2011-01-02: Rangers 0-2 Celtic, SPL

Match Pictures | Matches: 2010 – 2011 | 2010-2011 Pictures

Trivia

  • Celtic go 4pts clear, but Huns have 2 games in hand.
  • First win in Ibrox new years game since 1985 or so!
  • Samaras scores a double, his first league goals of the season.
  • One minute silence held in respect of the 40th anniversary of the Ibrox disaster.
  • Disturbingly some in the press and a section of the Hun support have used the memory of the Ibrox disaster to claim that the Celtic support did not respect it, and there was an "orchestrated" coughing to upset this! Total nonsense, and it's disturbing how low some can go. Thankfully most of the press swatted away the nonsense, but it's sick how low some will go to pander to the worst amongst the Hun support.
  • Billy McNeill presents John Greig with a wreath on behalf of Celtic. See below.

Celtic v Rangers 2011

Review

Well would you believe it but we have finally seen celtic win a vital match against the huns for the first time in years. Lennon has been derided by many as being tactically inept to date but this time he got it all right and played Walter Smith at his own game.

Stories were abounding that this game was going to be called off due to large scale damage from pipes bursting from the cold freak weather. The huns will wish it had been.

Must add the impecably well respected minute silence today. It was the 40th anniversary of the Ibrox disaster when tragucallt 66 died. RIP… Sadly the papers and huns had stoked it beforehand disgustingly that we wouldn't respect it. It was cheap point scoring with no basis to it. It's disturbing just how low some will go in these matters. We as a club have always shown respect where deserved and this was no exception.

First half was an overly nervous affair that saw Rangers fortunately have a shot cleared off the line by Izzy in the first minutes. After that it was a midfield battle with few if any real shots on target. Rangers had the better of the first 20 minutes whilst we had the edge on the last 20.

Second half was much different. Paddy McCourt should have scored soon after the restart but it really was all Celtic thereafter. Hero of the day was surprisingly Samaras who hadn't scored in the league all season. An end to end goal which began with a marvellous long reacher to Samaras gave him the chance to take on the hun defence round the keeper and score! Cue a celebration.

Second goal was Samaras inviting the hun defence to bring him down for a penalty, which he converted. Ridiculous was that the culprit was not booked as Boughera would have then been sent off. Could have made a material difference as he later had a chance to score to put the huns back in. Thankfully he missed and we remained on top to end the game with a bright start to the new year.

First new year victory at Castle Mordor since 1985 or so. Must add lots of great performances today especially from Rogne, Kayal and McCourt.

Happy days but there is still a long way to go in this league campaign and if the huns win their games in hand then they will keep their noses in front.

For Lennon he has bought some needed respect from the support and finally won a must win game.

Berwick Rangers next Sunday in the cup.

Quotes

"Very funny image of Neil Lennon today smiling at the humanities students and other renowned liberals packed into that Rangers enclosure…"
GrahamSpiers (lol)

"The minute's silence today at Ibrox was certainly impressive. For 50,000 to gather like that was quite something."
"Various: haven’t seen Bill Leckie’s piece today. But the minute’s silence at Ibrox yesterday was about as impeccable as any I’ve witnessed."
"Have just watched the ‘damning evidence’ of ‘coughgate’ at Ibrox. It’s laughable. All you 'hear' is the general hush of a silent stadium.."
"If this is 'damning evidence' then someone is utterly, utterly desperate..a few coughs amid an impeccably-observed silence??"
"Please, no more on ‘coughgate’. The tape is probably the most feeble of all the Old Firm ‘whataboutery’ I’ve ever come across. Farcical"
Graham Speirs (twitter)

"I gather that a few of us in the media have been contacted by Rangers fans who are outraged, disgusted and generally appalled at the disgraceful behaviour of those Celtic fans who apparently showed wanton disrespect during Sunday's minute's silence for the 66 victims of Stairway 13.
Quite honestly, I watched the minute's silence with my heart in my mouth and was mightily relieved when a contemplative hush fell over Ibrox. It seems, though, the silence wasn't silent enough for some desperadoes among the Rangers support."
Tom English (The Scotsman)

"THE silence spoke volumes. And it talked well of the Old Firm.
Yesterday could have been another embarrassing episode in the story of our little country but for once the correct image was beamed from Ibrox and around the world.
This time the Old Firm were shown in a brighter, much more respectable light.
It was 40 years ago to the day when 66 supporters lost their lives on Stairway 13 of Rangers' ground and there were fears a minute of silence to remember and honour the dead might be disrupted. It was impeccably observed. It would have taken only onevoice, one idiot to call out and others might have reacted. There would have been a chain reaction which would have shamed all of us. But there was profound silence."
Jim Traynor (Daily Record)

"What a day it has been. Walking down Shieldhall Rd towards Ibrox this morning my head was telling me we were on to a shagging and my heart was telling me we were going to win. I have to admit that when I heard our starting XI it didn't exactly fill me with confidence, but my God, Neil Lennon you got it spot on sir. And as Billy McNeill led our Bhoys out, I was filled with a great deal of pride and joy. Our support was phenomenal today; the minute's silence was impeccably observed and after that we out-sang those huns brilliantly. And so onto the game, as the huddle went down and the smoke bombs went up I just had a feeling inside that it was going to be our day. We survived the pressure for the first 10 mins, God only knows what would have happened if Izzy hadn't cleared that header off the line. After that 10 min spell we took control in the midfield, Kayal was outstanding and he and Ledley certainly bossed McCulloch and Ness. We look like we've definitely got a hun skelper in the form of Kayal. There weren't many chances in the first half but we sang our hearts out anyway! The second half started in a similar fashion but it was clear we had the upper hand. And then came a moment of sheer unbridled joy that I will remember for the rest of my life. Ledley sent a perfect ball over Bougherra's baldy napper to find Gorgeous Georgios who took the ball past Mcshagger and slotted it home. I can honestly say I don't think I've ever celebrated a goal like that before; I ended up three rows in front of me. Definitely beats getting your hole. And then 8 mins later Samaras picked the ball up on the half way line and danced down the wing beating a hun cutting inside and then beating another hun, being scythed down in the process. And as they say the rest is history, the big Greek slotted the ball home. Cue bedlam once again amongst our supporters and a big massive perty commenced in Free Broomloan. What a sweet feeling that was! And as the Depeche Mode song goes I really just couldn't get enough and we jumped and bounced and sang ourselves to exhaustion for the rest of the game. And the final whistle blew and the players came down to us and you could see they realised how much it meant and how much they appreciated our support today. We were incredible on the field and off of it. And then Neil Lennon came down and I'm not ashamed to say that the emotion got to me and I started to well up, because he knew how much today meant to each and every one of us and he had those players fighting for us and our cause. And that's why I adore Lennon and that is why I love Celtic. And today is why I will always love Celtic and why they are such an important part of my life. What a day and what a performance from the team and every single one of us who were there. God bless and Hail! Hail!"
dessybhoy2 Jan 2011, 09:51 of KDS forum

Teams

Rangers

  • 01 McGregor
  • 03 Weir
  • 05 Papac
  • 12 Foster (Lafferty 68 ; yellow card)
  • 16 Whittaker
  • 24 Bougherra; yellow card
  • 06 McCulloch
  • 08 Davis
  • 20 Weiss
  • 40 Ness (Hutton 84)
  • 09 Miller

Substitutes

  • 25 Alexander,
  • 22 Webster,
  • 10 Fleck,
  • 11 Lafferty,
  • 19 Beattie,
  • 28 Kerkar,
  • 41 Hutton

Celtic

  • 26 Forster
  • 03 Izaguirre
  • 05 Majstorovic
  • 12 Wilson; yellow card
  • 21 Mulgrew; yellow card
  • 25 Rogne
  • 16 Ledley
  • 20 McCourt
  • 33 Baram Kayal; yellow card
  • 09 Samarasyellow card
  • 49 Forrest (McGinn 88)

Substitutes

  • 24 Zaluska,
  • 04 Juarez,
  • 06 Hooiveld,
  • 31 Towell,
  • 14 McGinn,
  • 17 Crosas,
  • 10 Stokes

Goals

  • Samaras 62
  • Samaras (pen) 70
Ref: Thompson
Att: 50,222

Articles

Pictures

KStreet

MOTM

Stats

Possession

  • Rangers 56%
  • Celtic 44%

Attempts on target

  • Rangers 1
  • Celtic 2

Attempts off target

  • Rangers 7
  • Celtic 8

Corners

  • Rangers 4
  • Celtic 8

Fouls

  • Rangers 15
  • Celtic 11

Articles

Telegraph

Rangers 0 Celtic 2: match report

Read a full match report of the Scottish Premier League game between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday, Jan 2 2011.

By Roddy Forsyth 5:30PM GMT 02 Jan 2011

On an afternoon freighted with sombre recollections of events at the same stadium 40 years ago, Celtic left Ibrox with the status – merited but contrary to most expectations – of favourites for the current Scottish championship. On January 2 1971 a 1-1 draw in the traditional New Year Old Firm derby was sufficient to allow Jock Stein’s team to maintain their distance from Rangers but the calamitous aftermath of that occasion – the Ibrox Disaster that left 66 dead and 145 injured on the steps of Stairway 13 – cast a pall over the season.
The rebuilt Ibrox was designed to provide a safe arena for passions, such as the raucous exchanges of the Glasgow rivalry, to be vented within its confines. On Sunday, it was required to act as a forum for remembrance of the tragedy that led to its reconstruction.
Rangers, arrayed in a commemorative jersey, were led out by John Greig, the man who captained them four decades ago. It was profoundly touching to see him march across the turf alongside Billy McNeill, the Celtic skipper of that era, to a heartfelt reception from the fans, both sets of whom observed the subsequent minute’s silence impeccably.
Appropriate respect then gave way to customary bedlam as the overture to a fixture that was widely predicted to run more comfortably for Rangers, under the wily and experienced supervision of Walter Smith, than for Celtic, who had made heavy weather of the five consecutive home fixtures that preceded this game.
Moreover, Neil Lennon had been deprived of the services of a raft of players who would have started or been in contention. Scott Brown, the Celtic captain, was suspended, the South Korean pair of Cha Du Ri and Ki Sung Yeung are on international duty at the Asian Cup, while Shaun Maloney, Gary Hooper, Olivier Kapo and Daryl Murphy are injured.
Much of the pre-match speculation concerned Freddie Ljungberg, who signed for Celtic on Friday, but the former Arsenal midfield man had picked up a virus and was also ruled out. In the event, he was not missed, although the evidence of the opening quarter hour was that Celtic were about to be bulldozed by a rampant Rangers team.
That might well have happened had Lennon’s players fallen behind within five minutes, as they so nearly did. From a Vladimir Weiss corner kick, Lee McCulloch’s header beat Fraser Forster and was dropping inside the back post when Emilio Izaguerre, stationed on the line, averted what looked a certain goal by heading the ball up and off the crossbar to safety.
That was as close as Rangers were to get to a goal, not that you would have predicted as much. Smith had to do without Steven Naismith, his best player this season, because of a hamstring injury and the manager responded with the bold decision to grant the 18-year-old Jamie Ness his first start in midfield.
The youngster was deployed alongside McCulloch in front of Rangers’ back four and he began with a couple of glorious crossfield passes that would have done credit to Glenn Hoddle in his pomp. Lennon had opted for a match-up to Rangers’ 4-2-3-1 but Celtic looked wholly uncomfortable with the shape.
Crucially, though, the champions did not take advantage of their dominance and, as Celtic adjusted to their formation midway through the half the game deteriorated into an unappetising scrap, with creativity at a premium. It quite likely would have stayed that way but for an uncharacteristically bad decision by Allan McGregor on hour into the proceedings.
Joe Ledley played a ball forward for Georgios Samaras to chase, not a ploy that would usually discomfit Rangers, but in this instance David Weir and Madjid Bougherra were caught level with each other as the pass went beyond them. Even then McGregor would have done better to stay on his line but he bolted out and was beaten to the ball by Samaras who turned his shot into the empty net for his first goal since March 20 last year.
Transformed utterly, Celtic unleashed waves of vigorous assaults on a Rangers back line which crumpled in astonishing fashion. Bougherra was the next culprit, toppling Samaras just inside the box to concede a penalty kick which the Greek forward converted with brio.
Celtic were en route to Neil Lennon’s first big victory as a tyro manager and a four point lead that, despite Rangers’ two games in hand, points strongly to a change in the destination of this season’s SPL championship. On this day of all days, though, the result that mattered most was that 50,222 spectators could indulge in the cacophony of civil strife and be sure that only their larynxes were in danger of harm.
Match details
Rangers (4-2-3-1): McGregor; Foster (Lafferty 67), Bougherra, Weir, Papac; McCulloch, Ness (Hutton 82), Davis, Weiss, Whittaker; Miller.
Subs: (unused) Alexander (g), Webster, Fleck, Beattie, Kerkar.
Booked: Bougherra, Lafferty.
Celtic (4-2-3-1): Forster; Wilson, Rogne, Majstorovic, Izaguirre; Ledley, Kayal; Forrest (McGinn 88), McCourt, Mulgrew; Samaras.
Subs: (unused) Zaluska (g), Juarez, Hooiveld, Towell, Crosas, Stokes.
Booked: Wilson, Mulgrew.
Referee: Craig Thomson.

Telegraph

Celtic manager Neil Lennon makes sure that Rangers' Kyle Lafferty gets the message after Old Firm triumph
Celtic supporters set off flares in the Broomloan Stand prior to kick-off but the whiff of cordite, which is rarely far away when these teams clash, was largely absent on the pitch on Sunday.

Are you listening? Celtic manager Neil Lennon (right) makes his point to Kyle LaffertyPhoto: ACTION IMAGES

By Ewing Grahame 5:16PM GMT 02 Jan 2011

Perhaps the minute’s silence for the 66 Rangers fans who died following this fixture 40 years ago had lent some welcome perspective to this most bitter of rivalries but there was a complete absence of malice until the final whistle.
At that point Celtic manager Neil Lennon exchanged some angry words with fellow Northern Irishman Kyle Lafferty. Lennon shook every other Rangers player’s hand but offered the forward only the rough edge of his tongue.
In the aftermath of Rangers’ 3-1 victory at Parkhead in October Lafferty tweeted some particularly insulting remarks about Lennon: this, for the older man, was payback time and he wanted to ensure it was done face to face and not from a computer keyboard.
When questioned about the incident, Lennon replied: “You might read about it on his Twitter page.” The altercation, however, could not spoil the manager’s afternoon. “It’s a wonderful feeling,” he said. “I’m very, very proud of my players. I didn’t expect us to come here and be so dominant but we took everything they could throw at us and we could have scored more goals.”
Georgios Samaras had opened the scoring with Celtic’s first effort on target and completed the scoring from the penalty spot after drawing the foul from Madjid Bougherra.
Related Articles

They were not only the first goals the Greek had scored at Ibrox but the first goals he has contributed in the league this season. Samaras is out of contract come May but Lennon hopes he can be persuaded to extend his stay at Parkhead.
“Sammy doesn’t want to leave this club,” he said. “He needs to be more consistent but he knows that but we need to keep working and trying to get the best out of him because he was unplayable out there.
“Is it a mental thing with him? It could be. He’s only 25 so he’s yet to reach his peak but now he’s set this benchmark people will be expecting him to play like that every week. We won’t but he has all the attributes to be anything he wants to be.”
Samaras, for his part, made it clear that his preference would be to remain in Glasgow in spite of reported interest from Atletico Madrid and Sporting Lisbon.
“The crucial thing is that the manager wants me to stay,” he said. “Celtic are a massive club, known all around the world.
“Every year we play European football and try to win trophies, which is the most important thing for any player. At the end of your career you want to sit down and remember what you’ve won.”
Lennon is convinced that yesterday’s triumph may prove to be the springboard for them to prevent Rangers from winning a third successive title.
“This result is huge in terms of the championship,” he said. “Most people had written us off and said that my team didn’t win the big games. Well, we’ve won this one and we’ve done it in style.”
Rangers haven’t won a New Year Old Firm match since 1997 and they could have played until midnight and still not have found the net.
Walter Smith’s side failed to force a save from Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster and produced a performance riddled with unforced errors, with Richard Foster’s sloppy pass which led to the opening goal symptomatic of their afternoon.
Lennon effectively Waltered Rangers, soaking up the pressure and hitting their opponents on the break in the same manner that Smith’s teams have plundered results at Parkhead.
“The first goal was always going to be vital,” said Smith. “It gave Celtic something to hold on to. They just sat back and we needed to score in order to force them to come out but we just didn’t create enough and that, along with losing two poor goals, was the most disappointing aspect for us.
“If Celtic had scored great goals then this result would have been easier to take. I don’t think that we were flat: sometimes you just have to give credit to the opposition and the way they played worked very well for them.”
Two years ago Gordon Strachan’s Celtic twice squandered a seven-point advantage as Rangers came from behind to win the title and Rangers captain David Weir is confident that they can do so again, particularly since winning their two matches in hand would transform a four-point deficit into a two-point lead.
“We lost today but time will tell how big an influence that is on the eventual outcome,” said the 40-year-old defender. “There’s still a long way to go and it’s up to us to regroup, pick ourselves up and start again.”

Rangers 0-2 Celtic

By Clive Lindsay (BBC)
Georgios Samaras scored twice to give Celtic a deserved victory over Rangers that stretched the visitors' lead to four points in the league table.
Rangers were denied a fifth-minute lead when Emilio Izaguirre deflected a Lee McCulloch header off the crossbar.
But Celtic took control after the break and Samaras rounded goalkeeper Allan McGregor to score after 62 minutes.
The second came eight minutes later when Samaras was pulled down by Madjid Bougherra and scored with the penalty.

Reigning champions Rangers responded but could not prevent Celtic claiming their first victory on their Old Firm rivals' patch since December 2008.
And it was revenge for a side beaten 3-1 the last time they met their Glasgow neighbours, at Celtic Park in October.
An emotional day at Ibrox was ensured by an impeccably observed minute's silence to mark the 40th anniversary of the Ibrox disaster that led to the death of 66 people at the Old Firm derby on 2 January 1971.
Led out by famous captains John Greig and Billy McNeill, the respective sides had a chance to become modern legends.
But Celtic fans looking forward to the first sight of Freddie Ljungberg in the green and white hoops were left disappointed as the former Arsenal and Sweden winger had picked up a virus.
Manager Neil Lennon was also without suspended captain Scott Brown and the injured Olivier Kapo, along with striker Daryl Murphy, as he was forced to reshuffle his midfield.
Rangers' Walter Smith also was forced into a change after Steven Naismith failed a fitness test and 19-year-old Jamie Ness was given his first start at the heart of midfield.
It was Rangers' reshuffled pack that exerted early control and almost took the lead after five minutes following a corner won after Ness played a classy cross-field ball to Steven Whittaker.
Vladimir Weiss's cross was flicked on by McCulloch and Celtic left-back Izaguirre managed to head the ball off the line and clear via the underside of the crossbar.
Both sides were playing a 4-4-1-1 formation, with Weiss and Paddy McCourt playing behind their respective strikers, and it was the latter who almost proved to have the greater influence despite the more evident trickery of the Slovakian.
The Northern Irishman's fine through ball into the penalty box found James Forrest, who had come into the side along with Beram Kayal, Charlie Mulgrew and Samaras, and forced a goal-saving tackle from McCulloch.
It was now a more even contest with lone strikers Kenny Miller and Samaras, whose inclusion meant that Anthony Stokes dropped to the bench, being starved of ammunition as the half-time whistle blew.
Samaras set up the best chance of the match within seconds after the break, his flicked header finding McCourt racing into the box, but the winger fired his drive wide of the far post under pressure from David Weir.
Just as Rangers looked to have settled after early Celtic pressure, the visitors took the lead after goalkeeper McGregor sold himself after a long ball over the top of the defence from Joe Ledley found Samaras.
Samaras flicked the ball past McGregor and rolled the ball into the empty net and the Greek was soon celebrating a second.
The striker beat Ness for pace then was clipped by Bougherra's lazy leg as he turned inside the Algeria defender before stepping up to beat McGregor from the penalty spot.
Rangers, so subdued and reliant on aimless high balls until that point, suddenly responded and Sasa Papac sent a low drive just wide of the far post then Bougherra volleyed over from 16 yards.
However, Celtic held out comfortably – and came close again from Ledley and Samaras – to leave Rangers requiring wins in their two games in hand to overtake their rivals at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/9330644.stm

Published: 2011/01/02 14:40:09 GMT

Lennon hails 'unplayable' Samaras

Celtic manager Neil Lennon described Georgios Samaras as "unplayable" after the Greek striker scored both goals in their victory over Rangers at Ibrox.
"Samaras was a constant menace," said Lennon. "He was top drawer.
"I thought he was a real handful. I thought he was unplayable from Rangers' point of view."
Lennon is in his first full season as Celtic manager and he said: "This tops the lot to come here to play the champions and win convincingly."

The 2-0 win stretched Celtic's lead over their city rivals, although Rangers have played fewer games because of recent postponements because of wintry weather.
"That's four points and it's a decent wee lead at the minute," said Lennon. "I know Rangers have two games in hand, but they are both away and they have some hard games coming up.
In the second half, we were much, much better than Rangers
Celtic striker Georgios Samaras
"But there's a lot of football to be played. Even if we had lost, I still wouldn't have said the league was over, but the fact we have won gives us a real chance.
"I hope it is a turning point, but you never can tell. In the end, I don't think Rangers caused us any problems whatsoever."
Celtic had gone into the game without suspended captain Scott Brown, new signing Freddie Ljungberg and several other first-team regulars.
"It was a great performance considering I had nine out," said Lennon.
"I think, once we got over the initial flurry of pressure, the two midfield boys got a grip of the game.
"I thought the back four were magnificent all through the game and Samaras showed what he can do on any given day."
Lennon also praised Baram Kayal, who has had a long spell missing through injury, and Charlie Mulgrew for their midfield roles after recalls to the starting line-up.
"They had one off the line early on, but then my goalkeeper did not have much to do after that," he said.
"People have been saying about myself and the team that we don't win the big games, but we have done that today. You don't get much bigger than that.
"On the back of the three home draws, it was vital that we won."
Samaras had been preferred to Anthony Stokes, who dropped to the bench, but the striker did not see his two goals as making a point to the manager for being left on the bench previously.
"The manager knows exactly what I can do and my qualities," said the Greek. "I feel really good myself that I scored two goals, but the most important thing is the team and we are back on track.
"I think it was a great performance from all the team. I think the players worked really hard and I think in the end the best team won the game.
"In the second half, we were much, much better than Rangers."
Even so, Samaras thought the title race would go down the closing moments of the season.
"We have three wins in a row," he said. "But Rangers are a really good team and, until the end of the season, it will be really tight if we are to win the SPL trophy."

Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/9333600.stm

Published: 2011/01/02 17:32:55 GMT

© BBC 2011

© BBC 2011

  • Final Result
  • Full Time
  • 90:00+3:08 The final whistle is blown by the referee.
  • 90:00+2:00 Shot by Georgios Samaras (Celtic) left-footed from left channel (12 yards), save (caught) by Allan McGregor (Rangers). Corner from left by-line taken short left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic). Attacking throw-in by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic).
  • 90:00+1:40 Cross by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers), clearance by Thomas Rogne (Celtic).
  • 90:00+1:31 Cross by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers), clearance by Daniel Majstorovic (Celtic).
  • 90:00+0:10 Foul by Beram Kayal (Celtic) on David Weir (Rangers). Free kick taken right-footed by Kyle Lafferty (Rangers) from right channel (18 yards), blocked by Joe Ledley (Celtic).
  • 89:58 Cross by Sasa Papac (Rangers), clearance by Patrick McCourt (Celtic).
  • 89:42 Outswinging corner from right by-line taken right-footed by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers) to far post, clearance by Beram Kayal (Celtic).
  • 89:36 Cross by Kyle Lafferty (Rangers), blocked by Thomas Rogne (Celtic).
  • 89:22 Goal kick taken long by Allan McGregor (Rangers).
  • 89:09 Shot by Daniel Majstorovic (Celtic) right-footed from right channel (18 yards), over the bar.
  • 88:40 Shot by Beram Kayal (Celtic) left-footed from left channel (12 yards), resulting in open play.
  • Correction – 87:42 Foul by Kyle Hutton on Patrick McCourt, free kick awarded. Charlie Mulgrew restarts play with the free kick.
  • Correction – 87:42 Substitution Niall McGinn comes on in place of James Forrest.
  • 87:42 Foul by Kyle Hutton (Rangers) on Patrick McCourt (Celtic). Free kick taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) from left channel, passed.
  • 87:42 Substitution Celtic substitution: James Forrest replaced by Niall McGinn (tactical).
  • 86:46 Goal kick taken long by Fraser Forster (Celtic).
  • 86:01 Attacking throw-in by Sasa Papac (Rangers).
  • 85:02 Attacking throw-in by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers).
  • 84:55 Cross by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers), clearance by Daniel Majstorovic (Celtic).
  • 83:50 Foul by Beram Kayal (Celtic) on David Weir (Rangers). Free kick taken right-footed by Madjid Bougherra (Rangers) from own half, passed.
  • 83:50 Booking Beram Kayal (Celtic) booked for unsporting behaviour.
  • 83:07 Attacking throw-in by Sasa Papac (Rangers).
  • 83:07 Substitution Rangers substitution: Jamie Ness replaced by Kyle Hutton (tactical).
  • 82:43 Attacking throw-in by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers).
  • 82:19 Goal kick taken short by Allan McGregor (Rangers).
  • 82:10 Shot by Beram Kayal (Celtic) right-footed from right channel (30 yards), missed right.
  • 81:32 Attacking throw-in by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
  • 81:05 Defending throw-in by Sasa Papac (Rangers).
  • 80:31 Cross by Steven Whittaker (Rangers), resulting in open play. Handball by Kyle Lafferty (Rangers). Free kick taken right-footed by Fraser Forster (Celtic) from own half, resulting in open play.
  • 80:31 Booking Kyle Lafferty (Rangers) booked for unsporting behaviour.
  • 79:38 Goal kick taken long by Allan McGregor (Rangers).
  • 78:52 Outswinging corner from left by-line taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) to far post, header by Daniel Majstorovic (Celtic) from right side of penalty area (6 yards), missed right.
  • 78:37 Attacking throw-in by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
  • 78:17 Attacking throw-in by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
  • 77:55 Goal kick taken long by Fraser Forster (Celtic).
  • 76:27 Foul by Mark Wilson (Celtic) on Vladimir Weiss (Rangers). Free kick taken right-footed by Steven Davis (Rangers) from left channel (20 yards), over the bar.
  • 76:27 Booking Mark Wilson (Celtic) booked for unsporting behaviour.
  • 75:35 Defending throw-in by Steven Whittaker (Rangers).
  • 74:53 Foul by Kenny Miller (Rangers) on Fraser Forster (Celtic). Free kick taken right-footed by Fraser Forster (Celtic) from own half, resulting in open play.
  • 74:35 Cross by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers), save (caught) by Fraser Forster (Celtic).
  • 73:50 Goal kick taken long by Fraser Forster (Celtic).
  • 73:33 Cross by Steven Whittaker (Rangers), shot by Madjid Bougherra (Rangers) right-footed from right side of penalty area (12 yards), over the bar.
  • 73:10 Attacking throw-in by Steven Whittaker (Rangers).
  • 72:57 Attacking throw-in by Steven Whittaker (Rangers).
  • 72:27 Foul by Patrick McCourt (Celtic) on Lee McCulloch (Rangers). Free kick crossed right-footed by Steven Davis (Rangers) from right channel, clearance by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic).
  • 72:17 Attacking throw-in by Sasa Papac (Rangers).
  • 71:51 Foul by Georgios Samaras (Celtic) on Steven Whittaker (Rangers). Free kick taken right-footed by Allan McGregor (Rangers) from own half, passed.
  • 71:41 Goal kick taken long by Fraser Forster (Celtic).
  • 71:17 Shot by David Weir (Rangers) right-footed from left channel (18 yards), missed right.
  • 70:57 Outswinging corner from right by-line taken right-footed by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers) to far post, clearance by Thomas Rogne (Celtic).
  • 70:50 Cross by Kyle Lafferty (Rangers), clearance by Thomas Rogne (Celtic).
  • 70:14 Cross by Steven Whittaker (Rangers), save (caught) by Fraser Forster (Celtic).
  • 69:09 Foul by Madjid Bougherra (Rangers) on Georgios Samaras (Celtic).
  • 69:09 GOAL – Georgios Samaras:Rangers 0 – 2 Celtic Penalty taken right-footed by Georgios Samaras (Celtic), scored.Rangers 0-2 Celtic.
  • 68:04 Cross by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers), resulting in open play.
  • 67:39 Inswinging corner from right by-line taken right-footed by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers) to centre, resulting in open play.
  • 67:19 Substitution Rangers substitution: Richard Foster replaced by Kyle Lafferty (tactical).
  • 66:29 Inswinging corner from right by-line taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) to far post, save (parried) by Allan McGregor (Rangers).
  • 66:19 Cross by James Forrest (Celtic), blocked by Jamie Ness (Rangers).
  • 64:56 Foul by Jamie Ness (Rangers) on Joe Ledley (Celtic). Free kick taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) from right channel (25 yards), save (caught) by Allan McGregor (Rangers).
  • 63:48 Attacking throw-in by Sasa Papac (Rangers).
  • 63:39 Cross by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic), resulting in open play.
  • 63:02 Goal kick taken long by Fraser Forster (Celtic).
  • 61:49 Assist (pass) by Joe Ledley (Celtic) from own half.
  • 61:49 Booking Georgios Samaras (Celtic) booked for unsporting behaviour.
  • 61:18 GOAL – Georgios Samaras:Rangers 0 – 1 Celtic Goal by Georgios Samaras (Celtic) left-footed (low centre of goal) from left side of penalty area (6 yards).Rangers 0-1 Celtic.
  • 60:51 Attacking throw-in by Richard Foster (Rangers).
  • 60:27 Attacking throw-in by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
  • 60:21 Goal kick taken long by Fraser Forster (Celtic).
  • 59:29 Foul by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic) on Steven Davis (Rangers). Free kick taken right-footed by Madjid Bougherra (Rangers) from own half, passed.
  • 59:17 Attacking throw-in by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
  • 58:08 Defending throw-in by Mark Wilson (Celtic).
  • 57:47 Defending throw-in by Mark Wilson (Celtic).
  • 56:53 Foul by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers) on Beram Kayal (Celtic). Free kick taken right-footed by Daniel Majstorovic (Celtic) from own half, resulting in open play.
  • 56:20 Attacking throw-in by Richard Foster (Rangers).
  • 56:10 Cross by Madjid Bougherra (Rangers), clearance by Thomas Rogne (Celtic).
  • 55:21 Foul by Joe Ledley (Celtic) on Jamie Ness (Rangers). Free kick crossed right-footed by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers) from right channel, clearance by Daniel Majstorovic (Celtic).
  • 54:03 Goal kick taken long by Allan McGregor (Rangers).
  • 53:15 Attacking throw-in by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
  • 53:05 Goal kick taken long by Fraser Forster (Celtic).
  • 51:00 Attacking throw-in by Mark Wilson (Celtic).
  • 50:16 Defending throw-in by Mark Wilson (Celtic).
  • 49:57 Goal kick taken short by Allan McGregor (Rangers).
  • 49:15 Defending throw-in by Sasa Papac (Rangers).
  • 49:06 Cross by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic), resulting in open play.
  • 48:30 Goal kick taken long by Allan McGregor (Rangers).
  • 47:34 Inswinging corner from right by-line taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) to near post, resulting in open play.
  • 46:43 Foul by Madjid Bougherra (Rangers) on Georgios Samaras (Celtic). Free kick crossed right-footed by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) from left channel, clearance by Madjid Bougherra (Rangers).
  • 46:06 Goal kick taken long by Allan McGregor (Rangers).
  • 45:57 Shot by Patrick McCourt (Celtic) left-footed from left side of penalty area (12 yards), missed right.
  • 45:30 Defending throw-in by Sasa Papac (Rangers).
  • 45:12 Attacking throw-in by Mark Wilson (Celtic).
  • 45:01 The second half kicks off.
  • 45:00+0:10 The referee blows for half time.
  • Half Time
  • 44:44 Foul by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers) on Beram Kayal (Celtic). Free kick taken right-footed by Mark Wilson (Celtic) from own half, resulting in open play.
  • 44:12 Defending throw-in by Allan McGregor (Rangers).
  • 43:42 Goal kick taken short by Allan McGregor (Rangers).
  • 43:06 Foul by Steven Davis (Rangers) on Daniel Majstorovic (Celtic). Free kick taken left-footed by Joe Ledley (Celtic) from own half, passed.
  • 41:13 Attacking throw-in by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers).
  • 40:56 Foul by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) on Richard Foster (Rangers). Free kick taken right-footed by Allan McGregor (Rangers) from own half, resulting in open play.
  • 40:45 Cross by James Forrest (Celtic), resulting in open play.
  • 40:19 Attacking throw-in by Mark Wilson (Celtic).
  • 40:10 Attacking throw-in by Mark Wilson (Celtic).
  • 39:37 Foul by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers) on Beram Kayal (Celtic). Free kick taken right-footed by Daniel Majstorovic (Celtic) from own half, resulting in open play.
  • 39:10 Goal kick taken long by Fraser Forster (Celtic).
  • 38:39 Cross by Steven Davis (Rangers), clearance by James Forrest (Celtic).
  • 38:02 Attacking throw-in by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers).
  • 37:55 Cross by Steven Davis (Rangers), clearance by Thomas Rogne (Celtic).
  • 36:51 Attacking throw-in by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
  • 36:44 Attacking throw-in by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
  • 36:34 Cross by James Forrest (Celtic), clearance by Madjid Bougherra (Rangers).
  • 34:50 Attacking throw-in by Mark Wilson (Celtic).
  • 34:23 Attacking throw-in by Mark Wilson (Celtic).
  • 33:51 Attacking throw-in by Richard Foster (Rangers).
  • 32:18 Foul by Jamie Ness (Rangers) on Beram Kayal (Celtic). Free kick crossed left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) from right channel, clearance by Richard Foster (Rangers).
  • 31:54 Attacking throw-in by Mark Wilson (Celtic).
  • 31:09 Foul by Kenny Miller (Rangers) on Thomas Rogne (Celtic). Free kick taken right-footed by Fraser Forster (Celtic) from own half, resulting in open play.
  • 31:06 Goal kick taken short by Allan McGregor (Rangers).
  • 30:25 Outswinging corner from left by-line taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) to far post, header by Georgios Samaras (Celtic) from centre of penalty area (6 yards), missed right.
  • 30:18 Cross by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic), clearance by Madjid Bougherra (Rangers).
  • 28:51 Handball by Georgios Samaras (Celtic). Free kick taken left-footed by Allan McGregor (Rangers) from own half, passed.
  • 27:52 Defending throw-in by Richard Foster (Rangers).
  • 27:48 Attacking throw-in by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic).
  • 27:43 Cross by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic), blocked by Jamie Ness (Rangers).
  • 27:12 Attacking throw-in by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
  • 26:30 Foul by Madjid Bougherra (Rangers) on Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic). Free kick taken right-footed by Fraser Forster (Celtic) from own half, resulting in open play.
  • 26:30 Booking Madjid Bougherra (Rangers) booked for unsporting behaviour.
  • 26:15 Booking Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) booked for unsporting behaviour.
  • 25:09 Cross by Madjid Bougherra (Rangers), clearance by Beram Kayal (Celtic).
  • 25:03 Cross by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers), clearance by Daniel Majstorovic (Celtic).
  • 24:24 Foul by Mark Wilson (Celtic) on Vladimir Weiss (Rangers). Free kick crossed right-footed by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers) from left wing, resulting in open play.
  • 22:55 Outswinging corner from left by-line taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) to far post, clearance by Lee McCulloch (Rangers).
  • 22:34 Shot by James Forrest (Celtic) left-footed from left side of penalty area (18 yards), blocked by Lee McCulloch (Rangers).
  • 21:47 Inswinging corner from right by-line taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) to far post, save (punched) by Allan McGregor (Rangers).
  • 21:40 Cross by Georgios Samaras (Celtic), clearance by David Weir (Rangers).
  • 21:34 Cross by Beram Kayal (Celtic), resulting in open play.
  • 21:01 Outswinging corner from left by-line taken left-footed by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic) to far post, clearance by Madjid Bougherra (Rangers).
  • 20:54 Cross by Charlie Mulgrew (Celtic), blocked by Richard Foster (Rangers).
  • 20:07 Defending throw-in by Richard Foster (Rangers).
  • 19:20 Defending throw-in by Richard Foster (Rangers).
  • 18:34 Attacking throw-in by Richard Foster (Rangers).
  • 18:12 Cross by James Forrest (Celtic), save (caught) by Allan McGregor (Rangers).
  • 17:48 Attacking throw-in by Georgios Samaras (Celtic).
  • 17:15 Attacking throw-in by Richard Foster (Rangers).
  • 17:05 Attacking throw-in by Richard Foster (Rangers).
  • 16:41 Goal kick taken short by Allan McGregor (Rangers).
  • 16:17 Foul by Jamie Ness (Rangers) on Beram Kayal (Celtic). Free kick taken right-footed by Daniel Majstorovic (Celtic) from left channel, passed.
  • 15:37 Goal kick taken long by Fraser Forster (Celtic).
  • 15:24 Shot by Lee McCulloch (Rangers) right-footed from left channel (30 yards), over the bar.
  • 14:56 Defending throw-in by Mark Wilson (Celtic).
  • 14:00 Defending throw-in by Richard Foster (Rangers).
  • 13:33 Steven Davis (Rangers) caught offside. Free kick taken right-footed by Fraser Forster (Celtic) from own half, resulting in open play.
  • 13:16 Cross by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers), resulting in open play.
  • 12:36 Cross by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic), save (caught) by Allan McGregor (Rangers).
  • 12:20 Cross by Mark Wilson (Celtic), clearance by Madjid Bougherra (Rangers).
  • 12:04 Attacking throw-in by Mark Wilson (Celtic).
  • 11:03 Foul by David Weir (Rangers) on Patrick McCourt (Celtic). Free kick taken right-footed by Daniel Majstorovic (Celtic) from left channel, passed.
  • 10:27 Goal kick taken long by Fraser Forster (Celtic).
  • 9:47 Defending throw-in by Mark Wilson (Celtic).
  • 9:24 Defending throw-in by Mark Wilson (Celtic).
  • 8:41 Attacking throw-in by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
  • 8:22 Goal kick taken long by Fraser Forster (Celtic).
  • 7:49 Shot by Richard Foster (Rangers) right-footed from left channel (18 yards), missed right.
  • 7:34 Cross by Sasa Papac (Rangers), blocked by James Forrest (Celtic).
  • 7:01 Attacking throw-in by Sasa Papac (Rangers).
  • 6:52 Cross by Richard Foster (Rangers), resulting in open play.
  • 6:27 Attacking throw-in by Sasa Papac (Rangers).
  • 5:51 Goal kick taken long by Fraser Forster (Celtic).
  • 5:29 Shot by Steven Whittaker (Rangers) right-footed from left channel (35 yards),
  • 4:27 Inswinging corner from left by-line taken right-footed by Vladimir Weiss (Rangers) to near post, header by Lee McCulloch (Rangers) from left side of penalty area (12 yards), clearance by Emilio Izaguirre (Celtic).
  • 4:02 Attacking throw-in by Richard Foster (Rangers).
  • 3:46 Defending throw-in by Richard Foster (Rangers).
  • 3:00 Handball by Thomas Rogne (Celtic). Free kick taken left-footed by David Weir (Rangers) from right channel, passed.
  • 2:42 Goal kick taken long by Fraser Forster (Celtic).
  • Correction – 2:14 Unfair challenge on Jamie Ness by Patrick McCourt results in a free kick. Jamie Ness takes the free kick.
  • 2:14 Foul by Patrick McCourt (Celtic) on Jamie Ness (Rangers). Free kick taken left-footed by Jamie Ness (Rangers) from own half, passed.
  • 1:52 Attacking throw-in by Sasa Papac (Rangers).
  • 1:35 Defending throw-in by Sasa Papac (Rangers).
  • 1:07 Foul by Kenny Miller (Rangers) on Mark Wilson (Celtic). Free kick taken right-footed by Fraser Forster (Celtic) from own half, resulting in open play.
  • 0:35 Foul by Patrick McCourt (Celtic) on Lee McCulloch (Rangers). Free kick crossed left-footed by Sasa Papac (Rangers) from left channel, resulting in open play.
  • 0:13 Attacking throw-in by Sasa Papac (Rangers).
  • 0:00 The referee gets the match started.

Pre-match

The odds are stacked against him, but Celtic boss Neil Lennon hopes to engineer a shock

2011-01-02: Rangers 0-2 Celtic, SPL - The Celtic Wiki
Click on thumbnail to view image
Published Date: 02 January 2011
By TOM ENGLISH (The Scotsman)

Let's take stock. Celtic have not won at Ibrox in two years. They are without eight players through injury and suspension. Possibly six of the eight would have started today.

Shorn of Scott Brown, Shaun Maloney, Ki Sung Yueng and Olivier Kapo, they are looking to plug the holes in their midfield with rusty talents. Baram Kayal, Brown's likely replacement, has started one match since August. Efrain Juarez has played one minute in six weeks. Freddie Ljungberg hasn't played since October.

Up front, they are missing their best goalscorer. Without Gary Hooper, the front two may be Anthony Stokes, who hasn't scored in six games, and Georgios Samaras, who hasn't scored in nine. The creative burden on Paddy McCourt is big and is about to get bigger.

Of the likely squad, only two of them, Mark Wilson and Samaras, know what it's like to get a victory in Rangers' back yard. So when you add it all together and factor in Rangers' relative clean bill of health, Celtic's chances don't amount to a great deal. The bookmakers have them as 3-1 outsiders, which seems about right.

Celtic's only hope is that they come out full of controlled aggression at being written off. Of course, they will have three men who would have relished such a scenario in their own day, who would have soaked up the the doubtful words of the press and used them as inspiration. Neil Lennon, Johan Mjallby and Alan Thompson became Celtic greats on the back of days like this, days when everybody said they couldn't deliver, but did. It was instructive to hear Lennon say "no excuses" on Friday when asked about his lengthy list of absentees. "No excuses" was a phrase he used a number of times.

There was never any doubting his own mental strength, but what of the team he has created? "There's nothing I can do about those eight being out," he said. "We'll certainly miss Brown. He was excellent the other night (against Motherwell] and very unfortunate. But there will be no excuses come Sunday. We've a squad deep enough to cope and we have coped with big players being out already this season. Hooper was out for a lengthy time, Maloney has been out and now Ki and Cha.

"It's not a defining game by any means because we're only halfway through the season, but psychologically it would give the players a huge boost to come out with a result. Myself, Johan and Alan will speak to the players, but it's difficult to replicate the experience of actually going out there. It's a great venue and a great fixture and my own personal experiences there were very good. I really enjoyed playing there. I hope the players take that on board and relish it.

That's why we brought them here and that's why they came."

The lack of experience of this fixture among those left standing is something that has to be troubling Lennon greatly. Of the possible starting team, Wilson and Samaras are the only ones

who have real knowledge of what it's about, with two dozen appearances between them. The rest of the defence, and the goalkeeper, have only one appearance each against Rangers. None of those four have played at Ibrox. Neither, for that matter, have Joe Ledley, Kayal, Juarez and Niall McGinn.

The danger for Lennon is that he overdoes the big psyche-up and sends them with out their hair on fire, as was the case when Stokes almost got himself sent off in the opening seconds of the Old Firm game earlier in the season. "It's important to strike a balance before the game," said the manager.

"I don't talk to them too much. We just try and give them bullet points if we can. We don't want them to get too fired up. The important thing for us will be discipline – we want to keep 11 players on the pitch. A lack of experience can possibly make that a greater danger. Alan (Thompson] is probably the last person to be giving players advice for staying on the pitch. (Thompson was sent off three times at Ibrox]. Myself and Johan will have to talk to them and tell them to keep their head and focus. We'll tell them to just concentrate on the game and get lost in the game. You can do that. You can zone out and block out the crowd. If you prepare yourself well you can do that no problem. We've fallen short in these games so far so that's an incentive for us to go and get a performance and result and see the bad moments out which we probably haven't done in previous games.

"We'll go over the last one again and we'll look at recent footage of Rangers. But it (losing the head] happens to us all. I did it myself the first time I was at Wembley with Crewe (in 1993] when we played in the play-off final. I just completely forgot about the game, let the occasion get to me and I was hopeless that day. I thought if I ever get the chance to go back and do that again I would play the game rather than all the razzmatazz that goes with it."

For Celtic, the glitz from the off will have to be provided by McCourt for it doesn't appear as if Ljungberg is going to start the game and elswhere that little bit of flair is absent in this Celtic team.

Lennon eulogised the Irishman on Friday once again, praising his passing and his vision, his movement and his ability to "find a weakness in someone and exploit it. He knows he didn't cover himself in glory when he came on as a sub in the last Old Firm game so he's another who'll want to rectify that and prove he can play in these high-intensity matches".

Finally, Lennon's great hope for the day, that something special drops out of the Glasgow sky when nobody is quite expecting it. "The injuries to big players should galvanise the team," he said.

"At Leicester we used to go to places like Liverpool down to the bare bones, but we'd get a result.

"Sometimes you get a surprise package. There could be a player who produces a performance and you think: 'Where did that come from?' Then they kick on from there."

Truly this would be the most improbable victory were they to pull it off.

The following is a disgrace and a sick nonsense

http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scot…-medicine.html

GEORGIOS SAMARAS spent Christmas in his sickbed.

Bill Leckie
Freddie Ljungberg missed his debut with the sniffles.

And their fans even took a coughing fit during the minute's silence.

No wonder Neil Lennon looked like he needed a Lemsip and a lie down as time ticked down to the game many reckoned could make or break him.

But there's no tonic on earth like a win.

No medicine like seeing your team sweat it out to get their job done.

No hangover cure for the punters like seeing the league table this morning.

If they're honest, they must have feared the worst. Injuries, illness and international call-ups had left them nine men short.

The team Lennon picked seemed as thin as a one-ply tissue.

Yet in the end, it was Rangers who caught a cold. It was Gers who went home spluttering.

They ran out of ideas faster than a sneeze escapes your hooter.

The longer it went on, the more mistakes spread through their ranks like a virus.

Twice they had possession in dangerous areas deep in Celtic territory. Twice they ended up picking the ball out of their own net.

Long before the end, they looked around themselves and wondered where the draught was coming from.

Then they realised it was the doors being booted open as fed-up punters decided they'd had enough.

There's surely no worse feeling on these days of ***-for-tat gloating than seeing the other lot celebrate on your patch.

Back in October, it was the Celtic hordes who had to put up with it after their players were run out of it in a one-sided second half.

Now, the tables were turned.

And the Bluenoses masses weren't hanging about to see the Broomloan Stand party.

They could be waking up this morning two points clear the top with two games in hand. Instead, you doubt if they fancy emerging from under the duvet.

It was a strange afternoon, one where the usual poison mingled in the chill air with the raw emotion of remembrance. Where Celtic had made a big show of keeping out a rabble-rousing element of their support but when the cops let others smuggle in smoke bombs and one guy even got through the turnstiles in a Pope costume.

And where the ultra-moronic found a surreal way to try and screw up a tribute to the 66 lives lost in the 1971 Ibrox Disaster.

As the stadium fell still on ref Craig Thomson's whistle, a cough came from the Celtic End. Then another. Then another and another and lots more anothers until it was as clear as the red nose on a flu-ridden reindeer's face that this was an orchestrated effort to make a point.

What that point was, we'll never know. But it seems some lame-brains just don't have the civility to shut the hell up for 60 seconds in memory of others.

As the seconds ticked painfully slowly, someone in the middle of the away support started to applaud.

To the credit of others around him, he was quickly and quietly shut up.

So, with the minute's silence at an end, we settled down for 90 minutes of tedium.

Because, boy, it was a duff game.

There were times when you couldn't have trusted either side to pass the salt at the dinner table, never mind move a ball ten yards to a team-mate.

Here were 50,000 fans, paying fortunes for the privilege of a seat, waiting in vain for someone to have even a quarter-decent effort on goal.

Worst of all, here were two teams taking part in what's meant to be the most passionate derby on the planet, laying less of a glove on each other than Audrey Harrison had on the boy David Haye.

I've said it many times and it's worth repeating. Take away the insanity and Old Firm games have become some of most mind-numbing of the season.

Though 'who cares?' chorus Celtic men in loud unison.

What they saw was a patchwork side repelling whatever Rangers could throw at them – however little that was – before slowly but surely imposing themselves on the game.

Young winger James Forrest should have scored from Paddy McCourt's cunning reverse pass in the first half, but hesitated and was ploughed by Lee McCulloch.

McCourt himself then ran clear 56 seconds after the break, but dragged his shot across the goal and wide.

By the hour, it was becoming hard to see where a home goal was coming from. Though that didn't make it any less surprising to see an away one.

Ricky Foster had any number of options to choose from as he cut inside from right-back, 20 yards inside the opposition half.

Passing straight to Joe Ledley shouldn't have been one of them – and in an instant, the Welshman released Samaras, who skipped past Allan McGregor as the keeper needlessly raced 30 yards from goal and rolled the ball into an empty net.

Ledley ran and leapt into his manager's arms. Samaras went into the crowd behind the goal. Some of the crowd behind the goal tried to get on the park.

Rangers stood like statues, frozen by their own stupidity.

They never defrosted again.

Eight minutes later, with 20 to go, they had options again when Celtic only half-cleared a corner – yet once again they lost the ball and once again Samaras was away.

This time, he was wide on the right. He looked up and saw no support, so held and held until he saw a ***** of light between young midfielder Jamie Ness and defender Madjid Bougherra.

The Algerian hung out a leg. The Greek went over it.

The whistler pointed to the spot.

Done and dusted.

A Celtic team who had come with hope rather than expectation were swaggering like champions. A striker left to graft away on his own had found an endless supply of pals.

From the away end, up went chorus after chorus of the 80s classic Just Can't Get Enough.

But the rest of Ibrox had already seen way too much.

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scot…#ixzz19ynT9hL5

Pasted from <http://www.footballforums.net/forums/showthread.php/269514-Hurting-Bitter-Bastards>