2016-12-31: TheRangers 1-2 Celtic, SP

Trivia

• Celtics first ever League game against the new club TheRangers at their stadium.
• Final game of the calendar year.
• Celtic 19pts in front in league with 1 game in hand! Only dropped two league pts all season so far. Incredible.
• Game is being played on Hogmany which is ridiculous, and for the police a nightmare potentially.
• The supposedly ‘Ne’er’ Glasgow Derby game on Hogmany! Nobody can understand the logic.
• First time Celtic are playing Sevco ever at Ibrox. Sevco dropped 2pts a few days back in the league.
• Referee: A Rangers season ticket holder who’s brother played for Rangers refereeing the game. Clear conflict of interests. Ridiculous.
• Minute silence for 1971 Ibrox disaster being held. RIP.
• “I hope you die” shout appearing to be from an RFC fan at the Celtic end during the minutes silence for the dead, couldn’t make it up! Some At Sevco were Using Rangers’ Dead Fans To Try And Attack Us. Disturbing.
• Thai Tims to appear on BBC’s Graham Norton show tonight.
• Garner who was taken off in first half with injury was later found waiting in A&E in Glasgow hospital waiting to be treated. Shouldn’t he have private doctors and specialists? Belt tightening at Ibrox?
• Many Celtic fans took plastic hard hats with them as a ribbing to Huns that their stadium is falling apart.
• Rangers have been out shot 100-33 in last four matches with Celtic. (That includes being outshot 33-9 in last years victory).
• Coral betting twitter: “Kenny Miller is the only man in history to score for all 3 teams in the OldFirm Derby.” [Old Firm is dead though, it was Deidco v Celtic, and Deidco are gone]
• Criticisms on Sky Sports coverage continue today, not all happy with their coverage of this game.
• Celtic fans got their own back on Rangers supporters who trashed the toilets at Parkhead by decorating the Ibrox club’s loos with white and green candles. The toilets at Celtic Park were damaged after Rangers lost 5-1 during the Old Firm Derby in September. Cheeky Celtic fans have now taken their revenge, placing scented tealight candles in one of the toilets at Ibrox during the clash.
• Celtic fans’ banner at Ibrox today: “No history, no money, no trophies”
• Bizarre hun article on ‘cultural genocide’ written on their, pasted at bottom of this page below.Transfer window:
• Reports: Celtic sent scouts to Portugal over the weekend as they look to do business in the January transfer window.
• Celtic have been said to have decided to pull out of the deal to sign Portland Timbers star Darlington Nagbe.
• Celtic and Rangers have each been credited with an interest with young Reading midfielder Liam Kelly.
• Jordan Larsson, the son of Celtic legend Henrik, looks set to leave Helsingborgs for a move to the Netherlands.

Review

“I’m disappointed probably just to have two goals.” Brendan Rodgers
“I’m sure the welcome won’t be as nice as when we come to Parkhead, but so be it. We’ll deal with it.” Brendan Rodgers

(El Salto of KDS)
Dreadful for the first half hour, we looked as if we were going to shampoo the bed.

Broony seemed to grab the team by the scruff of the neck and give them a shake, contesting the drop balls for instance was good to see.

Last 15 of the first half set the tone for the second half.

We really should have scored six or seven, their dud between the sticks kept the score down, and there were some wasteful finishes.

We ripped the pish for the last ten minutes and we nearly lost a second goal which would have been a travesty.

Switched off SKY coverage at full time but Radio Scotland were almost as bad.

Pat Bonner thought it was an end to end game, really Paddy ?

Craig Paterson was in Death in the Family mode.

Sinclair, Armstrong, Dembele best for me, good performances also by Gordon, Izzy and McGregor.

Best for Sevco were McLean and the Main Stand linesman, mind the gap ya kents.

Happy New Year x

(Tim W of KDS)
Brown getting that yellow was the turning point. Team looked tentative until then, he showed the way. Immense captain’s performance from one of only two players who’ve been to that dump with Celtic before (I was told the other is Izzy, not sure if it’s accurate but it sounds right – not counting Gordon who I assume has seen the place with Hearts).

The greatest thing of all was that they could almost taste a win after going one up, until it gradually dawned on them that we’re a effing tremendous team and they’d need a ton of luck and lots of mistakes on our part to get anything from the game. And we gave them nothing. Dembele with the ball at the corner flag might as well been wearing the troll face – “u mad bro?”

Shout out to the Fox commentators, some hun and a yank doing a USA Soccer Guy impression, going on about St. John’s Stone and the “road team,” utterly unable to tell our players apart and apparently unfamiliar with the rule book.

Good crowd at the bar too, some noise and jumping around when the goals went in. Hey Teddy B – if someone dented the big cup after I left it’s coming out of your membership money.

Teams

Articles

• Match Report (see end of page below)

Pictures

• Match Pictures

Forum

• Pre-match
• Match
• Post Match

MOTM

• Voting Thread
• Result Thread
• Winner –

Stats

Rangers
Celtic

Possession
Home50%
Away50%

Shots
Home10
Away23

Shots on Target
Home6
Away10

Corners
Home4
Away11

Fouls
Home14
Away15

Articles

Rangers 1 – 2 Celtic: Scott Sinclair scores Old Firm winner
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/competitions/premiership/rangers-1-2-celtic-scott-sinclair-scores-old-firm-winner-1-4329356

Celtic’s Scott Sinclair scores his side’s winning goal in the victory over Rangers at Ibrox. Picture: Mark Runnacles/Getty
Scott Sinclair handed Celtic their first win at Ibrox in almost six years as Brendan Rodgers’ men claimed a 2-1 triumph over Rangers.
Kenny Miller’s early opener gave the hosts hope but Celtic soon established their dominance after Moussa Dembele netted his 19th goal of the season – and his fifth against Rangers.
A breathless affair was then settled when Sinclair pounced with 20 minutes left, giving the visitors their first triumph in Govan since a Georgios Samaras-inspired victory in January 2011.
Miller blew the chance to claim a point for Mark Warburton’s team – back in the top flight after their four-year exile – when he scuffed a close-range shot against the post late on.
The rampant champions now move 19 points clear at the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership after chalking up their 15th straight league win.
Rangers’ plans suffered a blow before the game had even started when it was confirmed a hamstring injury had ruled out skipper Lee Wallace, but Clint Hill was able to shake off a dead leg and take his place in a three-man back-line.
Rodgers’ only real selection dilemma was whether he went with this term’s top-scorer Dembele or last season’s 40-goal frontman Leigh Griffiths, with the Frenchman getting the nod.
A minute’s silence was held before kick-off in memory of the victims of the 1971 Ibrox Disaster, however it was spoiled by a handful who could not stay quiet.
The noise levels were almost sent soaring within 25 seconds of the action starting as Rangers’ Jason Holt saw his opening effort deflected wide.
Craig Gordon saved another of his efforts soon after but the hosts were emboldened by their positive start.
That early confidence was almost shattered when Rob Kiernan switched off as Mikael Lustig lined up a free-kick from deep but Sinclair dragged his shot.
READ MORE: Falkirk 1 – Hibs 2: Commons thunderbolt gets Hibs back on the winning track
With that let-off, Rangers looked to take advantage 13 minutes in and found their opening as Josh Windass exchanged passes with James Tavernier, sending the wing-back to the byline.
Miller had positioned himself in between Jozo Simunovic and Erik Sviatchenko and Tavernier’s ball across was timed just right for the veteran to slide home.
Joe Garner injured his shoulder in the build-up and had to be replaced by Martyn Waghorn.
The goal was a shock to the Parkhead ranks, given the almost unending superiority they have enjoyed over their domestic rivals this term.
Rodgers’ men had looked as ragged as they have done all season in the opening quarter hour, while the fight missing for Rangers’ last two derby performances was there in abundance. Celtic’s quality, however, soon shone through.
There was a close shave for the hosts after 34 minutes when Sinclair danced his way past Kiernan before rifling the ball off the base of the post. Hill did just enough to beat the Hoops winger to the rebound as he cleared for a corner.
But from the set-piece, Dembele pounced. Hill and Danny Wilson were both caught under Sinclair’s deep delivery as Dembele steadied himself with a touch before firing a terrific drive into the roof of the net.
The pace had been frantic during the first half but was just as quick as the action restarted after the break.
Dembele wasted a great chance for his second five minutes in as he failed to connect with a Lustig cross after a swift Celtic counter, while Wes Foderingham blocked well to deny James Forrest.
Dembele was denied by the crossbar when he did well to get a boot to Callum McGregor’s cross, with Sinclair unable to turn home on the follow-up.
The hosts thought they had the lead when Wilson wriggled clear at Tavernier’s corner, but Gordon’s wrist was strong enough to keep out the centre-back’s header.
And with the disappointed Rangers groans still circling the ground, Celtic grabbed the winner. Substitute Patrick Roberts picked out Stuart Armstrong inside the penalty area, and he calmly steered the ball across goal from the right to the back post for Sinclair to tap home.
Foderingham had to keep out efforts from Stuart Armstrong and Dembele as Celtic hungrily went for more but Rangers continued to fight.
Miller, though, somehow fluffed a shot onto the woodwork with 10 minutes remaining when it looked easier to score before nodding in wide in stoppage time as Rangers chased a dramatic leveller.

BBC

By Andy Campbell

BBC Sport Scotland

9 hours ago From the section Football

Scott Sinclair scores
Scott Sinclair scored the winner on derby day

Celtic came from behind to beat Old Firm rivals Rangers and move 19 points clear at the top of the Premiership.

Kenny Miller slid in to convert James Tavernier’s cross and put the home side ahead early on.

Moussa Dembele’s powerful shot from a Scott Sinclair corner flashed high into the net to bring Celtic level, and Dembele later fired against the bar.

The visitors dominated the second half, and Sinclair touched home Stuart Armstrong’s low cross for the winner.
Rangers hit the front

Mark Warburton’s hosts showed from the outset their intention was to press their opponents in wide areas, and it paid dividends when Josh Windass released Tavernier to set up Miller’s close-range finish.

Celtic continued to concede too much space in the full-back areas, and further deliveries troubled goalkeeper Craig Gordon and his defence.

However, Dembele’s leveller put Celtic into the ascendancy and Rangers then struggled to get Barrie McKay and Tavernier on the ball, though McKay did draw a save from Gordon after the break.

Having struggled to get a telling delivery at set-pieces, Rangers may have gone ahead just before Celtic’s second as Danny Wilson met Tavernier’s corner, Gordon making the save.
Kenny Miller scores
Former Celtic striker Miller netted his 10th Old Firm goal
Celtic duo to the fore again

Summer signings Dembele and Sinclair had run the Rangers defence ragged in September’s 5-1 win at Celtic Park, and the duo’s link-up play was again the catalyst as the visitors recovered from their early setback.

Sinclair’s set-piece was controlled and rattled into the top-right corner by Celtic’s top scorer Dembele – a fifth goal against Rangers for the Frenchman this season.

And he should have taken that tally to six after Mikael Lustig squared the ball to the striker early in the second period, a miskick allowing Wes Foderingham to save.
Moussa Dembele scores
Dembele could have added to his first-half strike

Foderingham came to Rangers’ rescue when James Forrest was played in on goal by Stuart Armstrong but Sinclair would ensure a happy end to 2016 for his team, applying the finish to Armstrong’s piercing ball across the face of goal.

Armstrong, Sinclair and substitute Nir Bitton forced further saves from Foderingham as Rangers continued to struggle in defence.
Woodwork plays its part

In a match of so many chances, it was a surprise there were only three goals.

Sinclair fired against the right-hand post as Celtic trailed, and Dembele’s downward volley bounced up on to the crossbar at 1-1, with Sinclair firing the rebound wide.

And, after Sinclair had netted, Rangers were also left frustrated by the goal frame as Miller’s shot came back off the same post Sinclair had hit in the opening half.
Kenny Miller shoots
Miller came closest to an equaliser for Rangers
New Year beckons

The Scottish Premiership enters its winter break for the early part of January and Celtic can extend their advantage at the top to 22 points if they win their game in hand against St Johnstone near the end of next month.

The league leaders, who have won 15 Premiership matches in a row and have only dropped two points all season, are targeting a sixth straight top-flight title win and a first under manager Brendan Rodgers.

For Rangers, they suffer their first competitive home defeat since September 2015 and face a battle to hold on to second place with Aberdeen, who have a game in hand, two points behind them.

Relentless Celtic leave Rangers with some crumbs of comfort

By Tom English

BBC Scotland

5 hours ago From the section Football

Celtic celebrate against Rangers at Ibrox
Celtic emerged 2-1 victors over second-placed Rangers at Ibrox

Old Firm matches are renowned not always for the quality of the football but for the madness of the spectacle, the unique appeal of two Glasgow giants locking horns like rutting stags, with all the subtlety and grace that involves – which is not a lot.

This was different. Sure, there was all the intensity and passion and will to win. On the crazy front, every box was ticked.

Even Brendan Rodgers was caught in the vortex, ending the game limping about like an old man, the product of a calf muscle damaged in the celebration of the winner.

This was a game of football, not just an unleashing of two sets of mad dogs in a well-stocked meat house. Drama and quality. Goals and chances. End to end to end.

Rangers had control, then Celtic had it, and to all the world they didn’t look as if they were going to let go of it. That was the fascination of the game.

Even though Celtic reached double figures in goalscoring opportunities in that powerhouse second half, Rangers were still there at the end, scrapping away, sending a shiver up the collective spine of the visitors as they threatened to land the sucker punch at the death.

The upshot was another Celtic victory, riotously celebrated by their players and their fans. It was as if they had won a trophy out there, such was their reaction.
Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon shrouded in green mist
There was the usual noisy atmosphere at Ibrox as the top two sides went head to head

Just another three points? No. Their response told you everything about what this meant. This is not a normal fixture and this was not a normal win.

Wind the clock back and it was a different Celtic. A different Rangers too.

Barrie McKay was excellent, constantly troubling Mikael Lustig. He wasn’t the only one.

There was a moment midway through the opening half of this howitzer derby that made you wonder, just for a little while, if this was the day that Celtic had finally met more than their match in domestic football.

Rangers had the lead by then, given to them by a ruthless exploitation of Celtic’s first-half vulnerability at left-back. Josh Windass, James Tavernier, Kenny Miller – goal. At 37 years young, Miller had landed the first blow.

That wasn’t the moment, though. That came soon enough.

Brown had been booked for a foul in anger on Tavernier. The Celtic captain, and the rest of his team, were being coursed around Ibrox: hustled and harried, knocked off their stride.

Just after the booking, Brown took a rushed pass from Craig Gordon and found half of Govan in his face. He forced his pass under pressure, sending it into touch. The stadium lapped it up.

Brown looked lived. Only once this season, on home fires, have we seen Celtic struggle in this way. That was against Motherwell. They found an answer that day. They found it here too – and how.

One of the key moments – one of truckloads in this match – centred on Rangers’ cack-handed offside trap that, in a wounding chapter, couldn’t have caught a fly, not to mind Scott Sinclair. The Englishman raced on and hit a post.

In those seconds, a pendulum swung. From the next corner, Danny Wilson lost Moussa Dembele and the striker smashed his shot past Wes Foderingham.

Celtic switched gears at the beginning of the second half. They came in waves. Clever and relentless.

Dembele sclaffed when he might have scored. James Forrest had a fine chance in his wake. That went south too. Dembele hit the crossbar. Sinclair hit the side-netting on the follow-up.

The hosts looked punch drunk now, a fighter awaiting the certainty of a knockout. Just when you thought they were gone, they bounded clear. McKay had a shot, Miller, too. Wilson had a diving header that forced a good save from Gordon.
Kenny Miller celebrates his goal against Celtic
Kenny Miller’s goal against his former club gave Rangers hope at Ibrox

As a modicum of hope re-entered Rangers’ world, Celtic removed it. Patrick Roberts was on the field by now. He found Stuart Armstrong down the right, the midfielder sliding a gorgeous square ball to Sinclair, who put it away.

Celtic’s dominance cranked up after that. Rangers covered up and rarely left the ropes, but in fairness to them, they wouldn’t go down.

Miller slid a shot against Gordon’s post, a breakaway that would have made Rodgers gulp hard.

The bombardment carried on. Armstrong had three chances, Sinclair one, Nir Bitton another. In the midst of it all, Harry Forrester broke free. Had he spotted Joe Dodoo running outside him, there might have been the most thunderous twist, but he couldn’t.

The points were Celtic’s. They began the day with a 16-point advantage. It is now 19 points.

Rangers were left consoling themselves with the feeling that they have moved forward since September’s 5-1 defeat in the Premiership and even since October’s 1-0 loss in the League Cup.

They asked more questions in this match than they did in either of the first two. It didn’t get them a result, but tiny crumbs of comfort are the only things that this unyielding Celtic team are allowing to fall from their table.

Below is not made up, it’s from an actual Hun website written soon after this match victory!

Cultural Genocide In Scotland
Written by: The Ref
Monday, 2nd January 2017

http://www.vanguardbears.co.uk/article.php?i=138&a=cultural-genocide-in-scotland

In 1944, Raphael Lemkin distinguished the concept of cultural genocide (also referred to as cultural cleansing), as a component to genocide. The term was considered in the draft of the 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; however it was removed in the final document. The precise definition of the term is unclear, and although some people have tried to align the term with ethnocide, it is important that we do not confuse genocide based on ethnicity with genocide of a culture.

In Article 7 of a 1994 draft of the United Nations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the term cultural genocide was used; however the draft failed to define what it meant. The complete article in the draft is reproduced below:

Indigenous people have the collective and individual right not to be subjected to ethnocide and cultural genocide, including prevention of and redress for:
[a] Any action which has the aim or effect of depriving them of their integrity as distinct peoples, or of their cultural values or ethnic identities;
[b] Any action which has the aim or effect of dispossessing them of their lands, territories or resources;
[c] Any form of population transfer which has the aim or effect of violating or undermining any of their rights;
[d] Any form of assimilation or integration by other cultures or ways of life imposed on them by legislative, administrative or other measures;
[e] Any form of propaganda directed against them.

The United Nations General Assembly adopted the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on the 13th of September 2007. In the final version of the declaration, the concepts of “ethnocide” and “cultural genocide” were removed, and the declaration simply refers to “genocide, or any other activities of violence”, although the sub-points as printed above, we’re retained.

In practice, cultural genocide may involve the eradication of cultural artefacts, such as books, artworks, and structures, and the suppression of cultural activities that do not conform to the destroyers’ notion of what is appropriate. Motives may include the religious (e.g., iconoclasm) as part of a campaign of ethnic cleansing to remove the evidence of a people from a locale or history, as part of an effort to implement a ‘Year Zero’ approach, in which the past and its associated culture is deleted and history is “re-set”, the suppression of an Indigenous culture by invaders and colonisers, along with many other potential reasons.

There are many forms of cultural genocide/cultural cleansing, noted throughout history: most recently the Islamic State of Iraq and Lavant, known more commonly as ISIL, or Daesch, has been carrying out a campaign of cultural cleansing, by destroying artefacts and historical sites, in a campaign of iconoclasm, waged against what it perceives to be ‘idolatry’, which does not conform to ISIL’s interpretation of Islam.

There are many other examples where people have referred to the term, while describing the destruction of cultural heritage, including: The persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran is seen as a case of religious prosecution and has been described as cultural genocide.

The policies of Nazi Germany during World War II towards some nations: for example the destruction of Polish culture, is also often cited as an example of cultural genocide, while the destruction by Azerbaijan of thousands of medieval gravestones at a cemetery in Julfa, and Azerbaijan’s subsequent denial that the site ever existed, has also been referred to as an example of cultural genocide.

It should be noted that cultural genocide is not restricted to acts of violence or physical damage.

Historian Jean Brownfield cited the 1638 Treaty of Hartford as a “clear and explicit historical example of a cultural genocide, in which: following the Pequot War of 1636 and 1637, a war which saw the Pequot Indians virtually eliminated, the Pequot Language and name were outlawed, and there was a clearly stated intention that this cultural entity would simply cease to exist.

The period prior to the Scottish Independence referendum which took place on the 18th of September 2014, saw a dramatic and sinister rise in anti-British hatred.
The Scottish National Party which held an overall majority in the devolved Scottish Assembly pushed through flawed legislation such as the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act: an Act which has demonised and criminalised Rangers supporters for singing a line, in a song, while supporters of other clubs can do and say anything they like with impunity.

Rangers supporters face daily abuse from hate filled sectarian bigots, who refer to us as ‘zombies’ and ‘Huns’ and who also use other sickening terms to describe us. In Scotland, Rangers supporters are criminals, while all others are seemingly immune from prosecution. In Scotland and other countries, Rangers supporters are seen as predominantly Protestants and Unionists, and this has made us targets for anyone who opposes Scotland remaining a part of the United Kingdom.

At the Scottish Cup Final in 2016, Rangers players, staff, and supporters, we’re physically and verbally attacked by supporters of Hibernian FC. I think it’s fair to say that, most Hibs supporters will also be supporters of Scottish Independence, which would explain the in-action of Nicola Sturgeons Police Scotland, and indeed Sturgeon herself; who refused to condemn the disgusting behaviour of the Hibs supporters.

More recently, I have seen effigies of Rangers supporters and members of the Orange Order, hanging from the stands at Celtic Park, I have witnessed vile scum, mocking former Rangers players Fernando Ricksen and Ian Durrant, and current Rangers captain Lee Wallace being abused and targeted by supporters of the SFA’s senior representative team, when his name is read out prior to international fixtures. Only yesterday, a disgusting vile bigot broke a minutes silence in memory of Rangers supporters who have lost their lives while attending matches at Ibrox. Later in the day, another piece of bigoted filth, took to social media to openly post vile comments relating to the deaths of the 66 Rangers supporters who tragically died at Ibrox on the 2nd of January 1971.

The SNP and a compliant Scottish media have aided and fuelled this type of disgusting behaviour. Along with several sectarian bloggers; their one-sided, bigoted reporting, has seen Rangers supporters dehumanised, to a point where; in Scotland, it is now ‘fair game’ to attack us, without fear of prosecution.

Our culture is being eroded through the policies of the SNP and Labour: both who have leaders and members who are openly supportive of the political objectives, and disgusting methods used to try and achieve those objectives, of the IRA. They have their photographs taken with former members of the IRA, and IRA supporters are free to March on the streets of Scotland, and fundraise in Scotland, by arranging organised events, etc. The SNP LED Scottish Assembly is happy to allow all of this; as it suits their agenda, which is creating division, in order to try and establish an independent Scotland.

In Scotland, in 2017, being a Rangers supporter, a Protestant, and a Unionist makes me a target for the most disgusting forms of sectarian abuse and hatred. I am not allowed to be offended, because, to them, I am not a human, so I don’t have the right to be offended. My culture is under daily attack and being proud to be both Scottish and British makes me an enemy of the state.

Cultural genocide is happening in Scotland: right here – right now.