We all enjoyed a good chuckle before the bells rang to herald a new year. We all have plenty to look forward to as the hoops continue their surge towards six, seven eight nine and ultimately ten in a row.<\/p>\n
Yet there was a more sinister side to the game and the reportage that had celtic not won, would have had us transported back into the days of Jim Farry, Bobby Tait and anyone else you can think of who crosses the road when they see a catholic.<\/p>\n
Not just on the pitch, but off it, the old goat bothering brigade were in full swing before, during and after the game, and perhaps we have let it go a little due to the fact that this time, it didn’t work.<\/p>\n
Lets start with the hidden agenda behind the build up. Perhaps the biggest slur of all.<\/p>\n
Celtic supporters were expected to disrespect the hastily arranged minutes silence for the Ibrox disaster. Even to the extent that we were pleading with our own not to do it. The media had convinced us that there were supporters going to Ibrox on a mission to disrespect the dead.<\/p>\n
With the eyes and ears of the world on the game, still marketed as the Old Firm despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, even Celtic supporters were relieved when nobody said anything that would bring shame on the club, and yet really, did any of us question the campaign that set up the silence, and waited with microphones turned up for something to happen ?<\/p>\n
No. somehow they’ve managed to convince us that we’ve surprised everyone by behaving ourselves.<\/p>\n
Aren’t we good little boys and girls ?<\/p>\n
Was it to give them a story should their favourites, as expected, be beaten on the park again ?<\/p>\n
Was it to remove attention from the inevitable singalongasectariansong that the media continues to ignore ?<\/p>\n
Or were they just rebuilding the brand with Old Firm reputation, the one which says we are two sides of the same coin ?<\/p>\n
Matthew Lindsay, the ursine ginger who covers Ibrox for the Herald seemingly didn’t bother with the game, and said in his match report..<\/p>\n
Even the fears about the minute\u2019s silence in memory of the 66 Rangers fans who lost their lives in the 1971 Ibrox Disaster being disrespected amounted to precious little. Sure, a couple of empty vessels among several thousand Celtic supporters proved themselves incapable of remaining quiet for 60 seconds, but they were in a tiny minority and were quickly slapped down by those around them.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Such was his expectation of the disrespect, he couldn’t hold himself back from reporting on it, whether it happened or not, and when challenged on the veracity of his statement, he became his own chief witness.<\/p>\n