SUMMARY: SEASON 2014/15

 TOTAL MATCHES:   46

                    Breakdown:

                     - Celtic                  33

                     - Non-Celtic            13

Scottish Premier League:     21

Scottish League Championship:    1

Scottish League Cup:     4

Scottish Cup:        2

Europe (UEFA):     7

English Premier League:    6

English League Championship:    1

English League Division 2:    1

English League Cup:    1

Friendly:    2

Season 2014/15 Summary

MATCHES  46

CELTIC       33

Non Celtic   13

MATCH 1606 - Sunday, 24 May 2015

SEASON:  2014/15
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC    5    INVERNESS CT    0

Scorers: Scepovic(2), Johansen, Griffiths, Commons

My last game of the season and Celtic sign off in style with a five star performance as they are presented with the league trophy after the match. 

Personal note:  13th seasons now without missing a home Celtic match! (Last home match missed - Celtic 4 Juventus 3 Nov 2001)

Early action

Big crowd

Celts on Fire

MATCH 1605 - Monday, 18 May 2015

SEASON:  2014/15
ENGLISH FA PREMIERSHIP
Venue:  The Hawthorns

WEST BROMWICH ALBION   3   CHELSEA   0

Scorers: Berahino (2); Brunt

Our first visit to The Hawthorns!  Travelled down on Virgin Trains to Birmingham New Street from Glasgow for a tenner thanks to offer on Megabus.  The stadium is only 10 minutes from Birmingham city centre by train or metro.  We got the connection to The Hawthorns station from Moor Street on London Midland trains, four an hour up to six o'clock but note this goes down to two later on.  The Hawthorns station is only five minutes from the ground.

A McDonalds is conveniently placed across from the north-east corner of the stadium - ideal for families.  It's very busy but service is swift.

Away side arrive at the West Stand side (Halfords Lane).

Halfords Lane

We were in the East Stand near to the away fans section.  

East Stand

The ground is pretty smart with navy seats in all four sides with three big imposing one tier stands and the West Stand which is much smaller in size to the rests of the ground.  The stadium is enclosed and all stands are tight to the pitch making for a terrific atmosphere particularly when the home side are on form.

West Stand

Smethwick End Stand

Birmingham Road End Stand

As for the football Chelsea arrived as champions but it was West Brom who took all the honours on the night.  Gaining an early lead and once Febregas was sent off during a heated first half they never looked back.

Line ups

Kick off

Early action

WBA corner

WBA on the offensive

Second half

Fans divide

Home fans celebrate No. 3

On pitch celebrations

The great divide

All in all West Brom's Hawthorns is a great matchday experience.

Personal note:  91st ground.  2nd WBA game.  7th Chelsea game.

MATCH 1604 - Friday, 1 May 2015

Season: 2014/15
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: CELTIC PARK

Celtic move to within touching distance of another title triumph

CELTIC    5   DUNDEE    0

Scorers: Griffiths, Brown, Commons, Forrest, Bitton

Friday night football came to Celtic Park and over 44,000 fans turned up to see Celtic turning on the style with a five star performance against top six opponents, Dundee.

Brown finished off a great passing move to give Celtic a 2-0 half time lead but the pick of the goals came just before the end of the match as Bitton scored his first Celtic Park goal with a majestic long range passing shot into the postage stamp corner. The ball clipped the post on it's way in to add to the quality of the strike which left the fans gasping in awe.

Personal note:  58th Celtic-Dundee match - 42 at Celtic Park & 16 at Dens Park

MATCH 1603 - Wednesday, 22 April 2015

SEASON: 2014/15
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: DENS PARK (17)

DUNDEE    1    CELTIC    2

Scorers: McAlister; Mackay-Steven, Van Dijk

Gary Mackay-Steven was born to play for Celtic - another terrific goal, another terrific performance from the ex-Dundee United player.

My first visit to Dens Park in over 20 years.  Ticket in the Main Stand which hasn't changed since my first visit there way back in 1983.

My view - one of many columns in the main stand

The unusual Main Stand

Celtic End behind the goal

The home Stand

MATCH 1602 - Sunday, 19 April 2015

SEASON: 2014/15
SCOTTISH CUP SEMI FINAL
Venue:  HAMPDEN PARK

CELTIC    2    INVERNESS CT    3

after extra time

Scorers: Van Dijk, Guidetti;  Tansey, Ofere, Raven

Celtic are knocked out of the Scottish Cup by a very good Inverness side and by the help of an incompetent SFA referee, McLean who joins a long list of SFA referees dating way back to Valentine in 1984 finals v Rangers & Aberdeen & Syme 1986 League Cup Final to name two others who have for some reason failed to fairly apply the rules of the game.  However the decision not to award a penalty on the stroke of half time ranks this as one the poorest refereeing performance in the history of Scottish Football.


Fans pay a lot of money to go to football matches.  They are entitled to see the rules applied fairly in the spirit of Fair Play. 

Personal note:  This was the first tie between the sides at Hampden & only my second Scottish Cup tie v Inverness (the other 2000 1-3);

MATCH 1601 - Wednrdsday, 15 April 2015

Season: 2014/15
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC    4    KILMARNOCK    1

Scorers: Commons, Brown(3);  Westlake

Dull, boring, awful & lazy first half but after the break the game came alive when Kilmarnock took a surprise lead early in the second half.
Second half sub Leigh Griffiths produced a match winning performance bt scoring a quality hat-trick.

Personnel note: 2nd Celtic-Kilmarnock fixture of the season taking my overall total to 68, with 61 in SPL.
41st match of the season - 29 Celtic games.

MATCH 1600 - Wednesday, 8 April 2015

Season:  2014/15
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

1600th Match

CELTIC    2    PARTICK THISTLE    0

Scorers:  Commons, Johansen

Celtic take another step towards the title in a milestone match for myself.  Like a few games this season it should have been by a far bigger margin with a number of good chances squandered.

Kick off

Celtic Park - Sky Box

Personal note:

40th match of the season - 28 Celtic & 12 non Celtic

35th Partick game overall with 28 in Premier League

MATCH 1599 - Sunday, 5 April 2015

SEASON:  2014/15
ENGLISH FA PREMIERSHIP
Venue: STADIUM OF LIGHT

SUNDERLAND  1  NEWCASTLE UNITED  0

Scorer: Defoe

Easter Sunday Derby

A massive derby even more than usual for Sunderland due the Premiership position just outside the drop zone so Defoe's amazing strike just on half time was very welcome.  Best atmosphere ever at Stadium of Light as the Makems celebrated 5 derby wins in a row. However this was the first time I had experienced it. 
Dutch guys everywhere in the stands (Feyenoord fans), in the dugout (Advocaat), in goals (Tim Krul) and at left back the very impressive van Aanholt.

Personal note: 4th Sunderland-Newcastle match; 10th Newcastle game overall; 5th Sunderland match this season.
It was good to meet Jonathan and Paul FTM from http://www.footballgroundguide.com/ forum pre match at:

MATCH 1598 - Saturday, 21 March 2015

Season: 2014/15
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: CELTIC PARK

CELTIC    3    DUNDEE UNITED    0

Scorers: Mackay-Steven, Guidetti, Denayer

For the 3rd time in 7 days these sides played each other with Celtic winning all 3.  Today all three goals were very well taken.  After winning both cup ties and Aberdeen slipping up at Dundee in the lunch time kick off the pressure was off as Celtic kicked off at 3 o'clock on a Saturday at home for the first time in 2015. 


Personal note:  It was my 120th Dundee United match overall.

Match no. 38 of the season.

MATCH 1597 - Wednesday, 18 March 2015

Season: 2014/15
SCOTTISH CUP QUARTER FINAL Replay
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC    4    DUNDEE UNITED    0

Scorers:  Denayer, Griffiths, Commons, van Dijk

Celtic progress to Scottish Cup semi final.  We went to the match with an Aussie girl, Michelle who thought the mild March evening was very cold but still enjoyed her football debut.

MATCH 1596 - Sunday, 15 March 2015

Season: 2014/15
SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUP FINAL
Venue: HAMPDEN PARK

CELTIC    2    DUNDEE UNITED    0

Scorers:  Commons, Forrest

The match was far from a classic but Celtic clinched their 15th League Cup.  Both goals scored when United were down to 10 men, 1st when Dillon was off having treatment, 2nd after the sending off of the same player.

Celtic End turnstyles

HAMPDEN ~ 2.00pm

HAMPDEN ~ 2.15pm

HAMPDEN ~ 2.30pm

HAMPDEN ~ 3.00pm - The United end has been "Tango'd"

Kick off

Second half

Personal note:  14th League Cup final - 13 involving Celtic
2nd one contested between these sides
7th Celtic victory (1982, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2009 & 2015)

MATCH 1595 - Wednesday, 4 March 2015

Season:  2014/15
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC    0    ST JOHNSTONE    1

Scorer: Swanson

After the high of Sunday's victory over title challengers Aberdeen this was the low of another home defeat.  With Celtic a bit flat St Johnstone took full advantage and were worthy of their win.

Personnel note:  35th match of the season.  First St Johnstone match since the Cup Final victory in May.

MATCH 1594 - Sunday, 1 March 2015

SEASON:  2014/15
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: CELTIC PARK

CELTIC    4    ABERDEEN     0

Scorers: Denayer, Griffiths, Mackay-Steven; Johansen

Kick-off

Early kick off (12 noon) for top of the table clash.  Celtic beat their nearest title challengers for the third time this season.

Aberdeen begin better but against the run of play Celtic take the lead late in the first half, then produce a stirring second display to secure all three points.

MATCH 1593 - Sunday, 22 February 2015

SEASON: 2014/15
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC    4    HAMILTON    0

Scorers:  Commons(2), Johansen, Guidetti

Very wet Sunday lunch time for the second meeting of the clubs at Celtic Park this season.  I wasn't able to get my own supporters bus into the park but I was able to catch a lift on the Edinburgh Shamrock CSC who had stopped off in Coatbridge on route to the game.

It was all about getting the first goal and as soon as it came the floodgates opened.

ANOTHER RAINY DAY N PARADISE

Second half - kick off

Personal note:  33rd match of the season; 23rd Hamilton match overall

MATCH 1592 - Thursday, 19 February 2015

SEASON:  2014/15

ROUND OF 32, FIRST LEG

VENUE:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC    3    INTER    3

Scorers:  Armstrong, O.G., Guidetti;  

Shaqiri; Palacio(2)

A classic UEFA Europa League encounter at a packed Celtic Park between two iconic European club sides with Celtic scoring in injury time to earn a draw against their legendary Italian opponents.

The only thing missing was Inter's famous blue & black jersey.

Inter took a two goal lead inside 15 minutes but Celtic responded well with two quick fire goals midway through a dramatic first half. However Inter regained the lead just before half time which they held until three minutes into stoppage time.

Personal note:  This was the first time seeing Inter in a European tie but 11 involving an Italian club.  My 7th European tie of the season

Match Programme