Our thoughts and prayers today are with those who have suffered loss in Fridays terrible tragedy at the Clutha in Stockwell Street.
None of us can imagine what those involved are going through, and we can only pray for them to have the strength and courage to face whatever the next few days will bring.
Our condolences go to those who have lost loved ones, and our thoughts are with them at this dark and tragic time.
We pray for the family of Gary Arthur, who lost his life in the accident, and is the father of Chloe Arthur, who plays for Celtic Ladies. May they have courage and dignity throughout these dark days.
We pray for the families of those who are as yet unsure of the fates of missing relatives and friends. May they, too, have the courage and dignity to face what lies ahead of them.
There will be a minutes silence before todays cup tie at Tynecastle .
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Ahead of todays game, Neil Lennon has spoken of his desire to replace Gary Hooper, just months after the striker surprised everyone by leaving the club to head south, virtually at the first time of asking.
“There’s no question we need a replacement for Hooper. I need quality at the top end of the pitch. It really does make a difference.
“That’s not taking anything away from the players here. But, to improve, I need to find someone who will be really consistent at all levels and score goals.”
Theres no fooling the ginger Guardiola.
“We’re looking at players in Scotland. Dundee United have some very good young players and there are a few others floating around.
“The players know the environment so maybe we’ll look at British types rather than always looking abroad. British types might suit us better.
“January will be a crucial month in terms of next season and trying to get into the Champions League. We need to try to get the right players in and ready for July.
“I’m not talking about just one player – I might be talking about two or three areas. Players also like to see good players coming in. It gives them a lift.
“The money is there – we may just need to force the issue a little bit more. A striker is one I’d like to add and maybe a creative midfield player, a No.10 type.”
So, like we said the other day, its Ryan Gauld, Stevie May and Tony watt back from Belguim.
Although there is a reported interest in Burnley striker Danny Ings-already on fifteen goals for the season-an the boss watched him yesterday as his club beat the Yorkshire side 2-1.
Unusually for a Lennon target, the lad scored, which probably put the gaffer off.
He also spoke of keeper Fraser Forster, saying that iof a big money offer comes in he might want to go.
Peter Lawwell will take him to the train station whether he wants to or not.
Scott Brown wants to finish his career at Celtic, which when suspensions are taken into account should be about six months before his final contract runs out.
Brown, aged 5, said;
“What made me stay? Champions League football was the main thing plus the gaffer had shown a lot of faith in me.
“He made me captain and it was one I maybe owed him. It was a huge decision to either stay at Celtic or go down to England.
“I didn’t want to be a player who moves south and maybe goes missing. I was injured at the time and didn’t have a lot of offers. It was really good that Celtic kept faith with me.
“Does it appeal to me to leave Celtic and head down to England? Not in the slightest.
“I don’t see why I would swap winning titles and playing in the Champions League.
“I know English people will want to go back home and that is understandable.
“But my family is here and I’m not going to beat the occasions I get in the Champions League.
“Everyone knows England is where the money is. But if I put my heart before the cash signs, it’s Celtic for me.
“I’ve been here for nearly seven years now and I can see myself staying a lot longer. Everyone looks after each other here.
“When you see what the club did with John Kennedy after he finished playing, it shows just how much they look after you.”
I’m fairly sure that John Kennedy would like to think he is in his job on merit, and few would disagree with him.
So, Brown wants to stay because of the clubs participation in the Champions League. Perhaps one year he might actually help us out instead of helping us to get knocked out.
Maybe his spell in the stands will help him to grow up. Starting at Tynecastle today, live on the BBC.
Hugh Keevins, the subject of an article on this site last week, has hit back today with yet another rant in a national newspaper that should be compulsive reading for all those wishing a career in the media.
You would think that it would be beyond the realms of human thinking for these crazed and deluded rants to actually fester within someones mind, but not only are they there, Keevins feels as though he should get them on paper and share them with us.
Whilst its better to ignore this type of journalism, we do have to see it in order to pass judgement, so to say you buying his paper, heres the article, with a few added comments, in brackets, from me.
Hugh Keevins: It’ll take more than a match-up in the Scottish Cup to rescue Celtic and Rangers
( Rescue Celtic ? Who from ? And its too late to recue Rangers, they are dead. Good start Hugh. )
THEY used to be famous. Forty years ago there was one night when the pair of them played two European semi-finals in Glasgow on the same night, watched by 150,000 people.
Celtic met Inter Milan in the semi-final of the European Cup and went out on penalties.
If they’d made it to the final it would have been the club’s third appearance there in five years.
Meanwhile, Rangers beat a Bayern Munich side containing the core of the German team that would win the World Cup in their own country two years later.
The win at Ibrox took Rangers to Barcelona, where they won the European Cup Winners Cup.
How the mighty have fallen.
( Actually, he has a point. But fail s to add that one of the clubs has not only fallen, but but failed to get up again after its injuries )
The police wouldn’t let the pair play in Glasgow on the same day in broad daylight last season.
( No police in any major city will allow the two biggest clubs to play on the same day. Unless they are playing each other.)
Celtic’s SPL match was moved to Sunday so Rangers’ Third Division game could take place in isolation 24 hours earlier.
And an Under-17 Glasgow Cup final between the clubs at Firhill last April was marred by violence inside and outside the ground.
Pathetic or what?
Now there are those who say the only thing that can salvage this season in the wake of Celtic’s elimination from Europe is the prospect of the Old Firm being reunited in a Scottish Cup tie.
( Actually, only those in the press, who were instrumental through their inaction in highlighting the problems at Rangers, and er, those who think they are Rangers. Celtic don’t need , or want to play them, despite the fact it would be a historic first meeting. )
Not presumably because it would be an epic match. But it would allow two lots of fans to release almost two years’ pent up frustration caused by them living separate existences.
( er, no. What he means is it would allow piss poor journalists to release two years of pent up frustration at not being able to fan those flames of hatred. )
Dragged apart because Rangers lived beyond their means and had to be liquidated on their way to the lower orders.
( Still doesn’t understand liquidation, does he ? Here, lets help him out.
liq·ui·date (l
k
w-d
t
)
Celtic have been humiliated on the field by AC Milan, embarrassed off it by some of their own supporters.
They have been reported to UEFA and will be the subject of a fourth disciplinary hearing in two years.
One of their players is the subject of a report to the Procurator Fiscal concerning an alleged case of indecency and sexual assault.
Meanwhile, over at Ibrox, the Serious Fraud Office have been invited to investigate alleged misappropriation of club funds.
And the group battling to win control of Rangers from the existing board of directors have made accusations of intimidation against some of their members.
Shall I go on?
( No, do you know what ? I don’t think you should. do the honourable thing and turn in your typewriter. No comment is required on those couple of paragraphs. In fact, no comment is required on the rest of the article. I mean, what is the point of his rant ? )
Let’s just say neither club is what it once was because of a lack of statesman-like leadership, and leave it at that. And the fans should take a reality check.
There are Rangers supporters, obviously not born when their team went to Barcelona and beat Moscow Dynamo in 1972, who are looking for a street party because today’s side have gone 13 league games without dropping a point.
Is that not what should happen when your multi-million pound squad of full-timers face players who need time off work to play some of their matches?
Then there’s Celtic being held hostage by the political activists among their support. The Green Brigade by name, Wolfie Smith and the Tooting Popular Front in appearance.
I’ll ask Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell a simple question.
If it’s easy enough to ban me from his ground for a year and a half for an unspecified reason, why can’t he clean up the club’s image and do the same to those with a list of ‘previous’ the length of your arm?
( Oh, there it is. He’s still smarting over his ban. He’s not banned. He just has to pay to get in , like the rest of us. He argues that paying to get in would mean he’s paying to do his job. Surely we can asses that when he actually does his job, you know, the bit about presenting the facts, openly and honestly, to allow for reasoned debate and discussion. Over in that dictionary, where I found the meaning of the word liquidation, i found other words nearby, such as loony, liar and lickspittle. Wonder if the bold Hugh knows what they mean ? )
But thats enough of Hugh.
Really, thats enough of him. Promise i won’t mention him again, unless he says something really stupid.
That’ll be tomorrow, no doubt.
Stephen MacManus silenced the Tynecastle hordes shortly after the picture in yesterdays diary was taken, as Celtic won a crucial game there in 2006 by 3-2. A repeat would suffice today.
Someone watching an old game on video from Tynecastle may get a little confused when they try to get their bearings . Why ?
the away end has changed
Not that i’m condoning what James Forrest is alleged to have done but the inacuracy of the dacts being presented are shameful at the least and can be very dangerous for the guy.
The guy is only alleged to have bared his arse and flashed his knob. This is obviously an idiotic thing to have done but it is absolutely no where near as serious as a sexual assault. Any sort of journalist doing their job properly would be able to find this out. But then we all know there are nonproper joirnalists in this country.
If it is the case that Forrest is found guilty of wjat he is accused of then the club should sack him, but until then the guy is innocent
live very near to Elliots in Prestwick, where its alleged to have happened ,and heard from a lassie that was workin that night him and his mates were in, it was nothing more than him coming oot the gents and his zip doon and windin up his mate, someone complained, he left almost immediately, apologised to the bar staff and the company that complained.
end of
but don’t let the truth get in the way MSM
Love playing Hertz, the Embra hunnery has a quaint atmosphere of hatred like few other grounds. And if Broon scores they ll lose their feckin minds
3-0 Celtic today
ROGIC!
let’s get stuc intae ay’ prawddie bassas,or should a say salmonds mob , and witever yi dae don’t vote yes in this referendum pish next year.SCOTS MUST KEEP KISSIN’ BIG LIZZIES ASS COS THATS AW’THEIR GOOD FOR GOD BLESS IRELAND AND FECK AY’ PRAWDDIE BASSAS INTHE NORTH OF IRELAND , NOTHIN’ CHANGES IN THAT DUMP
Great result and life-affirming performance today against the team on life support. If we can at least maintain that level of performance (obviously we won’t be scoring 7 every week, or am I being pessimistic?) then that should ensure decent crowds at Parkhead for the rest of the seasons as the henpecked hubbies prepare for Christmas shopping meltdown.
Don’t ever, EVER want to play Zombears FC in any competition. Hopefully that corpse will be hung, drawn and quartered before fat Sally spends his way to the Championship title.