Gary Hooper has scored once in his last 23 appearances for Norwich City, an ultimately meaningless goal as his team lost that day. Prior to that, he scored five in eight in games in which Norwich collected 10 points, while he opened his account for them with a brace in the League Cup against Watford. The latter stages of that 23 game desolate run has been marred by an injury he collected preseason, returning to league duty this month.
This is not the player you or I will recognise. Gary was more than capable of going through a dry patch, but he was an undisputed penalty box finisher, who seemed to perform better, the better the competition. Now he has to sit alongside Jos Hooiveld on the Norwich bench, as his in-form club, with in-form players, occupy a play-off place. Think of that for a moment, Hooper and Hooiveld, largely indistinguishable on form for Norwich.
It’s no surprise that Neil Lennon wanted him at Bolton, he knows Gary is a better player than probably anyone in Norwich realise. Norwich rejected the bid, as they were reluctant to weaken their squad, but already this season is looking unlikely to add much to the end of career Gary Hooper Highlights DVD.
Celtic are already on the case to sign John Guidetti on a permanent deal, he’s looked the part since he first touched the ball in a Celtic shirt, but by contrast, Stefan Scepovic has looked awkward. The early goals didn’t come, he looked short of a game plan and when a header missed the target on Thursday night, one guy behind me bellowed the kind of comment you hope a player looking for confidence doesn’t hear.
I don’t know any more about Stefan than you, but I absolutely know we’ve not seen the best of him, just as Norwich haven’t seen the best of Gary. This guy has the background we want in a new recruit, scoring well in the Spanish second tier and wanted by top tier club.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen a Celtic player as happy to score as Stefan was against Astra. The finish against Kilmarnock will have built on whatever confidence boost he received. The project is back on course. He needs to continue to find the net, and we need to remember how to support a player as he settles into a new life.
We’ve had a great run of momentum with the help of Magners in recent weeks. The club sponsor have offered a couple of premium match tickets, on the back of which we’ve asked for donations from £1 to Mary’s Meals.
It’s been great to see this in action. We get lots of £1 and £2 donations, but plenty of people chip in with a lot more. It’s been a great way of ensuring prizes are open to everyone.
Today we formally launch the bid to build a fourth school kitchen in Malawi for Mary’s Meals. During 2014 you funded the construction of three kitchens, which feed close to 2000 of the world’s poorest children each day. All of them live below the UN measure of absolute poverty.
Over the last 20 years the number of people living below $1.25 per day has halved. Organisations like Mary’s Meals are making enormous inroads. Those kids aren’t just getting a meal, more of them are able to attend school (up 30%) as they don’t need to work for food. This improves their academic achievements and gives them skills which will be with them throughout their lives, increasing personal, regional and national productivity.
93% of the money raised by Mary’s Meals reaches those on the ground. It costs around $12 to feed a child for an entire year. It’s almost incalculable what your money does.
Magners have kindly offered two debenture hospitality seats for The Celtic Suite, including buffet lunch, for the Inverness game on Saturday, which are available for auction here on ebay. The journey we had last year in building those three kitchens was remarkable, I know we’ll enjoy the new project.
Current bid is £1 to get in quick!
Big thanks to Magners, b.t.w. This help goes a long, long, way.
830 Comments- Pages:
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tonydonnelly67
If we play with two up front, whether it be Guidetti/Scepovic/Griffiths on a more regular basis then the goals, and wins, will come. We’ve been winning ugly recently but at least we’re winning. Forrest back and two up front and the trebles on
HH
Finished grrr
Regarding the ball boys at Celtic Park, to be very honest with you some of the need a good boot up the arse, at the game against Hamilton Acc, the ball boy in front of us didn’t see the ball going past him for a goal kick, as he was texting someone at the time, and their efforts at running for the ball are very poor to say the least, question? Are they the youth players that do the ball boys job?
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
heading to lyneham sat,when im asked,” what do you want to do” the
answer will be lets go to swindon.
sir daniel arms ?
tonydonnelly67
Is there a position going for ball bhoy coach just now ?
Couldnt disagree more on Scepovic. Against Astra in the first half he didnt receive one decent pass , his work rate was one of the highest on the park and in the second half he scored and created two clear cut chances. The fact that tge midfield are reguarly incapable of completing 5 yard passes (even 3 yard at times) is not his fault or the managers. Despite the result PL needs to pay a visit to the dressing room and give them a WTF you playing at dressing down. That was one of the worst performances since Murrayfield and Astra must be wondering how they didnt take us the answer to which is the “free transfer” between the sticks.
Catman –
It was worth the entrance money alone.
The bigmouth got up to leave about 5 minutes before the end and one guy shouted, “Is that you sneakin oot afore tha ballboy gets you?”
A few weeks ago the same guy stood up to abuse Ronny Deila. I think it was the Maribor game. A supporter a few rows behind him spoke up and the conversation went like this . . .
Aw sit doon ya clown
You make me
You make me make you
Hilarious :-)
Turkeybhoy
13:06 on
28 October, 2014,
Im not sure how relevant it is, but, I was drinking with a relative of C Martin(Derby) recently, he told me he was on 28,000, p/w. That was before he got an international cap.
lilys
tom mclaughlin
13:07 on 28 October, 2014
I was in my usual front row seat on Sunday, near the Celtic dugout.
There is a man sits a couple of rows behind us who, despite the large number of women and children in that vicinity, is constantly screaming foul-mouthed abuse at Celtic players, opposition players and match officials.
On Saturday, right in front of us, the ballboy came to the wall to retrieve the ball. It was a Celtic throw and Mikael Lustig was waiting to take it. The ball was very wet and the ballboy let it slip from his grasp and had to pick it up again as Lustig waited. Big mouth behind us started abusing the ballboy.
“Gae um the %&*#$@* baw you!”
My son and several others berated the man for that, but as soon as the ballboy had finally thrown the ball to Lustig, he turned and flicked the finger at the man before sitting down on the track in his usual place.
Everyone was in hysterics and to be fair, the loud mouth took it well and saw the funny side.
Kept him quiet for a while anyway.
#############################
Saw that from up the rear of MS, was very funny, the boy kind of stopped looked and then gave him the finger. Then a guy started exaggerated clapping, is that the gub…?
Ayrshire is Green and White
twentyfirstofmaynineteenseventynine
13:30 on 28 October, 2014
tonydonnelly67
Is there a position going for ball bhoy coach just now ?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Not sure if there is, but if there is one, a swift boot up the arse should be the first order of the day, and don’t get me started on the staff at the pie stalls either, slower than a week in the jail ;)
tonydonnelly67 –
So it was YOU abusing the ballboy on Sunday.
Might have known :-)
the view from c.q.n corner
http://uk.pinterest.com/pin/490048003177863415/
No, noooooooo, at the Accies game yes ;)
td67
Sounds like youre the man for the job, make sure they pay you the Living Wage lol
HH
weeminger
I know I said that it made sense, but after thinking about it, it doesn’t.
We are talking about II here, they are as I said not in the biz of throwing money away.
So, why for the sake of 2 mill they have just done that ?
Unless they themselfs have the stadium and MP sewn up, and they couldn’t give a fig for the badge etc, that makes sense to me anyways.
HH
…………………………
EWO
Servers going down at work, dearie me >}
This is where we differ, I would rather watch skillful players all day long than the shite we see week in week out in scotland, and scotland isn’t immune to the diving and the theatrics either.
When was the last time a team from scotland, england ever done anything, or when did their national teams do anything ? without all the imports mind you.
The game in scotland is being run for one club, their style of football is paramount, they control the sfa and the referees, if they decided next week that they wanted to go down the skill route, the sfa and the referees would change their attitude in a flash..
HH
Ballboys! Now we’re cooking, I’ve been wanting to get this off my chest for ages, there ain’t enough, two behind each goal, what chance have the wee lambs got……..To the slaughter they are…!
TD ah thought you’d emigrated, nice to read ye..
Ayrshire is Green and White
tonydonnelly67
13:35 on 28 October, 2014
twentyfirstofmaynineteenseventynine
13:30 on 28 October, 2014
tonydonnelly67
Is there a position going for ball bhoy coach just now ?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Not sure if there is, but if there is one, a swift boot up the arse should be the first order of the day, and don’t get me started on the staff at the pie stalls either, slower than a week in the jail ;)
##############################
Funny funny funny…just putting the final tile on this never ending bathroom, 500×300…..giving it the final tap with the rubber mallet…cracked, raging, but TD that made me laugh, feeling better already.
Ayrshire is Green and White
marspapa
13:18 on 28 October, 2014
Twenty’s
thanks for the kind words
apologising to me about spelling .haha.
Bmcuwp will huv spilt hof eez beer wae that wan lol;)
~~~~~~~~~~++~~~~~~~~~~~
After someone nicking my pint yesterday-in my local pub with only about ten people in it-I didnae think things could get worse.
Obviously history is unlikely to repeat itself in the local,but….
In town today,I went for a smoke,my mate went for the beer. Both of us had about half a pint left. I had also left my mag,my baccy and my glasses.
Came back in,four people sitting at our table. Everything moved to the next table-which seated six,btw!
Words exchanged very quietly,and tables swopped.
That’s two days in a row. Did the rules on pub etiquette change while I was back home?
TURKEYBHOY
No need to go into hyperbolic mode when someone says something you disagree with.
Instead of making yourself look stupid,check things out.
https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/league-one-ched-evans-paid-20-000-week-074258293–sow.html
Just for the record……….Hooper was offered nowhere near 25k a week to stay at Celtic..!!!
If he was I would imagine he might still be here…
Hooper is on 30k a week at Norwich ……..how do we know this ??!…….its easy to find out…
tonydonnelly67
13:27 on 28 October, 2014
‘Are they the youth players that do the ball boys job?’
###
It’s no doubt an urban legend but these two scamps were rumoured to be Aiden McGeady and David Marshall.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp48V-HoRp8
BOGNORBHOY
I’ll mail you my number.
The Sir Dan ain’t the worst around by a long way,but not the best bet if yer bringing female company. Catch the 55 bus,ask the driver to let you off nearby.
I’ll stay off it till you arrive,unless it’s beyond opening time,haha!
marspapa
Heartfelt mate, way too many uncaring assholes out there, makes me fear for my three kids, but its ever been thus. ktf
HH
Dubaibhoy
You could have been describing Diego Costa, didn’t work out too badly for him.
SFA Hampden Park to SEVCO/RIFC
We had a meeting and we would like some clarification on on who is running the club/ company as it is not clear to us, their seems so be a lot of coming and going and we need to let the Stoke market know who is running the joint.
In the past we have set a prerequisite on this club/company investigating its self as to what is going on, and that every thing is ok, so if you would like to go down that road that would suit us fine, looking forward to your answer and it will be a pleasure working with you.
No Surrender.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Answer
Sevco/RIFC/TRFC
Everything is fine, big Mick (MrAshley) said he spoke to you three weeks ago about this and it was sorted, but how an ever we did have a wee company/club investigation and alls well.
No Surrender?
tom mclaughlin
13:07 on 28 October, 2014
I was in my usual front row seat on Sunday, near the Celtic dugout.
There is a man sits a couple of rows behind us who, despite the large number of women and children in that vicinity, is constantly screaming foul-mouthed abuse at Celtic players, opposition players and match officials.
On Saturday, right in front of us, the ballboy came to the wall to retrieve the ball. It was a Celtic throw and Mikael Lustig was waiting to take it. The ball was very wet and the ballboy let it slip from his grasp and had to pick it up again as Lustig waited. Big mouth behind us started abusing the ballboy.
“Gae um the %&*#$@* baw you!”
My son and several others berated the man for that, but as soon as the ballboy had finally thrown the ball to Lustig, he turned and flicked the finger at the man before sitting down on the track in his usual place.
Everyone was in hysterics and to be fair, the loud mouth took it well and saw the funny side.
Kept him quiet for a while anyway.
—–
Tom
I must sit just a few rows behind you.
You’re 100% correct. Ref both the rotund walloper and the bold ball Bhoy!!
HH jamesgang
is Skepovic better than hoopslegend wee Leigh Griffiths?
He’s just another wasted shirt, along with Tonev, Boerriggter and Berget.
The view from the Gazebo
The Exiled Tim
Hi mate, The main reason MA can do this that he simply has the cash.
He has kudos within the city for taking failed brands, Dunlop, Slazenger, lillywhites etc and putting into place a rigid financial plan and ‘sweating’ them until they return to profitability.
Money goes to money.none of the other major shareholders have that kudos in the city, jeez the origins of how those holdings came about, and how they were funded reeks of dodginess.i would suspect the last thing they want is publicity or suggestions of transparency.
;-)
HH
EnterthetreaclemazeCsc
Big Raman on twitter suggesting Hearts will implement The Living Wage.
Celtic.There is still time
HH
Tom McLaughlin. my seat is near the away dug -out,there is a guy behind me who is always on McGregors case, the wee man can do nothing right, this guy has got one of them voices you would just like to punch.
The thing about people writing off Scepovic is we’ve seen it all before.
I remember Virgil being deemed a waste
Good afternoon all
Don’t want to start an arguement here, but I just read on twitter that Hearts are to become the first Scottish club to pay the living wage. Mmmmmm.
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
AN TEARMANN
Ashley has an incredible record of buying distressed but well-known brands. He puts them into his shop in a stack-em-high-sell-em-quick policy.
He has also trashed their reputation by doing so.
That doesn’t bother him,because it is a successful way of doing business.
I wish him every success in bringing to the masses brands which they could never previously afford,but I really cannot see how he can sweat the Rangers brand the way he has done with others.
However,I congratulate him on achieving a controlling stake in a company which was valued at £70m two years ago.
For £2m. Loaned. With securities.
Aye,he’s some poker player.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
cheers
TIMALOY29
You just made that up,didn’t you?
Good afternoon Celts
Quiet day at work…
Timaloy29
How exactly do you punch a voice?
B-)
.
Dontbrattbakkinanger
14:04 on
28 October, 2014
is Skepovic better than hoopslegend wee Leigh Griffiths?
He’s just another wasted shirt, along with Tonev, Boerriggter and Berget.
..
Is Leigh Griffiths Bigger than HoopsLegend Willo Flood..?
‘A Wish Celtic FC shirts Shrunk to Fit Midget players’ Wee Gordon Strachan
Summa of BIGGIESmallsCSC