WE'RE only three days away from the game half of Scotland can't wait for and the other half are dreading.
Nearly three years have passed since Celtic last faced Rangers and emotions will be running at fever pitch on and off the pitch when the Glasgow rivals clash in the League Cup semi-final at Hampden on Sunday (KO 1.30pm).
The hype has been building all week and my main hope is fans on both sides behave as well as they can and no one is hurt.
That's off the pitch. On it I want to see explosive action … cards, goals, bust-ups and 90 minutes of madness and mayhem. It's not a lot to ask for because that's how it always was and I've enjoyed reading about some of the famous old meetings in the Daily Record this week.
You can check out the full article at dailyrecord.co.uk but a quote from ex-Celtic defender Ramon Vega about a match in 2001 summed up it up when the Swiss said: “I walked out at Hampden and was hit by an incredible wall of noise. The pace was relentless and I could hardly breathe.
“I stood back and thought, What the hell is this'? I had never experienced anything like it in my career.
“It all kicked off that day and I remember thinking it was weird that a Slovakian, an American and a Dutchman were sent off.
“It still gives me goose bumps when I think of the Old Firm games I played.”
It's cards and the red-card market I'll be looking because it's hard to preview the game and not believe ref Craig Thomson will be reaching for his pocket time after time.
Meanwhile, are some prices and specials from William Hill with more to follow.
To Qualify for Final
Celtic 1-8
Rangers 9-2
90 Minute Odds
Celtic 2-7
Draw 7-2
Rangers 7-1
To Win in Extra Time
Celtic 10-1
Rangers 25-1
To Win on Penalties
Celtic 16-1
Rangers 16-1
Handicap Betting
Celtic (-2) 12-5
Draw 3-1
Rangers (+2) 8-11
To Win and Both Teams Score
Celtic 7-4
Rangers 9-1
To Win and 4 or More Goals in Match
Celtic 7-4
Rangers 12-1
Specials
Fifteen goals have been scored in the
last four Old Firm matches including
six and five goal matches.
FIVE OR MORE GOALS IN GAME 11-4
The last twice the Old Firm have
met at Hampden in the League Cup
the match went to extra time.
MATCH TO BE SETTLED IN EXTRA TIME 13-2
Celtic won the last tie between the
sides 3-0, scoring in both halves.
CELTIC TO SCORE IN BOTH HALVES 5-6
Celtic have kept a clean Sheet in five
of the last eight Old Firm ties.
CELTIC TO KEEP A CLEAN SHEET 21-20
John Guidetti scored a hat-trick in the
last round of the League Cup and says he
fancies one against Rangers.
GUIDETTI TO SCORE A HAT-TRICK 18-1
Scott Brown has scored a couple of
goals in Old Firm matches.
BROWN TO SCORE AND CELTIC WIN 10-3
Anthony Stokes has scored in Celtic's
last two League Cup semi-final wins
STOKES TO SCORE AND CELTIC WIN 7-5
Kris Commons scored in the last Old
Firm match. Commons also netted
two in Celtic's last semi-final at Hampden.
COMMONS TO SCORE FIRST AND LAST GOAL 12-1
Kenny Miller has scored a double three
times in an Old Firm tie.
MILLER TO SCORE 2 OR MORE 20-1
Lee Wallace scored for Rangers in their
last win over Celtic.
WALLACE TO SCORE AND RANGERS WIN 25-1
Rangers' last two wins against Celtic
were 3-2 and 4-2.
RANGERS TO WIN AND FIVE OR MORE MATCH GOALS 16-1
Rangers have won their last five League
Cup semi-finals at Hampden. They
kept a clean sheet in three of them.
RANGERS TO WIN TO NIL 10-1
Jon Daly scored in his last semi-final
appearance at Hampden which was against Celtic in 2013.
DALY TO SCORE ANY TIME 9-4
Fraser Aird has scored in both of
Rangers' last two victories at Hampden.
AIRD TO SCORE AND RANGERS WIN 18-1
A defender opened the scoring in the
last Old Firm Match that Celtic won 3-0.
VAN DIJK TO SCORE FIRST & CELTIC 3-0 95-1
Rangers' No.18 scored the last
time the sides met at Hampden. Miller
now wears that shirt.
MILLER TO SCORE FIRST & RANGERS 2-1 180-1.
Two of Celtic's last three wins over
Rangers have been 1-0.
BROWN TO SCORE FIRST & CELTIC 1-0 55-1
Rangers have won two ties in this
season's League Cup 1-0.
LAW TO SCORE FIRST & RANGERS 1-0 130-1
In December 2020 we sadly 
I jumped on Celtic -1 @ 11/8 with Paddy Power, after Craig highlighted it, last week.
I would love to go to one of these games; this one in particular!
£50 -1 11/10 @Betvictor
£10 -2 14/5 @Betvictor
£30 -1 11/8 @PaddyPower
-1 £176.25
-2 £214.25
I’ll also be going a few crazy scores and Brown to score 2+ 40/1 @PaddyPower along with Johansen 20/1. Ian Black and Brown to be carded too when they become available
Mon the Hoops :)
Alan, PP the only bookie at evens with the rest odds on but that’ll be away by KO
Surely the yellow/red card market is the one to look
There is not s lot of players in both sides who have played an old firm
And this one will be a little more fiesty
What your thoughts?
Good luck mods, hopefully stays on this page (Smart)
Mr F missed Rangers Handicap
-1 goal 15/1
-2 goals 23/1
With a couple red cards and pens, Think i will have a pound on these. Cup usets in FA cup with lower league teams and Celtic are no Chelsea.
:)
garyedinburgh, good luck with your Rangers -1 and -2 bets – I see your confident enough to wager £1. Celtic are no Chelsea as you say – unfortunately for you Rangers are no Queens Park Rangers. For me Celtic will win easily as long as they rise to the occasion.
Was looking at the game on ladbrokes and as said before on another post, it all depends what celtic team shows up on Sunday, if it’s the team that plays football at a fast pace and takes there chances then it will be an easy game as the Rangers team has struggled this season with the likes of hibs and hearts but people have to consider the fact it’s been over 3 years and we don’t know what to expect from this game as we don’t know what could happen and we have to take into account the games from the past weekend but hopefully that isn’t the case
Going for celtic minus 2 to be on the safe side at 21/10
Has the ref been announced yet ??
Alves, yeah it’s Craig Thomson.
Cheers, canny wait but nervous at the same time haha, will have a look at his card stats and previous celtic/rangers games when mcbookie and that price them up
should be cards in this game and should be a safe bet
couple of questions re 365
I’ve used them before to bet on yellows but market not up yet, when do cards usually get listed?
also do 365 do a red card bet? I’ve never noticed one before, ta
Speaking as a realistic rangers fan all I can see is 2 or 3 goal Celtic win. I’ve put £50 on – 1 to soften the blow when watching it. Paddy power also had Van Dijk to score header @13/1 and 7/1 for him to score and win.
Think -2 Celtic is a great price iv lumped on £250 -2. And £250 -1
-1 would get my money back I’m also waiting on the card markets to appear as think their will be lots of yellows and maybe 2 reds Rangers will just go about kicking as soon as they go 2 down
Chris Monty hang on your head in shame, no true rangers man would back the celts. Rangers 8-1 with bet 365 has to be worth a punt.
Jay I know a few, my brothers a season ticket holder and he gave me £40 to put on at 11/8 -1 at PP, bet with your head not your heart
Jay ha ha I know it’s a bad day when it comes to this just can’t see anything other than a Celtic – 1. That’s what I’m telling myself Alves :)
Mr f. Rangers cant park the bus as they just dont have the players to park it. If mculloch is playin in that back four rangers will will get a tanking. He is so slow its unreal. Only there to pick up loads of money. Sorry but i can see a 4-5 goal win if celtic are up for it.
Mr f
Are you doing a write up about the proper firm derby Aberdeen v United? As big in detail as this. Looking forward to it
Mr f
Are you doing a write up about the proper firm derby Aberdeen v United? As big in detail as this. Looking forward to it
I’m going for 1-1 ,I think as the game is a one off,it might be closer than a lot of Celtic fans think,
good luck with your handicap bets.
i wish ex celtic players would stop crowing in the daily record about hammering rangers and it all will be over at half time , for me when i played football the most important thing is win the match then do the crowing.
bigmick, the guy you’re talking about is Chris Sutton and when you’re a newspaper columnist you must have a strong opinion – or else you have blank pages. What level did you play at?
just amatuer league mr f
mr f i know what your saying but i,d have liked him to warn celtic of complacency rather than being over confident. if you know what i mean.
bigmick, made good headlines though – he’s back in the paper tomorrow – as is our Rangers columnist Barry Ferguson – so maybe he’ll do the warning then but probably not.
mr f we use to play the scottish amatuer league for the rosebowl trophy, a fixture that is still played every year to this day mate.
bigmick, nice one. Love watching the amateurs – it really is football as it should be and some good players there too.