Celtic Diary Thursday December 6

Spartak Moscow last night became the third European side to be beaten home and away this season, and as a result Celtic strode into the last sixteen of the Champions League.

Gary Hooper opened the scoring when he pounced on a defensive error and rifled home from around twenty yards. When Spartak equalised six minutes before half time, and news that Benfica were hoding Barcelonas academy team to a goalless draw, the nerves began to jump a wee bit.

Celtic came out in the second half with a little more purpose and a lot less edginess, and eventually won a penalty as Gergios Samaras hit the deck after a nudge from a Spartak defender. Probably not a penalty, but it made up for the constant hacking of the Russian side which had gone unpunished before.Incidentally, Spartak had the worst disciplinary record of any team in the group stages,fouls, cards etc,  all of which seemed to happen to Kris Commons.

Kris commons took the kick, and crashed it straight down the middle onto the crossbar, where happily it went downwards and over the line instead of upwards and into the night sky. Neil Lennon had elected not to watch the penalty, as did many supporters, especially as Celtics record from the spot recently is less than impressive, but alls well as ends well, and it means that on December 20 we can all watch the draw and plan our very own spring break.

Congratulations to Neil Lennon and his staff, for getting this far at the first attempt.

Congratulations to the players, for giving their all and succeeding thus far in what for many is a first attempt, and congratulations to Kris Commons, whose leg is about to give birth to another little leg.

Barcelona also deserve a round of applause for leaving out all their good players to give Benfica a chance, so they deserve a bit of payback when we get them again later on.

There can be no understating how well the team have done, especially as they were all but written off as long ago as the qualifiers, and every one of us would have felt relief and elation at the final whistle, and perhaps even exhaustion. Its alright for the players, they only have to kick the ball when its near them. Us fans kick every one.

It doesn’t really matter who we get next, as they will be worried more about us. Well, probably not, but who gives a toss?

There was, as ever , a lot of praise from media “experts”, including Graeme souness, the former Rangers man, who said that the “best two teams in the group had gone through.” Others were asking the question of how far can Celtic go, which was best answered post match by Gary Hooper, who said;

“Just keep watching, and we’ll keep winning.”

Neil Lennon, who seemed a bit overwhelmed by it all, said, with immense self control,;

The players have been magnificent, and its a monumental achievement on their behalf.”

Aye, and you’ve not done so badly yourself.

ITV sport were suitably embarrassed as this tweet resurfaced after last nights game, and there were calls for the perpetrator to do it all over again when the draw is made for the knockout stages later this month.

Perhaps he meant Chelsea. Or Manchester City. Two sides with budgets the size of small nations have exited the big cup, and it proves again, that in football there is no substitute for heart, passion and pride. Any players who were thinking of leaving Celtic in January will now be thinking again, and anyone who wants any of the team will have to put a pretty good offer on the table.

Anyway, they’d be nuts to go now, as this squad is as good as any put together in recent years, and remember , they are still learning, still growing, and if they continue to do so, then the sky is the limit, and new legends are born.

To paraphrase a man who knew a bit about these things;

“Celtic are a great club with a wonderful history. but its time to make our own history.”

And we just might have the people in place to do that , if not this season, then very, very soon.

Anyone else still punching the air every time the loop comes round again and shows the goals on SSN?

Yesterday, we asked you to complete the title of the sixties song Celtic are, and as Frank said, it was “here”. Some of the other answers may have been a lot more accurste, but that was the correct one. I still have that record somewhere, and it has outlived all my record players. (Kids, ask your Dad. Like you do when someone mentions that other obsolete term, Rangers)

Today, which celebrity desribed Celtic as the “one constant in my life?”

Oh, theres the goals on again!

Its going to be a good day.