It rained, in Biblical proportions, as we arrived and as we left, and we were therefore soaked twice, but it was a great night. Celtic coped with a difficult fixture admirably, and sent out a clear warning that our opponents are going to need all the dodgy penalties that they can get, and that the Celtic revival is definitely underway.
The first half was superb with three excellently well taken goals, the first two not necessarily scored by players that one would associate with goal scoring, and every one of them a reward for some excellent football. Then sadly a soft goal was lost, the excellent Tom Rogic was taken off injured, and there was a spell in the middle of the second half when Hibs were the better team. We rode out that storm however and finished well on top with that prolonged business at the corner flag on the stand side of the ground showing just how much the team have learned in the field of match management skills.
There were many pleasing aspects of the play, however. Cameron Carter-Vickers was once again superb and he scored a goal last night! The other thing was that watching from behind the goal (as one is obliged to do at Easter Road) highlights just what a player Callum McGregor is, and the third was the way that Joe Hart reacted to the goals being scored. Joe was not born a Celt, but he is definitely one of us now. Indeed a feature of the team is just how well they worked together. The days of the “reluctant Celt” of last year have gone. From Ange Postecoglou outwards, the team radiates desire to win and to work for each other.
Once again, it would be hard to find someone who was a weakness. Odd mistakes were made, particularly when the team was under pressure, but they were recovered from, and at times the standard of play was exceptional. And history proves that when we win, the other teams crack under the pressure, even when we are not playing them directly. Try 1915 and 1968, for example. We are now very much back in the race, and all we have to do is keep winning.
There were one or two down sides, though. One was the awful rain, another was the dreadful traffic in Edinburgh. Hibs, admittedly cannot do much about them, but they can certainly do something about their goalkeeper’s awful reaction to a Celtic player lying injured with what might have been a serious head or facial knock. He should be ashamed of that!
And there really must be a better way of allowing Celtic supporters to leave Easter Road without having to go across that awful bottle-neck of a metal bridge! There is trouble looking for a place to happen there, and it says an awful lot about Celtic supporters’ patience that they did not try to surge forward and make life dangerous for everyone!
Celtic fans were brilliant throughout but sadly there were a few (I stress, only a few) who booed during the minute’s silence, and I would prefer not to hear the Harry Lauder song of “Roamin In The Gloamin” being perverted into a song which seems to imply some sort of religious superiority, and reduces Celtic fans to the level of other teams.
No objection to any criticism of the British Crown or the glorification of a small nation’s struggle for independence from a colonial super-power – in fact I joined in! – but religious sectarianism is the province of another part of Glasgow, and not Celtic FC which is “open to all”
There were a couple of funny things as well, though. One was the sight of Hibs fans taking their departure before 30 minutes were on the clock! And the other was the “Covid police” being very careful and meticulous, even a bit officious, until a heavy shower of rain persuaded them to abandon ship!
But a good night. Livingston on Saturday. “Face The Ball, Celts” as Sunny Jim of long ago would have said. Do not let the recent weeks go to ruin!
David Potter
And time to leave all the IRA rubbish behind as well. The world and Ireland have moved on and anyway what has the IRA ever done for Celtic? Scots and Irish must be the only people who constantly sing about battles fought 100 to 300 years ago (with the exception of La Marseillaise). Plenty of good Celtic songs to sing and forget all the other dross.
I think the English are rather proud of battles from hundreds of years ago…..
Well said that man.
Rampant Masonic/Marxist/Jewry everywhere you go? Sean South was right.
So now we’ve not to enjoy being roaming Catholics? I’ve roamed near and far supporting Celtic for many a year,in the company of RCs and Protestant Celtic supporters and we’ve always belted out this lovely chant.Once again,some peepul like a march,so I’ll continue to go roaming in the gloaming with my mixed religious and those of non faith fellow supporters….
This song was an embarrassment in the 1970s. It is incredible that any one would sing it in the 21st century. And evidence that we still have a thick mouth-breather element in our support who need to be called out on this Everyone should start booing it if knuckledraggers start to sing it. Get rid of it as soon as possible it is bigoted and sectarian . Cannot complain about their rancid songbook if we have garbage like this. The worst ever Celtic song.
Aye I’ve had to correct myself from partaking in that wee ditty, it dawned on me about 15 years ago whilst leaving Tynecastle. There was a bunch of fans walking along after the match singing and I joined in, I was a bevvied and started yo wonder why my good friend wasn’t joining in. It then dawned on me that his wife was Protestant. Awkward, so I’ll not be singing any longer and it’s because of all of the above reasons, it doesn’t work with our club policy; One Club Open To All.
So, no more RITG from me.
Celtic has a fantastic catalogue of songs which has no reference to the IRA and are the envy of many a club which some have stole and altered. It’s difficult to take the high moral ground with others signing hateful songs when we have some in our own stadium repeatedly heard signing songs which have nothing to do with our club or heritage. It would be brilliant to see our stadium full with Celtic songs being sung and Celtic flags been flown. I’m no angel as I was right among it in the 80’s and beyond, but with everything else changing beyond recognition, then maybe it’s time to dust off some of the old belters from yesteryear and leave songs of hate to the Neanderthals to the zombies.
Lol
Let’s ditch the Tricolour and wave rainbow flags instead while we’re at it.
TAL
While we’re at it, I think it night be a good idea to look at political sympathies of Sean Sabhat before singing about the circumstances of his death.
Sean South was right.
As a football fan and especially a Scottish football fan I object to any form of bigotry in sport all it does is degrade the team the sport and the country it does no good the Scots fans are respected round the world so we need to stamp out this despicable act in our sports.
Bryan
The author may wish to support Hibs instead of Celtic going forward.
WE ARE a CLUB OPEN TO ALL
AND
ITS GOOD TO BE A ROMAN CATHOLIC 🙏💪
Right .a few things here…the Unionist press couldn’t wait to slag off some Celtic fans for not observing silence…I defer. Walter Smith had many great qualities but at the end of the day he was a sectarian bigot..as ALL those who love Rangers are..I cannot in all conscience admire ANY of them…As for songs..yes, Celtic should not sing any Sectarian stuff but Rangers and their fans are different animals entirely…They exist purely as a Sectarian icon..just as Real Madrid exist as a fascist icon… it’s their sole purpose. They deserve nothing but contempt.
Always take note of HONEST mistakes
watch…
BBC (£ ineh hip) party line
🏄♂️