Let's hammer Motherwell... please

It's last orders at Celtc Park tomorrow, we've used up eight of our nine lifes and are hanging on by the thinnest of thin threads.

Neil Lennon won't be on the park, it's down to the players to show that they are worth the jersey and that they will make Rangers earn the title rather than have it handed to them.

It's time to get real, rattle in some goals, beat Motherwell to give Dundee United an even bigger incentive to beat Rangers on Sunday and see how Walter's lot react.

CLICK HERE for John Fallon's video preview.

The return of... NEIL LENNON

Entirely without prediction Neil Lennon has returned to Celtic to join the first-team coaching staff.

Since leaving a year ago, Lennon has played for Nottingham Forest and Wycombe Wandereres, but informed Paul Lambert this morning that he'd been offered a coaching job at Celtic.

Rather than attempt the impossible, Lambert released Lennon to take up the job and he will be on the bench starting with Saturday's game against Motherwell.

VIDEO REPORT

CELTIC 3-0 RANGERS Enjoy

It's incredible to think that it's now 24 years ago that a couple of brothers from Larkhall scored against Rangers.

That's brothers as in physically related, not through strange sinister organisations sworn to ssssssssssssh secrecy.

Willie and Paul, of the famous McStay's, did the trick on 2 April 1984 as Celtic dumped Rangers 3-0 on a Monday night match that wasn't worth televising.

Thankfully Celtic did capture the magic and brought out a video showing the full 90 minutes as Paul put Celtic ahead before half-time followed by a rare goal from Willie and Davie Provan completing the scoring.

CELTIC 3-0 RANGERS ENJOY THE VIDEO

John Fallon's honest video assessment of another deflating defeat

VIDEO MESSAGE

John Fallon looks back at Saturday's defeat, looks at our problems and what is required.

A typically honest assessment, he calls it straight and hopes that the players are hurting as much as the Celtic support as a championship slips away to a Rangers side that is average on a good day.

John Fallon's rallying call for Ibrox

John Fallon played in plenty of games against Rangers, including the fantastic 4-0 Scottish Cup Final win of 1969.

Only those that have been in the inside, in the dressing room, know the tensions, fears and emotions required to come out on top in these fixtures.

John's video preview lays it on the line about what's required from the Bhoys tomorrow to earn three precious points.

Great goals against Rangers from the past... and Robsongate

Robsongate and Rangers preview.

What a strange old week.

To no one's surprise four Rangers players were unable to make Scotland duty, patriotic Gers boss Walter Smith will know the problems of being an international manager better than most.

Added to the injured list was Barry Robson... or was he?

The days leading up to a Celtic-Rangers game are rarely dull but the twists of Robsongate have been unusual.

On recent form I can't see Celtic getting the result that we want but Rangers seem to be just as bad so there is hope.

Enjoy this VIDEO PREVIEW including some memorable goals against Rangers from the hoops of yesteryear.

John Cushley remembered by former team-mate John Fallon

Tragically on Monday former Celt John Cushley, at the age of 65, lost his battle with Motor Neurone Disease.

John Fallon was at Celtic throughout Cushley's time at the club and remembers his former team-mate and near neighbour from Blantyre.

Whenever you see pictures of the Celtic squad celebrating the 1967 European Cup victory you will see John Cushley celebrating with the squad.

CLICK HERE for a short video of John Fallon recalling some memories of John Cushley.

New date set for Motherwell away, Sunday April 13

The three times postponed game with Motherwell has been re-scheduled for Sunday April 13... at Fir Park.

 

After the most recent postponement on March 15 Motherwell owener John Boyle said that urgent remedial work was needed on the pitch which would put it out of action for a month.

 

Celtic's fixture with Gretna on Sunday was moved from Fir Park to Livingston but the SPL have re-scheduled another trip back to Fir Park on April 13.

 

Naturally the game will be shown on Setanta (kick-off 2.00pm) but surely Saturday April 12 could have been used giving Celtic an extra day to prepare for the re-arranged Rangers game on Wednesday April 16.

 

With the SPL race so tight an extra 24 hours preparation could make a difference, every little bit helps... or hinders.

It's Stuart Dougal in charge on Saturday

The SFA have apppointed Stuart Dougal to be in charge of Saturday's game at Ibrox.

 

His most famous/infamous appearance in this fixture was in August 2006 when Alan Thompson was sent off in a 3-1 win for Rangers.

 

After the game came the real aggro with Neil Lennon shown a red-card after squaring up to Dougal and a linesman.

 

Lennon was almost thrown out of Scottish football after trial by 'meeja' but after an appeal to the SFA backed by SPFA rep Fraser Wishart the ban was reduced to two games.

 

Dougal, who had a legal representative at the appeal, was far from happy running off to the newspapers about the injustice of it all.

 

Whoever was appointed was going to be under scrutiny. Last time at Ibrox Celtic had nine players booked whilst amazingly Rangers haven't had a single booking in their last five SPL fixtures.

 

The eyes of the Celtic support will be closely on Dougal on Saturday but other than that performance at Ibrox two years ago I don't think that there has been too many issues with him in these fixtures.

Mizuno injury scare as Celts crush Gretna 5-0

New signing Koki Mizuno left Airdrie on crutches today after injuring his ankle in the reserves 5-0 win over Gretna.

The midfielder over stretched for a ball on the half-way line after 35 minutes and after a couple of minutes of treatment was replaced by Nicky Riley.

Celtic were already leading 4-0 at that point with Mizuno playing a part in the first goal for Derek Riordan and the fourth from Kevin Cawley.

Riordan also scored in the 14th minute with Mark Millar also on target in the first half before Chris Killen completed the scoring in the second half.

Joe Doumbe and Mark Wilson also featured with Wilson getting a good run out at left back in the second half although barely tested defensively.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO REPORT.

Celtic: Fox; Caddis, O'Carroll, Wilson, Doumbe (Ross 46); Mizuno (Riley 38) Millar, McGlinchey, Riordan; Cawley, Killen. SUBS Marshall,Towell, Lafferty, Santonocito, Bunting

Uninspiring and underwhelming against Gretna... and that's not just this video!

At this stage of the season any win should be welcomed but there was little to enthuse over or get excited about in the 3-0 win over Gretna.

All three strikers scored, Scott McDonald, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Georgios Samaras but that was about as good as it gets.

Another central midfield pairing was tried, Scott Brown and Barry Robson, but like the previous combinations they did little in the way of presenting an attacking threat to back up Shunsuke Nakamura.

The need to have midfielders bursting into the box is so obvious as teams double up on our wide players and concentrate on clearing the crosses into the box.

A Plan B would be fantastic.

VIDEO REPORT on the Gretna match

Young Celts lose out to Napoli as Luca Santonocito is named player-of-the-tournament

Napoli ended Celtic's hopes at the Scopigno Youth Tournament in Rieti outside Rome this morning.

Goals in each half proved too much for the Celtic u17 side in an evenly contested match.

Consolation came in the award of player-of-the-tournament which was picked up by midfielder Luca Santonocito, our very own Italian.

VIDEO REPORT

Celtic face Seria A challenge in semi final of Scopigno Tournament in Rome

It's not been a great week, there's an understatment, but today in Rome the Celtic u-17's drew 1-1 with hosts Rieti to reach the semi finals of the Scopigno Memorial trophy.

On Thursday goals from Grant Gallagher, James Forrest, Tomislav Pavlov, Luca Santonocito and a trialist gave Celtic a convincing 5-0 win over Viterbese.

At 10am on Saturday Celtic will face either Roma or Inter Milan with fingers crossed the final scheduled for 5pm on Saturday.

I'll keep you posted with hopefully good news from my man in the Vatican Emerald CSC

VIDEO REPORT

Depression time as the season comes to a halt.

Depressing times as the season draws to an early conclusion.

The end of the season almost arrived last night.

Going out of the Scottish Cup was painful enough but another flat performance was far more concerning.

A flicker of hope in the games against Kilmarnock, Aberdeen and Hearts was followed up by late goals saving the day at St Mirren and Aberdeen.

It will take a miracle to avoid defeat at Ibrox with the SPL going in the same direction as the CIS and Scottish Cups.

Depressing times and an IM Jolly type VIDEO REPORT

Jimmy Johnstone video tribute, two years on from his death

Jimmy Johnstone two years on

It's incredible to think that it's now two years since Jimmy's death.

The sad news reached me in a phone call whilst out in Dubai for a week and although almost inevitable it was tragic and chilling.

Another of our Lions was gone, the most charasmatic of them all and a player that I was lucky enough to see towards the end of his Celtic career with the magic still in his boots.

That side of 72/73/74 was pretty special with Dixie banging in the goals, Danny McGrain and Kenny Dalglish emerging post-Lisbon, Jinky on form, led by Billy McNeil, goals from Bobby Lennox and Harry Hood with Stevie Murray a great signing.

Athletico Madrid killed a dream with brutality in the 1974 European Cup semi-final and we've never really got close to that standard again.

Anyways, enjoy some music and images of Jimmy on this VIDEO