Most of us felt a pang or two of disappointment on Saturday it has to be said, and a few lapsed into irrational hysteria with an “Ange most go” club on the verge of being formed, it seemed, after a sub-standard performance against Motherwell.

The Goal Machine Tash Flint fires Celtic into the Women’s Scottish Cup Final against theRangers…

But a simmering winter of discontent suddenly became glorious summer yesterday with two events. First of all there was the semi-final win of the Celtic Ghirls and their qualifying for the Scottish Cup final at Hampden. This win was not spectacular, but it was functional and professional, even though there seemed an awful bother with an earring at one point! But well done, Ghirls, and we look forward to the Scottish Cup final. Some good goalkeeping, I thought, and always lovely to see smiles in green and white jerseys.

Kit Loferski’s earrings meant that she ‘replaced’ Amy Gallagher but was not allowed on the park. Celtic played with ten players for over five minutes before Kit was incredibly substituted!

And then there was Aberdeen and “the northern lights” at full time being belted out by supporters who in some ways are the opposite of Celtic with the rare and irrational euphoria of optimism emerging from the Stygian gloom of depression which usually shrouds that fine city. Even the commentators were talking about the “third force”!

So, well done Barry Robson, a man who was not given a fair crack of the whip at Celtic Park in my view, and no one can really grudge the Dons their moment of glory. Smiles and red scarves have not gone together very often these past few years, and the traditional, moaning Aberdeen, torn face has been much in evidence. Today a smile or two is not entirely out of the question.

Photo by Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock. Celtic’s on loan defender Liam Scales scores for Aberdeen and celebrates with team mates after his long range looping effort beat theRangers veteran goalkeeper Allan McGregor to give Aberdeen a 1-0 lead. Aberdeen v theRangers, Cinch Scottish Premiership, Pittodrie. Aberdeen won the match 2-0.

I once had an excellent example of the Aberdeen “torn face”. Some of us will recall the last time that Aberdeen won something. It was March 2014 when they won the League Cup beating Inverness in a penalty shoot out at Celtic Park (remember that?).

A couple of days after that, I found myself in the Granite City pushing my grand daughter on a swing in an Aberdeen park. Along came a man with a wee boy wearing a red scarf and they occupied the next swing. We talked about the cold weather and the price of things, then I pointed to the wee boy’s red scarf and said something along the lines of “He will have enjoyed Sunday”.

The boy smiled, but the grand dad’s face cracked only minimally and said “Means naething at aw! Aw it means is they can tak penalties better than Inverness. They’re nae a guid team”. It was then I realised that Celtic have no monopoly of unhappy supporters! (Since then incidentally, Celtic have beaten Aberdeen three times in major finals and won the League eight times out of nine starts!)

Aberdeen Interim Manager Barry Robson and theRangers Manager Michael Beale during the Cinch Scottish Premiership match at Pittodrie on 23 April 2023. After the match amateur hour Beale referred to Robson as Derek. Photo Stephen Dobsonx PSI

But Barry is not yet a Sir Alex, and one Scales does not make a Gothenburg. Are we going to see a strong Aberdeen in the next year or two? Well, there can be little doubt that we need one in Scotland. And the game in the split between Aberdeen and Celtic looks like a game to look forward to.

Which brings me to the announcement of the fixtures. As I reckon, we need to draw two games out of five to win the League, and any one win will do it for the 53rd time. A pleasant thought, but of course, Sunday comes first.

You really cannot over state the importance of this fixture in the minds of both sets of supporters. You are not meant to use that word beginning with the letter “t” and rhymes with er, “rebel” .(Are we allowed to use that word “rebel”, by the way? Or do we have to be overawed and impressed by that air-conditioned Coronation Coach?) It was not all that long ago that we did four of these things (that begin with the letter “t”) in succession.

Time for another.

Aye, one or two missed chances on Saturday, but not really all that bad a weekend at all, was it?

David Potter