The progress of the Fakeover will determine whether Celtic gets a guard of honour at Ibrox or not…
Eric Knott 
(Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
The Americans are all about sportsmanship, they love it.
In fact, they’ve become so engrossed with it that in their school sports now, everybody gets a medal, win or lose.
The American attitude now is that everyone is a winner.
No matter how much or how little they contribute to the sport they participate in at school level.
It’s all about sportsmanship.
Many people will argue that how can anyone be a winner, if everyone is a winner?
But this is the way it is now.
In the end, however, the cream always rises to the top.
Those who work the hardest become the winners in life.
Those who are told they are winners, despite putting no effort in to be given that accolade, will find the correct path in life too.
The real winners are generally the ones who end up living the American dream.
Celtic are the cream of Scottish football, and they have remained at the top for most of this century.
Celtic is officially the most successful club in Scottish football history.
That accolade was earned through hard graft in an environment that made that very achievement all the more difficult.
Our club has faced every bit of adversity thrown at it down through the years by being serial winners on the field of play.
The adversity we’ve faced in our history is what’s driven us to become so successful.
It was decided over the years that every obstacle possible would be placed in our way in an attempt to thwart our phenomenal success rate.
Every attempt to thwart us failed.
We are about to lift our 55th legitimate title in the coming weeks.
We can achieve that at Tannadice on Saturday the 26th of April.
Should we achieve that, we will walk out at Ibrox on the 4th of May as newly crowned Scottish Premiership champions.
You would expect that the Americans involved in the supposed Fakeover will be there on the day.
There has been much discussion in the media as to whether Celtic should or shouldn’t be given a guard of honour by the Ibrox players on the day.
Hugh Keevins stated that players only do it because they’re told to do it.
They wouldn’t be doing it out of a sense of awe towards a team that has lorded it over them for the better part of this century.
That’s for sure.
It would be anathema to everybody at Ibrox.
Players, fans and officials at that club would find the very idea of it abhorrent.
But what if they WERE told they had to do it?
Let’s look at a couple of other things that have happened at Ibrox over the last few weeks which might be telling factors in all of this, and what might happen.
We know that the reason the club has released several recent statements on fan behaviour, specifically relating to certain banners, chants, and songs, is because if the Americans are going to be involved in any kind of takeover, they want this kind.of behaviour weeded out of the club.
The Ibrox hierarchy has never condemned this kind of behaviour on the past.
So we know it’s the Americans driving this in the background.
The recent Iftar celebration during Ramadan looked as if it was also designed to appease the Americans.
To portray the Ibrox club as a club ‘open to all’, as it were.
We all know that much of it is posturing.
Playing the game in a desperate attempt to get the Fakeover across the line.
Which brings me right back to my opening observations in this article.
The Americans and sportsmanship.
In America, sportsmanship is a core value often linked to national culture and ethical conduct, especially in sports and outdoor recreation.
It’s viewed as a way to demonstrate respect, fair play, and even American values like hard work and patriotism.
If the San Francisco 49gers Fakeover team suspect that the Ibrox side are not willing to demonstrate sportsmanship by giving Celtic a guard of honour on May the 4th, they could instruct them to do so.
If we see this happening on the day, it will be very telling.
It will be a clear indication that there is still a chance of a takeover happening.
That the Americans are exerting their influence over the club.
The Celtic players don’t really care whether it happens or not.
As Alistair Johnston alluded to in Record yesterday in an article by none other than Keith Jackson.
They’re well used to getting no recognition from the Ibrox side.
We all know that this game is possibly going to be one the Americans will be watching closely.
Especially when it comes to fan behaviour.
The hierarchy at Ibrox will be pulling out all the stops to ensure everyone is on their best behaviour.
If they are instructed to give Celtic a guard of honour by the Americans, in the interests of sportsmanship, then they may have no choice but to do it.
In which case the players would only be doing it because they were told to do it.
As Hugh Keevins so gleefully pointed out.
So, while a lot of the media are dismissing this idea out of hand, I wouldn’t be as dismissive as they are.
The progress of the Fakeover could very well be determined by this.
Watch this space….
YouTube: Fifty-FiveYouTube: Fifty-Five
We did our latest podcast on the Trinity Tims on Monday night. If you’re looking for honest and raw opinions about Celtic, and our main rivals, then this is the podcast for you.
Even if the mob from across the city were told give a guard of honour the home crowd would riot imo and I wouldn’t want one from them anyway just as I couldn’t imagine us giving them one after the years of bile from the stands to the boardroom we’ve been subjected to from rangers 1 and 2
I don’t expect any honour at ibrokes at anytime, and there would have to be an incredible sea change for that to happen when celtic turn up as champions again , so the fake over will be exactly that fake , let’s hope celtic spend big in the summer and extend Brendans contract and concentrate on the honours that celtic will earn in the coming years
Would I want them giving us a guard of honour? Not a chance of it, they don’t know the meaning of the word honour. As Kenny says above their supporters would riot if they did because they’re the most hateful support in world football. They’re whole songbook is all about hatred of the Irish and Catholics and any other ethnicity or religion that aren’t the same as them, when they got the warning from their board about their songbook a few weeks ago their stadium was silent as they’d nothing else to sing about. It didn’t take them long to disregard that warning though as it was out in full force last Thursday against Athletico Bilbao, their board were putting the attention on the onion bears but the whole stadium was involved in the hatred that was clearly visible and audible. It’ll be interesting to see if UEFA close a part of the stadium like they said they would or if they’re as weak-minded as our authorities, that remains to be seen. In summation they can shove their guard up their KeithJacksonFive we get our acclimation on the pitch and from our own supporters so we’re not that desperate to get anything from them.
Couldn’t give a toss what the scum do.
Keep winning and driving our club forward is all that matters.
The losers at ipox can watch from the sidelines while the trophies pile up.
“Everyone’s a winner ? ” Wasn’t that part of Del Boy Trotter’s mantra …then the failure came, tumbling down ? What a plonker!
It’s all about trying to bc show that club as a decent entity , it’s not and wd will see if police Scotland are in board that day , will the onion bears be treated as the green brigade were just to try help the ibrox board control what goes on in the stadium
So hate filled as usual . Would Celtic give Rangers a guard of honour
Yes they would, eventually. First you’ll have to win it and deserve the tribute and as we all know it ain’t gonna happen for a long, long, longtime, if ever. Your Club will have to stay SOLVENT first and that is your BIGGEST problem, not US.
Let’s sort out Utd and Tannadice first,then go there and GIRFU THEM
I guess that for the Huns, 2nd is the new 1st.
Hail Hail.