AWAY DAYS St. Mirren v Celtic

Scottish Premiership
Saturday, March 1, 2025
SMISA Stadium, Paisley

ST MIRREN…2
(John 33, Phillips 48)

CELTIC…5
(Schlupp 28, Engels 45+1, Maeda 88, Yang 68 & 90 +3)

Football kick-off times have always been controversial when it comes to TV dictating for their schedule but from a selfish point of view, I love these 5:30pm kick off times. No travelling over the night before to be on time for the early supporters bus up the road for a midday kick off or no red eye flight in the morning which has you up out of bed when the night clubbers are still raving.

I took a noon bus from Drogheda to catch the 2:45pm flight to Glasgow from Dublin before a short bus journey into Paisley and a stroll to the ground arriving at 5pm in plenty of time to pick up my ticket and get in for kick off. I even got a chat with Average Joe Miller from Not the View ahead of kick off as former Celtic striker Mark Burchill passed by on his way in to watch the game.  I’m sure he got a mention or two during his time at Celtic in NTV.

With tickets so scarce there was only a small handful of Celtic fans on the flight and most of them were still without tickets. I spoke to them on the way home and they told me they just watched in a pub but enjoyed the day out.

Enjoyment was a key factor of the day by the time we landed in Glasgow it was halftime in the rangers v Motherwell game and the score was 0-2 to the visitors. Ibrox must have been a quiet place at halftime. Full time for those who were left it was boo time after a 2-1 defeat and they handed Celtic the chance to go 16 points clear.

  

The atmosphere outside the ground was one of smiles and laughter with the news of the latest ranger’s meltdown with their dream team of ex rangers’ players in place to appease the fans after the sacking of Clement carrying on where the Belgian left over with a home defeat.

When Barry Ferguson’s name is getting chanted before the game kicked off by 2,300 Celtic fans it only adds fuel to the fire for the rangers’ fans. Many who were on my flight back home. I listened with interest to those around me who ranted about the rangers’ board who they are laying the blame at that’s for sure. They also spoke of the time they had to get out of bed for each home game, the money they spend and losing to the” The mighty Queens Park, the mighty St. Mirren and the mighty Motherwell” Their words not mine! A Hatrick of mighty defeats at Ibrox.

Pity I did not get to record it for the Celtic Soul Podcast it would have made some great listening. Earlier today I got a chance to watch back highlights of both Celtic and the rangers’ games from yesterday and the post match interviews. While Barry is clearly not happy Brendan Rodgers was in much better form talking about it being one of his favourite games of the season and joking about how Yang’s girlfriend is in Glasgow, and he is hoping she stays after witnessing a super sub performance from the South Korean.

In fairness to St. Mirren, they made a great game of it and missed some good chances in front of goal. Their fans celebrated both their equalising goals and will have been still buzzing from beating the rangers at Ibrox but today Brendan Rodgers strength in dept on the bench proved to be the game changer even if they had a good shout for a penalty the game finished 5-2 to the Celts.

Schlupp opened his Celtic goal account with a quality strike after his loan move from Crystal Palace before the home side equalised from a free kick on the edge of the box in front of the Celtic fans. Maeda was taken down in the box and Engel converted from the penalty spot before former Drogheda United player, Killian Philips equalised.

Brendan made 3 changes in the second half off came Idah, McGregor and Kuhn on went Jotta, Cowan (who hit the post with a great effort) and Yang. The Celtic fans may have been excited by the arrival Jota on to the pitch and we were singing his song, but it was super sub-Yang who stole the show with 3 goals (one was chalked off for being offside) and a brilliant assist for Maeda to convert.

With 9 games to go Celtic are the Champions in waiting. Next on the list a Scottish Cup Quarter Final at Celtic Park v Hibs next Sunday. Johnny Kenny who came on late in yesterday’s game was on the flight last night with Killian Philips. I had a brief chat with them as we got off the plane and we shared a little joke.

The rangers’ fans are back in Celtic Park in a few weeks lets hope we can add more hurt to the meltdown mob from across the city but first we must despatch of Hibs to keep our treble dream alive.

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