Messages started to drop yesterday from Celtic fans heading to Germany for the Champions League clash on Tuesday against Borussia Dortmund. Meet ups have been arranged. My away day journey will start on Monday morning but for fans travelling from Japan, the US and Asia their journey began yesterday.

Celtic v the rangers game always attracts fans from far off destinations and outside Celtic Park for the Glasgow Derby I met fans who had travelled from Australia, North America and Mexico.

In recent seasons I have noticed that it is not only Glasgow Derbies and Cup finals that Celtic fans are prepared to travel for they are now travelling from all corners of the World for Champions League/ Europa League away games

Celtic really is a global club and we will be in Thailand for the next home game v  the rangers next March with fans from around the globe at the 3^rd Trip to Thai Celtic festival. Nothing beats being in the stadium for these clashes but this is one game I am looking forward to watching on TV.

Before Brendan Rodgers puts all his focus on the massive challenge that lies ahead in Germany he must first head to Perth to take on managerless St. Johnstone. Craig Levein got the sack and the home club have also cut back Celtic’s ticket allocation for the game.

After last weeks win over Falkirk at Celtic Park in the League Cup quarter final. Some sections of the media and some Celtic fans have been vocal about the performance of some of the Celtic ‘. Brendan Rodgers made eight changes to the team who hammered Slovan Bratislava midweek.

In the end the strength of the bench and the substitutions who came off it made the difference. At 2-1 down on the hour mark the manager made the changes to ensure safe passage to the semi-final where in-form Aberdeen await.

Celtic 5 Falkirk 2 the final score. Kuhn the hero of the day with a Man of Match half hour, scoring 2 and setting up Adam Idah for another 2. Is it harsh to single out player’s who have had little playing time? Should we not judge them on more than 60 minutes? Those who slated Kuhn last season will now be only too happy to eat humble pie this season.

Will Brendan Rodgers select his best starting 11 or make some changes ahead of a very important week for Celtic? Lots of questions but one answer is for sure Celtic fans will will travel anywhere to see the Bhoys. Just a pity we can’t get enough tickets to meet decd.

First it’s the bread and butter if the SPFL before dining at the CL table.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes

Celtic kick off their Champions League campaign tonight at Paradise under the lights against Slovan Bratislava. European nights are always special at Celtic Park and tonight Brendan Rodgers will fancy his chances against a team who came through the qualifiers to dine at the top table of European football.

Buses and Boats & Trains and Planes will be busy today with Celtic fans who regularly make the pilgrimage to Celtic Park for home games. League, Cup or Euro games the familiar faces can always be seen in and around the ground on match days.

I don’t expect there to be a clamour for tickets from strange faces tonight before kick off. A few seasons ago when Real Madrid came to town everyone wanted to be in Celtic Park at kick off. Celtic under Ange Postecoglou performed well that night but in the end fell short.

While Ange is concentrating on domestic matters this midweek down South. The current Celtic manager, Brendan Rodgers was in a confident mood at yesterday’s press conference. Happy in the knowledge that he has brought in the quality he wanted and has hinted that he wants to add more quality when the transfer window re-opens in the winter.

The new format should suit Celtic with four home games that Celtic should be competitive in and confident of winning. It would be great to see Celtic Park become the fortress it once was in Europe when our home record was impressive against the big guns of European football.

Celtic have looked really good in Scotland so far this season and have yet to concede a goal in the league and another clean sheet would be most welcome tonight along with 3 points to kick off the campaign before facing the big guns of Dortmund on our first Euro away trip of the season early next month.

With a strong squad now in place and competition for places up for grabs. Brendan Rodgers may keep the same starting 11 from Saturday’s win over Hearts but one person who will be chomping at the bit to get in on the action will be Paulo Bernardo after his impressive performance against the rangers he had to be content with a place on the bench at the weekend.

He faced the press yesterday  and I am sure he will play at some stage in the game but I think the trio who start in the middle will be Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Arne Engels who have all turned in good performances recently.

Kick off is 8pm at a SOLD OUT Celtic Park and the game will be shown live on TNT, Premier Sports, RTE 2 and streamed on Celtic TV.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes, Celtic Fanzine

 

 

Celtic return to action on Saturday after the international break and let’s hope they pick up where they left off. Brendan Rodger’s team have impressed since pre-season and dispatched the rangers just before the break in style.

3-0 and it should have been more the fall out from the defeat has really hurt the fans of the new team. Captain Tav has been taking abuse from his loyal legion of fans.

Celtic sit on top of the table with 12 points after wins also over Kilmarnock at home on Flag Day and on the road in Paisley and Edinburgh. The Scottish Champions have yet to concede a goal. Aberdeen have also took maximum points but Celtic have a superior goal difference.

Hearts took points off the rangers on the opening day of the season but they have struggled since and have have lost all their other games in the league today and are anchored at the bottom of the table with Kilmarnock on 1 point.

The game is sold out and will be streamed live on Celtic TV.

It’s a busy week for Celtic with the Champions League campaign getting under way against Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday night. Brendan Rodgers may look to rotate the squad ahead of the first European night and Celtic Park.

The squad has been strengthened during the transfer window with a busy deadline day and competition for places has been turned up a notch. Fringe players may also get a chance to impress the manager when Falkirk come to Celtic Park the following Sunday for the league cup quarter final.

The players who finished the season with a Cup final win at Hampden against the rangers are back together. Adam Idah returns to the Champions as he signs five-year-deal with Celtic.

With little or no transfer news during the summer since his departure back to Norwich. The Irishman along with Paulo Bernardo gave the tabloids and Celtic click sites something to write about for a fanbase hungry for news on incoming players.

So far none of the other players linked by these media sources in the summer months have materialised into anything other than speculation. All that these rumours and speculation achieve are adding to the frustration felt by many Celtic fans as they wait for more QUALITY signing.

Adam Idah the 23-year-old Irish international striker enjoyed a successful loan spell at Paradise last season, playing a pivotal role in securing a historic league and Scottish Cup Double for the Celts. His arrival in January raised eyebrows with some Celtic fans unhappy with his arrival but he proved them wrong and won all the doubters over.

He made 19 appearances for the club last season, and scored nine goals, including a last-gasp winner in the Scottish Cup final in the Glasgow derby to clinch the double.

As someone who is a regular at Ireland’s international games if he continues last seasons form at Celtic this season it can only be a positive for his international career and those of us who follow the boys in green.

With the band back together we now wait to see if the Celtic Board can deliver that QUALITY Brendan has been constantly speaking about since he arrived back at the club.

Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes

Hibs v CELTIC F.C. Matchday Minizine

 

Competitive football returned to Paradise last weekend and Celtic carried on where they left off in pre-season with an impressive performance against Kilmarnock. We now head to Edinburgh to face Hibs for our first away day of the season.

Tickets are tight with the home team cutting our allocation again but thankfully I have secured one and I will set off before 4am in the morning.

Our last visit to Easter Road was a great night thanks to Adam Idah and a late penalty goal after Kyogo was taken down just inside the box and VAR intervened to allow the spot kick and a vital dramatic away win.

Hibs had plenty of chances that cold night back in February but Joe Hart was solid in the goals. 2-1 on the night and we all headed back into Glasgow in great form and enjoyed a celebration drink or two. Bernardo started that night for Celtic and it was welcome news when he made the move permanent last week.

Welcome news indeed as we wait for more of the QUALITY signings that Brendan Rodgers has been speaking about since his return. Celtic fans are frustrated with the lack of transfers into the club during the summer and are chomping at the bit for some news but all we are getting is headline grabbing rumours from some who should know better.

Bernardo was unveiled to the press this week and following his presser with the main stream media he spoke to reps from Celtic Fan Media. Celtic have engaged with Fan media since Ange arrived and the short lived reign of CEO, Dom McKay who hosted the first fan media conference and introduced us to the man who made jumpers trendy and delivered 5 trophies in 2 years before the riches of North London came calling.

One story this week that did catch our attention was Celtic’s trading update to the London Stock Exchange. The club is in a great financial position ahead of the new season and with 8 Champions League coming up we continue to wait on the QUALITY players we need to make some kind of impact at the top table of European football.

I will sign off with the statement issued to the LSE, signed by Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay on behave of the PLC. Let’s hope they will be signing off on some new players sooner rather than later. We wait in hope.

Celtic has enjoyed a strong on pitch performance in the 2023/24 football season having won the domestic double. In addition, it has enjoyed a successful year in generating gains from player trading. As a result of such gains and a strong end to the season from a footballing perspective, Celtic now expects earnings for the year ended 30 June 2024 will be significantly higher than previous expectations, which were formed before the conclusion of the season and prior to certain player disposals. 

Player registration valuations and player trading can and often do materially influence Celtic’s financial performance in addition to trading revenue. The Summer transfer window is underway and following the closure of the window and the finalisation of the year end balance sheet review, the Club will then be in a position to confirm the extent of its earnings by publishing its results for the year ended 30 June 2024, in line with its usual timetable in mid-September 2024.

 Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes

Celtic announced to the London Stock Exchange this week, that the club’s earnings for the year will be “significantly higher than previous expectations”. The announcement comes at a time when Celtic fans are anxious over the lack of transfer news on the arrival of new players ahead of the upcoming Champions League campaign.

Brendan Rodgers has continually spoke about quality players coming into the club to strengthen the team and you would imagine he had assurances from Dermot Desmond, Celtic’s major shareholder, when he agreed to return to Celtic after Ange Postecoglou left for Spurs.

The change in expectations is down to financial gains made from selling players and a strong finish to last season, the Champions league money including Celtic fans buying 3 match packages and media money. Full end-of-year results will be announced in the middle of September.

Last year Celtic announced a record set of financial results”, with an increase in revenue to £119.9 million (€139.3m), compared to the previous year’s figure of £88.2 million. Pre-tax profit of £40.7 million, compared to £6.1 million the year before.

The Celtic board can not be accused of not having a good business model but they have been accused in the past of falling asleep at the wheel when it comes to the recruitment of the quality players that Brendan and every Celtic fans craves for.

Show me the money!

 

Celtic opened the season on Sunday with an impressive showing against Kilmarnock at Celtic Park. Celtic dominated the game against a team who beat us last season in both League and League Cup. 4-0 on the day and it could have been more. 

Tickets for Celtic v Hibernian in the League Cup are on sale now to Season Ticket holders for the game at Celtic Park on Sunday, August 18.Tickets are available to buy online only, priced Adults – £25, Concession – £17 and Under 13 – £12

Season Tickets will be activated for STH who purchase their seasonal seat before the deadline. Deadline to apply is 9am on Monday August 12. 

All remaining tickets for the game will be available to buy online from 11am on Monday, August 12.

 

Match day and the start of a new season for Celtic Fans has dawned. The summer of transfer speculation will still continue but it will be in the back of the mind for most fans today. Foremost in the fans mind will be a 3 points start to the season against Kilmarnock.

You know when the season is about to restart in Glasgow for Celtic fans. The airport check-ins start on the socials. Hotel receptionists welcome back familiar faces. Celtic pubs are filled once again with Celtic fans. The buses have been booked and boats have sailed. 

Once Brendan and the players have walked up Paradise Way, Celtic Park will start to fill up to see Lisbon Lion, Jim Craig unfurl the Champions Flag. A chorus of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” will have the hair standing on the back of your neck as the Celtic players take to the field. 

Celtic looked sharp in the USA and fans will be expecting more of the same and since returning have signed Paulo Bernardo on a five-year deal earlier this week. 

Celtic fans are happy that Paulo has returned to Paradise, signing for the club from Benfica and I think we have yet to see the best of him in the Celtic Jersey.

The 22-year-old Portuguese midfielder enjoyed a successful season on loan at Celtic last year, making a total of 33 appearances for the Hoops and helping Brendan Rodgers’ side to a league and Scottish Cup double.

He scored four goals, including a stunning strike in a 2-1 Glasgow derby win at the end of December. 

CELTIC ARE BACK!