As Neil Lennon takes his leave of Celtic Park in the likely absence of the new-hiped Gordon Strachan the time is ripe for an improvement on the field of play. Aberdeen may have more to play for but Celtic must seek out victory and a winning mentality. It is crucial that confidence is restored ahead of the Scottish Cup Final and that we start finding the net. Dunfermline are the form team in the SPL at present, they fear no-one and are playing high-tempo football. We have lost our last two matches, conceded five goals and appear to have the buckets and spades out. We simply cannot go into the Final on the back of a run of defeats. If success breeds success then failure breeds..........well you can guess the rest. The sequence-watchers will be taking note.
The final game at Celtic Park of any season is always bitter-sweet. We love the place. For most of us the stadium represents the focal point of a love we've cherished since childhood. In my case, outwith my various residences, it's probably the place I've visited most apart from St Ignatius' Church in Wishaw. It has a beauty all of its own. Fans throughout the world have heartstrings that reach all the way back to G40. Here's hoping that tomorrow it will be the venue for a truly champion performance.
Enjoy the match.
Friday 11 May 2007
Thursday 10 May 2007
Robyn Back In Town
Robyn Hitchcock plays Barbican, London tonight and will be joined by John Paul Jones in what is being termed a 'Syd Barrett Celebration'. This will be the great man's first gig in Britain since we had the pleasure of hearing him in Glasgow on January 18th.
Wednesday 9 May 2007
Artur Flags Up Target For Celtic Snipers
I was surprised to read how little Artur Boruc enjoys football. He reminds me of myself.
The Polish custodian mentioned earlier this season that he rarely watches the beautiful game on television and is interested only in the fortunes of his former club, Legia Warsaw. I'm the same myself. I'm in the fortunate position of being able to watch almost every Celtic game in person and the only time I watch football on television is to follow the fortunes of the wee team, Arsenal. The rest don't interest me, I would not dream of sitting down to Fulham v Charlton, Dunfermline v Motherwell etc.
It therefore does interest me when Artur displays behaviour that flies in the face of his declared apathy. Has he suddenly fallen in love with Celtic ? It happens you know. It happened to me forty years ago, mostly unrequited but there you go. Artur seems to be wearing his affections on his sleeve and the body politic aint happy. Today we find out the football authority's response to Artur's 'We've won the league again' demonstrati at Megiddo but for Celtic fans the questions remain. Is he working to a Celtic fan's agenda (self-vilification for the greater good) or a cynic's agenda (tactically working his ticket by creating/exacerbating a hostile working environment) ?
I like him. I laughed loudly at the darnelists' reaction to his behaviour on Saturday. He single-glovedly pricked their barely-inflated balloon. But I wonder what he's up to in the longterm.
The Celtic snipers are jostling for position on a grassy knowl near you. They feel and would dearly welcome a wind of change. Should Artur be providing them with ammo?
Hail Hail
The Polish custodian mentioned earlier this season that he rarely watches the beautiful game on television and is interested only in the fortunes of his former club, Legia Warsaw. I'm the same myself. I'm in the fortunate position of being able to watch almost every Celtic game in person and the only time I watch football on television is to follow the fortunes of the wee team, Arsenal. The rest don't interest me, I would not dream of sitting down to Fulham v Charlton, Dunfermline v Motherwell etc.
It therefore does interest me when Artur displays behaviour that flies in the face of his declared apathy. Has he suddenly fallen in love with Celtic ? It happens you know. It happened to me forty years ago, mostly unrequited but there you go. Artur seems to be wearing his affections on his sleeve and the body politic aint happy. Today we find out the football authority's response to Artur's 'We've won the league again' demonstrati at Megiddo but for Celtic fans the questions remain. Is he working to a Celtic fan's agenda (self-vilification for the greater good) or a cynic's agenda (tactically working his ticket by creating/exacerbating a hostile working environment) ?
I like him. I laughed loudly at the darnelists' reaction to his behaviour on Saturday. He single-glovedly pricked their barely-inflated balloon. But I wonder what he's up to in the longterm.
The Celtic snipers are jostling for position on a grassy knowl near you. They feel and would dearly welcome a wind of change. Should Artur be providing them with ammo?
Hail Hail
Tuesday 8 May 2007
Mothers In Mire
It just might happen.
Motherwell have been dragged into the relegation battle and need a single point to escape the drop. I pray they miss the point. The late goal and point we conceded to them at Myrrh Park shortly after Christmas is now boring a hole through my brain. I hope we do not live to regret that one especially as the concession fell into the Keystone Cops category. Evidently I have no great love for St Mirren or Dunfermline given their recent flirtations with the darnelists but I'd much rather both survived in the top flight than the local zeros. Fingers crossed.
Congratulations to ML2 Celtic fan, John Higgins, on his snooker world championship success. Those who know me know I have no great love for the game (I think 'sport' is pushing it) but John's victory is good for Wishaw and further positive publicity for the town and,by association, Celtic. Hopefully he'll give us a glimpse of his trophy on Saturday at Paradise. Success breeds success. The more silverware we see in G40 the better for all concerned.
Motherwell have been dragged into the relegation battle and need a single point to escape the drop. I pray they miss the point. The late goal and point we conceded to them at Myrrh Park shortly after Christmas is now boring a hole through my brain. I hope we do not live to regret that one especially as the concession fell into the Keystone Cops category. Evidently I have no great love for St Mirren or Dunfermline given their recent flirtations with the darnelists but I'd much rather both survived in the top flight than the local zeros. Fingers crossed.
Congratulations to ML2 Celtic fan, John Higgins, on his snooker world championship success. Those who know me know I have no great love for the game (I think 'sport' is pushing it) but John's victory is good for Wishaw and further positive publicity for the town and,by association, Celtic. Hopefully he'll give us a glimpse of his trophy on Saturday at Paradise. Success breeds success. The more silverware we see in G40 the better for all concerned.
Monday 7 May 2007
CARS
Monday May 7, 2007
CELTIC
With the Megiddo ashes about to settle the old media will try to fan the remaining embers into something resembling a flame of controversy. They will probably focus on their neo bete-noir of Artur Boruc and his flag-waving 'celebration'. Just how provocative can one man be ? With Lenny set to depart the hallowed Paradise, who better than Boruc to take his place as Public Enemy Number One. Apart from having no Irish blood coursing through his veins (that they know of anyway) he has all the other proper credentials. If Artur had waved a flag bearing the words Today Is Saturday he would only have displayed an equally factual slogan as CHAMPIONS. The irony of police involvement in this incident is not lost on the denizens of Wishaw who had to suffer a succession of flute bands coursing their way through our town on Friday night in their annual 'Blood and Thunder' coat-trailing Hallowe'en show. No incitement or provocation there then and all at the council tax payer's expense. Only in Scotland.
ARSENAL
The Gunners were unbeaten against Manchester United and Chelsea in the Premiership this season and did more damage to the former than the latter (two wins versus two draws). Wenger is citing the new stadium as a possible reason for discomfiture at home. I believe we drew six of the home fixtures and lost to West Ham (a crucial result for the Hammers it now seems). I wish Chelsea well for the forthcoming EFA Cup Final, perhaps they will repeat Arsenal's feat of 1993 in securing both domestic cup competitions.
ROBYN
After two months touring Stateside Robyn returns to England this month for a couple of Syd Barrett/Early Pink Floyd commemorative gigs in London. This spring/summer sees the 40th anniversary of Floyd's Games For May/Piper At The Gates of Dawn advent. That 1967 was some year, eh ?
SNOOKER
Possibly the most boring game on the planet, table bowls imho. However I'd like to wish John well and hope that, after a torrid week of politics and a sectarian parade, Wishaw will be back in the news for positive reasons and that the Wizard brings the trophy back to Paradise on Saturday.
CELTIC
With the Megiddo ashes about to settle the old media will try to fan the remaining embers into something resembling a flame of controversy. They will probably focus on their neo bete-noir of Artur Boruc and his flag-waving 'celebration'. Just how provocative can one man be ? With Lenny set to depart the hallowed Paradise, who better than Boruc to take his place as Public Enemy Number One. Apart from having no Irish blood coursing through his veins (that they know of anyway) he has all the other proper credentials. If Artur had waved a flag bearing the words Today Is Saturday he would only have displayed an equally factual slogan as CHAMPIONS. The irony of police involvement in this incident is not lost on the denizens of Wishaw who had to suffer a succession of flute bands coursing their way through our town on Friday night in their annual 'Blood and Thunder' coat-trailing Hallowe'en show. No incitement or provocation there then and all at the council tax payer's expense. Only in Scotland.
ARSENAL
The Gunners were unbeaten against Manchester United and Chelsea in the Premiership this season and did more damage to the former than the latter (two wins versus two draws). Wenger is citing the new stadium as a possible reason for discomfiture at home. I believe we drew six of the home fixtures and lost to West Ham (a crucial result for the Hammers it now seems). I wish Chelsea well for the forthcoming EFA Cup Final, perhaps they will repeat Arsenal's feat of 1993 in securing both domestic cup competitions.
ROBYN
After two months touring Stateside Robyn returns to England this month for a couple of Syd Barrett/Early Pink Floyd commemorative gigs in London. This spring/summer sees the 40th anniversary of Floyd's Games For May/Piper At The Gates of Dawn advent. That 1967 was some year, eh ?
SNOOKER
Possibly the most boring game on the planet, table bowls imho. However I'd like to wish John well and hope that, after a torrid week of politics and a sectarian parade, Wishaw will be back in the news for positive reasons and that the Wizard brings the trophy back to Paradise on Saturday.
Sunday 6 May 2007
Hardly A Heartbreak
Sunday 6th May, 2007 - Fifth Sunday of Easter
I actually had a reasonable day yesterday, the 26th anniversary of the day of Bobby Sands' death.
The Craigneuk Bhoys arrived in Govan just after opening time and ensconced themselves in the salubrious lounge of the pub which used to be called the Albion Way. It has since been renamed The Whitefield Airms (sic) or something similar. Tosh McKinlay was present.
Terry Snr. and myself missed the first five minutes on account of an overwhelming desire to miss the pre-match war music and Scoto-Brit darnelist ritual. Least said about the game the better - not one serious shot on target.
I salute my fellow Celtic fans and in particular Neil Lennon and Artur Boruc for managing to turn defeat on its head and cultivate darnelist distemper. The bhoy in the seat in front of mine caught Lenny's airmband !! After the match the darnelists looked as if they'd lost a pound and found a penny. The penny can be added to their UEFA Direct Debits account. The bitterness of Season 2006-07 has left a sour taste in their mealy mouths and their cup final has now passed. My unbroken heart does not go out to them.
Not much time for sounds yesterday - before morning Mass I listened to Sex, Food,Death and Tarantulas by Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 (Robyn's most recent release on Yep Roc 2007) and after the game I'd time for Robyn Hitchcock And The Egyptians' live album Gotta Let This Hen Out (recorded at the Marquee, April 27 1985).
I won Le Marche bonus ball for the first time in over a year so the day ended on a bright note.
We Shall Not Be Moved.
I actually had a reasonable day yesterday, the 26th anniversary of the day of Bobby Sands' death.
The Craigneuk Bhoys arrived in Govan just after opening time and ensconced themselves in the salubrious lounge of the pub which used to be called the Albion Way. It has since been renamed The Whitefield Airms (sic) or something similar. Tosh McKinlay was present.
Terry Snr. and myself missed the first five minutes on account of an overwhelming desire to miss the pre-match war music and Scoto-Brit darnelist ritual. Least said about the game the better - not one serious shot on target.
I salute my fellow Celtic fans and in particular Neil Lennon and Artur Boruc for managing to turn defeat on its head and cultivate darnelist distemper. The bhoy in the seat in front of mine caught Lenny's airmband !! After the match the darnelists looked as if they'd lost a pound and found a penny. The penny can be added to their UEFA Direct Debits account. The bitterness of Season 2006-07 has left a sour taste in their mealy mouths and their cup final has now passed. My unbroken heart does not go out to them.
Not much time for sounds yesterday - before morning Mass I listened to Sex, Food,Death and Tarantulas by Robyn Hitchcock & The Venus 3 (Robyn's most recent release on Yep Roc 2007) and after the game I'd time for Robyn Hitchcock And The Egyptians' live album Gotta Let This Hen Out (recorded at the Marquee, April 27 1985).
I won Le Marche bonus ball for the first time in over a year so the day ended on a bright note.
We Shall Not Be Moved.
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