Rolando Ugolini, pictured above, passed away yesterday. Our thoughts are with his family. The official website had this tribute;
EVERYONE at Celtic is saddened to hear of the passing of Rolando Ugolini, who has died at the age of 89.
The former goalkeeper, who was born in Italy, spent four years at Celtic between 1944-48, making five appearances for the club.
His debut came in a Charity Cup game against Partick Thistle in May 1945. The match finished 1-1, and was decided on corners, which Celtic won 9-2.
Rolando’s rival for the goalkeeping jersey at Celtic was the great Willie Miller, and eventually he moved to Middlesbrough in search of regular first-team football.
And it was at Middlesbrough that he made his name, making over 300 appearances for the club, and becoming a legendary figure there.
He did make one final appearance at Celtic Park, playing for Dundee United in match on December 10, 1960, which finished 1-1.
The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Celtic are with Rolando’s family and friends at this very sad time.
Its Scottish cup semi final weekend, and Celtic don’t have a game. Most of us will find things to do around the house, or perhaps even nip out for a game of five a sides and maybe a beer and a sing song. Anyone fancy it ?
Actually lets give it a miss.
Celtics management have given the forward some time off, even paying for a room for him, to give him time to reflect on recent events.
Andy docherty, replying to yesterdays diary, asks the question-are we really offended by these offensive songs, or do we just think we should be ?
Well, thats not word for word what he’s asking, but its kind of what I think he meant.
After all, as bad as they are, the famine song, the sash and the others from the the big blue book of banter are only that. Just words. We all told Dick Advocaat or Walter Smith to cheer up, before adding a certain colour to statements about the legitimacy of their births. Andy finished his reply with the valid point;
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Jesus said that once at a meeting, only to be disappointed when his mum hit him with a lump of concrete.
Anyway, former Celt Frank McGarvey is the latest in a long line ( a very long line ) of former players to tell Griffiths to “screw the nut “.
” Leigh Griffiths has to learn to screw the nut.
See, told you thats what he said.
He is a Celtic player now and he has certain responsibilities to the club and everything it stands for.
“I have nothing against former players going to watch their old clubs as I was at Celtic and went to watch St Mirren plenty. But I did not go singing songs about other players or clubs and Leigh Griffiths is now in the last chance saloon with Celtic and must learn from this.
“He has put Neil Lennon in a very difficult position and that can’t be allowed to happen again.”
Griffiths is a fantastic finisher and an absolute stick-on for 20 goals plus a season.
“I have no doubt that he will score in the Champions League next season, if he gets the chance, and it would be a crying shame if he is binned.
“He has got to wise up but, hopefully, he has shown enough contrition and the club will allow him the opportunity to turn things around from here.”
So, why is this statement any different from the long line of wise old men and Charlie Nicholas who have offered advice in the last couple of weeks ?
Many years ago, Frank Mcgarvey was at St. Mirren, and his manager was Alex Ferguson. McGarvey, on one particular occasion, was out for a refreshment on the night prior to a game, and Ferguson found out. He rang McGarveys house, and told the players mum to get Frank to ring him. McGarvey then rang -sometime close to midnight-from a payphone, which he insisted was in his house….
Ferguson , whose early management career especially, was closely modelled on Stein, told the player he would never play again. McGarvey had to beg for his place back, full of contrition, and the pair never looked back.
So he does know what he’s talking about. Which is probably why you never see him as a television pundit. And certainly never hear him on Radio Clyde.
Elsewhere, we note with sadness that Hugh Keevins has become the latest rat to desert the good ship Daily Record. He’ll be missed. But not if I get a chance to throw something at him.
Hugh retired as a serious journalist when he claimed Artur Jorge was about to be announced as the new Celtic manager back in the nineties, and followed it up with gems such as the classic Lubomir Moravcik line.
Oh, okay, its a suitable epitaph for the man. So lets have another look at it.
“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)
In a strange kind of way, I’m going to miss his burbled ramblings. He was right up there with the A team.
The Record is getting short on writers, but we hear there are moves to bring in Graeme Spiers to work alongside journalist of the year Keith Jackson. Spiers and Jackson. I’ve even thought of a tag line for them.
Well, its half right.
So, Celtic don’t have a game, and that means if we want to watch football, its the semi finals. The first one is today, lunchtime, when Dundee Utd visit a neutral Ibrox-presumably cleansed with holy water to make it so-to face the resident version of the Rangers franchise.
Rangers have won thirty seven of forty two games this season, an impressive statistic, but its nought out of one when it comes to facing full time teams. Though, as the guy on SSN pointed out, they are unbeaten in ninety minutes this season….
Mark Wilson, the former Celt, said that despite the fact they were shite, ” it was still Rangers ” they were facing today..
Dundee Utd start the game as favourites, and with former Celts Jackie MacNamara, Simon Donnelly , Darren Jackson and Mark Wilson involved with the Tannadice club, its not hard to see who most of us will be cheering for.
Actually, its bloody obvious.
Ibrox manager and all round fun guy ally McCoist is under pressure. not as much pressure as the seat he was sitting on at yesterdays pre match press conference, but still a lot of pressure. He buckled when a reporter asked him about his own wee singalong after his club lost to Raith Rovers , deciding to exit stage left in a bit of a huff. The seat emitted an audible sigh of relief and the the guy from STV for the question.
If, as expected, Dundee Utd sweep the Fatmans side out of the cup, that pressure could end up breaking him. And there will be a lot of pieces.
McCoist will have been having sleepless nights in the run up to this game, and he’s probably unaware of the fact that insomnia can lead to a higher incidence of strokes and heart problems. And with the extra weight he’s carrying as well…
That should help him calm down and get a good nights rest.
Remember Ally, relax…
And to all those rascals on twitter, it cannot be true that the Ibrox groundsmen have made the pitch smaller for todays game, hoping to make it difficult for Uniteds fast wingers…though we were sent this exclusive picture…
Yesterdays picture showed, 1888fc pointed out, Gordon Strachan watching the debut of chinese defender du Wei.
An old favourite picture of mine today, one that always brings a smile to my face. But I never found out what Enrico annoni was saying here…
“That’s not a left hook Jackie – I’ll show you a left hook get outta the way!!”
Hoi! McNamara, pick on somebody your own size. Mon the Arabs. Hh
“Me next, me next”
Is That Mark Hateley on the rceiving end of the much deserved and entirely justified admonition?
If so he is saying….. Um er ah um OUCH! This is like a um er ah um ah new signing.
Enrico is saying…… Aw naw Jackie. Thatsa no the way tae skelpa a fanny!
Hey Jackie, u’ll need a tetanus noo!
That’s it Jackie a left,then a right then a shottie for me!
“Okay now a Glesca kiss…”
“Jackie ..when a said Mark Hateley ..ah didnae mean mark Hateley!”
Here, Jackie I’ll wipe that shite off your fist
On LG I know what WILL happen- he’ll be heavily fined.
From a club based on Immigration, based on embracing those less fortunate, based on celebrating the diverse society based on those brave enough to move wife and weans for a better future. based on Irish “fuckin” refugees
From the same club that takes a moral high ground wi its fans to such an extent it bans, takes season tickets from,(including frogmarching from their seats)fans accused of singing offensive songs.
Double standards
Sacking him is what SHOULD happen
My thoughts exactly. The taste in my mouth turns viler by the day.
Thats laptop loyals comedy tribute act humped by a mob we strolled to a victory against last week yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Ha Ha the huns are skelped again despite the referee giving them everything, god knowsw what we would have done to them another 7-0?
A Tangerine Dream. 12th April 2014.
Our appetite is endless for the sweeter things in life
And the sweetest thing for any Hoop is to celebrate their strife
Today they play the Arabs, 2-1 the half-time score
And United’s fans are singing, “You’re not rangers anymore”.
The home fans are disgusted and leave the big blue stands
But nine million more are laughing and they’re all Celtic fans
A howler from their goalie, gifts the team from Tannadice
Now they’re heading for the final in a place called Paradise.
United’s fans were rampant like their players on the field
No matter what the ref blew for, these fans would never yield
Their voices drowned out Ibrox when the final whistle blew
And The Arabs draped in Tangerine piled on the blues.
The Holy Poet.
Excellent Holy Poet !!
You sum up the Tim mood,so well.
Hearing the United fans singing, ” in your head, in your head,
Zombies ! Zomnies ! ” was a highlight for me.
Good diary but don’t understand why the SFA are being criticised over Ibrox not being a neutral venue. I mean it’s not as if Rankers actually own it or anything…..
In Italian ” Fuck off Jackie I’ll finish the big prick off – bastardo “
Don’t think the word refugee is racist. Can anyone explain why it would be? Can one not be a economical refugee in ones own country?
He’s saying “nobothing alive can be that ugly, hit Jackie, hit it”
Jackie you have been conned, that cannie be his ain face.
Great diary again today Ralph keep up the good work.
Kris and markiebhoy want tae get a grip LG was having a day out at the football and havin a bit of banter in a pub, a wee talking to from the club, and him to understand what playing for the hoops means and then he needs to act accordingly. End of story.
HH keep the faith
Was it just me or was the pitch yesterday very bumpy and the grass quite long?
Trying and failing to drag dufc down to their level
Nnn no…no I’m pretty sure its offensive to sing songs which incited prejudice and aggression , wither its illegal or not or wither he ought to be punished may be one thing but on the other hand it does says a hellava lot about the character at the moment. Unless your insinuating that words are just words and have no intention or cause for concern and that said words have no potential as a form of abuse!? We re not all just going round muttering aimless words, we re communicating and expressing who we are, often encouraging collective unison on how we feel.
I don’t feel like Griffthis.
We can try to strip back all behaviours, strip it of intent, but that surely just lacks responsibility and moral conduct when we know the power that words can carry. It may be excused as banter ,but then later as an excuse for prejudice . Either way its p%sh banter….like certain jokes.
Again legalities aside, it may say more about the man singing the song than it does the man being sung about.…
And two wrongs don’t make a right no matter what anyone has sung before . Wither its a serious enough act to be punished depends on how important collectively we feel such behaviours of a celtic player are to us, to our collective expression …our celtic song.
well said sir