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Michael the Mouth. This week, Michael Stewart has fallen out with a fellow Jambo. No, not Craig Levein this time, it's Guardian Journo, Ewan Murray that irritates the Mouth of Peter. Auld Reekie's Desperado has been riding the trail, constructing and repairing Peter's fences. He has come to his senses, bellowing Sellik's trip to Dubai has been a PR disaster, demanding a bright light be shone in SPFL dark corners, and hoping the perceived perception keeps him on the side of the angels. The epiphany continues and those that cannot see a redemptive Michael, like Ewan Murray, shall be swatted away. Of course, Craig Levein explained he disliked Michael right from the start, stating he watched him train and he continually blamed youth players for his mistakes. "Michael is a bully" rings true with another boy in maroon, Ewan has accused Michael of false memory. He Tweeted a question, "what did you have to say about the unfair and unjust actions of the SPFL in April, May, June, and July"? Michael parried and thrust back, "well, apart from hammering the SPFL every Saturday on the radio, in my column, and on here, not too much". Ewan countered, "where are these columns and tweets, you didn't hammer the SPFL every week on the radio, what nonsense"? Compassionate or arrogant Michael ended the discourse with, "Can anyone assist this individual? He seems to have lost his way. Without being too derogatory, he has become a rather tiresome and ill informed person who is a mouth piece for others, fighting their proxy wars". On reading this Twitter spat, I thought the three year old thread, 'Pacific Quay Musings' can answer the veracity of both boys' in maroon. During the four months quoted, BBC Radio Scotland hosted ninety minute/two hour discussions every Saturday on the suspension of Scottish football because of Covid and the awarding of the various titles and relegations. Pages 230 onward cover those months, particular attention on page 233, post dated 040520. Ewan Murray is correct, Michael did not hammer the SPFL, why would he given he was on his way to working for Sellik TV for a dozen weeks. In fact, Michael eulogised and lionised Neil Doncaster, Murdoch MacLennan, and Rod McKenzie. One Saturday, Michael told us how valuable an asset the Chief Executive, Chairman, and Secretary of the SPFL were to Scottish football. When reminded of their collective remuneration, and no league sponsorship; he was quick to swat. In fact, the following week in a ninety minute discussion, Michael appeared as one of a well rehearsed trio of Alloa's Mike Mulraney and Neil Doncaster, making a plea to the Scottish Government for more monies to aid Scottish football in it's journey through Covid. Claims of bullying, Dundee registering their vote, then changing it at the last minute, e-mail votes landing in spam bins, and demands Rangers publish their dossier began and would not dissipate. Dundee's John Nelms would not explain their actions and when the Dossier was published, Michael led the ridicule, he concluded : "Rangers have acted in bad faith" "Rangers behaviour has been absolutely disgraceful" "Neil Doncaster and Rod McKenzie are victims" 'Only those that understand semantics actually understand" "Neil Doncaster is a thoroughly decent guy". It's the arrogance of Michael Stewart, it's on a par with Lawwell and ra Sellik. He has been Peter's mouthpiece and has fought Sellik's wars as their proxy. On Monday evening, Michael was back at Sellik Park for BBC Radio Scotland, covering the Hibs match. At half time, the Edinburgh side brought on Lewis Stevenson as a substitute. Michael told the listenership, "Lewis is the first player out with the old firm to have won both League Cup and Scottish Cup winners' medals with the same club". This went unchallenged. There's the problem, an unchallenged Michael suffers from false memory syndrome, he believes he hammered the SPFL? Finally, and I have to thank Ian1964 for this gem of an extract from Roy Keane's autobiography : "The only time I laughed in my training times, we had this wee rat called Michael Stewart, the worst footballer anyone has seen. I remember Fergie telling him how shite he was and he actually pissed his shorts, in front of us all. I chuckled for days" Take note Ewan, stand up to the Bully, present the facts and Michael will once again piss himself.

Clearly, we do not want to get ahead of ourselves. Celebrating now would be a wee bit previous, as they say in the Garngad...... However, personally, I want this League done and dusted at the earliest opportunity. -the earlier, the bigger the girfuy to FC Dynamo Dubai -the earlier, the more we can relax and enjoy a beer while watching games -who knows if/when the Coronavirus will strike, where, how virulently, and what its impact will be? So the sooner the title comes home the better -if we are involved at the business end of the Europa Vase, then players and staff will be able to focus with, ahem, laser like intensity on that tournament -notwithstanding that, it will be interesting to see the team perform in the League without any pressure or tension whatsoever -notwithstanding that, it will be interesting to see younger fringe players maybe get some significant time on the pitch Oh, I am told that COVID now means Cellik On Vacation In Dubai

https://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sri0hv Jas Boyd · @Jas72Boyd While not strictly about Rangers, I thought it worthwhile to post it in the main forum because of the importance of the issue and to give it maximum publicity and it raises questions as to why Duffy was treated differently from Zungu, for example. Celtic Dubai trip – A timeline and where are you SPFL ? November 2020 – Celtic approach the SFA to seek approval to travel to "somewhere" and the SFA subsequently ask the Scottish Government. The JRG rules are very clear that the only way this trip would be allowed if it was to fulfil a winter training camp. 19 December 20 – Nicola Sturgeon announces a nationwide lockdown and return to Tier 4 from Boxing Day. No-one is to leave the country unless “absolutely essential” and unavoidable. 2nd January 21 – Rangers beat Celtic again. A few moments later – Neil Lennon announces live on Sky that Celtic are flying out to Dubai for a bit of “R and R”. This is NOT allowed under the JRG rules as R and R is not a "Training Camp" 3rd January 21 Photo 1 – Neil Lennon, Scott Brown, SHANE DUFFY and various other Celtic players and staff are pictured around the pool with the first 2 having a drink. Crucially, it appears none of them have face masks on. This breached JRG Rule 1. (see end) http://img4.imagetitan.com/img.php?image=23_celticdubai2-copy.jpg Photo 2 – SHANE DUFFY and Scott Brown at the Jacuzzi Bar again with no masks on. Breach of Rule 1 – There are some doubts if this picture is a photoshop or not however if you look at the Bar in front of the players, the reflections match perfectly their body positions. http://img4.imagetitan.com/img.php?image=23_hottub-copy.jpg Photo 3 – 9 Celtic players including SHANE DUFFY are pictured drinking in Shades bar watching the Chelsea v Man City game. Shades Bar is a sports bar situated in Le Royal Meridien and is open to the public. This breached JRG Rule 1 and JRG Rule 2. http://img4.imagetitan.com/img.php?image=23_celticdubai3-copy975.jpg Its important to note at this point that even if Celtic had exclusive use of the hotel, which they did not, then according to JRG Rule 2, in that scenario, the bar should be CLOSED completely so any notion it was private does NOT negate the rules. Photo 4 – SHANE DUFFY is pictured getting a selfie with a fan. To be fair, there is a bit of distance between them however again, he is doing so without his mask on which breaches JRG Rule 1 http://img4.imagetitan.com/img.php?image=23_duffydubai-copy.jpg 4th January 21 – The Celtic PR job attempts to change the narrative from this being a “trip for some R and R” which is a direct quote from the manager to it being a difficult and full training trip. Celtic claim “The training camp was arranged a number of months ago & approved by all relevant footballing authorities & @scotgov through the Joint Response Group on 12th November 2020” 4th January 21 – Photo 5 - SHANE DUFFY flies home from trip. He is pictured in Dubai airport, outwith the football bubble flying home in a commercial, non chartered airline, and not wearing his mask correctly. http://img4.imagetitan.com/img.php?image=23_duffyairport-copy.jpg 8th January 21 – Photo 6 – Picture of Christopher Jullien leaving the plane and airport emerge with his crutches. Jullien had injured himself a week before the trip and is out of action for up to 4 months. His inclusion on the trip cannot in anyway meet the standard of being “absolutely essential” and therefore he broke the Government rule, in fact law, by travelling out of the country. This backs up Neil Lennons view it was R and R. http://img4.imagetitan.com/img.php?image=23_jullien-copy.jpg All 49 staff who travelled at a total cost of over £250,000 are tested for Covid upon arrival back home. 10th January 21 – News breaks that Christopher Jullien, who travelled, in my opinion illegally, to Dubai, has tested positive for Covid. First and foremost, I wish him and anyone around him affected a speedy and full recovery. Jullien has been around players at the hotel, on a tin can in the air for 7 hours and on the bus journey back to Celtic Park completely unaware he is now carrying the disease. He had to have caught it somewhere. Was it in the bar watching the footy ? Or in the busy Dubai Airport where Celtic did NOT have the luxury of being separated whilst transiting to their charter flight or even on the plane home from one of the stewards or stewardesses ? The irony it was a player who shouldn’t have been anywhere near the trip Is not lost here. Also that day – John Kennedy is interviewed and amongst other things revealed that: a) SHANE DUFFY would miss the Hibs game as he left the bubble and requires a different round of testing. https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/sport/19000167.shane-duffy-remains-celtics-plans-according-john-kennedy/ b) Celtic players had made “slip ups and minor things” on their training camp in Dubai, a quite astonishing admission. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55603267 11th January 21 – News breaks a further 15 members of staff including players and management are now self isolating due to contact with Jullien. Nicola Sturgeon counter Celtics previous claim by confirming they did not “give approval”: “We set out the rules, it is not the role of the Scottish Government. We are not formally on the Joint Response Group. It is not our role to give approval or not give approval to what a football team is doing. As I understand it, I think at the time when that clarity of the rules was given it was another country that they were planning on going to rather than Dubai and also, that was back in November. “The world and the situation with Covid has changed quite a lot since then and the club itself described the trip to Dubai as R&R.” https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/6518911/sturgeon-celtic-planned-to-go-different-country-not-dubai/ The SPFL bury their heads in the sand and refuse to comment all day. They remain silent. Silent that is until Hibs threaten not to play the game only to be told they MUST play the game or they will forfeit the points. A threat if you will. But the SPFL apparently go one better. They tell Hibs that they must play the game but they shouldn’t worry about their players catching Covid because if that happens, the SPFL will postpone the League Cup Semi Final for them until everyone is ok. Astounding. https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hibs/hibs-reveal-spfl-threat-club-issues-statement-controversial-celtic-clash-3092670 Later that evening – The team sheets come out and SHANE DUFFY is on it. This is SHANE DUFFY who breached JRG rules at the poolside, breached them at a jacuzzi bar, breached them in a sports bar, breached them getting selfies with a fan, mingled with hundreds of passengers in Dubai departures whilst not wearing mask correctly, probably did the same on the plane, according to reports, went back into a English family bubble he had not been part of due to living in Scotland then flew on another commercial plane back to Scotland to play despite the management team saying he couldnt. The Scottish government days earlier announced that all people arriving in Scotland who had flown home from Dubai on the 3rd January had to isolate. This included Shane Duffy. He was no longer protected under the Elite football status. He should be in quarantine, just as Rangers new signing in October was forced to do for 14 days when he flew on a Commercial airline to sign for Rangers. https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bongani-zungu-quarantine-blow-revealed-22855325 This story is going to run and run but here are a list of many questions that the SPFL specifically need to answer here? 1) In the middle of a Global pandemic, who sanctioned Celtics change of fixture to a Monday night, despite Hibernians refusal, on the grounds of a R and R trip to Dubai? 2) Will the football authorities ask Celtic about the R and R statement from Neil Lennon? 3) Why was a guy out for 3 months taken on an alleged Training camp ? 4) Why did Shane Duffy travel home and which bubble did he join in England ? 5) Whats the difference between 9 players in a Dubai bar v 8 players in an Aberdeen bar ? 6) What questions have been asked of John Kennedy in relation to minor breaches he said happened in Dubai ? 7) How do these minor breaches compare to the minor breaches at Kilmarnock and St Mirren? ? What changed between Saturday (SHANE DUFFY cannot play) to Monday when he did? 9) Why did Bongani Zungu have to quarantine when Duffy did not ? 10) Why has there been ZERO public comment from any official of the SPFL ? 11) Given that Aberdeen had to cancel 2 games due to the players being in a bar, how come Celtic played last night with at least 2 players on the park who were in the Dubai Bar ? (SHANE DUFFY and Stephen Welsh) 12) Leigh Griffiths party, Bolingoli trip to Spain, Frimpong flying his American girlfriend to Scotland for her to breach quarantine, multiple breaches in Dubai, Duffy breaking government quarantine rules……is it one rule for Celtic FC and another set of rules for the rest of the population of Scotland ? RULES Its important to note at this stage, there are a number of iterations of the JRG rules but the guidance for them is that they all cross over each other and that the rules “IN SCOTLAND” take precedent over any local rules as confirmed in the PHASE 3 - RESUMPTION OF PERFORMANCE (ELITE) SPORT GUIDANCE Step 4 (return to cross border competition – no spectators) issued by Sports Scotland https://sportscotland.org.uk/media/5908/phase-3-resumption-of-performance-sport-step-4-final-draft-with-annex-a.pdf Which states: “All existing government and Public Health Scotland (PHS) guidance continues to apply and takes precedent over any other standards (specified by international Competition Organisers, International Federations or governments) unless otherwise specified” The JRG RULES on clubs staying in a hotel are very clear and see RULE 1 and RULE 2 in conjunction with the points above. RULE 1 “Face masks for players and staff to be used during the stay, outside their own room, the dining room and the team bus” RULE 2 “Ban on access for players and staff to the Wellness areas, gym and other common areas such as the bar, lounges or lobby. Alternatively, if hotel is exclusive to team, these areas should be closed” Where are you Neil Doncaster? £300k + per year and as silent as the night. A job that by his own admission is only there to carry out the wishes of his members. Your members want answers. Aberdeen want to know why its okay for 9 Celtic players to be in a bar in Dubai but not in Aberdeen. Rangers want to know why Zungu had to isolate/quarantine for 14 days despite sticking to protocols but Duffy never having breached rules time and time again. They also want to know why 2 players were given 7 match bans for breaching protocol when a whole team of players is out in Dubai breaching left right and centre. Hibs want to know why they were threatened to play last night. They also want to know why you moved to their game without their agreement to facilitate this abomination of a trip in the first place. St Mirren and Kilmarnock want to know why their admission of minor breaches meant them initially losing games 3-0 yet you are completely silent on Celtics breaches as admitted by the management team. Motherwell want to know why you gave them 6 points then deducted them, without any prior notification on the morning of Boxing Day hours before a match. Hamilton want to know the same. Partick Thistle want to know if yesterdays decision was made BECAUSE of what has happened here with Celtic going to Dubai. Get your finger out of your pie hole Neil !!

Of course not. It would have put me off my tea. (Heard it on the TV News earlier)

Did you have to, ian?

Brilliant ????

I have been like that anyway even with this big a lead

An impending vacancy we definitely need to be filling soon

I think Reach is a box-to-box midfielder, that likes to break late into the box and shoot from distance. He mainly plays wide in a 4-4-2, but he's incredibly versatile. He's not the most technical, I don't think; he's more about pace and power, shooting from range, whipping in crosses or bursting into the box to get on the end of things. For us, he'd maybe play in one of the wider positions in the midfield three; where Aribo and Kamara play now, as opposed to the central position that Davis plays. There was a spell where Sheffield Wednesday were very good, pushing for promotion, and Reach was an important player in that push, but he's waned as the club's fortunes have waned. His versatility has worked against him here, as he's been filling in everywhere.

hard to see why cross border is relevant at the age of 27

One would have to think that Rangers have quietly asked the SFA/SPFL for "clarification" on why Jones & Edmundson received those bans and Duffy hasnt. Clearly broke their bubble..

Dear Supporter Some of you will recall that on Boxing Day I recorded an interview with Falkirk TV expressing concern at the allocation of Scottish Government funding designed to support all of Scotland’s senior clubs address the financial impact of the pandemic. Now, barely a fortnight later, I feel it right to communicate with you to express my disappointment yet again with the decisions made by our sport’s governing bodies to suspend Scotland’s League One and League Two. We’ve held off making our thoughts public for a few days awaiting further clarifications from the SPFL at a meeting scheduled for today (Wednesday). Unfortunately that meeting did not provide any clearer understanding of the justification for the decision. By way of background, on Monday morning we received a communication from the SFA and SPFL notifying us of their decision to suspend all Scottish football below Championship level. This decision came with no prior consultation with our Club and we have been forced to rapidly assess the impact that the suspension of fixtures and training will have on all our staff here at Falkirk. We continue to work through the implications of this decision and will take the action that we believe is in the best interests of our people, supporters, and club. We will have more to say on this at the Club’s General Meeting of shareholders which is due to take place on Thursday evening. Our staff have worked incredibly hard to ensure we comply with the varied and numerous pandemic directives and protocols from Scottish Government, the SFA and the SPFL. Quite frankly, our staff and supporters deserve greater respect from Scottish football’s decision makers who threaten their livelihoods and our club with decisions which we believe are ill-thought through and poorly communicated. We all recognise the wide-ranging and serious impact that the pandemic has had on every aspect of society and of course we commend and support the efforts of the Scottish Government to safeguard life and to protect the NHS. Football has been granted unique concessions which reflect its importance to our national consciousness and we are all aware of recent failures which have brought these concessions into focus. Unfortunately, only some clubs (namely those in League One and Two and those outside the SPFL) have been made to carry the can for those failings, whilst those in the upper reaches of the league pyramid have been allowed to continue on top of having been rewarded disproportionately with Scottish Government funding. The health crisis results in everyone – us included – having to make difficult decisions and that includes those in charge of our game, but some decisions, such as those to stop us playing and training while allowing other part-time clubs to continue are baffling. We will be accused of looking at this with the benefit of hindsight, but there were many medical and scientific professionals predicting a second wave of the virus last summer, and yet again Scottish football has proven itself unable to deal with undoubtedly difficult circumstances. The unfairness, inconsistency, and double standards on display is there for everyone to see. It is heartening to see other clubs express similar disappointment, but I know such expressions will ultimately fail to sway the decisions that are imposed on us and others. To not even be consulted is entirely unacceptable. Many of you will feel you have heard this record before, but the continued inability of our sport’s most senior decision makers to take decisions that seek to safeguard the future of all of Scotland’s clubs continues to baffle but not surprise. We have called for change and we are ready to play a leading role in the much-needed reform that our national game requires. Change is required and urgently. Gary Deans https://www.falkirkfc.co.uk/2021/01/13/club-update-4/

Gordon Duncan is a Motherwell fan.

Personally, I Just Can't Get Enough....

I’ve given it to Morelos. Two goals which actually weren’t clear cut chances, they were the kind of finishes he was coming up with in 2019 and we just didn’t see in 2020. His general play was very good too, massive improvement. Long may it continue. That’s 3 in 3 games so hopefully he is turning a corner.

You can tell how bad it really is when the slitty-eyed gangster is forced in front of the cameras.

Ouch! ?

I know what you mean but this time I'd settle for the relaxation of certainty. ?

It’s a compilation of a lot of different stats, intended to put a number on overall impact on the team’s fortunes as I understand it. Not my favourite stat, it seems to favour attacking players disproportionately. Full breakdown is in the above tweet.

I just know of his ability to score a peach...

Same with Greg Stewart, who was rather good for Killie and Dundee as a striker, but McInnes misused him at Pittodrie and his impact was limited.

A thread on Scott Wright and stats. Basically, his impact at Aberdeen has increased drastically season by season. He also makes the point that his stats are dragged down by playing for Aberdeen. I’d need to see more of him play myself but it seems the only real worry here is his injury record which i believe is pretty bad.

Rumours this evening that they have more positive tests.

The common denominator in all these television experts is they are mostly failed managers or never managed a team

Oh no. I was going to buy one on Friday when I get paid. Free slot requested Frankie ???

Fair enough, I will see what happens. He would be classed as a home grown player which I hadn't thought about either. Don't think we managed to use all our home grown slots this year in the Europa.

The Guardian, now, kicks at the open door. Well, being The Guardian, it is more of a waft of the desert boot in the general direction of the portal. However, it's a start, and I do like the "plasticine empire" jibe. Celtic's plasticine empire is collapsing amid arrogance and awful decisions Ewan Murray The club should apologise for a Dubai trip that has disfigured a season already notable for toil on the pitch and mess off it Tue 12 Jan 2021 13.36 GMT https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jan/12/celtic-plasticine-empire-is-collapsing-amid-arrogance-and-awful-decisions-apologise-dubai Celtic: The Implosion. The imagination of a scriptwriting genius would have been necessary to piece together a chain of events which are now far enough removed from fiction as to fatally undermine what was billed as a history-making season. Grand plans relating to a 10th title in a row are long gone; instead, Celtic’s collective decision-making has reduced the club to a laughing stock. Their supporters, normally so fiercely defensive of reputation, have been united in horror at the unravelling of a setup which appeared untouchable 12 months ago. It really didn’t take much to topple this plasticine empire. There are dismal multimillion-pound transfer episodes, the case of the left-back who breached travel rules for a holiday in Spain without the club’s knowledge, rows from Nicola Sturgeon, European embarrassment at the hands of Ferencvaros and Europa League teams who rattled in 19 goals in six group matches, even before we get to rampaging supporters outside Celtic Park as domestic dominance began to disintegrate. Just when such noise had calmed to the point of acceptance – Rangers’ win in the Old Firm game of 2 January secured the title in all but name – came a trip to Dubai and fallout which renders “ill-advised” as understatement of the year. By the time Celtic took to the pitch against Hibernian on Monday night, 13 players and three coaches – including Neil Lennon, the manager - were in isolation. Celtic’s season-ticket holders, handed a streaming code for their money, watched a reserve team limp to a 1-1 draw as Lennon issued instructions to substitutes via air pods. It sums up the incredible scenario that Christopher Jullien, taken to Dubai despite a long-term injury, was the player to test positive for Covid-19 and attract the attention of track and trace teams. Were it Celtic – and not Rangers – holding a 21-point advantage then fans really wouldn’t care less about Dubai and associated drama. But here we are: Celtic are toiling on the pitch and an unholy mess off it. Rangers’ league form has been exemplary but Steven Gerrard must be laughing himself silly. Celtic’s board detest any charge of complacency. The club object to any assertion that their self-proclaimed scale is undermined by two-bit behaviour. Yet it is impossible to foresee any situation whereby Dermot Desmond, the absentee landlord, would abide by such gross mismanagement at any of his other businesses. Celtic’s Dubai shambles is indicative of dreadful decision-making and a culture of arrogance. It cannot be emphasised often enough that Celtic should be in a different competitive stratosphere to this, owing to the years of leeway afforded by Rangers’ financial implosion. Instead, punters lapped up thrashings of Hamilton Accies as directors presided over managed decline. The means by which this has all come to a head is spectacular but the signs have been there for years. Lennon was offered his job in the dressing-room showers after a cup final. The Celtic statement that confirmed the housebound status of the Dubai 16 was as extraordinary as it was audacious. Rather than offer any hint of remorse, this served as a reminder of an entitlement culture. “The reality is that a case could well have occurred had the team remained in Scotland, as other cases have done in Scottish football and across UK sport in the past week,” it read. A club founded on grounds of decency and compassion has acted with blatant disregard for a troubled, wider picture in needlessly swanning off on a charter flight to the Middle East mid-pandemic. They go to Dubai every year, so why not go again? This is the attitude of a petulant teenager, with chutzpah boosted by the scores of observers too scared to criticise such a prominent entity. John Kennedy, Celtic’s assistant manager, reported on Saturday that Shane Duffy would “miss the [Hibs] game because he’s left the bubble”. Duffy had departed Dubai early to attend to personal matters. By Monday night, the Irishman was playing at centre-back. Scottish clubs have indeed returned positive Covid cases, without the necessity for such a tally of isolations. Celtic aren’t at all used to being told they are in the wrong; and certainly not from Scottish football officialdom. Their level of power may well distort perspectives. An apology to Celtic’s supporters should have opened any bulletin. Instead? Hubris. There are two strands to the Celtic trip. On the one hand, it was chronically tone deaf against a backdrop of severe restrictions at home and on-field underperformance. On the other, it looks from this distance that it was crazily inviting coronavirus risk. Celtic don’t fly to any domestic fixture. As photos emerged of an apparently “relaxed” environment, scrutiny only intensified. “I do have doubts, based on how the club itself described it, about whether Celtic’s trip to Dubai was really essential,” said Sturgeon. “I have doubts based on some pictures I’ve seen whether adherence to bubble rules was strict enough.” Celtic didn’t break laws but they abused the spirit of them. Gavin Strachan, left in dugout charge against Hibs, doubled down on the club’s stance. He said: “There’s regret that one person has caught the virus but there’s not a regret in terms of the permission we got to go and the protocols that we followed, which we have done the whole season. It’s regrettable that we got one positive, which we could have got at any time. “It’s a trip that’s been done over the last few years and it has yielded very positive results, so the thinking behind it was to maintain that and try to galvanise and push in the second half of the season.” It may have escaped Strachan’s attention that a number of things deemed absolutely fine “over the last few years” are off the table for now. Andy Walker, a man immersed in Celtic, was wonderfully coruscating during Sky’s Monday night coverage. “What the Celtic support deserve is a bit of contrition from someone with a bit of backbone at this club,” said the former striker. “They are being short-changed and it’s completely unacceptable.” This mess leaves the Scottish Professional Football League – unimpressive enough in normal times, let alone a crisis – in something of a pickle. After St Mirren and Kilmarnock couldn’t play fixtures earlier in the season, 3-0 victories were handed to opponents. The clubs appealed. Boxing Day – months after the fixtures in question – saw a hilarious but necessary reconfiguration of the table on account of said appeals. Not only did the SPFL allow Celtic to skip over to Dubai, the league moved the Hibs match – much to the chagrin of the Edinburgh club – to facilitate it. At the point this nonsense was taking place, Celtic held two matches in hand. Neil Doncaster, the SPFL chief executive, had previously been very uptight about scheduling. Celtic were allowed to knock out midweeks while behind in fixtures on the basis of winter sun. The SPFL appears far more interested in Covid outcomes than causes, especially with regards small clubs with small squads. Celtic played Hibs, hence the integrity of the competition and image damage beyond that don’t apparently matter. Hibs asked for retesting at Celtic, a perfectly valid request even on an optics level, and were refused by their opponents and the SPFL. There is total silence from Doncaster, his chairman Murdoch MacLennan and non-executive directors implicated in yet another farce. This is, however, predictable. Dubai will for ever serve as an inauspicious reference point in this Celtic campaign of 2020-21. Even in this, such a fickle business, it will take a lot for the club’s support to turn back on-side. The sequel will only depict a happy place if Celtic admit to glaring failings.

Regards the comment on STV by Maxwell "the Compliance Officer may look at it"!!! The Compliance Officer will look at anything that has nothing to do with Sceptic but of them no chance.

These reports are top class GRB, better than anything you’ll read in the tabloids tomorrow morning. Thanks again for the excellent summary. Id forgotten about Kent’s miss in first half when he done everything right and then hit the defender on the line when he could have picked his spot. Would have been a fantastic goal.

Blinded by the Light? Sitting in a Uni' Union bar in the mid-seventies was often a depressing experience. Listening to a serious minded plooky youth pontificate upon capitalism, listening to a Juke Box that played 'Smoke on the Water' every other record, and listening to the pleading of the bar staff to avail yourself of the last opportunity to purchase the Tofu Curry. In between another subsidised pint, you noticed the smallest of changes. The Wurlitzer in the corner was increasingly playing 'Blinded by the Light' by the Manfred Mann Earth Band. The South African organist was a dozen year chancer, he had an ear for someone else's tune, and promptly recorded it. Still, he brought the likes of Paul Jones, Mike D'Abo, and Jack Bruce to prominence. The Earth Band's effort was an interpretation of the then emerging over enthusiast, Bruce Springsteen. The epiphany is a well covered topic for a song. It seems every lyricist has taken a cerebral donner along the road to Damascus? Initially, I thought Bruce had been heavily influenced by Bowie's cut-out method of lyricism. Now, I don't know, don't care. The ear worm was the line, "the Calliope crashed to the ground". I knew a Springsteen devotee, he had the Asbury album and the lyrics were printed on the back. I got the spelling and went to the dictionary. Listening to the PQ Gang Hut every week is depressing, they are all going down to Montreux to put fire in the sky. They will do anything other than provide the service Rangers supporters pay them to provide. Yesterday's commentary from a monitor in a PQ studio was the usual five year old riff. Liam McLeod had us, "pilfering three points again" and was adamant, "Ajer was covering Bitton"? Michael Stewart wanted to see the incident of Bitton/Morelos again but, "ah don't think it's a red card". Tom Anguish anguished and concluded, "the red card is harsh". It seems to me, objectivity seems to be the hardest word in the Gang Hut? By the time Sportscene was being broadcast at 22.20hrs last evening, Michael had seen the incident again and ran a ton of interference on ra Sellik's pressing and not allowing Rangers to play a ball over the top. However, he declared the red was a deserved red because of Bitton's stupidity. Blinded by the light. The epiphany continues, it's a collective deal. Tom has penned a snide piece for today's BBC Scotland's website, including EIGHT paragraphs on the Israeli's ordering off. Tavernier's curling out to in pass up the line is described by tom as, "he thumped a hopeful ball downfield, that simple punt sparked a crisis". Tom accepts Morelos would have got a shot off but, "scoring from that angle would have been a trick only pre-eminent goal scorers would have been capable of pulling off". The final line of the piece shows Tom continues to pull himself off, "Gerrard more than anybody, knows how ruinous late slip-ups can prove". Blinded by the Blarney, putting Slippy-G in his place. It is concerning, two out of three of the Gang Hut changing their views overnight without setting a foot on the Damascan road. Liam as yet, will not change, his team play Rangers next weekend at Pittodrie and he knows the value of continuity. A Calliope is a musical instrument that produces sound by sending steam through large whistles. Typically, very loud without any way of varying sound or tone. A Calliope, the collective noun for the Gang Hut.