We put an inordinate amount of goals past Partick Thistle in the League Cup in October, but Thistle responded well to that reversal, losing only once (by a single goal to Aberdeen) since. They are a better team than John Guidetti made them look.
As for Celtic, this is another opportunity to build on good recent performances. The speed and accuracy we passed against both Salzburg (despite the result) and Hearts was perceivably better than in previous games, but there is still work to do. Salzburg were better, Hearts imploded, but Thistle will defend deep and made life difficult.
Thanks to everyone who participated in the ticket competition yesterday, and who donated £1 or more to the Mary’s Meals school kitchen appeal. Thanks also to Magners for making it possible.
Congratulations to the Youths who won 1-6 at Murray Park last night. No doubt about it, that’s going to hurt.
Thanks to the reader who emailed a copy of the European Commission ruling from June 2002 on multiple ownership of football clubs. Then owners of shares in (then) Rangers, ENIC, took Uefa to the EC Competition Commissioner, Mario Monti (whatever happened to him?), ruled that the Uefa prohibition on multiple ownership was legal and necessary to avoid clubs being “tempted to rig matches”, and to “ensure that sporting competitions are fair and honest”.
Anyone wanting to clip Mike Ashley’s wings could do worse than involve Uefa sooner.
If you’re in Belfast, check out Mouldy67’s Twitter page. Cyclists for neuroblastoma are looking for some help on Mondy.
The 2015 CQN Annual is through design and ready to ship next week. You can pre-order yours now.
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Hail Hail
HH!!
treble
Auldheid
12:31 on
3 December, 2014
One of the ways to improve attendance at football matches is to make such attendance family friendly. That is the future.
In that respect the Hearts owner has made the following statement re behaviour of both sets of supporters at Tynecastle on Sunday.
http://www.heartsfc.co.uk/news/4010
Be the change you want to see in the world.
Fine result from the young guns last night, putting the Sevco boys in their place!
I saw a Company/person advertising the ‘Lost Souls’ Burtons t-shirt a couple of weeks ago on FB, does anybody know who it was and point me in the right direction? Thanks. HH
I would have thought having Ally McCoist as your manager would be the biggest barrier to European competition.
Auldheid
I hope those numpties that Ann Budge refers to get sorted out. Disgraceful on their part.
Can someone copy n paste the Hearts / Ann Budge article please?
If the vandalism was, as Anne Budge stated,then we have a serious problem with the away supporters. I have no reason to disbelieve her but if Celtic confirm her statement to be true, it is totally unacceptable. Vandalism and singing hymns!
Ann Budge today gave this latest update to fans following the fourth-round meeting with Celtic in the William Hill Scottish Cup.
I feel it is important that I respond to some of the issues that have arisen/emails received following the Scottish Cup tie between Hearts and Celtic on Sunday and I hope this goes some way to offering reassurance that we are totally committed to creating a safe and comfortable environment in which to enjoy the Tynecastle matchday experience.
It is important to stress the values and principles we are trying to promote within the club and the behaviour we are seeking to encourage.
Many of our fans are supporting our efforts to improve the overall experience at Tynecastle and to create a truly family-focused culture.
For this to work, we need to do everything in our power to ensure our opposition on the day also enjoys the experience of coming to Tynecastle. Friendly banter is acceptable – some might even say desirable – threatening and intimidating behaviour between supporters is not.
However, we also need our visiting fans to behave accordingly. Based on emails and communications received into the club it would seem both sets of supporters had cause for complaint on Sunday.
Sunday past – November 30th – was, of course, St Andrew’s day – a day when we should all be proud to be Scots! Unfortunately, I was certainly not overly proud of some of the behaviour I witnessed and heard about both during and after the game.
The match was a disappointing football spectacle for both sets of supporters. However, as football supporters, we know that things will not always go our way on the pitch; we know that players will make mistakes; we know that referees will make calls that we do not all agree with. That is football! It does not justify bad behavior – on or off the field.
At Hearts, poor on-field behaviour is scrutinised, disciplined and, where appropriate, punished. The same approach must apply off the field.
The police report confirms that one Hearts supporter was arrested at the match for sectarian abuse. That is unacceptable and dangerous. In line with my previous statement of zero tolerance, that individual will not be allowed back into the stadium.
The same police report confirms that five Celtic supporters were arrested for sectarian abuse, coin throwing and disorderly behaviour. I hope that Celtic will take appropriate action against those individuals who let them down. Certainly, at Hearts, we will do everything in our power to ensure they are never again allowed into Tynecastle.
I was appalled at the vandalism carried out by our visiting supporters on Sunday. Having recently spent significant sums to replace broken seats in the Roseburn Stand, for the benefit, primarily, of our away supporters, I was hugely disappointed to witness the destruction of close to 100 seats. Similarly, the graffiti on walls, tiles, doors – basically all types of surfaces – was quite disgraceful and this is not to mention the damage to toilets.
I have discussed all of these matters with members of the Celtic Executive and we are working co-operatively to address the issues. No club should be on the receiving end of such unacceptable behaviour and no club should be put in the position of having to defend such behaviour.
The most distressing emails/reports I have received are of intimidation both to fans and to staff from away fans. Everyone gets frustrated when officials and police appear to take little or no action.
This is something I will discuss with the authorities but as many of us know, their response is very often influenced by a need not to further inflame a situation. The only real answer is to try to remove those people who cause the problems and who spoil the whole experience for so many others.
I was pleased to learn that approximately 20% of the Hearts supporters on Sunday were youths. This is fantastic evidence that we are appealing to the family. The not so good news is that I have received a number of emails/letters from parents stating that their children were terrified/had to be removed part way through the game/were traumatised – and as such would be unlikely ever to want to return to a game. This is appalling.
OK. These letters relate to a tiny proportion of the 12,000-plus crowd. The number is unimportant. We want to be a family-oriented club, offering a thoroughly enjoyable matchday experience for both sets of supporters – in a safe and non-threatening environment.
I promise that this current management team will do everything in its power to try to make this happen. This includes taking action against our own supporters who let the side down; vigorously pressing other clubs to be accountable for the actions of their supporters and where necessary petitioning the authorities to take appropriate action.
I would urge Hearts supporters to stick with us and supporters of other visiting clubs to recognise that we want to offer a welcoming environment at Tynecastle where both teams can enjoy the matchday experience. For Scottish football to survive and develop, we need each other.
Let’s look forward to welcoming the Queen of the South supporters to Tynecastle on Saturday.
Embarrassed by that statement.
I hope Celtic inspect the ground before and after matches.
If there was wide spread vandalism and intimidation then it gets sorted pronto.
It doesn;t sound like Celtic supporters to me. We don;t behave like that. I haven;t been to Tynecastle in recent years though. Tough place to get a ticket.
LB
Ann Budge’s statement makes for sad reading. There is no doubt that among the Celtic support we have our share of hooligans and thugs, just as most other teams do.
It’s time to get it stamped out, but how?
Auldheid
12:31 on
3 December, 2014
In that respect the Hearts owner has made the following statement re behaviour of both sets of supporters at Tynecastle on Sunday.
http://www.heartsfc.co.uk/news/4010
————
It seems to me that when our fans misbehave at away grounds, as they do, the host club is never slow to point the finger.
At the risk of being accused of whataboutery, I wonder when our club will highlight the misconduct of visiting fans.
Nevertheless, Ms. Budge is a welcome addition to the voices of football in Scotland.
I wonder how her measured statement will be interpreted by our MSM.
That’ll be the news programmes and phone ins sorted for tonight!
John Guidetti can breath more easily, the spotlight is off.
In 50 years of following Celtic,Tynecasle was by far the most hateful of venues.When did The Road To Damascas conversion happen?
Teuchter,
I am indeed in Gloucester, had a pint last night with DR Foster, or should that be Forster!!!
Hail Hail buddy.
Travelling back tonight on 8.45 flight.
Need my CQN buddies to keep the updates coming on the game… Please.
5 nil to the hoops
That didn’t take long did it
BBC Sport Scotland@BBCSportScot · 14m 14 minutes ago
BREAKING: #Hearts’ Ann Budge hits out at #Celtic fans after Cup clash:
SYDNEGAKEV
We are not angels,nor do we profess to be. But the report is not the away support that I remember.
The disparity in arrests should be a flag-we’re winning,they’re getting gubbed,yet we get lifted?
Disnae sound like reality to me. And as for the damaged seats,I’m shocked and surprised.
And so too will be the MSM. No-one told them in time to get the photies and trash our rep.
Can anybody cut and paste the outraged statement by Hearts after our manager was attacked in their ground I’m sure it was as least as hard hitting as Ms. Budge’s….
Tynecastle is and always was an intimidating coup to visit compounded by the often blindness of the polis on duty in the Capital..
No doubt we have some idiots who bring shame on us, however, another forensic breakdown where Celtic are involved – the damage was in the area occupied by a certain other group for a wee ‘friendly’ very recently- was that why significant sums were spent on repairs!
No excuse on our side but I’m getting fed up with the ‘one eyed’ reporting which is going on both off and on the field.
Iki
Can anyone point me to Ms Budge’s statement about the Sevco support last week?
Wouldn’t surprise me if the damage was done by them and blamed on us.
Am I paranoid?
BMCUW,
Sadly, a lot of our away fans now are blootered and stoned every game.
Trouble was inevitable.
leftclicktic
12:54 on
3 December, 2014
That didn’t take long did it
BBC Sport Scotland@BBCSportScot · 14m 14 minutes ago
BREAKING: #Hearts’ Ann Budge hits out at #Celtic fans after Cup clash:
==============
Aye and I’ve already had a go at them on Twitter.
Auldheid @Auldheid · 6m6 minutes ago
@BBCSportScot @BBCSportsound @bbcjimspence She had a go at Hearts fans too & Jim Spence was asking how to get crowds back.FAMILY that is how
Auldheid @Auldheid · 3m3 minutes ago
@BBCSportScot @BBCSportsound @bbcjimspence Jim have word with editors pse. Message is not anti Celtic its pro family.
Jim Spence was asking earlier how to get crowds back and his own bloody department come out with a divisive agenda.
Our media have much to answer for.
BMCUWP
If you view the TV pictures after the goals you will on two occassions note hearts fan throwing objects towards the Celtic Suppport.
In no way does this take away from any misconduct of the hoops support but maybe the torch is not shone quiet so bright on the home fans at swinecastle as it is on the away support when the bhoys are in town.
MWD said AYE
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
I’m sure Ann Budge has the evidence otherwise she wouldn’t have made such a statement.
No doubt similar damage/vandalism happens all the time and I know CP has been trashed many times – even by off duty policemen!
Perhaps Mrs Budge has decided it should always be brought to attention and not just accepted as routine.
Tamrabam from previous.
I agree with near all your post. Some refs are just not good. Not all have agendas.
As for the part I don’t agree with….well ye knew that part before you pressed ‘post’.
I agree that we have our fair share of idiots in our support, if criticism is due then we need to look at taking action.
I trust this Hearts fan’s behaviour was deemed as exemplary:
http://youtu.be/UjgkVx7vvZI
LOL!
CALTON TONGUES
Respect to you,bud,as you are there more often than not.
And you have been consistent with your criticism of those who let us down.
Remember my Dad telling me about Hertz supporters.
He went to a match at Tynecastle must have been early 70s.
A very frail Sir Robert Kelly was going in the main door .
The sectarian abuse this ill and frail elderly man received was disgusting.
My Da complained to the police and was told to move on or he would be lifted.
Scumbag support , always have been, always will be
BMCUW,
Not a criticism per se, just moedern life….
BURGHBHOY
I took thirty pints off them in The Haymarket one night as a result of a bet-win,plus goal margin.
Back in the 80s when I could still handle more than a barmaid’s apron.
They coughed. They’re not all bad.
A couple of things about the Ann Budge comments, having met her a few times through work (in her previous life not at Hearts) I don’t believe she has any anti Celtic agenda.
The whole issue around seat damage and vandalism is interesting. It’s my understanding that this goes on at almost every game, and at Celtic there is often damage (did you know for example that a significant number of seats in the south stand were damaged by “Scotland” fans at the recent England match? ). It is however, I believe, agreed that the clubs will not publicise this and sort it between themselves (I imagine to keep away from any tit for tat behavior), so I am interested why she would publicise this unless there is some other agenda going on behind the scenes.
No matter that, this type of vandalism is disgraceful and an embarrassment for us
CALTONTONGUES
Aye,sadly so.
I’m not normally one for whataboutery.
I’ll say for clarity’s sake that anyone who goes to Celtic games who would intimidate other fans (especially kids) or vandalise property (especially when we are guest at another ground) are not really Celtic fans. These people are small minded fools latching onto something great and good and we all should condemn these type of people.
However…
For the owner of a club (who’s fans have been clearly seen and heard to be singing sectarian songs down the years, who’s fans have caused damage to Celtic Park and our facilities many many times, who have a fan of their club who thought it was acceptable to leave his seat and attempt to attack the Celtic Manager and who’s fans thought it was OK to pass around a sick banner about Celtic great Stan Petrov) to speak out about vandalism and intimidation by Celtic fans after a heavy defeat is risible nonsense.
I fully expect our board to take action against this by making clear that the alleged incidents are being investigated through appropriate channels and that we feel that any comment about our club by owners of other clubs to the media are inappropriate, uncivilised and artless.
Ms Budge’s pms acting up.
The Anne Budge statement has value in itself given its relatively balanced nature (with the caveat of police identification of ‘sectarian’) and her approach is welcome.
Whataboutery has no place now. An agreed reporting programme supported by all clubs concerning vandalism should be implemented.
All pictures, before and after, of vandalised areas should be published (a dedicated website?) and clubs should be seen to work in concert by producing a formatted report of,for example, number of supporters in an area, the number of stewards, number of police and cctv coverage etc.
Budge’s report talks of youngsters being upset by some activities and of course that fear can be experienced whether a home or away supporter.
Time to get this behaviour eradicated right now.
HH