Celts can have more luck than myrelatives

‘PEACE on Earth and Goodwill to All Men’ was the festive message we were all supposed to live up to but I saw little of that in football this week.

Not only was there a sense of ill-temper in many fixtures but there also seemed to be a lack of judgement among a few of the referees as what constituted a legal challenge.

This weekend, we have to go through it all again, with two big derbies the centre of attention.

Curiously, in my own youth I had a connection with both of them. Born and brought up in Leith, my Dad was a Hibee. He always liked to take in the Edinburgh derby at New Year.

Unfortunately he arrived home from them usually with a scowl and I often wondered why.

My Mum’s family were all Celtic fans, like me and my schoolmates so in the Glasgow derby, we were all willing the Hoops on.

Like my Dad though, in those days of the 50s, my grandpa and my uncles appeared equally disappointed.

In my later teenage years of the early 60s, I spent some time in the Mitchell Library in Glasgow, checking on the football results from the 50s and soon worked out the reason for my relations’ disappointment.

In the 10 Edinburgh derbies played round New Year’s Day in the 50s, one was drawn, Hibs won three and Hearts the other six. No wonder Dad usually came home looking glum.

In the same decade, Celtic fans also received little cheer in the Glasgow New Year Derby.

Of the 10 matches, Celtic won only one, with Rangers picking up full points in the other nine.

As a player, I first experienced the stresses and strains of a Glasgow derby on January 3, 1966. The match turned out to be an amazing one for every Celt. We won 5-1.

And what of today’s match? Well there can be little doubt Celtic are the better of the two sides. The bookies have made the Hoops favourites and I’d probably go along with that.

But a word of caution. These are unpredictable matches.