Hampden: Celebrating Celtic Fans' Success

Celtic fans worldwide were celebrating Martin O’Neill’s Hampden success in different ways.

At this time of year the Canary Islands is the closest guarantee of winter sunshine.

On the south coast of Gran Canaria, Dicey Rilley’s in Puerto Rico is the place to be.

Salvador is the owner, he has been catering for Celtic fans for years. He knows his market, Dicey’s has Celtic flags and scarves from all over Europe on display. Ronny Deila, Fran Alonso and the Celtic Ladies Team have been known to drop in. Former Partick Thistle ‘keeper Andy Murdoch certainly knows his way around the resort.

BEAUTIFUL SUNDAY

On Sunday Salvador had a post match treat lined up. Not the usual celebration tunes, one pinched from the other side of the city and it went down fantastically.

With temperatures in the high twenties and daytime pints of Tropical costing just 2 euros Dicey’s is the place to be for a Beautiful Sunday.

During the course of two hours plus there were moments of celebration and despair for the combination of holiday-makes, ex-pats and a few locals taking in the spectacle.

Watching Celtic trying to overcome Nick Walsh was tough going through the first half.

Nicky Raskin’s own goal was celebrated wildly before Steven McLean and Andrew Dallas conjured up a VAR decision that defied logic.

Justice was done in the 25th minute when Johnny Kenny scored, the goal was celebrated wildly in a Canarian corner that felt like home from home.

The verses are a bit of an issue but the Celtic fans know the chorus well enough. They belt it out with passion, knowing exactly what it means and who it is aimed at.

The second half was an endurance test, as Celtic missed chances to finish the match the inevitable happened.

WE SHALL OVERCOME

Walsh pointed to the penalty spot, McLean and Dallas agreed. The match went into extra-time, more stress, more hope, more fear. While on holiday.

The roar that greeted Callum McGregor’s goal must have shook a few nearby premises. What a strike, but if he had done it five minutes earlier we would have been spared extra-time.

Chances continued to go a begging. And then Callum Osmond walked into the Celtic history books.

Reaching out to a low cross from Kieran Tierney the Welsh youth internationalist notched his first ever senior goal. Not even Super Jack Butland could keep it out.

TINA HAS BEEN FREED

The relief and joy was obvious. Inside the cervezas were very chilled, outside the sun was sizzling as the final stages were played out.

Once upon a time a certain song from Tina Turner would get you thrown out of most Irish pubs in Spain.

Resident singer Anto has two rules. No Tina Turner or Daniel O’Donnell. He also gave a short answer to a request for a Vera Lynn number.

The Best from Tina is now fine with Celtic fans. Many take delight in snatching away another aspect of the misplaced superiority complex that bears cling onto.

They have little left to cling onto, 2025 will be another trophy-less year at Ibrox. 2026 could see Celtic become champions for the 56th time.

Long may their suffering continue. Even Tina has deserted them with her memory more likely to be celebrated by gloating Celtic fans that the angry followers of Charles Greens tribute act.