My friends in Celtic, a year ago I signed off on 2010 by saying, “I have never spoken to less confident Celtic fans ahead of a game against Rangers than I have this week”. Celtic had won only five of their previous 10 league games, seven of which were at home, but with a squad ravaged by injury, they found a formation which over several games dominated Rangers.
After three defeats and an Ibrox draw against 10-man Celtic, Walter Smith eventually got it right and beat Celtic at Hampden. The league challenge floundered in a scrappy defeat at Inverness, the home team fought for everything and found some vulnerabilities in Celtic but the season ended on a high with the first trophy of the Neil Lennon era as the Scottish Cup was won at rain-soaked Hampden against Motherwell.
Neil Lennon, Paddy McCourt and Niall McGinn all had to deal with more serious events than football in the first half of the year. Bombs and bullets were sent to Celtic’s three Irish stars, prosecutions are pending. These events put Scotland on the international news circuit in a very unwelcome light. First Minister, Alex Salmond, promised to take action but instead of tackling a century-old anti-Catholic, anti-Irish tradition, his government passed a law which criminalised all sorts of non-sectarian, non-racist activity.
Despite this initiative taking on flagship status for the Scottish Government, Salmond has steadfastly refused to re-gather and publish information on sectarian attacks in recent years. Policy has been made without reference to facts.
The new season brought great promise. Neil Lennon had a year under his belt and was no longer up against Rangers’ most successful manager, instead he would face rookie Ally McCoist, but a humbling by Sion, ultimately neutralised by Uefa, and poor early season league form saw the manager consider his position.
A home defeat to St Johnstone and an utter collapse at Ibrox set the tone, but it was Kilmarnock’s three goal lead which caused Neil Lennon most concern. The story of the second half comeback at Rugby Park is likely to take on legendary status in years to come, but as with much in life, it contained prosaic events. Celtic came out of the dressing room like a condemned team and failed to register a genuine attempt on the Kilmarnock goal for 25 minutes. Anthony Stokes struck a free kick which would have been stopped by most defensive walls but the Kilmarnock version was made of butter and Celtic had a platform to stage a comeback. Killie’s reserve keeper, Jaakkola, failed to reach Anthony’s shot a few minutes later and Celtic were level six minutes after they realised they had a game of football to play.
In their next game Celtic failed to score at home to then-bottom Hibernian, allowing Rangers to open up a 15 point gap over their rivals, who by then were in third place, although with two games in hand over Rangers. Celtic then went to Motherwell and promptly fell behind, our season hung by a thread, but it was that guy Stokes who again had the stomach for the fight. Anthony equalised within minutes and Gary Hooper scored a late winner.
Celtic have not dropped a point since, while Ally McCoist and his boss, Craig Whyte, now look like the rookies they are. They have lost three of their last six games, completing a collapse at Celtic Park on Wednesday night.
A year ago I reflected on the 46 players who played for Celtic during 2010 and suggested we would be better starting with a blank sheet of paper. The league challenge ended in failure but 2011 didn’t. This year ends with a coherent team strategy which could deliver the first sustainable and successful Celtic team in 40 years. We have a young squad, on wages the club can afford, with a scouting and management team that have delivered a clutch of players destined to achieve an enormous amount in the game.
Despite the energy and excitement around Celtic Park, attendances are down. Football is not as fashionable as it was three or four years ago. For much of the season, we play in a cold, wet, environment against well-organised but defensive teams; it’s a hard sell. We all know fans who have drifted from the stands, large areas of the stadium are now scarcely populated unless Rangers are visiting, which will impact income and subsequent expenditure.
Still, the shambles of 2010 has gone, Celtic look like a club with purpose and the tools to move forward with confidence. A two point lead at this stage of the season is largely symbolic but it’s a deserved honour that your team deserves.
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Happy………………………………………………………………………
Hogmanay ……………………………………………………
c…………………………………………………………………..
q…………………………………………………………………….
n………………………………………………………………………
bigJoewishingpaul67&theCQNteam,aHAPPYnewYEAR,fromWestAfrica
hail……………………………….hail
SOAL
Are they taxi drivers:o)
May the radiance of the Celtic star light up your lives in the new year!
TET
Been in the Marine, the Ship and the Belvidere, before coming home for dinner.
Heading back down town shortly to get a good place!
Will be having a beer with Bob A tomorrow.
Happy New year to you too my friend!
Tell Bob I was asking after him
TET
Will do!
Lennybhoy
You are a special guy among special guys.
This could be a wonderful year ahead but we’ll just have to put up with the Thunder.
Stairheedrammy says:
Just bought that computer.
Thanks.
Hope it bloody works!
Cheers.
Classic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C976FMp3pso
The Beautifull One is ready.
Have a good night bhoys, talk tomorrow.
Take care and god bless
HH
KTF
EDB
I expect the two of them to be on Scotlands greatest albulm after B A Robertson and Jesse Rae.
SOAL
What are you listening to?
I’m listening to a guy singing “Papa was a rolling stone”
Disnae sound too porridge and shortbread.
ElDiegoBhoy:
Thanks for the kind words…
I wish you and your family a peaceful and happy new year.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
TET
No yet im not. I’ll no be ready for a wee while. I’ll catch up wae yae.
:-)))
MWD
EDB
My out of tune bhoy on his mp3 player trying to be Rihanna .
Dreadful to be honest
Bjmac @ 19.58
Brilliant story mate. I have visions of you wearing a black Castrol GTX jacket.
Happy new year to CQN’ers all over the world :)
I do enjoy paul67 state of the club
Now for Sydneytims state of the club
Well 1st of all I could just cut and paste many of Paul’s points
Especially the religious crimes aspect
But!!! The crowds down in the last 3 or 4 Years
No Paul you are wrong
Back home in Scotland , I know 4 friends who given up their season tickets
Those 4 fans were not regular fans before fergus
They were some of the legacy that fergus left us
Ie. 56,000 season ticket holders
Why did these 4 fans stop their season tickets ?
Because they felt the CEO and board stopped bringing in quality
The board stopped investing in the team, so they just chucked it
That is the main reason we gave dropped from 56k to 42k
Sure there are a few other reasons, but smaller
Most have stopped to our policy of zero debt and zero trophies
So thanks Peter lawell and board approx3.5m pounds lost in last 3 years every year
Great of course finishing of year top of the SPL
But we need to move in the transfer market to improve and not let talents if forest and Mathews go to waste
Leave you with this point
Fat ally now has a worse record than Paul le guen
We are only 2 points in front of that
Not making things up, just putting a few things into perspective
All the best when it comes to you
ST
A very happy new year to Paul 67 and to all of his CQN “children”. And may I wish you all good health with which to enjoy Celtic’s treble winning first stage on the road to greatness.
Wanted to get that posted while I’m still stone cold sober!
Best wishes to all the bhoys n Ghirls around the world, hoping 2012 will be a Champion one!
Hail Hail
Deko-Wednesday 4 Jan,Linn Park @ 3 pm.Will read back to see if you get this mate.HH.
A very Happy New Year to One and All on CQN…
To Paul67 and his family and to all those who are here everyday to make this a special Celtic Place..
Hail Hail from the Starry Household..
Bada Bing
Thanks. See you there.
Paul 67
A fair summary shun
Another great year for CQN, well done and genuine thanks for all your efforts
Best Wishes CQN Tims
HH
Heading off to the club and on to her sister’s
so have good one to all Celts everywhere
especially to my boy Kev in Melbourne
(who is probably suffering with a hangover at the minute)
If Ragers sink into oblivion in 2012 will that mean Glasgow city council
will create a Rangers “Quarter” in the city even if half of it’s citizens don’t care to have it ?
Just a thought
Ath-bhliain faoi mhaise daoibh
A very happy New Year to Paul and all the posters who make this a very addictive blog. And don’t forget the difference between Guy Fawkes and Santa Claus……………………17 Points!
To Paul and Celtic fans Everywhere:
A Champion New Year !!!
HH
365th post on this page on new years eve.Oooh Spooky
Slán
Watching BBC Alba The Vatersay Bhoys at the Barrowlands gets you right in the mood for a party.(Sky) 168 + Freeview. All Celtic fans everywhere have great and prosperous New Year, Hail Hail Hebcelt
I left home at 1 at am wednesday morning to get to the game did not get home until thursday at 8 30 pm for this reason I dont go to often. Iam not articulate enough to explain how much I enjoyed the whole experince One thing I cant believe is our own support shouting insults at Samaras and Ki that bad you could not print hail hail greendave
SydneyTim
I sincerely hope that 2012 will be a great year for your goodself, your loved ones and
all fellow Celtic suppporters.
Have a good one mate.
El. Thank you for your kind words
May 2012 be a good year for health and wealth if your family when it comes
Is it just me bhoys or is everyone the same in new years day, in that even looking at a bottle if beer makes me feel sick
Countdown now for my friends in northern hemisphere
1st Dresden, a city I lived in for 5 years, have a good one bhoys
ST
Happy new year to all and a big thank you to Paul67
Paul, many thanks for all the insightful leader articles and a quite excellent website. You should have been an investigative journalist or a lawyer of the Gareth Pierce variety.
Happy New Year to you, Fiona and the boys, to Kevin and his family and to your Dad and Maureen.
Hail, hail
Athbhliain Faoi Suaimhneach agus Mhaise do gach duine !
A Happy Healthy and Prosperous New Year to all on CQN.
Roll on The Future……
I Believe…
These Young Bhoys are heading in the right direction!
sorry forgot my manners happy new year and all the best cqn for2012
greendave
Glad the team (if not some of the green Huns in our support) made it a happy return journey for you.
MWD
Could I just wish every single one of you and your families a very happy, holy and prosperous New Year. Hail Hail. Hoopy New Year