Don’t reset your wifi, there’s nothing wrong with it. The Hotline is as shocked as you are to see Old Firm fans agreeing.
Both Celtic and Rangers are in hot water with UEFA after sections of their support continued to ignore repeated warnings over using pyro. The Green Brigade displayed the only Celtic flare in Dortmund, lighting up Signal Iduna Park before their team were well and truly burned by Borussia, who smoked them 7-1. The consequences are a fine and a suspended two-year ban on the club selling away tickets, meaning if the pyro comes out against Atalanta in Bergamo, they’ll be staying at home for a while.
Their rivals have also been hit in the pocket after a similar display at home to Lyon. Interim chairman John Gilligan has told the perps the fireworks displays have to stop now as the punishment payments mount up. Celtic’s sentence shows where it’s heading and there’s a desire on both sides of the divide to extinguish things before the heat on both clubs is turned up even more.
Drew Ferguson, Oban, said: “Rangers must know who the morons are who continually cost the club money with pyrotechnics, and this will lead to stands being closed if this continues. Ban these idiots now and let all the Rangers fan enjoy a pyro free game.”
Jim Docherty emailed: “Yet another fine and possible closure of grounds (when are the bampots, not really fans) going to get the message. When someone gets badly injured. C’mon toss the flares in the bin.”
Scott Gowers, Edinburgh, suggested: “A small majority of Rangers fans using pyrotechnics at matches is costing the club more in fines than Rangers make from these inconsiderate Rangers fans. Simple solution: Ban these fans as it’s easy to identify seat numbers. Then other true fans that are really concerned about the club’s financial situation could get a chance of getting to a game whilst not costing the club money.”
Davy Matson however, reckons the blame lies with the club. “He said: No you are the cause of this pyro rubbish by not searching fans on entering Ibrox. Just look at the amount of huge flagpoles (weapons) being allowed in to stadiums.”
Meanwhile, Aaron Alexander, Largs wondered whether a Celtic Euro ban might not be a bad thing for long suffering punters; He joked: “Surely Celtic getting a ban from next away match in Europe isn’t a punishment it’s a blessing?”
To on-pitch matters and Celtic take on Aberdeen in a top of the table clash. It’s already been billed as Celtic’s biggest game of the season in a not-so-subtle dig at their rivals as the two 100 per centers go head-to-head in Glasgow.
Stephen Mulhern, Dumbarton, emailed: I’m looking forward immensely to Saturdays biggest league fixture so far when Aberdeen visit the caldron of Celtic Park. I’m also hoping Brendan Rodgers adapts a shoot on sight policy from the start with Aberdeen’s Bulgarian international keeper shipping five goals against Northern Ireland he looks as nervous as a kitten and this could be the key in Celtic securing the three points.”
It’s a fine game to get back into the swing of things after what seemed a longer than usual international break, that did at least yield a first nations League point for Scotland. However, a draw with Portugal doesn’t change the bigger picture for some.
Rick Hart pointed out: “I am sick of people telling us we are just a small nation and we don’t have the players and lots of talent, Iceland comes to mind Population in Iceland 394,735 , in Glasgow its 1,708,000 , the problem lies with the Manager, Clarke will not look outside the box, you can be a brilliant footballer in the other tiers of Scottish football, but you will never get a call up because you don’t play with the right teams, not forgetting they beat England on the 7th June.
Bill Lockerbie, Northampton, knows who he wants in the Scotland hot seat. He emailed: “Message to Gaz Finnigan, who is struggling to come up with a contender to replace Steve “anti football” Clarke, you want one name, David Moyes! The man to turn a great squad into a winning one!!”
And finally, England fans are being told to stop moaning because their diamond shoes are too tight or wallets too heavy after their latest managerial appointment has them demanding to know why they need a German in charge. Neil Renton, Leith, said: “The arrogance of English fans getting their St George’s Cross pants in a twist at the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as the national manager.
“Let’s not forget that no Englishman has ever won the Premier League. If they’d got Pep Guardiola they’d be delighted. Instead they’ve ended up with a boss who’s won the Champions League. Diddums.”