Thursday 4th December 2003
Firhill Stadium
Kick off 7.30, Live on Channel 5
The fact that tickets are now on General Sale for this CIS Cup match, just abot sums up the amount of, or lack of interest for the game.
With Champions League duty in effect last week, and next week, Martin O'Neill will rest most of the first team for Thursday. Larsson and Sutton should get a well earned rest, Alan Thompson and Didier Agathe will both miss out due to injury and Neil Lennon is suspended.
We've had a good laugh over the years in the first round of this competition, during the Treble season, I recall a team of Under 21's ripping Hearts apart at Tynecastle, then Lubo the Magician appeared to put the final nails in the coffin!
We should have won this cup last year, if it wasn't for a dodgy linesman and a missed penalty we would have.
Thursday will be a chance for youngsters such as John Kennedy, Ross Wallace, Shaun Maloney and Stephen Crainey to show us what they've got, if we get beat then who cares? More important is Livingston away on Saturday afternoon.
Anyway, whatever the team, they should be able to beat a Partick side who have just lost their manager. Best wishes to Gerry Collins for the future.
Celtic-Mad Prediction: Partick Thistle 1-3 Celtic