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Celtic Diary Wednesday June 5

Neil Lennon was in Dublin yesterday, promoting the match at the Aviva against Liverpool on August 10. At the same time, the club announced that the friendly against Borussia Moenchengladbach. (Why not Schalke? Much easier to spell. ) and the second round Champions League qualifier, will both be included on the season book.

Good move by the club, as especially the European game, a big crowd is needed to get the teams attitude right.

Lennon also took the opportunity to let the support know exactly what was going on with regard to the transfer market. Or , at least, he let us know what he wants us to know. Or possibly even told us what he knows. Do you know something ? I just don’t know.

Anthony Stokes has knocked back a new contract, but the boss expects him to sign after the club okayed the use of waterboarding in contract negotiations.

There have been no bids for any Celtic players, although he is expecting some.

Fraser Forster is going nowhere.

“He has made his name at Celtic. He went from third choice keeper at Newcastle to third choice for England in a short space of time. ” said Lennon, which is true, and a very good point that maybe the big stopper should take time to think about, instead of telling us he wants to play in Brazil next year. Perhaps its not a bad thing to remind him he needs to be able to walk before he can run. Or catch the ball before he flings it out, to use goalie talk.

Richard Dunne, released by Aston Villa , is getting on a bit, but Lennon conceded his experience might be valuable. The gaffer compared him to the Daniel Majstorovic, in that its “always good to have one or two experienced players in. ”

Majstorovic is a good example. He was always injured as well. Dunne hasn’t played for a long time, so there are questions over his fitness. Such as “Is he fit ?”

Anyway, despite stories from Portugal about offers on the table for Amido Balde, and whispers about Johnny Russell  hanging around outside Celtic Park with a pen in his hand and some rebel tunes on his i-pod, Lennon summed up the story so far.

” We have made no formal or informal movements as yet. ”

He went on to say that he would try to bring some players in before pre-season training starts on June 20- a fortnight tomorrow- and that was pretty much that.

A fortnight tomorrow. Hardly worth sending them home after the Cup final.

Which is no bad thing, if only to alleviate boredom and endless reports on rugby, cricket, golf and tennis.  Some people actually watch or play these games, and you would be well advised to stay away from them if they try to talk to you about it.

In golf, the object of the game is to hit a small ball as far away as possible and then go trudging after it. Usually in the rain, and yet no-one thinks of not hitting it quite so hard. At least in cricket, someone will run after it when you hit it. Then they chuck it back to you. No wonder the games go on for days.

Sorry, I forgot Formula One, where loads of adverts drive around in circles , punctuated by shaky camera shots of another cars exhaust.

Aye, hurry back football.

Still, theres always the Sevco pantomime to keep us amused. Now entering its second year, this old favourite continues to keep us on the edge of our seats, firmly holding our aching sides , as uncontrolled tears of laughter cascade down our faces.

Charlotte Fakeover, who has been tweeting various titbits of previously undisclosed information from the Death Star, has had a couple of items removed by lawyers.

According to the tweets, and they are quite obviously causing some angst amongst those concerned, both Walter Smith and Graeme Souness were the recipients of the discredited EBT scheme.

Both were lent thousands whilst not actually employees of the club. The old club. not the new one, or the holding one, or whatever they think they are. Or were. Or are going to be.

That is a shocking revelation, casting doubts on the integrity of some very fine, upstanding men, who we are quite sure would never take any sort of payment that could be seen as underhand. Either those two, or the other sixty or so that were mentioned in a BBC documentary.

Really, haven’t these journalists got real news stories to chase up?

(If that doesn’t get me a job in the MSM I give up. )

Smith has also been told to get rid of Malcolm Murray, the man he swapped jobs with just a couple of weeks ago. The demand comes from Blue Pitch Holdings, who are just one of many companies linked with the new club. Frankly, no-one has any idea how much influence they hold, and the statement is thought just be be a shot in the dark to see if anyone takes any notice.

Under the radar, however, a wee rule change is about to be voted on, which concerns the amount of over 21 players allowed in the new SPFL. It seems that if approved, the new rules will see no limit on older players in squads, which would explain the rather cavalier signing policy of Sevco Rangers, who were apparently oblivious of this previous rule.

Either that or, like their previous incarnation, just ignoring the laws.

But, another change does mean they cannot play any of their “trialist “-that is, all of their new signings-in the first four league games, or the crucial Ramsden Cup qualifiers.

Still, they always have the Murray Park ( Is it still called that , or has it been knocked down yet ? ) conveyer belt to see them through.

They did have a wee bit of good news though. The Advertising Standards authority says they are indeed the same club that won fifty four titles, and haven’t been misleading anyone. This statement, in turn, has caused a sharp rebuke from HMRC.

Apparently, they wanted to be the ones to tell them that.

One club that isn’t the same club,  a club who had similar financial problems to Rangers, but actually paid some of the debts after reforming, is Derry City.

They qualified for Europe next season with a third place finish in the Air Tricity league. Sadly though, rules are rules, and as a new club, UEFA told them that they cannot participate.

Does Europe need a strong Rangers? Lois van Gaal seems to think so. It was in the Record, so its probably been edited. Van Gaal  was merely carrying on the Dutch tradition of speaking his mind, even though it appears he has actually lost his.

Ian Andrews was the goalkeeper in the picture yesterday, which brought back a few memories.

This guy used to play for Celtic. Who is he?

evan williams

 

 

 

 

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John Woods
10 years ago

Evan Williams, in later life manager at Ardeer Thistle.

Monti
10 years ago

Steve Fulton 🙂

10 years ago
Reply to  Monti

hahahaha..burnt roll and cup of tea all over my keyboard for the Barrafield Baggio inspired gag!

Joseph Robb Buirds
10 years ago

Cannae think who he is, but what I can tell ye is;
that’s Valletta harbour in Malta, in the background….
Another piece o’ useless info for the day?!

Frank McGaaaaarvey
10 years ago

When did Bobby Robson play for Celtic?

With regards to the ASA ‘verdict’ (which has caused endless amounts of smug hunnery, think of the face of Chris Grahame which you would never ever tire of slapping) is it really surprising at all? Imagine if a drug dealer, who peddled all sorts of weak and inferior products to his many brainless minions, died and a new dealer comes along to take his place peddling the same old sh*t that the ‘zombie hordes’ are mindlessly addicted to. The zombies are simply pleased to get their ‘product’ and aren’t about to go complaining that it’s not the same fella they are buying from are they?

Funnily enough I had a vision of the shopping mall from the legendary film ‘Dawn Of The Dead’ in my heid when typing the above for some strange reason.

Frank McGaaaaarvey
10 years ago
Reply to  Ralph Malph

Cheers Ralphy Bhoy. I have to admit I am heartily sick of the whole Sevco circus now. I used to argue with a passion against zombies initially but what a waste of time that is. You are as well as trying to teach a dog how to speak cat than reason with a stubborn “cannot handle the truth” brainwashed member of the walking dead.

Celtic all the way.

Nigel
10 years ago

Evan Williams. Ex Dumbarton Harp under 19s manager!

the lurgan tiger
10 years ago

I worked with Evan. He was a site manager on a block of flats fhat were being built in (canny mind).

Great guy. Spent most of the day telling me Celtic stories.

Think those flats were demolished soon after….

Maniche
10 years ago

Charlie Nicholas in 10 years. Or a couple even!

Maniche
10 years ago

Oh and im looking forwad to the the Lions tests and the Ashes. Although my wee trip Brentford can’t come quick enough.

10 years ago

excellente dear taighes or tims or tagans , lets just be happy that all of scunnery is still as(s)under, thats wit a like tae see ‘n’ hear, pleez sign wee jonny russell , cos a luv aw eez tatooz inat ,hail hail and feck the DIRTY m.h.b.s

10 years ago

jist banter o’ coorse

Charlie Saiz
10 years ago

Pancho have you got Electric Soup on tap?

Pensionerbhoy
10 years ago

Ralph

I have returned! I am fully shamrocked and guinnessed, ready for the off and your diary has put me right off. It has brought home just how boringly annoying the close season is with the interminable ingoing and outcoming (remember, I have been in Ireland) transfer rumours. I have had a whole month of nothing – even missed the fecking (I learned Irish too while away) cup final. What a load of codswhollop and blarney to claim that Celtic have a strong following in Ireland. “It’s clear to see the huge passion which exists for the club in Ireland and we look forward to making many more visits.” (Neil Lennon, Celtic website). I travelled North to South and back again and could not find one single pub that showed Celtic matches. In four weeks I saw three Celtic strips of any kind and one was on a wee kid in an advert for a holiday adventure playground. In certain areas they did not even know what I was talking about and, when my desperation got the better of me, were ready to phone for a white van and some strong men to take me away. This is not a criticism of the Irish but rather a condemnation of Celtic’s total lack of marketing skills. Neil may be right about the “huge passion” but he needs to order a plumber for PL to tap into it.

Aye, it’s nice to be back:)
I only had one evening with internet while away so I am well short on the diaries etc. If this brilliant summer doesn’t last, I might get the chance to catch up on some older stuff. Meantime, I will be happy to regail you with my comments till the good times return in July.

I am not absolutely sure about the photo, even though it is probably my time. My eyesight was probably fecked (that Irish again) by then, though. It could well be Evan Williams. I certainly saw him in that pose fairly often between the sticks. If only he had unfolded his arms when a shot came in…..

Good to be back.

H H

Brencelt
10 years ago
Reply to  Pensionerbhoy

Bhoys you’ll find Celts in all of the 32 counties. Must be your feckin (to use your newly acquired dialect) eyesight! Or maybe you had not enough blood left in your feckin alcohol stream Pensionerbhoy. Only joking PB,I hope you enjoyed your trip.

Pensionerbhoy
10 years ago
Reply to  Brencelt

Brencelt

My eyesight is fecked, that’s for sure but I was still quite taken aback at the lack of obvious support. I really do think Celtic are failing to realise their potential in Eire and that is as much a slap in the face to the Irish support as it is a weakness in the Celtic business plan. As for the alcohol, it takes but a dribble to get me sloshed these days and I have to confess to a great deal of dribbling over the last month and sometimes at bothe ends – Jinky would have been proud of my moves with a tin can on the way home. I must have taken every lamp post in Ireland to the cleaners :). However, it never prevented me appreciating some of earth’s most incredible sights and sounds. The memories will remain with me for the rest of my days.

Bcelt, I thoroughly enjoyed it, thanks, and you are welcome to take the piss anytime. Sure now, that’s the only reason auld gits are kept alive, to be sure!

H H

Bartfastofnapoli
10 years ago

That is definitely NOT Valletta Harbour in the background

tam the tim
10 years ago

Think the Irish are supporting whichever team is at the top of the epl these days. Still have the real Tims in the six counties though.

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