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
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