SPL Run in.........

[Junior]

two games to go

Celtic away to hearts then Motherwell, both trick ties.
Rangers home to Motherwell, away to Hibs.

Celtic 2 points clear however both sides need two wins end of story.

A key fixture is next week where Hibs entertain Aberdeen. If Aberdeen could win this fixture by a couple of goals at least, then both Aberdeen and Hibs will go in to the last game needing to get a result (a draw would do for hibs) to guarantee 3rd spot and a uefa cup place.

As hibs are playing Rangers in Edinburgh, this would do me nicely (assuming we have won at Hearts) and Im sure S4E will be pleased to give Celtic a helping hand in lifting the title

[Gerrit]

I saw a piece of Celtic-Aberdeen in the Cliftonville social club while groundhopping in Belfast. Everyone supporting Celts of course (except one man, catholic however, who hates Celtic and supports Rangers - he was honest and not ashamed of it). Seems that, even though Celtic won, the other teams are actually opposing to the Old Firm. Aberdeen made it difficult for Celtic until it was 1-0. Hopefully, for the sake of the SPL, this evolution continues and a third team will soon compete with the Glaswegian giants...

[Junior]

Hopefully, for the sake of the SPL, this evolution continues and a third team will soon compete with the Glaswegian giants...

agree with that, but hopefully its 3rd, 4th and 5th teams competing with the OF. This season has been much more competitive than the norm, though Celtic and rangers are still streets ahead, there have been alot of single goal wins.

[Gerrit]

To make the league really interesting, the streets ahead should disappear. It would sound logic that a team from the capital, Edinburgh, would compete with Celts and Gers for the title. Hibs and Hearts both have a good fanbase, Aberdeen is a club with a long tradition that seems to be in the lift again... Would be nice if Aberdeen and either Hearts or Hibs would really chase Rangers and Celtic.

I support Inverness, but I have no fake illusions. The North of Scotland is no territory for top football with its tiny population...
Dundee would also better not dream... Let's first see if they can set things straight financially.

Nope, if there's any competition, it will be an Edinburgh team and maybe Aberdeen.

[Gerrit]

By the way, when I was in Glasgow it was all divided between Rangers and Celtic when commenting on the presence in the streets (flyers, shirts, ...). Do clubs such as Queens Park and Partick Thistle have any fanbase, and why do some Glaswegians ignore both top teams and chose a smaller team such as QP or PT ?

[Hibs4Ever]

As you know we only need a draw this weekend for UEFA Cup football (DAM I'm looking forward to the party in Easter Road on Saturday ) To be honest I think we'll beat Aberdeen as they MUST win, therefore will play very attacking football, hopefully opening things up for us.

Junior, from what I've been hearing, if we secure 3rd spot on Saturday, Mowbray might be resting some of our top players for the final game. But also saying that, I doubt if he'd want Rangers winning the league somehow.

Also, we need Celtic to do us a favour and win Scottish Cup, if do, then we go straight into 1st round of UEFA Cup. If the Arabs win it, then we have to start in the qualifying rounds of UEFA Cup. So will be in some bar in the Canaries in my Hibees shirt, silently cheering for you's to win

[Junior]

I'm pretty sure Hibs will get at least a draw this weekend, but hopefully big Mogga will still go all out for a result in the final game of the season.

The league campaign will have an impact in the cup final as well, nno doubt if Celtic retain the title they will be in bouyant mood come hampden park on cup final day, should they lose the league, well you know the rest, anything can happen in football.

I'd be disappointed if players were rested, its not like you have a cup final coming up, the season will be over and plenty of time to recuperate. THe bad publicity would be enough to put Mowbray off from doing this, surely?

Its in both Celtics and Hibs interests to win both games. However, i'd be willing to let Hibs win just their last

[Junior]

Why Hibs won't lie down on the last day of the season

ETims had a request in recently to pass on a copy of a letter Tony Mowbray wrote a
wee while ago when he was still coaching at Ipswich. Jake the Rake had originally contacted Mogga and here is his reply. I thought it was worth printing here. Moving stuff.

-----------------------------------------
Glasgow Celtic was a Club that I did not know a lot about when I was
told that Liam Brady had been in touch with Middlesbrough about
acquiring my services in 1991. I knew that they were a big Club with
an illustrious history; the first British team to win the European Cup,
and to achieve the amazing feat of winning nine championships in a row.

When I was an apprentice professional footballer at Middlesbrough in
the 1980, my youth team coach would eulogise about Celtic and the great
players who had played for the Club. The coach in question was indeed
one of the very best ex-Celts; his name Bobby Murdoch.

By the time I left Celtic in 1995, the Club and more importantly the
supporters, had left an indelible mark in my heart, which will never
leave me.

I feel honoured to have played in "the hoops" and to have given my all
for the Club at very difficult period in the Clubs history. It was a
volatile time in the East end of Glasgow what with the "sack the board"
campaign and the domination of the field of the team from across the
city.

It was a time of change at Celtic, but what stood firm throughout
all of my time at the Club was the belief the supporters had that good
times were just around the corner and that the Celts would be "singing
in the sun" before too long.

Their support of the team on the field was total and the players strived to reward the fans with performances that made you feel as if you were part of a huge family unit - and that feeling of being as one with the supporters could not of been highlighted more than when I was to lose my wife to cancer on new years day 1995.

At a time when my life was decimated, and I was as low as any
human being can get, the love and warmth I will never forget.

Words of support poured in from Celtic folk, from all over the world and
at a time when my life was empty, they helped fill that void with their
compassion.

So as I said earlier, Celtic will always be 'my club' and I feel very
humble that I played alongside such great Celts as McStay, Nicholas.
Collins, Grant, Bonner and many more, but most importantly that I know
whenever I pulled on the Jersey, I gave my all because I knew what it
meant to the supporter on the terraces, to be proud to be a Celt.

Take care and God Bless,

Tony Mowbray Hail, Hail
FIRST TEAM COACH [Ipswich Town]

[Gerrit]

By the way, when I was in Glasgow it was all divided between Rangers and Celtic when commenting on the presence in the streets (flyers, shirts, ...). Do clubs such as Queens Park and Partick Thistle have any fanbase, and why do some Glaswegians ignore both top teams and chose a smaller team such as QP or PT ?

question ignored



Ack, back on-topic. How many European participants does Scotland get ? With two teams qualifying for Champions League/CL qualifiers it looks very weird that only the nr 3 goes into the UEFA Cup... If Hibernian would claim the third place and Aberdeen finishes fourth, doesn't Aberdeen have a chance to go into Europe as well (don't know about the SFA Cup draws...) without Intertoto ?

[Poor Student]

question ignored

I think Clyde are also a Glasgow team. I know Partick Thistle are considered to be a team supported by students and those seeking an alternative to the sectarian divide. They used to be in the Premier Division about 10 years ago but have since fallen on hard times getting relegated to the 2nd Divison, climbing back to the SPL, and I think they have fallen back down to the 2nd again. As far as I know their ground Firhill is quite a kip. They would have a support of a few thousand anyway. Can't remember what crowds they got when they were in the Premier. I think Thistle's proudest moment is beating Celtic 4-1 in the League Cup final in 1971. Though very significantly smaller than the OF they rank as Scotland's third club.

Queen's Park Glasgow are a very interesting club. I think they have won ten Scottish Cups. They own Hampden Park and rent it to the SFA. They are quite an old club. They even played in one English FA Cup Semi Final prior to the creation fo the Scottish Cup. They were the big Scottish team in the late 1800's. However when football turned professional they insisted on remaining amateur and fell behind the Old Firm and others. They are a very small club in terms of fanbase. Have no idea what kind of person supports them.

[Gerrit]

They are Scotland's oldest club. I do feel most sympathy for Queens Park compared to other Glasgow clubs. It is a very interesting club indeed, and I love the fact that they stayed amateur, for me it almost sounds like a refuge (I get almost insulted at my native club in Belgium because I keep on saying atmosphere is more important than ambition and that we'd better stay in the lower divisions rather than trying to become a big club and seeing the fans care about nothing but ambitions and results and not about atmosphere)

I think of all Glasgow clubs I'd most likely go to support Queens Park if I'd ever end up in Glasgow. But what people form their fanbase ? i can see people wishing to ignore the political-spoiled battle between the OF ending up at Partick Thistle, a third more or less professional club in the city. But which Glaswegians or which area or social group supports Queens Park ?

[Eirambler]

C'mon the Dons......If only to make Hibees play well in their last game!
Like to see the Celts & Hibees both have the best & easiest possible route into Europe next season.

Well, I guess Celtic fans have got their wish (2-1 Aberdeen), although with a 3 point lead, a 5 goal difference advantage, and more goals scored as well, Hibs are almost there. Aberdeen probably needed to win by two or three today, now they will need to beat Hearts by 3 or 4 at least to have a chance.

In response to some of the other comments:

I cant see Celtic and Rangers being challenged by anyone else for a long time. Any time another team get close, they just take their players and/or manager. When hibs came third in 2001 they lost Laursen to Celtic and McLeish to Rangers not too long afterwards. Hibs captain Ian Murray is expected to go to rangers this summer, unfortunately theres a good chance that Mowbray will eventually end up at Parkhead.

Partick thistle actually have quite a large fan base. When they were in the SPL last year their away support was better than quite a few other teams such as Motherwell, Livi, Dunfermline etc. Was in their section at an away game against Hearts last season and it was interesting to get their opinion on the Old Firm. They hate them both as much as they hate each other.

Queens Park have an average attendance of 527. In a stadium that holds 52500 people...

[CollegeTillIDie]

Queens Park have an average attendance of 527. In a stadium that holds 52500 people...

Which they jointly own with the SFA. You got to respect a club that has managed to get the parent association to stump up most of the money necessary to develop the ground.To answer Gerrit's point, real Scottish people would follow Partick Thistle , rather than Irish wanna be's (Celtic) or Northern Irish Imperial arselicker Wannabes (Rangers).

I am not sure who supports Queens Park. This next bit might be of some help.
But a bit of a Glasgow geography lesson .
Partick Thistle are from Maryhill which is north of the River.
Celtic are located in Glasgow's East End and Ibrox home of Rangers is in the central Western part of the city near to the traditional Docklands.
Queen's Park are located in Hampden Park which is in the Southern suburbs of the city, or at least it looks that way on the map I have from the AA.
Clyde used to be from Glasgow but have moved to a stadium in one of the satellite towns called Cumbernauld. Other Glasgow teams which have been in the Top Flight and have disappeared in my lifetime included Third Lanark and Clydebank.

[FarBeag]

Celtic did it,just about 2-1.All down to the last game.They have to do it now surely.

[Gerrit]

Well, I guess Celtic fans have got their wish (2-1 Aberdeen), although with a 3 point lead, a 5 goal difference advantage, and more goals scored as well, Hibs are almost there. Aberdeen probably needed to win by two or three today, now they will need to beat Hearts by 3 or 4 at least to have a chance.

In response to some of the other comments:

I cant see Celtic and Rangers being challenged by anyone else for a long time. Any time another team get close, they just take their players and/or manager. When hibs came third in 2001 they lost Laursen to Celtic and McLeish to Rangers not too long afterwards. Hibs captain Ian Murray is expected to go to rangers this summer, unfortunately theres a good chance that Mowbray will eventually end up at Parkhead.

Partick thistle actually have quite a large fan base. When they were in the SPL last year their away support was better than quite a few other teams such as Motherwell, Livi, Dunfermline etc. Was in their section at an away game against Hearts last season and it was interesting to get their opinion on the Old Firm. They hate them both as much as they hate each other.

Queens Park have an average attendance of 527. In a stadium that holds 52500 people...

Still, Queens Park is a club I have deep respect for. Chosing the atmosphere of amateur sports rather than the money of pressionalism, kudos to them ! Wish my teams would be like that, but the fans of Ostend seem to be more interested in results and ambition with every promotion


As for a competitor for the Old Firm: if Abramovitch wants a real challenge, he should buy a club like Motherwell or the nearly broke Dundee and try to make it win the title. The guy must have some money and spare time left, so what is he waiting for ?

[sligoman]

The bhoys will win it. They wont slip up at this stage. Well done to them.

[jimbob117]

The bhoys will win it. They wont slip up at this stage. Well done to them.

Lets how so!Lucky today though, as hearts should have had a last minute peno, but instead pressley got sent off for diving!

[Gerrit]

Went to their 'derby' v. Albion Rovers back in Feb......Rovers had a grand total of approx.38 fans....won 3-0.....The crowd was less than 600.
Didn't stop an embittered old QP fan shouting @ them,"F*ck back to Ireland,you Irish republican *******s!" .....even though the AR fans were impeccably behaved.Also,simply because hail from Coatbridge.

Albion Rovers are of Irish roots ?? The name 'Albion' would suggest Britishness...


Ah, frustrated fans are everywhere, I take we cannot take this one lad as representing the general Queens Park fan's feelings...

[Plastic Paddy]

They wouldn't be too far away. QP formed the natural constituency for Glasgow's Protestant football support until the arrival on Clydeside of many from the four most north-eastern counties of Ireland to work in the shipyards between 1910 and 1925. That's when the Celtic-Rangers rivalry really came into its own. And the rest, as they say, is history...

PP

[Hibs4Ever]

Just back from Edinburgh last night. Hibs were very poor on Saturday, but it's still in our own hands. Need a result against ranger's or a small defeat. A lot of talk that the Jambos will lie down against Aberdeen, I don't believe that at all. Still confident of 3rd spot and Europe though. Funny watching Aberdeen players after the game celebrating like they'd won the league, and their supporters singing songs about being in Europe They still need a huge shock to get their. COME ON THE HIBEE'S