The funeral of Billy McNeill will take place on Friday , May 3.
Since his passing on Monday night, tributes have been made to the man from all over the world, a sign of the regard he was held in by the footballing community.
Indeed, from outside the game as well.
But for supporters, there was only really one way to show what we thought of him..
As Celtic supporters we maybe underestimate what the club achieved under his leadership on and off the field, and it takes articles such as this one to perhaps fully appreciate it..
Meanwhile, on the new BBC Scotland channel tonight, there’s an opportunity to watch the Glasgow cup final, featuring the reserve sides of Celtic and “rangers “.
Trouble at the 2014 final means that there are no tickets available to the public for this one, and it will be eerie watching a cavernous Hampden in the background.
However, thanks to pioneering technology used in the English Premier League, that might not matter..
After Manchester City suffered heartbreak for failing to make it to Champions League semi-finals, a video has emerged on social media which shows City allegedly testing crowd noise on their speakers at their home ground Etihad Stadium.
Man City were reportedly testing crowd noise played through speakers earlier today. Man City are planning to create an atmosphere using speakers during the Champions League game tonight, according to reports.
It really has stopped being a sport if the supporters of arguably the best team in England can;t be arsed going to watch them. Its just another tv show…
This article, by Roger Mitchell in albachiara plots the change from sport to specatacle for what was once the working man’s game..and it’s worth a look.
CELTIC meet Kilmarnock at Celtic Park this Saturday, April 27, and the match will form a special celebration of the club’s greatest ever captain, Billy McNeill, one of world football’s great icons, who sadly passed away on Monday, April 22 at the age of 79.
Prior to the kick-off, at 11am, the Celtic first-team will lay a wreath on the Celtic Way in honour of the Hoops legend, a footballing giant who devoted his life to his beloved Celtic.
Members of Billy’s family have been invited to the match and before kick-off there will also be special video tributes within the stadium to the great man, for supporters to enjoy and remember Cesar.
The Celtic first team will wear a special black armband in memory of Billy on Saturday, bearing the Number 5 to recognise Billy’s iconic number that he always wore with pride.
At the request of the McNeill family, a minute’s applause will then take place just prior to the 12.30pm kick-off. The McNeill Family said: “We do not believe football stadiums were ever built to be to be silent. Our father would not have wanted that. They should be places of noise, passion and enjoyment.
“Football was his life and Celtic Park was a very large part of that. So please celebrate his life with a moment of cheers, songs and applause because that would make him feel at home again.”
Billy will also be honoured and celebrated further at Celtic’s last fixture of the season, the Scottish Cup final against Hearts, which takes place at Hampden on the poignant date of Saturday, May 25. All the Celtic first team will wear Billy’s famous Number 5 on the Celtic shorts in tribute to a man who gave so much to Celtic and to Scottish football.
“We do not believe football stadiums were ever built to be to be silent. Our father would not have wanted that. They should be places of noise, passion and enjoyment.
“Football was his life and Celtic Park was a very large part of that. So please celebrate his life with a moment of cheers, songs and applause because that would make him feel at home again.
Bloke born in England decides to play for England
Except this is the Record, and somehow this is a story…
Celtic prodigy Karamoko Dembele delivers Scotland blow as he makes England declaration
Hoops youngster is in the middle of an international tug-of-war.
The only concern I have with this is that he will be around players who are already earning as much as the top players at Celtic, and it will take an enormous amount of character to avoid the temptations and offers that will be “informally ” put to him.
It’s how these things work with youngsters who have talent. Everybody wants to be their friend, right up until they aren’t worth any money anymore…
Dembele may well be shocked by the difference in wages and bonuses available, but hopefully he’s wise enough to know that the money will come one day, and if he learns his trade properly it will last a lot longer.
Nothing lasts forever, all things will indeed change, , and we hear the the Orange Order have been further dismayed by yet another court ruling that hasn’t gone in their favour, forcing yet another change to their plans….
Does anyone know if you can play a version of “Duelling Banjoes “, the tune from the movie “Deliverance ” , on a flute ?
watched the game last night nice touch by MAN CITY not showing any respect to Billy Mc Neill former manager , no wonder the Scottish people don’t like the English ,no class at all .
Yawn is an understatement
you already have by writing it in the first place.
YAWN
It wasn’t me that was at the wheel. It was ole.
PISH
A few things that we learned this week:
The great love and world wide respect that Cesar was held in, some brilliant world wide tributes have testified to that. Hail Hail Cesar, strength of character, extremely loyal, yet full of humility.
Not all Huns are Huns, John Greig’s the baker’s tribute to Billy was full of honesty, warmth and respect, Hail Hail John Greig.
I played golf against him once and beat him and that was without an EBT or side letter.
TalkShite is the Joseph Goebbles of football, “Think of the press, as tools for Fools”. They live up to their name.
Good to see you back, don’t be a stranger, the dugs miss you, Woof Woof. Sharing is Caring…
Like Mrs Saiz? yeh mean. Better take her up her brekkie in bed the morra, cook the lunch and make the dinner and then get back on yer knees and polish the floors. She’s got you well trained. Woof Woof. A permanent disgrace to humanity.. are they.
One of my Grandads, the Scottish one, he converted to the one true faith. When he met my Granny he said to her “what’s your name hen” she said “Mary” he replied “I’le Mary yeh” and so a match made in heaven. Every Sunday, him the miner, got up early and went to Mass, got back when we all went later and made the most wonderful steak brekkie. I couldn’t wait till Friday evening to get the bus tae there home and spend my weekend with our extended family, twas brilliant..
What about the Roman one?
He married Sophie Loren, brawness runs in the family..
Caption
I’m texting the fat controller to let him know that i need thomas to tug the evidence of EBT’s outta my orange truck to the shredders
I see a woman has awakened after 27 years in a coma?
That’s some amount of Jeremy Kyle to ‘ catch up ‘ on.
Lazy bastard.
Total sloth thon one, its like a kebab thats been lying on the floor for 2 hours
I’d still eat it….
Caption…”55 was in tangible reach and then this happens “….
🙂
Caption: After losing the league to Liverpool and the FA cup to Watford the Manchester City ground manger records the sounds of car crashes.
Caption: The one time you want a call from a robot asking if you’ve recently been involved in an accident…
Caption…
So I was listening to the radio ,keep on trucking had just finished and then they played Tom Petty
Breakdown honest boss.
Last night on Sportsound, Chick young came up with the only good idea he has ever had (if it was his), the applause on Saturday should be for 67 seconds instead of the normal 60.
Nurse Ratched ^
Caption: ‘ Welcome to Liverpool ‘
Yes dear you were right, I shouldn’t have bought one of those new vans from IKEA.
Yes I did follow the instructions.
Caption
I was trying to find the local chapel to parade past
caption hello is that direct line a jeest tried tae gie big arlene foster a run hame fae the pub …….dis overloading disqualify ma policy
Caption. The Holding Company Vehicle goes through its paces in LaLa Land.
Please please please after a suitable length of time can John Clark be made an ambassador for Celtic instead of Kit man. He is a Lisbon Lion after all.
Excellent suggestion
Caption, Driver tries google after trying a short cut to Australia,
Caption: I swear I had it in a wheelie for 12 seconds before I face planted.
guess you only did front brakes?
I’ve just hit big Ajer as he was crossing the road
Haw, Yer Cruft’s delivery truck is trying to lick its ain baws.
Meant to say hat doffed
Cheers Bognorbhoy.
What? 🙂
Caption: ” right, this motor is fucked, look up Charlie Saiz, he has a cart “
Ronnie Simpson, 6 caps.
Jim Craig, 1 cap.
Tommy Gemmell, 18 caps.
Bobby Murdoch, 12 caps.
Billy McNeill, 29 caps.
John Clark, 4 caps.
Jimmy Johnstone, 23 caps.
Willie Wallace, 7 caps.
Steve Chalmers, 5 caps.
Bertie Auld, 3 caps,
Bobby Lennox, 10 caps.
Utterly shameful that the best ever Scottish team achieved so little official recognition and Scottish caps, but Hey, the Lisbon Lions, was finally inducted as a team into the Scottish Hall of Infamy only 50 years after Lisbon. “Its enough to make your heart go, go, we don’t care if we win lose or draw, oh but yes we do, do it for Big Billy…
mike scotland played ussr two weeks before we won the big cup and played seven celtic players hoping we would get injuries fuckem they are and always have been cunts
Who’s this Mike Scotland? 😉
Darren Fucking Jackson, 28 caps, mind when Wim Janson spoke to that lump awid Jock Broon about Jackson’s Scottish caps, “You said that we had Scottish international players.
Garry Fucking Caldwell 55 Scottish caps, another lump awid.
mikey in ma opinion darren wis a no bad player but he couldnae handle the fact that wen ye wear them hoops every cunts got liscence tae kick ye all over the park but a wished um well wen he fucked off ha ha
Charlie Saiz, 1 nose bag.
CS,
That’s un ladylike of you….
Saturday, 67 minutes is a grand idea for Billy!
Mike
Joe McBride.
Games…94
Goals…86. (91%)
1966/67 …Aug to Dec …36 goals
….Jan to May… injured
Top scorer in Scotland…Joe Mc Bride
Caps…2
Steve, Joe was one of my hero’s what a goal scorer, what a player, its disgraceful that these wonderful players received so little Scottish caps and recognition, but we know the reason for it though. And then you look at the number of caps that other players of no real quality obtain and it makes you angry. But at least our support recognise the humble, modesty and football qualities of these great players, it makes you so proud of them, but they all really should have had much more appreciation than they have had….
COYBIG for Billy, for the support, for the club, for your team mates and for yourselves.
A complete arse of a man.
Just read Celtic to retire No5 shirt. As far as I remember big Billy wore the No5 shorts not shirt.
Iloved that tackle, still do in fact.
So Lennon is and was a better manager for Celtic?
A simple yes or no will suffice
Ok mate.
bgbhoy lennys heer for the ten guaran fuckinteed
Caption: “That awful moment when the cab turns u down.”
Cracking youth cup final pity the young bhoys lost 3_2 but great skill on show by both teams.
Impressed by young Harper of the Celtic club!
Caption
* text *
Jim, that truck load of shit you told me to deliver to the Chris Jack and Matt Spaceballs Lindsay, yeah? Well, there’s a bit of a problem.”
Jimmybee right again two good sides, worried our defenders a bit like the senior side at set pieces! Anyway Saturday will be an emotional day and yet a vital “ Celtic job” has to be done. Celtic have handled the more vital fixtures pretty well, obviously the Athens game and Sevco were met downs, albeit there was a bug in the Celtic camp which might explain some of the apparent lethargy. Be that as it may Killie will be tough so both Lenny and the team need to make a big statement on Saturday.
celtic should never retire any number cause the hope in our hearts tels us another superstar is in our genes COYBIG
wee lennox wore 8 9 ten and eleven ffs by the time ma wee grandson plays in the hoops heel be number 132 if we start yon shit ha ha ha ha aint the next hero the best hero
the best player a ever saw in a celtic jersey was bobby lennox ma son says paul mcstay ma da woulda said bobby evans and ma granda said james mc grory and according tae ma granda his da said sandy mc mahon fuck yon number retirin COYBIG
wan for henk and bg bhoy ma eldest grandsn sais jamsie forrest aint celtic grand ha ha ha ha
a sat in the pub tonight watchin celtics wains gettin cheated live on the bbc wae four other good tims wan said roy aitken another said danny mcgrain another said naka and the drunkest ooty us awe said charlie nic ha ha ha aint drinkin and watchin fitba grand ha ha ha ha
a wis in big billys pub affy vicky road wan night efter we won another cup …anyway wanny the bhoys asked um was liftin that big cup the best time in his fitba life ……he said every time a ran oot tae play in fronty yoos wis amazin cause am wanny yees …god bless ye big man RIP
heers a hymn for a tim
the hymn was faith of our fathers but paddies is cool
call it out
I’ve been accepted as an extra in the new James Bond film….
Nice one.
Manchu island…
They want me to play the island 🙂
MWAHAHAHA….this guy ^
Anyone think that the youth team got robbed of an equaliser to make it 3-3 last night, i don’t think that ball was out
Una,
Hard to tell when they didn’t show a different camera angle.
As you know Una, things look different from the angle you approach it 🙂
Just what I thought. Wasnt convinced that was a penalty either.
It was more a comment on the inferior TV coverage no permitting me to come to an adequately informed opinion on both incidents. No ‘paranoia’ about it and I never mentioned the referee.
Buzz Bomb,
I’m sure Stevie does understand sarcasm…..do you however, understand that you are a dick?
I understand sarcasm fine. I also recognise an egotist who’d start a fight in an empty house. What is the matter with you?
Is there anybody you get on with BB?
I know from our experience monti the angle of a shadow can make things look bigger than they are
🙂
I see Dick Advocaat wants the Scotland job?
Fuck sake we’ve just got rid of a Dick!
Talking of Dicks, morning Buzz Bomb!
No it’s you ya fucking DICK!!!!!
The fact is that the seven year old club’s boys looked bigger by far than ours, in youth football size does matter. You can always talk about exceptions like Andy Robertson being released because he was too small, but on the whole bigger teams tend to be faster and stronger. For me its important to not be blinded by prejudice there’s enough of that around as it is. So lets be honest and say, the whole ball was out and the linesman called it right. Does Karamoke Dembelle have the right to get into the Celtic first team just because he is a very talented lad and its a means to keep him and his parents sweet? Is it right to push him before he has the physicality to play first team football, no that is not right and no-one should suggest it. Lennon has suggested it after the league is won, but I would say that no single person has that automatic right and that should never have been suggested. Let bairns grow up, stop putting pressure on them, this gallop to earn money before ready is a very modern trait,, one that should be abandoned.
Mike,
Well said!
Ralph,
That wee ‘ The Italian view ‘ was excellent, good stuff m8!