All Saints Day!
The first day without our old foes from the south of the city. Stand back and take a deep breath. The air is sweeter, the wind fresher and the sunlight stronger. Truly it is a brave new world out there.
Celtic supporters got their very own JFK moment when Lord Hodge decided to order the winding up of Rangers football club, and despite what you may hear, what you may read, or what someone might tell you, thats it
. Its all over for them.
Perhaps its not what a Celtic diary should lead with, but noticing the very low level of coverage given to it by the press, TV and radio its important that what was the biggest scandal in football history should not be brushed under the carpet. Questions must be asked, answers must be sought, and justice must be dealt. The theft of taxpayers money, the collusion of a supposedly free press, the resultant intimidation, must all be investigated, and those found guilty, either directly or by association, should be held to account.
So don’t let it fade away.
The BBC, on Reporting Scotland last night said that Rangers had been wound up, and then , without a hint of irony or shame, said the Rangers had been beaten 3=0 by Inverness Caley. Either they just don’t get it, or everybody really is just hoping it will all go away. Still, when Greens new club goes under, that will give them two people to blame, and Murray, who caused the mess in the first place.
Poor Ally McCoist. His team were humbled by a superior Inverness side, and with it being Halloween, he went home, donned a pumpkin outfit, and waited until midnight to see if he would turn into a coach.
Anyway, enough of them for now. They’re finished, as their hero Winston Churchill said,
“Its not the end, nor is it the beginning of the end, but it is the end of the beginning” The old warmonger quoted there, when he was asked for his views on the liquidation, what will happen next. Or he could have been talking about something else. Actually, he might have been. He died in 1965, forty seven years before Rangers did.
So don’t expect the papers to go overboard about it. They’ve ignored the story for years, and haven’t shown any sign of changing that policy.
Meanwhile, in the land of the solvent good guys, manager Neil Lennon has called for the players to focus on one game at a time. He wants 100% concentration on the Dundee Utd game on Sunday, and refused to talk about the upcoming game against Barcelona.
Kelvin Wilson obviously wasn’t listening, he went on about how “we have not looked out of place ” in the champions League, and “done ourselves proud”. What he said when Lennon punched him after the interview has not been recorded.
Mo Bangura, the Celt out on loan to AIK Stockholm, may well be offered a move back there. They say he is doing well, but finance may be an issue. Surely not? Celtic will be willing to pay whatever they ask to get rid of him.
Joe Ledley was on message though, looking forward to a tough test at Tannadice, and glancing nervously to the big guy in dark glasses off stage as he spoke.
All in good fun, as Celtic look to continue their hunt for four trophies this year.
Tony Watt may well have played his way into a run in the side, as Lennon has commented on how well he works with hooper, and after Mikus exit against Kilmarnock, and the stories about him being fed up and wanting to go back to Spain, then there is no reason why not-especially domestically. And lets be honest, he has been quite effective as a sub.
Some of you noticed there was no quiz yesterday, due to other things happening, and the correct answer was, indeed Andre Blackman, well done to DiegoinHoops there.
The day before brought back many memories of Tony Shepherds big day, the 1986 League Cup final, when all hell broke loose. Thanks for the memories, and everyone had something to add on that one.
Today, as it is the first day of a Rangers free world, (look, even if no-one else is going to mention it, I am), heres another question about them.
Way back in the eighties, Rangers, under pressure from UEFA, who were sniffing around them at the time, signed a 16 year old catholic-the Record had “Rangers sign a Catholic” as a back page spread. Who was it? And how did Hugh Keevins make an arse of himself years later when he mentioned this player again?
John Spencer
Worth 2 Lubos allegedly
The non-practicing John Spenceer? Can’t believe we missed out on him to sign an old injury-prone Slovakian… (copyright Shug K)
John Spencer, the non-practicing? He was never a Catholic to begin with. He only attended John Bosco RC Secondary School (I was the year above him) because Adelphi the non-demon, sorry Proddie school, closed down and they all got shifted up to us.
His Dad was a Catholic right enough and most Celtic fans have met or heard about the legend that is his Uncle James “Spenny” Spencer.
He was in the year above me @ St Johns Primary in the Gorbals,& also an altar boy in the old St Johns Chapel so I think it fair to say he wasnt a prod…just misguided haha
Hugh Keevins –
Potential answer A – Artur Jorge is Potugese for John Spencer.
Potenetial Anser B- He was convinced John Spencer was joining us – we went for Moracik instead.
Potential Answer C- Andre Blackman (well it worked for Diego)
beaten to it, but do remember Spencers name being mentioned at that time(must admit i d have preferred him at the time- Lobo who?)
But the bold Keevins went further and put the boot in saying he was an over the hill 35 year old (with a funny name and had nt featured on Scottish MSM all knowing radar – so he must be pash) and was nt worth half a Spencer or other such drivel.
And Andre…nah that bits over,like the Rangers.
Ally Dick.
I’m back, Ralph, but really peeved at how late I get on here. Really p**sed. I definitely knew the quiz answer. I remember Frank Spencer really well ’cause he played fitba’ jist the way yon John Spencer ran about like an eejit on the tele. I also recall that when asked to bliss himself, he couldn’t make up his mind whether to scratch his heid or his erse. He thought a chapel was a special boozer just because loads of people went there on a Sunday in the days when pubs didn’t open. To be fair to Keevins, he thought he was comparing halloween faces and I agree with him that Spencer won that hands down. I believe he went out as-is when he was a kid and won all the prizes for best costume.
Liquid-ation. I though that was when you had too much roughage and all the sh**t just shot straight down the cludgy for ever. Oh, I was right was I?
Good to be back and breathing unaided again too.
H H
I actually remember the daily ranger’s (should it be daily zombie now?) headline when Lubo signed – “dud czeck” – can’t remember the dr’s headline after his first 2 goals for Celtic – the 5 – 1 demolition of the zombies.
I also remember John Spencer;s uncle(?) standing behind the goals at the Celtic end at CP every home game with a massive Celtic scarf on.
“I don’t know what I find more laughable; the fact that Celtic cannot find £500,000 from their biscuit tin to sign a proven talent like John Spencer, or the fact that they then spent £300,000 on one of Dr. Jo’s old pals, the unknown Lubomir Moravcik”
(Hugh Keevins, Sunday Mail; Nov 1998)
—————
Marvellous.
I knew he had made some crackpot comment but had not realised it was at this intellectually subterranean level.
Surprising that it took so long to kick him out of Parkhead, Lenny. What a? – ‘zombie’ maybe!
H H