2012- was it really all that!

What a year 2012 has been for us hoops fans. To recap on a few of the things that happened, we had the last ever derby match which happened shortly before our rivals, Rangers FC ceased to exist.

We had our clubs 125th birthday, we qualified for the last 16 of the Champions league when most ‘experts’ expected us to not even get a third place finish in our group. We also overturned a 15 point deficit to become league champions so overall, it was a good year to be a hoops fan.

Unfortunately, there were a few low points in the year as well. Most notably the fact that we failed to beat Kilmarnock in the league cup final but I wont bother going over that.

I guess the main and obvious highlight must be the victory at home against Barcelona. Prior to it, I was talking to friends and our main hope was that we could keep the score respectable. In football, a phrase often used is “don’t let your heart rule your head”. In my heart, I thought we could maybe get some kind of result. Why not? We have defeated a Barcelona team at home before, along with some other very big teams in previous champions league encounters. Knowing it was our 125th birthday made my heart say that maybe, just maybe, we could get some sort of result.

Then the logical part of me said that we shouldn’t be able to beat Barcelona. When you see their starting 11, almost all of them are household names that are known across world football. Almost all of their regular starters could walk into just about any club team in the world. The main thing for Celtic was not to fear them and thankfully our gaffer and staff were able to achieve the ‘miracle’. I’ve been a season ticket holder for approx 15 years at Celtic Park and have rarely missed a home match in that time. I think the Barcelona match watch the best atmosphere that I have ever experienced.

Part of what makes the victory so sweet is the amount of experts, former football players, managers, reporters, pundits etc who were laughing at us and saying how we would lose all six Champions League games. Of course the opinion of jealous non Celtic fans doesn’t really matter but it’s still nice to walk back into your workplace, local pub or wherever you encounter these folk with a huge smile across the face after qualifying for the last 16. Yes, the last 16. No matter how many times you say that, it just sounds better.

Perhaps I am being unrealistic but who can blame me for dreaming, I feel that we will give Juventus a tough game in our last 16. Who says we can’t get past them? The same ‘experts’ who predicted our failure in the group stages? The ‘experts’ who predicted a slow lingering death for Scottish football after Rangers ceased to exist?

As much as I would love to know what goes on before a big match, I have no idea how Neil Lennon and the back room guys get the team up for such an occasion but you can bet they will be doing everything they can to convince the team the beating Juventus is possible. Perhaps we are due it after the last time we played them in Italy?

A last minute dive to cheat and win a penalty is how they managed to get the three points from us. After that, we beat them at home. I certainly feel that there is unfinished business against them and given that Lennon played in that match, he may well feel that there is a point to prove. I’m not suggesting that you should go and put your life savings on us progressing but like before, that ‘maybe, just maybe’ feeling is there. Also, I am sure that when the draw was made, teams wouldn’t be hoping to draw us given how much of an ‘unknown’ entity we are outside of Scotland.

I’ve briefly touched on Rangers and the fact that they no longer exist, I have lost count of the amount of people who have told me that I miss Old Firm games and that football will not be the same without them. I don’t miss them at all. Having to drive to the match with your colours hidden in case you pass by a pub with Rangers fans is something I don’t miss. Hearing the songs from the away end of the stadium is something that I do not miss either.

Having a team that were spending masses of money and not paying taxes that should have gone to schools, health care etc is something that I do not miss either. I could go on but I’m sure you will have reasons as to why you don’t miss them. Or perhaps you do wish Rangers were still in existence ?

I know that there will be a day soon when the reformed ‘zombie’ version of Rangers will be back to darken our doorstep but I can only say that the longer I have to wait for that day to come, the better.

I guess the fact that we had such a long standing rivalry with them made the last ever match against them a must win. That was in April 2012. The day that will be forever remembered as the day that those nasty green brigade bhoys decided to mock their fans and cause offence with a zombie banner. How insensitive of them and how dare our fans take pleasure in their demise.

We all know that we were supposed to turn up with a black tie on and pay respects on what was going to be a sad and sombre day. Ok, enough sarcasm but any win v any team is enjoyable for me. More so when the game meant that we got three points in our push to win the league title.

Another highlight is one that I had a massive amount of luck with. I was able to get along to the league clincher at Rugby park with my Dad so that was of course a very special day. One of my favourite parts of that game is the link that Joe has posted on here before, our fans singing “come on you bhoys on green” across the stadium to each other.

I remember some opinions coming out that the title win for us was tainted but, thankfully, there’s so many ‘internet bampots’ to read and listen to, I was able to quickly distance myself from the source of these opinions and give them the time and space that they deserved – absolutely none.

Bampots or not add in your thoughts on the 2012 below.

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