The same as it ever was . . .
Excerpts from a match report of Rangers v Celtic on 7th September 1895 in which the home team are reported as reacting badly to spurning a two goal lead in favour of a 4-2 Celtic victory.
Two defenders in light blue appear to have provided the template for the “traditional” reaction to losing badly to the bould Bhoys ever since . . .
“Two down! Things looked decidedly “blue”. Then, and not til then, did the Celts rise in their unconquerable superiority, shake off the torpor which seemed to embarass them, and show the brilliancy of the true Celtic game … Once level, the ‘bould’ ones never halted, and although subject to the most outrageous abuse by the baffled Light Blues, they slapped on the other two goals, and ran out comfortable winners.
The Rangers cannot take a defeat in good part – more especially a defeat from the Celtic … Drummond and Smith, eaten up with venomous chagrin at being outwitted, rushed about like escaped tigers and felled their foes with frightful ferocity.
When Drummond is beaten and Smith outwitted, sing ho for splints and plaster! Really, they are a couple of daisies, these two. But why are they at large while so many padded rooms lie unoccupied? The Rangers! Faugh! They might be all right in a slaughter-house battue or at an election riot, but when football playing begins, let them take a back seat! There’s more genuine ability in Blessington’s shin-guards than in all the ginger-haired roughs and bare-legged barbarians that ever donned a blue jersey.”
This 4-2 victory at Ibrox boosted Celtic’s race for the Championship title. Come the end of February the league was won by Celtic . . . four points clear of second-placed Rangers.
Good news for the Celtic fans and their favourite: Jimmy Blessington
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