Our trip to Celtic – My three different takes on the day | OneFootball

The new season will be quickly upon us and of course it’s a few pre-season friendlies to get the juices flowing, first off Celtic away.

Bit of context here.

Back in 1988 I went on a lads holiday to Ibiza and met some cracking lads, who happened to be from the blue side of the Glasgow.

Matches attended with them, both black and white and Rangers games, but also weddings, christenings and funerals, plus many great nights together in both cities.

Two years ago, Newcastle United played Rangers in a pre-season friendly at Ibrox, which resulted in us taking up a couple of coaches (The ugly bus to give it it’s official name).

A great night, booked into the Bristol bar where we were welcomed with open arms, not to mention cheap beer and a spread.

Two years later we play Celtic in a pre-season friendly and although I’ve been to Parkhead a couple of times, the words ‘as welcome as a fart in an astronaut suit’ spring to mind.

Anyway, we decided to make the trip on Saturday and here’s my three different takes on the day.

1 The season hasn’t started yet but already tumultuous changes are occurring. We ditch Wetherspoons and instead plump for Mark Toney’s for our pre-away game breakfast. Then to add more rabble rousing, I have a strawberry milkshake instead of a cuppa. Will this wild flouting of social normalities ever end?

2 The game itself.

Celtic deserved their 4-0 win and in truth 6-0 would have flattered us, but when they went 3-0, I swear the home support celebrated with a gusto unseen in any pre-season friendly I’ve ever been to. Back home on the train I was on social media and reading the Celtic response, it was like a David slaying Goliath situation. It was like Celtic (Self-proclaimed biggest club from here to Jupiter) had the Luckypool sense of self-entitlement on a week’s loan.

3 That photograph from the Bristol bar.

I reckon Newcastle had maybe 200+ of what I call ‘our lot’ at the Bristol bar and the Laudon just up the road.

I have read some of the comments as this photo has appeared across social media.

Yes, it was a few of ‘our lot’ who got on top of the roof of the Bristol bar and set off the flares. However, not in a jingoistic way, but because one of our own is battling cancer and it was done as a show of support directed towards and for him.

To those calling us just knuckle draggers, ask yourselves why everywhere I go supporting Newcastle United, I end up chatting to opposition fans who want to talk about the takeover and how they’d love it if it happened to their club, except of course the self-styled people’s club (Also the headquarters of Amnesty International’s Pennywell branch).