MATCH 1513 - Sunday, 21st April 2013

Season:  2012/13
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

            

    

CELTIC    4    INVERNESS CT    1

Scorer:  Hooper(2), Ledley, Samaras;  Doran

 

 

Celtic clinched their 44th Scottish Championship in impressive style in front of their own fans at Celtic Park.  Four second half goals gave them another convincing win and made up for the defeat to Inverness earlier in the season. 

 

Personal note: My 12th time witnessing Celtic clinch the Scottish Premier League championship, first time v St Mireen 1982.

MATCH 1512 - Sunday, 14th April 2013

Season:  2012/13
SCOTTISH CUP SEMI FINAL
Venue:  HAMPDEN PARK

                      

 

CELTIC    4    DUNDEE UNITED    3

after extra time 

Scorers:  Commons(2),Wanyama, Stokes;  Mackay-Smith, Daly(2)

Att:  26,000

 

My tickets were in the family section of the East Stand which is a bit of a lottery in terms of getting a good viewing point.  Many people now refuse to go Hampden because of the poor facilities and dire viewing positions, this was reflected in another poor Hampden semi final crowd. If you are unlucky enough to get a single letter row (A to Z) behind either goal it can really waste your whole Hampden experience.

 

Today my tickets were fine row MM was high enough up to view the full pitch.  Just as well as the game proved to be an epic cup tie with a number of twists.  United will consider themselves very unlucky to lose as they put an enormous effort into the match.  The match was level at half time (2-2) and at full time (3-3), only after extra time was the game finally settled in Celtic's favour.  However the margin was extremely tight as United hit the post just before Stokes' winner.

 

Celtic and United have met many times in the semi final and final of both cup competitions since my first one in 1981 but this was the best of the lot (IMO).

MATCH 1511 - Saturday, 13th April 2013

Season:  2012/13
ENGLISH LEAGUE DIVISION 1
Venue:  BRUNTON PARK

                           

 

CARLISLE UNITED    1    PRESTON NORTH END    1

Scorers:  Miller;  Monakana
Att: 5,965
 

 Watched the match from the Paddock in front of Main Stand where we were joined by a big black and white cat in the second half!  There was a large police operation for a small band trouble makers.
 

As for the match Jeffrey Monakana impressed early on in this end of season fare at Brunton Park and scored a very well taken goal to give Preston the lead.  Ex-Hearts striker Lee Miller equalised following an excellent free kick from Jon-Paul McGovern which hit the post and gave the big striker a tap in.  Preston were reduced to 10 men in the second half but Carlisle were unable to take advantage as Preston still looked more likely to score again until injury time when the home side finally created a few chances.

 

Carlisle United

• 20 Gillespie
• 05 Livesey
• 22 Mustoe
• 23 O'Hanlon
• 04 McGovern
• 07 Welsh (Manset)
• 08 Noble
• 16 Potts
• 21 Berrett
• 09 Loy (Cadamarteri)
• 14 Miller

Preston North End

• 01 Stuckmann
• 04 Huntington
• 15 Connolly
• 16 Buchanan
• 26 Wright
• 08 Wroe
• 17 Monakana (Cummins)
• 19 Welsh
• 21 Mousinho
• 22 King
• 14 Garner (Procter)

Personal note:  1st time seeing Preston North End and 17th time seeing Carlisle - all at Brunton Park.

FLASHBACK -- MATCH 4 - 11th April 1981

Season:  1980/81
SCOTTISH CUP SEMI FINAL
Venue:  HAMPDEN PARK

CELTIC  0  DUNDEE UNITED  0

Attendence: 40,337 + 2

Many firsts here including 1st visit to Hampden.  I sat in the old wooden seats in South Stand in fact I remember one of the stewards taking a couple of pound to let us in before the turnstyles opened which explains the "+2" above.

 

From my distant memory I recall the match was a real stalemate as neither team created many chances.   There was no extra time so the tie went to a replay (which United won 3-2).

 

Hampden was huge back then as it was just before it's first redevelopment.  The best part was the old North Stand which stood on stilts above the North terrace.  The East End uncovered terrace, the traditional Celtic End, went on forever.  It seemed to have an extension at the very top.

 

Some great footage:

 

 

 

 

Football Focus - 100 CELTIC v HIBERNIAN matches

CELTIC v HIBERNIAN

Matches: 100

Breakdown

Celtic wins:        64
Hibernian wins:  11
Draws:                 25

Competitions:
Scottish Premier League:  88
Scottish Cup:                      9
Scottish League Cup:         3

Venues:
Celtic Park:   57 (SPL 53; SC 3; LC 1)
Easter Road: 37 (SPL 32; SC 3; LC 2)
Hampden Park: 4 (SPL 2; SC 2)
Ibrox Stadium:  2 (both SC)

First meeting:
Feb 1982 - Celtic Park - CELTIC 0 HIBERNIAN 0
Midweek sat in Front Stand - very close to where my season ticket is now near away fans.


Finals (1):
2001 Scottish Cup - Celtic 3 Hibernian 0
Scorers: McNamara, Larsson(2)

MATCH 1510 - Saturday, 6th April 2013

Season:  2012/13
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

                

 

CELTIC    3    HIBERNIAN    0

Scorers:  Commons(2), Lustig

 

Celtic came very close to securing the title with this win however Motherwell scored a late equaliser to delay the celebrations.  Two well taken goals from Kris Commons and a dubious one from Michel Lustig gave Celtic a comfortable win over Hibs for the first time this season.

 

Personal note:  This was my 100th Celtic v Hibernian match

 

 

MATCH 1509 - Saturday, 30th March 2013

Season:  2012/13
ENGLISH FA PREMIERSHIP
Venue:  STADIUM OF LIGHT

                     

 

SUNDERLAND   0   MANCHESTER UNITED   1

Scorer: Bramble o.g.

 

The match proved to be Martin O'Neill's last match as Sunderland manager and unlike the O'Neill sides I loved at Celtic with their never say die attitude this Sunderland side seems short on all things required on a football park leadership, quality, imagination, desire and above all else goals.  The home support, the ones not there just to see United, were strangely quiet for such a massive match in their season.

This was the first time I had seen Robin van Persie for United and he produced the bit of quality that would split the teams albeit with a large slice of luck.  When he received the ball in the box in the 27th minute he was very positive as he looked to commit the Sunderland defence.  When he wasn't closed down he fired in a shot which canoned off Bramble's knee and in to the roof of the net.

 

This was a very professional performance from Manchester United as they close in on title no. 20.

 

~

 

Personal note:  65th time seeing Manchester United; 27th time seeing Sunderland; 18th visit to the Stadium of Light