The Mark of Losers

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We are no longer suffering the emotional trauma from the 90s, that decade has been more than compensated for since the dawning of the new century, but old wounds are still there.  Back then, it was difficult to live with that ‘loser’ feeling.  We knew that our wins were fragile and our ‘greatest’ triumphs often came when it didn’t matter.  Expectations were low and regularly unachieved.

A straightforward defeat was bad enough, but the heaviest toll was when we were given some encouragement.  We were almost always behind in the race for the league and needing to make up ground, so when Rangers played first and dropped points, we knew our precarious grip on a challenge could be strengthened.

So often during that dark decade, Rangers would drop points, then we would do the same in the later kick-off.  We carried around this Mark of Losers, which although invisible, it was as clear as the CR Smith lettering across the front of the Celtic jersey.

You need to have lived with this Mark to be able to recognise it when you see it.  It is usually subtle, only a couple of points dropped, but the effect is always to reinforce your Loser status.  Why did this come to mind today?  If you look around you will see it in others.  Still Losers, no matter what they try.  Enjoy your Monday.

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  1. Worth also highlighting we blew WGS final season. Lenny at Inverness and Black Sunday plus the Seville season as well as losing to Aberdeen in 1980 when it seemed impossible to do this and losing to 10 men Dundee Utd in 83.

  2. BURNLEY78 on 27TH NOVEMBER 2023 8:21 PM

     

    Worth also highlighting we blew WGS final season. Lenny at Inverness and Black Sunday plus the Seville season as well as losing to Aberdeen in 1980

     

     

     

     

    `Worth…. Highlighting` ?

     

     

    );))))))))

  3. garygillespieshamstring on

    Art of War

     

     

    If you’re looking in, thanks for your reply re Cantwell last night.

     

    Just saw it there doing a read back.

  4. Hot Smoked

     

     

    These losses are indelibly etched in my memory.

     

     

    1) 5-1 loss at Dundee who were relegated in 1980 handing initiative to the Dons.

     

    2) 3-2 loss at CP to United who had 10 men for last 30 mins in 83.

     

    3) MON Black Sunday of course.

     

    4) MON easing off at Motherwell when 4-0 up after 60 mins in 2/3 season. Similar v Dundee 6-2. We lost by 1 goal.

     

    5) Lenny team at Inverness

     

    6) WGS drawing at Hibs.

     

     

    All above were games which IMO cost us and need not have. I loved what all these teams gave me as a fan, esp the much maligned WGS but we really should have won all 6 of these titles.

  5. BURNLEY78 on 27TH NOVEMBER 2023 8:38 PM

     

     

    I knew what you meant as I feel the same about certain defeats. It was just the WORTH HIGHLIGHTING bit that made me smile. I would be going more along the WORTH FORGETTING route :-))

  6. garygillespieshamstring on

    Just had a look at St Stivs link to the old photo from the Inverness friendly.

     

     

    The Huns were ugly even back then.

  7. Hot Smoked.

     

     

    Yes forgetting. Agreed.

     

     

    Mind you

     

     

    St Mirren 86

     

    Rangers 79

     

    St Johnstone 98

     

    Tannadice 08

     

     

    All balance the books.

  8. BURNLEY78 on 27TH NOVEMBER 2023 8:46 PM

     

     

    `All balance the books.`

     

     

     

    Any Huns looking in will be baffled :-))

     

     

    Cheerio for now.

  9. GlassTwoThirdsFull,

     

    ,always meant to ask,how did you come by that Blog name.

     

    One of life’s mysteries.

  10. Lazio without both their CHs for the match.Get Oh and Kyogo right up there.

     

    4-4-2.Last chance,need to gamble a bit

     

    Hart

     

    AJ CCV LAGERBIELKE SCALES

     

    IWATA CALMAC O RILEY TURNBULL

     

    KYOGO OH.

  11. Turkeybhoy

     

     

    Best hope is the fact I didn’t go to Rome.

     

     

    After 5 decades of following us around Europe with less than 10 decent results out of 40 odd games I have decided I am a jinx.

     

     

    Hopefully that plus whatever the right game plan is might just get us that special result tomorrow night.

     

     

    Pressure is on them. The burden of expectation is tangible. They see it as them or Feyenoord.

     

     

    Shame so many of our top men are missing but Lenny made it work v Barca with a wonky team. Maybe just maybe.

  12. garygillespieshamstring on

    I would add the 3-3 game v Huns at Celtic Park as costing us the league.

     

     

    Shocking display in goal by Bob the Builder gave the hun a point in a game we should have won comfortably.

     

    They would have had one point fewer and we two more, meaning the goal difference farce on the last day of the season wouldn’t have happened.

     

     

    I know it is a bit “if my auntie had baws” but it still annoys me 20 years later.

  13. GaryGillespieshamstring

     

     

    Spot on. I forgot about that game.

     

     

    Hard to believe Rangers won a treble that season and we finished with nothing.

  14. garygillespieshamstring on

    Burnley

     

     

    Absolutely.

     

     

    Also the loss of a soft goal very late on against Dundee at Celtic Park when we were hammering them is another infuriating one from that season.

  15. GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING on 27TH NOVEMBER 2023 9:52 PM

     

    Burnley

     

     

    Absolutely. Also the loss of a soft goal very late on against Dundee at Celtic Park when we were hammering them is another infuriating one from that season.

     

     

    *I remember that so well I was following it at work on the beeb, ex-Celt Barry Smith scored it and my thought at the time was I hope this disnae cost us, it did.

  16. Tontine / Gary G

     

     

    That Dundee game and The last minute goal really was frustrating. It felt we could have scored at will in the second half. There was no sense they would score. Only how many more we might get.

  17. Gene

     

     

    I do hope you are wrong about Liel. That would be so wrong. It would not be a great reflection.

     

     

    He is a kid in a foreign country. He has worked so hard with language and adjusting to another world. I hope the club are helping and supporting him.

     

     

    He is a great talent with a huge future. I wish he was playing tomorrow night.

  18. I remember the Dundee game HL was going mad about the loss of a late goal .

     

    I said to my son ,that may cost us ,😩

  19. Hated hose days. McStay running about trying to do everything amoungst a crowd of donkeys ending up booked sent off etc due to complete frustration.

     

    He should have just left. I was selfish back then wanting him to stay. The world should have witnessed him in a top league.

  20. This PROBLEM with ADS is driving me NUTS.

     

     

    I am reluctant to CHANGE my PC Browser to ” DUCK DUCK” etc in case I mess it up.

     

    We AULD BHOYS do NOT like CHANGE.

     

     

    HH.

  21. With the officials playing such a key role in our 4 games so far it is interesting to see we have a Turkish referee team tonight. Halil Umut Meler at least showed some balls in Lisbon last time out in CL giving away team Salzburg 2 pens in first 15 mins and sending a Benfica player off.

     

     

    A bit of a Hail Mary to hope for a decent ref away in Italy but at least he doesn’t appear to be a Homer.

     

     

    Any info from Turkey would be interesting about this guy.

  22. Big Jimmy

     

     

    Morning big fella ,keep your browser going open and try Duck duck go on new tab, have used it

     

    on a couple of sites and it was no problem .good luck🍀

  23. Has CANTWELL been BANNED yet ?

     

     

    I am not confident about the Lazio game tonight, but I hope and pray that Celtic can somehow get a GOOD Result…..Whatever that may be ?

     

     

    Also, I hope that we dont suffer any further injuries irrespective of the Score Line.

     

     

    HH

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