Dark Night in Dundee
Peter Lawell stood down as chairman of Celtic a few hours before we left Glasgow to head to Dundee for the game against United. What followed was a toxic evening in Tannadice. Cruising at half time 1-0 up having watched Celtic miss chance after chance in front of goal to have the game wrapped up by the time the whistle signalled for the interval.
The second half was a whole different story. Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin changed a few small things and the home side put Celtic under plenty of pressure. The home fans got rewarded for their support with 2 winning goals while mocking the Celtic board with chants of “Keep the Board” . Chants of “Martin O’Neill” and “Sack the Board” got louder as frustration grew within the support and that boiled over into some fans calling for Wilfried Nancy to go. He cut a lonely figure walking up the tunnel at full time.
This is Our City and these are Our Colours
I was back in Glasgow the weekend for the Aberdeen game and a couple of gigs. Saturday night The Wakes blew the roof off King Tuts. What a gig it was as the band rolled through their back catalogue including the first song they ever recorded 20 years ago in the Hoops Bar The Pogues classic “ Thousands are Sailing”.
On the night over £2000 was raised from the sales of merchandise and a bucket collection for Palestine. Its not very often these days you get all The Wakes on one stage and this really was a Christmas Threat. The Wakes are back on stage in Glasgow at St. Lukes in June. Keep an eye out for date and ticket info.
Bhoys Ultras
Match day and the Bhoys are out and about early preparing for their Winter Collection. Celtic fans as usual put their hands in their pockets to donate to the bucket collections and brought warm winter clothing which will go to a number of homeless charities. Well done to all involved.
Celtic Fans Collective
The Celtic Fans Collective held a protest outside Celtic Park before the Aberdeen game at 2pm. It was very well attended. Those gathered heard speakers address Peter Lawell stepping down as Celtic chairman after allegations of harassment to him and his family which they described as baseless and part of a wider pattern of allegations being made against Celtic fans which have included a newspaper story has even alleged that a supporter brandished a knife at board members during the match against Dundee United. Photographic evidence makes it very clear that this allegation is completely unfounded.
A statement ahead of the protest from the stated The Celtic Fans Collective is committed to peaceful and principled campaigning to hold our board to account. The real story is that our club is in disarray both on and off the park. The Celtic board is responsible for the team’s decline and for the growing disconnect between the club’s leadership and its supporters. The longer they remain in place, the more damage they will do to the club we all love.
Celtic supporters have a long and storied history of organising collectively, often against overwhelming odds, to achieve great victories. This moment in our club’s history calls on fans to unite once again and to send a crystal-clear message to the current custodians: your time is up.
Finally some Christmas Cheer
Celtic Park was like a morgue on Sunday afternoon. There was about 20 thousand empty seats. The atmosphere was empty as well. At times you could hear a pin drop or the Aberdeen fans who had travelled breaking into song and chanting “Keep the Board”
The only time the stadium came to life was after Celtic scored and thankfully we celebrated 3 goals and it should have been more as Celtic dominated the game but still gifted 10 man Aberdeen a goal to level it and heap more pressure on the new manager Wilfried Nancy until Kieran Tierney and James Forest lifted the gloom late in the game. The win will makes it a Happy Christmas and a big relief for all of us who love Celtic.
Happy Birthday
After the game we hit the turnstiles to celebrate and wish Shebeen front man Alan Quinn a very Happy 60th Birthday. Himself and big Pat had the place rocking as usual. Next stop was the Tollbooth for more pints of Stout and a solo gig by Paul Sheridan from the Wakes before we headed to the famous Barrowlands Ballroom for the Mary Wallopers gig.
A bit of the Wee County in the City
What a way to wrap up the weekend as we head into Christmas! County Louth is wonderful and so are their natives The Mary Wallopers, the first band ever to sell out 5 consecutive nights in the famous Barrowlands Ballroom. The Q was down the street when I arrived with Paul after he finished his gig in Tollbooth. Standing outside the venue looking up at the lights and I am hearing the Wakes lyrics about the famous venue and the East End of Glasgow in my head.8:30am at Glasgow Cross “The stars of the ballroom light up the night sky . . . God Bless Gallowgate!
Thanks to the Mary Wallopers drummer Ken for putting us on the guest list your reward is a Celtic Soul T-shirt which is making its way to you in the post. Inside the place was buzzing, bars were packed and craic was mighty and it was about to get even better when the band came on stage.
They welcomed and thanked all the good cunts for turning up over the five nights on this the final one and lifted the roof into the night sky with a performance full of energy and enjoyment. The intro music was from Joe Dolan (no show like a Joe show). When you come out on stage and mention Celtic winning earlier and your voice is almost gone from singing “Merry Christmas – Fuck the Huns” ye know your going to get a heroes welcome – which they did.
From start to finish it was a performance with love and unity both on and off stage. Sure we were off to Dublin in the Green by the time we went out into the cold Glasgow evening. After all the drama of the day we retired around the corner for a quiet pint or 2 to Traders, Carol the land lady welcomed us and we were joined by the Glasgow Godfather of Rebel Music big Pat. As the pints flowed so did the stories on nights like these you wish you had the recorder rolling to capture the conversation for the Celtic Soul Podcast.
Home for Christmas
My flight was delayed at lunchtime on Monday home but I could not have been happier, my son Conor had flown home from Toronto earlier to surprise his Mammy for Christmas. I had just had a brilliant weekend surrounded by great friends listening to great music and watching the Celtic. What started out last Wednesday Night as a toxic evening in Dundee had turned to one of the best weekend’s of the year helped by the relief of Celtic winning.
Merry Christmas to all our readers, listeners and viewers
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