Posted on Friday, 22nd April 2011 by Conall
It has been a testing week for all of us in the wider Celtic community with the news that three of our own have again been targeted in what is and was a blatant attempt to kill people connected to our club.
It has been an emotional time for many of us, seeing someone like Neil Lennon quite literally in the firing line is not just an attack on him but an attack on us all. The midweek game against Kilmarnock was all but overshadowed by the latest attempts on Lennon’s life but the sight of thousands of Celtic fans showing such solidarity with a man who is the leader of the tribe is one that will stay with me for a long time. It’s hard to put into words the strength of feeling towards Neil Lennon from the Celtic support, for me personally any time I see him on TV or hear him speak it makes me swell with pride and I have confidence that the man in charge is meant to be there!
It was obvious to me as well that the players on the park know how much this all means to us and to the manager, to win the league this year is now much more important than simply stopping Rangers winning 3IAR or stopping Walter Smith leaving on a high note, it’s no longer about getting into the champions league or getting back on track after a few pretty horrible seasons. What it symbolises is that we will not be bullied, pushed around, threatened or treated like second class citizens. To use Phil Mac Giolla Bhain’s analogy we will no longer sit at the back of the bus and Neil Lennon epitomises this attitude and for that in 21st Century Scotland you will receive death threats and bombs in the post.
To win the league will be the ultimate example of sticking two fingers up to those who hate us and who don’t want us. The obstacles put in the way of our success this year have been massive but we have managed to dig in and keep our heads up long enough to still have the title in our sights. This has been a brilliant season in terms of passion, fighting spirit, belief in the cause and pride in what Celtic stands for.
It is under a veil of such adversity that we go to Ibrox on Sunday for probably the biggest game in as far back as I can remember. I am nervous, excited, tense and probably hundreds of other conflicting emotions. I am confident though that Neil Lennon knows what he is doing, if there is any place or atmosphere in the world that Lennon thrives in it is Ibrox. He will go there defiant, with a point to prove and so will the fans in the stand. A win at Ibrox on Sunday in the aftermath of this week’s events will be like a hammer blow for Rangers but more importantly it will energise the Celtic support and squad. Again it will be two fingers stuck up to anyone condoning or encouraging the attempt to bomb our manager out of his job.
Although Sunday is not the final game of the season and a win does not guarantee the league trophy it has the feeling of a title decider, it is as if the madness of the past 9 or 10 months has been like a crescendo that leads to Sunday. We go there united like never before, every supporter to a man, woman or child willing the team on I have no doubt that those in attendance will sing loud and proud to show our support.
Coming from our part of the world, Lennon will have grown up dealing with these various obstacles and it is plain for all to see he has the mental strength to face up to it. He has been kicked, punched, beaten, had his life threatened repeatedly and still he keeps getting back up. The man is a credit to all things Celtic and to all people connected to the club, if he achieves anything this season it will be the determination and resolve that he has instilled in every one of us. There has been talk of late that we should retire from the league and refuse to compete in Scotland but to me that is wrong, it is running away and letting the people who are in the wrong have the upper hand. It would send out a message that any time we stand up for ourselves that all you have to do is threaten us and you have won. I can fully appreciate Lennon’s possible desire to walk away for the sake of his family; no one would begrudge the man if he took that decision, however I have full confidence that he will stay and fight on, it’s in his nature.
So like Neil Lennon every one of us must get up on Sunday unbowed and unbroken, not afraid to face up to the hordes at Ibrox. I have every confidence that we will be successful.
Hail Hail
Conall (twitter @Conallmckee1 and for podcast and website updates @TheLostBhoys)
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Tags: Lennon
Posted in Conall | Comments (1)
Celtic News 24/7
April 26th, 2011 at 10:43 pm
Hi there
Just a brief word to identify myself as the designer of the graphic that accompanies your post. Absolutely no concerns about you using it, as I’m quite happy for it to get a wider audience, but I’d be grateful if you could credit me with a namecheck.
My name’s Alan Meldrum. I produced the poster last month as a means of expressing my disgust at the vile treatment Lenny had been receiving from the Scottish media with their warped agenda, and the threats to his own safety and that of his family.
I’m keen to promote the idea of Lenny as a hero, because I think his stance in the face of these attacks has been nothing short of heroic. The graphic is available on a t-shirt, so if anyone who reads your blog would be interested in obtaining one, you could maybe forward them my e-mail address and I can provide them with some more information. Hail, Hail!
Alan
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