ONE of the online highlights of the Independence Referendum was the Yes supporter, on a rickshaw, getting in amongst and berating through a loud hailer, the Labour MPs who were shipped-up from London for the day to show their support for Bitter Together.
To the strains of the Imperial March from Star Wars, this intrepid freedom fighter urged the good burghers of Glasgow to: "Bow down before your Imperial Masters, who have arrived among you".
A good laugh - if not for the politicos, whose faces were as red as their rosettes. Well, another tranche of our Imperial Masters will be arriving tonight, as the Barmy Army of the self-styled football Master Race come north to Celtic Park, convinced that Wayne an' The Lads will give the Sweaties a footballing lesson.
I am not so sure; I reckon we can win this meeting of two, in international terms, fairly average sides. Neither side will be at optimum strength, and, I reckon we maybe have greater strength in depth than does England.
Not that it matters much, indeed, when it comes to playing Them, nothing matters other than that we beat them. We can have as ugly a win as you like, just win - that's the message.
WHEN it comes to Scotland v England games at Celtic Park, this will be match number six, with the record standing at each side having won twice, with the fifth game - actually the first - drawn. They are even tied on goals scored, at 9-9.
Two of these games were significant, the second, in 1896, being the first international in which the SFA deigned to pick Anglo-Scots. They had five players who plied their trade in England and a 2-1 win, Scotland's first over the Auld Enemy in seven years, justified the change of tack, with one of the Anglos, Everton's Jack Bell, scoring the winner.
The second significant match was the legendary "Rosebery International" of 1900, which Scotland won 4-1, on the back of a hat-trick from RS "Toffee Bob" McColl, of Queen's Park and a High Street near you, and a goal from Celtic's Jack Bell - the same Jack Bell who had scored the 1896 winner.
This game was so-called, because, in honour of their patron, the future Prime Minister Lord Rosebery, Scotland donned his primrose and salmon pink racing hoops.
Tonight's crowd wil not match the 64,000 of 114-years ago, but, we can hope for a similarly emphatic Scotland win.
WELL, at long last, the polis and the Crown Office have got their act together and arrests have been made, following the sorry saga of the demise of Rangers and the rise of the Tribute Act.
Of course, as things stand, the four accused, plus the still unarrested Craig Whyte are all innocent, until proven guilty; and, as everyone knows, these cases which involve alleged business wrong-doing are mine fields for the prosecution. But, public perception has long been that, jiggery-pokery went on and, hopefully, by the time the wheels of justice have finished their lengthy and slow grinding, some sort of closure will be arrived at.
Of course, some on the blue side will not be happy until perhaps a whole team of business-men, whom Ra Peepul view as having ruined their club, are strung-up by their heels from every lamp post on Edmiston Drive.
While, across the city, there will, in some minds, be misery, until Castle Greyskull is torn down and a new green public park is there instead.
I cannot help thinking, however, there will be some nervous men around Hampden, until the last appeal is dismissed. This show will run for years yet. As I have said before, there are kids growing-up in the West End and the leafier Glasgow suburbs, whose school fees are paid for years to come and whose trust funds will be topped-up by the fees their lawyer fathers are making and will continue to make out of events around Rangers and its Tribute Act.
Not that it matters much, indeed, when it comes to playing Them, nothing matters other than that we beat them. We can have as ugly a win as you like, just win - that's the message.
WHEN it comes to Scotland v England games at Celtic Park, this will be match number six, with the record standing at each side having won twice, with the fifth game - actually the first - drawn. They are even tied on goals scored, at 9-9.
Two of these games were significant, the second, in 1896, being the first international in which the SFA deigned to pick Anglo-Scots. They had five players who plied their trade in England and a 2-1 win, Scotland's first over the Auld Enemy in seven years, justified the change of tack, with one of the Anglos, Everton's Jack Bell, scoring the winner.
The second significant match was the legendary "Rosebery International" of 1900, which Scotland won 4-1, on the back of a hat-trick from RS "Toffee Bob" McColl, of Queen's Park and a High Street near you, and a goal from Celtic's Jack Bell - the same Jack Bell who had scored the 1896 winner.
This game was so-called, because, in honour of their patron, the future Prime Minister Lord Rosebery, Scotland donned his primrose and salmon pink racing hoops.
Tonight's crowd wil not match the 64,000 of 114-years ago, but, we can hope for a similarly emphatic Scotland win.
WELL, at long last, the polis and the Crown Office have got their act together and arrests have been made, following the sorry saga of the demise of Rangers and the rise of the Tribute Act.
Of course, as things stand, the four accused, plus the still unarrested Craig Whyte are all innocent, until proven guilty; and, as everyone knows, these cases which involve alleged business wrong-doing are mine fields for the prosecution. But, public perception has long been that, jiggery-pokery went on and, hopefully, by the time the wheels of justice have finished their lengthy and slow grinding, some sort of closure will be arrived at.
Of course, some on the blue side will not be happy until perhaps a whole team of business-men, whom Ra Peepul view as having ruined their club, are strung-up by their heels from every lamp post on Edmiston Drive.
While, across the city, there will, in some minds, be misery, until Castle Greyskull is torn down and a new green public park is there instead.
I cannot help thinking, however, there will be some nervous men around Hampden, until the last appeal is dismissed. This show will run for years yet. As I have said before, there are kids growing-up in the West End and the leafier Glasgow suburbs, whose school fees are paid for years to come and whose trust funds will be topped-up by the fees their lawyer fathers are making and will continue to make out of events around Rangers and its Tribute Act.
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