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Friday 30th April 2004
09.00
HENRIK TO PLAY AT EURO 2004???????????????
Henrik Larsson has agreed to come out of international retirement to play
for Sweden in the Euro 2004 finals in Portugal, according to reports. The
striker, who is due to leave Celtic this summer, has bowed to pressure from the
Swedish management and supporters.
The 32-year-old quit the international scene after the 2002 World Cup.
Larsson, who has 24 goals and 72 caps to his credit, came out of retirement in
April to help injury-hit
Sweden win a Euro 2004 qualifier against Hungary.
He told Swedish newspaper Helsingborgs Dagblad: "I'll continue to play until I'm
wanted. I'm grateful for
having such a good relationship with the national coaches."
Larsson will now spearhead Sweden's attack in Portugal this summer, where they
face Italy, Denmark and Bulgaria in Group C.
Larsson has played in two World Cups and two European Championships and his eye
for a goal will be a massive boost to national coaches Lars Lagerback and Tommy
Soderberg.
Thursday 29th April 2004
16.00
Double injury blow for Hoops
Celtic have been dealt a blow with Stilian Petrov and Rob Douglas both facing
time on the sidelines through injury.
The Bulgarian midfielder suffered an ankle injury in the international friendly
win over Cameroon and goalkeeper Douglas is struggling with a hip injury
But Bulgaria team doctor Michail Iliev maintains the injury to Petrov is nothing
serious.
He said: “There is nothing to worry about. The X-ray showed things are calm.
“Stilian has suffered an injury of his left leg ankle, but will be back to
football in 10 days.”
But Douglas’ agent, Blair Morgan, fears the Scotland international may need
immediate surgery on his problem.
Morgan said: “We thought it was a problem which would be cured by rest, but
there is now a possibility Rab may need a small operation.
“They might need to operate right away, although perhaps they could wait until
the season is over.”
Tuesday 27th April 2004
12.30
Lisbon Lions pay tribute to Simpson.
Some of the biggest names in Scottish football gathered for the funeral of former Celtic and Scotland goalkeeper Ronnie Simpson.
A member of Celtic's 1967 European Cup winning side, he died last week of a heart attack at the age of 73.
Among the early arrivals at St Ninian's Church in Edinburgh were Tommy Gemmell, who also starred in the 1967 win over Inter Milan, current Celtic goalkeeper Rab Douglas and Rangers legends John Greig and Sandy Jardine.
Former Celtic manager Davie Hay and ex-Hoops stars Tosh McKinlay and Gordon Marshall also joined the congregation to pay their final respects.
Later, more of Simpson's fellow Lisbon Lions arrived for the service wearing green blazers with a special crest to commemorate their achievement of becoming the first British team to lift the European Cup.
They included captain Billy McNeill, winger Jimmy Johnstone, Bobby Lennox, Steve Chalmers and Jim Craig.
Stars from the current Celtic first team including Henrik Larsson and club captain Paul Lambert arrived to pay their final respects, along with members of the Celtic youth team.
Former Celtic defender Danny McGrain, ex-club captain Paul McStay and current assistant manager John Robertson also attended.
Tuesday 27th April 2004
11.00
Sutton vows to make Cup Final.
Monday 26th April 2004
13.45
Ex Celt Stark pays the price for failure
St Johnstone have parted company with manager Billy Stark after he failed to
lead the ailing Perth club back into the Bank of Scotland Premier League.
Former Celtic assistant Stark, who was appointed as successor to Sandy Clark in
October 2001, met with chairman Geoff Brown on Sunday following the club´s
latest disappointing result, a 1-1 draw with struggling Ayr.
Brown admitted he made the decision with a lot of regret and described sacking
Stark as "the toughest decision I have had to make".
Monday 26th April 2004
10.00
Celtic net awards double.
Celtic's dominance in Scotland was reflected in the SPFA awards as Chris Sutton and Stephen Pearson collected the top prizes.
Bhoys forward Sutton was named Player of the Year, following an outstanding season that has already seen him hit the target 27 times.
The Englishman won the voting for the award ahead of team-mates Henrik Larsson and Stilian Petrov and Rangers goalkeeper Stefan Klos.
Pearson, who moved to Celtic from Motherwell in January, netted the Young Player of the Year award, ahead of former team-mate David Clarkson, Hibs' Derek Riordan and Hearts' Craig Gordon.
SPFA chief Tony Higgins said: "This reflects the type of season that Celtic have had.
"Celtic had three final nominations for the Player of the Year award and for them to have two main winners does reflect how big a season they have had at home and in Europe."
Tuesday 20th April 2004
20.30
Lisbon Lion passes away.
(Text below taken from UEFA.COM)
Former Scotland goalkeeper Ronnie Simpson, who won the European Champion Clubs' Cup with Celtic FC in 1967, has died at the age of 73 after a heart attack.
Inter beaten
Simpson was one of the 'Lisbon Lions' who helped Celtic make history as the
first British club to win the European Cup, beating favourites FC Internazionale
2-1 in the Portuguese capital. His career also included two English FA Cup final
triumphs with Newcastle United FC and started when he made his senior debut for
Queen's Park FC at just 14.
Scotland debut
He was the oldest player to make his debut for Scotland at 36 years 186 days and
went on to represent his country on five occasions. Simpson kept goal for Great
Britain at the 1948 London Olympics and, with his national service completed,
joined Third Lanark FC in 1950, spending less than a year at the Glasgow club
before being bought by Newcastle. Simpson made 297 appearances during a
nine-year stint on Tyneside, the high points being the 1952 and 1955 FA Cup
final victories over Arsenal FC and Manchester City FC respectively.
String of honours
He returned north of the border in 1960 with Hibernian FC and made his Celtic
move four years later, when he was sold by Hibs manager Jock Stein just short of
his 34th birthday. Though his debut was not auspicious, a 3-1 defeat by FC
Barcelona at Camp Nou in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, Simpson went on to win a
string of domestic trophies with Celtic, along with Europe's biggest prize on a
glorious night on 25 May 1967.
Final game
Stein, who had followed Simpson to Celtic within a year, built one of Scottish
football's greatest sides and Simpson was a key figure until his retirement in
1970 aged 39. However, he was to turn out once again in Celtic colours in 1971 -
the final game the Lisbon Lions would play together. Simpson briefly managed
Hamilton Academicals FC and most recently worked as a matchday host at Celtic
Park.
'One of the best'
Celtic goalkeeper Rab Douglas, who has profited from Simpson's support, paid
tribute to the club legend. "Ronnie was fantastic to me, as supportive as anyone
I've ever come across," Douglas told Celtic's official website. "Goalies always
look to other goalies first and foremost, and he was one of the very best. He'll
be sadly missed around here."
'Quiet inspiration'
Celtic chairman Brian Quinn said: "I was really saddened to learn that Ronnie
Simpson had passed away. He was one of the true Celtic greats. As a person he
was a lovely man, reserved and dignified, and he lived his life as he played
football - calmly and as a quiet inspiration to those around him. We will miss
him greatly. On behalf of the Celtic board I would like to extend our sympathies
to Ronnie's wife and family."
Monday 19th April 2004
11.35
Title handover delayed.
Celtic will not receive the Scottish Premier League trophy on Wednesday, when Aberdeen visit Parkhead.
The match will not be televised therefore sponsors, Bank of Scotland, do not want the prize on show.
Instead, Celtic supporters will have to wait until 2 May when Dunfermline are the visitors and the BBC cameras are there to capture the celebrations.
Celtic wrapped up their third title in four seasons with Sunday's 1-0 win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.
Tuesday 13th April 2004
11.00
Jackie pen's new deal.
Celtic defender Jackie McNamara has agreed a new one-year contract with the Bhoys, extending his spell at Parkhead to ten years.
The 30-year-old has been a key figure in Celtic's recent success and is delighted to have been handed the chance to stay at the club.
He told the media "I'm glad the immediate future has been sorted out and I'm looking forward to my tenth season at Celtic.
"There are good players waiting to get a chance at Celtic so I feel privileged to play."
McNamara has made over 290 first-team appearances for the Bhoys since moving to Parkhead from Dunfermline in a £600,000 deal in 1995.
Saturday 10th April 2004
14.00
Information for fans travelling to Spain next week.
The Villarreal Paella Party
The Association of Supporters clubs of Villarreal Football Club is pleased to invite all the Celtic fans to a mammoth paella party in the afternoon before the match.
Venue : Casal De Fiestas Ayuntamiento De Villarreal
(The Fiesta Hall of Villiarreal Town Council)
Capacity : 4,000 persons
Timetable
13.00 First Paella for 2,000 persons
14.00 Live rock group
15.00 Second Paella for 3,000 persons
17.00 Tortilla De Patata (Spanish Omelette)
18.30 Start to make your way to Madrigal Stadium
20.00 Villarreal CF v Celtic (also shown on giant tv screen)
Cost : Paella & Big Beer (1 litre) 10 Euros (£6.50)
Distances
Bus stop to paella party 150 metres 2 minutes walk
Paella party to Madrigal Stadium 800 metres 10 minutes walk
Madrigal Stadium to Bus Park 300 metres 5 minutes
Friday 09th April 2004
11.30
Fernandez won't face Celtic
Thursday 08th April 2004
15.30
Porto reach Champions League semis.
Porto will play Deportivo La Coruna in the Champion's League semi-final after disposing of Lyon last night, Porto won the tie 4-2 on aggregate after their 2-2 draw in France last night.
The other semi-final will see Chelsea take on Monaco who disposed of Real Madrid on Tuesday evening.
Now if only Bobo Balde did not have that penalty given against him in France in the qualifying group, where could we have featured in this seasons competition?
Thursday 08th April 2004
15.30
OPERATION DELAY FOR YOUNG CELT
JOHN Kennedy's career-saving operation has been delayed for 10 days so
specialist Dr Richard Steadman can make a further examination of the Celtic
star's shattered knee joint.
The Scotland defender was due to go under the knife in Colorado yesterday, but
the surgery to correct ligament damage has been put back.
Celtic boss Martin O'Neill confirmed: "Dr Steadman wants to have a further look
at him and probably won't operate for another 10 days."
Wednesday 07th April 2004
13.00
Celtic duo sign up
Chris Sutton and Alan Thompson have signed new two-year contract extensions with Celtic.
The English duo, who both joined the Glasgow club in 2000, have been key members of Martin O'Neill's successful side over the last four years.
Striker Sutton and midfielder Thompson, who made his England debut against Sweden last week, have pledged their immediate futures to the Hoops until 2007.
Sutton, who joined the club for £6million from Chelsea, insisted the decision to stay on in Glasgow was a simple one after several years of success.
He told the club's official website, www.celticfc.net: "The decision to extend my contract with Celtic was an easy one.
"We have had some great moments in recent years both at home and in Europe and I'm now looking forward to hopefully being part of a Celtic team which can enjoy more success in the future."
Wednesday 07th April 2004
10.00
Henrik to do u-turn on Sweden future?
Reports in some newspapers today that Henrik Larsson is about to make a comeback for Sweden in time for this season's Euro Championship's in Portugal, time will tell if the great man has been stringing everyone along on this one.
09.20
O'Neill boost for crocked Kennedy
Friday 02nd April 2004
10.22
Celts on the Beeb.
The BBC will broadcast both legs of Celtic's Uefa Cup quarter final tie with Spanish side Villarreal.
Both matches will be shown live on BBC One Scotland and BBC Three, while BBC Radio Scotland is hoping to also provide live commentary on 810MW.
The first leg takes place at Celtic Park on 8 April, with the return at the El Madrigal on 14 April.
Friday 02nd April 2004
09.00
Kennedy out for a year.
The desperate news for young hoops starlet John Kennedy is that his season is well and truly over, it was revealed today that he faces at least a year on the sidelines following the brutal assault he suffered in his Scotland debut on Wednesday night.
Thursday 01st April 2004
16.45
Barca fans hammered for ticket touting
Diehard Celtic fans are at the centre of the biggest
ticket fraud scandal in Barcelona's history.
Nou Camp security chiefs have hammered 125 Barca fans for selling their season
ticket swipe cards to Hoops supporters ahead of the UEFA Cup clash.
It is believed desperate Celtic fans paid between £200 and £800 for each brief.
Now the ticket touts are facing lifetime bans from the Nou Camp after TV footage
spotted the Celtic fans in their seats.
Meanwhile Celtic have received their allocation of 3,800 tickets for the
quarter-final clash with Villarreal at the Madrigal stadium on April 14.
Thursday 01st April 2004
10.00
Kennedy crocked playing for Scotland.
The Celtic youngster saw his international debut turn into a nightmare
when he was forced to pull out of the 2-1 friendly loss against Romania after
just 14 minutes following a crunching tackle from Vio Ganea.
Kennedy could now face a lengthy spell on the sidelines with suspected cruciate
knee ligament damage, which will also be a concern for Celtic ahead of next
week's Uefa Cup tie against Villarreal.
