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‘Cry more’ ‘Should have been 4 or 5’ ‘Comedy Gold’ 32 months on bears are still traumatised from their Celtic Park fright night

Photo of Joe McHugh Joe McHugh | 06:46 14/10/24
Image for ‘Cry more’ ‘Should have been 4 or 5’ ‘Comedy Gold’ 32 months on bears are still traumatised from their Celtic Park fright night

It was the second most significant Glasgow Derby of the century with 2/2/22 burned into the memory of one especially angry bear.

In August 2000 Martin O’Neill trashed Dick Adovocaat’s superstars 6-2 and the course of Scottish football was changed forever, a dozen years later Rangers went into liquidation with their Tribute Act touring Peterhead, Annan and other football outposts.

A mini lockdown forced Scottish football to close at the start of 2022 with Giovani van Bronckhorst’s side six points clear of Celtic with Ange Postecoglou still treated with derision, especially after signing three more players from the J-League going into the January transfer window backed up by some unknown guy from MK Dons.

At Ibrox the £36m superstar Amad Dialo had joined on loan from Manchester United, just before the Derby match in a move that was almost from the Dave Murray Playbook Aaron Ramsey, the £400,000 a week ace from Juventus joined on loan.

Kris Boyd could barely contain his excitement over signing the Welshman ahead of facing Celtic who hadn’t won a Derby match since before the pandemic.

It turned out to be an unforgettable night. Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley combined brilliantly with the masked Callum McGregor. In attack Liel Abada turned Borna Barisic into a quivering wreck, James Tavernier did James Tavernier things.

Celtic were 3-0 up at half-time, Ryan Jack came off the bench to help his side to a 0-0 moral victory in the second half.

The bears were spooked, two and a half years later they are still suffering with only a 3-0 dead rubber victory inspired to Todd Cantwell and Nico Raskin to cling onto.

Watching that match convinced the Ibrox board that they had the brightest talent in British football in the dug out- over the summer Sam Lammers, Danilo, Cyriel Dessers, Kieran Dowell and Jose Cifuentes were signed.

Sadly Captain Disappointed is the only survivor from that match still draining the Ibrox payroll, Kris Boys is still waiting.

Should there be a big reduction in International fixtures?

No, I enjoy them, good to get regular breaks

No, I enjoy them, good to get regular breaks

Yes, stop start, stop start season is ridiculous

Yes, stop start, stop start season is ridiculous
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Joe McHugh

Joe McHugh has edited Video Celts since 2010, every day covering events in and around Scotland's most successful club.

When a six year stretch at the Sunday Mirror came to an end it was clear that the future was digital, print had ran its race.

Smart phones and social media created a new landscape, Video Celts has certainly made an impact with Joe described as having an unhealthy obsession by Peter Lawwell at the 2024 Celtic AGM. A priceless endorsement.

There are issues breaking around the clock, no two days are the same. More than 50 years on from his first match Joe is enjoying the ongoing successes of Celtic.

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