Author Archives: celtic

SNOW BEFORE THE MELTDOWN

Celtic fans travelled on Saturday from Glasgow to the Highlands to cheer on the Bhoys on a bitter cold day. Some fans journey began on Friday night or in early hours of Saturday morning.

A kick off in Dingwall at 12:30pm is not an ideal time for a kick off for those travelling from the Emerald Isle or further afield but fair play to everyone who made the effort. They were rewarded with a 4-1 win which always makes the long journey home worth while

I watched the game in the comfort of my own home before joining fellow Celtic fans from Ireland and Scotland for the marriage of Kev the Tim Ross and Leanne at the very impressive Ballymagarvey Village in Co. Meath.

With only one winger available Yang, Kyogo moved out wide from his normal starting place up front and chipped in with 2 goals along with a penalty from Arne Engels (re-taken after the goalkeeper moved off his line when saving his first effort). Luke McCowan wrapped up the goalscoring on the day.

Brendan Rodgers cut a happy figure after the game in his post-match interview and spoke about McCowan and the introduction of Johnny Kenny from the bench. The Irish under 21 Irish international was signed from Sligo Rovers before going out on loan to Shamrock Rovers and only recently returned from that spell after impressing in the Europa Conference League where he was scoring freely.

The win put Celtic 18 points clear of the rangers who narrowed the gap to 15 points after a 3-1 win at Ibrox over struggling bottom of the table St. Johnstone on Sunday.

The natives in the Blue Half are getting restless. The Union Bears and their supporters association called for fans to leave at 55 minutes in portest. The Ultra group carried out the threat and left to boos from other rangers fans in the stadium.

Another win keeps Clement in the job and the fans divided as the melt down continues while the conversation among Celtic fans is the transfer market as all attention turns to our away trip to Dundee tomorrow night.

The weekend football brought the snow before the meltdown what will this week bring.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast 

THE SHANE MACGOWAN SONGBOOK

Paul Sheridan returns to Drogheda to perform the Shane MacGowan song book on Saturday 01 February at the Purple Room.

Paul is the lead singer with Glasgow Irish Folk “N’ Roll outfit The Wakes who have played venues across Europe including a headline show in the famous Barrowlands Ballroom in their home town. Paul and the Wakes have shared the stage with Damien Dempsey and Billy Bragg.

Paul returns with his Solo Show after selling out last years gig in Drogheda so early booking is advised for this one. He will be joined on the night by some very special guests.

Doors 7:30pm. Support act TBC and after party with Milish

NORMAL SERVICE RESUMED

Weather played havoc with flights on Sunday out of Dublin Airport. We were due to fly out at 11am to Glasgow but were delayed one and a half hours for our departure due to incoming aeroplanes from the UK being grounded for a few hours due to runaways closed down.

There were plenty of familiar faces in the bar close to the departure gate and it is always great to catch up with old friends for a chat. I also met some Liverpool fans from my hometown, Drogheda who had been due to depart 6:15am and after sitting on the run way for the guts of 3 hours were taken off the aeroplane and had to wait till after midday to finally get to reboard and take off for John Lennon airport.

When we had finally boarded our plane and we were sat on the run way I checked my phone to get an update on the Hibs v the rangers game at Easter Road. 0-2 to the rangers after 20 minutes but by the time we landed it was 2-2 and finished 3-3.

The mini revival was again put on hold for another meltdown from the fanbase after their managers stay of execution last Thursday after beating an under performing Celtic team at Ibrox.

On the bus into Glasgow the starting 11 popped up. Scales, Bernardo, Hatte and Kyogo made way for Trusty, McCowan, Engels and Idah. Brendan using the squad rotation again with so many games to play we are lucky to have the financial muscle in Scotland to have a strong squad.

Today there was no time for pre-match drinks or meeting up with mates in the city centre before the game. Due to the delay it was straight to Celtic Park from Glasgow Airport. There was barely time to grab a Paradise Windfall or browse through the match day programme before I was in my seat and the players were in the huddle.

I’m sure I read the game was a sell out but there were plenty of Celtic fans standing outside the stadium with tickets held high in the air trying to sell them before kick off in the cold. It is about time Celtic supporters started talking to the club about a resale option for season ticket holders. There were empty seats throughout the ground. More bums on seats means more matchday revenue for the club and some cash back for the season ticket holder who can not attend.

Another MOTM performance from Nicolas Kuhn and he scored two of the three Celtic goals with Trusty also in target as Celtic ran out 3-0 winners to increase the points gap between Celtic and the rangers to 13 points. Normal service was resumed in Scottish football after Thursday’s surprise at Ibrox. Not even a power outage at Celtic Park could stop the Celts as the stadium emergency generator kicked in to get the game restarted.

In the North Stand Curve, The Green Brigade unfurled a banner to Paddy Hill who passed away recently “ For 16 Years they were talking to the wall – RIP Paddy Hill.

Our flight was scheduled for 7pm but it was delayed until close to midnight. The night was spent in the airport in the company of some great Celtic fans exchanging stories of all sorts of shenanigans on our trips over the decades.

We go again on Wednesday when Dundee United visit Celtic Park. No rest for the Celts.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast 

CELTIC SOUL PODCAST | Matt McGlone Alternative View / All things Celtic

The Celtic Soul podcast returns for the first episode of 2025 and host More than 90 Minutes Editor, Andrew Milne welcomes back Alternative View Editor, Matt McGlone to chat about all things Celtic.

The Bhoys look back on 2024 through green tinted glasses and talk about recent games over the festive period and look ahead to upcoming fixtures both in Scotland and Europe.

They chat about former players and recount famous Celtic away days from Milan and Kiev and meeting former players from meeting members of the Lisbon Lions in Glasgow pubs to sharing the stage interviewing many Celtic greats.

They address the need for Celtic to introduce a resale ticket system for season book holders to allow empty seats to be full on all match days and to give more people the chance to enjoy a game at Paradise.

Listen to how Matt ended up with one of Mo Johnston’s boots from Love Street in 1986 and then blanking him at a petrol station in Glasgow when he done the unforgivable and crossed the city for 30 pieces of silver and he will forever be known now as Judas.

Listen Now on Audio or watch on Celtic Fanzine TV

 

LIFE OF GOVAN-BORN PRIEST TO BECOME A MOVIE

When young Martin Gordon played in the streets and parks of Govan as a boy, never once did he dream that one day he would be playing football in London with Billy Wright, Trevor Ford, Jimmy Logie, Henry Cooper, Brian Blessed and Norman Rossington. This is only a small part of Father Martin Gordon’s remarkable story which is planned to adapt for the movies.

Born at 5 Harmony Row, Govan, on the 15th of April, 1931 in a single tenement standing opposite St.Anthony primary school and St.Anthony’s chapel, both of which Martin was to attend. His home was on the second floor of the tenement, above a pawnbroker, who the young boy noticed, was very busy on Monday and Saturday mornings, when crowds of women climbed the stairs to the premises. His own mother was also a visitor.

Martin lived through the war, attending St. Anthony’s for his primary education, and spending two years at St. Gerards secondary school. However, his life was to change dramatically in 1945 when he went to live with his father’s sister Sarah Ellen, also known as Nelly, and her husband John McGowan, who had a farm in the lovely seaside village of Enniscrone, County Sligo.

Always a devout boy, he immersed himself in the many missionary magazines his aunt subscribed to. Before long Martin began seeing himself as one of the priests he was reading about. It was no surprise then that in September 1950, Martin left the farm to begin the long road to the priesthood – despite John McGowan begging him to stay – as dressed in clerical black, Martin was about to walk out the door, where his aunt stood with a holy water bottle in her hand.

In 1954, while a clerical student, Martin was instrumental in founding Enniscrone Utd. And in 1958, following the Munich disaster which killed eight of the ‘Busby Babes’, he organised the Manchester United Memorial Cup tournament that summer and refereed the Final.

Ten years later, Martin was ordained a Pallottine Father and appointed to the parish of SS Peter and Paul, Amwell Street, London EC1, where he was to remain for five years. During that time, he founded a parish football team, Marian Roves, and kitted out in the colours of Brazil. In its first season, it reached the semi-final of the cup and were runners-up in the league. Fr. Gordon played in a number of games and is the proud possessor today of a runners-up medal.

Through his friend Pat Sherlock at Mills Music, he became honorary chaplain at Chelsea Football Club, enjoying refreshment with the players after games at The Bridge. Terry Venables invited him to his wedding and George Graham remains a friend to this day.

Celtic has always been his team. And enjoys watching their games on TV at his home in Cork. Prior to Covid, he had become a guest at the Friars Walk Tavern, Cork’s shrine to Celtic, after organising a Tribute mass for Billy McNeil attended by Bobby Lennox and John Clark.

WE GO AGAIN ON SUNDAY

For the past few days I have been struck down with a bug only leaving the house to walk Henrik my faithful dog. So yesterday instead of joining my mates in the pub for the rangers v Celtic game I was stuck on the sofa under a blanket watching the game.

An hour of build up with Neil Lennon and Kris Boyd for company brought back bad memories of the Covid season when Celtic’s 10IAR season evaporated before our eyes while living under travel restrictions and empty football stadiums.

What followed on yesterday was Celtic’s worst performance of the season and maybe even the worst from that dark season. It’s not the first time we have lost in Govan and it will not be the last but what is most upsetting is the way we lost.

Brendan Rodgers and the Celtic players have been given high praise for delivering  3 trophies out of 4 since Brendan returned to the Celtic Park hotseat and after yesterdays performance they deserve criticism. The players for a spineless performance and the manager for making no tactical changes and replacing players with like for like when really we needed a plan B.

Right, now that I got that off my chest it is time for our manager, players and us the Celtic fans to dust ourselves down and go again on Sunday when St. Mirren visit Celtic Park. Yesterday we dropped 3 points, we are still 11 points clear, yes we were gutted to lose to our Glasgow rivals but one hot day does not a make a Summer.

Brendan Rodgers got a rare taste of defeat in the Glasgow derby and he will want to get things back on track straight away and he and the Celtic players will right that result at Celtic Park in March.

For now the rangers meltdown is on hold and their manager has been given a stay of execution  from their fans until their next defeat when they will be calling for his head once again.

We dust ourselves down and we go again on Sunday. I’m sure I will see plenty of our readers Sunday in the airport or around Celtic Park. We are back in More than 90 Minutes HQ on Monday to start a new issue of the fanzine and record the latest Celtic Soul Podcast.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast 

 

FOOTBALL WITHOUT FANS IS NOTHING

When the rangers spit the dummy out and cut Celtic fans allocation for Ibrox it started a spiral that ended up with no Celtic fans at their place and no rangers fans at Celtic Park. It all took something away from one of the biggest derbies in the World.

I have always enjoyed going to Ibrox and standing in the Broomloan end cheering on the bhoys. Early morning flights, a pint or two and then jumping on a supporters bus to Govan before the walk to the back on the stand passing the round about where Celtic fans gathered in the hope of the getting a last minute ticket.

The atmosphere was always great. Celebrating wins was always magical but we also witnessed defeats which were hard to take on a journey home but that is part and parcel of supporting your team. Enjoying the highs and dusting yourself down after lows ready to go again.

Waking up this morning in the dark and realising that you could not travel to the game was disappointing. The winners are the pubs and clubs which will be packed with Celtic fans all around the globe. Celtic are also showing a beam back at Celtic Park but nothing would beat standing with thousands of other Celtic fans behind the goals to welcome the Celtic players before kick off and raise the roof when they go into the huddle.

Hopefully both clubs can get together and sort out the mess created by the blue half of Glasgow and get the fans back in. Celtic are sitting pretty on top of the table 14 points clear of the rangers and will travel across the city in confident mood. Whatever the result is today Celtic are still odds on favourites to retain the SPFL trophy but bragging rights and pride are important to both sets of fans.

The game is live on Sky Sports and will be streamed on Celtic TV.

Football without Fans is nothing – Jock Stein

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast