bmck 117 Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 (edited) Red, white and blue scarf tied tightly round his neck, Ally steps out of the echoing close into the crisp sunlit day. He exhales his hangover, and turns the stark winter air moist. He should have stopped drinking earlier on Sunday morning. He should be sleeping now. But he didnââ?¬â?¢t, and heââ?¬â?¢s not. A few miles away in town, one of the few remaining construction projects is running behind. The bosses, with furtive fears of administration, are offering triple time to the cash strapped workers. The site should be a buzzing hive of reluctant industry. But itââ?¬â?¢s not. On Old Firm day that which ought to be the case often isnââ?¬â?¢t. And at roughly 1:30pm, the away side lost the precious first goal. The half drew to a tentative close. Statistically speaking, an away win should never have been possible. As referee Willie Collum blows the half time whistle, the Celtic players walk towards the tunnel, punching clenched fists in the air. The fans join their players in frenzied optimism: around Parkhead tens of thousands of 'people' who understand the importance of the first goal; the importance of being the first to draw blood. However, a sidewards glance towards the Rangers fans shows despondency notable only by its absence. Theyââ?¬â?¢ve been here several times already this season. They watch the players follow their manager off the park ââ?¬â?? bloodied, yes, but unbowed. What they canââ?¬â?¢t see behind the resolute expressions is the determined machinations of implacable will. As well as an often neglected portion of skill, it is this invisible and limitless determination which has brought Rangers back from behind in 4 out of 9 games, and held the cream of European football to creditable draws. If it had a face, it would be rosy red with thinning silver hair. If it had a voice, it would be soft and polite and prone to saying ââ?¬Å?From our own perspectiveââ?¬Â. Walter Smith has overseen the best start to a Rangers season since the 1920s and Bill Struth. The Old Firm victory he tasted at the final whistle has not lost its sweetness for its familiarity. In the clamour of vitriolic noises about cheating and referees, an unholy choir led by defeated managerial neophyte Neil Lennon, at least one Celtic Fan doesnââ?¬â?¢t lend his voice. Instead he writes ââ?¬Å?Hurry up and retire Walter Smithââ?¬Â on Facebook and goes to sleep. While many column inches will be devoted to the patterns of play, horrific fouls, penalty decisions, missed opportunities and relative quality of the players, the difference between Rangers and Celtic at the moment is just one man. A man that tried to sign Glen Loovens, against whose thigh the ball ricocheted and, with a fatalistic sense of inevitability, tumbled towards goal - tipping the balance of the game irrevocably back towards Rangers. At the final whistle both Celtic fans and Rangers fans find it hard to imagine Glen Loovens as a commanding and worthwhile centre half ââ?¬â?? the former in their despair, the latter in their relief. Yet the man who typified Celticââ?¬â?¢s surrender would no doubt have started the game had he chose Rangers. He may even have been man of the match, and joined a list of names including Cuellar, Naismith, Broadfoot, Bougherra, Miller and Papac in becoming more, under Walter Smith, than they had previously ever been elsewhere. He perhaps should have. But he didnââ?¬â?¢t. A few hundred miles south of Glasgow, Dave steps out into a contrastingly warm early winter Sunday morning. He misses Glasgow, he wishes he was home in the stark winter air, under the cold and cloudless autumnal sky. Yet he has an odd satisfied expression on his face. He has spent half an hour scanning odds, and stumbled across a bet that he likes. Celtic Half Time, Rangers Full Time. It is a silly bet. Away sides donââ?¬â?¢t come from behind on Old Firm day to win the game. He got such good odds because itââ?¬â?¢s a result that should never have been possible. But it was. By 3pm, Rangers have shown why theyââ?¬â?¢re champions and Dave has collected his winnings. By 5pm he has drunk them. He should really be in his bed. And, actually, he is. Edited October 25, 2010 by bmck 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankie 8,150 Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Great wee story mate. I'm babysitting today so you'll have to publish it yourself! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmck 117 Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 I don't think you get to call it babysitting if it's your own weans, Frankie - that's just parenting I'll get round to publishing it later, I need to head out to some calls and catch up with all the work I missed when sick (including sending out the copies of the Copenhagen Post which I'll do this afternoon, sorry all!). 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 90minsofmadness Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Ally :robbo: Dave :spl: 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
theboyharley 5 Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 Fantastic Barry boy, today was a rough day at work. I keep watching the highlights over and over again. The Rangers club in Bournemouth was BOUNCING. Wish i had more of my winnings left 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gisabeer 409 Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 god only knows where wed be if we actually signed loovens when we wanted to. thats no joke either. There is no room for compacency anywhere at rangers just now and this guy typifies it. had we signed him instead of bougherra it would have been us fighting it out against Bragga in the summer. There would have been no league title and we would be up shit creek with the bank. We really got out of jail when we missed out on him! 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmck 117 Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 Fantastic Barry boy, today was a rough day at work. I keep watching the highlights over and over again. The Rangers club in Bournemouth was BOUNCING. Wish i had more of my winnings left Post-humping-Celtic is the only tolerable hungover 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmck 117 Posted October 25, 2010 Author Share Posted October 25, 2010 god only knows where wed be if we actually signed loovens when we wanted to. thats no joke either. There is no room for compacency anywhere at rangers just now and this guy typifies it. had we signed him instead of bougherra it would have been us fighting it out against Bragga in the summer. There would have been no league title and we would be up shit creek with the bank. We really got out of jail when we missed out on him! I dunno, you're only as good as your coach :spl: He could've been Gleny Beckenbauer if Walter had got hold of him In all honesty, he is utter gash though. Neil Lennon's not done himself any favours. You can see his thinking in getting big tough defenders, but they do still have to be decent. To be far, they're far from the biggest club we've outmaneuvered this season 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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