With ‘Jellycopter Saturday’ fast approaching us, it’s a strange thing to know that just one point from the remaining six games for Celtic will clinch the championship.
If we do clinch the league at Kilmarnock, then it’s already been reported that the SFA or SPL or whoever makes such a decision has decided not to go with the usual way of doing things.
Instead of giving the newly crowned champions the league trophy at their next home match, they’ve decided that will not happen. Simply because it’s a game against Rangers.
If that’s true, then I really feel it’s a pathetic and spineless decision along with a very poor reflection of the country that most of us live in.
If a team cannot be presented with a trophy at their own ground, then we really should be looking at getting out of this league and country.
As someone pointed out, any opposition fans who don’t want to see it, can simply leave the stadium at full time.
We’ve already had a chance to win it. at Ibrox, but the less said about that the better. The general consensus seems to be that not enough players turned up on the day but the performance of the referee was a massive contributory factor in us not clinching the league.
For some folk, it would be nice to clinch it at Rugby Park after the League Cup Final episode. I always maintained that I would prefer to win it at home but just to be clear, I will be more than happy to clinch it on Saturday. A killie pie then a title win would be pretty close to a perfect afternoon.
Some folk have questioned whether or not the team have the bottle to actually perform on the big matches, this season, I thought we did pretty well in Europe and we’ve had the bottle to turn round a 15 point deficit in the league so why not?
I also have to point out that a defeat against Killie followed by the same result against Motherwell would end up with a potential title clincher with Rangers at Parkhead. What’s your preference? Would you prefer to play them at home knowing that a point would clinch the title or play them as champions?
Clinching it at home to Rangers really would be Roy of the Rovers stuff and I also find that it’s pretty unlikely. To have the league wrapped up before the split would be an amazing achievement.
This links me on to my next point, why do they have an SPL split? Does anyone agree with it apart from finding it really silly, I just can’t see how it adds anything positive to the league season.
Often, the team in seventh place finish with more points than the team in sixth place. Often, two teams will play each other four times, three times at one stadium and once at another stadium. Often, teams playing a 38 game SPL season will play 20 home games and 18 away or vice versa.
I can’t think how much more tense a match would be if two teams on the last game of the season were playing each other and one had to win to clinch the league while the other was playing to avoid relegation.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but the introduction of the SPL split was to bring excitement to the league, it hasn’t, it’s just brought silly situations up that I’ve mentioned above.
Finally, I’d like to send my best wishes to both Stan Petrov and young Nicky Main as they both start the battle of their lives and as they both give us a reminder about how important football actually is when you compare it to real life.
On twitter, there’s been a bit of movement to try and arrange a Celtic v Aston Villa match. It’s been billed as a testimonial for Stan Petrov, and some have also suggested that it may be better to make it a charity match with the proceeds going to a cancer charity. The charity option is my preference.
Given that football is so high profile, then I agree that it would be a worthy cause and for one, I would be up for going to that match.
Earlier this season, the legends match with Celtic v Man Utd was a pretty amazing occasion and I am sure if the clubs felt it was a good enough cause, it could happen.
Would you go along to such a match? We usually get a friendly match thrown in as part of our season ticket so why not allow season ticket holders to go along but make a donation of whatever they can afford at the turnstiles and sell tickets to non season ticket holders with all proceeds going to a charity of Stan Petrov’s choice?
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Why?
In a word money! Surprise surprise.
When the SPL was formed, breaking away from the SFL, part of the agreement was to increase the top division from 10 clubs to 12.
Rather than get lumbered with a 44 match campaign playing each other three times then splitting gives 38 games, just two more than the 36 matches than a 10 team division provided.
The SPL split is cringeworthy and embarrassing. I work with foreigners and people from england and when I get asked what its all about I die a little inside…
I’ll be honest, I’m glad it’s not going to be presented at the Rangers game. I’d rather that corner of Celtic Park was filled by a few thousand more Celtic fans when it’s presented and not a big empty space or worse – an area full of bile and hatred.
To be perfectly honest, I think the trophy should always be presented on the last day of the season (or last home game of the season if possible) rather than the way the SPL has done it in the past. I’d like to think this season’s “forced hand” will be the beginning of that.
Nothing surprises me with SPL anymore. There was one season where the split sctually hsd any meaning. However, that was a one off. A new fixture structure should be planned with changes to be implimented asap. Our league and the folk who run it are a joke. If the people I
n charge had the perspective or insight to see this, things would be different.
When we start juggling fixtures accepting that we can’t play rangers on this date or that, or have a trophy presented “just in case” we belittle sport and our game.
Celtic lost this and last years league cup final and had no little disappointment at ibroke but we did not see riots or looting in the streets, civil disorder or a “spike” in domestic abuse.
Although we will not be allowed to view official stats and we are not saints ourselves it is clear who is responsible for the vast majority of post game violence.
The police have far too much of a say when it comes to these matters. They are public servants and are paid to police games not to run sport.
The split is a joke.
But the league might be a sick joke next year if ragers are handed a get out of jail free card should they be liquidated.
I would love to go back to a straightforward league where the fixtures are known in advance and similar to the league flag being flown at the first home game, the championship is handed over at the last home game if won in time or if not after the last game, regardless of who plays.
As for the up & coming Glasgow derby, considering that if liquidation happens and existing rules are applied, it would not only be last game EVER between the clubs but also potentially the last league derby game for some time.
I am sure that the team would be mindful of this and would turn in their seasons best performance to ensure long and happy memories for us all!
And if this proud, fair minded, open to all, one country many cultures land we live in has any testicular fortitude we might not encounter the Govan tax cheats for some time to come.
please God spare me a few weeks until the day we get the huns at the holy ground and then we dismantle the bastards,then I will die happy.In the almighty God I trust,but that sod samaras I dont,that is the problem.One last request heavenly father,gonny send us another moravcic.
For me it’s really doesn’t matter when the trophy is presented…just as long as it’s to a Celtic player…preferably at home where more fans get to share the enjoyment.
As regards the stupid split…purely down to money and really should be binned. I did like the idea of a break at Xmas but this seems to have been cast aside…..as usual fans come way down the list.
Yet again the SPL pen pushers bring the scottish football back into the dark ages. where does this bunch of corruption junkies get off? it beggars belief, that this bunch draconian crackpots hav the nerve to continually bend the rules to protect the ego’s of the gollums of Govan.
You know I firmly believe that when the gangerine has fully taken its course over at detox park & they wither away into the mud n soil below, that this bunch of lawless hillbillys might just find it appropriate to cancel the SPL. insanely outrageous some would think?….