MATCH 1537 - Saturday, 21 December 2013

Season:  2013/14
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

                  

CELTIC    2    HEARTS    0

Scorer:  Commons, Forrest

 

Top v bottom as Hearts play their last league match at Parkhead for a while as they head for the lower division football.  Just before Christmas and typically the crowd was poor and so was the game.  After losing seven in the cup Hearts defended in numbers and nearly stole a point when a last minute header was cleared off the line by goalscorer, Commons before second half sub, James Forrest wrapped up the win in injury time.

 

MATCH 1536 - Saturday, 14 December 2013

Season:  2013/14
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

                               

CELTIC     1     HIBERNIAN     0

Scorer:  Pukki 

 

Awful day for football - heavy rain, gusty winds and winter cold. Unfortunately the game mirrored the conditions.

Personal note:
103rd Battle of the Greens (90 in league)
108th Hibs match (92 in league)
 

MATCH 1535 - Sunday,1 December 2013

Season 2013/14
SCOTTISH CUP 4th ROUND
Venue:  TYNECASTLE STADIUM

               

HEARTS     0     CELTIC     7

Scorers: Commons(3), Brown(2), Ledley, Lustig,

An outrageous performance from Celtic to progress in the cup.  Nevermind the goals from start to finish the back four passed the ball for fun.  This was Celtic's biggest ever win over Hearts.

Personal note:  117th Celtic tie in the cup including 8 against Hearts

MATCH 1534 - Tuesday, 26 November 2013

Season:  2013/14

 

Group match - day 5

Venue:  CELTIC PARK

 

CELTIC    0     MILAN    3

Scorers: Kaka, Zapata, Balotelli

 

Great performance from Milan and a terrific atmosphere throughout.  After scoring a simple headed goal early in the game the confidence flowed through the side and they looked once again a seasoned Champions League team.  Unfortunately for Celtic the great Kaka of old turned up and gave a wonderful performance.  When he ran at the Celtic defence he was like a locomotive train.

 

Personal note: 6th occasion seeing Milan all in Champions League but only their second win.

MATCH 1533 - Saturday, 23 November 2013

Season  2013/14
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

            

CELTIC    3    ABERDEEN    1

Scorers:  Commons(2), Boerrigter;  McGinn

 

Aberdeen fans were in confident mood all afternoon and their side gave a solid performance but were undone in injury time again at Celtic Park as Celtic another late winner.  Derk Boerrigter scored his first goal for Celtic.

 

Personal note:  113th Aberdeen match of which 110 against Celtic and 94th in the SPL.

MATCH 1532 - Sunday, 10 November 2013

Season:  2013/14
ENGLISH FA PREMIERSHIP
Venue:  STADIUM OF LIGHT

 

SUNDERLAND   1   MANCHESTER CITY   0

Scorer:  Bardsley

 

We started off at 8.15am and after stopping at Carlisle for 20 minutes made it to Sunderland for 11.30am.  Very cold but sunny all the way.

On Remembrance Sunday there was a tasteful and respectful minutes silence.  This was the first time visiting the Stadium of Light since March and under new manager, Gus Poyet the Black Cats have rediscovered their fighting spirit.  Outclassed for the whole of the match but fought all the way to record an impressive win.  Ex-Celt Ki lined up against Yaya Toure in central midfield.  He had a good day and was unlucky not to make it 2 nil.

On our return journey we stopped off at Gretna Services.  I didn't realise the number of Sunderland fans in Scotland as their were a few bus loads of kids also returning from the game.

 

Personal note:  28th Sunderland match; 4th Manchester City match.

 

MATCH 1531 - Saturday, 2 November 2013

Season:  2013/14
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

                             

 

CELTIC    1    DUNDEE UNITED    1

Scorers: Mulgrew;  Armstrong

 

United came within seconds of recording their first Celtic Park win for over 20 years as Charlie Mulgrew headed an equaliser deep into injury time.  Jackie McNamara's side conceded 10 goals in two visits last season but their overall improvement continued with a mature performance.

 

Personal stats:

• This was my 13th Celtic match of the season
• Celtic v Dundee United matches no. 109
• 91 in the Scottish Premier League
• Overall Dundee United match no.112

Football Focus - GOING DUTCH

All my matches to date involving Dutch sides:

 

1982 - EUROPEAN CUP - CELTIC  2  AJAX  2

1989 - FRIENDLY - CELTIC  1  AJAX  0

1995 - CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL - AJAX  1  MILAN  0

1996 - EURO 96  - NETHERLANDS 0 SCOTLAND 0

1996 - EURO 96 - FRANCE 0 NETHERLANDS 0

1997 - FRIENDLY -  CELTIC  2  FEYENOORD  2

2001 - CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIER - CELTIC 0 AJAX 1

2001 - FRIENDLY -  CELTIC  1  AJAX  3

2008 - FRIENDLY -  FEYENOORD  1  CELTIC  3

2010 - FRIENDLY -  CELTIC  1  AZ ALKMAAR  2

2010 - UEFA CUP QUALIFIER - CELTIC  2  UTRECHT  0

2013 - CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP - CELTIC 2 AJAX 1

 

 

MATCH 1530 - Tuesday, 22 October 2013

Season:  2013/14

Group match - Day 3
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

 

CELTIC    2    AJAX    1
Scorers:  Forrest, Kayal; Schöne

Sixth occasions seeing Ajax unfortunately like the other times they did not wear their famous red stripe strip.

FLASH BACK - MATCH 36 - 15 September 1982

Season:  1982/83
EUROPEAN CUP - 1st Round 1st Leg
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

*** My first European match ***

CELTIC    2    AJAX    2
Scorers: Nicholas (14 pen), McGarvey (27); Olsen (4), Lerby (18)

Johan Cryuff played in this memorable European tie but it was Jesper Olsen that proved to be the real Ajax star on the night with a wonder goal to open the scoring.  1982 Celtic were a fine side though and fought all the way to earn a draw on the night.

Ajax's second goal was a thing of beauty.

Teams

Celtic:
Bonner, McGrain, McAdam, Moyes, Reid, McStay, Burns (Sullivan 84), MacLeod, Provan, Nicholas, McGarvey


Ajax:
Galje, Molenaar, Van Veen, Molby, Boeve, Schoenaker, Ophof, Cryuff, Lerby, Olsen, Vanenburg

Att: 56,229

My ticket:

My first scarf bought after the game:

Highlights:

MATCH 1529 - Saturday, 19 October 2013

Season:  2013/14
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  EASTER ROAD STADIUM (41)

        

 

HIBERNIAN    1    CELTIC     1

Scorers:  Heffernan;  Forrest

 

Darnell Fisher made his competitive debut for Celtic at right back.

 

 

My first Celtic away match of the season. 

107th Hibernian match

102nd Hibernian v Celtic match

 

 

   

MATCH 1528 - Saturday, 5 October 2013

Season:  2013/14
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK (851)

               

CELTIC    2    MOTHERWELL    0

Scorers:  Stokes, Commons

 

A comfortable home win for Celtic achieved with a goal in each half.

 

Some personal stats:

13th match of season

9th Celtic match - all at Celtic Park

110th Motherwell match - 92 in league - 63rd defeat overall

MATCH 1527 - Tuesday, 1 October 2013

Season: 2013/14

 

Group match - Day 2
Venue: CELTIC PARK (850)

 

CELTIC    0    BARCELONA    1

Scorer: Fábregas

 

Ten man Celtic went down to a narrow defeat at the hands of Barcelona who badly missed their main man Lionel Messi. 

Personal stats:
5th meeting at Celtic Park between these sides in European competition.
104th European tie featuring Celtic - 8th Barcelona tie.

 

MATCH 1526 - Tuesday, 24 September 2013

Season:  2013/14
SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUP - 3rd Round
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC    0    MORTON    1

After extra time - Scorer: Imrie

 

Celtic's League Cup campaign begins and ends against Morton.  Celtic had the ball for 120 minutes but only threatened at set pieces.

Morton's winner came from a penalty in the first half of extra time.
~
Personal count:
Scottish League Cup ties:  97
Celtic:  95;   Morton  2.

MATCH 1525 - Saturday, 21 September 2013

Season:  2013/14
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: CELTIC PARK

                  

 

CELTC    2    ST JOHNSTONE    1

Scorers:  Pukki, Mulgrew;  Caddis

 

Teemu Pukki made his home debut and scored his second SPL goal in as many games.  Celtic were in great form in the first half  with Adam Matthews adding a extra dimension to the Celtic attack.  Unfortunately he went off injured at half time and the course of the match changed. 

In the second St Johnstone gradually imposed themselves on the game and by the end were unlucky not to take a point as they hit the post in the dying minutes. 

Israeli midfielder, Nir Biton made his SPL debut in the second half. 

 

MATCH 1524 - Wednesday, 28th August 2013

Season:  2013/14

QUALIFYING ROUND 2nd Leg

Venue:  CELTIC PARK

 

CELTIC    3    SHAKHTER KARAGANDY    0

Scorers:  Commons, Samaras, Forrest

 

Celtic staged a dramatic comeback against the longest travelled team ever to visit Celtic Park in UEFA football to book their place in the Champions League Group Stage for the second season running.

Trailing 2-0 from the first leg Celtic came out with the intension of getting an early but had to wait until injury time at the end of the first half to half the deficit.  A thunderbolt from Kris commons. They didn't have to wait too long for the second though as Samaras took advantage of a kind deflection to neatly chipped over the keeper.

Having got back level Celtic had to concentrate in defence as Shakhter didn't crumble after losing the second but instead went toe to toe in the final stage of the tie and indeed hit the bar following one of their long throw-ins.

As the match went into injury time Celtic dramatically scored their third through James Forrest following great play from Anthony Stokes to win the tie.

 



MATCH 1523 - Saturday, 24th August 2013

Season:  2013/14
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

                           

 

CELTIC    2    INVERNESS CT    2

Scorers: Mulgrew, Matthews; Doran, Foran

 

Inverness came to Celtic Park as league leaders and took a two goal lead in the first half.  An under strength Celtic team pulled one back just before the break and eventually equalised with less than 10 minutes remaining.

FLASH BACK - MATCH 479 - October 1990

Season: 1990/91
ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP 3rd ROUND
Venue:  OLD TRAFFORD

MANCHESTER UNITED    3   LIVERPOOL    1

Scorers:  Bruce, Hughes, Sharpe;  Houghton

 

 

My only previous English League Cup (known as the Rumbelows Cup as this time) match was this cracker from 1990 when Manchester United eliminated a previously unbeaten Liverpool team.

I travelled down to Manchester on the day of the match on a National Express coach without a match ticket.  Thankfully the match was not a sell out and I got one no problem from the ticket office.

I watched the match from just behind Kenny Dalglish and the Liverpool dug out.

 

MATCH 1522 - Wednesday, 7th August 2013

Season:  2013/14
ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP - 1st Round
Venue:  BRUNTON PARK

CARLISLE UNITED   3   BLACKBURN ROVERS   3

after extra time - Carlisle won on penalties
Scorer:  Amoo(2), Guy;  Crainey, Taylor, Judge

 

Final match of three night ground hop and like the previous nights the underdog progressed into the next round of the League Cup.  We watched the match from the away section.  Blackburn fans travelled in good numbers and were a very decent bunch.  The match ended up being a fabulous rollercoaster cup tie with six goals, 30 minutes extra time, penalties, a red card.

  

 

MATCH 1521 - Tuesday, 6th August 2013

Season:  2013/14
ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP - 1st Round
Venue:  GLOBE ARENA

                         

MORECAMBE   1   WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS   0
Scorer:  Williams

Night 2 of 3 night ground hop.  First visit to the Globe Arena, a new tidy little ground in the seaside resort of Morecambe. 

The moment Williams became a local hero.