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2 points... 1: Latest is some timmy legend is making excuses for Lennon's failures by saying he's being undermined by the Celtic board - isn't being given enough cash. Quite funny given Ally had the same problem with almost no money... 2: I heard some crazy rumour that Larsson recommended Bangura from AIK and Celtic signed the wrong one. Apparently there were 2 - Teteh and Mohamed - Teteh had 15 goals in 17 appearances, Mohamed only 13 in 32. For some reason it's being said the mediocre one they signed is indeed the one Larsson recommended. So quite why he recommended a mediocre player is beyond me. /end.

They're absolutely crucial to us. If we can beat Killie and Ibrox on Tuesday night and then beat Hibs at Ibrox on Saturday then we'll be 10 points clear of Celtic before they play their next SPL game which happens to be at Tynecastle after a Thursday night game against Udinese. The pressure on Celtic and Lennon will be incredible if we can win our next 2 home games. Even if Celtic get a draw at Tynecastle the pressure on Lennon will mount and his next wee hissy fit won't be to far away. Just do it Rangers, just go in for the kill against Killie and Hibernian and let Celtic do the chasing......they are used to it after all. Saying that though, Hearts have looked god awful against St Johnstone today and are currently 2-0 down with injury time to play. Hope I haven't jinxed us now.

September 26 2011 12:01AM It was quite an amazing scene at Celtic Park on Saturday. This loud, boisterous, sometimes militant group of the club's support known as the Green Brigade were in full flow. Neil Lennon, the Celtic manager, later referred to this chanting, drum-beating mob as "fantastic" and "brilliant". You almost forgot they were there because, for the opening 45 minutes, hardly a cheep came out of this singing section. Instead, a series of banners were unfurled, in a carefully-planned ploy that could hardly have been executed better. As each protesting banner was made visible the whole of Celtic Park rose and applauded, causing quite a commotion. Suddenly, at the beginning of the second half, their singing started again, and what an atmosphere it created. Great, booming, tribal chants were flung from one end of the stadium to the other, as otherwise dormant supporters were roused by the occasion. It gave the Celtic-Caley Thistle match a theatrical backdrop, prompting Lennon's later comments. The Green Brigade were protesting about the proposed new legislation being created for the Offensive Behaviour at Football Bill. Their perception, in many ways correct, is that it will curb their rightful freedom of speech. This is a complicated area, mired as it has become in a trashy Old Firm game of moral ping-pong, but it is still worth exploring. For instance, it is true that the Green Brigade's songs about Ireland and Irish identity, which are at the core of Celtic's foundation as a football club, are to be outlawed. One of their banners said: "Police State - Don't Criminalise Us". Another said: "Our Songs Are Not Sectarian". Further points were made about a collection of chants that the Green Brigade enjoy - one of them even being Ireland's national anthem - but which the Scottish Parliament might be blundering its way towards outlawing. The most contentious of the chants found among the Celtic support - as well as that of Rangers - is about the IRA. This is where it comes right down to the nub, and where, in truth, a zero tolerance policy probably needs to be deployed. It doesn't sound very convincing these days to argue that, when Celtic fans chant about the IRA, they are in fact referring to an Irish liberation movement of nearly 100 years ago, rather than the terror group of recent times. This is a semantic we can do without. The very same line of argument was tried a few years ago by some Rangers hardliners over their use of the word "Fenian". Anyone steeped in west of Scotland society knows that the word is a pejorative term for a Catholic, but some Rangers fans tried to get round this, saying: "No, no ... in fact we are merely referring to the 19th century political movement in Ireland." That argument disintegrated somewhat when thousands of fans at Ibrox would refer to Martin O'Neill, then the Celtic manager, as a "sad Fenian b*****d", when plainly O'Neill was alive in the here and now, and not in the 19th century. In fact, on Saturday at Celtic Park, there wasn't a single IRA chant to be heard from the Green Brigade, despite some of their critics fervently praying that there would be. It is the one refrain in their repertoire they need to junk, however fleeting it might be at Celtic Park. (Some Celtic fans on the road, just like those of Rangers, are a different breed to sort out.) The Green Brigade, like the Blue Order at Ibrox, is to be encouraged. They are loud and brash and they provide Celtic games with a vivid percussion. There is also an argument that, all across the world, many football clubs' supporters express a cultural or political stance that should not be deemed to be illegal. If these were outlawed then, never mind Celtic, the supporters of Real Madrid and Barcelona would be in deep trouble. Where most decent people want to draw a line, and be less libertarian, is where it comes to outright prejudice, principally involving race or religion. Where a football crowd starts to hurl bile in either of these spheres, I'm all for supporters being carted off and fined. But over a club's cultural roots - which many Celtic fans feel strongly - I don't see how it can be muzzled. The Scottish Government needs to be very careful as it meanders towards drawing up this Bill. The Green Brigade may have a point: Celtic and Rangers fans could face court charges over offences that are laughable. If I were Roseanna Cunningham, the Government's minister for community safety, I would tred very warily indeed.

PETER LAWWELL invited me into his office when Celtic were looking for a new manager. "What do you think, big man?" he asked. "Easy," I said. "There's only one man for the job â?? Neil Lennon." I could have given him a dozen names but for me Lenny deserved a crack at it. And when he was appointed as Tony Mowbray's successor I couldn't have been happier. Since that day I've virtually done nothing but back him. Despite some appalling defeats at home and abroad, I refused to stick the boot in â?? even when it would have been the EASY thing to do. But did he pick up the phone to thank me? No, not once. Instead Neil had a derogatory pop at me earlier this week â?? after the ONE time I asked the questions which thousands of Celtic fans were asking. And for me that's just not on. I'm not in this column-writing business for any thanks or special praise. That's not why I do it. The truth is I've NOT been lucky enough to be handed a good living by the club I used to play for. So this is my job. This is what helps pay the bills. If Neil hadn't been in the right place at the right time and not now be manager of Celtic, then it could easily be him writing in these pages. But while it's me writing for you, I intend to be as honest and forthright about the game as I was when I played it. That's the way I've been since the day I accepted the offer from SunSport. I know I might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's been four years now so I must be doing something right. I just found it hard to take when Neil had a go at me for putting across my views. I wrote a 900-word piece earlier this week which had people sitting up to take notice. I asked questions of Neil and his team on the back of Celtic's Old Firm defeat to Rangers. It was so thought provoking even a reporter from another newspaper asked Neil about it ahead of the cup game with Ross County. His response? "Yeah," Neil said "He'd know what he's talking about, wouldn't he." Frankly I deserve a bit more respect than that. This is a guy I sat beside for five years. A guy I like, respect, admire and actually get on with. I consider him a good friend. But on this occasion, I'm sorry, he's totally out of order. He should realise he doesn't have a bigger supporter in the game than me. I've been right by his side through thick and thin, never once having a dig at him when others were quick off the mark. And if he read closely what was written in Tuesday's paper, he'd see I was only talking about things HE later admitted himself. The fact is I was writing on behalf of the Celtic supporters who don't have the platform I do to air their views. They wanted to know why Georgios Samaras was picked for the Old Firm game and not Anthony Stokes â?? so I asked the question. They wanted to know why Charlie Mulgrew was given a game in midfield and not Joe Ledley â?? so I asked the question. They wanted answers on the pitiful performances of Glenn Loovens and Badr El Kaddouri â?? so, again, I asked the question. And on Tuesday night I was able to get my head down and enjoy a perfectly good sleep. If you've not noticed by now, I call it as I see it when I write for The Scottish Sun. I've not slated Neil in the past because, in all honesty, I didn't think that he deserved it. Others have but I've always given him the benefit of the doubt. But he couldn't have expected me to sit back and say nothing after the way things went at Ibrox. That just wouldn't have been right. I owe it to myself, my sports editor and my readers to give an honest assessment on what took place. And that's all I did. I'm not naive enough to think everyone is going to agree with my point of view. But Neil can't expect it to be all sweetness and light. He's had more than enough support from the people around him, with the club's fans uniting behind him through all the off-the-field stuff last season. All that can't have been easy to deal with, but that doesn't mean he can't be questioned when his team fall WAY short of what's required. Celtic were far too tame at Ibrox, they stood off Rangers and let their manager down. Things I wrote on Tuesday. But the buck stops with the guy who picks the team, whether I point it out or not. Listen, I'm not one for falling out with people and the last thing I want to do is create a divide with Neil over this. I'm only a Celtic supporter, he's the manager at the club at the end of the day. But while it's okay for him to stick two fingers up at his critics when his team are winning, it's unfair to do it when they've just chucked away three massive points against their biggest rivals. Neil knows that as well as I do. At least he should. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3833406/Hartson-Dig-at-me-was-out-of-order.html#ixzz1Yr3TVqyc

Last updated 26 Sep 2011 - 11:50 am Three football fans are due in court over sectarianism Three football fans are due in court in connection with allegations of sectarianism at a match. The men were arrested at Dunfermline's ground, East End Park, as the home team took on Rangers on Saturday. The Glasgow club won 4-0. The men, aged 19, 20 and 31, were arrested as part of an ongoing operation by Fife Constabulary to tackle football-related hate crime. All three men were arrested in the East Stand of the stadium occupied by Rangers supporters. They are expected to appear at Dunfermline Sheriff Court. A spokesman for Dunfermline Athletic said: "If they are convicted, we will name and shame them on our website. We are a family-friendly football club and there is no place for anyone at Dunfermline who breaks the law." The Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Bill is currently making its way through Holyrood. The Bill is designed to cover offensive behaviour in and around football stadia, or involving fans travelling to and from the match. It was sparked by several incidents last season, with high profile footballing figures including Celtic boss Neil Lennon and fans threatened with bombs and bullets amid growing tension on and off the pitch. http://breakingnews.heraldscotland.com/breaking-news/?mode=article&site=hs&id=N0585551317003264110A

SEETHING Sion owner Christian Constantin has vowed to take his side to Madrid for the opening game of the Europa League groups - and insists they WILL play Atletico. Celtic boss Neil Lennon saw his side take the Swiss club's place in Group I on Friday after UEFA kicked Sion out for breaching a transfer embargo. However, Constantin has branded their decision worthy of a Banana Republic. And he is adamant Sion will take on UEFA's bigwigs and beat them through the courts. Constantin fumed: "The dice were loaded. It is a travesty of justice - worthy of a Banana Republic. But it only makes me want to fight harder. It is fighting against Goliath but in the end weââ?¬â?¢ll see where David is. ââ?¬Å?The verdict doesnââ?¬â?¢t surprise me at all. When less than an hour is enough to make such a decision, this means that judges are there to formalize a sanction decided in advance. ââ?¬Å?In addition, all necessary steps for an appeal to UEFA lead us beyond September 15, the date of the first group game. So we will be there in Madrid and we will play. I will take that bet.ââ?¬Â The fired-up Swiss supremo also claimed there was evidence of a carve-up, insisting the news of Celticââ?¬â?¢s reinstatement was announced on the clubââ?¬â?¢s official website nearly an hour and a half before UEFA delivered their formal verdict. He sighed: ââ?¬Å?It surprises you that it was all planned? I could see this verdict coming like I was reading a road map.ââ?¬Â Constantin takes heart from Portoââ?¬â?¢s successful appeal in 2008 after they were initially booted out of the Champions League due to a bribery investigation. He said: ââ?¬Å?We will appeal for sure - the same way Porto did when they won reinstatement. ââ?¬Å?But we will be going on the offensive on other fronts too.ââ?¬Â http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2011/09/04/sion-chief-christian-constantin-we-will-play-atletico-madrid-on-september-15-86908-23395257/

Watching both the STV and BBC news tonight discussing the Lennon court case result the main thing that struck me was that both channels actually went out their way to NOT discuss the main issues involved. Both channels went for the sensationalist angle trotting out the usual suspects to express their confusion and anger that a decision that didn't suit them had been reached. Basically they both danced around the issue without even attempting to analyse why and how the jury reached it's not proven verdit. Despite having access to two supposed top QCs (one of whom is hopelessly compromised by his own prejudice but let's leave that for later) neither channel chose to question and explore the legal framework involved let alone asking what for me is surely the critical question, i.e. "how were the jury directed by the judge before retiring to consider their verdict?" More specifically the question should be "why did the jury delete the sectarian aspect from the BOTP charge but not the assault charge?" Were they instructed that they couldn't do it for the assault charge but could for the BOTP charge and if so why? Good investigative journalists would be seeking the answers to those questions but those types seem thin on the ground at the BBC and STV. Or are they? does the absence of proper investigative reporting of this case suggest another agenda? That perhaps they know the answers and that they know that if those answers were made public they would kill the sensational story stone dead? Sectarianism real or perceived sells papers and gets people tuning into TV channels. Accurate reporting of legal niceties is boring and a turn off, especially if such reporting kills a story they can run for months.

Apparently, according to JGS Sutherland twitter The Hearts fan that attacked Lennon was found not proven for the sectarian charges.

But had this been a Rangers fan, he'd have been jailed. With all the hullaballoo about sectarianism, you'd have expect a harsher sentence. Well, it would have been if it had been us.

Absolutely flippin' marvellous it was. "We were wasteful and when you're wasteful, poor in front of goal and sloppy, you will get turned over," Lennon said. "A penalty is a gift and we keep missing them; it is not good enough." "We had a penalty that we can't convert. I'm sick of it," he added. "That would have got us off to a great start. And then we were just wasteful in front of goal. "I don't know where some people's heads are, if they want to be here or not. "There were too many players today who wanted to go and do their own thing. "They wanted to go and play forward and forget why they were in the team in the first place, which is to defend. "The crowd then turned on my back four, but I'm not going to point any blame with them. It was my front six who were a real letdown today." "We have to get over this one quickly. It's a disappointing result and a disappointing performance," Lennon added. "Some of the players come knocking on my door wanting to play. "They get the opportunity to play and they fail. And they keep failing. If you keep failing you are not going to win games. "I'm raging, absolutely raging and I've told the players that. "We thought we had a strong enough team out there, but we couldn't put the ball in the net and that is the most important thing to do. "In the final third again we were awful. It was immature. That is one way to describe it "Paddy McCourt gets in and he has the whole goal to aim at and he hits the post and it bounces out to James Forrest and he panics and hits the defender. "So there is a bit of that in our play at the minute." Quite astonishing stuff for a manager to come out with. Isn't this the kind of comment you keep for the dressing room?

MattyBhoy16 Yesterday, 4:53 PM Post #20 Member Avatar Super Sammy no more Super Hooper CSC Group: Members Favourite all-time player Henrik Larsson Seriously begining to doubt Lennon's ability to manage this club hope that i'm just being crazy kewlcelt Yesterday, 4:55 PM Post #55 Member Avatar First-team captain Group: Snr. Member Favourite all-time player Paul McStay The Maestro Shocking. Alarm bells ringing with the boss too. Tactics starting to worry me big time. Biggest problem is the lack of investment over a sustained period. Given the boos at the end there thank eff most of the fans seem to have had enough. Lawwell and the board have two weeks to start spending OUR effing money. If they don't then they need to be forced out. Simple. lubo's left peg Yesterday, 4:56 PM Post #74 Member Avatar How can a floof and a carrot be the same thing? Group: Members Chance to go top today, because we knew what would happen at the lanarkshire huns, and we go and spunk three points away against St Johnstone. effin ragin cautious dave Yesterday, 4:57 PM Post #78 Member Avatar Occasional Substitute Group: Members Can someone please advise the extent I'm allowed to be completely fn disgusted at that without being labelled a knee-jerker? Patrick_Bateman Yesterday, 4:58 PM Post #97 Member Avatar Club Captain Group: Snr. Member Commons needs dropping, that game should've been his last chance. We need a centre half We need a winger But above all we need a striker. And not an unmotivated big name loan with a poor scoring record like Roque Santa Cruz, or an unproven prospect from the English lower leagues, but a proper goalscoring striker. TK57 Yesterday, 4:58 PM Post #100 Member Avatar new season, fresh hope Group: Snr. Member Favourite all-time player Bobby Murdoch Inept, gutless feckin pish. Injuries certainly, but it was feckin St Johnstone at Celtic Park. Feckin ST JOHNSTONE! Thanks for the brilliant new signings Lenny/PL If the management of our club think that we've just had a bad day, they should all walk. That was an utter disgrace. One of the worst displays at Celtic Park in the last 20 years. tacticalgenius Yesterday, 4:59 PM Post #109 Member Avatar Everyone's Fantasy Football first pick Group: Members Lennon out. Sack the board. No reasoned or considered thoughts about it. drks Yesterday, 5:00 PM Post #123 i can't decide! Group: Snr. Member Absolutely awful, shameful performance. We need a penalty box striker desperately, but the more serious problem is that the worst of Strachan's era is back - no movement, players standing around staring waiting for Ki, McCourt or Maloney to do something - with no options for them to work with. Lenny needs to rethink the way the team is setup, as without Izzy (and Kayal and Hooper) it just doesn't work. If he doesn't sort this within the next couple of games the pressure will really be on. Commons needs dropped, he's had a terrible start to the season. Majstorovic is murder, had to be bailed out by Wanyama a couple of times. Fall_Out_Bhoy Yesterday, 5:00 PM Post #125 Member Avatar Cool story, bro Group: Snr. Member Favourite all-time player The Evil Genius Stupid skint huns, we are all Neil Lennon, we're not in debt, fat Paul Le Guen etc. etc. We still lost at home to St.Johnstone.

PETER LAWWELL has confessed that Celtic's failure to stop Rangers winning Three in a Row torments him EVERY DAY. Celts' chief executive spoke as the club revealed it has slashed its bank debt to just �£500,000. Celtic even made a modest profit before tax compared with a �£2.13million loss a year ago. But Lawwell said: "There's still an awful lot that we need to do here. We need to start winning the league again and competing in Europe at the highest level. "I think about the league every day, that we're not champions - and it's painful. "It's painful for everybody at the club because we're geared to be winners. The financial side of things and the football go hand in hand. We want the best team on the park, an entertaining, winning team, to win the league and also do ourselves justice in Europe. "Having not won the league for the last three years, the need's even more to get it back. Last year we didn't do it in Europe and we were okay financially, so it's not do or die. "But everyone at the club wants to be in Europe. I think we deserve our place at the top table." Neil Lennon has hugely impressed Lawwell since he was handed the managerial reins 18 months ago. Lawwell - now a key member of the SFA's new professional game board - said: "What he had to put up with last year was beyond what any reasonable person should have to. But it's made him stronger. It will make him an even better manager." The whopping �£16m raised through the sales of Aiden McGeady, Stephen McManus, Artur Boruc and Scott McDonald a year ago are still keeping Celtic's accounts healthy. Fans fear that Beram Kayal, Ki Sung-Yueng and Emilio Izaguirre will be the next ones to go. But Lawwell said: "The first objective is to keep the squad together and that's what we're trying to do. But, remember, Ronaldo was sold. "If somebody makes an offer we feel gives value for the club we'll have to consider it. I don't think it's a necessity to sell every one or two years. But it's part of the business that you bring players in and sometimes they want to move on and you try to get as much as possible." Celtic were yesterday linked with Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon. SunSport understands ex-Red Bull Salzburg No1 Gerhard Tremmel, a free agent, is also on a list of possibles. It's believed Scotland keeper Gordon won't be fully fit for at least a month after a knee op in April. There's also his �£40,000-a-week salary. Lawwell admitted: "We couldn't compete at those wage levels." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3754435/Celtic-chief-tormented-by-Gers-triple-title-success.html#ixzz1V8uaFNKU

"I think Ki will make the club a lot of money one day," observed Lennon. "He is unquestionably a �£10m player like Aiden. He is certainly coming into that bracket now. He has turned heads already. There is nothing substantial that I'm aware of, although I know there is interest in him. But we want to keep our best players. "He is a real asset for the club now, a wonderful footballer. He is everything you would want in the modern day midfield player. He is 6ft 2in, a fantastic athlete, very good on the ball under pressure. "He is a good at passing, excellent with both feet and has a goal in him as we saw again against Dundee United on Saturday. So we think he can turn out to be a really world class player." :spl::spl::spl: http://sport.scotsman.com/football/Neil-Lennon-backs-3910m-man39.6820680.jp

A man is to stand trial accused of attacking Celtic manager Neil Lennon during a match last season. John Wilson, 26, is alleged to have assaulted the football boss as his side played Hearts in a Scottish Premier League game at Tynecastle stadium in Edinburgh. Wilson, of Edinburgh, is accused of lunging at Lennon and seizing him around the neck during the fixture on May 11. Prosecutors claim the alleged assault, and a separate charge of breach of the peace, were both aggravated by religious prejudice. He appeared before a short hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, where his trial was fixed for the court sitting beginning on August 29. Wilson faces two charges in total. It is alleged he committed a breach of the peace by acting in a disorderly manner, running on to the field of play and running at the away team dugout. It is claimed he was shouting and swearing and made a sectarian remark "all to the alarm and annoyance of others" and causing more disturbance within the crowd. The assault charge against him alleges that he lunged at former Northern Ireland international Lennon at Tynecastle, the home of Hearts FC, and seized him around the neck. Both alleged offences are said by the Crown to have been aggravated by religious prejudice, under the terms of the 2003 Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act. Wilson denies the charges. Advocate David Nicholson, representing Wilson, told the court that the defence team is prepared and ready for the trial. After hearing brief submissions, Sheriff Alistair Noble continued the case to the trial, due to begin on August 29. http://breakingnews.heraldscotland.com/breaking-news/?mode=article&site=et&id=N0419241313503351801A

LIVERPOOL are set to make a shock bid for Celtic star Paddy McCourt. McCourt's stunning individual goal for Northern Ireland against the Faroes last week was seen by scouts all over Europe. Kop boss Kenny Dalglish has already spent over �£100million this year as he tries to turn the Anfield club in to English title contenders. Now he is ready to open the chequebook once more to try and net the Celtic winger before the transfer window closes at the end of the month. Liverpool are understood to have made a tentative enquiry about the player's availability last Thursday morning - just hours after his wonder strike. They were given little encouragement by Hoops bosses but a formal bid is expected to be lodged within the next few days. It now remains to be seen whether they will offer enough to persuade boss Neil Lennon to part with the player. Wolves and Blackpool are also interested in the 27-year-old but the chance to become part of King Kenny's revolution is likely to tempt McCourt Liverpool's way. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3752188/Kenny-eyes-up-Paddy-McCourt-bid.html#ixzz1V3PRCVFX :sowsuser:

AIDEN McGEADY is at the centre of a staggering �£27million transfer tussle between Spartak Moscow and Zenit St Petersburg. It could see former club Celtic celebrate a whopping �£1.7m windfall. Reports in Russia state that Zenit are closing in on a breathtaking swoop for the Spartak wing ace who's taken their league by storm since leaving Parkhead in August, 2010. Hoops chief executive Peter Lawwell negotiated a record �£10m fee with Spartak for Republic of Ireland star McGeady but SunSport understands he also insisted on a sell-on clause guaranteeing 10 per cent of any amount above the original figure. It means if Zenit land McGeady then Celts boss Neil Lennon will likely have his transfer budget significantly boosted. Spartak are expected to accept Zenit's incredible offer. They lie in sixth place, ten points behind leaders CSKA Moscow, and McGeady has become frustrated at their form. He said: "We're so inconsistent at the moment. It doesn't make me optimistic this season." However, McGeady would be under pressure if he did decide to move. The two sides have the fiercest rivalry in Russian football and an incredible 659 fans were arrested in the stadium following a game two years ago. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3750159/Lennon-to-cash-in-on-27m-Aid.html#ixzz1UrOhYCgN

"I Strongly Suggest Celtic Supporters Avoid Bridgeton Cross on August 13th" by Joe O;Rourke from CSA Glasgow City Council and the Police have come to what they believe to be an acceptable compromise on the decision to allow a number of contentious parades to pass by Celtic Park on the afternoon of August 13th. Their decision to allow the parades to go ahead at an earlier time helps the situation, but is by no means the proper decision; the proper decision would have been to change the parades to a different date altogether; or better still; ban them full stop. I would strongly recommend that Celtic supporters stay well clear of Bridgeton Cross that afternoon; both before and after the match; the place has a long history of being anti-Celtic; anti-Catholic; people have lost their lives there just for wearing Celtic colours; it will be best to avoid the place altogether; but if you have to pass through; then be very careful. This latest decision is just one of a list of worrying decisions involving the Police, a couple of weeks ago the first person to be arrested for a football related internet offence was a Celtic fan who had referred to Walter Smith as an O***** B******, I find this quite amazing when the internet was full of pictures of Neil Lennon; either being blown up; or riddled in bullets; but no arrests were made. Last week the Crown Prosecuting Service decided to drop the charges against David Goodwillie because of insufficient evidence; if the evidence was insufficient; why was he charged in the first place? Dropping the charges because of insufficient evidence doesn�t mean he�s not guilty; and of course I�m not suggesting he is. I read the story about the girl who was attacked by Goodwillie; she also received internet abuse; I don�t know of any arrests there either. Then of course Sneaky Sally throws his hat in the ring to sign him; Strange !!!!! I think not; Sally had better make the most of it; because I doubt very much if he�ll last into the New Year. He must be very annoying to other managers when he keeps talking about signing their players who are under contract; and all for vastly undervalued amounts. One thing he was successful with was getting an apology from the BBC; the same BBC who have refused to apologise to Celtic and their supporters for their comments about sectarian singing during the Scottish Cup Final. The recent actions of the Police only go to highlight the need for a dramatic change in the proposed new legislation regarding offensive behaviour at a regulated football match in Scotland. These proposals at present leave far too much to the interpretation of some beat cop; it�s a one law catch all scenario which I believe will make matters even worse. The whole point of the initial discussions was to reduce the amount of offensive behaviour at football matches; not for the Police to trawl the terraces arresting fans for supporting their team. I don�t believe the Celtic support will have enough confidence in the Police to handle these situations with total impartiality; what we need is action against those who are offensive; what we don�t need is the criminalisation of ordinary supporters. :tongue:

Referring to the touchline spat with Coisty, Lennon has said he won't make "any promises" that it won't happen again.

.... so we may as well start celebrating now :cheers: -- Explain to me how Rangers are going to square their oncoming tax bill and I'll wager you could teach us how to nail jelly to a tree. Frankly I still don't quite comprehend how the Ibrox club's takeover has built a jigsaw puzzle picture of a sunny future. But then why listen to me? I never thought Craig the Whyte knight would get his hands on the club in the first place. So off we jolly well go into another season which has already fired up more questions than answers, with its embarrassing hiccupping start as the Old Firm take their sabbatical before the term has learned to walk. Of course I understand the desire - requirement, maybe - for the big clubs to go big buck hunting, but I still find it humiliating for the SPL that the big kick-off is followed by a couple of weeks of damp squibs as Celtic then Rangers throw the other clubs a deaf one. It's like getting married then bodyswerving your own reception. Rangers fans can't be full of the joys of life. All window shopping in the transfer market, but no real spirit of the shop to drop. Sure, they've been linked with more big names than Piers Morgan�but headlines don't mean signings. Ally McCoist once compared taking the baton from Walter Smith to accepting the microphone from Sinatra and of course he was right. But it strikes me that Nelson Riddle has just taken the orchestra off the stage too. He took the job because ultimately he had no option. But privately he must reflect that somewhere down the line there might have been a better time. Like Neil Lennon timed his run, for example. After the Tony Mowbray shambles, the only way was up. No fence sitting from your old reporter. I'll be stunned if Celtic aren't champions by the time autumn and winter have blown their last and dear spring is in the air once again. Rangers were champions last year because they deserved to be, not because of Celtic's spectacular trip at Inverness as they toddled to the finishing line. A title race is a distance event and it is never won or lost on any given Saturday afternoon or Wednesday night. But this time at Parkhead, I suspect the lesson will have been learned. Mind you, to be fair there hasn't been a run on the ink at Lennoxtown. Signings there too have been a collector's item. But the difference is the depth of squad already on the employment register. Atlantic deep: Rangers meanwhile have to set sail in a puddle. What we need them both to do is progress in Europe in their respective competitions, to ensure a little midweek action in the Champions and Europa Leagues. That would put a little light in our lives. And talking of a little brightness, why do I have a good feeling about St Mirren? It's a worry. This time last year I was insistent that they would be relegated and if not quite gloriously wrong then I looked like being spot-on for a fair few months. Scotland coach Craig Levein faces crucial Euro 2012 qualifiers But the signings of Gary Teale, Nigel Hasselbaink and Stevie Thompson and a general something in the air over Paisley - and maybe the strong drink - has me think better days are coming. And here's a thing as I juggle my feel good factors: Scotland - I think we might make it to Poland and Ukraine although hopefully not Donetsk, quite the dreariest place I have ever been. There, even the birds cough. Certainly the play-offs of the European Championship qualifying group beckon at least, where Lithuania's turning over by Liechtenstein opened the door for Scotland and a straight two-way fight with the Czechs for second prize to World Champions Spain. So let SPL battle commence, earlier than ever but still too late. We should have been back three weeks ago thereby allowing our European representatives some run-up to their ties and freeing up some time for the inevitable winter back-log of postponed games. And maybe even a January shutdown� Hey, but I'm not one to spoil a bright new dawn with a bit of mumping. But watch this space. �SPL champions: Celtic �Second: Rangers �Third: Hearts �Relegated: Kilmarnock �Scottish Cup winners: Hearts �League Cup winners: Dundee United

IT didn't feel good to talk, or write, about Scottish football last season because the game turned ugly. That's why my biggest wish for the championship that's about to begin this weekend is that sanity is restored to the game. And Neil Lennon and Ally McCoist have a heavy responsibility in that department because the Old Firm managers must set impeccable standards of behaviour. They're relatively new to management and the demands on them are incredibly high but they're experienced enough in the ways of the game to understand what I'm about to say. The pair of them have a duty to their clubs and their fans to make sure there's no repeat of the tangle that brought them together at Celtic Park and helped prompt a Scottish Parliamentary inquiry into a rivalry gone wrong. We've got to get back to talking about football and not fall-outs. The two of them were out of order when they let the tension of a Scottish Cup replay get the better of them and provided TV footage that was repeated over and over again because of its shocking content. They can't go there again. We want battles on the park and a realisation that managers can't get involved with each other. Concentrate on your own team and never mind looking at the other dug-out. Set an example for everyone's sake. I don't want to hear any more about referees, either, but I would like to be able to comment on improved standards from teams such as Hibs and Aberdeen who fell beneath the standards they expect of themselves last season. I was at Firhill on Saturday to see Celtic play Partick Thistle and was impressed by the size of the support that went to see what was basically the Hoops' Under-19 squad. These people have now got to be rewarded by the first team who threw away a league title last May. And that means starting with a win of any description at Easter Road next Sunday and following that up with home performances that are more convincing than they were last time out. Draws at home drained vital points from Celtic's championship challenge and their own ground has got to be made into a fortress. Three draws in a row against Inverness Caley Thistle, Dundee United and Kilmarnock were costly and so was the loss of the first Old Firm derby at Celtic Park. The need is to be more consistent because there's no doubt Celtic have a squad that's better than the one Rangers possess and one that's capable of winning the title. What they don't have, however, is Rangers' ability to dig in and grind out results. Ally has a side that had a better fighting mentality than Celtic last season, which is strange since Neil's as combative a character as you'll find in any dug-out. He was a battler as a player and so were his assistants, Johan Mjallby and Alan Thompson. Strength But on the night that Celtic lost to Caley Thistle, Rangers saw a lifeline and grabbed it with both hands to make it three in a row. My impression now is that Celtic have enough players to pick two first teams. Adam Matthews, Kelvin Wilson and Victor Wanyama won't be automatic choices but they help provide a greater strength in depth than Rangers have. Neil will be a better manager for everything he went through last season - and I'm not talking about bombs and bullets. He'll know he can run a football team and will be more comfortable in every aspect of the job now that the initial nerves have passed. But he won't want to lose another title. The eyes of the Celtic fans are now upon their team, and the eyes of the world are now staring at Scottish football. There can be no failure to respond. There must be better than has gone before. http://blogs.dailyrecord.co.uk/murdomacleod/2011/07/put-end-to-ugly-side-of-spl.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheDailyRecord%2FMurdoMacleod+%28The+Daily+Record+-+Murdo+Macleod%29

He's basically been the boss for about a month now, and of course we cannot judge him on the pitch for another month yet, but I think it's safe to analyse how we feel he's done in transfers, negotiations and media performances. As people who pour our love and support, not to mention cash, into the club, we have that right. For me, it's a very mixed batch. I am pleased that Steven Davis and Allan McGregor's contracts are being given such high priority, and that 'not for sale' signs have been firmly plastered over their heads, particularly McGregor, especially in light of Lennon publicly admitting that even Kayal is for sale at the right price. We want to keep our best players, and Ally doesn't appear interested in the vast sums of cash selling McGregor would give his transfer kitty. For that I applaud him. I am also pleased we're so active in the transfer market - it's clear we're trying to bring in a lot of reinforcements, and a lot of the names we're linked to seem pretty decent and an enhancement - it's just a bit of a pity we've not made any actual signings yet and there's nothing to get tangibly thrilled about at this point. I'm sure Ally is working around the clock to make it happen though, and signings can be a slow process, so hopefully we'll have something to cheer soon. My main 2 reservations are, firstly, him publicly saying that we won't go to 3M for Cuellar, where Cuellar is quite clearly worth that kind of money. He has 3 years of top flight experience on top of the class we sold in the first place, and would be a fantastic addition to the team. I have no doubt Ally wants him, but I felt saying, very specifically, that 3M was too much, was something I didn't want to hear. 'Negotiations are ongoing' would have been much better. Secondly his manlove for Whittaker seems bizarre. He's apparently appraised Whittaker as one of our 4 top players. If he really believes that, I have doubts about his judgement. He wants to keep him at all costs, and regardless of who is doing the negotiations, �£20k+ is far too much for a player who is usually average and sometimes quite good. My early feelings about Ally are mixed, some good, some not so good. The last time I had a serious objection to something a new manager did after joining was PLG and him letting Soti go so quickly - I trusted him because I rated him but I am not making that same mistake again. I have serious objections about some things Ally seems to be doing and I just hope I am totally wrong this time. I don't trust him yet, and I hope he gives me and others good reason to begin to earn that trust in the coming months.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon is in talks with free agent Neil Danns about signing on a free from Crystal Palace ââ?¬â?? ahead of rivals Rangers. Midfielder Danns is discussing terms after Lennon stepped in for him. The star has also spoken with Rangers but has better money on offer from Celtic. Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/transfer-news/Celtic-to-beat-Rangers-to-Crystal-Palace-free-agent-Neill-Danns-article751200.html#ixzz1PzfWK5EK Sign up for MirrorFootball's Morning Spy newsletter Register here

Another 12 month rolling contract but this time, he's getting paid �£1m a year which is reportedly double what he got last season. Happy days!

Isn't it interesting that during a point in Scottish (actually Glasgowââ?¬â?¢s) sectarian history, when things are beginning to get really bitter, prompting the highest in the land to create laws against sectarianism, that Celtic FC have in-charge of their football team ââ?¬â?? without doubt ââ?¬â?? the most bigoted and twisted coach in their long history. This guy represents the whole of Celtic FC and is a scary public relations exercise in hatred and venom ââ?¬â?? that is the truth. Lennon will appear to the bitter Catholic psyche in Glasgow that his way is the ââ?¬Ë?rightââ?¬â?¢ way to behave and conduct yourself in the eyes of the world ââ?¬â?? they will follow their leader. Lennonââ?¬â?¢s paranoia, defiance, and obvious hostility towards all-things non-Celtic goes a long way to determining the behaviour of their fan base ââ?¬â?? frightening. He doesnââ?¬â?¢t appear to give a shit and, in my opinion, he will not change his behaviour one bit - mark my words. The Scottish authorities, the press, and those who donââ?¬â?¢t miss much will probably tip-toe round his attitude, being assured by the board and directors of Celtic FC that itââ?¬â?¢s his way and his approach and trying to change it would somehow prevent him from doing his job. I foresee very difficult times ahead for Strathclyde Police.

Hearts are to take a strong stand against the flying of flags such as the Red Hand of Ulster by spectators at Tynecastle. The club has already held talks with stewards and police about fans using flags "in an inciteful manner," and is determined that people doing so will be arrested. While admitting that the club would not have the power to ban flags, managing director David Southern told the club's agm yesterday that "the colours of this club are maroon and white," and he wanted to encourage the flying of Hearts flags. He said the club did not object to the Union Flag - referring to the Hearts players' and staff's proud record of war service, he said "no club more deserves the right to fly the Union Flag". Southern added: "Quite frankly, the Red Hand of Ulster flag has no relevance at this ground, except perhaps for the Ulster Hearts supporters club. We do not have a player of that nationality. It is something we will be questioning." Shareholders at the agm welcomed the pledge to tackle what one called "the lunatic fringe". The flag "ban" is part of the fallout from the incident in which Celtic manager Neil Lennon was attacked in front of the main stand during the club's match with Celtic last month. A Hearts fan has been charged with assaulting Lennon, and Southern confirmed the man has been banned from Tynecastle for life, while, in a fresh development, the supporter who sold the ticket to the alleged attacker has been banned for 12 home games. Southern said that as a result of the incident, and following talks with the SPL, stewarding company and police, the lower main stand would become an all-season-ticket area, and that there would be expanded "sterile zones" at the Roseburn end where away fans congregate. In addition, there would be small sterile zones around both dugouts with extra stewarding. http://www.scotsman.com/football/39Irrelevant39-Ulster-flags-discouraged-at.6779464.jp