Happy Dosser

"And Brendan next time you are up against a team with squillions more resource and better players, place a call to Robbo, he will show you how to set things up so you are competitive and dont get humped by 5 - 7 goals." Great point, Clackscat. He Who Must Be Adored isn't awfie good at that kind of thing, is he?

Rodgers' quote just shows how well Robinson dealt with last night. Celtic reveal they have no class with comments such as that, for all their resources on and off the park and their compliant media and their Greatest Support In The World. I'm sure some of their more sensible and reflective fans will see the club is making their 66 game-run (or whatever it is) pretty meaningless. It's a tainted record now and, judging from comments from other clubs' supporters, is widely perceived to be so. Could I also mention a personal seethe. Last night Brown stuck his finger right in Collum's face and seemed to call him an arsehole, if my lip-reading is any good. Is the ref so spineless he just takes such behaviour?

Our game is seriously bent but I'll always support Motherwell. I bet our English players simply can't believe how bad our refs are and it's always the one way, which kind of weakens the "They're just incompetent" argument. We would never get these decisions in our favour against the big teams. It's been the same since I started in 1962 really but I love my team and I'm not going to give up supporting them.

"The ref knows fuck all will happen to him, were only an insignificant diddy team." ​Which is why the club took the decision they did with Kipre. It's that serious: Scottish football is utterly corrupt and there is very little the smaller clubs can do about it. That's why our manager refused to comment on the penalty because he knew he would get hammered after his one match ban. And it may have ben suggested to the club that Kipre would be cited for the Dembele tackle if Motherwell had made a fuss about Sinclair. We can't win. ​Hearing the Sportsound lot laughing at how bad the penalty decision was and then Saint Brendan giving his fantasy view of MacGregor's dive just emphasises Scottish football is rotten to the core, and the Old Firm have made it so. ​As others have said, is there any point in even turning up at the weekend (apart from facing serious penalties from the SFA)? Our game is in crisis and no-one in the Establishment cares.

Typical Sportsound treatment of the game. Twenty minutes spent discussing Boyd's comments from three weeks ago re Aberdeen players in the Scotland team before discussion of the CF. Stewart says he's not going onto the ins and outs of claims and counter claims and then says Kipre should have been off in the first half. No mention of Dembele on McHugh, of course. Stewart managed to sound bored and defensive at the same time. Most of the three BBC Sportsound sages thought the penalty harsh but Celtic would have won anyway, ignoring the fact that Motherwell often makes subs and change their tactics around 60/70mins, which the sending-off made impossible. Then the voice from the crypt, ex-ref Charlie Richmond, texts in to say it was a sending-off because there was no attempt by Kipre to play the ball. Of course, no-one poses the killer question: Would Motherwell have been given a penalty had roles been reversed? Would a Celtic player have been sent-off in that situation? Is there a decent referee in the whole country? Nay, nay and thrice nay, suckers.

I'll be there but I do wonder why, given the standard of Scottish refereeing, and I see we've got My Preciousssssssssssssssss Gollum in charge. It just gets better and better, eh? On the other hand, I would love to stop the Sellick juggernaut. That would be some consolation for yesterday's nonsense. We can do it and motivation won't be a problem. COYW.

"As for their penalty, the question I always ask is, if it happened in the centre circle would it result in the same outcome? Would it even been a foul? Would Thompson even spoken to Cedric? There is something wrong with a team where such a gulf in talent and earnings feel the need to blatantly cheat to get ahead. That isn't the sign of "unbeatables", its the sign of "deplorables". It killed the game as a spectacle and an event. Personally, I believe in sporting integrity, I don't like play acting, manipulation of the officials or time wasting. I'll happily call out Motherwell players as much as those of our opposition. Any Celtic fan out there should be ashamed that one of their "unplayables" felt the need to do that." Exactly so, G&F: sums it all up for me. Except you could go further and ask, if that had been the 'Well player going down in that situation, would we have got the penalty? Everyone knows the answer to that. And Thomson would probably have booked him for simulation (ask Tait). And Rodgers would have given us all a shaky-heady sermon after the game about the horrors of simulation. Moult was clearly impeded by Tierney and it was much more a penalty than Celtic's but you're simply never going to get them against the Ugly Sisters, that's how rotten our game is. Never mind, I'm sure Sportsound will have a searing expose of all this tonight...

I really don't think some of you are getting this: Thomson outdid even JRP Arsehole of Gordon-on-Tay in the 1975 semi-final. Not only was it a blatant dive but there is no justification for sending Cedric off. Moult would never get a penalty against Tierney, because the latter is simply the most wonderful player in the Multiverse: Brendan has said so on several occasions, QED. One of the reasons Scottish football has shed crowds is because supporters of smaller teams know they are at least a man down before they start. Thomson is either completely incompetent or a cheat. Either way, take up a hobby like quilt-making. Our game is deeply corrupt and our sports journalists hopelessly compromised. Having said all that, I'll be there on Wednesday to cheer on my team, of whom I am proud.

Heehee: petty away Kmcalpin. Well said. BBC Radio Shortbread dreadful as usual, with the usual drivel from the impartial Aberdonians. I like Grimshaw, and relished the ball he put through to King Louis when we beat the MMs at Fir Park. There's a lot more to come from him, if he can get into the team. Same for Bigi, which says a lot for our midfield strength. Petravicius could also be a stunner out left, if he gets game time. Now for a week of: "I'm concerned about Motherwell's physicality" from Saint Brendan, all lapped up by the BBC dweebs (and Craig Thomson). Comorrawell!

I see BBC Sport Shortbread are showing a clip of our seven-goal horsing by the Mutton Molesters. Surely motivation enough? COYW!

At least Tiny had a sense of humour. Story goes he was reffing an OF game, and Jinky Johnstone, who took out his wallies to play and then left them in the dressing room, lost the rag and swore at him. As he ordered him off, TW is supposed to have said, "Mr Johnstone, I'm about to reacquaint you with your teeth." I have little confidence in Craig Thomson. Bring back Davie (1991) Syme.

All very subjective, but Willie Hunter was a Scottish international and one of the most elegant and intelligent players ever to have graced the FP turf. He still occasionally turns up at Hospitality, I think, and is sharp as a tack. Still, we all begin watching MFC at different stages and inevitably younger fans will vote in more numbers for their favourites. No bad meals in Italy and no bad players in the final 25, though. COYW!

Yep, English's attitude was very disappointing: thought he was a step up from your average churnalist but he has mentioned Bowman's tackle on Tierney last year as evidence of previous, disregarding his good disciplinary record, and his monstering remarks were unfair. The guy called The Kicker in The National wrote the worst character assassination of Ryan, in my opinion: quite disgracefully unbalanced and over the top. We'll never get a fair shake from the OT-obsessed press and they will harp on about our "physicality" all the way to the final, recycling Brendan's earlier comments on RB. Job done.

His comments have as much credibility as Rangers' laughable statement following the SF. Quite breath-taking hypocrisy from the wee plank but it's all building up nicely to portray us as the dirty team before we play St Brendan's XI, sorry XIV. His players certainly knew how to work Bobby "Laughing Gnome" Madden up the back, who responded by penalising us for some great tackles in the second half. We really have got a rotten press in this country but 'twas ever thus. All SR can do is ignore it and prepare the players for the biggest game of their lives.

Guys, dinna fash about presstitutes like Jackson. He typifies the Old Firm fans-with-typewriters who pass for sports journalists in Scotland. All this is even more motivation for us and I'm sure our astute manager will use it "creatively". I think Rodgers' intervention is particularly sneaky and OTT but he maybe thinks the first leg of their treble is a bit shoogly now. The Ugly Sisters need it all their own way, forever, don't they? Step forward Craig Thomson, whistler extraordinaire, for the CF.

I have to say I was disappointed he was so adamant about Ryan B's "flying elbow". I only saw the second incident on-line and am a long way from convinced it was deliberate. I'm sure the media will lap up Brendan's schtick from now until the cup final, of course. Think The Messiah is a little worried...

Marvellous responses to the hacks' loaded questions. Dances like a butterfly, stings like a bee. The players' "no suits" policy sounds like they mean business and won't just be there to "enjoy the occasion".

Sorry: thanks to ECOSSE1991. Alves is a whiny wee plank, no?

Thanks for those, Smiddy: more Hen hypocrisy, in other words. Didn't realise he was such a Corinthian. Set your irony filters, guys.....

My only twinge is that Mr R seems to be playing up the "we are limited and physical" idea today on radio tonight. I think we're much better than that and I'm sure he knows that too, so not sure what he's up to at the mo. The performance against AFC was electrifying. We don't want to be perceived as the Hearts of the 80s, do we? We need to avoid stoking up trouble for ourselves in the future as other teams play up to the refs and our squad is weakened by suspension. We are better than that.

"I also noted on BBC stats that we had 56% of possession so not like we just kicked them off the park." Yes, I heard that and thought the same. Nevertheless, the Celtic-supporting taxi driver who picked me up at the airport said the BBC radio coverage sounded as if The Hens were all over us and that we had scored against the run of play. Disappointed with Rodgers' unnecessary intervention but scarcely surprised. Every little helps and he will have a compliant media at his beck and call.

A rather transparent attempt by Rodgers to soften up the officials for the final, probably. Sheer hysteria in the tabloids today, complete with blood-spatters on one backpage and some hilarious comments in The Daily Ranger. I think we've upset a few people so it's not surprising the Ugly Sisters sticking together. Tonight's Radio Shortbread Sportsound will probably give us a good idea where it's all headed.

So many contenders but Louis' yesterday was very special given the context of the game. Luke The Jute's jaw-dropper against the Leithers looked physically impossible too but I knew from where I was sitting it was going in as soon as he hit it. And I'll never forget Willie P's 3-2 winner againt Ra Sellick in '76. We were down and out at half time but his finish was sublime (poetry).

Was waiting for my luggage after flying home from Dubrovnik (Mrs HD arranged the holiday in July) when I got the news from a friend's text. Still at 30000 feet..... Despite the Font of All Knowledge that is Willie Miller, I thought Bowman's elbowing was accidental, but it's all we'll hear about, instead of Moult getting a cut head from a flailing arm. His goal was sublime. Carson cool as a cucumber and Hartley is truly the Heart of Darkness at CH. Would I hate playing against him (and Moult, Bowman, Campbell)! Rangers were lucky we didn't play well in the first 45 or it would have been a lot worse for them. So much whining from the SoW you could make Scotland self sufficient in wind turbine energy. Diddums, diddums, diddums.

What all the other old codgers said about '76. Wasn't there a hail storm at full time, just to make it even worse? Greig's challenge on Pettigrew at the Ranger's End was a shocker, and their penalty outrageous. I was having a Lilian Gish in a pub in Larkhall about five years later and found myself standing beside Stewart MacLaren. As soon as I mentioned the SF he began muttering about dark deeds done at half time. Gordon was bent as hell, as was shown later. Unfortunately, I have little faith in the competence of current refs but I'm sure at least we will show the Sons of William no inferiority complex. COYW