difficult. And if we cope there, Tynecastle will be equally hostile in the quarter final.
So spare me talk of trebles until May.
Every pantomime needs a baddie and this year’s is Ally McCoist, who, against all precedent, finds his secret ballot activities for a resolution at Newco’s AGM public knowledge. It’s astonishing that we know how McCoist did or didn’t vote. In any other country, ‘news’ like this it would be a story in itself. It’s something private that we just shouldn’t know.
But when the clarion call goes up in Scotland, “”Who are these people” who failed to support us?”, the answer surely follows. Whatever reservations McCoist has about the current regime are his business until he says differently. Behind the headlines, there is little analysis about why he would jeopradise his reputation in order to inhibit King.
There’s the story.
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CONNAIRE12 on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 1:55 PM
Embramike, thank you for bringing some decency to the blog today amidst all the infighting that has gone on. As true Celtic supporters following the ethos of the club and the desire of the founders to reach out to the need, surely our thoughts and prayers (if we pray) should with the families of those who lost their lives or are seriously injured as a result of the plane crash in Medellin, in Columbia. God grant eternal rest to the dead and may Our Lady of Guadaloupe intercede for those who mourn and for the injured.
******
Amen.
looking to next years celebration – anyone looking at buying a new car perhaps EC67 CFC or GC67 ECW :))
JIM PAYNE on 29th November 2016 12:54 pm
My last word on the matter: I personally don’t think you have anything to reproach yourself for.
IMHO it’s for others to reflect on their contribution to the debate, not you.
KTF
with apologies to Charles Dickens
It is the best of times (us)
It is the worst of times (them)
I was unlucky yesterday,………….3 horses fekked me for a TREBLE !
Excellent post EMBRAMIKE.
itsn’t that sweet ….
around the time I started on CQN, I also joined SwallowSwallow … I admit to enjoying their misery sometimes, but went on once, and never again … too vile …. although I do still enjoy the suffering on Sevcomedia sometimes…
BUT …
every year on November 29, I always get a Happy Birthday email from FF …. now, isn’t that sweet? they never forget (I thought that was elephants…but apparently, it applies to bears and zombies too)
Didn’t get one from CQN . What is that about?
Remember le petite merde (well, when he was still MoJo …before he became LPM )?… we thought he was coming home, but then the Zombies swooped in and showed him the love/paid his taxes and stole him away …..
you dont want to lose me to the dark side, do you? Someone going to pay my taxes for me? I was going to say ‘is someone going to show me the love’, but I’m afraid of some of the answers I might get to that one!
off to court out of town this morning … will check back in later ….
:)
VFR008
Thanks. I dislike being the cause of rancour.
Let me add to the condolences offered following the Colombian air crash and also for the family of Francie Hinton who I met a couple of times many moons ago and who seemed a great and helpful bloke.
RIP
started on CQN … not started CQN, obviously.
Jim payne on 29th November 2016 2:17 pm
IMHO. you weren’t.
As EMBRAMIKE says, the loss off life in the air crash puts it all into perspective.
I was at St Mary’s helping out as big Francie was brought in last night; a very decent turnout for a body being received into the Church. It pointed to a very big turnout for the Requiem Mass today; couldn’t get time off work to go down unfortunately.
JPT was there last night and I know the Club was sending along representation today (including the CEO) as we were asked to reserve seating for them.
Good to see the Club paying their respects properly!
KTF
I am looking forward to an unprecedented quadruple this year.
I include Resolution 12´s successful conclusion as being more important than any tine cups from crooked organisations
I fear and our toothless plc hope and pray that the treble will distract our easily distractable following.
Don´t let it happen bhoys talk about a quadruple
HH
tine=tin
Used to get these wee change a word in two attempts puzzles in your favourite comic’s Bumper Summer Specials, when Celtic winning trinkets in Europe. Good to see them back
Super Ally
Super Sally
Super Swally
Super Salary
Who are these people?
Some brilliant posts last night.
Tontine and Thom.
Thank you I love reading the stories
Dallas and Hrvatski Jim good stuff too.Apologies if I missed anyone.
Hail Hail
MIT-happy birthday pal,you share it with my wee sis:-)
MIT
did you go see Molly Wizenberg yesterday ?
MiT
Breithla shona
With regards to the tomato/knowledge et al. Anything that is mine is your’s fhriend. Lol
Ktf HH and have a good one
Happy Birthday MiT!
KTF
Gary Ralston: A big chance looms for Rangers fans to finally stand united and not look back in anger
GERS supporters have bickered like the Gallagher brothers but could be soon very close to ensuring they have a huge say at boardroom level by all coming together.
Share42Comments
By Gary Ralphston
06:00, 17 MAR 2016
THE most important result in the recent history of Rangers won’t be flashed on a scoreboard at Hampden or Ibrox before the end of the season.
It will drop in an email, probably next weekend, and will provide evidence of the ability of Rangers fans to finally unite under one progressive banner.
As bickering families go, there have been times the Light Blues legions have made Liam and Noel sound as harmonious as Donny and Marie.
Various groups, organisations, associations and assemblies have flickered and flared with the best of intentions, only to collapse under accusations and allegations, claims of self-interest and, ultimately, apathy.
Over the past fortnight, a consultation has been undertaken in a bid to finally establish a position of collective strength under the guise of Club 1872.
On Monday morning a five-day polling period will begin in which members of Rangers First, the Rangers Trust and season ticket holders, via the official Fan Board, will be asked to formally join forces.
Finally they will have the chance to impact positively on Rangers going forward and give fans a genuine voice in club affairs after years of appalling financial mis-management.
It is also indicative of a wider move among Scottish football fans, championed by Rangers fans to have their clubs run on more democratic lines, although it appears the benevolent dictator will continue to hold sway.
Wealthy figures such as Dermot Desmond, Roy McGregor, Sir Tom Farmer, Dave King and Ann Budge will remain the ultimate bank of last resort but there has long been an acceptance of the need for our top teams to wash their financial faces.
The circumstances of every club are different, but fan schemes such as Dee4Life, the Lion brand clothing initiative and the Foundation of Hearts have shown supporters can carry genuine influence in dictating policy, fully engaging with organisations in which they invest so much emotion and time.
Rangers First and the Rangers Supporters Trust already own over five per cent of their club and with £800,000 already in the bank, ring fenced for the purchase of new shares, they will soon be in control of up to 10 per cent of its stock.
More than 500,000 Rangers fans will be polled next week and with a range of membership options – the most common of which is likely to be a commitment to invest £18.72 a month – the fans are likely to raise at least £1 million a year.
If Rangers fans own 25 per cent of their club it would ensure they control the balance of power at boardroom level and cherished club assets, for example, could not be moved around corporate balance sheets again like a rich man’s plaything.
More than that, the principle of one member, one vote will see annual elections and a democratic decision making on the investment of funds – a walkway , a museum, for example, or stadium infrastructure projects, improving the match day pies or even investment on the playing field.
Rangers fans have the most powerful voice in the country which deserves to be heard on issues such as the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act. They have been too quiet on it, understandably perhaps, with their energies focused inward in recent years on re-building their own club and self policing.
Rangers fans must also seize greater ownership of the debate around their own good reputation, particularly the issue of the sectarian hanging of dolls which continues to blight and stigmatise them.
There will be a meeting of Rangers fans interested in exploring further details of the scheme at Hampden tonight at 7pm with Stewart Robertson, Stewart Reagan and Neil Doncaster, following on from a similar get together at Ibrox on Sunday.
Informal feedback already suggests there is an emotionally overwhelming appetite among fans for change to the new model and it’s anticipated more than 85 per cent of those polled will vote in favour of Club 1872.
It will be a fully independent organisation, although the Rangers board are fully committed to working alongside it.
Unlike those warring Gallagher brothers, it might be better in years to come if Rangers fans Don’t Look Back In Anger.
JIMMYNOTPAUL on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 2:48 PM
Thank you.
I gorged on the stories of my father and his older pals.
They spoke of Patsy Gallagher, John Thompson, Jimmy Mc.Grory, Malcolm MacDonald and many more.
From them to now, I have first and second hand tales of about ninety years of our history.
I’m sure all the other “mature” posters get equal pleasure by recalling players and events in our Celtic past.
VFR281,
Fair play for being at St Mary’s last night. It’s also good to read that club representatives were planning to attend this morning.
Embramike,
Good post and fair play all round for the change in tone. IMO.
HH
Thanks for the texts about the Aran jumper knitting patterns looks like granddad’s cardigan below is the most popular, so far…
https://spinrite.s3.amazonaws.com/assets/files/pattern-files/pdf/Patons_KW500950_04_kn_cardigan.en_US.pdf
Till later
Jimmynotpaul, thank you for your kind words. That Queen of the South League cup game at Palmerston was in August 1985.
We won 4 1. I finally tracked it down on Google.
I am the founding and so far only member of the Cliff Clavin CSC.
Sunday’s game on BT sport 2 the now.
BEATBHOY on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 12:35 PM
Beatbhoy
I still feel the pain of 2002/2003. Was really hard to take. The walk back to the car will be etched with me for ever.
Hope we succeed!! Go Res 12!!
HH
Thomthetim 3.07.
That’s some amount of history.
I recall my own father saying his father loved Malcolm McDonald.
My own father’s favourite was Charles Patrick Tully.
My first game was 1970, Leftclicktic kindly put a match report up for me, we beat Hearts 4.2 in a league cup tie at Celtic Park.
I’ve had the fortune to see many Celtic greats, sadly most of the lions were past their peak but at least I saw them. The best for me is Henrik, his goalscoring and all round play win it for me. Dalglish, McStay and McGrain would be up there. I was given Danny’s book Celtic my team in the 1970s. I kept for 30 years until my good friend called his new born Daniel Fergus. I felt it was appropriate to pass it on.
Hail Hail
Knitting on CQN :-)
Where’s Braw when yi need him !!!!
Everything’s fine, no problems, nothing to see, Oh look! A squirrel.
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/super-ally-and-the-secret-ballot/
After what McCoist done to the Stirling Albion Director and his family,he deserves every threat that comes his way,hell mend the rat…..
Good luck to Albion Rovers tonight.
What is the penalty for a new club to suffer an insolvency event e.g. administration
10 points deduction
Got back last night from a great weekend in Glasgow. Really enjoyed the game, the Celtic support were as always superb and the team really produced on the day.
Thanks again to all who helped me get two tickets.
HH
Dessybhoy
http://spfl.co.uk/docs/067_324__therulesofthespfl_1375800603.pdf
See page 37 of the rules. 15 points, or 25 if suffered insolvency in previous 5 years.
David O- that will be 15 points ,as they are a new club….
Naturally, the SPFL would have to treat TRFC as the “same” club in such circumstances….wouldn’t they????
There’s been a prediction of an insolvency at ipox for at least 2 years – won’t hold my breath
Ming on 29th November 2016 3:57 pm
There’s been a prediction of an insolvency at ipox for at least 2 years – won’t hold my breath
——————————————————————————-
True, but equally insolvency has been staved off by taking loans – loans which remain outstanding with no prospect of ever paying them off. Which is fine if the lender doesn’t mind losing the money, afterall the directors were willing to convert their loans to (junk) equity…
MING
more like 4 years
HH