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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Jamesgang
Playing with fone?
The boy who had the mishit shot from 10 yards more than made up for it with the third goal, two great touches and megged the keeper.:)
Paul McMullan booked for being fouled in the sevco box..
meanwhile headband/wig man gets a yellow for a sevco type ankle breaker of a tackle.
Allgreen @ 17:37
IMHO that time has been and gone.
WWFCSC
Quite impressed with the SPFL coverage of this game, don’t think the commentators are as bad as some are making out, both called out the ref’s mistake for the pen and the thugs tackle….
Marspapa..You”ll well your self out Man…But it sure is Fun..
Even now with a clear replay showing illegal challenge – the moron commentating cannot just accept that it was a penalty…
“sort of maybe kind of nearly a penalty”
“one of those ones that can go either way”
huns in training – in the commentary box
Wish they would move the mouse though, bloody annoying,….
So it’s a penalty if you watch it a hundredth time…feckin heard it all now!
Rwe
Bang on about that tackle “Hurlockesque ” !!
Interesting comment from Ken there:
Even YOU would agree that it was a penalty.
So who is the sevcovian co-commentator?
BTW i got on the train this Morning. Wrote the date on my ticket 21-5-……79
Looked down on it and thought WTF????
Then I remembered and smiled.
Thankfully the train was mobbed so I didnt have to concoct a cover story!
If this plank says one more time…
As a neutral it needs a goal from the Rangers International. …
Bgx
Big mistake oilin masel up on a leather couch haha
“Slip sliding” away as the song goes!!
:)
The hun number six is an animal.
Four more please young hoops. Maybe the sun will come oot.
I would actually like to see the young bhoys take on the Sevco first team.
Good take by the Celtic keeper, confidence booster
So close to 4
Ooft nearly 4
Good football again from Celtic, almost four…
Inches away from turning low cross in
Sevco keeper…Liam Kelly wtf
Rangers trying to play the ball more on the deck
“Just the two goal gap BUT in Celtic’s favour”
Marspapa..Yeah i saw that one two…Wooft ..Yir a Bad Man Marspapa…
Too laughing
Celtic subs warming up
Skill by wardrobe
Nesbitt nice skill and cross no takers
Just wide Celtic
Brown giving advice from touchline
Broonie encouraging the lads on
Referee playing a blinder
For god Huns
The Huns
Nice of Tom to throw in insults and not respond as per usual.
Brilliant to see Broonie working with the youngsters. A real credit to him that he is prepared to take time to do this.
You would think the lad Wardrope maybe has something left in his locker…..
Young Rangers fans.smiling away happy
lennon n mc….mjallby
20:25 on 21 May, 2015
Jamesgang
Playing with fone?
——
Playing While Fenian
HH jamesgang