When I started following Celtic back in the late 1980’s. Club legend Billy McNeill was the Celtic manager and he delivered a Centenary double winning season for this young teenage Celtic fan who was drawn to Celtic by the Irish connection and an older brother’s influence.

Since then I have witnessed Celtic make many managerial appointments. Some good some not so good. Ange Postecoglou and Wim Jansen spring to mind as two surprise appointments which turned out to be really good ones. Wim stopped the 10 and won a double in his only season. Ange played an exciting brand of football and won 5 trophies in his 2 years at club both short but very successful and enjoyable periods in Celtic’s unbroken history.

Martin O’Neill’s time at Celtic first time around was one of my favourite times following Celtic. He delivered a treble in his first season, the first manager to do it since Jock Stein. He was also the first and only manager to take us to a European final since Jock Stein. That whole run to Seville travelling around Europe was such a buzz and in a few weeks ago were back in Stuttgart for the first time since 2003.

There were also manger appointments which just did not work. John Barnes and Tony Mowbray spring to mind but none of us imaged just how bad Wilfried Nancy’s short time would work out as Celtic manager. Martin O’Neill was always going to be a hard act to follow after the club legend replaced Brendan Rodgers and steadied the ship Nancy was unveiled not at Celtic Park but at Lennoxtown.

It was not an ideal time to take the reigns at Celtic and many people have since questioned the Celtic board’s timing of the appointment. The relationship between the Celtic Supporters and the Celtic Board will not have helped him either.

In his first 3 games in charge Nancy lost a top of the table clash with Hearts and Roma came to a soulless Celtic Park in the Europa League and left with all 3 points. Celtic Park was once a fortress on big European Nights but that night was one of the worst atmospheres I have ever witnessed in the East End of Glasgow.

Celtic lost a League Cup Final to St. Mirren. All this happened within one week for the new Celtic manager in his first week of games. Celtic conceded 8 goals and scored 2. Fingers were starting to point at not only him but those who had employed him.

The following Wednesday we made the journey to Tannadice to play Dundee United. At half time Celtic were winning 1-0 and in total control of the game. What ever was said in the Celtic dressing room at half time had the opposite effect than what was said in the home dressing room.

Celtic were battered in the second half and beaten 2-1, the Celtic board were battered with abuse on the night and some of Celtic’s travelling support let Nancy know where they wanted him to go as he cut a lonely figure walking up the tunnel on his own after the game. Before the game Peter Lawell stood down as Celtic chairman and was replaced by longtime non executive Celtic director Brian Wilson.

In the next two games during the festive period we got some Christmas Cheer. Nancy got his first win at Celtic Park with a 3-1 over Aberdeen and away from home Celtic beat Livingston 4-2 to take some of the pressure off the manager and the Celtic CEO Michael Nicholson who had boasted about how Nancy was the No. 1 candidate for the job and they had got their man in a rare interview with Celtic TV.

Motherwell have impressed everyone this season with their style of football under new manager, Jens Berthel Askou. After two Celtic wins the wheels came off the bus at Fir Park when Celtic were played off the park and lost 2-0 on the night. The pressure was back on the Frenchman.

Next up the rangers at Celtic Park and at half time you would be forgiven for thinking that the Nancy system may just work after dominating the visitors in the first half and going into the break 1-0 up after a Yang goal. Celtic collapsed again in the second half and lost 3-1.

The writing was on the wall for the manager and within days Nancy was gone after only 33 days in charge. His record read Played 8 Won 2 Lost 6 Drawn 0 Goals For 11 Goals Against 18. He was not the only casualty Celtic’s head of recruitment Paul Tisdale got the sack and left the club along with Nancy’s backroom team.

O’Neill once again answered the Celtic call and together with his backroom team they were back on the Lennoxtown training pitch and returned to the Celtic dugout at Celtic Park and took up where they left off with a 4-0 win over Dundee United. Performances have been mixed since then but results have been good both home and away in general with exception of two home defeats to Stuttgart and Hibs.

Celtic now enter into such an important faze of the season. After two weeks on the road including Stuttgart in Europe away it was a good result but not enough to keep our European dreams alive. The rangers in the League and in the Scottish Cup both at Ibrox and a rearranged fixture away to Aberdeen were tough assignments but those results may define our season and if we see Callum McGregor lift more silverware.

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

On Saturday Motherwell come to Celtic Park to take on the Champions. They have been one of the surprise packages in this seasons SPFL. Hearts remain in the driving seat 4 points ahead of Celtic as we head into the business end of the season. Celtic’s win away to Aberdeen seen them leap frog the rangers into second in the table and now sit 1 point ahead of our Glasgow rivals.

Motherwell dropped points away to Dundee in their last outing and some believe they are now out of the running in what many were calling a four horse race. After that 2-1 defeat at Dens Park they now sit 4 points behind the rangers. All top 4 teams have now played 29 games and on Saturday Celtic will need to put in a big shift to secure all 3 points. The sold out game kicks off at 3pm and will be streamed live on Celtic TV.

Motherwell have been very impressive this season under Jens Berthel Askou. The last time they visited Celtic Park back in October they took the lead twice against Celtic and it took a 93^rd minute goal from Maeda to secure all 3 points. Brendan Rodgers was in charge that day and when Celtic visited Motherwell at the end of December with Wilfried Nancy in charge the home team played Celtic off the park.

The Motherwell manager has been linked with the permanent job at Celtic after impressing with both results and the style of football he has the team playing. Celtic on the other hand have been a shadow of their former self with poor player recruitment and injuries playing their part in a strange season.

Martin O’Neill has done an incredible job having stepped in twice to steady the Celtic ship. Saturday will be the first time both managers lock horns. After 4 matches on the road Celtic fans will be back home and hoping that we don’t see a repeat of the Hibs defeat last time out on the Paradise turf.

Hearts travel to Kilmarnock for an 8pm kick off on Saturday while the rangers travel to St. Mirren on Sunday for a midday kick off. Both games are live on Sky Sports.

Elsewhere the Dundee derby is the pick of the weekend games. Kick off is 2pm on Sunday. Aberdeen host Falkirk and Hibs host Livingston both 3pm on Saturday.

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

 

 

Click image for Aberdeen v CELTIC match day FANZINE

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1,800 Celtic fans will travel to Aberdeen today once again for the rearranged game at Pittodrie. Tickets as always are in high demand for this crucial game in a packed calendar of games for Celtic.

The game was postponed just a few hours ahead of kick off last month due to a water logged pitch. Many Celtic fans had already arrived in the city for the game when it was called of.

Aberdeen fans have had little to cheer about since beating Celtic in the Scottish Cup Final. Let us hope that their misery continues in the bottom six of the SPFL after tonight and Martin O’Neill’s players can take maximum points.

Martin O’Neill spoke to the press yesterday and said that Sinsalo will keep his place in the Celtic goals with Kasper still off sick. Trusty is still suspended

The game is live on Sky Sports and will be streamed on Celtic TV. Kick off is 8pm.

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

If you’re as old as me you will remember Teletext was where you went for your Celtic News and latest scores. Long before the internet or smart phones you had to buy a newspaper, listen to the radio or watch tv to get the news and in Irish media they did not cover Celtic much. So Teletext really was the go to for the latest news coming out of Glasgow for us Celtic fans based on the Emerald Isle.

The Celtic View was a weekly publication back then and if you wanted an independent view you could pick up a Celtic fanzine at the ground or subscribe and wait for the post man to deliver the much sought after photocopied publication.

With so many Celtic websites, apps and social media pages we are now bombarded with Celtic news 24/7. News, Blogs, Podcasts, Videos etc are available in our hand on our smart phone instantly. Some websites make it almost impossible to read an article with so many adverts and pop ups getting in the way in an era of clickbait news with eye catching headlines and little substance.

The go to most days for many Celtic fans is Celtic News Now which has all the latest news in one place and the latest edition is their throwback teletext complete with old school TV, which you can switch on and get the latest Celtic news from Ceefax which was the BBC’s teletext and you can switch channels and get vintage Celtic games. Click the link and have a look for yourself.

https://www.celticnewsnow.com/tv/

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

 

Hearts fans will be the happiest fans in Scotland after Sunday’s Glasgow Derby draw between the rangers and Celtic. Of the two Glasgow clubs it was the Celtic fans who were the happier at full time after a late Hatate goal secured a point for Celtic after they dominated the second half.

It was another Jekyll and Hyde performance from Celtic. In the first half the home side dominated the play and went into the dressing room full of confidence 2-0 up and their fans would have enjoyed the half time pie but by full time indigestion will have set in along with high  blood pressure after watching Celtic turn the tide and get that late penalty to sicken them.

At half time I like most Celtic fans was scratching my head at how bad Celtic had been. Only the players and Martin O’Neill’s back room staff will know what the managers team talk was like but what ever he said gave the Celtic players the shake up they needed. He made 2 substitutions taking off Oxlade Chamberlain and replacing him with Hatate who delivered an almost perfect performance and changed the game for the better for Celtic.

Tounekti replaced Adamu and Maeda came off the wing and went into the central road. The changes worked. Tierney opened the scoring with a header and Celtic fully deserved a share of the points and could have won it after dominating the second half and Celtic had plenty of chances in front of goal.

We have to do it all again next week with the extra support of thousands of Celtic fans behind the goals for the Scottish Cup clash. Before then Celtic have to travel to Pittodrie to take on Aberdeen on Wednesday night in what has to be another must win game. Hearts are in pole position in the league now and Motherwell are still in the conversation as the surprise package.

Martin O’Neill celebrated his 74^th Birthday with a share of the points in Ibrox and as usual charmed the media after the game and even found time to get between the rangers and Celtic players at full time when there was a bit of handbags.

Bring on the Dons!

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

On Thursday in Germany we witnessed the passion, noise and colour Celtic fans bring to European Football. The atmosphere was incredible inside the stadium in Stuttgart. Celtic fans bounced and sang for over 90 minutes to the beat of the Bhoys Ultras drummer who never stopped all night.

After how easy the Germans beat Celtic in Glasgow expectations were not high for a win from conversations I had with Celtic fans while traveling over the day before the match or on match day in the fanzone while enjoying a few beers in the pleasant sunshine. The good weather added to a great trip.

The early Celtic goal really added to the atmosphere and if the small band of Celtic fans with tickets can bring  some of that atmosphere to Ibrox today than it will surly give the Celtic players a lift.

The players responded to the noise from the terraces on Thursday and put                                            in a big shift. Stuttgart’s singing section behind the goals is very impressive full stand for their fans to gather who want to stand, sing and wave their massive flags, I closed my eyes and imagined a Celtic End like that. Once the Green Brigade ban is lifted we need to start having the conversation again about the Celtic End.

The win was Celtic’s first in Germany in the club’s history but it was not enough to take us into the next round of the Europa League. The result and performance will have given Martin O’Neill and the players a confidence boost ahead of the big league today.

When the full time whistle sounded on Thursday the chant was “Bring on the rangers” so let’s be having them and hopefully we can turn them over on their home patch its been a while!

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

The sunshine is out here in Stuttgart for the match day. I arrived in the city yesterday via Frankfurt. Celtic fans were taking advantage of the good weather and enjoying what the city has to offer. There was a visible but low key Police presence in the city ahead of the Europa League tie around the central train station.

Last night we took a stroll around the city and bumped in so many familiar faces from Celtic European away days. Celtic fans have travelled from all over and there are more arriving in today. The city square and the steps of the grand old building which shadows it brought back some happy memories of our trip to the city back in 2003. The meeting place today for Celtic fans is Biergarten im Schlossgarten which is directly next to Stuttgart Central Train Station.

Martin O’ Neill spoke yesterday to the media ahead of the game and it is expected that he will make some changes to the team which lost to Hibs on Sunday  and rest some key players ahead of Sunday’s visit to Ibrox for the Scottish League clash with the rangers. The game will also give fringe squad players a chance to impress the manager in a competitive game.

O’Neill described the players as decent when asked about squad rotation. He also addressed the controversial VAR decisions from last weekend game. The game is live on TV this evening and kicks off here at 18:45 (17:45 Celtic Park Time).

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