Video tribute from Celtic Park for Tommy Burns

Tragically today Tommy was taken from us, from his family and the extended Celtic family.

The sadness was obvious around Celtic Park, quietness, people stunned that Tommy, someone that we've all grown up with, has passed away.

Two years ago we were shocked at his cancer, he recovered and returned to enjoy more success at Celtic.

Cancer returned, Tommy battled on but this morning he was taken from us, tragically at the age of 51, a husband, father and grandfather gone far far too early.

Words will never do Tommy justice, every Celtic fan has their memories of Tommy. The player, the manager and always the Celtic supporter.

RIP TB

Video from Celtic Park

Tommy Twists, Tommy Turns Tommy Burns. Good Night God Bless

There's nothing really I can say My hero My inspiration.

Sadly missed by all.

Thoughts and prayers are with his gamily.

Devastated.....

Scotland's shame shames Scotland

It's all over now

VIDEO REPORT

Another title for the Celts

Congratulations to Willie McStay and the reserve side on winning the title for the seventh year running.

Lots of players have been involved, consistency is hard to find but whatever the team they play good passing football and know how to score.

Mark Millar has probably been the best player over the season with Paul Caddis and Scott Cuthbert not far behind.

Derek Riordan, Evander Sno and Chris Killen would rather have been playing in the first team but have given 100% to the reserves.

VIDEO REPORT

Craig Levein stands firm and furious

This morning on Radio Scotland Craig Levein remained furious.

He's not for backing down, it wasn't heat of the moment, he was telling things straight after four clear cut decisions went against his side in the second half of the game with Rangers.

Noel Hunt didn't get a penalty, David Weir wasn't sent off, Weir had a good own goal unfairly disallowed and Daniel Cousin was only yellow carded for head-butting Lee Wilkie.

And to add to it all Mark deVries was booked for scoring against Rangers and daring to hold back his celebrations in case the goal was mysteriously disallowed.

And Neil Alexander jumped in to the Copland Road stand to celebrate Rangers third goal while Kirk Broadfoot punches Hunt while Weir puts the ball in his own net.

VIDEO UPDATE

Celtic end of season singalong

It's been an incredible home season, more lows than we'd like but plenty of highs as well.

AC Milan, Benfica and Shakhtar Donetsk were all beaten in the Champions League, Barcelona provided us with a genuine thriller and of course Rangers got memorably skelped twice in quick succession.

After the 2-0 win over Hibs the players took a well deserved ovation from the supporters, whether they win anything this season is in the hands of Mike McCurry and friends as much as anyone.

ENJOY THE FINAL CURTAIN CALL VIDEO

"We'd be as well not turning up today," Craig Levein's verdict on Mike McCurry

After being cheated out of a point or three by Mike McCurry in today's game against Rangers Dundee United manager Craig Levein exploded in rage.

VIDEO REPORT AND SETANTA INTERVIEW

Levein didn't hide in his post match comments calling things straight from the heart as McCurry kept Rangers SPL hopes alive with a string of dodgy decisions.

LEVEIN SUMS UP THE MATCH: "We'd be as well not turning up today. We couldn't win today, no matter how well we played."

LEVEIN ON MCCURRY: "I think that he knew the importance of the game to Rangers, it's all about Rangers, it's important that Rangers don't lose, it's important that Rangers don't go down to ten men. Absolutely ridiculous decisions, not even doubts, ridiculous decisions."

Davie Weir crunches Noel Hunt in the box, should be a penalty and a red card but McCurry waves play on.

LEVEIN SAYS: "It is a red card, if that's not a goal scoring opportunity I don't know what is. It's a sending off."

A perfectly good own-goal from Davie Weir from a Danny Swanson shot is disallowed for no reason, whilst Kirk Broadfoot punches Hunt in the face

LEVEIN SAYS: "The ball hit Davie Weir. The linesman started off by saying that it hit Davie Robertson, then he realised that it hadn't him all off a sudden it's Robertson ran across the line of the goalkeeper, 20 yards from goal. It's ridiculous.

Hit man Daniel Cousin headbutts Lee Wilkie in front of McCurry with both players yellow carded.

LEVEIN SAYS: "Hunt got punched in the face when Danny Swanson shot and Lee Wilkie got head butted.

Looking back at the CIS Cup Final when Kenny Clark denied Utd a clear cut penalty whilst 1-0 up.

LEVEIN SAYS: "Nobody bothers about Dundee United, it's all about Rangers. We played in a cup final, there was a penalty decision, a definite penalty decision and we didn't get it and we lost the cup final. Today at Ibrox it was important to Rangers and we didn't get anything, you don't get those important decisions. It's disgraceful."

On Scottish referees in general.

LEVEIN SAYS: "The sooner that we get referee's coming in from another country the better, they don't understand the pressure that's on".

Well said Craig Levein, by no means a Celtic man, those views, expressed by Levein will carry added weight, he's not an ex-Celt, but has came out and said it exactly as he saw it with his team cheated out of point/s in order to assist Rangers.

The SFA must take action now against Levein for these comments, he's been stubborn before, should be very interesting to see how these incidents are dealt with.

The quotes are from Levein's interview on Setanta, they have been repeated on Radio Scotland and in the general press conference afterwards.

NO SURRENDER to an extended extension

At last the SPL and SFA have stood up to the lobbying on behalf of Rangers and told them to stop squealing and get on with it.

Already this season they've been given a winter break and an extension to the detriment of six other clubs to suit their own needs.

Today with the Daily Retard as cheerleaders they approached the SFA and SPL for yet more help, could this be linked to the crashing of bottle evident against Hibs on Sunday?

Thankfully the authorities stood firm against Rangers, the Scottish Cup Final and the remaining SPL fixtures will go ahead as scheduled although Mike McCurry has been handed Saturday's game against Dundee United

VIDEO REPORT

VIDEO REPORT as Celtic go further clear in the SPL

That's more like it, I love those weekends when Celtic win and Rangers don't.

We got the points on the swamp that is Fir Park against a team playing for a UEFA Cup place, not pretty, it was nervy but we got the points to go 8 points clear and turn up the heat on Rangers.

How would they respond at Easter Road? As they usually do with another 0-0 thriller, their fourth 0-0 in the last six games with only two defeats by Celtic to break the boredom.

Walter Smith is starting to get a bit touchy about the SPL not helping his side out, perhaps he's trying to forget the winter break they were awareded in December to prepare to face Lyon, 0-3 by the way.

The sun is shining on the Celt's today, let's hope that this month continues in the way it has started with Celtic rattling off two more wins whilst Rangers keep on drawing 0-0.

VIDEO REPORT

VIDEO REPORT As Celts dump Rangers again

The Celts are back in the race.

Yesterday's win over Rangers covered the season neatly, let's hope that there is a similar happy ending.

Going in front, falling apart, getting level then ahead and seeing the game out to claim the points.

Congratulations to all of the team, they did what the support wanted/demanded by beating Rangers twice.

Whatever happens in the SPL we've made a fight of it which is something that didn't look likely a month ago.

Enjoy this VIDEO REPORT

LET THE PEOPLE SING- Happy Celts Double Derby Delights

Celtic Park was rocking good style today as the hoops beat Rangers for the second time in a fortnight.

It was squeaky bum time as we went in front, fell behind, got back into it, went ahead the hung on waiting for the final whistle.

And we got to see Amdy Faye although Alan Gow still remains as a bit of a mystery.

Another day of Celtic joy followed, whether we win the league or not we'll certainly make Rangers sweat for the championship and two derby wins in a fortnight is never to be belittled.

Enjoy this VIDEO as The People Sing

St-Mirren v Rangers fixture mystery

The build up to Sunday's match has been given an extra edge by the SPL's decision to extend the season for the benefit of Rangers should they reach the final of the UEFA Cup.

VIDEO REPORT

By granting an extension Celtic, Hibs, Motherwell, Dundee Utd, Aberdeen and St Mirren will have their season extended with Celtic, Hibs, Dundee Utd and Aberdeen having an 11 day wait to play their final match.

After being granted a winter's break in December that no other club even considered, a month that proved very costly to Celtic, Rangers are now bleating about not getting the extension that they require.

Yesterday Walter Smith brought up the forgotten St Mirren-Rangers fixture postponed on November 12 for the benefit of the Scotland-Italy game on November 18. Smith mentioned that that fixture should have been arranged ahead of the Celtic-Rangers game postponed on January 2.

It certainly should have, with December 5 and 19 free why wasn't the postponed St Mirren game played then?

While Celtic played their postponed game against Falkirk on December 11 Rangers, with or without the approval/support of the SPL forgot all about their game with St Mirren.

The free Wednesdays of December 5 and December 19 passed with the St Mirren game forgotten, perhaps Rangers didn't fancy a trip to Love Street before facing Lyon on December 12 or before the visit to Aberdeen on December 23.

In most circumstances the St Mirren and well publicised Gretna games could be played quite easily later in the season but due to a variety of reasons such as the death of Phil O'Donnell, the poor condition of Rangers relaid pitch, Scottish Cup replays and reaching the CIS Cup Final Rangers have fallen three fixtures behind.

Nothing could be done about the circumstances above, these things happen in football, but there would be just two games to be arranged and Rangers would have played one less fixture since the turn of the year if the Gretna AND St Mirren fixtures had been played during December when there was free midweeks.

Meanwhile Celtic were playing fixtures left right and centre without whimpering or looking for a winter's break.

Shakhtar Donetsk and AC Milan were played within seven days in the Champions League with a trip to Hearts inbetween proving costly with two points dropped.

Returning from Milan Celtic played their rearranged game with Falkirk at the first opportunity, December 11, inbetween drawing at home with St Mirren and losing at Inverness.

These things happen, that's the consequences of success we accept it but how would the SPL table look if we'd been able to forget about the Hearts or Inverness away games and played the Falkirk match at a time that suited us better?

If Celtic had been able to side-step tricky looking fixtures in December for the benefit of 'the co-efficient of course' how would they be sitting in the league table?

Whilst Celtic were dropping nine points during December Rangers lost two points while playing two less fixtures.

WAS THAT FAIR?

DID THE SPL OPERATE SPORTING INTEGRITY?

On the subject of integrity we now have Rangers squealing about the need for an extension of the SPL, with that being granted, should they reach the UEFA Cup Final, they would now like a longer extension to the season.

What has caused this? For long enough we were told that Rangers didn't want an extension to the season, as Walter Smith confirmed on April 3: "But I would like to clarify something right now. Nobody from Rangers has ever asked the SPL to extend the season and we will not ask the SPL to extend the season."

Roll the clock forward three weeks and it's extensions all round, whether it's Martin Bain with: "Why is the season simply not extended to conclude on May 27 regardless?" or Walter Smith with: "Actually, they had no alternative but to extend the season if Rangers reach the UEFA Cup final.
"What they have done in the other scenario is put us in a situation where we could play four games in a week. We accept it, but is it right from the league's point of view to force a club to do that?"

Celtic's win over Rangers on April 16 has changed everything. A point for Rangers in that game would have made the league a formality, games could have been fitted in at any time without having any effect on the title race.

Now Rangers and the SPL have a problem and if Rangers reach the UEFA Cup Final it will be Celtic, Motherwell, Hibs, Dundee Utd, Aberdeen, Motherwell and St Mirren that suffer with their season extended to accommodate Rangers.

If the SPL had made Rangers play through December, as the other 11 SPL clubs did, then there would be no backlog or controversy. The problems have all been caused by the SPL allowing Rangers to select their fixtures through December whilst Celtic played on to their cost dropping nine points during the month.

A win for Celtic tomorrow will really kick things off, any other result should see Rangers win the league quite comfortably.

Delaying the final game of the season to suit Rangers is unfair and distorts the sporting integrity of the SPL as Peter Lawwell rightly highlights.

Walter Smith rightly points out that Celtic and Lawwell are looking after themselves. Correct. 100%. And extending the season to accommodate a club that has already enjoyed a winter break is unfair.

Rangers are entitled to their break in December... provided they catch up with the fixtures later on.

Expecting six other clubs to extend their season to suit Rangers is unfair and should be resisted by all those that wish to compete on equal terms.

VIDEO REPORT Centenary Celts clinch the title

Can you believe it? It's now 20 years since 80,000 squeezed into the old Celtic Park to watch the league being clinched against Dundee.

A double from Andy Walker after Chris Morris opened the scoring gave Celtic the first leg of the double with the Scottish Cup clinched a few weeks later against Dundee United.

It was an amazing time, an amazing season packed with memories: Billy Stark's winner against Rangers, Souness getting sent off, last minute winners at Dundee United and Dundee over Christmas, McAvennie's double against Rangers at New Year, McStay's goal at Ibrox, Walker's winner at Ibrox (thanks Anton), coming back from the death against Hearts in the Scottish Cup and McAvennie's double to beat Dundee United plus various others.

CLICK HERE for Centenary video

SPL cave in to Rangers, it's official

SPL extend the season to accomodate Rangers

It's official, if Rangers reach the final of the UEFA Cup the SPL will extend the season to yet again accomodate Rangers.

Depending on the outcome of Rangers games with Fiorentina Celtic's season will either end on May 18 or May 22- incredible.

Two fixture schedules have been produced CLICK HERE to view with special provision made for Rangers outstanding games against Motherwell and St Mirren.

St Mirren players have a holiday booked for May 18 but will be required to postpone that to play Rangers on May 20 if Rangers go through to the final.

This is the same SPL that excused Rangers from facing the mighty FC Gretna in December and also decided against scheduling the St Mirren-Rangers match, postponed for the Scotland-Italy game, whilst Celtic played their postponed fixture with Falkirk.

The lesson here is to avoid difficult looking fixtures claiming to be working for 'the co-efficient' and at the end of the day the plans of Celtic, Aberdeen, Dundee United, Motherwell, Hibs and St Mirren will be disrupted to accomodate Rangers

VIDEO REPORT

Bhoys on top as Rangers fall like flies...

It wasn't pretty, it was pretty ugly, but we're back on top of the league again thanks to the 1-0 win over Aberdeen.

Georgios Samaras wasn't exactly a hero, like most of his team-mates his performance was below par, but he got the goal that turned a draw into a win.

Four more wins like that and we could be champions as Rangers squad falls apart with another two casualties stretchered off at Hampden as they limped past St Johnstone into the Scottish Cup Final.

VIDEO REPORT