ian1964 10,448 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 GOOD riddance to 2012. A year that didnâ??t just leave a scar on the face of the beautiful game, it completely mutilated her, like a 12-month long acid attack. So when the bells sound at midnight tonight raise a glass and send the assailant on its way. Slam the door behind it and welcome in a New Year that can surely only be kinder and more considerate to our national sport. We simply canâ??t do with another year like the last one. None of us. Since 2011 â?? or whenever the first crayon-scrawled death threat dropped through Neil Lennonâ??s front door â?? football in Scotland has been poisoned by a nasty air of malevolence. It has become a stinking madhouse, dripping with suspicion and paranoia. And we should take no more of it. Yes, 2012 will be remembered fondly by some. They will cherish the memories of how Rangers were savaged by a foaming-mouthed pack and then ripped limb from limb. These bloodthirsty ghouls would gladly watch it all happen again tomorrow, such is the depth of their hatred but it is time now for the more gentle, civilised and decent minded among us to rise up and to quietly take our ball back. Why must Scottish football belong only to the angriest of men? Why should the rest of us stand back any longer and watch them ruin it, motivated only by their ingrained bitterness and resentment? Have we not all suffered enough? Something has gone badly wrong in this country. Good people are turning their backs on Scottish football in their droves because they no longer feel welcome. They have no wish to live their lives in such a furious and rancid environment. Thatâ??s why my heart sank just a little further last week when news emerged of serious misbehaviour on the terraces of Dens Park on Boxing Day, when Celtic were in town. Hands up, I wasnâ??t there to see it but plenty others were and some of the eye-witness accounts of what went on among sections of the travelling support paint an utterly disgusting picture of drunken neddery. No wonder chief executive Peter Lawwell and manager Neil Lennon were quick to condemn those involved because this was a highly embarrassing end to what has been an otherwise sound year for the club. The progress made on the pitch by Lennon and his players has enhanced Celticâ??s reputation and international standing. Lawwell spoke eloquently at the recent draw for the last 16 of the Champions League in Nyon about how the rest of Europe was so pleased to have Celtic back at the top table, almost like the prodigal son. Okay, maybe he was laying it on a bit thick but he also had a point because Celtic Park on a Champions League night can be a special place. Maybe even one of Europeâ??s finest. This seasonâ??s competition has been all the richer for the story of Celticâ??s remarkable successes in the group stages, even if Michel Platini has been trash talking Celticâ??s chances of hanging around with the big boys for any longer than it takes for Juventus to deal with them. That may or may not be true. For what itâ??s worth, unlike Platini, I actually fancy Lennonâ??s men to be the last British side standing in the quarter-finals. But thatâ??s for another day. Either way, back in the here and now of it all, Lawwell will have been mortified by the disturbances in Dundee which did nothing to enhance the cuddly-toy image he is so keen to promote on a global scale. Yes, in these times of whataboutery some Celtic fans will no doubt point to the arrests made at Hampden on Saturday among the Rangers support and insist the other lot are every bit as bad. But that would be to deliberately miss the point. There is a problem here which needs to be recognised before it can be fixed and so, as badly timed and as unwelcome as it was, the latest flash-point in Dundee may actually have presented Celtic with a perfect opportunity to start the big clean-up on behalf of all of us. To lead the way by beginning the process of clawing the game back from the clutches of the lunatic fringe. Itâ??s now a matter of how serious the club wishes to be about lancing the boil because if they are determined enough, then surely with the help of CCTV and the Tayside Police they will find a way of identifying some of the worst culprits from the other night â?? of hunting them down and banishing them from the Celtic family so this unruly minority can do no more damage. Of course itâ??s a difficult task for Lawwell because he could be accused of turning on his own customers which is hardly good business. But Lennon was spot on the other day when he said that Celtic would be better off without them in any case. Also heartening was the response of those thoroughly decent Celtic supporters who were equally appalled by some of what went on in Dundee and who have subsequently contacted the club to name names. They too have had enough and good on them for having the courage of their convictions and the gumption to do something about it. They too want their ball back. And they are not alone. Up and down the land, at almost every club, there are good supporters who have become tired, embarrassed and dismayed by the antics of others. So now that 2012 is over and a New Year is upon us, Celtic have the chance to start a trend which could sweep throughout the football landscape during 2013, cleansing it for the rest of us. It is time for Scottish footballâ??s silent majority to find its voice. To stir itself and refuse to accept the unacceptable any longer. And maybe this time next year the beautiful game will be smiling again and looking a damn sight more pretty than she does right now. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aweebluesoandso 290 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I think Jim Traynor's shoes are far to big for a junior reporter. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
der Berliner 3,286 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 They are not even cleansing the SPL right now. They were touted for a Treble last season (and probably similar stuff the season before) ... but the Scottish hacks simply will not learn that football never works like that. Then again, to grasp that you'd have to have a mental age of at least 12 ... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovanAllan 0 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Didn't read it but I read McMurdo's blog on it. So I take it, it's the usual crap from Wacko & The Daily Rhebel. Oh well maybe we will get some real journalistic work from them next year, we can but live in hope. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bossy 0 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 If anyone is waiting for Lawwell to take decisive action against the pro-terrorist bigots in the Celtic support then, I fear, they are in for a very long wait. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERRAB 3,299 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 If anyone is waiting for Lawwell to take decisive action against the pro-terrorist bigots in the Celtic support then, I fear, they are in for a very long wait. Likewise Scottish polticians (MP's & MSP's) who turn a blind eye to this 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lloret1972 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Love it how Jackson is now acclaimed 'Sports Reporter of the Year' in a banner above his full page blog. He'll never fill Trainor's shoes. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuznetsov 0 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 to suggest celtic can do anything to benefit our game is foolish. they are out for one thing and one thing only, themselves. jackson is a naive turncoat and a fool. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stimpy 0 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 Methinks Keith's been sampling some LSD. Celtic lead by example and cleanse the game of hatred? Celtic brought hatred to our game. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DUDE 0 Posted December 31, 2012 Share Posted December 31, 2012 I predict things to just get worse within Scottish football next year. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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