Former Celtic, Hearts and Scotland player Mike Galloway has died at the age of 60. Galloway joined Hearts from Halifax Town for £60,000 in 1987 and went on to make 86 appearances for the Tynecastle club, scoring 22 goals. Comfortable in defence or midfield, Galloway helped Hearts to a runners-up finish in the top flight in 1987-88.
Celtic interim manager Martin O'Neill says there has been "a lot of hyperbole" surrounding the scenes following the club's Premiership title win on Saturday. O'Neill's side scored two late goals to snatch the league from Hearts, after which Celtic fans invaded the Parkhead pitch. Hearts players left the stadium immediately while still in their kits due to what the Tynecastle club say was a "menacing and threatening atmosphere inside the stadium".
Derek McInnes insists he is feeling no trepidation for Hearts' title decider at Celtic Park on Saturday and has urged his squad to embrace the "box office" occasion. "I'm not nervous about it, but dealing with nerves is part of professional sport, particularly when it gets to this stage," the Tynecastle boss said.
After an incredible Scottish Premiership season, it all comes down to this Saturday as Celtic host Hearts in a seismic title shootout. Celtic need to win while Hearts only need a point to be crowned top-flight champions for the first time since 1961 and become the first non-Old Firm winners in 41 years. Three different Celtic managers have tried, and failed, to beat the Tynecastle outfit as Martin O'Neill prepares for another attempt, this time with the biggest prize of all at stake.
Gary Lineker called it possibly the worst VAR decision he has seen. Celtic’s win against Motherwell is another reason to ditch the systemThis moment was inevitable. One when observers from Gorgie to Guadalajara ponder how Scottish football got itself into such a tangle with the video assistant referee system. Sadly for Hearts, the incident in question may prove fatal in their push to make history. Sadly for Celtic, it will be a key reference point in the event of a successful title defence.Gary Lineker played for Tottenham in a 1-1 draw at Tynecastle in 1990, which has never appeared to fuel a lasting affection for Hearts. Lineker is untainted by the Old Firm’s suffocating tribalism. He passed the neutrality test with flying colours. Lineker used social media to amplify the cries of disgust as Celtic were awarded a late, late penalty to win at Motherwell. “This might be the worst VAR decision I’ve seen (and there’s a lot of competition),” Lineker said. “Extraordinary given the significance.” Continue reading...
Tony Bloom was "laughed at" when suggesting Hearts would challenge for second place this season - but they could be crowned champions tonight. If Celtic lose at Motherwell and Hearts win at home to Falkirk, the Tynecastle's first top-flight title in 66 years will be confirmed. Should the race go to the final game, it will be decided at Celtic Park on Saturday when Derek McInnes' men visit the defending champions.
Defeat for the champions at Motherwell and a win for the leaders at home to Falkirk will secure them a first league title time since 1960It is a sign of shifting attitudes that the fact Hearts could claim the Scottish Premiership title on Wednesday was somewhat lost in analysis of the weekend’s events. Given Celtic’s form such a scenario is an unlikely one, but that it exists at all is remarkable: a Hearts win at home to Falkirk, coupled with defeat for Celtic at Motherwell, means the Edinburgh club will become champions for the first time since 1960.“It’s nice to be able to hear ‘Hearts could win the league at Tynecastle,’” says their manager, Derek McInnes. “I don’t know how many people have been able to say that in their lifetime. The likelihood is we are going to have to win two games or certainly pick up four points.” In a quirk of history, both of Hearts’ titles in the 20th century were secured at St Mirren’s former Love Street ground. Continue reading...
Former Ibrox midfielder Andy Halliday said it is "only natural for some Rangers fans to have their doubts" over head coach Danny Rohl after a third straight league defeat ended their title hopes. Off the back of losses against Motherwell and Hearts, Rohl's side went in front against Celtic on Sunday before succumbing to a 3-1 defeat. When Hearts gave them a punch on the nose at Tynecastle, they didn't respond and it was the same after Celtic gave them a one-two inside four minutes.
Rangers left-back Tuur Rommens insists Rangers will play with "full force" in their Scottish Premiership trip to face Celtic on Sunday, looking to ensure they can achieve Champions League football next season. Defeat against leaders Hearts left Rangers with little hope of winning the league title, now trailing the Tynecastle side by seven points with just three games remaining. Celtic are four points ahead of the Ibrox side with defeat guaranteeing that Rangers will finish in third place and out of the equation for Champions League football.
Hearts are now in a position that no-one thought they would be in at this stage of the season. There were 18 teams in what was then called Scottish League Division One. Only 34 matches were played, with each team playing every other twice.That season Hearts won 23 of their 34 matches and lost only three times - to Kilmarnock and Motherwell on the road, with a solitary home defeat against St Mirren the only blemish at Tynecastle.
Former Hearts defender Christophe Berra believes Hearts are "in the driving seat" heading into the last three games of the Premiership season. The Tynecastle club are three points above Celtic in second place, with nine points still to play for. Berra, who came through the youth ranks at Hearts, thinks head coach Derek McInnes deserves a huge amount of credit for what he is on the cusp of achieving with his team.
There was plenty of reaction after Hearts' big win at Tynecastle on Monday, but from a Celtic point of view, the result was probably the least best outcome. Whatever the result, Celtic stood to benefit in some way and we now simply have to crack on with where it all leaves us. A run that's kept us firmly in the title race, and which has given us some much-needed momentum heading into the final stretch.
