Great but nervy victory at Motherwell. Now Beale know's about the Grim Reaper.

[Joe O'Rourke]

Well Saturday was if nothing else exciting, a nervy encounter with a remarkable end, and a well-deserved three points for the Champions. The weekend started brilliantly for us Celtic Supporters with the news that Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley had extended their contracts, I had said to my mate on the way to the match that we should bet on Reo and Matt to score at any time, needless to say, we never managed to get the bet on, I suppose that’s why the Bookies are loaded.

I thought we thoroughly deserved the victory, simply because we were the more determined team all through the game. It was a bit like playing Livingston two weeks in a row, the big number 14 looked as though he was there for his physical attributes alone, he certainly wasn’t there for his football ability. I thought we played well in the first half, until the final third, then Motherwell’s “Yellow Wall” came into force. I suppose in some ways you can’t blame teams like Motherwell trying to stifle our fast attacking football, we have better players, and a better manager, so should come out on top.

I was mildly surprised while watching the highlights on the telly to hear Stuart Kettlewell’s comments, I certainly thought he would have been churning out the usual comment of, “I thought we deserved a point” but to his credit, he seemed to call it correctly. Even when commenting on the pitch invasion by both set of supporters, he stressed that none of his players came under any kind of physical threat, so fair play to him. It was funny to hear the Well Bois singing “Can you hear the Celtic sing” only to be stopped in mid verse by Matt’s winner. I also have to say this, I am not in favour of supporters going onto the park, and it wasn’t only young Bhoys, there is a serious chance of one or more of our players getting injured in such situations. I completely understand there was a huge relief at getting the late winner, but it could become a regular feature of our game. I believe if it became regular, then the powers that be would bring in “Strict Liability” which could result in a loss of points.

Contrasting the celebration at Motherwell with the goings on in Govan was polar opposite. The sight of military personnel everywhere in the stadium. One of them abseiling from the stand with the match ball, big guns on display (if you get caught with a banger at Celtic Park, you get arrested) who pays these people’s wages when they are joining in with singing of sectarian songs? One of the senior soldiers had more medals than the whole Sevco team put together. Then to crown (excuse the pun) it all, there are some supporters waving a Nazi Fleg with the “Death Head SS” emblem on it, I wonder if that was the same people who stole the “Poppy Money”?

When the inevitable sacking of Beale came after defeat from Aberdeen, it was full of irony, the very same supporters who hailed him as their saviour less than a year ago were screaming for his head. Ironically as well, about a year ago Beale sat in the Ibrox Directors Box like the Grim Reaper while a real Rangers Legend, Giovanni van Bronckhorst was struggling on the touchline, well, who was sitting behind Beale at the photo call, non other than the Rangers Leg End Alex Rae, now the Mole will realise, there is more than one Grim Reaper. I was also surprised on Saturday by the display of match official, and well known Sevco man Steven McLean, ably abetted by another one of Ayrshire’s Brother’s, Greg Aitken on VAR, you would have thought they wanted Aberdeen to win, maybe they thought Michael Beale was a greater threat to Sevco than Kyogo Furuhashi and Brendan Rodgers combined.

Now its onto to Lazio at the magnificent Celtic Park on Wednesday night, I’m looking forward to hearing Zadok the Priest belting out once again, there is no better atmosphere in World Football than at Celtic Park on a Champions League night. Then on Saturday we welcome Kilmarnock, we owe them one, then we have a wee break, which gives us the chance to get some players back from the treatment room.
Glasgow’s still Green & White.