His quatrains predicted events such as the rise of the moustachioed Austrian and the nuclear bomb.
Me, on the other hand couldn’t, predict night following day as evidenced by the hole in my bank account every (most) Mondays after a weekend “investing” on football matches.
It’s a mug's game, those of us who like to think we can beat the bookmaker are generally left licking our wounds.
Having been on both sides, both poacher and gamekeeper, having worked for a large high street bookmaker I’ve seen the damage gambling can do to people, to families. And while I laugh at my own failures I also recognise that for some it can be a serious problem and for those people I beg you reach out and ask for help. There are numerous online tools available, bookmakers themselves have a responsibility to help and a word with them can often be the first stage to recovery. For those in that position I ask you to reach out, there’s no shame in asking for help.
You may be wondering what all this has to do with Scottish football so let me explain. The leagues themselves are sponsored by betting giant William Hill, numerous clubs including Celtic have gambling companies as shirt sponsors and advertising hoardings display the names of bookmakers, casinos and the like. It’s hard to escape from and all designed to encourage us to part with cash.
Now I’m not going to get all preachy about this, I mean sponsorship is a big part of the game these days and without it many clubs wouldn’t survive but there must be alternatives surely.
If clubs are to be sponsored by bookmakers I’d like to see more mention of groups such as GamCare GambleAware and the RCA trust also. Clubs should be forced to give greater exposure to these charities rather than a small hoarding tucked away in the corner of the pitch.
Many of us like a flutter, myself included, but for some it becomes less about fun and more about need. It becomes addictive and then it becomes a problem.
Clubs have a responsibility to their fans and rather than a quickly garbled message at the end of a tv advert the realities of gambling addiction should be shown.
Ireland has some of the most powerful anti drink driving advertising I have ever seen and I’d like to see problem gambling addressed similarly.
Sorry to be a bummer, when I try to make my columns light hearted but it’s something I wanted to talk about and if it helps just one person then I think we can all agree that it’s worth it right?
So onto the football . . . after all, that’s why you’re here.
Wednesday saw almost a full Premier League card, only the Edinburgh derby held off til Thursday, no doubt a decision made by the broadcasters but I guess he who pays the piper, anyway . . .
Celtic (who are only just regaining my trust after the CL exit) faced an Aberdeen side in transition.
Bearing in mind Aberdeen lost by a solitary goal to McInnes' Rangers I expected this game to be tighter than it was. So when Duran's shot hit the underside of the bar and landed into the back of the net on 14 mins the signs looked ominous for the Dons and so it proved to be. With goals from Nygren on 34 mins and Yang in the first minute of first half stoppage time it was a comfortable enough night in a rain sodden Glasgow for the hoops. Aberdeen did look threatening at times but the night belonged to the Celts.
Elsewhere, St Mirren continued their four from four record with a 1-0 victory away to Kilmarnock. Rangers look like they might finally be getting their act together with a 2-1 victory away at Falkirk with both goals coming from the boot of Captain and Scotland international Shankland. Motherwell landed their first home victory of the season with a 3-0 hammering of Jim Goodwin's Dundee United. The man himself still recovering at home and we wish him a speedy recovery. United themselves played the majority of the game with ten men after Agyei saw red in the 14th min. Even so they look like a team lacking confidence and certainly played like one. Fans of the Arabs must be having sleepless nights. Elsewhere St Johnstone continued to show they belong in the SPL with a 1-1 draw against Dundee.
So to Edinburgh and the Derby.
These games are almost usually impossible to predict yet somehow this one seemed entirely predictable. Hearts racing into a 2-0 lead by halftime, the game looking all but over by the time the second half began. A glimmer of light for the home fans in 51 minutes from Mayor was quickly extinguished when Hibs Iredale's reckless challenge saw him receive a second yellow in the 62nd minute, and it was left to former St Johnstone striker Joshua McPake to seal the victory for Hearts with a lovely solo effort beating three men before his deflected shot eluded Hibs Keeper Sallinger and sent the Jambos back across the city with Cheshire cat grins.
Where Thursday was a great advert for Scottish football Saturday afternoon at least was anything but. Aberdeen and Kilmarnock managing to both avoid scoring and whilst I didn’t watch this I suspect the biggest cheer came when the ref blew the final whistle and everyone could go home. It’s a fair hike from the granite city to the home of pie, a 336 mile round trip or there abouts, no this wasn’t sexy football, total football - it was instead two poor teams both desperately seeking a lift neither finding that killer spark. I endured the highlights (I use that term in its broadest sense) so you don’t need too. The sacrifices I make for TPQ 🙄. Thankfully even the SPFL chaps didn’t drag this one out so it wasn’t a tough four and a half mins. It was at least a beautiful early autumn day for it with the sun shining for most of the match.
Rangers' revival continued with a goal gifted to them by Motherwell keeper Paulsen in the 12th minute whose footwork to evade the onrushing Naderi handed the ball to the big German, and he slashed the ball into an empty net. In fairness Paulsen did redeem himself though with some fine saves, and Motherwell did have their chances to equalise but this was Rangers revenge for the 3-2 defeat suffered last season at the hands of the Steelmen.
Worrying times though for the Ibrox faithful as captain and top scorer Shankland limped off early (to be replaced by Naderi) with what the club are calling a “significant injury”. With two Glasgow derbies ahead in the next 2 weeks this isn’t the news Rangers fans needed.
So to Saturday evening and Celtic travels to Paisley. A top of the table clash with both sides unbeaten I myself wasn’t confident as Celtic have struggled at St Mirren before, and with the home side in such excellent form we knew it would be a tough evening.
I’m a fan of Liam Scales. I think the big Irishman sometimes ends up being the fall guy when things go wrong for Celtic and some of the criticism he receives is unjustified. However …
In the 19th minute a rush of blood to the head, an arm outstretched leading to a penalty for St Mirren (eventually) fired past Sinisalo by Agrafoitis, I felt it was hard to continue to back him. That weight lifted from his shoulders he actually went on to have a really good game but more of that later.
The Celts did think we’d equalised in the 29th minute through Duràn but after much deliberation between VAR and Ref Ryan Lee it was deemed Duràn's big toe was offside, and therefore the goal was ruled out. 1-0 to the home side at half time, and whilst all hope wasn’t lost it didn’t look promising. Cometh the hour though and Cometh the man and a spectacular header from Scales in the 51st minute restored my fickle faith and all was forgiven. From there on in a Celtic victory looked assured, and when Yang raced clean through in the 68th minute and slotted home past the despairing Chapman points were only heading one way. The night was marred however by scenes on 73 minutes where a clash between Asian games bound Yang and Chapman saw the Celtic midfielder look shaken up as he was quickly substituted by Martin O’Neill. Lucky to escape injury the South Korean heads off now to compete elsewhere while Celtic are left with the headache of trying to fill the hole he’s left.
Finally Sunday and 2 x 2-1 victories for Hearts and St Johnstone over Dundee and Hibs respectively rounded off the weekend rather nicely.
Hearts leaving it late with an 84th minute penalty to equalise before Dundee were reduced to ten in 91 minutes and the home side winning the match with a 96th minute strike from Kerjota.
At McDiarmid Park all the action occurred in the first half with the home side taking the lead the away side equalising and a penalty on 41 minutes settling the score and leaving the points in Perth.
So what’s next?
There’s midweek fixtures but I guess most of us are looking forward to Saturday and the first Glasgow Derby of the season. Sadly no away fans this year after the disgraceful scenes at Ibrox last season where cardboard gangsters in balaclavas raced three quarters of the way across a pitch to then stop, stand, gesticulate, then run back into the stands. Awful scenes of course blown up by the Scottish media that highlights a far deeper rooted problem in Scottish society. A problem we’ve addressed before and I’m sure we will again.
In the meantime whatever you’re doing be safe, be happy and stay well.
🐼 Gary Robertson is the TPQ Scottish football correspondent.
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