Will Last Season’s Bad Blood Spill Into the First Cup Derby?

There is something different about this season’s first trip to Castle Greyskull.

Maybe it’s because it is a League Cup quarter-final.

Maybe it’s because Derek McInnes is now in charge of the Adams Family.

Or maybe it is because so much of last season’s nonsense still feels unresolved.

Whatever the reason, this one already feels like it is going to be spicy.

And we need to make sure we are ready for it.

The Adams Family have spent plenty of time telling everyone how important Celtic are to them.

Now they get the chance to do something about it.

McInnes has arrived with the task of “closing the gap”, and there is already pressure on him to deliver.

A League Cup quarter-final against Celtic is therefore the perfect opportunity.

For them that is.

For us, it should be an opportunity to remind everyone exactly where the power currently sits.

The game isn’t for a few weeks yet, but the talking has already started.

And that’s before we even get to the nonsense that surrounded some of last season’s meetings.

Will Last Season’s Issues Carry Over?

That’s the big question.

Last season, far too much of the conversation around the fixture became about everything except football.

Supporter behaviour.

Atmosphere.

Ultras.

Arguments between clubs.

And the never-ending battle over who was responsible for what.

There is no doubt that ultras can add something incredible to Scottish football.

And in this fixture, there’s always seemed to be a quiet respect between the managers and sometimes players.

I look at last season and I don’t see any of that. I see those lot and their manager looking at this fixture with an opportunity to show they are up to “our level”.

we need to make sure we’re not dragged into that conversation.

Anyone who has stood inside parkhead when the atmosphere is truly rocking knows exactly what that feels like.

But there is also an important distinction between passionate support and hooliganism.

And I’ve seen other fans call each other out for their abuse of players and songs.

Their lot seem to encourage each other, even their mascot making connotations we’re “smelly” as a support last season.

And we have to make sure the upcoming trip to Mordor doesn’t become another excuse for the football to be overshadowed.

We’ve had our internal issues with the green brigade, and still do.

But we know the importance of unity to get results. Last season final post season split games showed that and the green brigade were crucial.

How Should We Approach This

There have been bans, disputes and arguments over behaviour but the way people act in this future is not a reflection of our support, but theirs.

Did our support charge across the field and try to attack a member of their coaching staff?

How many news articles have you seen regarding Celtic fans being charged for their behaviour in these matches? To be honest not many.. but I’ve seen plenty of their lot.

But naturally, we as a support are not going to sit their and be quiet.

It then becomes frustrating when the Celtic board and SFA tie us in to a two way conversation about behaviour.

It’s not us, it never is.

The Celtic board definitely recognise what supporter culture brings to the club.

The players feed off it.

The fans feed off the players.

It works both ways.

Ange Postecoglou understood this brilliantly when he spoke about what Celtic means to supporters.

People don’t simply turn up for 90 minutes.

They escape their everyday lives.

They forget about work, stress and everything else going on.

For a couple of hours, Celtic becomes the most important thing in the world.

That’s why the atmosphere matters.

Have The Board Finally Started Listening

Perhaps the most encouraging thing is that there has been a noticeable change from the board this summer.

Supporters wanted ambition.

They wanted the club to act.

They wanted quality brought through the door.

And finally, we’ve actually seen it… so far

Høgh.

Durán.

Hassan.

Baur.

Mahmic and Emenalo.. close?

The recruitment isn’t finished, but it feels different.

It feels like the board have realised that supporters were becoming fed up with hearing about what Celtic could do rather than seeing it happen.

And that matters going into a game like this.

A team that feels stronger creates a different atmosphere.

Supporters believe.

Players believe with Carter-Vickers discussing the importance of new players coming in to the atmosphere of the group. 

Let Them Talk

That’s the attitude we need to take.

Let McInnes talk.

Let the Adams Family talk.

Let them build up the occasion.

Let them tell everyone how this is the game that will change everything.

We’ve heard it all before.

The players simply need to turn up and remind them.

Because when the whistle blows, none of the arguments from last season matter.

Not the mascots calling our fans smelly. 

Not the social media nonsense.

Not the ultras debate.

Not the soundbites.

Just football.

And Celtic should be going to Mordor believing they are the better team.

The rivalry can be fierce.

The atmosphere can be incredible.

But let the football do the talking.

And if Celtic can walk out of Castle Greyskull with a place in the semi-final, the Adams Family can spend another few months wondering how on earth they are going to catch us.