He’s a Lurgan Class Hero

Okay, it looks as though today will finally be the day that Neil Lennon is appointed Celtic manager.

Apart from the 8 victrious league games and the one horrific cup game from last season, Lenny has no top level managerial experience but he knows what it takes to be a winner at Celtic Park.

Join us as we take a look back at 5 games which encapsulates how Neil Lennon was a winner is his playing days at Celtic Park. Maybe you think we missed some big days out – we’ve added a few other suggestions at the end but feel free to tell us your suggestions.

Dundee 1 v Celtic 2
Although still sitting pretty at the top of the SPL, Celtic had shown one or two wobbles which convinced Martin O’Neill he needed to strengthen the spine of the Parkhead club. Returning to his former club Leicester City, Celtic eventually paid the asking fee for defensive midfielder Neil Lennon with the Northern Irish international making his debut at Dens Park.

Celtic took the lead but were pegged back and in injury time, the score was tied at 1-1. Celtic had one last chances and a corner was swung to the back post, a few bounces, a bobble and Didier Agathe popped up to chest the ball home to keep the O’Neill bandwagon rolling.

It may have just been three points and Lennon had a quiet debut but the ability to grind out a result on a tricky Sunday night proved that the Celtic title challenge was definitely on.

Rangers 0 v Celtic 3
Celtic were already the champions but it had been a long time since they won at Ibrox. Their last trip had been a painful 5-1 defeat so Celtic needed to take something from Ibrox to prove they had no fear at the home of their rivals.
Rangers had the best of the first half but early on the second half, Celtic were awarded a free-kick just inside the Rangers half.

Neil Lennon stood over the ball and waited and waited and waited. The boos from the Rangers ends of the stadium were reaching crescendo when the man from the North of Ireland lazily rolled it into the path of Henrik Larsson who played in Lubo Moravcik who swept Celtic into the lead.

Celtic added another two goals, Moravcik embarrassing Ricksen with a delightful turn and then Larsson stroked home his 50th goal of the season as Celtic stamped their mark all over their rivals as they went onto clinch the treble at the end of O’Neill and Lennon’s first campaign.

Boavista 0 v Celtic 1
Forget the game of football, it was a largely turgid and regrettable 90 minutes between a team who didn’t want any goals scored and a team who just needed the one. In the end, a fortunate break and bobble split the teams as Henrik Larsson tried to slip the ball into the path of John Hartson only to find returning to him in space at the edge of the box.

The Boavista goalkeeper was no Jamie Theakston and the King of Kings stabbed the ball into the back of the net to give Celtic the advantage, one which they held on to until the full-time whistle.

From there on in, the celebrations of the men in the gold and green away kit were unrivalled and Lennon was in the centre of everything.

Celtic 1 v Rangers 0
Celtic had won the previous six Celtic v Rangers matches but a seventh looked to be sliding out of range. Just as many fans felt it would be scoreless, the ball broke to Alan Thompson at the edge of the box and the English midfielder didn’t need to be asked twice to strike.

Thompson had punished Rangers on numerous occasions but this strike, weaving its way past serial door-chapper Fernando Ricksen and bamboozling Stefan Klos on the line, was possibly his most famous and it gave Celtic a 1-0 win. The home crowd erupted and Thompson set off on a celebratory run, eventually catching up with Lennon and jumping on his back.

At full-time, Lennon walked off the pitch smoking an imaginary cigar, signifying the ease with which Celtic had notched 7 wins in a row over their bitter rivals.

Kilmarnock 1 v Celtic 2
Celtic had been the only team in town all season but after the clubs exit from the Champions League, some stuttering form took over. Rugby Park was the first opportunity to clinch the title but it looked as though Celtic may stumble.

Tied at 1-1 and deep into injury time, Derek Riordan ballooned the ball over the ball and it seemed as though the champagne would have to stay on ice.

Jiri Jarosik engineered one final chance by winning a free-kick wide on the right hand side of Kilmarnock’s box. Japanese star Shunsuke Nakamura stepped up and whipped the ball from right to left and into the bottom corner of Alan Combe’s net.

All three points and the SPL title were going to Parkhead and Neil Lennon was taking his fifth title in seven years. At the end of the game, Lennon’s post match celebrations left no one in any doubt how much the success meant to him.

So that’s just 5 moments and no doubt many people will have others:

The 2-0 win at Anfield
Lennon scoring in an 8-1 triumph at East End Park
Lennon scoring in the 4-3 friendly win against Manchester United
Being subbed to allow Gary Caldwell to come on and positively change the game in the 1-0 Scottish Cup final over Dunfermline.

Anyone got any other favourite Lenny moments?

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One thing the striker lacks from Rangers career

Now…before the complaints start, we are not saying this is the last time Kris Boyd will play for Rangers at Celtic Park. Nor are we saying that he is for the off this summer.

The news of the Ellis bid arising again is not only good timing to arrive before the season book renewals, it should also give Rangers an extra spring in their step when they head along to Celtic Park tonight, with hope a buyover taking place.

Not that they’ll need any encouragement, this is billed to be a scene of a party, much like the 90s games when Rangers faced Celtic long after the league was sewn up…or just waiting to be confirmed. With Walter Smith presiding over it all again, there will definitely be a sense of déjà vu for those in blue...and those in green and white.

So, that’s the off-field stuff, can Kris Boyd net at Celtic Park tonight?

The only goal that Boyd has scored against Celtic came in a post-split game when the league was already won by Celtic so that may be in the strikers favour for weighing up if he will score tonight.

Tonight is not a crucial match for either team, yes both sets of players are talking it up and the fans will be their usual self but in the greater scheme of things, this should not be an occasion to match the normal ferocity of Celtic v Rangers games.

For all that he brings goals to his team, even Kris Boyd’s biggest fan would have to say he has been a let down on the big occasions, so with tonight not being such a big occasion, will he be more likely to score?

It’s Boyd’s continual goals against the lesser lights that provide Rangers with the platform to win titles so that is no major criticism of the striker but every player wants to turn it on in the big games. For a diehard Rangers man like Boyd is his inability to boast of numerous goals against his clubs biggest rivals must gnaw away at him, even with all the medals he has picked up in recent years.

If Boyd goes in the summer, tonight represents his last chance, as far as we all know, to net for his beloved team against their bitter rivals. With the Celtic defence changing on a game by game basis, there may not be a better opportunity for Boyd to break his Celtic Park duck.

There may also never be another opportunity.

Do you think Boyd will score tonight?

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On-field failings still the bigger issue

The trend for football clubs at the moment is to freeze the current level of season book pricing.

The financial climate is still mired in doubt and difficulty and when you consider the rate of inflation, this move will be heralded by some as being a reduction in price in real terms.

What is also true is that the average price for an adult ticket for Scottish football is overpriced when compared to other forms of entertainment and the product that is being served up. When you look back to the players that Celtic, Rangers, Hibs and Hearts had a decade ago, the rate of decline and downsizing has been massive.

It hasn’t been matched with a genuine reduction in pricing though.

The Celtic board would have been given a massive wake-up call during the week with the horrifically low crowd for the AZ Alkmaar game. It was a bad PR move for the club but no doubt the financial penalties that would have arisen from not playing the game outweighed the bad publicity.

Celtic have tried to gain some extra publicity and give their fans increased opportunity to book their place at Celtic Park for every home game by offering a 10 month payment plan. This is a good move and one to be commended but the fact that the typical APR is set at 15.9% APR jars when compared to the Hibs offer, which offers a 10 month payment plan at an interest free rate.

Of course, that means watching Hibs and their fans gloating about being the first to wear the green and everything else fans that have never seen the Scottish Cup sing about! So, its swings and roundabouts on that deal! (Only joking Hibees, good work on that deal and yet another idea Celtic should be nicking from their Leith rivals.)

To provide some balance though, whilst the adult prices remain high, the lowest price kids seasons books are a fantastic deal. Season card deals for the youngest children are priced at £50 for the entire campaign, which works out as £2.63 per game.

That is tremendous value and the sort of thing that clubs need to do to ensure the younger generation continue to be brought along to the football. It also makes the buying decision for parents or families a bit easier to justify with the cost split between two or more people.

With the Celtic season cards on sale now, there will be some that will be buying right away but there will be others looking for a bit more hope for next season before committing.

We don’t expect Celtic to have announced their new manager before the deadline for season cards arrive so we don’t know what there will be for fans to pin their hopes but no matter the price or the pricing plan, many Hoops fans need to be convinced.

Do you feel your season ticket is fairly priced?

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Rescheduled for Wednesday 28th of April

Things have been a bit busy at WeKnowSFA Towers but given that our top story for a few days has been the announcement that the Celtic v Alkmaar game is off, we had better get reporting on the rescheduling of the match.

The reason for the friendly is the fact that Celtic supporters are owed one more game for their season book.

They pay for the 19 league games and two other matches.

The first “other” match came against Sunderland in a pre-season friendly with the other usually coming from a European or domestic home cup tie. Two potential money spinning games against Dynamo Moscow and Arsenal ensured that Europe would not be where the freebie was picked up.

In the League Cup, Celtic were drawn at home v Hearts in a game that was televised live on BBC. This would have been an ideal opportunity for Celtic to use as the “other” game and many critics have rounded on the board for making this a ticket game.

However, there was a lot of discussion over the sums Hearts were demanding from Celtic if it was a season book game to be extremely high and this prompted the decision to make it a ticket game.

We don’t know the sums, we don’t know the full story but it is fair to say that Celtic gambled on getting a home draw in the Scottish Cup to use as the “other” game and the gamble backfired. Much like their spending policy in recent years, the Celtic board have found they do not always have the luck to back up their frugal policy.

Away ties in the Scottish Cup have created the situation where Celtic owe the punters who paid up front an extra game. Fans are turning away from league matches in their droves, the last thing they really want is a friendly of no value but they have paid for it and if Celtic waived the game, there would be bigger trouble for the club.

Someone at Celtic has obviously did the sums and worked out that going ahead with the rescheduled game against Alkmaar and the cost of reimbursing the Dutch team and the costs of the night is a financially more attractive option than having to reimburse every season book holder at Celtic Park.

There may also have been a payment to Alkmaar regardless if the game got paid or not so from the financial sense, you can see why Celtic have went ahead with the game.

And lets face it, if the PLC board knows how to make a decision, its with one eye on the financial bottom line. Even if this is detrimental to the fans or on-field performances.

The Celtic v Alkmaar match is up against Barcelona v Inter Milan on terrestrial television and Celtic are involved at the Youth Cup final at Hampden against Rangers.

At £5 for adults and £2 for children or concessions, a game against Rangers, a chance to see the up and coming stars in a final and the fact that Celtic have been heavily promoting this game, you can see why many Celtic fans will choose this game over a first-team friendly.

We said it at the end of the last Alkmaar article but Celtic fans will be counting down the hours and minutes until the 2009/10 season is over, it’s been one thing after another!

Are you going to the Youth Cup final?

PS. Remember you have the chance of winning a Scottish football t-shirt. All you have to do is follow us on twitter and on the 1st of May, we pick one lucky follower to grab a shirt!

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Steelmen angry about missing money

St Mirren are obviously angry about the thought of going to play Falkirk away three times this season, especially with the relegation battle being so tight. This was discussed on Saturday when the story broke but St Mirren are not the only club who have been affected.

We will get to Rangers later on in the evening but first we turn our attention to Motherwell who have been told they will travel to Celtic Park for a third time this season after the split. Okay, they do not make their second visit until Tuesday night but on Saturday the 1st of May, Motherwell will once again head back to Celtic Park.

Joy of joys, Scottish football fans get to hear Tam Cowan crack the jokes once again about restricted view seats at Celtic Park…keep the laughs coming Tam…err, maybe start the laughs coming Tam.

However, this is a serious issue and for Motherwell Football Club, like a Tam Cowan live show, this is no laughing matter.

Although board members and fans of the provincial clubs are quick to say that they do not need the money that Celtic and Rangers bring to their club…..that’s not quite true.

Hence why Motherwell are feeling rightly aggrieved that they have been denied a post-split home game at Celtic. Okay, the way that Celtic have fallen away there is no guarantee of any crowd but there are many reasons why Motherwell are missing out here with some reports saying this fixture split could cost Well around £200,000.

That is a lot of money and Motherwell are well within their rights to go to the SPL and complain about this. It seems the only explanation for Motherwell being treated shabbily is that they were not in the top six last season.

So, Motherwell have improved this season, possibly punching above their weight and how have they been rewarded? With less money….that can’t be right can it?

Yes, everyone knows that the split can bring about these occurrences and all clubs are aware they could be affected but when the moment comes, it is only natural to feel aggrieved.

Nothing will be done this season about it and okay, the switching of the fixture is unlikely to have an impact on anything of matter but does that make it right?

The answer is an emphatic no.

Also, with every higher league position in the SPL bringing a greater reward for clubs, are Motherwell being disadvantaged?

Until the games are played, who knows but the Well fans would fancy their chances of a point or three at home against faltering Celtic, maybe not so much at Celtic Park (then again!)

If Hibs fend off Motherwell for fourth spot by a point or two or if Motherwell slip behind Hearts by a point or two, the Lanarkshire club could point to the loss of this home game as being a factor in where they finished.

When positions are tight, the split brings excitement, that is true but when it brings an uneven playing field to the league, it surely has to be questioned.

All SPL clubs should be behind Motherwell’s complaint to bring a better order of transparency to the split…and maybe even an examination for league reconstruction.

So…is Tam Cowan funny? Are we missing something?

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Hospitality package makes for a quirky day-out in Weeg

We here at WeKnowSFA have always got a touch of Cup Fever but the doctor promises us it will go away eventually. This is good news because the Active Nation Scottish Cup semi-finals are just over a week away and we wouldn’t want to get too excited.

Okay, on paper the two matches aren’t the most thrilling but the chances of upsets are alive and who knows which two teams will book their place in the showcase final.

If you support any of the four teams and you want to be at the game, you should be able to get a ticket. We can’t see Hampden being a sell-out for either match.

Celtic v Ross County is on the Saturday whereas Dundee United v Raith Rovers is on the Sunday.

Like all matches, the hospitality packages for the semi-final are big business and Dundee United are hoping to entice some of the Arabs to splash the cash.

For £120 + VAT, you can guarantee your ticket for the main stand at Hampden, be greeted with a reception at Tannadice, travel to and from Glasgow on a luxury coach and of course, there is a champagne reception and three course meal at Celtic Park prior to kick-off.

Hold on a minute, Celtic Park?

Yes, the hospitality package for United fans will see the Terrors travel to the luxurious East End of Glasgow where they will obtain a close-up view of the construction of the Velodrome opposite Celtic Park. With the 2014 Games coming up fast, the revitalisation of Glasgow’s East End is gathering pace.

So, given that the fans will be arriving at Tannadice, this will mean the fans will be at three football stadiums in one day, not quite a record but certainly a tad unusual.

Some will be unhappy with the fact that Celtic will financially benefit from this deal but no doubt it makes sense for United as well.

United fans, is this news putting you off the hospitality package?

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Cup semi forces a date change

As Kermit sang, “It’s not easy being green”, we’ll overlook the advert on TV at the moment but point you in the direction of our t-shirt stall and acknowledge that it has been a tough old time for Celtic fans.

Not to mention the dropped points and the honest mistakes they’ve been witnessing, the lack of Saturday home games this year has been a scandal for Hoops fans.

This year kicked off with a game against Rangers, which was in the traditional New Year holiday time, so that was perfectly acceptable. Following that was the home game against Falkirk, a Saturday afternoon 3pm kick-off.

Celtic’s next two home games were midweek affairs versus Hibs and Hearts. After that, there was another Saturday 3pm home game against Dundee United on the 20th of February.

And that’s been it, Celtic have been on the road since then and don’t return home to Celtic Park until Saturday 20th March, where they play St Johnstone. A whole month without a home game, that’s not great.

Celtic are then at home to Kilmarnock on the 27th of this month, and are set to conclude their pre-split fixtures with a match against Motherwell.

Due to the clubs involvement in the Scottish Cup semi-final, this game, originally set for Saturday 10th of April has now been moved to Tuesday 13th, depriving season ticket holders of another Saturday match.

According to the Celtic website, this match will be shown live on Sky Sports.

So from January up until the split, that will be four Saturday 3pm kick-offs for Celtic. It is accepted that the away games will all be moved but when there is no stability to the home games, can you blame fans for turning away in their droves?

Modern life has changed and more people work weekends than in previous generations so it is not as if Saturday is perfect for everyone but with normal working constraints, midweek games cause extra problems for people to get to.

Then again, Celtic fans would rather have the midweek match versus Motherwell because if they didn’t, it would mean they were out of the Cup. However, it will just add to the further sense of apathy that many hoops fans will feel about this season.

Is Saturday at 3pm still your preferred time for a kick-off?

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The ban stands for Rangers hitman

WeKnowSFA has been covering the angles since Miller’s red card and the subsequent appeal by Rangers but it has been announced that the appeal has been rejected.

This likely means that referee Willie Collum stands by his decision to have flashed a red card at Miller for violent conduct.

The television evidence did suggest two areas where the player was acting in an aggressive manner. The movement of his hand to Dods face and then the swinging of the boot in the direction of the players face.

At the time of the red card, the media was focusing on the boot and it has to be said, this was certainly debatable.

However, television evidence has shown that Miller definitely lashed out with his fist at the Dundee United defender and the referee would have been well within his rights to send the player off for that alone.

In this instance, everyone should be commended for their work on the claim and appeal.

Rangers, although unsuccessful, were well within their rights to appeal and were right to do so.

The SFA and the referee should be commended for acting quickly and making a judgment in a very short space of time.

WeKnowSFA are quick to criticise the SFA but their speedy response does deserve a commendation.

This response, whilst not the one Rangers would have wanted, will allow them sufficient time to create a different game plan to take to Celtic Park.

It will also give Kenny Miller a few days to think about his stupidity.

If Rangers drop points on Sunday, will Kenny Miller realise that his actions let his side down?

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Oh wait, sorry, that’s Doctor Pugh.

There is another new face at Celtic Park but this time, the fans won’t be rushing to Celtic Park to get a glimpse of the new arrival. The club shop staff may not be bothered by any fans wanting this name on the back of their top but David Pugh could become a vital addition to the Celtic team.

Pugh has been appointed the new club doctor at Celtic Park and will carry an overall responsibility for medical and physiotherapy matters at the club.

In the modern game, proper and efficient use of medical practices is vital for any club and Celtic have been at the forefront in matters like this. Many of the fans would prefer some of the money spent on these matters were used to bolster the playing squad but the long term benefits are worth pursuing.

David Pugh, according to the Celtic website, has an extensive history of diagnosing and managing sporting injuries as well as working alongside top names in football.

The Celtic site also states that Pugh has experience in working in rugby and other sports but quite frankly, WeKnowSFA doesn’t care too much for other sports and views rugby as being as relevant as tiddlywinks in the sporting world.

Tony Mowbray stated;

“We are very pleased to have secured the appointment of David Pugh as our new Club Doctor.”

“David is a highly respected medical professional with a first-class attitude and I know that his ability and experience will make him a major asset to Celtic Football Club.”

Most fans will hope that David Pugh is not too busy in his time at Celtic.

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Little Football Boots returns to advise Big Tony Mowbray

Continuing our series of Pop Goes The Football, the return of Tony Mowbray brought some cheer to Celtic fans during a flat summer. He may not have been everyone’s choice for the Celtic Park hotseat but he had that ABS quality.

Anyone But Strachan.

Yes, the stats of three titles, two last 16s of the Champions League and three domestic cups will be recited by the Strachanistas but he overstayed his welcome by at least one year and the football on offer near the end was turgid.

There was hope that Tony Mowbray would bring excitement back to Celtic Park and he hasnt disappointed.

Okay, a lot of this is due to absolute helter-skelter defending as opposed to swashbuckling attacking play…but there has been some of that.

Anyways, Little Boots has already provided WeKnowSFA to put the boot into Gordon Smith, which is always fun and now the attention turns to the confusion over Tony Mowbrays first half-season. There have been good and bad moments so far, so take it away……

Little Football Boots – ‘Tic’

This is a live version of the track from Chicago..which means she can go abroad and put in a good performance...not something every Scottish club can say!

Other tracks in the Pop Goes The Football back catalogue include:
Eddie May-ly Cyrus with ’Bairns Need The Climb’

Killie Perry with ‘Waking Up In Killie’

Little Football Boots with ‘Gordon’s Stuck On Repeat’
and
Lady Hail Hail with ‘Bad Defence’

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