Wrapped

The lads round up the season with a wee chin wag about their favourite moments, their players of the year and who they think was a “Hit or Miss” in the last campaign. All the usual end of season nonsense and a wee bit of fun at the expense of you know who – the Green and Whytes across the city.

Click below to play http://podcasts.footballfancast.com/lostbhoys/301884/wrapped-podcast-137/

Download mp3 from below http://feeds.feedburner.com/Celtic_Lostbhoys_Podcast?format=xml

or Subscribe through iTunes – below

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/celtic-fansite-lostbhoys-podcast/id356709463

Chris  (twitter @ChrisLostBhoy and for podcast and website updates @TheLostBhoys & @HomeBhoys)
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World Wide Tim Parade – Charity Single – As heard at Celtic Park

Buy from iTunes here http://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/world-wide-tim-parade/id449909964?i=449909978

Buy and hear the song in full on Bandcamp here http://joemckenna.bandcamp.com/
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As season number three for the LostBhoys comes to a close, how great is it to see our heroes crowned champions again?  I was starting to think that setting up the site had turned into a bit of a jinx and we would never see them finish in first spot, so I’ll breathe a hefty sigh of relief as we put that bogey to bed.

For me personally, this season has been a mixed bag.  On one hand I moved from the United States to England which afforded me to invest in my first season books in twelve years and travel up to most home games and see the Bhoys in the flesh – an obvious scenario that I had missed for so long.  I also got to take my son with me and the thrill of that for ME was something I will never forget.  Regular listeners to the podcast and readers of my occasional scribbling on the site will know the demon that I wrestled with over this.  I questioned did he come just to spend time with me?  I questioned if he would lose interest and start following a local EPL team like his pals, and I wondered did he come just to get a Batman graphic novel from the Barras before the match?  Having just returned from the last game of the season that saw us get the trophy, I can conclude that my son is a Celtic supporter – yeah, just like me.

So, as mentioned above, I returned back to the British Isles after being a lost bhoy for twelve years and I can’t tell you how wonderful that has been.  Of course, I miss so many of the personalities that I encountered supporting Celtic in North America, Mr Dale and Mr Burchell being the main two, but all the other fantastic people that I had the pleasure to call my friends who I met thanks to this strange phenomena called Celtic, but I can’t help but shed a wee tear for the days of getting up at 4.00am and driving in the snow of Alberta to the Celtic CSC to watch the game with Gerard, Neil, Jimmy, Joe and many other fantastic lads I had the pleasure of meeting.

Then of course there was the LostBhoys cave.  My converted garage in Houston, Texas that I built myself, with Cinema seating for eight people and a projector that beamed a 9’sq image of our heroes early on a Saturday morning.  There was nothing better than having the sausages on the BBQ and bloody Mary’s on ice for a Glasgow derby morning and the place packed with all the lads from the Houston Emerald CSC as well as the odd celebrity in the guise of Dominic “The Catholic” Kinnear.  Ah the laughs we had.

So it was back “home” for me and the privilege of a 660 mile round trip to Glasgow and back.  That might sound like a long drive (and it bloody is) but, two lads in a car, Danny Baker on the radio and enough bacon sandwiches to feed a small country and you get the scene.  We love this.

Our usual routine is to leave around 6 am and stop a few times on the way up for the necessary leg stretching and tea replenishment to arrive in Glasgow around noon.  A quick taxi trip to the barras for comics for the boy and back again to wander about Celtic Park looking at the badges and books etc accompanied by the wonderful culinary delight of a haggis supper and then up to hang out with fellow LostBhoys/Ghirls Gary, Mathew, Chic, KK and Ashley before into the game.  We got seats three rows from the front in the North stand and get soaked when it rains (which seems like every game) and blinded when the sun comes up over the South Stand but it is close enough to smell the wintergreen off the players and to appreciate Big Sammy’s wonderful locks in the closest proximity.

My return this year has allowed me to witness at first hand the Green Brigade and at times I find my interest wandering away from the action on the pitch up to the lads singing and dancing in the corner.  They sure look like they are enjoying themselves and although I sometimes hear criticism being fired in their direction, I have nothing but respect for them.  When they engage the whole stadium, it is nothing short of exhilarating.  Don’t stop lads.

And so onto the team and Club.  There are just sometimes when you have to put your hand up and say you were wrong.  Back in November, we discussed the talent and the attitude of the team and we questioned ability and commitment in a month of football depression.  To see this team turn around such a huge points deficit to lift the trophy with a few weeks to go is nothing short of remarkable and it is very rewarding to see Mr Lennon come through on top after the couple of years he has had.

Finally, I’d like to say a few words about the LostBhoys podcast itself.  This year has been a real challenge to get it out on a regular basis as it has been in the past.  I just don’t have the same time to dedicate to it as I did in the past due to my current work commitments, but we intend to keep it going as often as we can.  Thankfully, HomeBhoys  with Harper, Joe, Jason, Paul and all the rest have been able to get you your Celtic fix on a regular basis.  This year has also saw the increase in the number of Celtic fan based media shows out there and they continue to lead the way with the quality you would expect from the Celtic community.  Good luck to them all.

This season saw LostBhoys break through half a million downloads of the podcast show. That statistic simply blows me away.  What was started as a half assed idea has snowballed into what it is today (a half assed idea with lots of people listening) and I can only thank each and every one of you that downloads it on a regular basis and give us the encouragement to keep it going.  I would also like to thank all of our guests that came on this season and to John Higgins for not only coming on for a wee chat, but for also penning the forward to the book.  Finally, the last word of thanks from me for this year is to Harper.  I could rhyme off everything he does for LostBhoys, but it would take a book of its own.  Thanks Harper for keeping it all going and for doing it with such passion.  Thanks Mate.

Chris  (twitter @ChrisLostBhoy and for podcast and website updates @TheLostBhoys & @HomeBhoys)
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World Wide Tim Parade – Charity Single – As heard at Celtic Park

Buy from iTunes here http://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/world-wide-tim-parade/id449909964?i=449909978

Buy and hear the song in full on Bandcamp here http://joemckenna.bandcamp.com/
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The six key moments that did not shape the season in any shape or form.

An end of season review then. not quite, I suspect you’ll have read plenty by now so I don’t want go over the same stuff, instead I’ll try to pick out some funny, witty or irreverant moments from season 2011/12 and hope you all won’t notice that I was supposed to do this last night and forgot.

Hibs 0 Celtic 2-Brock Louganis

On a beautiful day in The Bronx I set off early doors for The Celtic House and it was clear that the party was still going on from the night before. After a comfortable win, I was talking to Brock McVeigh in there who was complaining loudly about the “drunks and jokers” who were ruining his enjoyment of the game. After the club AGM of sorts I left, did some stuff and came back around 2pm to a chaotic scene. What had happened I enquired? “Oh Brock stripped off naked and jumped into the ice box” We were off and running.

Rangers 4 Celtic 2-oh Darren Daulton, The Phillies Catcher, He Hates The H***

So there I was in Philly, meeting the Beyond The Waves crew for the first time. A meet and greet at the An Gorta Mor Memorial, some great drinks and songs with Seamus, sleeping with Graham, shooting the shit with Coach and The Hair, when who walks in the bar? Darren Daulton, “The greatest clubhouse leader the Phillies ever had” So of course we serenaded him with The Holy Goalie song (Great Catchers..get it) and he came over, had a beer, laugh and left us with “You’re all assholes hahaha”. The team was starting to come together.

Celtic 2 Kilmarnock 1-Something for kids

Christmas Eve, a stressful time, more so though as I was coming home on Boxing Day and had been asked by the landlord to leave a day early. That’s Christmas Day to you and I. Merry Christmas. So I took my youngest son Jake(2) along to The Celtic House for his first game there and my last(for now). Was a special moment for me walking him along with his scarf on and the weather was kind to us too. Lots of folk showed up to say goodbye including my great friend Gary Haley. All was going well and at half time Gary said he was going to the store and did we want anything? I told him to get Jake a drink “Something for kids” and he came back with chocolate milk. Which, needlesss to say, was vomited up 15 minutes later all over the bar. New signings were needed in January.

Celtic 1 Motherwell 0-Specsavers

For once in my life I entrusted someone else to get the tickets. I have a problem seeing things at distance. Like players on a football pitch for example. The tickets were for the very back of the Lisbon Lions upper and I had 90 minutes of watching blurred dots. Despite assurances that the tickets were “really good, honest”. The nerves were kicking in.

Rangers 3 Celtic 2-I will not spend a fortune watching this.

I’d taken the moral high ground and point blank refused to pay £42 to get into Ibrox so gave the ticket to my eldest son James. By the day before my mate Evan and I had wracked our tiny brains to see where we would watch the game and decided to go to the Gallowgate. On the train through more and more of the village of the damned got on and our blood pressures started to rise. We watched the game in the Wee Mans riled up by them, riled up Calum Murray and riled up by the fact that we played crap for 80 minutes yet still could have got a draw. We ended up mcgumboed and spending far more than we would have done had we actually gone to the game and paid the £42. It’s now or never.

Kilmarnock 0 Celtic 6-Never let Jason on a mic.

So the way it worked out was we could win the league at Rugby Park, and I was having a book launch the same night. Eek. Not only that but I was meeting Chicago Mike, Mick The Yank or plain old Mike Boyd at Central Station, pretty much at the same time as 2000 others decided to show up. Not to worry, my good friend Jason was organising all, he’d be far more switched on and calmer than me. Text comes in from him at 8.45am “In Jurys Inn having first pint of the day” Oh oh. So the day passes, we win the league, get to the launch and I am there waiting, nervously, to be announced on stage and Jason says “As a big Republican, like myself, this is an important weekend for Paul and can I just say I can verify this as he has the biggest poster of George Bush I’ve ever seen”

Roll on next season for more of the same.

Paul  (twitter @paullarkin74 and for podcast and website updates @TheLostBhoys & @HomeBhoys)

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World Wide Tim Parade – Charity Single – As heard at Celtic Park

Buy from iTunes here http://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/world-wide-tim-parade/id449909964?i=449909978

Buy and hear the song in full on Bandcamp here http://joemckenna.bandcamp.com/
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Well here it is folks the one you’ve all been waiting on, our latest book in the series – Playing for the LostBhoys 3.

The book is available as usual in both print and eBook formats. Lulu also have a sale until the 18th May for UK/Ireland customers giving you 15% off by entering the code – TENYEARUK at checkout. Customers in the USA should enter code TENYEAR at checkout for 20% off.

This year 50% of the profits will be going to the fantastic Kano Foundation who do wonderful work in taking large groups of kids to Celtic Park to sample the match-day experience. Book 3 follows on from our last two books that benefitted the Good Child Foundation (Thai Tims) and the Celtic Graves Society. I’m often asked what about the other 50%? Well we cover any small hosting costs etc then last year we gave the rest of ‘our half’ of the profits to Football Aid. Nobody at LostBhoys takes a penny out of these publications personally.

You can read snooker star and massive Celtic supporter John Higgins foreword in the book preview on the sales page but here’s my small introduction that’s in the book that kinda covers everything you need to know…

Playing for the LostBhoys 3 – Introduction

Well it took 3 books but finally we have a season ‘live’ review where we’re CHAMPIONS at the end of it!

Celtic were runaway CHAMPIONS tying up the league at Easter with a convincing 6 nil thumping of Kilmarnock in a day and scenes that will live long in the memory. It was probably fitting we clinched it there as for many the Stokes inspired fight back at Rugby Park earlier in the season saved a draw and by his own admission the mangers job.

Of course you don’t need me to recap all the highs and the lows of the season in this introduction as they are completely covered, dissected, mourned and celebrated in the following pages of this book. I describe it as a live review as it’s written in real time. A day to day diary covering every game and every piece of Celtic related news both on and off the pitch.

We believe our series of LostBhoys books are unique as they capture the feelings of the support as they happen and is the ideal companion to the ever expanding fan produced podcasts and media. How I wish I had a season diary of the 67′ season or the Centenary Year for example, and while there have been many great books about our history there’s nothing quite like a fans diary in my opinion for capturing the raw emotions.

I’ve done away with the ‘bio’s’ section this year as you all know us by now although we have added a few new additions to the team. I’d like to thank all our tireless bloggers for all their work, they are more talented than some of them know and they put the MSM to shame.

Thanks Krys, Joe, Paul, Lauren, Oz Chris, Squire, Charlie, Conall, Gary, Michael, Gerry, Jamie and of course the big boss Chris McG, and also for some cameo appearances by Cyberceltic, Big Sam the Tim, Jamie the Goalie and CelticGhirly67.

From a personal point of view this season really seen HomeBhoys go from strength to strength and my weekly banter with Joe, Jason and Paul is something I really look forward to now, and going by the numbers tuning in there is a real appetite for an alternative to the crap that is fed to us from Radio Snyde and the like. HomeBhoys along with everyone else on the Hail Hail Media channel will be looking forward to growing next season and we have some exciting plans that will hopefully come to fruition in the close season…

Lastly I’d just like to say how delighted we are to donate 50% of this books profits to the fantastic Kano Foundation. The work they do is truly inspiring stuff and is in keeping with what our great club is all about.

I hope you enjoy reliving season 2011/2012 in the pages of this book.

“We’ve won the league again, fly the flag, fly the flag…”

UK/ Ireland – Buy the Paperback £10.68 – HERE

UK/Ireland -Buy the eBook for £6.17 – HERE

USA – Buy the Paperback for $20.22 – HERE

USA – Buy the eBook for $10 – HERE

UK LULU SALE – Enter code – TENYEARUK at checkout to receive a 15% discount (offer ends 18th May, one use per account)

USA LULU SALE – Enter Code – TENYEAR at checkout to receive a 20% discount (offer ends 18th May, one use per account)

*BONUS* forward your email receipt you receive for buying book 3 to LostBhoys@gmail.com and we’ll email you books 1 & 2 in PDF format completely free of charge.

Customers in Europe/ROW should check their relevant store on Lulu.com to check for sale details.

Harper  (twitter Harper1888 and for podcast and website updates @TheLostBhoys & @HomeBhoys)

Writing an end of season blog is usually quite sad, depressing business, even the prospect or thought of a long summer without the football fix is enough to send most fans up the wall, especially after the rollercoaster year we have all had.

The expectation going in to season 2011/2012 was huge for me, Neil Lennon had had a good debut season as Celtic manager despite sadly missing out on league glory on the last day, the fans were together, the players were playing well, we’d won the Scottish Cup and so the optimism was naturally there for us to push on into the new season.  It didn’t really go to plan in the early stages though. Our league form was up and down, we had underperformed in Europe again, the fans were getting on the manager and players backs and all while Rangers built up a nice lead for themselves in the SPL. I remember thinking at the time, how could this be happening? We were the better side but even at that early stage it looked like another season where we it just wouldn’t click and we would end up talking about winning the title but having to look on as our hamstrung rivals actually achieved it. Defeats to Hearts, St Johnstone, and Rangers all compounded our misery before that one day at Kilmarnock where, at halftime, it looked like it was about to get even worse. Little were we to know at the time that this was to be the turning point, thanks that day to Anthony Stokes and Charlie Mulgrew. The fight back that day was the catalyst for the fight back in the league and the overturning of what would, at its height, be a 15 point deficit. Almost unthinkable in the land of Scottish football where a point, or a goal, is usually all the separates first from second.

This was all going on against the backdrop of what I thought at the time would be unwanted distraction of European football. The FC Sion debacle left us in a Europa league group that not many had hope of us getting out of, or even doing well in, but it turned out to be better than at first feared. I firmly believe that those games against Rennes, Udinese and eventual winners Atletico Madrid helped show the players that they had what it takes to perform well and to reinforce to them that they are good players, we were to reap the benefits of this in the league to great effect. Looking back, the Hugh Keevins prophesy that European football would be the death of Celtic’s season turned out to be, in true Keevins fashion, nothing but complete garbage and quite the opposite. I bet he still can’t name an Atletico player either.

The Christmas game against Rangers was probably the time where everyone realised it was back on, we were on top of the league again, in the middle of a great winning run and there was to be no looking back. Who would have thought what the New Year was to bring and as it turned out, St Craig Patrick Aloysius Whyte was only getting started with the financial dopers. February 14^th is a date that will live long in the minds of Rangers fans, although I hope that when they are all old men and the remember what Murray and Whyte done to their club, that they also remember just how much we loved it. Jelly and Ice-Cream when Rangers die, imitation coffins and black flags(clear IRA references by the way), the H**s are going bust and the conga at Caley, ‘Stuart Henderson’ and The Green Elephants consortium’s conversation with Craig Whyte, and the Four Fenian Horsemen of the Apocalypse banner are just a few of the things that have left us in literal tears of laughter over the past few months. The patter of the Celtic fans has been nothing short of inspirational and reinforces my opinion that we have the most original, creative, and downright hilarious group of supporters out there.

Back to Celtic and the good football continued into 2012 as did the winning run and ever so softly people began to whisper about trebles but as we were to find out that wasn’t to be the case. Sub-standard performances in the league cup final and Scottish cup semi final put an end to any historic treble talk in what was a minor glitch for the team which, along with the result at Ibrox, where the team really could have became heroes had they won, turned out to be the most disappointing period of the season. It still sticks in the craw that we couldn’t win it at Ibrox and the team/manager rightly were slated because the let us down but they certainly helped repay the fans with what was an unbelievable day away at Kilmarnock where the title was finally won. It’s certainly one of the best atmospheres that I’ve enjoyed at a Celtic game and the team really put on a display for us. It was funny too that our season was saved at Kilmarnock and also won there.

It has been a great year off the park too and another fine year for the Celtic online community, the popularity of Hail Hail Media has really soared with some fantastic additions to the podcast circuit and the phone in show going from strength to strength. If anything Rangers have helped expose just how obsolete the Scottish sporting press is, they aren’t needed and they aren’t wanted, Celtic fans have long been of this view and the number of fans or fan’s groups now going that extra mile and producing our own content is to be applauded. The online community can also take great credit for its role in making it possible for the Thai Tims to make it to Paradise, I had the pleasure of seeing them first hand as they made the trip to Irish soil for a concert in Belfast and the joy they bring to so many people is amazing. Getting to see the kids in person was a particular highlight for me in amongst the mayhem of the past few months.

I’ll sign this blog off with massive congratulations to Neil Lennon, he’s been through a hell of a lot of emotions as Celtic manager and he deserves credit for delivering the goods, as do the players, who have entertained us all year and most seem to love their time at Celtic and have really taken the club to heart. The coming season presents many different challenges and fingers crossed a return to the Champions League, there are many unknowns and many hurdles to cross in the coming months that have and shouldn’t have anything to do with football but we will be there as always supporting the bhoys in green.

Conall  (twitter @Conallmckee1 and for podcast and website updates @TheLostBhoys & @HomeBhoys)
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Our good friends over at Rhebel Rhebel have designed a new t-shirt with all profits going to the Vanessa Appeal. To order your shirt and help out this great cause go HERE

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World Wide Tim Parade – Charity Single – As heard at Celtic Park

Buy from iTunes here http://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/world-wide-tim-parade/id449909964?i=449909978

Buy and hear the song in full on Bandcamp here http://joemckenna.bandcamp.com/
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Forget everything else going on in Scottish Football right now. For this one day, focus on our achievements and nothing else.

Hearts visit to Celtic Park at 12.30 on Sunday (7.30 ET, 4.30 PT) for our 38th and final Scottish Premier League match was rendered all but meaningless for us on April 7th when we moved on to an unassailable 81 points with our 6-0 hammering of Kilmarnock. Having picked up three wins since then, one final win will see us finish on 93 points and beat last season’s total points haul. But of far more importance is the presentation ceremony after the match where the SPL trophy, clad in green and white ribbons, will be handed over to Scott Brown.

Much has changed since Stephen McManus was the last Celtic captain to lift the trophy following our final day victory at Tannadice in 2008. Only Mark Wilson, Scott Brown and Georgios Samaras remain from those title celebrations, while Neil Lennon was on the bench as a coach alongside Gordon Strachan. This time the victory will be his to savour as manager, meaning he joins Willie Maley, Jimmy McGrory, Jock Stein, Billy McNeill and Davie Hay to have won the league with Celtic as both player and manager at the club. It is something of which he should rightly be proud.

When our league campaign started at Easter Road back in mid-July, there were those who were immediately excited as we won and Rangers dropped points at home to Hearts. But of course, things quickly turned around as we lost at home to this season’s surprise package St Johnstone. Rangers overtook us at the top of the league, and after beating us at Ibrox they were looking good at the end of September – if somewhat helped by the fact we had played a game less due to our Dublin Cup commitments and an almost unexpected European campaign taking up midweek spots.

October was a key month for us winning the league, though if you had told us that at the time some would have considered committing you to a mental institution. A defeat away to Hearts saw us slip further behind a seemingly confident and unbeatable Rangers, and when we were 3-0 down at half time away to Kilmarnock there were plenty of questions of whether or not Neil Lennon was the right man for the job. Don’t take my word for that, even Neil himself suggested if that scoreline had got any worse in the second half he would have handed in his resignation!

But it didn’t get worse. The last 20 minutes of that game saw Celtic spark. From 3-0 down they rallied back to 3-3 to pick up an unlikely point. With St Mirren drawing away to Rangers later that day, the damage was minimised. The end of October may have seen us drop more points to the same Hibernian team we had just skelped out of the League Cup days earlier, but Rangers loss of Steven Naismith for the season on that same day up in Aberdeen was the beginning of the end for them.

Rangers unbeatable aura was soon shown to be as fragile as Naismith’s knees, and although they won the next match at home to Dundee United a draw at home to St Johnstone was followed by defeat away to Rugby Park to emphasise how much of a one man team they had been. These results saw Celtic begin to close the gap which had been up at 15 points prior to a 2-1 victory at a Motherwell team who were sitting ahead of us in second until that day. With our catch-up game finally played against Dunfermline, the gap was down to just four points by the time December came around.

Rangers held it together for a while, but with Celtic now on a roll it wasn’t long before that gap was down to a single point as Rangers lost away to St Mirren. It couldn’t have happened at a better time, as the very next match saw Rangers visit Celtic Park where Deadly Joe Ledley not only ensured Celtic’s victory, but also that there was a change at the top of the league before new year – the last time it would change.

The winning run for Celtic continued through January, as Rangers once again slipped up at home to Aberdeen. The League Cup final was achieved by beating Falkirk – the team who had knocked Rangers out – and the Scottish Cup run started up as well. Things were looking good on three fronts, but February was to prove to be the best month of all.

Six games played, six games won, 15 goals scored and none conceded. Two visits to Edinburgh saw thumping wins. Dundee United even pumped Rangers out of the Scottish Cup with ease much to our amusement. Rangers were falling apart on the park… and then they were falling apart off the park too. Never let it be forgotten that Rangers season fell apart BEFORE administration hit. In fact, if anything, administration had more of an effect on Celtic’s season than on Rangers.

With the foot off the gas thanks to the new 14 point gap, Celtic began to coast a little too much. Defeat to Kilmarnock in the League Cup final was disappointingly lacklustre, as was the visit to Ibrox where the chance to clinch the title there and then was passed up – although it was still funny to see their faces as we nearly pulled it back at the death despite being down to nine men.

Still, not winning it at Ibrox meant the league triumph had the feeling of coming full circle when we descended on Kilmarnock and returned to the very place the comeback had started. No slip up this time as our 6-0 victory set our biggest away win since beating Dunfermline 8-1 in 2006. But there was more disappointment to come the following week when another lacklustre performance at Hampden, this time against Hearts, saw our season ended all too soon.

So perhaps that is one last score to settle this season. If Kilmarnock were skelped at home following their League Cup triumph, and Rangers were skelped by us following their narrow Ibrox victory, then Hearts are all that remain to be dealt with. They have been something of a thorn in our side all season. From the 2-0 defeat at Tynecastle in October, to the stuffy performance in December where Fraser Forster’s penalty save was as big a highlight as Victor Wanyama’s postage stamp finish for the only goal, to the ridiculous last minute penalty decision that knocked us out of the Scottish Cup. Only that 4-0 victory at Tynecastle in February has seen them truly put in their place – and even then they moaned about a goal that may or may not have crossed the line before our first.

You always want to end the season on a high. For Hearts, that would mean beating bitter rivals Hibernian in the Scottish Cup final next weekend. But they do still have fifth place in the league to secure – although St Johnstone have to beat Rangers to prevent that so it might be done anyway. For us, win lose or draw we’ll still be champions and we’ll get the trophy at the end of the match regardless of the result. It didn’t really matter when Dunfermline won 2-1 at the party in season 2003/04, and nothing Hearts can do this time would matter either. But you’d still like to beat them anyway. After all…

No time for losers, because we are the champions.

Krys  (twitter @Krys1888 and for podcast and website updates @TheLostBhoys & @HomeBhoys)
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Our good friends over at Rhebel Rhebel have designed a new t-shirt with all profits going to the Vanessa Appeal. To order your shirt and help out this great cause go HERE

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World Wide Tim Parade – Charity Single – As heard at Celtic Park

Buy from iTunes here http://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/world-wide-tim-parade/id449909964?i=449909978

Buy and hear the song in full on Bandcamp here http://joemckenna.bandcamp.com/
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We’re here!  It’s the final weekend of the season and for the first time in four years, it’s actually set to be a good one!

The 2011/2012 season will no doubt always be remembered in the media for the endless scandals that have emerged (and continue to do so) from Ibrox.  It’s dominated conversations for months now and  rightfully so.  The whole affair has the potential to change the face of Scottish football forever.  Whether it’ll turn out to change our game for the better or the worse is yet to be seen, but that’s all for another blog on another day.  This weekend, it’s about Celtic.

I was on holiday for several of our earlier fixtures this season.  There’s something really enjoyable about finding a Celtic pub in a foreign country (in Marmaris it’s easy; just follow the sound of the rebs!) and watching the game in 40 degree heat with folk who turn out to have a season ticket next to your Da’ at Celtic Park.  As luck would have it, the fixtures we had at that time were the 2-0 loss to Atletico Madrid, the 4-2 defeat at Ibrox and the draw at Kilmarnock.  I flew back to Glasgow after watching Cha laugh as he gave away the lead to Rennes in the Europa League.  I had no idea what the final score was until I landed and I’ll be honest, at that point I didn’t know if Celtic would pick themselves up in time to make any kind of title challenge.

Celtic being Celtic then began a 24-game unbeaten domestic run.  Who saw that one coming?

There are plenty of memorable moments from October to March.  Most people would say Joe Ledley’s header against Rangers* that took us to the top of the league was their favourite, but remember Fraser Forster’s penalty save against Hearts a couple of weeks earlier?  That one action gave us an extra couple of points that day, and I believe it was a massive, massive moment of the season.

Of course, our success in the league wasn’t repeated in the Scottish Cup or League Cup.  We all know what happened and there’s no need to dwell on it, but it’s important to keep things in perspective.  The majority of our playing and management team are rookies – and rookies make mistakes.  They sure did make their share of mistakes and there’s a few members of the squad who will be playing football away from Celtic Park next season, but there’s a common feeling amongst the fans that there’s something special brewing inside this team, and I can see it too.

Tomorrow against Hearts I expect that we’ll see the strongest starting XI we have.  No messing around or scraping a draw with this lot!  I hope we grab an early goal and get the party started immediately.  It’s a sell-out crowd and the atmosphere will be electric.  It’s a special day for everyone connected with Celtic and we deserve to enjoy it.  Make sure you do!

Hail hail!

Lauren  (twitter @Lauren_McClos and for podcast and website updates @TheLostBhoys & @HomeBhoys)
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Our good friends over at Rhebel Rhebel have designed a new t-shirt with all profits going to the Vanessa Appeal. To order your shirt and help out this great cause go HERE

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World Wide Tim Parade – Charity Single – As heard at Celtic Park

Buy from iTunes here http://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/world-wide-tim-parade/id449909964?i=449909978

Buy and hear the song in full on Bandcamp here http://joemckenna.bandcamp.com/
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Can you believe it’s been only twelve weeks since Rangers* were officially placed into administration?  These three months have been packed full of hilarious twists, bizarre turns, ridiculous rumours and half-truths.  

Incredibly, it looks like the saga is set to continue for the foreseeable.

The media had their readers believe that Duff & Phelps were taking massive steps in the right direction.  They had a wealthy American buyer ready to commit, the SFA were inventing new legislations to ensure they continue to play football in the SPL and the fans lapped up the idea of a shirt number retired in their honour.  The plans seemed to be coming together nicely, considering the circumstances.

And then yet another skeleton crawled out of their incredibly dark closet.  They truly are the gift that keeps on giving.

In an interview he gave after he abandoned ship, Bill Miller said that only now was he made aware of the true gravity of Rangers*’ financial problems.  He said that these new details, combined with the (dignified) hostility shown towards him by the Rangers* supporters, made him chuck in the towel.  Assuming that he’s being honest in his reasoning, we can deduce that Miller was only fed limited information in the run up to being declared “preferred bidder” and once he got an uncensored look at the books, he realised that Rangers* are simply in too deep a hole to save.

Almost immediately, the administrators claimed to have a couple of new bidders prepared to swoop in and save them, and so the whole farce continues.  Time isn’t on their side, though, and and the prospect of the whole thing collapsing around them is looking more and more likely.  Miller’s revelation over the true depth of the problems at Ibrox will have provoked a few awkward questions from the mystery parties interested in picking up where he left off, and when the administrators answer these questions, I don’t think there’ll be anyone left standing.  No prospect of being saved at the eleventh hour.  Nothing.

Of course a NewCo will be born; that’s a certainty.  I don’t think there’s many people out there who expect Rangers* to go away and stay away forever.  Unfortunately, they’ll be back, and although we don’t know when, how or in what form as yet, there’s an incredibly strong feeling amongst the fans of all of the other SPL clubs that there’s only one place for them – SFL Division 3.  I’ve yet to hear a compelling argument for any other punishment.

Many people see this ongoing fiasco as a chance to better the long term game in Scotland, and although the opportunity is staring us all in the face, the only people daring enough to think about an overhaul are the fans who’ve already spent years screaming out for change.  The ones at the top who have the power to change it don’t seem to want to consider it.  Ironic, eh?

I’ve written in the past about some of the main areas of the game that desperately need to be reshaped – appropriate ticket allocation for away games, sensible kick-off times with fans in mind and so on.  Additionally, I think we could learn a lot from how things are done in America.  I don’t keep up with sports over there – I can watch a bit of basketball but the rules of American football refuse to sink in and I don’t even know how anyone can even see that tiny hockey puck flying around the ice!  So I did what I normally do when I’m clueless about something, and I asked Twitter.  Within ten minutes I had countless people telling me all about teams giving away free merchandise – hats, t-shirts and so on – to a certain number of people in the crowd of each game.  There were others telling stories of being invited on to the court/field/ice to compete for cash or a car.  Then there was the ones explaining the “Tweet Your Seat” competition where your seat number can win you a gift card to use on merchandise.

Now compare that to Scotland.  We don’t even have WiFi inside stadiums.

I’m not suggesting for a minute that we completely change the way we do things here – there are parts of the match day at Celtic that I love and nobody wants the whole thing to turn into a cheesy, insincere attempt at entertainment- but I think there’s a balance to be had.  One that creates a better experience for everyone.  One that engages the club with the supporters.  One that makes fans feel like more than the cost of a ticket and gets every SPL ground busy.

We don’t need Rangers*, we need to be inventive.

Lauren  (twitter @Lauren_McClos and for podcast and website updates @TheLostBhoys & @HomeBhoys)
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Our good friends over at Rhebel Rhebel have designed a new t-shirt with all profits going to the Vanessa Appeal. To order your shirt and help out this great cause go HERE

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World Wide Tim Parade – Charity Single – As heard at Celtic Park

Buy from iTunes here http://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/world-wide-tim-parade/id449909964?i=449909978

Buy and hear the song in full on Bandcamp here http://joemckenna.bandcamp.com/
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I watched the Milan derby on Sunday. I don’t have SKY or ESPN or that great a computer that won’t buffer so was delighted to be invited along to my mate Evan’s house for a few beers and some fitba.

Comparing the Milan derby with the rest of the fare on show that day, and I include Dundee Utd v Celtic but exclude them from criticism given the disparity in funds available, was like comparing Samuel Johnson to Boris Johnson. Having not seen much football this season outside the SPL and EPL, I felt like the football Gods were cleansing my soul and rewarding me with two teams who wanted to attack, give everything and show an abundance of talent. What’s more, they did anything and everything they could to win. Gamesmanship, diving and outright cheating were all on display and whilst the latter two can’t be condoned, it certainly made for great theatre. My mind often drifts when watching games like this to how certain things would be looked upon by Scottish Refs. For example when the brilliant Diego Milito completed his hat trick in the game, the entire Inter team ran to congratulate him. As did the entire Inter bench and even one director. Transfer that to Scotland and you just have the image of watching such brilliance and then seeing a dour faced Iain Brines booking everyone in sight and sending management to the stand.

This has been an incredibly long season in Scotland, not just because it started way back in late July, but in terms of all the machinations that have taken place and now we hear a decision on a Newco has been delayed until the end of May. Great.

I’ve long thought that this was the best opportunity for Scottish football to re-think and make the game better. Let’s, if we can for a moment, put aside the fact that Scottish football is riddled with bias, bigotry, corruption, suspicion and silly wee men trying to make up for inferior manhood and wonder what could be done to save the game in Scotland.

Assuming (haha), sporting integrity is put in front of greed, and any Newco that comes out of the death of Rangers, is put in Division 3, then I think the time is right, for the clubs that can, to put reserve teams in Division 3 also. No promotion for them of course, pointless, but an injection of life into the lower reaches of Scottish professional football that would work wonders in my opinion. First of all there would be a Glasgow derby next season that fans would love. Secondly, all teams down there would benefit greatly from massive cash injections that would come. The SPL clubs putting their players in these leagues would then have guys playing competitive football week in, week out and I’d put in a caveat that at least seven of the players in the starting 11 would have to be Scottish or within academies for at least three years.

The second thing that must happen is a radical re-think on pricing. £15 and £5 should be the price for all SPL games. I honestly believe this would increase every club in the league’s attendance by 25%, more than justifying the decrease in price and that’s before we get into increased revenue from merchandise, pies, programmes and so on. More importantly it might see the return of big away supports. This is crucial to a competitive, enjoyable league. I am completely fed of seeing 200 fans pitch up at Celtic Park but I tell you, I don’t blame them. Asking people to pay £26 minimum for the worst view in the SPL is ridiculous. I should know, I paid £39 to sit in section 122 at Celtic Park for the recent Rangers game and could not see all the goal at the Lisbon Lions stand or most of the box. No hint on ticket that it would be restricted view. £39.

In Scotland now we are like customers of Starbucks. Somewhere in life they decided that £3 for hot water and coffee granules is acceptable. When did we accept that we would pay the same prices as the EPL and far more than most of Europe?

I’ve got season tickets at Celtic Park but will not even consider renewing them until this Newco farce is put to bed. I know a lot of people feel like that.  I love football and Celtic more, but I will not be taken for a complete mug. I pay the outrageous prices that get thrown at us in Scotland because of my love for Celtic, however, I will not be cheated for 20 years then pay an increase for cheats to prosper.

All I want is to see a team on the park that fight for every ball, every point, every trophy and are given a fair crack of the whip. Is that too much to ask? I don’t want all the politics of Scottish football, all pathetic posturing, spin and lies. I’m fed up seeing guys reporting from outside grounds on yet another crisis in the game here. I just want to watch Celtic try to win every game.

I hope that, with the right Newco decision, we can start to re-build Scottish football again next season and that maybe, not too far in the future, we can watch games of the calibre of the Milan derby in Scottish grounds. Folk may laugh at that but there have been plenty in the past and you know what?

None of them required a “Strong Rangers” first.

Paul  (twitter @paullarkin74 and for podcast & website updates @TheLostBhoys & @HomeBhoys)
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Our good friends over at Rhebel Rhebel have designed a new t-shirt with all profits going to the Vanessa Appeal. To order your shirt and help out this great cause go HERE

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World Wide Tim Parade – Charity Single – As heard at Celtic Park

Buy from iTunes here http://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/world-wide-tim-parade/id449909964?i=449909978

Buy and hear the song in full on Bandcamp here http://joemckenna.bandcamp.com/
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Celtic’s penultimate game, and final away trip, of the season sees us travelling up to Tannadice to face Dundee United in the 12.45 (7.45 ET, 4.45 PT) kick off. I find I’ve got mixed feelings now.

I love going to Tannadice. We’ve been there twice this season already, with a 1-0 win in the league and the more recent 4-0 win in the Scottish Cup, but through the years it has been probably my favourite away trip when it comes to atmosphere. Once again I’m in the shed end behind the goal which must be my favourite place outside Celtic Park to watch a game.

But this game has very little left to play for now. Our title has been in the bag for a few weeks now, and Dundee United’s comprehensive defeat at Ibrox ended their chase for 3rd spot. They still have to confirm that they have finished 4th, but Hearts and St Johnstone will be taking points off each other after our game and that will practically ensure that United can’t finish sixth and miss out on Europe altogether. The difference between 4th and 5th is nothing but a small amount of prize money.

But more importantly, there’s this nagging feeling in the back of my head that this might just be the end of the road. I’ve tried not to write about it previously, but I’ve been quite vocal on Twitter about the whole possible ZombieRangers newco story. But the way I see things going, I can’t keep quiet on here any more.

As far as I’m concerned, Scottish Football is and always should be a meritocracy. Teams are in the top division because they deserve to be there through their sporting achievements. Ross County will be in the top flight next season as a result of their 18 year struggle from entry to the bottom tier of Scottish Football – SFL Division Three – up through the divisions to their eventual Division One victory this season. That is as it should be and Ross County should be congratulated for their achievement. But as they join the top table, the SPL could be about to open up a door that can never be closed again.

Rangers are looking more and more likely to liquidate with each passing day. The latest news there is that American businessman Bill Miller will buy Rangers assets – NOT Rangers – and setup a new team which everyone is expected to recognise as being the same Rangers of old. What utter nonsense. If I buy your house and do your job, does that make me you? Of course not. In this weird setup, old Rangers would still exist for a while under this setup while they negotiate a CVA – or more likely fail to do so and eventually wind-up – so are you trying to tell me there are two teams and BOTH are Rangers? Ridiculous.

When Airdrie United bought up Clydebank, they bought the whole thing – company and all. They also bought up bits of Airdrieonians so they could continue to be the town of Airdrie’s football team. They even have the same supporters. Are they Airdrieonians? No, they’re actually still Clydebank and they choose to ignore that part of their history. There’s another Clydebank playing in Junior football now that would love to claim they are that club, but they’re not. Same goes for Gretna. The only way to continue the history of a club is by buying the entire company. That company IS the club, and in the case of many teams in Scotland the company was built out of the club to keep it running. Celtic did it in 1897, Rangers did it in 1899. You can change that company’s setup as much as you want – as Celtic did in 1994 – but you can’t kill it off.

The history is a side issue though. What many are trying to justify is that a brand new team playing in the same colours and using the same ground and supported by many of the same fans should get straight into the top division in Scotland not because they have earned the right to be there but because they are worth a lot of money to that division and others may suffer if they are not. That totally ignore meritocracy and makes a mockery of all the hard work that Ross County have put in over 18 years. The league becomes nothing more than a business, with all pretence of the sport of the game gone forever.

I actually wouldn’t mind if they just admitted that. But then I would also demand they do it properly. Lets stop playing around with all these teams that have small attendances. Get Dundee back into the top flight. They have a decent fan base, and they have a sellable asset in a derby with Dundee United. Lets revenue share to make the league more competitive since we’re doing away with relegation. I could go further, but to be honest Jamie’s plan many months ago now pretty much went into it better than I ever could. Just implement that and lets make our American-style franchise league something worth selling and worth watching.

We won’t though. We’ll go back to the two team league that most people have been sick of for years. It will continue to be vastly overpriced compared with the quality we have on display. We’ll continue to kid on that teams are there on merit when really that’s only true for the smaller teams. The bigger teams will be allowed to get away with all sorts in an effort to keep the league as a whole worth money. But it won’t be worth a thing. The sport will be dead and many of the other fans will see it for what it is and simply stop going. The passion in the game will die for many as the sport finally becomes a money making scheme rather than the money being there just to ensure the sport continues. The switch from “supporters” to “customers” will be complete.

There will be those who will continue to go along and continue to support their team because they feel obliged to do so. If you are happy to look beyond the fact that your team is playing in a league that lacks sporting integrity, then good luck to you. I’m not here to tell people what they should do, but it won’t be for me. As far as I’m concerned, if ZombieRangers are in the SPL next season and playing alongside Celtic then I probably won’t be there unless Celtic are serving out their two years notice after having resigned from the SPL. Where should we go? I have no idea, I don’t have all the answers unfortunately. But I know we shouldn’t be playing in such a league setup. If we are, and Celtic are happy about that, then Celtic’s PLC board will have finally gone too far for me.

I’ve been a season ticket holder for ten years now, and a Celtic supporter since the day I started to care about football. The thought that I won’t be going to Celtic matches next season is one that breaks my heart. But it’s bigger than that. The thought of Celtic happily playing in that setup is abhorrent to me, and breaks my heart just as much. Rangers trying to escape death will take Scottish Football – and Celtic – with them.

If Tannadice is to be my last away trip with Celtic, then it couldn’t be happening at a better place. From the title for Tommy, to the hat tricks of Chris Sutton, Craig Bellamy and Shunsuke Nakamura, through all the games with such brilliant atmosphere generated by the greatest fans in the world, I’ve had some brilliant times up there.

As for the newco? All I can do is kick and scream as loud as I can in the hope that someone – ANYONE – steps in and stops all of this from happening. Then maybe I can look forward to many more such days.

Krys  (twitter @Krys1888 and for podcast and website updates @TheLostBhoys & @HomeBhoys)
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Our good friends over at Rhebel Rhebel have designed a new t-shirt with all profits going to the Vanessa Appeal. To order your shirt and help out this great cause go HERE

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World Wide Tim Parade – Charity Single – As heard at Celtic Park

Buy from iTunes here http://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/world-wide-tim-parade/id449909964?i=449909978

Buy and hear the song in full on Bandcamp here http://joemckenna.bandcamp.com/
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