Celtic
Kieran Tierney Answers Potential Celtic Return Question
When it comes to academy stars Celtic have been created, Kieran Tierney is right up there. Working his way through the ranks to become a first team star and an invincible treble winner.
Despite high hopes from supporters that he’d be a lifelong Celtic player, much like a Callum McGregor or James Forrest, Tierney took a different path. In 2019, he made a money spinning move to Arsenal for a record-breaking £25 million, setting a new benchmark for Scottish football transfers.
While Tierney’s journey at Arsenal has been a rollercoaster, with initial expectations of him becoming a future captain, his trajectory took a turn as he found himself out of Mikel Arteta’s preferred lineup, leading to his loan to Real Sociedad. When he has been fit in Spain, he has earned rave reviews but injuries have blighted his spell.
The bond between Tierney and Celtic seems unbreakable. Nearly five years post-departure, whispers of his return to Parkhead are never too far from the surface, especially with Brendan Rodgers’ comeback stirring more speculation.
Tierney himself has. not done anything to cool the rumours, hinting at a possible reunion with Celtic somewhere down the road. In a conversation with talkSPORT live, Tierney was asked about a potential return, the Arsenal loanee replying, “Who knows. You never know in football, it’s a connection that I will always have and it’s somewhere I will imagine I will always be linked with if I were to move from any club. So, you never know.”
The prospect of Tierney donning the Celtic jersey again is appealing, but the money it would take for his return coupled with his injury history and it becomes less so.
At just 26, he remains a sought-after talent capable of making waves in one of Europe’s top leagues if he can stay fit.
‘I’ve got to say’: Noel Gallagher shares who he thinks will win the league after watching Celtic vs Rangers
The fallout of the Glasgow Derby between Celtic and Rangers has not only caused debate over the contentious VAR decisions, it has also thrown up a great debate on who will win the league.
For Celtic it was all about going to Ibrox and not losing. Coming away from Rangers with a point means that the top of the Scottish Premiership doesn’t change.
All Celtic need to do heading into the final six games of the season is to win all remaining fixtures and Brendan Rodgers has successfully defended the title.
For Rangers, they had to win. Not to just put some daylight between them and us but to also prove that they have the stomach for the fight.
Because the Ibrox club have failed to beat Celtic in a meaningful game for a few seasons now and if they managed that on Sunday then they would have put out a statement of real intent.
But as it stands, they failed once more. A 3-3 draw keeps the title race nice and tight and former Oasis singer, Noel Gallagher, adamant on who he thinks will end up victorious come the end of the season.
Noel Gallagher in awe of Celtic’s draw with Rangers
The music superstar seems to have an affinity for Celtic. Back in 2017, he delighted the fans after he sang ‘Hail Hail the Celts are here’ when spotted at a gig by a Hoops fan.
And now, after watching the Hoops’ draw at Ibrox, Gallagher has made a title prediction that will further endear him to the Hoops support.
Gallagher said [talkSPORT], “What game that was. I thought once Rangers equaliser and Celtic went up the other end and got it, I thought well that’s it.
“But I mean Rangers are in the driving seat if they win the game in hand. I mean you can’t call it.
“Well, I’ve got to say the Bhoys will do it, yeah.”
So there you have it, according to Noel Gallagher Celtic will be lifting the Scottish Premiership trophy come the end of the season.
That is a prediction that all Celtic fans won’t look back in anger at.
Classy gesture from Celtic to Scotland’s National Deaf Team
The charitable arm of Celtic – the Celtic FC Foundation – has donated over £6,000 to the GoFundMe page for Scotland’s National Deaf Team’s trip to the European Deaf Football Championships this summer.
When the team qualified for the tournament in Turkey, which runs from May 20 to June 1 this summer, they set out a fundraising goal of £40,000 to help finance their journey.
They had raised over three-quarters of said target before the Celtic FC Foundation got involved and donated £6,600 which got them over the finishing line.
Celtic is known for its support of the oppressed and things are no different here. In the first place, though, the fact a national team of Scotland are having to raise funds to go to a tournament is somewhat questionable.
Nothing should be taken away from the kind gesture that the club made last Saturday, however, and all Scottish Celtic fans will be cheering on the team when they play at the deaf Euros for the first time in their history next month.
‘Embarrassing and Disgraceful’ – BBC Pundit Slams Glasgow Derby Officiating
Michael Stewart has criticised the standard of refereeing in Scottish football following controversial officiating in Sunday’s Glasgow Derby.
Speaking out on the matter, Stewart highlighted what many fans saw as a pivotal error that influenced the outcome of one of the most critical matches of the season.
In a game where Celtic were leading 2-0, Rangers were awarded a penalty that kick-started their comeback into a 3-3 draw.
Stewart said: [BBC] “The officiating is embarrassing our game. They’ve impacted the result in the biggest game of the season. Disgraceful.”
The penalty decision came after Fabio Silva of Rangers went down in the box following a challenge from Celtic’s Alistair Johnston. Referee John Beaton, who initially issued Silva a yellow card for simulation, reversed his decision after VAR intervention led by Nick Walsh. Beaton, persuaded by the VAR review to consult the pitch-side monitor, was subsequently awarded the penalty.
Silva appeared to be falling before any substantial contact was made, suggesting that Beaton’s original decision was the correct one. The overturning of this call not only changed the dynamics of the match but also added to the ongoing debates about the consistency and accuracy of officiating in the league.
This incident reignited criticisms previously voiced by Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers, who had labelled Beaton as “incompetent” following contentious decisions against Hearts.
As discussions continue, the pressure mounts on the Scottish FA to address these concerns, ensuring that officiating standards are improved to uphold the integrity of the competition.
Rangers vs. Celtic injury latest before Old Firm derby – McGregor, Sima and more
The latest instalment of another eagerly-anticipated Old Firm derby takes centre stage on Sunday as Rangers play host to Celtic at Ibrox in a top-of-the-table Scottish Premiership showdown.
Just one point separates the two Glaswegian giants heading down the home straight, with reigning champions Celtic currently leading the way, but Rangers in second place have a game in hand.
Philippe Clement‘s side returned to winning ways last weekend when they fought off a spirited Hibernian outfit to win 3-1 on home soil thanks to goals from James Tavernier, Cyriel Dessers and Rabbi Matondo.
Celtic, meanwhile, secured their third victory in a row across all competitions when they beat basement club Livingston by a 3-0 scoreline away from home, courtesy of strikes from Paulo Bernardo, Matt O’Riley and an own goal form Jamie Brandon.
Brendan Rodgers will return to the Hoops dugout after serving a touchline ban last time out, and here, Sports Mole rounds up the latest suspension and injury news for both clubs ahead of the contest at Ibrox.
RANGERS INJURY NEWS
Ryan Jack
Status: Out
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: Unknown
Ryan Jack has been sidelined since the beginning of March with a muscle injury. Clement has confirmed that the midfielder will miss Sunday’s Old Firm derby and it remains to be seen when he will return to first-team action.
Danilo
Status: Out
Type of injury: Knee
Possible return date: Unknown
Danilo is yet to make an appearance for Rangers in 2024 since sustaining a serious knee injury in early December, and the striker is facing a race against time to recover before the season comes to a close.
Oscar Cortes
Status: Out
Type of injury: Muscle
Possible return date: Unknown
January loan signing Oscar Cortes (pictured on the right) is still unavailable for selection as he continues to recover from a “severe” muscle injury sustained against Kilmarnock on February 28.
Kieran Dowell
Status: Out
Type of injury: Foot
Possible return date: Unknown
Kieran Dowell underwent an operation on a foot injury at the end of January and the midfielder remains unavailable for selection.
Ridvan Yilmaz
Status: Major doubt
Type of injury: Hamstring
Possible return date: April 7 (vs. Celtic)
Ridvan Yilmaz picked up a hamstring injury with Turkey during the international break and subsequently missed Rangers’ win over Hibs last weekend. Clement has since revealed that he is “not sure” if the left-back, who has taken part in individual training, will recover in time, and an assessment will be made ahead of kickoff.
Abdallah Sima
Status: Available
Previous injury: Thigh
Return date: April 7 (vs. Celtic)
Clement has confirmed that Abdallah Sima “is fit enough to start” but cannot play the full 90 minutes, so the Gers boss will make a decision on when he feels the striker can make the best impact on Sunday – Sima made a 10-minute cameo appearances as a substitute last weekend.
CELTIC INJURY NEWS
Callum McGregor
Status: Minor doubt
Type of injury: Achilles
Possible return date: April 7 (vs. Celtic)
Captain Callum McGregor has returned to training three to four weeks ahead of schedule after being out with an Achilles injury since the end of February. A late call will be made on his availability following a final training session on Saturday.
Luis Palma
Status: Minor doubt
Type of injury: Calf
Possible return date: April 7 (vs. Celtic)
Luis Palma has missed each of Celtic’s last four games with a calf injury, but the winger has returned to training this week and is in contention to return to the matchday squad on Sunday.
RANGERS VS. CELTIC SUSPENSION LIST
Rangers and Celtic have no suspended players for this match.
Celtic Face Wait On Whether Club Will Sell Loan Star
Idah has scored some big goals for Celtic since joining the club on a loan deal until the end of the season from Norwich in the January transfer window.
He has five goals in eight Scottish Premiership appearances and Celtic are considering signing him on a permanent deal in the summer.
However, it has been claimed that Celtic will have to wait until the end of the season before knowing whether Norwich want to sell him.
Norwich are keeping tabs on Idah’s performances and are yet to make up their mind about his future at the club.
The Canaries signed Sydney van Hooijdonk on loan in January and want to assess how he does until the end of the season.
A decision on Idah will only be made by the Canaries after the end of the ongoing campaign.
Norwich also want to be sure about which division they will be playing in next season as they are in the hunt for the playoffs in the Championship at the moment.
7 signs of unshakeable Celtic belief to see off Rangers en route to another title
What was it Meatloaf once chanted, 12 out of 13 titles, ain’t bad?
The legendary soft-rock star was dealing in single figures on his famous hit, of course, but a win at Ibrox on Sunday and Celtic will start to believe another title is going to rest in the east end once more. And there’s a tangible sense that good vibes are emanating from the green side of the city ahead of their season-defining duel with Philippe Clement‘s side.
There have been setbacks this season but Celtic travel to face Rangers knowing a vintage display coupled with a rousing end to the season will give them every shot of lifting another title. The stakes are mammoth and there are multiple reasons why Celtic players, punters and pundits reckon they will once again emerge victorious when it matters most. Record Sport taps into the mood music surrounding the champions.
14-1
Brendan Rodgers’ epic record in this fixture is the beacon of hope which all Celtic fans follow. It has been an imperfect season for Scottish football’s dominant force but they have left their biggest rivals on the deck twice this season. Michael Beale’s Rangers end game was accelerated by Celtic’s win at Ibrox in September and Kyogo and Paulo Bernardo’s brilliance consigned Philippe Clement to his first defeat in December. It’s hard to quantify exactly what gives Rodgers his edge but fans often point to his cerebral calm in rejigging his 10 men back at Ibrox in 2018 to beat Rangers in a game which all-but guaranteed the title. Calmness amid the madness is Rodgers’ calling card.
Reo rockets
Celtic fans during the early woes of their botched 10-in-a-row pursuit would rue the absence of individuals amid the collectives error-strewn displays which saw Steven Gerrard’s Rangers romp to title glory by 25 points. But Reo Hatate’s missing guile has been felt and the difference this time around is his return alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers was seismic in the 3-0 win over Livingston. The Japan international was sprightly and his knack for finding pockets of space will be vital if he gets the nod at Ibrox. Celtic fans adore him and the maverick qualities he brings to their team.
Winning time
You have to go all the way back to August 2021 for the last time Rangers landed a signature Premiership victory over their great rivals. Yes, the 3-0 win in May 2023 was resounding but it mattered little for Beale and Co as Celtic had romped to a second consecutive crown long before they got off the bus at Ibrox. The sense is Clement’s side are here to stay but another win for the champions would be seismic in the race for glory. Rangers will have personal demons to battle as well as the opposition on Sunday.
Kyo-GOAL
It’s obvious but stopping Kyogo is something which has been beyond Rangers in recent times as seven goals in 2023 attests to. The critique of the Japan international has been a lack of involvement, at times, this season, however, that becomes his greatest strength when duking it out against Rangers. Connor Goldson constantly risks a crick in his neck as he seeks to keep tabs on the whereabouts of the striker who is never in the one place for long. He’s famed for his darting runs and finishes from close range but his two winners against Rangers this season have been outside the box. A man who is hard to pin down.
Space is key
Celtic have still to banish their Champions League blues but there were green shoots of recovery in the three home games against Lazio, Atletico Madrid and Feyenoord. A win, a draw and a defeat which appeared incomprehensible showed Rodgers’ side were able to compete, to an extent. And Celtic have been strong for long spells of the two games against Rangers. It appears this Celtic team is stronger when the game opens up. And while Clement isn’t against going direct he’s also willing to roll the dice with an aggressive press which proved their undoing against Benfica.
Wing kings
When you’re itching for a reliable right-sided winger and two come along at once. Rodgers regards James Forrest as the club’s best but the veteran wide man’s best days are behind him. Liel Abada departed but the chance to impress has emboldened the two leading candidates. Yang has come alive in recent weeks and appeared primed for a major breakthrough before his red card against Hearts.
But Nicolas Kuhn has quelled early worries as he put his dental trauma behind him with three consecutive standout displays ahead of the visit to Ibrox. Daizen Maeda is a banker to start against James Tavernier and the German – who is quicker than a hiccup – will be desperate to take on Ridvan Yilmaz or Borna Barisic.
Bench warmer
And, for the first time this season, Celtic appear to boast strength in depth. in reserve. Yang, Adam Idah, Paulo Bernardo and Luis Palma will likely be options in reserve and the era of the five subs makes it imperative to be able to shift the game. Rodgers has a knack of game-changing changes in this fixture and has options to do so again this time around.
Kennedy’s rallying call from Ibrox was, “We’ll Be Ready.”
JOHN KENNEDY insists Celtic will be ready for Ibrox on Sunday after safely manoeuvring the Livingston minefield.
Strikes from Paulo Bernardo and Matt O’Riley plus an own goal from Jamie Brandon saw the champions ease to a 3-0 victory over David Martindale’s scrappers following a scoreless first-half.
Kennedy, taking over the touchline duties with manager Brendan Rodgers banished to the stand as he served a one-game SFA suspension, was delighted the players didn’t hit the panic button in a dour opening period when the visitors had to wait until the second minute of stoppage-time to at last get a shot on target.
Kyogo Furuhashi twisted and turned inside the box before unleashing an angled low drive which saw Shamal George somersault to his right to beat the ball to safety.
CELTIC STAND-OUT…John Kennedy watches the action from the Livingston touchline.
Thankfully, the Hoops maintained their concentration and the breakthrough effort arrived shortly after the turnaround when the keeper produced anoter stunning stop to push away a close-range drive from comeback Bhoy Reo Hatate.
A superb low whiplash strike from substitute Bernardo doubled the advantage and O’Riley nonchalantly rolled No.3 into the opposition’s net to bring down the curtain on a job well done.
Kennedy, who was delighted the team’s first shut-out in seven games, said: “What we were pretty much focusing on was the performance. Coming here, it’s always easy to get wrapped up in the pitch, but our focus was purely football.
“I think you saw that from the players. At half-time, we could have been a goal or two up, but we just had to be patient.
“It’s easy at this point in the season, when there’s a lot of talk about things and we’re getting towards that stage, to hit the panic button and go chasing something.“But we never, we stayed calm and the goals obviously came in the second-half just from playing the way we were playing and doing the things we were doing – that’s what the players know best.”
Kennedy, speaking to Celtic TV, continued: “You have to control the game, to sustain attack and be aggressive with the ball, but, at the same time, not have too many turnovers.“And we had to deal with Livingston’s direct play because it can be awkward if they get up in our half and around the box in set-plays and crosses. That’s when they are a real threat.
“But with Kyogo driving it from the front, plus the wingers, and in behind that, we just limited them in having any sort of accuracy in long balls and from that we were pressing from behind.
“The midfield were also picking up second balls and we had a few attacks from there.“So, that part of the game was crucial for us and coming to Livingston is about what you do with the ball, but for us a massive part of it is how we defend and stop them getting near the box. We did that superbly.”
Kennedy also applauded the return of Japanese playmaker Hatate who lasted almost an hour in his first start of 2024.
The assistant boss commented: “He’s a top player. He’s had a few good weeks’ training and seeing him in training we just knew he was good to go and I think everyone can see what he brings to the team.“It was good to see him on the pitch again, it was good minutes for him and the squad is starting to come together now.”
Looking ahead to the third derby of the campaign – with Celtic triumphant in the previous two outings – Kennedy added: “Having the clear week is giving us plenty of time to prepare and getting the boys recovered as this pitch takes its toll, as well.
“So, we can get fully recovered and have plenty of training for the game and when that comes around we’ll be ready.”
News of Livingston’s matchup with Celtics is confirmed, and Reo Hatate is back in the mix.
Celtic head to Livingston knowing they must win to keep the pressure on Rangers.
The Hoops fell back to two points behind in the title race after Gers beat Hibs 3-1 yesterday afternoon. Livingston, today’s opponents, are in a difficult spot as they languish at the bottom of the Premiership and manager David Martindale understands it’s also a must-win game for them.
Brendan Rodgers had hinted in the build-up to this one at the Tony Macaroni Arena that Reo Hatate would be back in contention for the trip having missed a number of games and only featured 16 times in total this campaign. His last outing was early January against St Mirren after injuring himself against Atletico Madrid in October.
29 March 2024; Josh Honohan of Shamrock Rovers in action against Aboubacar Keita of Bohemians during the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division match between Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
Shamrock Rovers are expecting big things from Josh Honohan – title-winning boss Stephen Bradley comparing their Cork capture to Liam Scales.
The five-in-a-row chasing champions paid a small five-figure sum to recruit the 23-year-old from relegated City and he’s thrived in several positions since.
Friday’s emphatic 3-1 win over Bohemians in front of 10,094 people at Tallaght Stadium – the largest in the league this century – continued his spell as a left-wing back.
His endeavours were recognised when named man-of-the-match by pundit and former Ireland defender Kenny Cunningham.
Scales underwent a similar path, joining from UCD as a left-sided defender before being headhunted by Celtic in 2021 for an initial fee of €600,000.
He has since started in the Champions League group stages and broke into the Ireland team at the latter stages of the Stephen Kenny era last year.
“I think Josh has a really high ceiling,” said Bradley after their second successive win.
“I’d watched him for a year. Every time I watched his games, I was thinking he’s playing in a different position. But, he’s taken me by surprise because he’s so comfortable.
“What I love about Josh is when you’re dealing with him during the week, helping him technically and tactically, he wants all the information you can give him.
“I think he’s going to be a centre-back as time goes on. He’s tailormade to be one, lightning quick, both footed really good on the ball and can play wing back or full back.
“I said when I signed him that I saw the Liam Scales mentality in him, someone who you could ask to play up front and he’d say how do you want me to play it, no problem, I’ll do it.
“That’s the kind of character he is. There’s so much more to come from him. I think he can get 10 goals for us, Josh, if he can just tweak a little bit.”
In keeping with their season, Rovers were slow to get going, only breaking through three minutes after the restart through Johnny Kenny’s instinctive finish. It was a harsh baptism for new Bohs boss Alan Reynolds.
The Hoops have risen to fifth in the table but remain 10 points adrift of early pacesetters Shelbourne. They travel to face Waterford on Monday at the RSC.
“We were hesitant in the first half – maybe it was the occasion in terms of everybody talking about the 10,000 being the biggest attendance,” he explained for the sluggishness.
“In the second half we just went 10 yards higher up the pitch, being more aggressive, played quicker, ran quicker and the spaces were there.
“They really hurt them then with those spaces, the penetration was a lot quicker and as a result, it could have been four or five by the end, to be honest.”
Better safe than sorry – Calmac staying off the plastic probably for the best
Despite earlier reports to the contrary, Callum McGregor won’t take any part in tomorrow’s clash at Livingston. The skipper has been out since the 7-1 win over Dundee and was expected to be back after the international break.
But Brendan Rodgers yesterday revealed the Celtic captain won’t be available for tomorrow, although he will be back in training next week and has more than a good chance of facing theRangers at Ibrox. Given the nature of Callum’s injury, the Celtic manager has made the decision not to risk his skipper who will clearly be needed at Ibrox a week tomorrow where no Celtic supporters will be there to back the team.
This decision could turn out to be a blessing in disguise as being thrown back into action especially on the horrendous Livingston surface could have been a bit risky. Especially with a trip to Ibrox the next stop. A week of training will do Callum the world of good, and he should be fit and raring to go for the high noon clash at Ibrox. I’d be very surprised if he didn’t start that game.
Yes Callum has lacked match practice in the past few weeks, but he’s played plenty of football over the past year or so for both club and country, so perhaps this little break will have done him the world of good?
He’s a player I would have no hesitation in starting at Ibrox if even 80 per cent fit. He’s that important to this Celtic side. And with just about everyone else fit, with just Yang and Luis Palma on the sidelines but expected back shortly, Brendan Rodgers has made the sensible call in keeping Calmac for Ibrox next week. These are the big decisions he’s paid to make and I reckon he’s got this one spot on.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
Regarding Brendan Rodgers’ Touchline Ban, Joe Hart
Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart has commented on manager Brendan Rodgers’ touchline ban, admitting that he and his teammates ideally would have wanted the gaffer in the dugout this weekend.
The Hoops travel to Livingston in the Scottish Premiership as the business end of the season begins.
As a result of his comments after his team’s defeat to Hearts a few weeks ago, Rodgers was given a one-match touchline ban with another suspended and will be in the stands for the game.
Hart admitted that although the situation is not great, the players will carry on. “You want your leader, you want your manager available but sometimes you have situations like this”, he said (Celtic FC on YouTube).
7th February 2024; Easter Road, Edinburgh, Scotland: Scottish Premiership Football, Hibernian versus Celtic; Joe Hart of Celtic pats the Celtic badge on his chest after the win
“He’s had more than long enough to put his message across of what he needs and what he wants from us.
“There’s no doubt we want Brendan in the dugout with us but rules say that he’s not there so look, he’s going to do everything he possibly can to help us and that’s no different.”
John Kennedy will be the figurehead in the dugout for Celtic this Sunday. Although it is not the best that Rodgers is in the stands, it shouldn’t have too great of an impact on the players.
Mark Wilson likened the manager being absent to when a class gets a substitute teacher in a school and if that is what it will be like for Celtic this weekend, let’s hope there are no disruptions to the lesson.
Mikael Lustig, a former Celtic legend, enters coaching
Former Celtic players get up to all sorts of activities following their retirement from the game as they move on to new pastures.
Coaching or punditry are the two most popular avenues; however, there are also rare anomalies that choose something completely different to fill the time.
Anyone with a working knowledge of Scottish football punditry will know who the main suspects are that have gone into that field, with Chris Sutton, Neil Lennon, Stiliyan Petrov, John Hartson and Mark Wilson some of the prominent voices heard on our televisions and radios.
Of course, Brendan Rodgers’ right-hand man John Kennedy, B team duo Stephen McManus and Darren O’Dea, former club captain Scott Brown and Shaun Maloney have all made a name for themselves in coaching capacities since retiring, imparting their experience and wisdom gleaned at Parkhead.
Either way, just because you hang the boots up or choose to leave Celtic, it doesn’t mean you can’t still influence the game we all love.
Now, another Hoops favourite has now completed the transition to a coaching role with a top-flight outfit.
Former Celtic icon Mikael Lustig lands coaching position
Mikael Lustig was an iconic figure at Parkhead and has now managed to land a role coaching in the academy of Allsvenskan outfit Västerås Sportklubb, who will feature in the Swedish top-flight this season after several seasons in the lower leagues.
The 37-year-old has completed his DBA Elite Uefa B/A course for ex-players and had previously been helping the club in a less formal capacity.
Västerås academy director Gustav Høgmo Utstøl welcomed Lustig on board, stating: “It is an honour that Mikael is with us, he brings a lot of experience to our players and leaders. Above all, he is a person who really lives and promotes our values and strengthens our culture.” (Translated via Deep L).
Lustig earned cult hero status at Parkhead due to his solidity on the right-hand side of defence and his colourful personality, registering 21 goals and 40 assists in 276 appearances for Celtic [Transfermarkt].
Best of luck to the former Sweden international in his new role, and hopefully he can enjoy a successful career in coaching.
Celtic trail Hibs in transfer age rundown as Premiership clubs ranked
What’s that old cliché again? “You don’t win anything with kids”…
It’s all about striking the right balance for Scottish Premiership managers with experience the key so long as it does come with some youthful exuberance and enthusiasm. As well as pushing as high up in the division as possible every season with a mixed squad, there’s also the small factor of signing younger players in a bid to benefit from the sell-on value with plenty of examples in Scotland’s top flight over the years.
When considering those prospects in their incomings from different transfer windows, it’s Hibs that leads the line on the new data provided by stats site CIES Football Observatory with an average age of 23.26 over the last five years.
Champions Celtic – who have been accused of signing project players more often than not – are next on the list with their average age at 23.53 with Rangers next in line just slightly behind the Hoops on 23.60.
Ross County (23.94), Aberdeen (24.31), Hearts (24.56) and Kilmarnock (24.92) are next on the list while they’re then followed by St Johnstone (24.95), Dundee (25.04), Motherwell (25.13) and St Mirren (25.20) with rock-bottom Livingston (25.71) rounding off the list.
‘Far From IT,’ Celtic Hero Fires Title Warning
JOE LEDLEY knows what it takes to be a derby winner during his three-and-a-half years at Celtic.
The gifted midfielder thumped a memorable header into the Rangers net to warm up a bitterly cold December evening at Parkhead back in 2011 to fire the Hoops towards the title.
It was a crucial strike and the Welsh international displayed true grit as he threw himself at a right-wing corner-kick delivery in the midst of chaos and flying bodies in a packed penalty area.
Victor Wanyama just missed the cross, but Ledley made no mistake as he rose to power an effort into the roof of the net that went a long way to Neil Lennon’s team’s subsequent championship triumph.
HEADS I WIN…Joe Ledley gets in behind Victor Wanyama and in front of Giorgios Samaras to thump in the derby winner in the 1-0 triumph at Parkhead in December 2011.
The former Hoops hero, who signed on a free transfer from Cardiff City in July 2010 before moving on in an £800,000 switch to Crystal Palace, has been keeping a close eye on developments at his old club throughout a topsy-turvy campaign.
Brendan Rodgers’ men are a point ahead with eight games to play while their nearest challengers from Ibrox have a match in hand.
The drama continues at the weekend with Philippe Clement’s side at home to Hibs on Saturday afternoon while the champions travel to West Lothian to take on Livingston 24 hours later.
Celtic have won both derby confrontations this term with Kyogo Furuhashi firing in breathtaking clinchers on both occasions, but the side have faltered with two defeats to Hearts and a loss to Kilmarnock to shed unexpected points.
WALLOP…Kyogo Furuhashi flashes in the only goal of the game as Celtic triumph at Ibrox in September.
There have also been draws with St Johnstone, Hibs, Motherwell, Aberdeen and the Rugby Park outfit which have placed Scotland’s title kings, bidding for their twelfth crown in 13 years, on a precarious tightrope.
Rodgers’ men will play their third all-Glasgow affair in Govan a week on Sunday with another match to be arranged in the east end of Glasgow after the split.
Ledley said: “It is very tight and, of course, the games between the two teams look as if they are going to be deciding games that dictate who comes out on top.
“But I have seen a few times this season that Celtic and Rangers have slipped up in games where you felt they would have won and they didn’t. Getting that win against your rivals in the last two games in the league is vital.
“But, as I said, we’ve seen it numerous times this season that there have been slips just when you do not expect it.”
GETTING IT IN THE NECK…Joe Ledley in an Old Firm confrontation with Steven Naismith, current Hearts boss.
Cumbernauld No.1 CSC – Willie Haughey, a live lobster and the body in the hearse
Founded in the 1979/80 season, after the demise of the notorious St Joseph’s 9 in a Row CSC, by Jackie Stewart, Pat Dunese, Jim Meechan, and Eddie Campbell. The only way to join the club was through an application process. The bus had and still has a strictly no alcohol policy on board, which was a contrast to the party-hard St Joseph’s bus.
They originally left from the Maltings Bar in Abronhill and picked up at Cumbernauld Town Centre. However, after a few years, the committee made the decision to leave Moriarty’s Bar and travel to The Tavern in Tollcross.
Moriarty’s sponsored the bus with a large banner that had both the club’s name and the name of the bar on it. The money that the bar made from the bus was kept in a separate account, and in return, at the end of the season, members of the club were given free drinks.
They have always been involved in generous charity work over the last 40 years, from bus dances to individual fundraisers. The club always gives one-time donations as well as a monthly donation to the local food bank. Another example of the generosity of their members was when they raised enough money to provide one of their members’ brother-in-law’s supportive mobility chair to help aid his lifestyle.
Over the years, their club has evolved into a social group, not just for travelling to see Celtic but for regular nights out. They also have a strong sense of community, with active members from Cumbernauld all the way to America and Gibraltar, and many non-members travelling with them regularly to games.
With the ongoing scarcity of away tickets, the bus has forged a friendship with Neilson CSC to share the cost of travelling to away games. In 1995, they had a dinner dance at the Knights of Columba in Moodiesburn, and one of the committee members, Stevie Brown, was stepping down from his role on the bus as chairman.
At this dance, their guest of honour was Willie Haughey. Their chairman for that season was Sam Chalmers, and he had written a lengthy speech to prepare. He was a nervous wreck, as this was his first dance as chairman. Minutes before Sam’s speech, Willie asked if he could read over Sam’s words to ‘help him out’ and let him know what he thought of them.
To Sam’s horror, Willie then proceeded to rip the speech up right in front of him. As the colour drained from Sam’s face, Willie, clearly unprepared himself, then retorted ‘That’s us both screwed now; we’ll just need to wing it.’ This was Sam’s first and last year as chairman of the committee.
Stories from their many European trips start with their Porto trip, when, after a lengthy day of drinking, they discovered a hearse parked outside the pub. One of their members, Thomas Butler, decided to crawl into the back and pretend he was dead, with many locals passing by looking inside mournfully. However, they were absolutely horrified when he sat upright, still alive, and gave them a fright.
Additionally, when they travelled to Stuttgart, they acquired a ceramic duck from one of the pubs that they were drinking in, which then became the mascot for their bus for many years. This became a tradition among their members to acquire souvenirs from pubs and restaurants they visited. Another time, when members were sitting in a restaurant in Lyon, there was a display with fish nets and plastic lobsters above a lobster tank. They decided to take one of the plastic lobsters as a souvenir; however, one of their younger members, Raymond Boland, misunderstood the instructions and, when he got outside, opened his jacket and asked, ‘What am I supposed to do with this?’ He had taken a live lobster from the tank instead.
The current committee consists of some of the original older members along with their new younger members, which consist of Brain Crampshee, Kevin Malarkey, Jake Milton, Declan Reid, and Jordan Trindade. They are now at the stage where the original members’ families are now in a position to take over the bus and the responsibilities, hopefully being able to pass them on to the generations to come.
An extract from Football Without Fans – The History of Celtic Supporters Clubs by David McIntyre ( Celtic Bars). Football Without Fans – The History of Celtic Supporters Clubs is out now and available in print and kindle versions HERE.
More from Football Without Fans tomorrow on The Celtic Star, the Celtic supporters website. Will it be your CSC that’s featured?
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