With panto season in full swing, the Rangers support reckon the Scottish Premiership title race is back on after Celtic’s Sunday stalemate at Tannadice.
“On no it isn’t,” came the reply from the Hotline’s Hoops contingent. The gap between the Old Firm still sits at a hefty nine points but with the top two set to square off at Ibrox on January 2, the Gers faithful are getting excited.
Graham Taylor, Airdrie, said: “It’s beginning to look a lot like Rangers have reeled in Aberdeen and now we can start to reel in the team from the east end. Philippe Clement is starting to show he has the fight in his squad. Win our next three games and I believe we will be on our way to title number 56. Bring it on!”
Drew Ferguson, Oban, said: “The media and a lot of fans had prematurely written Philippe Clement off but forgot he has had to reduce the player wage bill by half and watch first team players leave for nothing. He has also had to get rid of the poor Michael Beale signings whilst trying to recruit young players who will take time to settle. Now that we have the creative players back and the young signings starting to produce, we may still have a chance in the league IF we win in January.”
Scott Gowers, Edinburgh, said: “It seems that there’s been a bit of bad news in store of late for regular caller Gordon Ashley. Before the season started Mr Ashley claimed that Hearts would be Scotland’s second team this season, he soon changed his tune and changed claiming Aberdeen would be. I wonder if he now feels Celtic may be Scotland’s second best this season, after all there’s surely no way that Alan Muir can be involved in anymore Old Firm matches. How many points does this take from Celtic and not Rangers for a change?”
Chris Lowe, Yoker, said: “With Celtic dropping points showing there’s a big drop off between their first choice and reserves with the big four all missing. Brendan Rodgers must be hoping Alan Muir, Frank Connor, Kevin Clancy and Don Robertson are back soon to ensure no more slip ups.”
But William Hutchison, Aberdeen, reckons there’s no need for Celtic to panic after their goalless draw with Dundee United. He said: “So we dropped points at Tannadice, big whoop!
“Do we have to make song and dance about it? From 16 games, we’ve dropped four points out of 48 and are still undefeated in the league. Get a grip on those not happy.”
It’s not just the Gers fans getting carried away.
Neil Renton, Leith, supports David Gray’s resurgent Hibs and said: “I’ve no idea what happened to the Aberdeen side who won the league title back in September other then they’ve just been given a footballing lesson by the rejuvenated Hibs. Here’s a message for the Dons – the Hibees are coming for third place.”
We’re a week on from penalty-gate at Hampden but the furore over refereeing standards continues to boil. Alan Flett said: “The hypocrisy of the Celtic fans is unbelievable. They’ve dominated the Scottish game for a decade but still they moan and groan about every little thing that goes against them. In each of the last half dozen Old Firm matches, they’ve been given a helping hand by the officials but still have the audacity to criticise Rangers.”
Meanwhile, it was egg-chasing at Hampden on Sunday as Glasgow and Edinburgh caused a ruck on the home of Scottish football’s pitch. Off it, everyone was well behaved, with Tom Mann, Glasgow, saying: “We had a massive local derby at Hampden and yet no innocent women or children were threatened in the city centre by fans. That’s why the rugby fans are allowed alcoholic refreshments at their matches and the neanderthals aren’t. Simples.”