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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Clogher Celt circa 3:27
I now have an excuse when my wife tells me to get my head out of CQN.
She’s a knitter and used to kit out the weans and me in Arans.
She was impressed by the pattern, and hopefully will get the needles out after Christmas.
Problem here is finding proper Aran wool as it’s usually synthetic yarns we see here.
Knit one. Purl one.
FRITZSONG on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 8:23 PM
Rangers were favourites for the 1969 Cup Final. Johnstone and Hughes had been in devastating form and neither was fit.
*Hate tae be pedantic but Jinky was suspended having picked up 3 cards during the season. The 3rd occurred after “we don’t need yer colin stein” had been suspended for the same infractions. Coincidence!!!!!!. “We have someone twice as good” was cup tied with the bully wee.
No matter we just unlashed the Fife Beckenbauer on them with wee ten thirty lining up in the Bears position but playing as a deep lying midfielder alongside George thereby dragging johansen and matheson out of position leaving room for the Buzz Bomb and Stevie tae exploit. The Big Mhan was a genius.
Gordy bhoy 64-no to sure about that mhate,but might give it a go,:-)))
Sin city bhoy-that sounds like a plan mhate:-)
COWIEBHOY on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 11:31 PM
Dena29
The privilege was all the young Cowie teams :-)
:-)))))
HH
Goodnight Timland
Be nice
HH
Fairhill Bhoy-
We’re on. I’ll await your email and we can arrange a venue.
Natknow 10.04pm
Thanks for the heads up. Looks worth watching . HH.
Sin city bhoy -just about to eat BBQ in Ellis island,will email you soon
Was at the Estadio Centenario yesterday scene of the famous battle of Montevideo where Bertie Auld refused to leave the park after being sent off. The local Classico yesterday between Nacional and Penarol was cancelled due to security concerns after some attempted murders with stolen propane tanks. Some things never change.
Took the River Plate ferry to Buenos Aires today. Maybe visit the battle of river plate scene tomorrow:)
As far as Trump is concerned it’s over!
He won the biggest reality TV show in history. As for government for the people by the people and emptying the treasury in the process what does he care.
GG @ 3.27pm
I’m just in and haven’t read back.
I’ll make some enquiries for the Aran wool, no promises mind!
What colour(s) and quantity and I’ll check locally for you both.
servesmerightcsc:))
Clogher
Thanks for your very kind offer.
Please don’t do anything, as it would only put pressure on the better half to get clicking.
She’s busy at the moment putting up the outside lights.
In the rain no less.
My function is to use the light charger gun when a set fails.
Well that and handing out instructions on hanging them straight.
Supervisor class.
GG,
Thanks for coming back. Anytime.
Hopefully the rain stops and you don’t need the ‘light charger gun’ too much.
Regards to Mrs GG.
Hail Hail
Nytol !
I see the wee Rovers have progressed against their more fancied opponents from the town where Brother Walfrid is buried.
Nice wee pay day for them.
Personally I hope they like the revenue and don’t put up a fight.
NATKNOW on 29TH NOVEMBER 2016 8:58 PM
Likewise, congratulations on your degree.
I also studied once upon a time at the OU.
Philosophy.
Unfortunately my opinion of them has diminished since then.
For they do not really go near Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas.
They are at the forefront of fad philosophy. Progressive nonsense about euthanasia, animal rights and philosophy of the (un)mind.
Where is God?
Still, you have achieved much. Well done. No easy task.
But read the Ancients and Medieval Philosophers.
There you will find truth.
MIT…..wee bit late, but very happy BD to ya mate!
Have a Braw time with KT!!
HH and ………Houston’s Green and White!!!
TC45
Congrats to NATNOW, well done Sir.
Congrats to SFTB and his son . Well done young man.
Congrats to Albion Rover’s ( hope I don’t regret that ? )
One of the wee Rivers players is the flatmate of Celtic’s Ryan Christie. They became mates at Inverness.
Morning Timland. Please see my latest thoughts from my Australian viewpoint in mr Rogic’s home town.
A rare midweek off will allow the Bhoys to get primed for the challenge at Motherwell on Saturday. Thanks for reading.
https://stayinguplateblog.wordpress.com/2016/11/30/celtic-to-eat-sleep-train-and-go-again/
FFP & McCann,
Headlines this morn in DR about Sevco not meeting FFP.
Story of Neil McCann telling Wibbley Warbo ” what’s wrong” ?
Hun media site in meltdown with some Huns claiming that Aberdeen have the same wage bill as them ?
Some Huns posting, ” how can we possibly NOT meet FFP criteria” ???????
I suppose it takes their club leg end SuperSally off the front page for a wee while ?
Has SuperSally made any statement yet on why he didn’t vote ?
Oh what a circus, oh what a show , I hope they rot in hell !
We don’t care what the animals say !
HH
Come March if the Huns haven’t received last rites before then, when they come to Celtic Park our DJ should be playing ” Who are you” by the Who and ” Money’s too tight to mention” by Simply Red, as they take the field even in their warm up ?
There must be other times that would seriously annoy them, apart from the obvious ones of course ?
HH
Big Jimmy
Don’t upset them as they may wreck our toilets!
Our casual civil unrest don’t you know
Cause civil unrest even
Good morning CQN from a cold and frosty East Devon.
Are the Huns died yet?
Good morning friends from a dry, uneventful, half cloudy, above freezing East Kilbride.
Word of The Day
Apotropaic /ˌæpəʊtrəˈpeɪɪk/
adjective
1. preventing or intended to prevent evil
Word Origin
C19: from Greek apotropaios turning away (evil), from apotrepein; see apo-, trope
KTF
Big Jimmy
I would have thought that ‘Rip it up and start again’ by Orange Juice should be their theme tune?
BIGJIMMY. 653
Really noise them up by playing the original,just to remind them of a great day in “their” history.
It’s by the Valentine Brothers.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq6XZbw3Xbs
Off to the North East today, this tale of the ‘Boro reminds me that one of the ‘Boro lads who was scrapping with the Celtic fans that day ended up a very good mate of Tony Mowbray.
Funny old world.
A happy St Andrews Day to all.
KTF
Songs for the Parkhead DJ:-
How Can I Miss You If You Won’t Go Away?
I Flushed You From The Toilets Of My Heart.
Satan, lend me a dollar
Life sucks then you die
Taxman -The Beatles
Treble Treble- Bowie
Watched that embarassing caveman Eric Bristow being ripper a new one on telly there….
The Daily Record story is one of two things . . .
A preparation for bad news to come
or
A warning as to the potential consequences of not digging deep and giving them more money.
When did the media ever prepare that mob for bad news to come?
SFTB –
I’d love to have a swatch at YOUR music collection.
:-)
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 30th November 2016 8:05 am
BIGJIMMY. 653
Really noise them up by playing the original,just to remind them of a great day in “their” history.
It’s by the Valentine Brothers.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq6XZbw3Xbs
Never heard that before. Better than the wee ginge’s version!
A song for sevco
https://youtu.be/tLRHVGPkFds
You never even call me by my name
David Allan Coe
HH
there is a moment in our lives, when you realise your kids are growing up too fast –
My daughter left out her christmas list, and I realise not only does she no longer believe in the old santy claus, but now she is taking the pith out of her da. She asks for something on the list full well knowing I wont be able to find one.
Item number 26 – Cuddly toy – handsome hun version