Norris Cole

Absolutely, and does anybody honestly believe Celtic wouldn't bring that very fact up to all and sundry if things were the other way around? If the SFA are going to go 10 months without assigning a referee to any games involving two particular teams, the least they can do is come out and explain it. Remember Levein's reaction when Dundee Utd were denied a stonewall penalty by Charlie Richmond at Tannadice early this season? "I can understand that people make mistakes and, in all honesty, I like Charlie. I think he's a decent referee and I've just got to put it down that he made a mistake." Slightly different from his hatchet job on McCurry, eh? And the mhedia agenda in this country was never better illustrated than when Levein was portrayed as some sort of hero while they took McCurry to the cleaners. The only thing worse than Celtic's string of dodgy decisions in the second half of last season and the first half of this season, was the radio silence it was met by.

Both got punted at the end of the season.

Yon Jerome Bonnissel had a good game that day as I recall.

Yeah, don't think there's any on youtube for some reason. If you have the 2002/03 season review it has the full 90 minutes on disc 2.

How dare I be accused of positivity

Fast forward 20 years mate

As we head into the first Old Firm cup final since 2003, I got thinking about that glorious sunny day at Hampden six years ago. I remember going into the game with some nervousness having been beaten the week before at Torbett Towers, and being completely taken aback as we tore them apart in the first-half to go in 2-0 at half-time. Mols ran Balde absolutely ragged and they couldn't cope with the pace of Caniggia and Lovenkrands. One of my most abiding memories from the game was Caniggia beating Lennon in a chase to the ball despite the Lurgan Bigot having a 20 yard head start. Oh, and Lennon getting sent off near the end was a treat as well. Having looked in no danger at all during the first half, the last half-hour of the second half was excruciating after Larsson pulled one back. When Balde fell over like a sack of tatties under the 'force' of the intimidating hulk that is Neil McCann in the 93rd minute and the referee pointed to the spot I thought I was going to cry. Hartson duly steps up and sends the light blue legions into rapture to cap off a marvellous day in the Hampden sunshine. I'm not sure we gave ourselves enough credit for playing a formidable Celtic outfit off the park that day. A few days later they went to Anfield and comfortably beat Liverpool in the UEFA Cup. What's everyone else's memories of this day? http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/2853133.stm

Sleep tight McManus.

Especially like the bit where somebody twats the ball off Coisty's coupon

They knew Hutton was top class, but they bang on about how bad Broadfoot is and time and again he has McGeady for breakfast.

I love that statement.

Would be happy enough to see Whittaker in the starting line-up but not in midfield. Fleck hasn't earned an OF cup final start yet but I'd have no reservations about playing Aaron. McCulloch / Lafferty / Miller at LM? No thanks. My choice would be Nacho if fit. The scum absolutely hate playing against him. Miller and Lafferty up front.

If McCulloch starts, it's Smith's team. I can't understand how putting Lafferty or Miller on the wing is going to pose problems to Celtic. Novo would be a better proposition. Would be happy enough to start Aaron but would have reservations about Fleck in the starting line-up to be perfectly honest. Does anyone else think after yesterday's performance Smith might play Whittaker at right-back ahead of Broadfoot?

Not related to the above game, but I'll never forget McCoist being turned down for a stonewall penalty which would have sealed an incredible comeback in the last game for all the 9IAR warhorses. A horrible end to a horrible season. 94 was painful as well, I still think that was a freak result. Could be 100 years before anyone gets so close to the Double Treble.

What they all have in common (except I suppose Hughes as it's only Falkirk) though is they were pretty risky appointments given their lack of experience. That said, we're arguably in such a state that we won't have much choice when the time comes. What I will say about McCoist is, behind the cheeky chappie public persona there is a footballing brain he is very rarely given credit for. He was the same as a player - as an all-round footballer Boyd isn't fit to lace McCoist's boots. That's not a dig against Boyd BTW.

Agreed - even the likes of Derek McInnes are more experienced than McCoist. I'd also hate to see a man of McCoist's status have his relationship with the fans soured, which is what would inevitably follow were he to be a failure.

I saw the line-up before the game today and my first thought was: "That's not a Smith team". Despite last season's convoluted route to Scottish cup success, I can't say McCoist has done a hell of a lot wrong in the games he's taken charge, in terms of his tactics, team selection and where players are played. The only evidence of our boss-in-waiting's managerial nous is these cup games, and despite the popular notion that McCoist will ruin us, from the evidence thus far there's nothing that scares me.

Never did see the programme when it was on. Just seen it for the first time there. Top man. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1aoluwrxVM]YouTube - Rangers FC - The F Word - 29/07/08[/ame] "There isn't another club like it"

On paper it looks like a Rangers v Aberdeen final, though Aberdeen have a tremendous ability to screw things up in the cups. Wouldn't put it past us either to be honest.

Just seen the McManus incident on Sportscene there and have to say I think it's a red. While Caldwell is nearer the goal line than McManus, he's too far wide to be able to get near Dargo before a shot.

Cheers Ian, although I reckon I'll need to watch it again on Sportscene at 10.50 to see Pat Nevin's greetin' face.

Strachan didn't exactly cover himself in glory. Didn't hear the supposedly sexist remark (probably nothing), but on BBC Radio Scotland straight after the game he was even more short than usual - no pun intended. Apparently only football managers know how disappointing it is to go out of the cup. I'm sure the couple thousand strong evil hordes at Paisley today loved those comments!

It would genuinely be interesting to know what Bain gets compared to what Ogilvie got. Because only one of them is a chief executive.

I think the honest answer is it's only the cup and we're pish ourselves, and also we're not nearly as obsessed about them as they are us.