Even though Newcastle manager Alan Pardew doesn’t rate the SPL he may have to concede that playing week in week out for Celtic is the best option for goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

With his second choice goalie Tim Krul performing heroics for Holland against Brazil at the weekend the bold Alan could face the prospect of big Fraser sitting out next season on the bench….or playing at Paradise?

Lenny has already made it clear he rates the big Geordie even if Celtic’s goalkeeping coach Stevie Woods isn’t so sure.

And any notion that Emilio would be part of a package to get the big fella back to Glasgow is a non starter. According the ‘scare press’, Izaguirre returned to Celtic Park with an injury that will be life threatening and career ending by the end of the week!

Let’s wait and see what happens…..

Let’s get one think clear from the start, I like Big John Hartson, I think he was a fantastic player for Celtic and did a great job for the Bhoys.

He came to Celtic when Henrik Larsson and Chris Sutton were already an established partnership in Martin O’Neills team, and muscled his way into the first team scoring goals a plenty along the way.

I’m sure he’s the first to admit that playing for Celtic was the best time of his footballing career.

So, can you imagine my surprise yesterday when talking to keys and Gray on Talksport, BBJ described Ian Wright as the best centre forward he had the pleasure to play with!

Now, Ian Wright was a great player for Arsenal, there’s no doubting that, but a better player than Henrik?

Don’t think so.

When Wrighty was nearing the end of his career he did venture North to play for the Hoops, without much success I might add, whereas Henrik left Celtic to play for Barcelona and Manchester United, winning a Champions League medal along the way!

Enough said….

Hate to disagree with you big man, it will always be Henrik for me…..and the Faithful!

Nothing Neil Lennon said over the past couple of days will make an ounce of difference to the way Celtic are greeted when the Bhoys visit the capital this evening.

The locals down Gorgie way are on par with their west coast counterparts from Govan when it come to hating all things Celtic, and Irish for that matter.

My first encounter with the ‘Jambos’ was at an early age having been brought up in the east and I can assure you from past experiences they are just H**s without the bus fare.

With so much at stake let’s see if the First Minister a self-confessed Hertz fan will have those big floppy ears of his paying attention to the bile that comes from the stands. I’m sure there will be enough sectarian singing spewing from the Gorgie mob to have another ‘summit’!

Whilst you may be commended for your stance on the nail bombs sent to our manager Neil Lennon, QC Paul McBride and MSP Trish Godman, don’t you think it’s too little, too late?

The fact that a Member of the Scottish Parliament has been targeted by these morons has meant that you have eventually come out and put your head above the parapet.  If only you had made the same effort weeks ago when Neil Lennon was originally singled out for death threats.

So Mr Salmond, will you now address the real problem, on going anti-Catholic and anti-Irish sectarianism.

Your lame attempt last month to hold a ‘summit’ because of what was described a ‘shame game’ was futile. The SFA made a laughing stock out of your get tough promises. In fact, when you think of it, the only person punished because of ‘that game’ is the very same person you are now defending.

Mr Salmond, do you really want to get rid of the sectarian and bigoted society we live in?

Start by looking at the Orange Order. A society, not religion, who’s sole purpose is to glorify a centuries old battle and promote anti-Catholic doctrines.

By allowing these people to march up and down our high streets at any given notice, you are indirectly supporting their very existence.

Do you know how intimidating it is to be in the vicinity of these marches, especially if yo’re wearing anything remotely green looking? Surely in this modern society we are all told we should live in, there is no place for this show of glorified bigotry.

They use their allegiance to the Crown to include a ‘Loyalist’ stance that gives justification to anti-Catholic violence. In fact the Strathclyde Police themselves have said that it ‘doesn’t take Miss Marples to figure out the ‘bomber or bombers’ were of a Loyalist persuasion.’

The Police also issued a warning  every ‘high profile’ Catholic to be extra vigilant. Yes, in Scotland, you know the land of many cultures….

In other words,  it’s open season on anything Catholic. Will it be a Chapel burned to the ground next?

As a Catholic, and fair minded person, I know personally what it’s like to be victimised and intimidated for practising my faith.  And it’s not only in the West of Scotland that this goes on.

Your own team Mr Salmond has more than it’s fair share of bigots, trust me.

Just to remind you, Celtic as a club have always been inclusive, and so is our support, we have won awards and recognition from both of football’s major governing bodies, FIFA and UEFA.

Unfortunately, we get ‘tarred’ with the same brush as our rivals, who are currently being investigated by UEFA for sectarian singing. It’s almost as if there should be a ‘one’s as bad as the other’ tag put to us.

Well I’m sorry Mr Salmond, that’s NOT the case.

We, the Celtic support, Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Hindu or Athiest should be allowed to live without fear or discrimination in a modern society.

That’s not too much to ask, is it?

Celtic Fanzone.

P.S. Is your justice secretary Mr MacAskill still revelling in the wonderful atmosphere of Hampden?

If ever there was an opportunity for the SFA to stick two fingers up to Celtic it was today.

When Ally McCoist, Scooby Diouf and Mad Boogera rolled up to Hampden to learn their fate over their respective antics at Celtic Park during and after Celtic’s 1-0 Scottish Cup victory, no one this side of the divide expected anything other than a ‘slap on the wrist’.

The two players got exactly that, a couple of mediocre fines and a telling off.  I suppose their fate was expected as neither will be plying their trade at the Bigotdome next season anyway.

As for McCoist.

He not only tried to enter the Celtic dugout during the game, but instigated a response from Neil Lennon with his ‘snide comment’ at the end of the game.

Originally the SFA decided his actions merited a two match touchline ban. He  appealed, as expected. (The ‘wiznae me’ culture well and truly in operation!)

Anyway, after being humiliated by Celtic lawyers over the ban given to Lenny, this was the SFA’s way of saying GIRUY, by overturning THIER OWN BAN!

Unbelievable. Once again they’re a laughing stock. A joke.

Stewart Regan came in to the SFA promising to end years and years of discrimination. Well Stewart, get yer coat pal, you’ve failed and failed miserably.

Is this the face of an innocent man…..

Is This The Face Of An Innocent Man?

As the famous old song says “We Don’t Care If We Win Lose or Draw” so with this in mind The CelticFanzone.Net Bhoys & Ghirls plus the Cork CSC are having a Blow Away The Blues Party featuring the fabulous Foggy Dew in the 10 Queens Drive Hotel(formerly The Dunkeld Hotel)Glasgow this coming Friday night(14th May) at 7.30pm with all monies raised going directly to the John Hartson Cancer Foundation. Tickets for the event cost £5.

The hotel function suite only holds around 100 but there are still some spaces available by contacting The FRP(Phil Agnew) by email at phil57@celticfanzone.net

Hail Hail……The FRP……

Decisions, good or bad help to shape a team and a managers season.

And on Sunday at Easter Road referee Charlie Richmond gave Celtic a ‘soft’ penalty that wouldn’t have been given two months ago. I’m convinced of that!

Even though the MIB failed to give a stonewaller earlier, I’m sure the ref felt compelled to award the penalty when Hibs’ Anthony Stokes tried to volley Aiden into the Leith sky!

Of course Robbie duly dispatched the kick behind Stark in the Hibs goal to score what turned out to be the only goal of the game.

Referring back to two months ago, I don’t think the Bhoys would have seen the game out as they did yesterday. Certainly Lenny has instilled a fight in the team that was sadly missing, something that EVERY Celtic player should possess when they pull on the Hoops.

So, two wins out of two for Lenny and Johan. Keep this up and the board will have no option but to give YOU the job, permanently.

P.S. My premonition of Hamilton getting a draw at the Bigotdome nearly came true, if it hadn’t been for the customary corrupt officials disallowing a perfectly good goal by James McArthur.

Looks like they’re averaging a goal a month-no wonder they’ve a ten point lead!

This is YOUR chance to put questions to your past Hoops’ heroes. Tell them what you think, and ask them for their take on the current Celtic team.

Full details click here

You won’t want to miss this one!

Scotland’s Greatest Irish Folk Band..The Wakes have just released their long awaited album for public sale following a launch night gig on Sunday 27th September in Maggie Mays on Glasgow’s Trongate.

The album which I have now listened to continually whilst driving( just about 400 miles)over the last few days is a quite brilliant collection of 11 songs with 8 of them being The Wakes own original material with indeed one of those being their previously released single “The Uncrowned King Of Football” which is the bands very own tribute to Celtic’s Greatest Ever Player Jimmy Johnstone.

The album in fact encapsulates everything that makes The Wakes the top Irish Folk Band they are, with the songs telling stories of how the Irish people unselfishly took part in various “Rebellions” not only in their homeland but also all around the world. It does this with The Wakes very own brand of “Sadness, Humour, Socialism & Anarchy” and is a must listen to for all “Real Rebels” in life not just those of  the “oh-ah brigade”

Lead singer & guitarist Paul’s superb vocal talents(including one song sung in Italian) are backed by the fantastic musical talents of the rest of the band members, Chris, Christopher, Eamon & James, whose collective sound makes The Wakes as I have stated right at the start of this article  ”Scotland’s Greatest Irish Folk Band”, bar none !!!

The “No Irish Need Apply” album is now available from the band at www.thewakes-band.com or indeed if you have any problems contacting the band, then you can get in touch with me here or at phil57@celticfanzone.net.

Hail Hail … FRP … 2nd Oct 2009

You may have noticed something a bit different about the Celtic Fanzone…

New layout, new images and some new features, but that’s just start….

over the next few weeks we’ll be introducing a lot more to the site, including..

• All new John Fallon Column
• Celtic Video of the Week
• Celtic Fanzone Events, we come to YOU
• Supporters Club feature
• Celtic & Irish Music section
• Fanzone..Focus on A Fan
• Interviews…Famous Celts asked YOUR questions!
• Phils Rants, The Ramblings of a Fenian Record Player!
• Celtic Comedy, Pat Rollink looks at the funny side of life

and lots more.

Celtic Fanzone was established in 2004 for all of us, Celtic fans.

Keep on visiting, the site belongs to every Celtic fan..

Hail! Hail!

Fanzone.