| Match Pictures | Matches: 2011 – 2012 | 2011-2012 Pictures |
Trivia
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Celtic win last ever match between the two sides (Celtic v Rangers(i.e. “Oldco” or “Rangers in Administration”))!
- One of the most one-sided matches between the two ever, Celtic should have actually won by far more (possibly even up to six goals!).
- Celtic now 21 pts ahead of Rangers in the league, so even if Rangers not deducted ten points we’d have won the league.
- Billed as the last ever match between the two.
- Amid the sympathy for McCoist he had 8 full internationalists in his side and Northern Ireland’s all time leading scorer on the bench, so hardly a shoestring side.
- Celtic won the first ever match between the two and now the last! Both by 3 goals. Fitting that the last goal was by a player named “Hooper” with 88 on his back!
- Two bomb plotters who sent dud nail bombs to Lennon an others sent to jail for 5 years.
- Rangers handed sanction & ban from all transfer activities for twelve months. Ally McCoist rails against the decision publicly which leads to the private three man SFA committee members getting threats from Rangers fans, stating they should be publicly named (the names of the men on the committee is made public and threats made against them). He’s made to retract his comments but still says he right!!!! (pathetic). If it was Lennon he’d have been pilloried.
- Ki out for rest of the season following injury last Sunday.
- Celtic youths won their respective cup final.
- Lennon: “The only way a title is tainted is if you’ve won it and you cheated to win it.”
- Kris Commons: “It meant everything. It was magnificent. With the manager in the stands, we did that for Neil Lennon today.”
- Thai Tims visiting Glasgow, and made pilgrimage to see Reamon Gormley’s Grave (RIP) as well as do some little concerts for people. A great visit and a very happy and humbling experience for the whole Celtic family. A wonderful story.
- Believe it or not, Rangers Supporters reported a GB member for having a “gun” on him. Turns out it was just a rolled up flag! “The police force also responded to reports of a Celtic fan possessing a gun or imitation firearm at the stadium, which they confirmed was not the case. Pictures posted on social media were actually of a fan holding a flag taken from a particular angle.” (STV)
Review
(radar of KDS forum)
Dominated, humiliated, soon to be liquidated. What’s not to like about that?
That banner :worthy: And what a cheer it got too. Right up there with the Scotland’s Shame banner for GIRUYness.
“This isn’t the beginning, this is the end” was another beauty.
Compare and contract with the huns’ laughable “Forever in our shadow” banner. Still counting all those tainted titles I see. :boik:
Oh, and McCoist, pretending to be all statesmanlike with your handshakes before the game. Too late, you’ve shown your true colours this week, and everyone saw them. Scumbag.
As for the game, the first 5 minutes were relatively even, but once Izzy and Charlie had sorted out who was doing what the huns were totally neutered. From 5 minutes on there was only one team in it.
Great header by Charlie. The ball seemed to go in in slow motion, but it was straight from the training ground, and worked perfectly.
By halfway through the first half the huns were already totally defeated. We were passing the ball about for fun and they had totally lost their shape and discipline. The number of last-ditch clearances their centre-halfs had to make in the first half was ridiculous.
Bartley at the 2nd goal – :loel: Great finish by Commons too, very cool.
Hearing the huns singing about Super Ally. :rubeyes: They really do not see how crap he is.
Took our foot off the gas after getting to 3-0 which seemed to wake them up a bit, and woke up their scummy fans and their scummy songbook. About the cleanest of them was “10 German Bombers”? Seriously, WTF?
Now “Don’t Look Back in Anger!” 😆 That was the sparklers on the cherry on the icing on the cake.
“SOOOOO, Sally can wait….”
Just think, the Huns will soon look back on days like today as ‘the good old days’. 😆
What a day. And now I’m sitting down to watch it all over again. Sky highlights on one screen and the full game on another. I just can’t get enough.
Green Brigade’s classic banner
Teams
Celtic
- 01 Forster
- 03 Izaguirre
- 21 Mulgrew
- 22 Loovens
- 02 Matthews
- 08 Brown Booked
- 16 Ledley
- 67 Wanyama
- 09 Samaras (Stokes – 81′ )
- 15 Commons (McCourt – 85′ )
- 88 Hooper (Watt – 89′ )
Substitutes
- 24 Zaluska
- 06 Wilson
- 11 Cha Du-Ri
- 20 McCourt
- 46 McGeouch
- 10 Stokes
- 32 Watt
Goals
- Mulgrew 17,
- Commons 31,
- Hooper 54
Rangers
- 01 McGregor
- 02 Goian
- 12 Wallace Booked
- 16 Whittaker
- 18 Bocanegra
- 22 Bartley Booked
- 06 McCulloch
- 07 Edu
- 19 Aluko
- 41 McCabe (Ness – 57′ )
- 34 Little (Kerkar – 72′ )
Substitutes
- 25 Alexander
- 04 Broadfoot
- 32 Perry
- 21 Bedoya
- 26 Ness
- 15 Healy
- 28 Kerkar
Ref: Murray
Att: 58,546
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
- Audio Report: Paradise Report
Pictures
Forum
MOTM
- Voting Thread
- Result Thread
- Winner –
- 2011-12 Winners
Stats
Celtic v Rangers
Possession
41% v 59%
93mins
Shots
13 8
On target
8 4
Corners
8 3
Fouls
13 9
Articles
Derby delight for Champions
By: Mark Henderson on 29 Apr, 2012 14:48 Scottish Premier League
Celtic Park, Glasgow
Sunday, April 29, 2012
CELTIC…3
Mulgrew 17, Commons 31, Hooper 54
RANGERS…0
CELTIC took the honours in the final derby of the season with an emphatic 3-0victoryover Rangersin Paradise.
Charlie Mugrew put the Champions ahead in the 17th minute with magnificent diving header and Kris Commons plundered his first goal of the season to put the Hoops in charge at the break.
Playing with purpose and self-belief, Gary Hooper completed the scoring for Celtic in the second-half with a venomous effort.
There were five changes from the team that won 3-0 at Motherwell, with
Fraser Forster, Adam Matthews, Glenn Loovens, Scott Brown and Georgios Samaras all restored to the starting XI at the expense of Lukasz Zaluska, Ki Sung Yueng, Cha Du Ri, Pawel Brozek and Thomas Rogne.
The opening exchanges were typically frenetic as both sides vied for control. Time on the ball was at a premium. The atmosphere was deafening.
It was Celtic who crafted the first opportunity in the sixth minute. Emilio Izaguirre embarked on a trademark foraging run down the left and his deep cross dropped invitingly for Matthews but the full-back failed to make a proper connection and his half-volley drifted wide of the near post.
At the other end, the visitors forced a succession of corners but failed to effectively test Forster. Gradually the Hoops began to grow in ascendancy and they made the deserved breakthrough in the 17th minute.
Commons swung in a wicked corner from right and an onrushing Mulgrew met it perfectly at the far post to send a diving header beyond Allan McGrgeor and send Paradise into delirium.
The Ibrox side replied with an ambitious volley from Steven Whittaker and a header from Lee McCulloch which both flew over.
And just past the half hour mark, Celtic doubled their advantage. The hard-working Hooper held off Dorin Goian on the right and slid a pass across the box to Commons.
Bearing down on goal, the midfielder coolly chipped the ball over the advancing McGregor and into the net. Remarkably, it was his first goal of the season – but what a way to open to open your account for the campaign.
At this stage, Celtic were rampant – Rangers were reeling. The adventurous Izaguirre was a constant menace with his surging runs down the left, forcing the Ibrox side into some desperate defending through a series of wonderful deliveries.
On the opposite flank, Victor Wanyama, deployed in a right-back role, also showed an attacking threat. Drifting inside on to his left foot, he forced McGregor into a smart stop with a ferocious strike.
Brimming with confidence, Celtic merely continued where they had left-off after the restart.
Another wonderful cross from Izaguirre narrowly evaded Hooper in the box, before Joe Ledley brought out an excellent stop from the busy McGregor with a dipping volley. From the resulting corner the Rangers keeper had to be alert to smother the ball following a melee.
However, he could nothing to prevent Celtic extending their lead. Samaras collected possession and slid a precise pass through for Hooper in the inside right channel. Striding on to the ball, the striker rifled a ferocious shot into the top corner.Cue bedlam.
Celtic were rampant at this stage and Matthews supplied Samaras from the right but, under pressure, he couldn´t steer his shot on target. A determined Izaguirre then won back possession on the byline and squeezed an effort straight at McGregor.
Frustration began to boil over for the Ibrox side with Celtic in complete control and Bartley entered the book after a series of late fouls.
Aluko did finally manage to test Forster with a free-kick distance but the visitors failed to fashion a meaningful change as the Hoops saw out the game comfortably as a delirious Celtic support celebrated a memorable day in Paradise.
CELTIC (4-4-2) Forster; Matthews, Loovens, Mulgrew, Izaguirre; Brown, Wanyama, Ledley, Commons (McCourt 85), Samaras (Stokes 81) Hooper (Watt 89)
Not Used: Zaluska, Cha, K. Wilson, McGeouch
RANGERS (4-5-1) McGregor; Whittaker, Goian, Bocanegra, Wallace; Little (Kerkar 72) McCabe (Ness 57) Bartley, Edu, Aluko; McCulloch
Not Used: Alexander, Healy, Bedoya, , Kerkar, Perry, Broadfoot
Website Man of the Match: Kris Commons
Celtic 3 – 0 Rangers: Total dominance as Celtic romp to victory
The Scotsman
By STEPHEN HALLIDAY
Published on Monday 30 April 2012 00:00
CELTIC applied a firm stamp of authenticity to their recently reacquired status as Scottish champions yesterday, as they revelled in the biggest margin of victory achieved by either side in this season’s series of Old Firm fixtures.
Neil Lennon’s men may have formally clinched the club’s first SPL crown in four years three weeks ago, but there was no mistaking the level of vindication they felt this convincing win over their ailing rivals provided.
It took Celtic a yawning 21 points clear at the top of the table with just three games remaining, a forceful endorsement of their credentials as the best team in the country irrespective of the ten-point penalty applied to Rangers for going into administration.
At the end of a week which had many musing on the possibility this could be the final Old Firm game in the 124-year history of the fixture, with grave doubts still lingering over what future, if any, awaits Rangers after this season, Celtic ensured they will go into the summer with the bragging rights firmly in their possession.
Ally McCoist’s team, so vibrant in their 3-2 Old Firm win at Ibrox at the end of March, were ultimately overwhelmed yesterday by far more cohesive and motivated opponents. Charlie Mulgrew and Kris Commons earned Celtic a 2-0 interval lead, which was the least they deserved, before Gary Hooper placed the outcome beyond any doubt soon after the break.
There had been no immediate indication of the dominance Celtic would exert to build such a solid platform for victory. During an evenly contested opening quarter of an hour, Rangers had at least shown a degree of urgency which suggested they may be capable of upsetting the champions.
The visitors were actually the first to threaten, lone central striker Lee McCulloch latching on to Andrew Little’s knockdown to flash a 20-yard shot over the crossbar. It was an early examination of Lennon’s decision to deploy a three-man central defence, doubtless mindful of the manner in which McCulloch had bullied his backline at Ibrox a few weeks earlier.
With Victor Wanyama alongside Glenn Loovens and Mulgrew in that back three, full-backs Adam Matthews and Emilio Izaguirre were pushed into a midfield four either side of Scott Brown and Joe Ledley, with Commons given a floating role behind front pair Georgios Samaras and Hooper.
Izaguirre surged forward to good effect to carve out Celtic’s first opening of the afternoon, his cross from the left not cleared properly by Carlos Bocanegra. The ball broke to Commons who could only shank a left-foot shot wide from a good position.
Newly capped Scotland under-21 international Rhys McCabe, impressive in Rangers’ 3-2 win at Ibrox last month, was again given a considerable level of responsibility by McCoist. As the holding midfielder in a 4-1-4-1 formation, McCabe caught the eye with some nice touches in the spell before Celtic took a grip on the contest.
One terrific run by the youngster created a good opportunity in the 16th minute, feeding the ball on to Steven Whittaker, who in turn fed Little inside the penalty area. The Northern Ireland international, however, was unable to seriously test Forster as he struck a tame shot straight at the big goalkeeper.
It proved a pivotal moment as Celtic swept upfield to take the lead just a minute later. Lee Wallace was caught in possession, forcing Rangers to concede a corner which Commons swept over from the right. No-one in light blue tracked the run of Mulgrew at the back post, the defender launching himself into a diving header which sent the ball looping over Allan McGregor into the roof of the net.
Wallace could perhaps count himself fortunate only to be booked for a wild challenge on Commons shortly afterwards, although referee Calum Murray handled the game calmly and consistently, as illustrated by only two further cautions in the match, to Kyle Bartley and Brown, for similarly robust fouls.
From the moment Celtic went ahead, their control of proceedings was comprehensive. They doubled the advantage in the 31st minute with an excellent goal, albeit one Rangers would again feel they should have defended better. Brown found Hooper on the right and the striker turned away from Dorin Goian to sweep a precise pass inside to pick out Commons’ run. Comfortably eluding Kyle Bartley’s attempt to close him down, Commons strode on and lofted a cute shot over McGregor from around 14 yards.
But for a fine save by the Rangers ’keeper, diving to his left to keep out a Wanyama shot, the Ibrox men would have been further behind before the interval as Celtic became increasingly vibrant and fluent going forward.
There was no respite for Rangers in the early stages of the second half, McGregor having to be at his best once more as he leapt acrobatically to touch Joe Ledley’s stinging 22-yard volley over. From the subsequent corner, drifted in by Commons, there was another sight of goal for Wanyama, whose effort was clutched on the line by McGregor.
But the third goal which Celtic merited was delayed only until the 54th minute. It was Hooper’s 24th of another productive season and among his finest. McCabe, who had faded badly after his bright start, lost possession cheaply to Commons, who quickly found Samaras. The Greek threaded a neat pass into Hooper’s path and Celtic’s leading scorer simply thrashed an unstoppable right foot shot high beyond McGregor into the roof of the net.
It proved to be the last significant action of the match. Though not quite a non-event in the closing half hour, Celtic were content to switch into cruise control while Rangers were equally happy to avoid further damage.
There was the briefest hint of a flare-up following Bartley’s 75th minute booking for a late foul on Izaguirre, Rangers assistant manager Kenny McDowall and Brown becoming involved in an angry exchange of words on the touchline before tempers cooled again.
Rangers were denied a crumb of comfort in the closing minutes when they finally forced Forster into his only meaningful save of the second half, the big Englishman reacting smartly to keep out Sone Aluko’s free kick, and the final whistle came as something of a mercy to the deposed and deeply troubled champions.
Celtic stroll past Rangers in season’s final Old Firm match
Scottish Premier League 2011-12
Celtic 3
Mulgrew 17,
Commons 31,
Hooper 54
Rangers 0
Ewan Murray at Celtic Park
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 29 April 2012 15.26 BST
Celtic players celebrate
Celtic players celebrate after Gary Hooper scored their third goal against Rangers at Celtic Park. Photograph: David Moir/Reuters
Celtic’s celebration of Rangers’ spectacular demise extended even to the Tannoy at the season’s final Old Firm game. When Will I See You Again by the Three Degrees echoed around Celtic Park. The jibe, as ever, had some foundation in reality.
With Rangers’ troubles no closer to a resolution and the Scottish Premier League still to rule on allegations of registration breaches by the Ibrox club, the continuation of a top-flight Glasgow derby cannot yet be guaranteed.
How Celtic revelled in this occasion. The level of partying already ensured by Rangers’ administration-hit state and the reclaiming of the championship by Neil Lennon’s team was merely enhanced by a comprehensive home victory.
A meeting of SPL clubs on Monday could also play a key part in Rangers’ future. There, a vote will determine what level of punishments any club that reforms as a new company but seeks to remain in the league will face.
“I believe Rangers and Celtic are different,” said Ally McCoist, the Rangers manager. “I might get criticised for saying that but if you take a step back then they are different because of the impact they have on Scottish football.
“I can understand fans up and down the country, who don’t support the Old Firm, saying that is rubbish. In an ideal world, it would be a totally wrong statement. But it’s not an ideal world and I believe it’s a correct statement.
“So whether you have to treat Rangers or Celtic differently in a situation like this I really don’t know. But there has to be an outcome. Obviously that outcome might hurt Rangers but it could possibly hurt Scottish football just as much if not more. And that is something that would obviously concern everyone.”
Such sentiment is not fully shared by Lennon. “There is an issue of moral sporting integrity as well,” Celtic’s manager said. “I understand Ally’s point to a certain extent but if you have flouted the laws in the capacity they have, then I would imagine the powers-that-be will punish you accordingly.”
Lennon took time to praise both sets of fans for their behaviour. “There was a lot of humour going around out there and that’s really what we want to see. We don’t want to see the other side, the nastiness. Both sets of supporters were a credit to their clubs.”
Generally, the occasion was played in decent spirit but the sporadic return of unwanted chants within the Rangers songbook was apparent.
The willingness of any Rangers fan to pay £42 to attend this fixture and proceed to enjoy themselves is admirable in itself. Scotland’s football authorities have been so utterly toothless when dealing with offensive singing in the past that any chance of Rangers being punished for it now lies between none and slim. Nonetheless, misplaced defiance in dragging Rangers back through the decades is hardly the message that should be portrayed as this club seeks even a glimmer of hope of a brighter future.
Before kick-off, a series of banners and black flags to mark Rangers’ predicament were displayed by the home contingent. It is hardly a leap in the dark to question what exactly Celtic fans would sing about if Rangers were to disappear. For now, those supporters are giddy with excitement about Ibrox turmoil.
Within 31 minutes, Celtic had two goals to celebrate despite Rangers starting in a perfectly competent manner. Charlie Mulgrew supplied the opener with an excellent diving header from a rehearsed Kris Commons corner. Commons himself notched Celtic’s second after brilliantly evading Kyle Bartley and offering a chipped finish over the advancing Allan McGregor.
Rangers never looked capable of launching a response, especially as their most creative player, Sone Aluko, had been nullified by the Celtic defence.
Gary Hooper lashed home a third goal after Georgios Samaras had robbed Rhys McCabe and played in his strike partner. It proved a suitably forceful denouement to Celtic’s afternoon.
“We were brilliant from start to finish,” Lennon said. “Once we found our feet in the game, we were magnificent. People have thrown it at us, that we can’t handle the big games. Well, that accusation has been diminished today. I’m very proud of the team.”
Man of the match Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic)
Badly beaten, cruelly goaded Ibrox men endure longest day (Scotsman)
30 Apr 2012
A SHORT while ago, Ally McCoist was speaking about the miserable plight of his club; the debt mountain and the men who created it, the search for a buyer that was dragging on, the embarrassment and the confusion and the fear of what lay ahead.
article credits: Tom English (Scotsman)
He said that only one thing was certain about the Rangers story – they were at rock bottom. They couldn’t fall any further. Things, said McCoist, couldn’t get any worse.
As he watched this evisceration you wondered if the Rangers manager was revising his theory about rock bottom. If you have been to a coursing meeting where greyhounds chase a hare around a field in attempt to gobble the thing up, you’ll have an idea what this was like for Rangers people. From first minute to last they were coursed around Parkhead. Chased, harried and beaten badly.
Even before a whistle sounded or a ball was kicked, Celtic were letting their visitors have it. This was expected, of course. Rangers fans didn’t come here expecting love and understanding, didn’t fetch-up in the belief that the locals would go easy. No, no. They knew how it would be. They knew that for 90 minutes they were going to get it between the eyes from their counterparts, their only hope being that their team would deliver something special and give them an opportunity to do some chanting of their own. They chanted all right, but in grim defiance rather than in celebration. To say that this was a chastening day for their support would be putting it mildly.
The Celtic banners. Lord, how many man-woman hours went into dreaming them up? There was a level of genius about some of them, one in particular, a gigantic image of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse with Neil Lennon in the saddle on one and Hector the taxman on board another. Your Day Is Coming was the message underneath this footballing Mona Lisa. All around it, people waved black flags and held mock gravestones, each with its own message – The End, Rot In Hell, Scotland’s Shame, Get It Up You. Not subtle, but then subtlety wasn’t in the plan. Down the other end of the stadium another collection of Celts held up signs with the word Goodbye written in a dozen different languages. This was goading on a grand scale. If there was a Champions League for revelling in the misery of others, then Celtic would be Europe’s pre-eminent club.
The game? In many ways it reflected the current state of the clubs. Celtic were organised and confident, Rangers were blunt and became more jaded and demoralised as things went on. Later in the day, McCoist suggested that this might be the last Old Firm game for quite some time, but in the case of many of this Rangers side there can be no dubiety about it. At the end, Kyle Bartley flung his jersey into the visiting supporters. We won’t be seeing him in this fixture again, you fancy. And others. Allan McGregor, Steven Whittaker, Steven Naismith, Steven Davis? The Old Firm game will surely carry on, but you have to think that it will do so without Ibrox’s most stellar names.
As a contest it lasted half an hour, the length of time it took Celtic to score two goals and bury any notion Rangers had of making it three wins out of four in this fixture this season. Celtic were sharp and ruthless and disciplined, all the things they were not at Ibrox the last time these two came face to face. Back then, Sone Aluko set the tone and scored the goal that sent Rangers on their way. Aluko was the spark that ignited Rangers, but here he was a damp squib, an honest tryer right enough, but utterly ineffective. Celtic had a plan for the one guy who makes Rangers tick and it worked beautifully.
Every time Aluko got the ball he was surrounded by hoops. If it wasn’t Victor Wanyama it was Joe Ledley, if it wasn’t Ledley it was Scott Brown. At various times it was two or three of them all at once. At one point, Wanyama robbed him of possession and Aluko threw his hands in the air in frustration. Rangers never got going as an attacking threat because Aluko never got going.
It was a long day for the visitors. Long, long, long. The opening goal came in the 17th minute and like the two that followed it was a picture, a corner by Kris Commons, who is beginning to show again what a fine player he is, nutted home by Charlie Mulgrew. If you’re looking for the poster boy of Celtic’s season then it has to be the centre-half. Mulgrew has been wonderful.
Now the theatre began anew. “Can you hear the Rangers sing?” came bellowing out from the stands. “We’re having a party when Rangers die” followed soon after, a medley that reach its high-point with a joyous serenading of Craig Whyte. “Liquidation, liquidation, na, na-na, na-na,” they sang. In reply, Rangers men sang God Save The Queen and Rule Brittania and eventually We Are The People. Celtic fans applauded them. Their irony was inescapable.
There was no respite for Rangers. Aluko wasn’t doing it for them, Rhys McCabe, so influential in the heart of the midfield at Ibrox last month, was crowded out of it. Lee Wallace, a constant nuisance bombing up and down the left flank in the last Old Firm game in the face of meek resistance from Cha Du-Ri had a different type of competitor to deal with in Adam Matthews.
As Celtic men were winning their individual battles there was a certainty of a second goal – and it came soon enough. It was another clinical thing, a quick-fire sortie created by Gary Hooper and finished by Commons when he drifted into a gap and dinked the ball over the terribly exposed Allan McGregor.
This was the measure of Celtic’s dreams, a title won and now a rubbishing of the argument by some Rangers people that their title of champions was tainted because of the Ibrox club’s travails. No right-minded person will think that now, not with the gap at the top standing at a princely 21 points, not with the pummelling that was completed when McCabe was ransacked by Georgios Samaras, who played in Hooper to thump home a third.
Long before the end, Rangers had a punch-drunk look. They had taken on the appearance of a weary fighter who had suffered too many blows. As Rangers reeled, Celtic bobbed and weaved. The difference in energy was as stark as the gulf in class.
Old Firm Huddle or Bouncy Bouncy that is the question
Channel 4 Alex Thomson
Monday 30 April 2012 6:15 pm
Alex Thomson
I left Parkhead (because that’s what I still call it, I am just evil like that) deeply troubled on two fronts.
First off – does the Green Brigade actually ever get to see any football or don’t they care much?
Second – do they all rehearse for that astonishing chant and response thing that goes on from one end of the ground to the other?
Ibrox was loud, deafeningly so and pretty much for the entire match – but yesterday’s game was every bit up with that and probably exceeded it for creativity.
To the Green Brigade first off. I think surely even Rangers fans would have to hand that corner of the ground full-marks for time and effort with their huge Four Horseman banner apocalyptically predicting doom and judgement for Rangers. The faces of Neil Lennon and Craig Whyte on the riders – the Celtic manager and disastrous last owner of Rangers.
In fact the name Craig Whyte was chanted more than Neil Lennon at this end-of-season Glasgow derby and celebration of Celtic’s championship win.
But among the banners, flags and all the rest of it I formed the distinct impression that those in with the Green Brigade neither see very much football through the flags, and chanting and waving and you name it… nor probably care all that much. And hell – why not? They certainly add to an already supercharged atmosphere.
But as with Ibrox a few weeks before, for an outsider there was a lot of noise – a hell of a lot, from both sets of fans – every English ‘supporter’ in the land should take note and recognise how quiet things have gone in our game down south. Coming from Parkhead and driving west to Glasgow airport later in the day I was listening to the Spurs game from White Hart Lane – might as well have been played in a library by comparison.
And what’s this echo chanting thing where one end of the stadium sings a couple of lines and – with total precision – the other end sings the next two. Who organised it? How does it start? I mean, how do they know? It’s only been happening this season they tell me.
“We have rehearsals Monday and Wednesday at 7pm. Don’t be late,” twittered one green wag when I asked.
Well if you’re an outsider you’d be convinced they did.
And outsideryness confers all kinds of responses not shared in Glasgow. To me, of course, from the other end of the ground high in the Jock Stein stand, the Rangers fans were superb. Sure, they went pretty dead for a while as the first and second goals went in. But then, two and three nil down they belted out their songs until the end and nobody left.
It’s possible they couldn’t leave because of the police operation – but I reckon they wouldn’t have anyhow.
It’s true, a lot of the songs are about such uplifting stuff as paedophile-laden insults against Celtic and taking the mickey out of the Irish famine. And on it goes. Celtic too have their own chants, and the whole lot can, and is, condemned by both sides as horribly sectarian, and now illegal and all the rest.
All of that’s no doubt true – though the latest laws against naughty chanting seem to me about as much use as the Cones Hotline.
And it’s equally true that as an outsider you frankly don’t care much whether one side’s chanting pro-IRA stuff as the other chants anti-Catholic ditties. For starters you can’t hear the words. To me it’s all part of the atmosphere. And I have to say I failed to spot one single Celtic supporter showing any kind of offence taken as Rangers fans banged on and on about, well, whatever…
Not so edifying, any racist abuse. Rangers have today complained to Strathclyde Police that one of their players has received racist abuse on social networking sites. That’s one that offends – or should offend – anyone from any strand of British culture and if it happened, action should be taken.
Action too against the Rangers morons filmed on YouTube apparently destroying the loos in their end as – at one stage – a lone copper wanders in in his hi-viz, stands there and moves on. What else could he do on his own?
But in the seats – (and how appalling it is that we still have all-seater stadia and not sensible organised standing areas that the fantastic German league has) I have to say things seem rather wittier than over at Ibrox. No criticism, just a style thing.
Celtic fans sing the famous Rangers’ Billy Boys song (now in theory banned because of its reference to being up to our knees in Fenian blood etc) to the words ha ha ha ha etc. That took me surprise. It’s loud. It’s funny.
Which leaves the huddle. People kept asking me if I’d do it. Like they’d asked about the bouncy-bouncy before Ibrox. In both cases the answer is yes – you don’t have much choice.
So Celtic score, sixty-odd thousand around me are doing the huddle and I’m supposed to stand there saying: “So sorry chaps, one has to defend one’s journalistic objectivity but please – do feel free to huddle away.”
Yeah, right.
For those outwith the cauldron of Glasgow football, the huddle is simply turning your back to the ground, bending over, arms round the people either side of you and jumping up and down. Pure mass stupidity. Must be worth it though as the Rangers section did a pretty good huddle too at one point, I seem to remember. And imitation’s the sincerest form of….etc
The bouncy-bouncy? Well you just jump up and down – bounce – whilst announcing the rather obvious fact by singing ‘bouncy bouncy bouncy ra ra ra etc’ rather a lot.
I’m up for both anytime. Mind you, with my team, our finest outpouring is a lengthy song about a disastrous journey to – yes – a racecourse. Few things could be less relevant to football than The Blaydon Races.
So I’m in no position to poke fun at either set of fans who have one really impressive thing in common – noise. If it was the last such Glasgow derby in a while (possible) or ever (impossible) it certainly went out with a bang – and on the whole a pretty good-natured bang at that.
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BBC By Clive Lindsay BBC Scotland
Celtic proved themselves worthy champions with a convincing win over the troubled, administration-hit Rangers side they deposed.
Rangers had started brightly, but they looked a dispirited bunch from the moment Charlie Mulgrew dived unmarked to head Celtic into a 17th-minute lead.
Kris Commons chipped over goalkeeper Allan McGregor on the break to extend the lead on 31 minutes.
And Gary Hooper blasted in from distance nine minutes after the break.
Celtic’s fans taunted their Rangers counterpart over the prospect of liquidation
Celtic’s fans taunted their Rangers counterparts over the prospect of liquidation
The victory in the final Old Firm derby of the season stretches Celtic’s lead over their Glasgow rivals to 21 points with three games remaining to emphasise that the team from the East End would have won the title even if Rangers had not been docked 10 points for going into administration.
Ally McCoist’s side left the field looking shellshocked and with the taunts of the Celtic fans ringing in their ears amid banners and chants suggesting that this might be the last-ever Old Firm derby should Rangers go out of business.
Celtic manager Neil Lennon had ditched the experimental line-up that defeated Motherwell last weekend and brought back the experienced Fraser Forster, Adam Matthews, Glenn Loovens, Georgios Samaras and captain Scott Brown.
But Rangers, unchanged from the side that defeated Hearts to record their fourth straight win and looking to repeat last month’s 3-2 win over Celtic, started confidently, with Lee McCulloch sending a 22-yard volley a couple of yards over after a neat Andy Little knock-down.
Play was already swinging from end to end and Kris Commons mis-hit a 16-yard drive after an Emilio Izaguirre cross caused panic in the Rangers defence.
Rhys McCabe had a long-range effort deflected just wide of a Celtic post before leading a breakaway that ended with a Little shot straight at goalkeeper Forster.
However, Celtic took the lead with their first corner, which was driven long by Commons to the head of Mulgrew.
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The player of the year candidate arrived late and unmarked to head down off the turf and into the roof of the net past McGregor from 15 yards.
Having taken heart from the opening goal, Celtic started to look the more incisive and extended their lead through Commons.
Gary Hooper gathered the ball out wide and, when the striker found Commons with a low crossfield pass, the winger nutmegged Kyle Bartley before chipping over the advancing McGregor.
Rangers were now on the rocks, unable to cope with Celtic’s fluid system after Lennon switched to three at the back, and McGregor had to beat away a powerful Victor Wanyama drive.
The second half continued in the same manner, with McGregor being forced into a superb fingertip save to turn a Joe Ledley drive over the crossbar.
McGregor had to save smartly on his goalline following Wanyama’s mis-hit effort from the resulting corner, but the goalkeeper was given no chance when Celtic extended their lead moments later.
McCabe was dispossessed by Commons and Samaras’ quick pass found Hooper with plenty of space to find the top corner with a rasping drive from 20 yards.
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It was the 73rd minute before Rangers had another effort on goal, with substitute Salim Kerkar’s chip sailing harmlessly over the crossbar.
Hapless on-loan Arsenal defender Kyle Bartley’s frustration boiled over with a couple of dangerous tackles that ought to have been more harshly dealt with than the yellow card shown for the second that flattened Izaguirre.
Forster pushed wide a powerful curling free-kick from Sone Aluko and Brown was lucky not to be sent off for a thumping challenge on Kerkar.
By then, however, the game was over as a contest as the two sets of fans rocked the stadium, one set in celebration, the other with a defiance largely absent from their side on the field of play.
Neil Lennon sympathy for beaten Ally McCoist
BBC
Neil Lennon expressed sympathy for counterpart Ally McCoist after what the manager considered was one of Celtic’s easiest Old Firm derby victories.
“It was as emphatic an Old Firm win as I’ve seen for a Celtic team for quite a while,” he said after the 3-0 win over the side troubled by administration.
“I think Ally’s been left high and dry by a lot of people.
“And basically he’s been the spokesperson for the club for the last three or four months.”
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“I think Ally’s the one who’s suffered more than anybody”
Neil Lennon Celtic manager
One of Rangers’ three potential new owners dropped out of the bidding process last week while another was told its offer was not realistic.
And the Scottish Football Association handed the Ibrox club a year-long signing ban because of unpaid bills.
“They’ve had a tough week and Ally’s had to deal with things that football managers shouldn’t have to deal with,” said Lennon when asked if he thought the off-field problems had affected Celtic’s city rivals.
“That’s a huge distraction from what he’s trying to do and, in his first season as well, he’s had to take on a lot.
“I wouldn’t have liked to be in his shoes.”
Celtic, who had already clinched the title, are now 21 points clear of the former champions, who were docked 10 points for going into administration.
“What’s gone on, Rangers are getting punished for it, the fans are suffering for it, but I think Ally’s the one who’s suffered more than anybody,” said Lennon.
Lennon and McCoist had an infamous touchline spat at the end of an Old Firm derby, but the Celtic manager said that last March’s events were forgotten.
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“There’s tensions always around these games, but I think we have a healthy respect professionally for each other,” he said.
“It is a dog-eat-dog business, it’s me or him, and it’s my day today, but he’s had a couple of days at Ibrox this year where they’ve come out on top.
“From a personal point of view, I’ve got a lot of time for the guy, but professionally I have to do my job and what’s best for Celtic.”
Lennon was delighted with the performance of his side, who had lost the reverse fixture 3-2 at Ibrox last month.
“It has been a great day for the club – and the players and the supporters,” he said.
“I couldn’t be more happy with the performance.
“We adapted to the system after about 15 to 20 minutes and we were excellent.
“I wanted them to start the second half well and we did that and, to be fair, Allan McGregor’s made a brilliant save from Joe Ledley and then we score a great third goal.
“And, after that, it could have been a question of how many.
“But, overall, I can’t ask much more of the team today.
“We were exceptional. It is really difficult to single out players, but the whole team as a unit was magnificent.”
Live Text Commentary
90:00 +2:39 Full time
Full Time The final whistle is blown by the referee.
90:00 +2:02
The referee blows for offside. Direct free kick taken by Fraser Forster.
89:29
Sone Aluko delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from right wing, Glenn Loovens manages to make a clearance.
89:29 Booking
Booking Scott Brown receives a yellow card.
89:13
Scott Brown concedes a free kick for a foul on Salim Kerkar.
88:37 Substitution
Substitution Gary Hooper goes off and Tony Watt comes on.
87:16
Emilio Izaguirre produces a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty area that goes harmlessly over the target.
86:35
Patrick McCourt decides to take a short corner.
84:36 Substitution
Substitution Patrick McCourt is brought on as a substitute for Kris Commons.
83:10
Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Sone Aluko from the right by-line to the near post, clearance by Victor Wanyama.
82:20
Unfair challenge on Lee McCulloch by Glenn Loovens results in a free kick. Strike comes in from Sone Aluko from the free kick, save by Fraser Forster.
82:20
Glenn Loovens gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Lee McCulloch. Sone Aluko takes the direct free kick.
81:15
Anthony Stokes concedes a free kick for a foul on Carlos Bocanegra. Direct free kick taken by Kyle Bartley.
80:40 Substitution
Substitution Anthony Stokes replaces Georgios Samaras.
74:33
Charlie Mulgrew restarts play with the free kick.
74:33 Booking
Booking Booking for Kyle Bartley for unsporting behaviour.
74:18
Kyle Bartley challenges Emilio Izaguirre unfairly and gives away a free kick.
73:36
Kris Commons takes a shot. Blocked by Carlos Bocanegra.
72:46
Effort from deep inside the area by Salim Kerkar clears the bar.
71:06 Substitution
Substitution Salim Kerkar comes on in place of Andrew Little.
71:00
Steven Whittaker crosses the ball.
70:31
Andrew Little concedes a free kick for a foul on Adam Matthews. Scott Brown takes the direct free kick.
69:58
Sone Aluko challenges Georgios Samaras unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Scott Brown.
68:35
Unfair challenge on Georgios Samaras by Kyle Bartley results in a free kick. Charlie Mulgrew restarts play with the free kick.
61:11
Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Charlie Mulgrew by Lee McCulloch. Free kick taken by Glenn Loovens.
59:54
Emilio Izaguirre takes a shot. Save by Allan McGregor.
59:19
Kris Commons decides to take a short corner.
59:14
Emilio Izaguirre crosses the ball, blocked by Kyle Bartley.
58:03
Free kick awarded for a foul by Gary Hooper on Dorin Goian. Kyle Bartley takes the free kick.
56:37 Substitution
Substitution (Rangers) makes a substitution, with Jamie Ness coming on for Rhys McCabe.
56:26
The ball is sent over by Kyle Bartley.
55:14
Effort on goal by Georgios Samaras from just inside the penalty area goes harmlessly over the target.
54:32
The assistant referee flags for offside against Lee McCulloch. Fraser Forster restarts play with the free kick.
53:10
The assist for the goal came from Georgios Samaras.
53:10 Goal scored
Goal – Gary Hooper – Celtic 3 – 0 Rangers Gary Hooper finds the net with a goal from the edge of the area to the top right corner of the goal. Celtic 3-0 Rangers.
52:53
Foul by Emilio Izaguirre on Sone Aluko, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Kyle Bartley.
52:30
Corner taken left-footed by Kris Commons from the right by-line, Victor Wanyama takes a shot. Allan McGregor makes a save.
52:15
Shot from 20 yards from Joe Ledley. Save by Allan McGregor.
51:14
Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Scott Brown by Andrew Little. Free kick crossed by Kris Commons, Carlos Bocanegra makes a clearance.
50:39
The ball is crossed by Emilio Izaguirre.
50:35
The ball is crossed by Adam Matthews, clearance by Lee Wallace.
48:47
Centre by Emilio Izaguirre, Lee Wallace makes a clearance.
45:01
The second half begins.
45:00 +1:04 Half time
Half Time It is the end of the first-half.
44:53
Emilio Izaguirre gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Steven Whittaker. Free kick taken by Kyle Bartley.
42:12
The ball is crossed by Andrew Little, Glenn Loovens makes a clearance.
39:15
Unfair challenge on Andrew Little by Adam Matthews results in a free kick. Allan McGregor restarts play with the free kick.
38:39
Victor Wanyama takes a shot. Save by Allan McGregor.
36:57
Maurice Edu challenges Scott Brown unfairly and gives away a free kick. Victor Wanyama takes the direct free kick.
35:15
Inswinging corner taken by Kris Commons from the right by-line played to the near post, Header by Joe Ledley from deep inside the penalty area misses to the left of the goal.
35:09
The ball is swung over by Emilio Izaguirre, clearance made by Carlos Bocanegra.
34:13
Corner taken left-footed by Kris Commons, Steven Whittaker manages to make a clearance.
33:49
A cross is delivered by Emilio Izaguirre, blocked by Dorin Goian.
32:37
Emilio Izaguirre fouled by Steven Whittaker, the ref awards a free kick. Charlie Mulgrew takes the direct free kick.
30:29
Assist on the goal came from Gary Hooper.
30:29 Goal scored
Goal – Kris Commons – Celtic 2 – 0 Rangers Kris Commons scores a goal from deep inside the penalty box low into the middle of the goal. Celtic 2-0 Rangers.
28:57
Emilio Izaguirre crosses the ball, Header from close in by Joe Ledley misses to the right of the target.
28:37
Corner taken short by Kris Commons.
28:30
Emilio Izaguirre delivers the ball, clearance by Carlos Bocanegra.
26:48
Outswinging corner taken by Kris Commons from the left by-line played to the near post.
25:36
Shot from just outside the area by Steven Whittaker goes over the bar.
25:08
Scott Brown gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Maurice Edu. Carlos Bocanegra restarts play with the free kick.
23:25
Foul by Emilio Izaguirre on Steven Whittaker, free kick awarded. Steven Whittaker takes the free kick.
21:50
The ball is delivered by Sone Aluko, Lee McCulloch has a headed effort from close range and clears the bar.
19:56
Unfair challenge on Maurice Edu by Victor Wanyama results in a free kick. Rhys McCabe produces a strike on goal direct from the free kick.
18:56
Free kick awarded for a foul by Emilio Izaguirre on Lee Wallace. Free kick taken by Carlos Bocanegra.
18:05
Kris Commons restarts play with the free kick.
18:05 Booking
Booking The referee books Lee Wallace for unsporting behaviour.
17:47
Free kick awarded for a foul by Lee Wallace on Kris Commons.
16:16
The assist for the goal came from Kris Commons.
16:16 Goal scored
Goal – Charlie Mulgrew – Celtic 1 – 0 Rangers Charlie Mulgrew scores a headed goal from deep inside the penalty box. Celtic 1-0 Rangers.
15:49
Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Kris Commons,
15:18
Andrew Little takes a shot. Save made by Fraser Forster.
14:11
Corner from the right by-line taken by Sone Aluko, clearance made by Georgios Samaras.
14:02
Rhys McCabe takes a shot. Blocked by Kris Commons.
13:16
Corner taken by Sone Aluko from the right by-line to the near post.
7:49
Gary Hooper gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Carlos Bocanegra. Allan McGregor takes the direct free kick.
5:44
Close range shot by Adam Matthews misses to the left of the target.
5:37
Emilio Izaguirre sends in a cross, Lee Wallace manages to make a clearance.
5:00
Shot from just outside the area by Lee McCulloch goes over the bar.
2:16
Georgios Samaras challenges Andrew Little unfairly and gives away a free kick. Sone Aluko crosses the ball in from the free kick.
0:00
The ref blows the whistle to begin the match.