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THE case is compelling. The evidence impossible to ignore. Kyle Lafferty desperately wants new Rangers boss Ally McCoist to stick with him and Nikica Jelavic as the main hitmen for next season's four-in-a-row push - and with very good reason. Their partnership in last term's league run-in was sensational. Lafferty struck seven goals in the final six games of the season, Jelavic five in the same blistering period as the Gers powered to title glory. The big Northern Irishman loves playing alongside the �£4million Croat who missed three months of the season through injury - but still plundered 19 goals in 27 games. Jelavic has brought the best out of Lafferty who, for the third successive campaign, delivered when it really mattered, finishing on a career best 15 for the season. The 23-year-old's well aware that McCoist is trawling the transfer market for a new frontman - with Maccabi Haifa frontman Tomer Hemed, available on a Bosman, high on the list. He insists he welcomes the prospect of stronger competition. Lafferty is also convinced he and Jelavic can carry on from where they left off. More often than not, when Walter Smith selected both they scored, including a hat-trick for Lafferty and a double for Jelavic the first time in a 7-2 romp over Dunfermline last September. Laff told SunSport: "Nikica is the IDEAL partner for me. He's the dream striker to play alongside. "He's got everything that Boydy and Kenny Miller have rolled into one player. "He can be a second striker, he can be a target man. He's the striker that Rangers needed. "With the starts he had and the goals he got, well, it's just unbelievable really. "I think Nikica is brilliant and Rangers will have a fight on their hands to keep him, if not this summer then definitely in January. I love being his strike partner. "I don't know what it is that particularly makes us a good partnership. Every time we see each other we're high-fiving and I think we have a good bond off the field, although we don't speak that much away from games. "Nikica's English is good. He always talks to me before games, during and after. I take whatever he says on board. "If I'm on the bench I watch what he does but after just his first game for Rangers I knew right away he was a quality striker. "I knew I could learn a lot from him. "In fact, I've probably learned more this year playing alongside him than I have in my whole career. I really hope we can stay together. "I appreciate the fact that the manager will be looking at other strikers and a big club like Rangers will always be linked with signing quality performers. "Nikica and I linked up really well in the final months of the season. "Realistically, if our partnership is broken up then it will be because I've been dropped. Nikica will NEVER be dropped. I'll be the one who gets the chop. "I think the manager should give us a go at the start of the season. "I do still think we need another striker, whether that will be good for me or not, because I know I thrive on competition." Lafferty's at a loss to provide a reason why he truly hits top form at the end of a season. He said: "I train the same way from start to finish, I do all the same things. "Yet for some reason I really come on to my game in the closing stages. "It's in the last six weeks that I get most of my goals and my performances pick up. "I just wish I could score as regularly in the months BEFORE. "I don't want to be a player who is seen to be only turning up for the last couple of games to win the title. "Walter said to me at Kilmarnock after my hat-trick on the final day: 'We wouldn't have needed this if you had started scoring in the middle of the season!' We had a little bit of a joke about it. "Now I hope I can continue my form into Ally McCoist's first season as manager." Lafferty's never slow to confess when he's been foolish. The dive to get Charlie Mulgrew sent off two years ago, the red card against Hibs at the start of last season, the prank that led to a broken finger and cost him Champions League action against Manchester United and the Tweet which riled Celtic gaffer Neil Lennon after the Old Firm game in January are all right up there. His life with new partner and former Miss Scotland Nicola Mimnagh and impending fatherhood is helping to mature Lafferty. He also can't thank Gers No 2 Kenny McDowall and coach Ian Durrant enough. The �£3.25m former Burnley ace said: "I've met the right people on and off the field. They are looking after me. "I have no worries whatsoever. I've never felt happier with my life and my football. "I feel stress-free at the minute and I have been for a long time. "I'm playing my football with a smile on my face. "In football terms the people who have kept me going the most are Kenny McDowall and Durranty. "They can see when I'm down. They'll pull me over for a chat. "They will ask about myself and my game. "Kenny and Durranty stopped me from leaving Rangers. "I have always had a strong connection with Kenny. He's been like a second dad for me. He's been brilliant with me. "Every time I've scored I've gestured to him and he's responded. What I've achieved at Rangers is mainly down to Kenny. "I'm really delighted for him that he's become assistant manager. He deserves that. "So, too, does Coisty in being given the manager's job. "It's going to be a big ask in following Walter Smith. "There's no better man, however, because of his personality, his football brain, his attitude and heart." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3619903/All-I-want-is-a-chance-from-Coisty-to-show-IM-the-best-partner-hes-got-for-Jela.html#ixzz1OTpa9mI0

John Reid has announced that he will be stepping down as chairman of the Parkhead club. John Reid is leaving his post as chairman of Celtic after four years in the role. The former MP has confirmed that he will step down as chairman and leave the club's board at their annual general meeting later this year. In a statement issued through Celtic's website, Reid said that it had been a privilege to work at the club and had praise for those he had worked with in recent years. he singled out Peter Lawwell's contribution to securing the club's financial position through a recession and said that the club's management team, headed by Neil Lennon would go on "to great things". ââ?¬Å?It has been an honour to have been chairman of this great club for the past four years," he said. "I will always be grateful for the support, encouragement and friendship I have received from Dermot Desmond and my colleagues on the board, the management and staff and, above all, the greatest supporters any club chairman could wish. "That is something I will forever value." Celtic chief executive Lawwell said: ââ?¬Å?John has been an extremely committed and enthusiastic Chairman, and is a true Celtic supporter. The entire Celtic executive, management and staff acknowledge the contribution he has made to the Club over the last four years. Iain Bankier has been appoointed to the club's board as a non-executive director and will act as chairman designate. http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/celtic/254648-reid-to-relinquish-celtic-role/

A BRAVE ball boy has vowed to defy the thugs who pelted him with coins and landed him in hospital. Hearts fan Jack Waddell, 14, was targeted by rival fans during his team's clash with Celtic on May 11. He suffered concussion after yobs hurled 2p coins at him - just after Celtic manager Neil Lennon was assaulted by a Hearts fan. But Jack said: "I love helping Hearts and this won't stop me." Jack, of Loanhead, Midlothian, was covering the away end of the SPL match at Tynecastle as he was one of the Edinburgh club's most experienced ball boys. He added: "After the Celtic manager was attacked, the crowd went mental. They were shouting and jeering. "I was hit in the head. I looked down and saw a 2p lying next to me. Then another coin was lobbed and I was hit in the head again." Jack's mum Linda, 39, drove him to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary after he fell ill the next day. Tests showed he had sustained a brain injury but he has now fully recovered. A Hearts spokesman said last night: "A thorough investigation into events on that night is ongoing." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2011/05/23/hearts-ball-boy-pelted-by-coins-from-celtic-fans-says-i-won-t-let-thugs-stop-me-86908-23150864/?sms_ss=twitter&at_xt=4dda4de4da0a2e22,0

STUART McCALL has slammed Scott Brown after he branded Motherwell a bunch of Cup Final cloggers. And the Well boss says the Celtic captain should be ASHAMED of himself. McCall is furious after Brown said he had sent his stars out to rough up the Hoops at Hampden. He hit back at the midfielder and insists he should be embarrassed by his rant. The Fir Park boss said: "I think he'll be embarrassed by his comments, or at least he should be. If he watches the game again, as I'm sure he will, he'll be embarrassed. "The comment or suggestion that I send my team out to go over the ball in tackles is quite ridiculous. "I want my players to be competitive, of course I do. But there's a fine line. "As much as losing the Cup Final hurt us we were dignified in defeat. "You've got to take your medicine and we wished Celtic all the best after the game. "To read that this morning was quite sad to be honest. He should be enjoying his moment because he hasn't had many this season. "To come out with comments regarding my players and how I send out my team is sad. "I'm never going to be worried by what Scott Brown says but he should be concentrating on himself." Brown branded Well midfielder Keith Lasley's challenge on Glenn Loovens disgusting. But McCall says Daniel Majstorovic's tackle on Well striker John Sutton was WORSE. Five players, three from Celtic and two from Well, were booked as Neil Lennon's men swept to a 3-0 win. McCall said: "If you watch the tackle Daniel Majstorovic makes on John Sutton then there's no doubt in my mind that it could quite easily have been a red card. "If he watches Keith's tackle on Loovens again he'll see Lasley goes in to block the ball. His trailing leg, almost his backside, catches Loovens. "I didn't realise how bad the Majstorovic tackle was until I saw it again but I'm not going to have a go at Neil Lennon for the way the game was played. "Keith is a totally committed player, like Brown, but he's never gone out to hurt someone. It's sad." McCall revealed he's offered new deals to skipper Stephen Craigan and back-up keeper Lee Hollis. He is waiting to hear from Sutton and Steve Jennings, who've also been offered improved contracts in a bid to keep them at Fir Park. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3597065/Shameful.html#ixzz1NDl8M6AH

HA!HA!,what happened to the '' younger,faster,fitter '' players ya fanny. Weir has played 57 games:whistle: KNACKERED Kris Commons last night pulled out of Scotland's Carling Nations Cup doubleheader after a hamstring injury added to his exhaustion. The Celtic winger has been ruled out of Craig Levein's squad for this week's matches against Wales and the Irish Republic at the Aviva Stadium. Attacking ace Commons won't travel to Ireland tomorrow after a punishing season with Derby County and Celtic that has pushed his body to the limit. Parkhead doctors contacted their Scotland counterparts to outline their concerns over the player. And the 27-year-old was also diagnosed with a hamstring problem after reporting to the international medical staff at Mar Hall yesterday. Commons will now start his summer break earlier than planned and will not be available for Levein. His final act of the campaign was to help his club defeat Motherwell and win the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden. Afterwards, Neil Lennon's bargain �£300,000 buy from Pride Park confessed he was feeling immense strain after the rigours of a tough campaign. Commons admitted then he was struggling for national duty and said: "I'm looking to try to withdraw if possible. "I've played 49 games. I picked up a cold in the last two weeks and was cramping up after 55 minutes [of the Final]. "It has been a whirlwind season and my boy William was born eight weeks ago, which was a joy. For me, this has just been the longest season. "I've never played so many games or scored as many goals, so it would be nice to relax on the beach and reflect on what's happened." The hamstring problem has compounded the tiredness situation and Commons added: "There's no operation needed. I'm not struggling in that sense. I am just knackered." Levein will be frustrated at missing such a key weapon of his attack having already lost Peterborough United's Craig Mackai l-Smit h f rom his frontline. The London Road striker, who was called up for the f irst t ime for the Brazil game at the Emirates in March, will stay at his club to take part in the League One Play-off Final against Huddersfield Town. Skipper Darren Fletcher, of Manchester United, was also an absentee from the or iginal squad due to his participation in Saturday's Champions League Final against Barcelona. Levein will also receive a full dossier this morning on his Premiership stars as the squad begins to gather at their Renfrewshire base before jetting across the Irish Sea. Several of his stalwarts took part in a bruising and emotional Survival Sunday south of the border and the national coach will learn of any more fitness doubts this morning. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/scotland/2011/05/23/carling-nations-cup-injury-blow-for-scotland-as-kris-commons-is-out-of-double-header-86908-23150260/

KRIS COMMONS last night stood by his claim that Celtic are younger and fitter than Rangers - despite his words driving on the Ibrox men to the SPL title. The Scotland star's comments were used as motivation in the Gers dressing room in the vital final weeks of the campaign. But after yesterday's Scottish Cup triumph, Commons claimed again the Hoops are younger and fitter - and insisted they are now older and wiser too. Commons reckons the bitter experience of a last-day defeat in the title race by their city rivals has been a valuable lesson for Celts and will drive them on when the league kicks off again. The former Derby County man played a key role in Celtic's 3-0 Hampden win against Motherwell to secure the club's first silverware since March 2009. The scenes of jubilation by the Hoops players and fans were a stark contrast with their emotions last week when Rangers clinched the SPL crown on the final day. Kris' first taunt came on the eve of a crucial Old Firm clash at Parkhead - and canny Gers boss Walter Smith pinned his words on the Ibrox dressing-room wall. The rest is history. And the claims were thrown back in the midfielder's face by some Gers stars last week as they celebrated their three-in-a-row titles. Commons stuck to his guns and said yesterday: "It's my opinion and I stand by my words. Celtic are the younger, fitter, better side. "Rangers beat us by one point - and credit to them, they have quality throughout their team. "But they didn't beat us because they were fitter. "We can improve. Next year we won't be concentrating on matters outside of football, we'll be concentrating on Celtic and our own performances. "We are a good side that can score good goals. "Guys like Beram Kayal, Ki Sung-Yueng, Gary Hooper and Emilio Izaguirre are all in their early 20s and are still to peak. "They are outstanding prospects. I think we're going to be a force. "In the space of a week we have experienced losing and have now enjoyed winning. "The heartache and loss we felt last weekend will make us more determined next time. "You can't buy experience - look at Rangers skipper Davie Weir. "He's an outstanding leader and it was a pleasure to play with him when I was with Scotland. "Yes, Rangers winning the league was a great achievement. "But from the disappointment we'll get experience. "And you get experience from winning as well. Walking around the pitch with the trophy at the end, with the fans saluting you and throwing scarves and stuff, was magic and I want to sample that on a regular basis. "It's our driving force next year - we don't want to lose anything. We want to win big. "We're on a high after winning the cup and it has given us a hunger to kick on now." Commons admits he never had any self-doubt after Celtic stumbled in the closing stages of the league race to let their Old Firm rivals squeeze past. He said: "I wouldn't say there were question marks about our ability to get over the finish line. "Going into the last four or five games we felt like favourites - but in football nothing is certain. "So it felt great to win yesterday at Hampden to repay the fans for their constant support. "We've believed all season we've a good enough squad to win some silverware - and now we've shown that we can. "Hopefully next year we'll win a few more. If the team stick together we can achieve a lot. "We have a really good squad and when everyone's fit and fighting for places it's a healthy position to be in. Beram will be back after his injury and I hope we get off to a good start and carry on from where we left off." Commons - who had a hand in Celtic's first two goals - celebrated success on a big scale for the first time since winning promotion with Nottingham Forest He said: "I was promoted with Forest but we finished second - so there was no trophy. "This is a similar feeling - the champagne's out, the boys are buzzing." Commons praised gaffer Neil Lennon and said the players would be delighted if his future could be sorted out as soon as possible. The midfielder said: "If we can tie down Neil for another couple of years the lads would be delighted. "This has been a good way to end a long, hard season. "There's not much of a break in the summer before we're back in the swing of things. "I hope everyone comes back from their break for pre-season feeling fit and healthy." Commons is now due to team up with Scotland for the Carling Nations Cup double header in Dublin but said: "I'll be speaking to Craig Levein and seeing what the situation is." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2011/05/22/celtic-have-the-edge-over-rangers-despite-spl-title-loss-says-kris-commons-86908-23148440/

Celtic's young team need to end a turbulent campaign with final victory over Motherwell this afternoon. Neil Lennon can finish his tumultuous first season as Celtic manager with a moment of triumph and hope. His team play Motherwell this afternoon in the final of the Scottish Cup at Hampden Park and victory would frame the season's story as the success of a young team and coach under unfamiliar pressures. Looking forward, though, the crucial first trophy for Celtic's young squad would open the possibility of more rewarding future seasons. At the end of Celtic's league campaign Lennon said that "this isn't the end, this is just the beginning". This reflects a sense that this Celtic team will improve and mature into the coming seasons better than Rangers. Celtic, needing to regenerate, bought young and gifted last summer. The embedding of the new generation produced some thrilling football at Celtic Park. Emilio Izaguirre, Gary Hooper, Beram Kayal and Joe Ledley, all born between 1986 and 1988, have excelled. But Celtic have not quite had the maturity at decisive moments to win a trophy yet. They lost the CIS Cup final in extra-time to Rangers in March. And, when the title was theirs to lose, they did exactly that by losing 3-2 at Inverness on 4 May to gift Rangers the league. Experience teaches the importance of a team winning its trophy; it instils belief for future battles. A victory and a cup this afternoon may equip Celtic with those qualities necessary to beat Rangers to the title next year. It is impossible, though, to consider the meaning of a trophy entirely within the frame of football. This season has displayed the most toxic excesses of sectarianism in the Scottish game. Lennon has been the locus of a campaign of hate unprecedented in British sport. In January Lennon was sent bullets in the post. In March two bombs, one a hoax, the other not, were posted to him. Earlier this month he was attacked on the touchline at Tynecastle by a Hearts supporter. Lennon is known for his combative nature. At times he is antagonistic, although his squabble with Ally McCoist and his hands-cupped-to-ears gesture at Ibrox were reminders of what makes Glasgow's football so compelling. But his conduct in the face of both threatened and actual physical violence has been impressively calm. Walter Smith said this week that similar threats would have driven him out of the Rangers job. "It would have been the end for me," he said. "I would not have been in the job any longer." Lennon is a marathon away from matching Smith's achievements in Scottish football but victory today would reward faultless nerve under unimaginable circumstances. It may also inspire his young Celtic team to greater successes in brighter times. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/scottish/cup-win-can-make-lennon-smile-after-painful-season-2287068.html

Neil Lennon has vowed to change the way he operates after reflecting on a season which has seen him make more headlines than his team. The Parkhead boss can sign off his first year in charge with a Scottish Cup win tomorrow. But, even before the curtain comes down on a season of unprecedented drama on and off the field, Lennon has taken stock and identified what he will do differently. He admitted he has had his eyes opened to how he is viewed by some people, but insisted: ââ?¬Å?That is their problem, not mine. ââ?¬Å?If they canââ?¬â?¢t really see what is going on, or they do see it and just wonââ?¬â?¢t admit it, then they are the ones with the problem and not me.ââ?¬Â Asked if, in light of all that has happened in the past 12 months, during which chief executive Peter Lawwell claims Lennon was demonised in some quarters, the manager hopes people will look at things differently next season, he replied: ââ?¬Å?They might do, but I donââ?¬â?¢t think they will because they are so tunnel vision in their ways. ââ?¬Å?Whatever I do, I canââ?¬â?¢t force them to change their views on things. ââ?¬Å?What I will do is I will view things in a different way in my approach to some areas of the job. ââ?¬Å?I will deal with that at the start of next year.ââ?¬Â The trouble kicked off for Lennon this season when he challenged referee Dougie McDonaldââ?¬â?¢s version of events after changing his mind about awarding Celtic a penalty at Tannadice. But Lennon remains convinced the fall-out from this ââ?¬â?? with McDonald and refsââ?¬â?¢ boss Hugh Dallas losing their jobs ââ?¬â?? vindicated his actions. He said: ââ?¬Å?What we were looking for was a bit of transparency in the way referees were dealing with things. ââ?¬Å?We as a club seemed to have the finger pointed at us. ââ?¬Å?We all know what happened. A referee or officials lied to me, then the story broke through with an official coming out and telling the story that that was the case. ââ?¬Å?It had nothing to do with our club.ââ?¬Â Lennon accepts he remains on a very steep learning curve, but believes he has got more wrong than right on the way. He told Channel 67: ââ?¬Å?I donââ?¬â?¢t think we have done a lot wrong domestically. ââ?¬Å?All managers make mistakes. It doesnââ?¬â?¢t matter if they are in their first year or their 25th year.ââ?¬Â He added: ââ?¬Å?We wanted to win the league. That was a priority, and it is a huge disappointment we have not done that. ââ?¬Å?But this is hopefully the start of something special at the club for the next four or five years. ââ?¬Å?Preparations have already started for next season in terms of adding to the squad and trying to bring more quality in, though weââ?¬â?¢re really happy with the players we have got here, and the improvements and progress we have made. ââ?¬Å?But Iââ?¬â?¢m here to win trophies, and obviously the championship is the big one for me.:grin: ââ?¬Å?We got 92 points, but that wasnââ?¬â?¢t enough, for some reason, and we will have to improve on that next season. ââ?¬Å?Statistics donââ?¬â?¢t mean a great deal. Whatââ?¬â?¢s so important to this club is having trophies at the end of the season. ââ?¬Å?Weââ?¬â?¢ve one more opportunity to do that, and we will give everything we have got because the players and supporters deserve it for their efforts this season.ââ?¬Â http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/editor-s-picks/neil-lennon-i-will-change-1.1102655?40877

NEIL LENNON has hit back at Walter Smith for refusing to criticise Celtic to his face. Smith accused the Hoops of kicking off Scotland's season of shame by questioning the integrity of referees. But Parkhead gaffer Lennon insists Smith is wrong and last night stormed: "I didn't think a lot of what was said by him. I was disappointed by it. "He could've spoken to me about it first, he had plenty of opportunities to do that. "I didn't think there was any real need for it either. I think he's wrong, he's totally wrong. "Mark Wilson hit the nail on the head earlier this week. I went into a referee's room and the guy didn't tell me the truth. Then his assistant came out two days later and blew the whistle on him. I didn't, our club didn't. They did. "Then there were cover-ups and non-truths. It led me to think: 'Well, I'm not the first Celtic manager not to be told the truth'. "You know, I wasn't even going to go into the room that day. It was the SPL match delegate who told me to go in and get a clarification on it. "If another manager had gone in, and the whole thing got exposed, would they be pleased about it? We were just looking for transparency. I don't think that's a lot to ask for. I mean, you are being lied to. "It's not even a major lie, but it just grew and grew into something they created themselves." Lennon revealed he was also unhappy SFA president George Peat, right, was present during a disciplinary hearing. Lennon added: "I went to a disciplinary hearing for the first time and got a six-game ban. The president was there and was in and out of the meeting. Is that right or wrong? Should he be there? He's got a right to be there, but was he at other disciplinary meetings? "So we got legal advice to say it was fundamentally wrong, what they did in the disciplinary meeting." Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3593331/Say-it-to-my-face-Walter.html#ixzz1MwDBvdxY

Just when you think you have heard it all then there is always something turns up that totally amazes you, something you never thought possible. For all the old fogies amongst us who remember the Black and white minstrel show( White singers with their faces painted black) and the Robertson Golly we all thought then that it was unbelievable that these everyday part of life for years, could all of a sudden become racist. Then just last week it was determined that the Smurfs, those lovely wee blue cartoon characters, were judged to be sexist and racist. Seemingly there is only one female Smurf and she is portrayed as weak and the bad guy is always dressed in black. So all of a sudden wearing black has become racist? The Police must be standing at Anne Robinsons door as I speak. I wonder if the Smurfs being blue has anything to do with it? The headlines in nearly all the papers this week was that postman pat was arrested because he was carrying a parcel addressed to Neil Lennon. The poor wee fucking guy hadnââ?¬â?¢t managed to get to Specsavers yet. He had driven through five country lane walls three landscaped gardens, hit two bus shelters and a lamp post. When the Police pulled him out of his van they found a parcel addressed to Neil Lennon. Dangerous driving ? ââ?¬Å?Naw weââ?¬â?¢ll let ye af wi that but having a parcel for Neil Lennon that is a sectarian breach of the pieceââ?¬Â I wonder if his defence will be that it canââ?¬â?¢t sectarian as he is called Pat and therefore a Paddy. As the Scottish Cup Final nears I am starting to feel a bit sorry for Motherwell. Instead of going out and enjoying the occasion they are going to have the fear of god in them not to do anything that upsets the Celtic team. I can just see the Darren Randolph the Motherwell keeper coming out for a high ball shouting ââ?¬Å?MINEââ?¬Â. All of a sudden Neil Lennon is hitting the deck with the rest of the Celtic dugout jumping on top of him to protect him. EntrÃ?©e two Glasgow Bobbies and the keeper is huckled for breach of the piece aggravated by religious prejudice. As Randolph disappears down the tunnel with the two Bobbies he is heard shouting ââ?¬Å?Oh come oan this isnae fair Iââ?¬â?¢m Irish.ââ?¬Â Of course Celtic havenââ?¬â?¢t been slow to play the victim card this season, with refereeââ?¬â?¢s the SFA the SPL and every team they play against all being prejudiced against them. They never get penalties and other teams never let them win, never beaten always cheated. Now I have read that a religious sect is combing the globe at this minute claiming that, it is written in the bible that the world will be ending on the 21st of May. I now have a picture in my head of Celtic being 4-0 up against Motherwell this afternoon. The clock shows just seconds to go. Celtic are passing the ball around playing out time to the end of the game. Then the fucking world ends. Now there is victimisation for you. If the world does not end before the final whistle goes at Hampden Lennon has stated that win or lose his team will be returning to Parkhead for an end of season party. He said it will be good for the morale of the team and it will allow me to release a few balloons. Taxi!!!!

Home Affairs Correspondent POLICE are building up cases against 50 people accused of spreading sectarian hatred on the internet in a crackdown on religious bigotry and violence. They include people who have written abusive comments on Facebook, Twitter and football forums, inciting violence against key figures in the game. Lawyers are warning internet users who considered themselves immune to prosecution are now coming under huge scrutiny and court cases are "inevitable". It comes as new Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland prepares to announce plans to make inciting violence online an indictable offence which would carry a maximum penalty of five years. Police have become adept at tackling internet crime following child pornography investigations and can easily trace comments and internet profiles to their source. Meanwhile, Strathclyde Police have also cracked down on incidents at football games, with more people arrested at two Old Firm fixtures in February and March, than in matches between the two from the previous three years combined. And Chief Constable Stephen House has warned people who send threatening letters, explosives and weapons through the post that the crime is "very detectable" and they run a high risk of being caught. This season has been blighted by sectarianism, fuelled partly by incendiary messages on football forums. Parcel bombs were sent to Paul McBride QC, former MSP Trish Godman, and Neil Lennon, who has also received bullets through the post on two occasions. Lennon was also attacked by a fan who jumped out of the crowd at Tynecastle Stadium, and earlier this week a knife was sent to Donald Findlay QC. Mr House said: "Sectarianism on the internet is certainly a new area for us and we are putting more focus and more resources into it. There's a lot of good things on the internet, but there's also a lot of bad things too, and we need to police that. We're happy to work with the government on that." � Big rise in numbers held for sectarian offences � Pete Wishart calls for Royal Commission He added: "It's the chatroom effect. It's the legitimate fans' website, whether it's the official one for the club or not, and someone comes on and posts comments that are sectarian - that's what we need to deal with, and we need to publicise people being dealt with as a deterrent." He also had a warning for people over mail bombs. "It's very detectable," he said. "We are taking it very, very seriously. There are ways of catching people - I'm not going to get into tactics - but there's a high risk they're going to court." Mr Mulholland's plans are supported by the Scottish Government, which welcomed Strathclyde Police's investigations. A spokesman said: "We back the police in their efforts to crack down on these people. "They should be left in no doubt that they face the full force of the law." Peter Kearney, spokesman for the Catholic Church in Scotland, who says he has received 3,000 offensive sectarian e-mails, voicemails and mail in the last six months, also welcomed the crackdown. "Tackling sectarianism online is a crucial part of any effort to end bigotry since the anonymity which the internet affords can cause many to become viciously intemperate," he said. A spokesman for Celtic added: "The treatment of Neil Lennon through a variety of internet sources is well known and, re- assuringly, this is something which First Minister Alex Salmond has raised as a very important issue which must be tackled." David Craig, 23, from Paisley, and Stephen Birrell, 27, from Glasgow, have appeared in court both charged with breach of the peace in relation to comments posted online. Clyde under-19 player Max McKee was sacked after posting on Twitter last month: "Somebody needs to hurry up and shoot Neil Lennon." It came the day after Berwick Rangers youth player Kieran Bowell was sacked for posting on Twitter that he wished the Celtic manager had been killed. Stirling University student, Lee Dunlop, 22, has been charged with a sectarian breach of the peace for posting a picture of him dressed up as Postman Pat, holding a cardboard box labelled with Lennon's name and his club's Parkhead address. Lawyers are predicting a rush of cyber crime cases to come through the courts. Peter Lockhart, a criminal defence solicitor and member of the criminal law committee of the Law Society of Scotland, said: "There will be more prosecutions, that's inevitable. "The problem has been in the past that people have felt they were immune or unlikely to be detected. Now I suspect they will find the long arm of the law will be coming at them through the internet sooner rather than later." The Criminal Justice and Licensing Act, passed last year, included powers to tackle web hate. Under the act, people can be prosecuted if their behaviour is "threatening or abusive" or "likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm". Crucially, it does not require intent and says people who are "reckless as to whether the behaviour would cause fear or alarm" can be prosecuted. That means ignorance of the possible effects of internet hate cannot be used as an excuse. Mr Lockhart said the challenge for police and prosecutors will be drawing the line between football banter and something more serious. http://www.scotsman.com/rangersfc/Dozens-facing-arrest-over-online.6771237.jp?articlepage=1

So another Scottish Premier League campaign has come to an end. It is a time for jubilant celebration for the victors, quiet introspection for the runners-up and a sigh of relief from the police and emergency services the length and breadth of Scotland. This year, though, only one of those things has happened. On Sunday afternoon, Celtic Park was anything but quiet, as 60,000 green-clad fans roared their support for their embattled manager, Neil Lennon. There is a noisy defiance coming from Celtic right now, the club refusing to be bowed by the hate campaign directed against it this season, culminating in live bombs being sent through the post to Lennon, and an assault on the Irishman by a Heart of Midlothian fan in front of a live TV audience of millions last Wednesday. Across the Clyde at Ibrox, departing Rangers manager Walter Smith, the Wise Old Man of Scottish football (if the Scottish sporting press are to be believed), sounds like anything but a soccer coach celebrating a third successive title triumph. In a broadside against Celtic, Smith told The Scotsman: After the season we have had here, I am more than ready to get out of here, out of Scotland. It has been a fraught year for everybody, I don't think there has been any doubt about that. The season got off to a bad start, in that respect, when Celtic put up a challenge to referees and to everybody else. That got the season off to a bad start and it went downhill after that. So there you have it. Instead of celebrating his team's championship success, Walter Smith felt the need to have a final parting shot at Celtic, blaming them for what Edinburgh broadsheet The Scotsman has labeled Scottish soccer's annus horribilis. It is worthwhile to take a short diversion at this point, to consider the headline of an article in yesterday's (16th May) Scotsman: "The day that Scottish football redeemed itself. But only just." So just how had Scottish football "redeemed" itself in the eyes of The Scotsman? Why, there had only been "a handful of arrests" at matches over the weekend. That's right�in a season where the Celtic manager has been sent bullets and live bombs in the post, and assaulted inside a stadium, the game in Scotland redeemed itself by virtue of the fact there weren't many arrests on the weekend. Oh, and there had been an "exciting" conclusion to the season. How exciting the conclusion to the season was can be gauged by the crackling tension inside Celtic Park and Rugby Park, Kilmarnock, as the destination of the Championship hung in the balance for a full 47 seconds on Sunday afternoon. That's how long it took Rangers to take the lead, which became a three-goal advantage before seven minutes had passed away from home against a frankly woeful Kilmarnock. The excitement must have been unbearable for the neutrals. But I digress. Just what was it that prompted Walter Smith's rather classless dig at Celtic? Surely, as Celtic defender Mark Wilson says, he should be too busy celebrating to be thinking about Celtic. Well, I think not. Walter Smith has inadvertently betrayed his true emotions surrounding Rangers' title win, and it is not one of jubilation. This season has indeed been an annus horribilis for Scottish soccer. Indeed, this was the season that exposed Scottish soccer for the rotten, corrupt, sectarian cesspit it has always been. And Walter Smith knows it. Rangers won the league by a single point. When you consider the intolerable pressure heaped upon Celtic this season, from all quarters, it is a hollow victory. Of course there have been the usual bizarre refereeing decisions, which always seem to benefit Rangers and/or hinder Celtic, such as the clearly offside Hamilton goal in Celtic's 1-1 draw in January. Had that goal been disallowed, as it should have been, Celtic would have won the title by a point. The referee in charge, Mr. Willie Collum, was also in charge of the first Celtic-Rangers match of the season, where he awarded Rangers an extremely dubious penalty, which (unless he has eyes in the back of his head) he couldn't even see. There is also anger directed at the SFA over their handling of disciplinary matters involving Celtic and Rangers this season. They handed Neil Lennon an unprecedented six-match ban for his first offense (being sent to the stand in a match away to Heart of Midlothian in November), later reduced to four on appeal. Following an angry exchange with Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist at the end of Celtic's Scottish Cup victory on March 2nd, prompted by an inflammatory remark made by McCoist, Neil Lennon was handed another four-match ban, which the SFA attempted to make him serve consecutively with the first, rather than concurrently in accordance with their own rules. McCoist, meanwhile, appealed and had the charge against him dropped. At the same hearing, Rangers players El Hadji Diouf and Madjid Bougherra, who had both manhandled referee Callum Murray, attempting to physically prevent him showing red cards to Rangers players, were given derisory fines. Previously, players guilty of laying hands on referees have been handed bans running to several matches. Most sinister of all, though, was the sending of live ammunition and live parcel bombs through the post to Neil Lennon. Bombs were also sent to two prominent Celtic supporters, and live bullets sent to N. Irish Celtic players Paddy McCourt and Niall McGinn. The bullets were sent to the players in January, and subsequently, appearances by both players became a rarity. Following the match against Rangers at Ibrox in April, Neil Lennon found that while the bombs were said to be the work of an individual or a tiny group of maniacs, their actions met with the approval of a large number of Rangers supporters, as many fans in the full house taunted him with chants of "What's it like to live in fear?" The assault on Neil Lennon at Tynecastle last week followed about 45 seconds of Heart of Midlothian fans chanting, "You're getting shot in the morning." As Lennon's assailant was led away by Lothian and Borders police officers, a large number of Hearts fans applauded him up the tunnel. What Celtic has faced this season has been an intolerable campaign of hate, intimidation and attempted murder. Many a Celtic fan has been guilty of intolerance as well. Against that backdrop, how can any reasonable person think that it even matters who wins the title? Walter Smith is fully aware of the depths of depravity to which Scottish football, and the fans of his club in particular, have sunk this season. He knows that they have no real cause for celebration. Celtic were never allowed to compete this season due to the efforts of the refereeing fraternity, the governing body and Rangers fans. Add to that the ridiculously easy ride Rangers were allowed in the closing weeks of the season. Let's have a look at Rangers' record against their top six opponents, before and after the league split: Against Kilmarnock this season, Rangers recorded two 2-1 victories at home and scraped a 3-2 win at Rugby Park. Yet after struggling to three one-goal victories, they somehow were able to thump them 5-1 away from home in the final match. Away to Hearts, Rangers won 2-1 with a last-minute winner and lost the other 0-1, while at Ibrox they laboured to a 1-0 win in February. Yet this month, they cantered to a 4-0 win with several key Hearts players dropped from the team, though, immediately re-instated for their next match against Celtic. Against Motherwell it was a different story. In their first home match, they defeated their manager-less opponents 4-1. They repeated this scoreline in the return match against a Motherwell now managed by ex-Rangers midfielder Stuart McCall, who told the press before the match that he still refers to Walter Smith as "Gaffer" (a British slang word for "Boss"). In February, McCall led his Motherwell side to a 6-0 defeat at Ibrox and the final fixture saw Rangers record another comfortable 5-0 victory. Total scoring in four league matches: Rangers 19, Motherwell 2. Their fixtures against Dundee Utd demonstrate the iniquity of the SPL league split, with Rangers being handed a third home match out of a series of four. They won 4-0, 2-0 and lost 2-3 at home; they won 4-0 away�a match in which that man Willie Collum awarded Rangers three penalty kicks and sent off a Dundee Utd player with each award, one of which was for a foul outside the box. Their record against Celtic was not so glorious, winning the first match 3-1, then losing 0-2 and 0-3 before tying the final fixture 0-0. In the months leading up to the SPL split, Rangers scraped several single goal victories before embarking on an improbable run of thumping wins against what are supposedly the best teams in the league. Very strange. Especially when you consider the affinity three of those teams (Kilmarnock, Hearts and Motherwell) feel with Rangers. It was like a gamer playing Master League Mode in PES, switching the game to its easiest level for the last few games to ensure the win. Walter Smith knows that not only was there no level playing field in Scottish football this season, he knows that the bombs, bullets and intimidation took Scottish football into the gutter and rendered his final league triumph irrelevant. His final win is a hollow one. He knows it and has lashed out at the victim. Blaming Celtic for ruining his enjoyment of his Ibrox farewell. It is only to be hoped that with Rangers taken over by new owners, and if the hype is to be believed the threat of liquidation removed, the game in Scotland can become a fair competition again next season, with no need to protect Rangers from the vagaries of non-Champions League qualification. Well, as fair a competition as competition in Scotland can be... http://bleacherreport.com/articles/704168-scottish-premier-league-smith-reveals-more-than-intended-about-tainted-title

CELTIC manager Neil Lennon has urged supporters to stop unacceptable chanting after noting a re-emergence in recent matches. IRA chants were heard at Tynecastle last week when some Celtic fans clashed with stewards following an incident on the touchline which saw a fan charged with assaulting Lennon. The manager again praised the supporters for their "magnificent" response to him and the team on Sunday as Celtic lost out to Rangers in the title race despite victory over Motherwell. But he urged a minority of fans not to tarnish the club's reputation. In a statement on the club's official website, Lennon said: "Celtic is rightly proud of its unique history and also of its open, inclusive and welcoming spirit. It is this which we hold dear. "While we are delighted with the support we have received throughout the season, it is very important that we ensure that Celtic is always a positive club for all. "We all know it has been a very difficult season for Celtic and we all know what has gone on. "However, we must ensure that we do all we can to uphold the club's reputation. "In recent times, unfortunately there has been a re-emergence, from a small minority, of some of the singing and chanting which is simply not acceptable around our club. "This has no place at Celtic Park or at any of our matches and it must be tackled. "All this does is tarnish the great name of Celtic and embarrasses the club. "As we move towards next season it is vitally important that we ensure we do so positively. "However small the minority of people involved, this behaviour has no place at Celtic and I am sure as we move towards a new season and new beginning, everyone associated with the club will recognise this." Lennon, whose team face Motherwell in the Scottish Cup final on Saturday, added: "We move to next season with confidence, we will try again to bring fast, attacking, entertaining and positive football - and ultimately, football that brings you the supporters the success which your backing deserves." http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2011/05/17/neil-lennon-urges-celtic-fans-to-stop-unacceptable-singing-and-chanting-86908-23137502/

http://www.hibs.net/showthread.php?209677-Neil-Lennon&p=2803270 Their rational views highlight what the informed neutrals think.

briano Today, 8:23 AM Post #1923 Member Avatar Occasional Substitute Group: Members Favourite all-time player jorge cadette I'd love us to win this title, but conversely if we dont I wont be as upset as i have in the past, The progress thats been made this season has been incredible, to be still in the race on the last day after all that has gone on this season is a phenomenal achievement, if the Huns win it it is TAINTED, and i'll console myself in the knowledge that it will be there last for a long time, God bless you Neil for bringing back the thunder celticchampions Today, 8:26 AM Post #1924 Member Avatar . Group: Snr. Member Was gutted after Inverness. I'm over it now, what will be, will be. If the huns canter it on sunday ICGAF, I'll still be in paradise singing for the bhoys, roll on the Lennon Cup Final. junglebob62 Yesterday, 10:50 PM Post #1901 Member Avatar junglebob62 Group: Members if we win this i dont think i could hold back the tears , for all lenny has gone through this year i :pray: that we can do it for him , id walk out of cp as happy as i was the day we stopped them winning ten Gonga Yesterday, 10:53 PM Post #1902 Member Avatar NIUBI Group: Snr. Member Think this would be the sweetest moment of my Celtic supporting life if we were to win this. In fact, if I had the choice between winning in Seville in 2003, or taking the title tomorrow, I would take the league tomorrow. Whatever the outcome, what a effing man Neil Lennon is. delbhoy88 Yesterday, 11:17 PM Post #1910 Member Avatar Getting noticed in the reserves Group: Members If there is any justice in this world i ( neil lennon ) will be holding the league trophy aloft. caigiebhoys brother Yesterday, 11:25 PM Post #1911 Member Avatar First team training Group: Members I just hope the excitement lasts the whole game on sunday. I dont want us finishing our rendition of YNWA at kick off to hear the huns have just went one up. I think that would kill us all I've had that weird feeling in my gut all week ( maybe visit the doctor) that the huns are going to draw on sunday. I just know that whatever happens, the reception neil lennon will get in the lap of honour will take the roof off KEEP THE FAITH CiaranOG Today, 5:09 AM Post #1918 Member Avatar Hooperman CSC Group: Snr. Member Favourite all-time player Paul McStay Out strikeforce has let us down. Commons isn't too far behind them. If Hooper remained fit it might be different, but Sammy (despite his fantastic performances otherwise) hasn't scored, same regarding Murphy. That has to improve. The Huns have had Miller and Jelavic scoring for fun and we call them anti football? Flawless Yesterday, 9:59 PM Post #1884 Member Avatar Considering retirement Group: Snr. Member They'll piss it on Sunday. And we'll be second again, which is a failure. HaddyBhoy Yesterday, 10:37 PM Post #1893 Member Avatar First team training Group: Members Favourite all-time player Henrik Larsson olivertebilycsc 13 May 2011, 09:01 PM Huns will be sure to get a penalty at some stage. If it any point they are struggling they will be throwing themselves on the deck looking for one. Wailer Yesterday, 6:24 PM Post #1865 Member Avatar Soul Rebel. Group: Snr. Member I'll be happy just to win the cup now. The HUNS bombing campaign has had the effect they wanted it to do. Scum. Flynn Yesterday, 6:31 PM Post #1867 Member Avatar First name on the team-sheet Group: Members Favourite all-time player Willie Wallace Keep believing! Tension and nerves can do funny things to players. If we get our game put to bed by half time, say 2 or 3-0, and the huns are still 0-0 then our chances will improve dramatically. If we are comfortably ahead, and they are either level, or even a goal up with about 5-10 mins to go, then their nerves will be shredded. Remember how we defended deeper and deeper at Fir Park, until it became almost inevitable that Motherwell would score. The same could happen to them. They were rocking under pressure from DU in the second half. Remember 1982, when Aberdeen had to beat Rangers 4-0 and we had to lose to St Mirren at home for the dons to snatch the title? Aberdeen were 4-0 up at HT, we were 0-0, and the tension was almost unbearable. Then, after an hour, George McCluskey scored, and the dam burst. We won 3-0 in the end, but the improbable could have happened! Keep the faith!! If big Marvin Andrews can invoke the Almighty to make it happen, then so can we! olivertebilycsc Yesterday, 9:01 PM Post #1873 Member Avatar First-team starter Group: Members Huns will be sure to get a penalty at some stage. brianlara67 Yesterday, 9:06 PM Post #1876 Member Avatar First name on the team-sheet Group: Members Saw a re-run of the goals on Black Sunday on Sky Sport News. After the first one Butcher is hugging one of his assistants like he'd he just won the SPL/Scottish Cup/Champions League all rolled into one instead of his team scoring an equaliser in a meaningless game for his team. They can't hide it. No way in a million years would he have reacted like that if it were them he'd been playing. TK57 Yesterday, 10:53 AM Post #1801 Member Avatar new season, fresh hope Group: Snr. Member Favourite all-time player Bobby Murdoch Miracles only happen in the bible or in daft movies. The huns will get all the help in the world, even if its in injury time that they need it. Murphy Bhoy Yesterday, 1:24 PM Post #1809 Member Avatar Occasional Substitute Group: Members Favourite all-time player George Best What ever happens on Sunday, I'm proud of this team, it's manager and it's fans. We as a club are not simply measured by the number of trophies, we are worth more than the sum of our parts. We all know, our team plays the best football, and we all know we deserve this title, but Lennon will have more chances to win titles. I'm just glad he's turned us around and we are travelling in the right direction. McCoist will struggle to keep up next season. :grin: AC Pete Yesterday, 2:15 PM Post #1818 Member Avatar Hail Hail Group: Members Favourite all-time player Wullie Faulkner We'll win on Sunday. Support Lenny, the team and the fans. Show we're proud of the performance and we'll be back, in larger numbers and hungrier to take the title home next season. Kilmarnock won't get a point... but then, Utd. weren't going to beat the huns a few weeks ago. I digress. Sunday's about Celtic putting in a performance and the crowd showing appreciation for the bravery of the manager and players' performances (on the whole). Bittersweet Timphony Yesterday, 6:32 AM Post #1781 Member Avatar You did not desert me my brother in arms. Group: Snr. Member Do you think Kenny Shiels will send his team out to try their hardest? He seems to be from the Rangers supporting side of Northern Ireland from what I've read, but it's unclear if he supports them. He's said he likes Lennon in a few recent quotes. paulmck1888 Yesterday, 9:12 AM Post #1790 Member Avatar Celtic first, Celtic last, Celtic overall Group: Snr. Member The Killie manager was on radio this morning making positive noises, talking about winning the game.

RANGERS star Kirk Broadfoot last night told of his joy after being cleared of an assault charge. And the Ibrox ace, 26, thanked QC Paul McBride - who has represented Celtic and the club's boss Neil Lennon - for his help after a not proven verdict. The Scotland defender had been accused of attacking businessman Andrew Nicol, 31, at a flat in Ayr last May. After being cleared at the town's sheriff court delighted Broadfoot said: "I'm just glad the truth has come out. "I've had this hanging over me for over a year. I am obviously relieved it's all over. "I'd like to thank my legal team of Paul McBride and solicitor Liam O'Donnell." Nicol, who runs a steel components firm, claimed Broadfoot was one of a group of men who confronted him outside his girlfriend's flat at 3am. He claimed he was pushed and shoved, and added: "After that Kirk Broadfoot swung for me and hit me on the face." Mhairi Hepburn, 35, said she slapped the footballer in the face after watching him assault her boyfriend. Her friend Kerry McKenzie, 27, said she also saw the footballer punch Mr Nicol. And all three witnesses said they heard Broadfoot threaten to "get" Mr Nicol, his girlfriend, his car and his house. But when cross-examined by Mr McBride, they couldn't explain why they omitted to mention the threats in their initial police statements. Broadfoot told the court he'd been a victim rather than villain. He explained he and five pals had gone to the house because they thought there could be a party there. He said Mr Nicol ran out of the flat to confront a pal who had "chapped" the window. The player claimed Mr Nicol had been drinking and was being aggressive. Broadfoot told the court: "He said to me, 'You come back when you have one of them.' He was pointing to his Porsche. "I replied, 'I have got one of these, wee man. That's your daddy's car anyway.'" Broadfoot said it was during this "banter" that Ms Hepburn punched him on the nose "out of the blue". He then called Mr Nicol a "fat wee b******". Ms Hepburn received a warning letter from the fiscal after she was charged with assaulting the star. Returning a not proven verdict on Broadfoot's assault charge, Sheriff Norman McFadyen said he had found it "significant" all three Crown witnesses had failed to mention the specific threats to cops. He found Broadfoot not guilty of a breach of the peace charge. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3586097/Broadfoot-Im-so-glad-assault-rap-was-Kirked-out.html#ixzz1MetgXXoi

Mark Wilson has hit back at Walter Smith's comments suggesting Celtic were the catalysts for a controversy-filled season in Scotland. Smith's final game in charge as Rangers boss was Sunday's 5-1 win over Kilmarnock which secured the Scottish Premier League title by one point from Old Firm rivals Celtic. The 63-year-old then said he was pleased to be leaving Scottish football, believing Celtic's contentious relationships with both match officials and the Scottish Football Association overshadowed the whole season. Wilson disputed Smith's claims, defending Celtic's stance, and was sad the Rangers boss felt it necessary to make the comments after taking his 10th SPL title. Wilson said: "If I won the league I'd just be delighted my team had won the league instead of having a parting shot. "It's disappointing now looking back at the end of the season that the Rangers manager, who has been hugely successful at Ibrox, ending on the final day winning the championship, still feels he has to point the finger at something instead of just enjoying the success he's had. "It was the referees' problem. It's just unfortunate that it was our club at the centre of it. "We were right to defend ourselves in the way we did." Wilson referred back to the October 17 clash at Dundee United, when Celtic had a penalty controversially rescinded in their 2-1 win and the subsequent fallout led to referee Dougie McDonald admitting to lying to Bhoys boss Neil Lennon. After forensic analysis of the events at Tannadice, claim and counter-claim, McDonald accepted responsibility and resigned. Scottish officials were subject to heightened scrutiny and in November they opted to strike, upset at questions over their honesty and integrity. Wilson felt it was unfair for Celtic, who later successfully challenged a touchline ban on Lennon, to be deemed culpable for the events. Wilson added: "When you look back to it - I think Walter Smith will agree, everybody will agree - a referee lost his job for lying to the manager at Tannadice. "That's what kicked it off and it went on from there with the referees' strike. "It was a poor part of the season, no doubt. "We didn't like it, as much as any other team in the league didn't like it. "Every club and manager is critical of referees when they feel they've got a point. "I just feel the evidence has come out now that we were in the right at that time. "I don't think we set the tone for it, no." Wilson agreed with Smith's assertion that the focus went away from football, but he denied Celtic were at fault. "I don't see how that can be blamed on our club," he added. "He has got a point - the focus did go away from football - but I don't think he should be pointing the finger at any club. "It's kind of disappointing that he's left saying things like that." http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8670_6937340,00.html?

What makes football, or any professional sport, so utterly compelling is the knowledge that for every great victory, wherever there is a triumphant winner but also a disconsolate loser. Whenever Rangers win a title, we are always told that it is the worst league winning side in history. Has a Rangers side ever been worthy of the success their efforts have brought? Throughout today's emphatic victory there was always the lingering suggestion, from commentators, from pundits and experts, that Rangers were gifted the title due to Celtic's lack of bottle in the title run in and their improbable, unpredicatable defeat in the highlands. With the draw at Ibrox, where McGregor saved a penalty (awarded for a Celtic dive) that ultimately contributed so vitally to our victory, Celtic merely had to turn up in their four remaining fixtures to collect that 12 points that would seal the title. Unfortunately, Inverness Caley had not read the script and duly dumped the Champions elect (elected by themselves) from the driving seat. As Calscot pointed out in another thread the three points Celtic dropped in their run in is entirely consistent with their record throughout the season in terms of average points gained. It could almost be expected that they would come unstuck in at least one fixture. On paper, Celtic not trampelling all in their wake in their remaining few fixtures would be unthinkable. And as a fan who prepares himself for the worst in such a scenario, I had not expected such an event for fear of my hopes being cruelly squashed. However, it is disrespectful to dismiss the other ten league opponents in such a manner and as Madjid Bougherra said in his celebratory interviews, perhaps our cross city opponents had become cocky. Their arrogance was their undoing. Rangers management team are always at pains to pay the utmost respect to all our opponents and that is no more evident than in the way we approached the opening 7 minutes of our title clinching victory today. We went at our opponents from the off and delivered the victory that counted most. Whilst Rangers dropped just two points (only in an Old Firm draw) in our final ten fixtures since our last defeat to Dundee United, the Old Firm cannot routinely expect to go on such a run of results. A winning run is built upon hard work, confidence and even good fortune. Time and again Celtic have shown disrespect to the rest of the league; in expecting to turn up and be awarded the points without having to contest them (such as at Caley) and also through questioning the integrity of our opponents when we have achieved hard fought victories. Lennon and Celtic questioned the likes of Hearts and Dundee United when we dispatched them with ruthless efficiency, yet had no such concerns about achieving similar results themselves against the same opposition. The other question that must be answered is how late in a season must you drop points for it to be argued that you handed the title to your opponents? Celtic argue they threw away the title, we did not win it, because they lost their 4th last fixture at Caley. Can it be argued, hypothetically, that had they won the title we could point to that loss against Dundee United at Ibrox (a fixture we could reasonably expect to win and which we dominated for large spells) and say we lost it, they did not win it? Clearly it is a ludicrous concept. A league title is awarded to the team that garners the most points over the competitive 38 game season. Whether points are lost early in the season, with four games to go, or indeed with minutes of the season remaining is immaterial. The team which sits top of the pile after the final minute of the final fixture are deserving champions. For the third time in a row, for the 54th time in total, that team is Rangers. Here's to four in a row! :spl:

But I assumed it would be here yet not a peep about it? Bullets or a blade, not entirely sure. I'm absolutely staggered that the BBC completely ignored this while STV had it as their top story. I'm even more amazed that it's not even mentioned on here.

SCOTLAND striker Garry O'Connor did a runner from cops after they swooped on him in a drugs bust. O'Connor, 28, is believed to have been in a car with another person when officers approached, but fled on foot. Officers quickly caught up with the ex-Hibs ace in a lane in Edinburgh and found him in possession of a white powder, suspected to be cocaine. He was detained and quizzed, then released, after being lifted in Hope Street on Saturday night - and the powder was sent to a lab for analysis. Just 24 hours later, Hearts players Ian Black and Robert Ogleby were allegedly nabbed with an illegal substance in a nightclub toilet in the city in an unrelated swoop. Staff at the Lava & Ignite nightspot are believed to have tipped off police. Midfielder Black, 26, and Ogleby, 19, are accused of having a Class A drug in their possession. A police spokesperson last night confirmed: "Two men, aged 26 and 19, have been cautioned and charged with possession." Of the O'Connor incident, a force spokesperson said: "A 28-year-old man was detained and released pending further inquiries." Scotland ace O'Connor - who has caught the eye of Celtic boss Neil Lennon since being released by English side Barnsley - was quizzed by cops last month after his �£100,000 Ferrari was found crashed and dumped. The red Spyder F1 430 smashed into a bridge in Tranent, East Lothian, three miles from his home in Port Seton. O'Connor has won 16 international caps for Scotland, scoring four times. In 2006, after six years, 138 games and 46 goals for Hibs, he completed a �£1.6million transfer to Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow. But after just a season in Eastern Europe, O'Connor's former Hibs boss Alex McLeish took the player to English Premiership side Birmingham City in a deal worth �£2.7million. The big striker struggled to make an impact in England and was loaned then sold to Barnsley last season. After struggling to regain full fitness following a niggling hip injury, O'Connor was freed last month. He has been training with SPL runners-up Celtic with the hope of landing a permanent deal. Former Blackburn Rovers youth player Black signed for Caley Thistle in 2004. His tough-tackling style landed him a three-year contract with Hearts in 2009. Youth-team striker Ogleby is a Wales under-21 player who was signed from Coventry City last summer. Although listed as a first-team squad member, Ogleby has spent the season playing for the club's under-19s. Last night O'Connor was unavailable for comment. A Hearts spokesman declined to comment. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3584877/Garry-OConnor-does-runner-after-drugs-swoop.html#ixzz1MaY1s4mM

BAD boy Anthony Stokes was booted out of the Celtic squad for their vital SPL clash with Motherwell - after a hotel bust-up with Neil Lennon. Boss Lennon was furious at the striker for breaking club rules on the eve of his side's must-win Parkhead clash. Stokes is now sweating on his place in the squad for the Scottish Cup Final and also his future at the club and he is facing severe disciplinary action with boss Lennon set to throw the book at him. An insider told SunSport: "Neil is not a manager to be messed with in situations like these. He acted swiftly and decisively to deal with the matter with the player in a severe breach of club rules." Celtic were staying in one of Glasgow's plush five-star hotels on Saturday night as they prepared for their clash with Well. Hoops insiders last night refused to divulge details of the disciplinary breach. After the behind-the-scenes bust-up Stokes, who has been struggling with a hamstring injury, was told he would not feature in the 18-man squad for Sunday's game. This is the latest blow to hit Stokes in a roller- coaster season. He was an unsued sub for the Co-op Cup Final against Rangers in March and he has been dropped for most of the Old Firm games. Stokes' Dad John slammed the cup final snub with the hitman forced to distance himself from father's comments and he insisted that he wanted to stay at Celtic. Although the 19-goal Irishman has scored some vital goals throughout the Hoops' ill-fated league campaign, he has not started a game since the crucial defeat to Caley Thistle two weeks ago. That 3-2 loss left Rangers in pole position in the title race. Now it looks as though former Hibs, Sunderland and Falkirk hitman Stokes could be on the move again in the summer. Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3584457/Stokes-binned-after-hotel-bust-up.html#ixzz1MaWXnGzY

....so I did and there's a 6 page Champions pull-out inside! Cheers Neil.

Pretty simple: To the tune from the chorus of Sloop John B by the Beach Boys: "Because he's a Dick; Because he's a Dick; We Hate Neil Lennon, Because he's a Dick" No "sectarianism" there, just the facts. Pure and simple.

By Glenn Gibbons Were WH Auden still around to take a poet's view of present-day Scotland, he might well be inclined to make an amendment to Funeral Blues, the elegiac verse now probably his most famous work through John Hannah's moving recital in Four Weddings And A Funeral. To the lines, "Stop all the clocks/Cut off the telephone," the old romantic might have been sufficiently soured to add, "Close down the websites/The game is dead". When, as manager of Celtic, he cursed the proliferation of newspaper hotlines and radio phone-ins, Gordon Strachan was ridiculed in some quarters for painting a picture of those filling the airwaves and columns as low-browed, semi-literate knuckle-draggers with a can of Kestrel lager in their hands and a "devil dug" at their feet. By comparison, many of the numbskulls currently bombarding internet forums with extremely virulent strains of malice make Strachan's depictions look like leading figures of The Enlightenment. While it would be patently absurd to argue that every poster in cyberspace is a half-witted monster, no amount of relatively innocent wind-up sarcasm between more civilised fans can possibly counter-balance the kind of viciousness that has led to the delinquency witnessed at Tynecastle on Wednesday. On the morning after the attack on Neil Lennon, the first post on The Scotsman's thread expressed an untypically articulate, blessedly balanced plea for an end to the outrageous behaviour and highlighted contributory factors to the insanity among several parties, including, naturally, both halves of the Old Firm. Within no time, the same person was back on, noting that the "debate" had descended into the mire even quicker than he or she had anticipated, ending his short condemnation with, "I'm outta here". Curiously, the lifetime of these electronic outlets for every cretin in the country has coincided with the years of deterioration in the standard of Scottish football, possibly even towards demise in its traditional form. But, as the level of performance has declined, media coverage has expanded and supporters' hostility intensified. It is infinitely depressing that so much rage can be generated over a game that isn't worth the breath. At least some of the inflammatory language and dangerous prejudices can be stifled through the simple expedient of disabling the vehicles on which they are conveyed. Newspapers could start by closing forums that don't even bring any revenue. And before anyone starts howling about the denial of freedom of speech, he or she should bone up on the difference between blunt speaking and criminal incitement. As has been said often enough before, nobody, for example, has the right to shout "Fire!" in a crowded theatre. http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/football/Glenn-Gibbons-Fan-forums-are.6768062.jp Aye,right ye are Gibbons,you mHdeia chunts would love that eh?,CLOWN.