The Begining Of The Homecoming Cup (sic).

"I Want Big Jan, At Least He Passes The Ba, Sport"

Dundee roll into the unfortress like CP this weekend, a stadium that used to strike fear into the hearts of players but now gives them a nice wee welcome and usually a goal or two. Having not scared the SPL wie their uglyness since 2004/2005 it's on Homecoming Cup duty they arrive under the guise of possible SPL contenders.

The Homecoming Cup. The Scottish Cup in auld money but now named to celebrate the birthday of the Russell Brand of his day and wannabee slave trader, Rab Burns. The celebration of anything Ayrshire does not sit wie me. It's also named to attract those Scots who have left Oor Dear Green Place back to visit or come back here to live.

The proof in the pudding. They left for a better life.

Anyway, the maist important stat for this tie is we have won it 34 times and The Huns have won it 32 times. I know the league is mair important but for the sake of gloating I like to be well in front of them in Scottish Cup wins. They can have as many Diddy Cup wins they want. The Scottish Cup plays an important part in oor history and we deserve to be it's maist successful club.

Dundee, I have never forgiven them for the part they played in us not winning the league in the Seville Season.  A 1-1 draw at Dens Park, wie a Mark Burchill equaliser for them and a goal fae Lee Mair in the 90th min, in a 6-2 defeat, cost us dear that year. They then appointed Alec Rae as manager but went back up in my estimations when they sacked him.

They also bring back Rab Douglas to the scene of his many crimes and a chance to compare notes wie oor ain Artur Boruc who is doing a great impression of Rab at his pomp. They have a record of W2 D2 L1 in their last 5 games but don't score or lose a lot of goals. Their 2 victories have been 1-0, their defeat was 1-0 and draws were 0-0 and 1-1.

Celtic, have not won in their last 2 games at CP. Performances in those games have been poor. Wie oor manager threatening to unlease oor fringe players he may find a solution in his experimentation.

"He hasn't told me that but I'm ready always to play. It's him who has the choice but I really hope so." said Marc Crosas this week, who has returned fae Hessellinkitis. His five starts this season have seen us play oor best fitba' and couple that wie a start for a point to prove Aiden McGeady, in for the injured Shunsuke Nakamura, we could see a return to something that resembles attacking fitba'.

"I'm sure the manager knows I'm ready to step in whenever he needs me," shouted Paul Caddis at Boaby Lennoxtoon this week whenever the manager was within earshot. Injuries to Hinkel and Wilsom means that Lee Naylor gets a further reprieve and Caddis needs to step up to the plate and prove he can be an over-lapping fullback that we all crave but never see.

Last time we played Dundee, we won 2-1 wie goals fae Scott McDonald and Jan Vennegoor. Big Jan will fancy his chances of a start but it will be interesting to see who his partner will be. Most want to see his love in wie Skippy rekindled and I'm not one to argue wie that. Georgios Samaras can flatter behind the goals and be an impact sub.

So, 3-1 Celtic, wie the game only being tied up in the last 15mins.

Forza