![\"Celtic](\"http:\/\/news.bbcimg.co.uk\/media\/images\/73030000\/jpg\/_73030323_greenbrigade_sns.jpg\")
<\/p>\nSometimes, when I have a look at the papers to see if theres anything that catches your eye, you have to do a quick double check. Certain papers have a certain agenda, and it can be quite a shock to find that their headlines are not always relating to what you would expect from them. For example, when the Daily Mail spoke of a “wave of brown filth engulfing southern England “, it was surprising to see that they were, in fact, referring to the floods.<\/p>\n
Perhaps there is hope for them after all.<\/p>\n
And perhaps there is hope for Celtic, after they swept aside St. Johnstone yesterday, 3-0 , with all the goals coming from Anthony Stokes, who was the only player not predicted to score in the pre match diary. Stokes was outstanding yesterday, revelling in the role beside his new partner, Leigh Griffiths, in the way he used to enjoy playing with Gary Hooper. Griffiths himself was unlucky to have a goal chalked off for offside, largely because the replays showed he wasn’t.<\/p>\n
St. Johnstone kicked and fouled their way through the ninety minutes, preventing any real flowing football from Celtic, but Stefan Johansen and Nir Bitton staked their claims for a regular start, and on this performance, we look to have signed a couple of good ‘uns.<\/p>\n
The three in midfield worked very well, allowing Scott Brown to come into the game a bit more, knowing that Johansen is a tireless worker who can also pass the ball with a considerable degree of accuracy, and Bitton is strong enough in possession to kill any opposition moves. although there weren’t that many. St. Johnstone kicked a Celtic player at least as often as they kicked the ball.<\/p>\n
Fraser Forster equalled Bobby Clarks consecutive shut out record, which had stood since 1971, and all in all it was a good day that went some way to removing the memory of last weeks disaster.<\/p>\n
Neil Lennon agreed;<\/p>\n
“I am very happy. It was a brilliant performance more or less from start to finish which makes last week even more of an aberration,” said the manager.<\/p>\n
“I just wanted to get today out of the way after last week.”<\/p>\n
“I couldn’t be happier with the reaction I got from the players and I couldn’t be happier with the support we got today,”<\/p>\n
“They created a great atmosphere. It’s been a very good day.<\/p>\n
“We have been playing so well for nigh on six or seven weeks now and we just have to put that one behind us.<\/p>\n
“We want to be relentless in our pursuit of the title and I think the players made that pretty clear today.<\/p>\n
“That has given me a huge boost.”<\/p>\n
I think its kind of cheered all of us up. He went on to praise some of the players;<\/p>\n
“A lot of players can be very pleased with their contribution,” said Lennon.<\/p>\n
“I thought Biton was superb. He has struggled a wee bit to reach the pace of the game but he was outstanding. He read the game brilliantly.<\/p>\n
“Griffiths worked tirelessly for the team and Fisher was excellent in the second half.”<\/p>\n
Darnell Fisher was an early , enforced substitution for Emilio Izaguerre, who pulled up after he felt a hamstring go. The injury will be assessed today, and it looked quite serious, as the Honduran imediately signalled that he wanted to come off.<\/p>\n
Lennon seemed concerned;<\/p>\n
“He’s the only real, recognised left-back that we have at the minute and he has been very consistent for us,”<\/p>\n
Which had Charlie Mulgrew even more distressed, as he started out as a left back. Charlie will now become Celtics utility player, able to stand in for anyone, which makes him a very important member of the squad. Adam Matthews can also play there, which would allow Fisher to continue his progression to first team player, so its probably not as bad as we first feared.<\/p>\n
Lennon also took time to dispell rumours that he had said he had taken the team as far as he could, and was looking to leave;<\/p>\n
“I never said that. On the contrary, I’d rather stay here for as long as I can and build another team. I can’t be blas\u00e9 enough to say I’m leaving and going to get a job somewhere else.<\/p>\n
“I’m in a very privileged position here. What I said was this season hasn’t been as good as last season.<\/p>\n
“Every year it gets harder, more and more claustrophobic. It can be quite suffocating at times. It has been a tough season away from the pitch but on the field we’ve still got a very good team.<\/p>\n
“You can look too far ahead. You never know in a manager’s position where you’re going to be in six months’ time.”<\/p>\n
With hindsight, what Lennon actually did was take the pressure and spotlight away from his players, to allow them to focus on yesterdays game, which was a clever piece of management, which he tends not to get the credit for.<\/p>\n
Anyone else watching the winter olympics. No, didn’t think so. But the curling is quite good. The womens event is of quite a high standard, but with all that shouting, sweeping and moving stuff around its only to be expected.<\/p>\n
I shouldn’t joke about women, a friend of mine had to identify his wifes body down at the mortuary last week. The attendant asked him if he was sure it was her, to which my pal replied;<\/p>\n
” She’s cold and not talking to me. Of course its her. ”<\/p>\n
The atmosphere at the ground yesterday was a little better than usual, as songs such as Come on you Boys in green were dusted down and given an airing. Some would say that was because the football was better, but others would say it was down to the return of the Green Brigade, who were in full voice.<\/p>\n
Well, its half term tomorrow..<\/p>\n
Thats unkind. They added a wee bit of noise and colour to the occasion, and Neil Lennon was glad to see tham back;<\/p>\n
Though the lad who asked if anyone wanted a beer probably wasn’t.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
“I can’t thank them enough because they made a hell of a difference to the atmosphere today. The players would’ve thrived on it,”<\/p>\n
“Whoever they were – I don’t know if they were the official Green Brigade or not – I can’t thank them enough because they made a hell of a difference to the atmosphere today,” said Lennon.<\/p>\n
“I got word this week that they might be in and I was delighted to hear that noise. You tell even just by the rhythm of the game that they added to it.<\/p>\n
“So long as everyone works within the rules of the club then we welcome that colour, energy and noise.<\/p>\n
“It’s been part of my time here for the last three-and-a-half years and we don’t want to miss that because they brought a lot of good to the ground.”<\/p>\n
When asked about the group’s return, a Celtic spokeswoman said: “They were not banned and they bought individual match tickets.”<\/p>\n
With the Irish Brigade charting at Number 33 with Roll of Honour, perhaps it’ll start a trend in music-you know how they all jump on the bandwagon every time something new comes along-perhaps the GB and the board could release their own version of “On the One Road ” ?<\/p>\n
Well done to everyone who downloaded the ditty, and it even got a few seconds of airplay on Radio One.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
rollof honour radio one<\/a><\/p>\n Due to its controversial nature, according to those enlightened chaps who think the month of March was named for them, it has prompted a statement from the BBC, who said;<\/p>\n “If the track charts on Sunday a short clip will be played with context around it given by the presenter.”<\/p>\n “If the BBC was faced with any other song that commemorated murder, and on occasions multiple murders of innocent people, they would take an executive decision not to promote such a recording,” he told the\u00a0Belfast<\/a>Telegraph. ”<\/p>\n Like they did with Bob Geldofs “I Don’t Like Mondays “, presumably. Or the Specials version of “Free Nelson Mandela “, who was at the time a convicted “terrorist ” .<\/p>\n “We believe it would be wrong to ban the song outright as free speech is an important principle and a ban would only give it more publicity.” added the man from the BBC.<\/p>\n Unionists were up in arms over the water, and Gregory Campbell chipped in with his opinion;<\/p>\n He said there was a duty for the BBC as a public service broadcaster not to broadcast material promoting terror.<\/p>\n “If the BBC was faced with any other song that commemorated murder, and on occasions multiple murders of innocent people, they would take an executive decision not to promote such a recording,” he told the\u00a0Belfast<\/a>Telegraph.<\/p>\n “Exactly the same principles should apply to this as would if it were\u00a0al-Qaida<\/a>, Basque separatists or any of the other Middle-Eastern terrorist groups.”<\/p>\n Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott said: “I would ask that the BBC does not play this song because it glorifies terrorism and is highly offensive.”<\/p>\n Er, no it doesn’t.<\/p>\n Read the roll of honour for Ireland\u2019s bravest men<\/p>\n We must be united in memory of the ten,<\/p>\n England you\u2019re a monster, don\u2019t think that you have won<\/p>\n We will never be defeated while Ireland has such sons.<\/p>\n In those dreary H-Block cages, ten brave young Irishmen lay<\/p>\n Hungering for justice as their young lives ebbed away,<\/p>\n For their rights as Irish soldiers and to free their native land<\/p>\n They stood beside their leader \u2013 the gallant Bobby Sands.<\/p>\n Now they mourn Hughes in Bellaghy,<\/p>\n Ray McCreesh in Armagh\u2019s hills<\/p>\n In those narrow streets of Derry, they miss O\u2019Hara still,<\/p>\n They so proudly gave their young lives to break Britannia\u2019s hold<\/p>\n Their names will be remembered as history unfolds.<\/p>\n Through the war-torn streets of Ulster the black flags did sadly sway<\/p>\n To salute ten Irish martyrs the bravest of the brave,<\/p>\nRoll of Honour lyrics<\/h4>\n
![\"Dave](\"http:\/\/videocelts.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/Dave-King-Administration.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/news.bbc.co.uk\/olmedia\/730000\/images\/_732635_billymcphailtwo150.jpg\")
<\/p>\n