23rd March 2006

Jimmy Johnstone tribute from Port Glasgow Emerald CSC

I woke up at 7.30am on CIS cup final day. I like to lie in but this was 
no ordinary cup final day. This was the day we celebrated the life of 
Jimmy Johnstone - Jinky to you and me but the greatest player to ever pull on 
the famous hoops.

All I could think of was not IF we win the CIS Cup but how we celebrate 
the life of the great man WHEN we win the cup. Every one of us have had the 
dream of running out at Celtic Park in front of 60'000 people in the 
hoops and playing for the team we love, but in wee Jinky he done more than 
that. He had the ability and the determination not only to be a hero, but be 
the best talent ever to come out of Scotland.

I have watched videos of the great Jim Baxter and our own Kenny Dalglish but 
I don't think anyone could argue that Jinky was the greatest of them 
all. The fact that our Italian friends Giacinto Facchetti & Tarcisio 
Burgnich have come forward to say Jimmy terrorised them both on that famous day 
in Lisbon is an insight to how highly regarded the wee man is held in the 
world of football.

We had a few beers in the house before we headed to Donnachies bar to 
catch the supporters bus to Hampden. As a tribute the first song on the bus 
was for Jimmy Johnstone - The wizard of the wing. You could feel the bus 
vibrate as the bhoys from the Port Glasgow Emerald CSC belted out the songs 
whole heartedly for a man that most had only read about or watched on video.

I had Celtic to win 4 - 0 and the 1st goal scorer to be Maciej Zurawski, 
the current occupier of the famous number 7. In the end we won 3 - 0 with 
Zurawski being the 1st scorer but we were all there to remember the life of 
not only the greatest player to ever wear the hoops, but the greatest 
talent to ever come out of Scotland.

God has just made the best signing ever and may Jinky rest in peace.

Kevin Cushnahan

Port Glasgow Emerald CSC

 

22nd March 2006

Paradise Shootout latest

YOU could go out on a high at Celtic’s last home game of the season as the Paradise Shootout has been extended giving even MORE people a chance of winning up to £21,000…

AND you will also have the chance of strutting your stuff on the hallowed turf of Paradise in a brand new Celtic kit all for just a £2 stake.
 
All the big action will now take place in Celtic’s final two games of the season after the league break.
 
The draw was initially meant to take place tonight with the Paradise Shootout due to take place at the coming Hearts game but now there is even more time to take a chance on winning the BIG one.
 
The penultimate home match of the season is when every ticket number will be entered into the rearranged draw in which FIVE lucky ticket winners will be drawn at half time.
 
Those five lucky winners will automatically win £1,000 which they keep no matter what but they, or someone nominated by the winner, will then be invited to go for the big one and try to win up to ANOTHER £20,000 on the pitch at Celtic Park when the Bhoys play their final home game.
 
Each of those entrants, in a full Celtic kit presented in addition to the other prizes, will have the opportunity to fire a specified number of balls at Paradise Shootout Target and those who hit the target bang on at least once will win a share of the extra £20,000 to add to the £1,000 already won.
 
It’s easy, if all of the five entrants hit the target they will each receive an equal share of the £20,000 (£4,000 PLUS your guaranteed £1,000) but if only one lucky winner hits a bull’s eye, then they will be handed a cheque for the full £20,000…
 
But even if you miss you could still be a winner – because if all five Paradise Shootout entrants miss the target the £20,000 will still be divided equally between them all.
But don’t worry if you placed your £2 wager yet the tickets are available from Celtic Pools agents, or you can call in at the Pools Office during normal opening hours.
 
It doesn’t stop there though as the tickets will also be available at selected retail stores and can also be picked up at catering kiosks on match days.
 
So what are you waiting for? There is now even more time to win up to £21,000 and be part of the big end-of-season celebration here at Celtic Park – it could be YOU!

 

14th March 2006

BHOYS IN TRIBUTE TO JIMMY JOHNSTONE

The number seven will be proudly displayed by Celtic players at the CIS Cup final on Sunday in tribute to the late Jimmy Johnstone.

The Hoops legend died on Monday morning, aged 61, after a long battle with motor neurone disease. The former Parkhead and Scotland winger was voted the greatest ever Celtic player and the team will wear the number seven on their shorts during the final against Dunfermline at Hampden Park in tribute.

But the Hoops squad will also have ´Johnstone 7´ embossed on their tracksuit tops for the final after the Pars and the Scottish Football League both agreed to the tributes, which will also include one minute of applause before the game.

 

11th March 2006

Celtic ace pens new deal  

23-year-old Celtic centre-back Stephen McManus has scrawled his elaborate signature on the bottom of a new two-year contract with the Parkhead side.

The defender is now tied to the club until at least 2008 - and possibly 2009 as the club have the option of an extra year.

McManus said: "I'm delighted to have agreed this contract and, hopefully, I'll be able to enjoy some success with the club in the next few years."

McManus has been a regular under Gordon Strachan playing 31 games this season, with the Celtic boss commenting: "Stephen only had about three per cent of playing time in the two seasons before this one.

"He has played 90 percent this time and that's a big shift to cope with physically and mentally.

"Stephen is a sponge for information and takes what he can out on to the pitch. He's the one who does our talking at the back and he's maturing all the time.

"When you look in his eyes you know he is listening. Guys like Stephen are one of the reasons why you become a coach."

 

02nd March 2006

New Celt Kenny Miller scores as Scots lose

KENNY MILLER hit his sixth international goal but it was not enough to stop Scotland going down 3-1 to Switzerland at Hampden last night.
 

The striker, who has signed a pre-contract agreement with Celtic and will join the Hoops in the summer, struck 10 minutes after half-time to pull a goal back for Scotland.


The disappointing defeat against a Swiss side that will be going to the World Cup finals in Germany this summer means that Scotland failed to end a dismal 10-year wait for a victory in a friendly at Hampden.
Gary Caldwell, another player who will join Celtic in the summer, played the full 90 minutes while both Shaun Maloney and David Marshall were unused substitutes.


Elsewhere, on a night of international friendly matches, Steve Staunton got his career as Republic of Ireland manager off to the best possible start with an impressive 3-0 victory over Sweden at Lansdowne Road.
 

Damian Duff, new Ireland captain Robbie Keane and former Celtic player Liam Miller scored the goals.
Poland,  meanwhile, lost 1-0 to the United States in Germany, Clint Dempsey scoring the only goal of the game past Artur Boruc in a match that was played in a snowstorm, while Martin Petrov netted the vital goal in Bulgaria’s 1-0 win in Macedonia.

 

01st March 2006

Celtic move for Ian Harte?????????????

Republic of Ireland left-back Ian Harte has again expressed his desire to play for Celtic.

The former Leeds United defender is playing with Spanish second division side Levante but wants summer move. "I'd love the chance to play for such a big club like Celtic, especially with them looking like they'll be in the Champions League next season," he said.

"I spoke to Gordon Strachan last summer and I'm just hoping the chance is still there this summer."

Levante rejected Harte's request to leave the club in the January transfer window, when an approach from Sunderland was turned down. Harte remains desperate to leave and would see a move to Glasgow as the perfect option.

The 27-year-old signed a four-year deal with Levante in July 2004, but they were relegated from La Liga.

Celtic manager Strachan has tried summer signing Mo Camara and winger Ross Wallace in the troublesome left-back position this season.

January acquisition Mark Wilson, normally a right-back, has been given that role in recent weeks.

 

Copyright ©  2006 by [The Affiliation of Registered Celtic Supporters Clubs]. All rights reserved.