This Week's Events May In Time Hurt Lawwell And Celtic

THERE has always to me, looking on from afar as it were, about Peter Lawwell. He has that sort of smug, aren't I clever, face, you would never tire of kicking.

 

Figures don't lie, however, he has been an excellent chief executive for Celtic, insofar as his day-to-day running of the club - it cannot be easy being the only shark in the shallow bay,with slim pickings around which is the Scottish football money pit.

 

He has worked his way onto a seat of real power on the SFA Board and, it would be fair to say, right now, he is THE most-important and influential man in Scottish football.

 

But, with power comes responsibility, and, often, Mr Lawwell does not exercise his considerable power with the correct degree of good sense. Such a case cropped up at this week's Celtic annual meeting, with his ill-advised "Rory Bremner" moment.

 

OK, the Celtic Family is having a right good laugh at the self-inflicted travails across the city, aren't we all? As one of the few journalists who saw it coming - I had, after all, already seen through David Murray's vaulting over-ambition in Scottish basketball - I was not surprised when the management model which had failed in basketball also failed on the bigger stage at Ibrox. I was, however, amazed at just how large the toxic fall-out became.

 

However, the constant attempts of the Celtic Family to tar Rangers as a "dead club" have no basis in reality. Yes, they are under new management; certainly, they are serving a somewhat lenient sentence for their crimes by being asked to clamber back from the senior basement; but, make no mistake - Rangers, playing in the First division though they are, are still Rangers.

 

The fans continue to, albeit perhaps at a lower volume, wear the Sash their father wore and guard old Derry's Walls. That arrogance has not gone, indeed, as I know from personal experience, there is a lingering sense of hurt and injustice amongs Ra Peepul, which will, some day, come back to bite the rest of Scottish football.

 

Rangers will rise again from the ashes, and they will return to the Premiership hell-bent on shoving the jibes down the throats of the Celtic Family.

 

It is OK for the fans to gloat and jibe - were the boot on the other foot, as it so-nearly was prior to the wee Scots-Canadian in the bunnet's last-gasp intervention, the positions would be reversed. However, though the clubs have a long history of public bickering, when the committee room doors closed behind the real power brokers at Carlton Place, Park Gardens and latterly at Hampden - the Old Firm always stuck together as a potent force of self-interest within Scottish football.

 

With off the cuff remarks such as those reported from the Celtic agm, Mr Lawwell is playing a dangerous game and, friends in journalism still at the coal face assure me, the once cosy relationship between the Big Two is not what it was.

 

Rangers, during the Murray Years, forgot to remain friendly with the other clubs - regarding them as: "The Little People", but, the Old Firm Alliance, although not as strong as in the days of Bob Kelly and John Lawrence, was intact.

 

The fact there currently appears to be no alliance, could yet back-fire on Mr Lawwell and Celtic.

 

Murray and Rangers apparently - on their way to nine-in-a-row and seeming dictatorship, forgot the old rule: be nice to those you meet on the way up - you may need them on the way down.

 

By his remarks this week, Lawwell risks having that scenario hit him with the force of a typically mis-timed Lee McCulloch "tackle".

For Once Scotland - Rise To The Challenge

THE Stars and Stripes have been flying over Murray Park this week, as the U-Boat Kommandant and his squad from the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave have prepared themselves for Friday night's joust with The Bravehearts. (Sorry, I've gone all trans-Atlantic here).

 

This game is a real test for WGS and his management team. It's is one thing restoring credibility and confidence in competitive games, quite another rising to the challenge of an "International Challenge Match" against a higher-ranked power.

 

Scotland has, traditionally, not done such matches well. It matters not whether you call them "Friendlies" or "Challenge Matches"; if they are not in a recognised FIFA or UEFA competition, we tend to flick-off the "this matters" switch and pay the price. Aggression is, after all, what the Jocks are all about.

 

Our record in non-competitive internationals has long been poorer than our admittedly patchy competitive record, so, I would like to see WGS getting a real up and at them display from the troops tomorrow night.

 

 

 

IT SAYS much about how football has changed in the 61 years since Scotland first crossed swords with Uncle Sam's finest. Back then, we were the Big team, they were the learners. However, the USA team which arrived at Hampden in May, 1952, did contain some survivors from the team which pulled-off the shock of the 1950, or indeed any, World Cup - USA 1 England 0, so George Young and his men back then were duty-bound to do what England had failed to, and put the Yanks to the sword - which, on the back of a Lawrie Reilly hat-trick, a brace from Ian McMillan and an own goal, they duly did. We will not get a similar result tomorrow.

 

Looking back at the details of that Hampden win, I noted that the match marked the 24th and final appearance in Scotland's colours of the incomparable Willie Woodburn, Scotland's finest centre-half, ever. Injuries and his disgraceful sine die suspension denied 'Big Ben' further appearances, so, the now-dead Woodburn never did get the silver medal for 25-caps which would have been his, far-less the gold medal and painting in the SFA's own Roll of Honour which has gone to one or two number fives not fit to lace his boots - but, that's progress.

 

 

 

I SAW one of the successors to Woodburn this week, when big Ian Ure was, like myself, in the audience for a football-themed event in East Ayrshire Council's 'Imprint' books festival in Kilmarnock's magnificent Burns Monument Centre.

 

Big Ure, a full-house, including Graham Spiers and I, were there to enjoy "An Evening With Craig Brown", at which wee 'Bleeper', Kenny Shiels and the Herald's Michael Grant provided great entertainment and some riveting chat.

 

Kenny Shiels, in particular, came across well. I appreciate part of his problems with his rogue Chairman at Kilmarnock came down to the way Kenny stumbled into the carefully laid verbal traps of the red top rottweillers, but, it is to the shame of Scottish football that such an erudite and experienced manager is currently out of the game.

 

To give you an idea of how good a night it was; "Management", who knows nothing about football and cares even less, accompanied me to the gig and thoroughly enjoyed herself.

 

 

 

AND speaking of getting enjoyment from football, can I commend to you a new book, written by a friend of mine. Ian McMurdo, who is a retired former teacher and Director of Education has just put out: 'The Juniors - The History Of Cumnock Juniors Football Club'. This 300-pages-plus tome, published by well-known historical author Dane Love's Carn Publishing, does what is says on the tin, telling the story of the first century of the Juniors.

 

Now, my disdain for "Scumnock" should come as no surprise to regular readers, however, the book, maybe because the author is a Glenafton Athletic fan, is an honest reflection of the first 100-years, with some rollicking good tales in it.

 

I particularly liked the story of one "tousy" encounter with Darvel Juniors in the mid-1970s, in which four players were red-carded. The miscreants included Darvel's Willie Frew, who is a definite finalist in any football hard man contest; big Willie never took a backward step in his life and after the four were sent off, they continued to discuss on-field events inside the club-house, to the extent the crowd wasn't bothering about the game, but everyone was trying to get inside the club-house, where the sort of fist fight which wouldn't have been out of place in a John Wayne movie, was taking place.

 

I also liked the story of another Cumnock player, a school-boy contemporary and team mate of mine, Jim Forbes. "FourBees", who was/is the definite crabbit, torn-faced ginger-minger, left school at 16 to start work at Barony Power Station. Forty years later he was James Forbes CBE, Chairman and Chief Executive of SSE (Scottish and Southern Energy). He then retired, but, months later, he was back in harness as Chairman of Thames Water. Now finally retired, he lives in some style in a minor castle in Ayr.

 

However, for all his success in business - his career highlight is - that he was never on the losing side to Auchinleck Talbot during his playing career with home-town club Cumnock. That says much about what playing for the toon means in the Ayrshire juniors.

 

Even if you don't particularly care for Scumnock, read this book. It is more social than football history and a belter of a good read.

 

 

Remember Them All, Not Just One Or Two - It's A Team Game

BY A nice piece of timing, Rememberance Week usually also sees the annual Scottish Football Hall of Fame induction dinner. This year's event, the tenth, was held on Sunday night, with a further six worthies inducted into the HoF.

 

The main talking point, at least if you read The Scotsman, was the long-overdue induction of pre World War I Hearts Superstar Bobby Walker - no complaints from me on that count, indeed, on any count; the other five new comers are all well worth their places.

 

Halls of Fame are a North American invention - they had to invent someone to try to cover-up their own lack of history. I quite like them, but, of course, as with sport, worthiness for induction is always a potential cause for disagreement - opinion being the main fule which fuels the sports-reporting industry.

 

I have long felt that, football being a team game, regardless of the particular talents of the truly great, there has to be cognisance taken of the input of the less-talented.

 

For instance, I have no quarrel with the fitness of Hughie Gallacher, Alex James and Alan Morton to be inducted, but, their greatest feat was as three-elevenths of the immortal Wembley Wizards - so, given the significance of the events of 31 March, 1928 on Scottish Football History, why isn't every "Wizard" in the HoF and not just the select few?

 

Similarly, the greatest feat by a Scottish club team was Celtic's European Cup Win in 1967. No quarrel about the right of Bobby Murdoch, Billy McNeill, Jinky and Co - those already inducted, to be amongst the immortals in the Hampden HoF, but, as with the Wizards, there is surely a case for inducting the other Lions ASAP.

 

Indeed, you could well add that the Barcelona Bears and the Gothenburg Giants should also be indcted en masse, God alone knows when next we will be celebrating a Scottish club winning one of the big European trophies.

 

 

 

SO, Rangers have a(nother) new chairman. Am I alone in thinking getting into the big chair at the head of the board-room table at Ibrox is becoming a kind of Bum (on seat) of the Month campaign, or, eventually, will every single Bear get his chance in the captain's chair on the ship called (nae) Dignity.

 

 

 

AND just in case anyone thnks I'm going soft on Celtic - regardless of claims of police brutality and heavy-handedness, don't events in Amsterdam kind of undermine the moral superiority which the Celtic Family has tried to claim since Manchester?

 

Or, as Big Billy told Wee Sean down in our local at the weekend: "We're still a bigger club than you - for every five hooligans you've got, we've got ten".

It's Not Over Yet, But, Maybe Celtic Should Sign A Sherpa For Their Uphill Battle

THE avoirdupois-challenged lady hasn't even begun to practice her scales, but, after last night's scouring in Amsterdam, the odds have lengthened on Celtic making the last 16 of the Champions League, while even the consolation prize of a run in the Europa League looks less-certain than it did as the troops headed for Holland.

 

But, hey, that's where we are in Scotland right now. Without Scott Brown, and with the gamble on Kris Commons's fitness not paying off, this current Celtic squad, though pre-eminent in Scotland, just isn't up to the standard the Celtic Family demands of their team in Europe.

 

However, dark though the forecast seems right now, you never write-off Celtic's chances prematurely. After all, the faith of their fathers has long sustained the Celtic Family through darker days than these.

 

 

 

I NOTE delusion on a grand scale continues to surround the other Glasgow team with a huge support. They have asked the SPFL to postpone their upcoming fixture with Forfar Athletic, because they have players on international duty.

 

I have long felt this particular rule is a bit of a nonsense. Fair enough, if a table-topping team, holding a very narrow lead, was due to play their closest challengers and they found themselves weakened by international calls; then a postponement would be fair enough.

 

But, 14 points clear at the top of the table and with, according to the club's official website, a 27-strong first team squad, backed-up by a 29-strong professional youth squad - that's 56 full-time players, to ask for a postponement, because four players, just seven percent of the total full-time playing staff, are on international duty - well, they're arvin a larf, innit.

 

 

 

I NOTE that Old Red Nose is doing a sort of Ole Blue Eyes first farewell tour at the moment - a whistle-stop trip round Briitain, aimed at shifting as many copies as possible of his latest autobiography.

 

Books about Fergie are a major sub-species to the backbone of British sports books publishing - books about Manchester United, and this is the latest in a long line of tomes.

 

I notice, however, that while the publisher's price for the autobiography is £25, Amazon are offering it at £12.90, WH Smith and Waterstones at £12.50 and my local Tesco at £12 - much bigger discounts than are being offered on another recently-published book in the same genre, by one David Beckham.

 

I shall, as usual, wait for the book becoming available in my local charity shop at £2.50 or better.

 

This is, of course, the time when a lot of books are published, in the hope of capturing a large share of the Christmas market. I have been ingtrigued by another facet of the divisive conflict down Edmiston Drive way, with two different biographies on Bill Struth currently vying for the attention of those Loyal Bears who can read.

 

The first out of the traps was written by my old press box pal David Leggat - honorary Past Master of the Lap Top Loyal. Wee Davie's book is, if you like, a red top take on Struth, written by one of the LTL. Lots of anecdotes from the guys who played for Struth, plenty of re-heated legends, but, sadly for me - because I have always liked Davie and wanted his book to be good, it is a bit short on insight and detail.

 

I haven't done more than flicked through the other Struth biography, written by Rangers historian David Mason and endorsed by the Struth family, but, from what I have seen, prior to a more-leisurely read, once I have feigned surprise at my grand-son buying it for me for Christmas, this one is stronger on fact and previously unpublished facts, but, not as breezily well-written as the Leggat-penned rival.

 

I still, however, feel some judicious re-writing of history has gone on in both books. 

 

 

 

THEY cremated Davie MacFarlane this week, at the obscenely-young age of 46. The name might just ring a bell to one or two, as he was one of the 13 players who secured Graeme Souness his first trophy as Rangers' manager, when they beat Celtic 2-1 in the League Cup/Skol Cup final at Hampden, in October, 1986 - beating Celtic 2-1.

 

Davie Mac came on for Cammy Fraser with 17 minutes left, but, this cameo was  one of  just 14 first-team appearances he made in four seasons as a full professional with Rangers.

 

He then went via a loan spell at Kilmarnock, another loan-out at Dundee to Killie (for £100,000), before, less than 40 appearances later, being shipped-out to Partick Thistle, then off to Australia.

 

Returning from Oz, Roughie recruited him to Glenafton Athletic, where he enjoyed his best spell in Scottish football. He was a key player in the Glen's only Junior Cup win - setting-up John Miller for the only goal of the game, against Tayport in 1993, and over the whole five-year roller-coaster under Rough's managership.

 

Davie also featured in the following season's Game of Shame - the Junior Cup final against Largs at Ibrox during which referee John Underhill seriously strained an arm, holding up so many cards, then writing-out names. However, the free-for-all in the penalty area, during which Archie Halley and his best mate, Alex Kennedy, exchanged Glasgow kisses, is a classic in junior football.

 

Sadly, for Davie, things went downhill rapidly thereafter. He struggled to cope without playing - he fell prey to the most-commonly-available legal drug, his partner went down the road of illegal substance abuse, they split-up and his life spiralled downwards, out of control.

 

His end was sad, but, as someone who enjoyed his company on a daily basis as fellow commuters into Glasgow over a number of years, before his fall from grace, I shall remember him as a bloody good midfielder, a smiling, friendly man who always had time for the fans. I am saddened at how it ended for him, and even sadder that I missed his funeral.

Don't Do It Tel - It's A Poisoned Chalice

DIDN'T you just know, with all the hoo-hah about Terry Butcher's idyllic lifestyle in Inverness, he would be Hibs' preferred candidate for the poisoned chalice which is the Easter Road manager's job.

 

From a professional level, I don't blame Big Tel for being tempted, Hibs are a much-bigger team that ICT, but, the bigger the team, the greater the pressure.

 

The Hibs squad will be, if Tel takes the job, playing for their positions between now and January, otherwise, he will be bringing in a bunch of unknowns from the lower English Leagues come then.

 

I watched the Edinburgh Derby last week and came to the conclusion, Hibs are a bad lot. After Jamie Macdonald's second great save, you seemed to sense, Hibs could play shootie-in all night and they wouldn't score; thereafter, their already poor technical skills deserted them totally - these guys will have to put in a serious amount of work on individual and team skills if they are to survive what will surely be a huge cull at the end of the season - I've seen more-talented juniors.

 

Aye, whau's yer Famous Five noo?

SPEAKING of juniors - I hear there was nearly a riot in Auchinleck on Saturday, as Stranraer scored that late, late leveller at Stair Park. There was, apparently, a gang of Talbot Bees line-up at the pay-out window at the local bookies, and they weren't best-pleased when the equaliser went in.

 

Still, they'll be back this week, hoping for the right result, albeit the odds on a Talbot win will have shortened considerably. Given home advantage at Beechwood, I fancy this time round, they will sink Stranraer, and go on to face Clyde in the next round.

 

 

 

NO COMPLAINTS either about the composition of the Scotland squad to face USA and Norway. WGS is clearly building a team ethos around the national side and, with nobody truly pushing their case to break into the squad, he was never going to tinker too-much with his squad.

 

As I have said before, however, games like this give him a chance to find a right back, assuming Alan Hutton doesn't suddenly convince Paul Lambert that he cannot do without him. Otherwise, not too-much debate will there be around the team.

 

Who starts between the sticks though? Gilks or Marshall - decisions, decisions.

 

 

 

ONE OF the joys of life these days is laughing at this week's Independence Scare Story in the Daily Mail or Mail on Sunday - the two best recruiting sergeants the Yes campaign have.

 

They are, I think, getting desperate, however. Sunday's MoS effortsuggested that Alex Salmond is supporting England in the World Cup in Brazil next summer, on the basis that an England win would kick-off such a wave of gloating and celebrating darn sarf that we Scots would vote Yes in overwhelming numbers, just to get away from them.

 

Aye Right. I feel Wee Eck, like most of the Tartan Army, wants to see England crash and burn at the quarter-final stage, just far enough to get them excited and dreaming of bringing the trophy "Back Home", but not so-far that they really begin to have delusions of adequacy.

 

No, a last eight failure is just about right for England - and Scotland.  

Jabba The Hun - That Was Always An Ill Fit

SO, Jabba The Hun has left Castle Greyskull; cannot say I am surprised, I never saw that one as a good fit. Given that the first rule of the Lap Top Loyal is: nobody talks about being in the LTL, Jabba was always leaving himself wide open to abuse when he came out and took the Green pounds.

 

I have never deviated from my belief that Jabba, good operator though he was and can still be, wasn't even the better Traynor in the ink business - big brother John, remains the better wordsmith for my money - pity about his predelection for fast women, slow horses and aged malts.

 

When young James first burst upon the scene, with the Herald, he was the odd-job man on the desk - the Minister without Portfolio who filled-in around the paper's core subjects of the Old Firm and Rugby. His early work at Wimbledon, where he succeeded Brian Meek, aka Meek the Sheik, was exceptional, sadly, he over-indulged on the succulent lamb and, for me, never quite, fulfilled his potential.

 

Maybe now, with the cash and time to reflect, he can write a couple of books on Scottish football in the tv and money age - hopefully these will be worth reading.

 

 

 

PAT Fenlon has, finally, fallen on his sword.This resignation is hardly the shock of the season. I fear for Hibs, they have been rudderless since Rod Petrie's craven cave-in to wee Michael Stewart and his band of dressing room rebels, who couldn't face John Collins's home truths.

 

I doubt if the sort of hard-nosed boss that club requires will take the job so long as Rod the Plod is at the wheel.

 

Come-on Tommy Farmer, you'd never have let any of the tyre firms you ran become as poor performers, and selling tyres and accessories is a far-tougher market than the SPFL. Step-in and put things right, Scotland needs a strong Hibs.

 

As the men in green and white huffed and puffed to no effect, when in the driving seat on Wednesday, I could see they wouldn't score and it would all end in tears.

 

Up there in the great dressing room in the sky, I bet the Famous Five are hating this, and the air in heaven will be blue from Ned Turnbull's language as he reflects on current affairs at Easter Road.

 

 

 

I SEE Dave King is still peering-in at Ibrox from the outside. When the spivs and chancers currently running the club don't want you, isn't it time any self-respecting millionaire walked away?

 

 

 

SCOTTISH Cup today and I fancy that, at the very least, the mighty Talbot can take Stranraer back to Beechwood for a replay.

 

 

The Toast Is - The Lassies

YET again our lassies have done their bit for the tarnished name of Scottish Fitba - I reckon my wee pal Eck Salmond would declare three days of national rejoicing if WGS's brave lads ever travel to Poland and stick four past big Artur; but, Anna's girls just about slipped under the radar with that great win yesterday.

 

Of course, THE test in their qualifying group is Sweden, but, worryingly for the girls, because beating Abba in Adidas boots will still be a huge ask, given our national ability to build ourselves up, they are creating a real sense of: maybe this time, about their qualifying campaign.

 

 

 

BUT, enough of the good things. The need to traverse the A9 in the rain yesterday - this piece is being written in a wee but an ben on the Black Isle - meant I couldn't post yesterday.

 

This has given me time to reflect on the televised Edinburgh Derby of Wednesday night. I am still struggling for the correct word to describe this match: Pish, Shite, Garbage, Rubbish just don't quite fully-describe the awfulness of the fare  on offer. There, for the world to see, were the many inadequacies of Scottish domestic football - poor first touches, an inability to trap anything more lively than a bag of cement, rashness in the tackle, lack of discipline, terrible passing, slack marking.....I could go on and on.

 

Yet these teams were, supposedly, two of the top 12 teams in the country. I despair.

 

I was pleased for Jamie Macdonald in the Hearts goal, for hissterling part in his team's victory. I used to watch Jamie on an almost weekly basis when he was out on-loan at Queen of the South, and reckoned then, he had the makings of a good keeper.

 

He had his problems when he returned to Hearts, with the soldiers of the Eastern European Mafia at the club obeying orders and not playing him at a time when he was clearly the best keeper on the books, but, he has hung-in there and has made the number one jersey his own. That said, he cannot let-up, for, on the basis of watching him once defy Killie at Rugby Park, during his own loan spell with East Fife - young Mark Ritgers, the Hearts' back-up keeper, is another emerging talent.

 

 

 

I MUST say this, because you may never read these words again on this site: Well done Peter Lawwell, for making clear his decision to exclude himself, should the need arise, for any decision from the SFA on a return to Rangers by Dave King. Of course, the conspiracy theorists amongst the brown brogue wearers will still try to insist that he is pulling strings behind the scenes, but, by steering clear of any decision-making, he has shown real wisdom.

 

Mind you, I feel his past "crimes" both real (in South Africa) and imagined down Edmiston Drive, have ruled Mr King as an unfit person to be anywhere near the decision-making around Rangers. I hope, if the matter ever arises, the SFA will feel likewise.

 

 

 

AND good luck to Fernando Ricksen, he will need it. Motor Neurone Disease is still a death sentence, may he be spared the very worse which can befall a sufferer.