The heat was suffocating, it was 35° and city was heaving. On the long walk out of town some enterprising locals were selling water or cola to the increasingly dehydrated caravan of people. I passed a few, not willing to succumb to extortionate opportunism, but soon gave in.
I walked into an orange tree earlier that day. Caught between taking directions from a policeman and setting off in a new direction I’d overlooked the towering obstacle a yard in front of me. There’d been a spring in my step, I must have bounced into the bark. Trees are hard. I fell.
The return journey was made in the cool of the night. For the first few miles we were a uniformed flow of humanity but eventually the crowd thinned. We walked through residential streets with locals at their doors and windows. They applauded as we passed. Few of us are ever part of something substantial enough that uninvolved observers openly applaud you. Such memories endure.
I’d an early rise and a long drive with a full car ahead the next day. The bedroom was packed, floor space was given over to spare bedding, the hotels must have shipped mattresses in from a hundred kilometres radius, so with the others in the bar, I took myself off for a shower.
I met a German couple in the elevator. “Are you disappointed?” the woman asked. “No, we played well and were beaten by a good team.” It was the perfect answer. These people must have been horrified when they noticed the throng which would dominate their trip, but they’d become part of the story, part of the throng. The answer was honestly given, although disappointment would come later. I went on, “We lost a minor cup final nine years ago, that was real disappointment”.
I surprised myself by what my memory spontaneously threw up when asked about disappointment. Looking back now, that minor cup final is no more than a touchstone, and indicator of where we were before the Generation of Domination got underway. It’s lost its power to inflict negative emotion. If I met the German couple once more I could again tell them I wasn’t disappointed with that day in the blistering heat. It’s one of my proudest memories, and we soon learned we were beaten, narrowly, by a great team.
This, my friends in Celtic, is what you call a journey.
I spoke to fan liaison manager John Paul Taylor yesterday and mentioned I’d not renewed my season ticket yet. I promised him I would today and that I’d pass the message on. Deadline is tomorrow, after that people can ask for a move into your seat. Consider yourself reminded! We walk the next mile of the journey soon, with hope in our hearts, as always.
Many thanks to those who donated to Mary’s Meals yesterday, and to Magners. The money raised in one day alone will feed over 30 of the world’s poorest school children for a year.
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matthewl1888…
Your up late tonight:))
What time does the Kerrydale open on Sunday?
Sliding tackle just like big Billy :)
thelurkintim
1 is better than none isn’t it ;-)
HH
2
Boooooo
Booooo 5-2
Tired defending and they have their ‘consolation’
Ambrose again! :-)
5-2 :(
Marspapa..Cheers..Will Do Def Next season For Sure…Thanks Mate…
Extremely impressed by the pressing and movement of this team. Ronny’s fingerprints are all over this, and no bad thing and Sevco score, hint of hand ball. H H Hebcelt
O.G.Rafferty
Aye I’m sure they’ll feel a lot better now after the trouncing they’ve had:)))
As we all know 2 Sevco goals count more than 5 Celtic goals
Shocking defending :) a wee goal here would give the score a nice ring.
I was at a 6-2 game once :-)
Morrissey @ 20:19
Cheers.
HH
FT
Well done the mini hoops.
Matthewl1888
21:16 on 21 May, 2015
thelurkintim
1 is better than none isn’t it ;-)
HH
……………..
………………
defeat me with logic ;-))
2 is better than 1……..u continue ;-))
H.H.
FT 5-2
FT
5-2
HH
very well done to the Young hoops …..awfy braw …..
Team look like the first team.
Closing down all over the pitch, good movement and some real class.
Read it and weep, Huns
hebcetl@ 21:17 … spot on. The bhoys looked much fitter and hungrier. Think RD is having an impact at the club from top to bottom. Good to see.
Different class on every level.
thelurkintim
Can’t argue with logic can you ;)
Miles ahead in all departments…
Matthewl1888
21:06 on
21 May, 2015
BGFC
What section you in ?
—–
We are in the Jock Stein – Section 143 Row H.
Looking to move back round to 141 where we were before making a backside of our renewal last year :-)
HH
BGFC
Good display from the hoops yoof. Well done bhoys.
HH
Omg I’ve just taken Seville Sunday…..again……logically
mybadcsc
@RaithRovers_FC
The formal naming ceremony for the Turnbull Hutton Stand will take place on Wed 22 July when we face Celtic XI in a friendly, KO 7.45pm
Turnbull Hutton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Al64cnSZZH0
“There are rules. We feel the rules should be followed”
“Bullied railroaded, lied to”
“We are being lied to the the SFA, The SPFL. We are being threatened, bullied…”
“What kind of game are we running here?”
Well done the young Hoops.
Excellent performance.
Would have liked more goals ‘tho!
HH!!
Very easy for Celtic,could have been double figures.
Craigellachie10
Sorry for late reply, KDS opens at 11 on.match days and closes at 6 I think :)
Watching that game, you could see the structure, organisation and game plan from Celtic, as someone else said, Ronny’s fingerprints all over it. Mirror image of the 1st team.
The opposition looked a mirror image of their 1st team, clueless, and no harm to them as only kids, but there doesn’t appear to be much coaching going on over there.
Folks, the next time any tims are through in fife, this is about 3 miles from Johnny Thomson’s gravesite.
http://www.centralfifetimes.com/news/benarty/articles/2015/05/19/778110-peter-johhnstone-memorial-will-be-opened-this-weekend/
Well done the young pups, some lovely skills shown from the bhoys tonight
Oh well, back to ripping the pish oot the huns tomorrow…It’s endless :))))