Buckets

I didn't say Celtic weren't a Scottish side. You equated using the use of green to represent Ireland with Rangers orange connection. And that being proud to be Irish makes you a bigot. If that's your opinion then fair enough but at least stand by it. I just found it a surprising claim from a Hibs fan who also wear green of Ireland, are named after Ireland, and have fans who will wave a tricolour or Irish Harp.

Are Hibs' colours nothing to do with Ireland? As well as their name and club motto. If being proud to be Irish makes you a bigot, why would you support Hibs?

Of course you can get into the fine details on Scotland and the UK's international status but I think the point is still there. In Scotland people find it strange or offensive to see people identify with another country where they don't live. I'm just saying can you not see the similarities with the large percentage of Scots who don't identify with the country they live in (UK) and don't sing GSTQ or wave a union jack? I wouldn't ever critisise a Scottish person who doesn't sing God save the Queen or wave a union jack because they have their own valid reasons. Same with Liverpudlians and the same with Celtic fans.

Couldn't you use the same argument to say that clubs in Scotland should all wave a Union Jack as its the country they are in?

Wales and Northern Ireland always send their best 2 teams because of the quality of their league. It's only the league of Ireland that sends the teams outside Europe because its a stronger league. If you put the Irish league winners and runners up they would probably end up winnning the cup every other year.

Do Celtic do this every year?

Boys of the Old Brigade isn't sectarian it's a song about Irish independence. Even if it upsets people in Scotland that countries chose to leave the British Empire, it is irrelevant. Ireland is an independent nation recognised by the UN, its not a pariah terrorist state where you can ban anything to do with the country.

Rangers winning the Europa makes no difference to anyone else in Scotland. 4th still goes into the 3rd qualifying round and 5th goes into the 2nd qualifying round. The Scottish team will be seeded in the 2nd qualifying round but probably unseeded in the 3rd.

Rangers no longer the most successful club in the world by any measure. Must be mixed feelings though with it being Linfield.

I think the runners-up will now enter the 3rd Qualifying round instead of the 2nd. The ban makes no difference to any team except Rangers (unless Villarreal win the CL) who got bumped up a round. Everyone else enters where they would have anyway.

Don't think Hatate is anywhere near good enough

Probably did yeah, although I think Gio's points per game is similar to Gerrard's this season. He came in and won his first 7 games up until the winter break. Then Rangers dropped off after the break but its harsh to put that on the manager given it happened under Gerrard. From what I've seen most Rangers fans think Gerrard wouldn't have stopped Celtic winning the league. Not sure myself, but I think Rangers fans who think Ange is a fraud and has fluked this season will be left disappointed in future and are maybe kidding themselves on.

When Celtic won at Ibrox the other week to go 6 points clear, Celtic had actually played more games than Rangers across the season. The Europa League quarters and semis won't really have had an effect as the damage was already done before then. Celtic's upheaval in summer is what's given a close title race. They only won 3 games out of the first 7 league games. Since then it's been a bit of a canter for Celtic.

I don't think Hatate had a stinker he's just not a great footballer. He was nothing different from usual today.

Would need to get the Celtic fans opinions but I'd be very surprised if that's the case. Given where they were at the start of the season when most were saying they'd be closer to 3rd than 1st, the league alone would be a huge success, even when you forget the Champions League money riding on it. Add in the cup and you have to say Postecoglou has done an excellent job.

Rangers deserved winners but that's one of the worst refereeing performances I've ever seen. No result changing decision but incredible amount of bookings blatantly ignored. Could be a unique season where both Celtic and Rangers are relatively pleased with how the season has gone.

It's a round earlier than what you said. 4th place puts you in the 3rd qualifying round and finishing 5th puts you in the 2nd qualifying round. So will be either 2 or 3 rounds to win to get to the groups. County will likely be seeded in the 2nd qualifying round so that will be a winnable game. 3rd qualifying round will be unseeded and against a very strong side. Could get a team like Feyenoord or Braga but teams from the top 5 leagues don't enter until the play-off so very unlikely you get a Spurs or Roma.

Yeah maybe. Maybe it's wishful thinking but I do think the 8 million can improve a Hearts side as much as 20 million will improve a Celtic side. They can't compete with Premier League wages either way. Proportionally 8 million is a bigger sum to Hearts than 20 million is to Celtic given Celtic have about 3 or more times the revenue in most other areas. And if you forget about the Old Firm it would just mean you have a better standard of player and can maybe compete with low English Championship clubs for players rather than League One.

Yes and Scottish football would thrive. Having Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs along with maybe United competing for titles every year would be great and the crowds would only grow. These 3 clubs wouldn't have the same stranglehold on the cups as Celtic or Rangers which would be great for everyone else.

If Livingston win then Aberdeen would finish ahead of Motherwell on goal difference. Only the Hibs result matters.

2,500 free tickets given away in the South and East stands for the Motherwell game again. Might get the main stand sold out hopefully.

Like I said how many league games they lose is of no interest to me because they won't be caught anyway. I think guaranteeing 8 European games every season and the money that comes with it is worth the trade off, but its just down to opinion.

I'm sure it does make a difference to them but it's of no real interest to me whether the gap between 2nd and 3rd is 20 points or 30 points.

Why does that need to be the case? Scotland won't maintain an automatic Champions League place and it will likely get harder for smaller nations to qualify for the CL with format changes. But if the league stays above 12/13th then it keeps that third group spot without Champions league football for the league winner. Celtic and Rangers will always be good enough to get to the Europa League groups regardless of coefficient because they can make it through the qualifiers. The coefficient is much more important to the other teams because it can guarantee a group stage place. So it's either just Celtic and Rangers in the groups or Celtic, Rangers and 1 other team. I'd go for the second option but I admit that I don't really care how much richer Celtic and Rangers are anyway. With or without the Champions League, no one is competing with them when they have 2 of the highest attendances in Europe. A European run every year is more exciting than a far flung fantasy of challenging the Old Firm or closing the gap imo.