So that’s another transfer window done.
As is so often the case the end of the window turned into a bit of a damp squib with rumoured moves for Victor Wanyma, Filip Benkovic, Christian Atsu, Jordan Ibe and Martin Boyle coming to nothing.
In reality, we were never interested in bringing back Benkovic – who joined Bristol City on loan – and Ibe and Boyle were just rumours with no substance.
Wanyama was a complete non-starter due to being on wages of £65K a week and Atsu apparently declined the move instead preferring to stay put at Newcastle.
On the way out Lewis Morgan completed his move to American MLS side Inter Miami meaning he joins Scott Sinclair who departed permanently to Preston North End as well as Jack Hendry and Eboue Kouassi who left to join Melbourne City and Genk on loan respectively.
Our incomings were, of course, a pair of 21-year-olds in Polish striker Patryk Klimala and Ivorian midfielder Ismaila Soro who arrived for £3.5 million and £2 million fees.
Tam McManus took to twitter to decry both ourselves and Rangers January window dealings. Strange to compare spending £5.5 million to bringing in two loanees one of whom is Hibernian’s Florian Kamberi who has a total of three goals in twenty league games this season.
The window is always pretty divisive. And with nine in a row at stake due to a neck and neck title race with Rangers at the top for the league so far this season the clamour from the support was always going to be intense.
But to put that window into perspective from an economic perspective it was the lowest spend in ten years down in England and clubs such as Chelsea didn’t spend a penny despite just coming out of a transfer embargo.
Anyway, it’s done now and we’re back to action tomorrow afternoon as we visit Hamilton Accies.
It’s the start of a pretty intense period as we play eight games in 25 days with five of them away.
Indeed in the league alone, we’re actually away in five of our next eight games which includes visits to Fir Park, Pittodrie, Easter Road and Ibrox.
First up though it’s the Accies and their embattled manager Brian Rice who recently self-reported to the SFA over gambling abuses which has resulted in a ten-game ban with five suspended on the basis of good behaviour. He serves the first of them against us tomorrow.
On the pitch, it’s been a struggle for the South Lanarkshire side with only four wins from 23 games with six draws and thirteen defeats this season.
They have two wins from their last eight with six defeats and were hammered 4-2 at home by Livingston last weekend.
With 23 goals for they are far from the lowest scorers in the league with those spread about the team and George Oakley is probably the closest thing to a legitimate goal threat with four goals from 21 games.
Young Lewis Smith is also highly rated but he has struggled for form recently and another youngster Ross Cunningham is the clubs’ top scorer with seven goals in all competitions though five of those have been from the penalty spot.
David Templeton rejoined them yesterday from Burton Albion which might be a good bit of business considering he scored nine goals in 31 games for the Accies when he played for them the season before last.
They have lost 40 goals though so keeping the door shut has been a problem. A pretty big one.
Safe to say we’d be overwhelming favourites to win under any circumstances but considering the form we’re in with four wins on the spin since returning from the winter break and having steamrolled St.Johnstone 3-0 on Wednesday night then anything other than a win would be a disaster.
Their plastic pitch could be a leveller but strangely their artificial surface seems to come in for far less criticism than the ones down at Rugby Park or over in Livingston.
I’ll go for 2-0 but considering our recent performances with us having scored three goals in each of our last three games I’m hopeful we can keep that form going and really boost the goal difference.
Rangers are at home to Aberdeen today and whilst it’s not completely outwith the realms of possibility even the most optimistic Celtic fan wouldn’t hold out much hope of them dropping points at home to a Dons team in indifferent form.
The onus is on us though with a five-point advantage and our destiny is in our own hands.
Let’s keep it going.
....Always A Tim! 