19/12/2015 Sportscene

Good afternoon. Welcome to the programme. It is the last results

show before Christmas. Stuart Cosgrove is with us, as is Tom

English. Joy to the world indeed! We have a team of reporters across the

land on this six game Premiership Saturday. First stop, Celtic Park,

where the Premiership champions are at home to Motherwell. Alastair

Lamont reports. Incredibly, the champions are losing 2-1 to

Motherwell. In a sleepy first half, we had no idea of what would happen

after the break. Nir Bitton put Celtic in the lead but Louis Moult's

double has turned the game around. How are Aberdeen getting on a way to

Kilmarnock? It is kill Marnoch 0- three Aberdeen. The Dons flying once

again as they keep up the pressure on Celtic. Kill Marnoch have been

utterly hopeless and the home fans are getting utterly restless. Let's

go to McDiarmid Park, St Johnstone against Hearts. No goals but no lack

of drama. There was a straight red card in the first half for a

head-butt. Shameless from the Hearts striker. But Hearts as yet have

failed to use their extra man advantage. Plenty for Paul Mitchell

to tell us about at Dens Park. It has been a terrible second-half. But

the first half was fantastic for Dundee. Four up inside 25 minutes.

Kane Hemmings, with a wonderful hat-trick. What a goal from Greg

Stewart as well. Dundee have been slow started -- slow starters over

recent weeks. Not today. Good afternoon. Festive scene up here

with flurries of snow and plenty of goalmouth action as well. John

Rankin became the first Dundee United player other than Billy McKay

to score a league goal for the club since September. But they will have

to get a second for the first time since August, after Polworth

equalised just after the restart. After 74 minutes here at Firhill, it

is Partick Thistle 1-0 Ross County. The first half was dreadful. But

Andrew Davies' misfortune at the start of the second has brought the

game to life with his own goal. Into the Championship now. Because

Rangers lost to Falkirk lunchtime, a win for Hibs would take them level

on points at the top. Let's see how they are getting on. A win would put

them joint top, but nobody told Queen of the South, who are very

much in the game. Gents, plenty happening. Why should we start? I

think we will start at Motherwell-Celtic. Alastair Lamont

describing that as incredible... It is incredible. The last time Mark

McGhee managed a side there, they lost 9-0. Louis Moult is in

incredible form. And incredible stuff perhaps at McDiarmid Park?

Yes, a penalty to St Johnstone. It will be a chance forced into put it

home and give Saints the lead. If they win this game, they will

leapfrog Hearts into third place in the table. It has been a dramatic

match, with that red card shown in the first half. It has gone over the

crossbar! Hearts are let off the hook with just 14 minutes left! It

was a terrible penalty kick, blasted high over the crossbar by MacLaine.

Take a deep breath, Stuart. Oh, dear! Heartbreaking! I thought, he

has got to keep this one low. Look, have the BBC not done enough live

coverage of space this week?! It was unbelievable. And that is two on the

trot. He is not by any measure our best penalty taker. He is

self-confident but he should not take penalties for St Johnstone. I

don't think he will be taking the next one. Dundee, four up against

Hamilton. They have had problems scoring goals and the dam has been

breached? Yes, they have had problems winning matches. Dundee had

not won in eight. Admittedly, five draws. But they had this match

wrapped up after 10-15 minutes. Hamilton are in a bit of a hole.

They are slipping. They had a good start to the season but sliding down

the table rather worryingly. Let's look at Kilmarnock-Aberdeen. If

Celtic drop points at home to Motherwell, it could be just a point

between them at the top? Yes, it gives us a title race if those

scores stay the same. Title race?! The title race is open, it always

has been for me! The real story here is another disastrous game for

Kilmarnock. From their uppers, poor crowds, people not turning up, a lot

of alienation at the club. It is not what people want for Christmas. I

think that is the story. Partick Thistle leading ad Ross County,

possibly four wins on the spin? Yes, and that would take them into the

top six? At the moment they would be seventh. OK, but going from

relegation candidates a few weeks ago, it is a big turnaround. But

that is what four wins in a row does to you. Dundee United need to hit

their stride as well. Caley Thistle have come back into this one? Yes, I

saw the pictures of the goal. It was a fantastic midfield goal from John

Rankin in the first half. You could see Mixu Paatelainen getting

agitated on the touchline, willing them on. I think the equaliser was a

bit of a sickener for them because they need to start winning games

now. We will hear from one agitated manager shortly, when we talk about

the big game at lunchtime in the Championship, Rangers away to

Falkirk wins arrangers would have taken them well clear at the top.

John Barnes will tell us what happened. This was a match full of

drama and controversy. The result might have blown the title race wide

open. There were two LT decisions. The first Dave Falkirk lead,

following a tackle from Danny Wilson which was deemed to be inside the

box but TV show to be outside. John Baird scored from the spot. Then the

drama continued when Kevin O'Hara looked to have put Falkirk in front

but his goal bound shot was touched home by Baird, who was deemed to be

in an offside position. In stoppage time, the second controversy

occurred when the referee gave a penalty for accidental handball.

Martyn Waghorn stepped up to take it but Danny Rogers superbly tipped his

effort onto the post before it was cleared. So, secured their victory.

As for the Ibrox side, that is now ten points trot in their last five

matches. Time to hear from both managers after the match. Starting

with a rather vexed Mark Warburton of Rangers. It was a bit so -- a

bizarre decision. I'm sure the have shown it. If you remember the foul

on the right-hand side, it was exactly the same distance outside

the area. But what a recovery from the boys to get the equaliser. We

dominated the first half. We came in here very confident at half-time. We

knew we had to maintain our tempo. Our game is about taking care of the

culture. For 15 minutes after half-time we did not do that. I

think it was a soft penalty given against us in the last minute. These

things balance themselves out. I was disappointed to see the penalty

given in the last minute. But people have told me since that Will Vaulks

was pulled down outside of the box. But is the way football goes. You

cannot come to a venue, produced those stats in terms of possession

and corners and shots and not walk away with the points. We missed the

penalty after death. We have got to score. I can only give great credit

to the players, who have worked very, very hard for it. We were

holding on, if I am being honest. We needed the 'keeper to save a

penalty. Before that we had plenty of chances. Their goalkeeper has

made a couple of great saves. So, all credit to the Falkirk is. We

will talk about that shortly. There has been another goal for Aberdeen.

Yes, Aberdeen's revival continues. And this one was a thing of beauty.

Fantastic play from Cammie Smith, and it was a great backheel, right

into the path of Logan, who stroked it home. Kilmarnock have been

utterly woeful today. They are second bottom of the table and that

will not change this afternoon, as at the Dean keep the pressure on

Celtic at the top of the table. Who else but Billy McKay, scoring on his

return? He left here in January of course. You might not have made the

grade down at Wigan but he has certainly impressed for Dundee

United, maybe of the few who has. The cross came in from Chris

Erskine. It was spilled by Owain Fon Williams, and Billy McKay was there

to knock in his second -- eighth of the season. Leading by 2-1 with just

a few moments to go. We can go back now to that Falkirk arrangers match.

You were there, Tom. On balance, Falkirk worthy of the points? I

think so, yes,. Rangers did not do a lot until maybe 20 minutes from the

end. Danny Rogers was very good in goal for Falkirk Falkirk created a

lot. Rangers were wide open defensively. This Rangers team has a

problem at centre half. They are too open and too prone to error. I'm not

sure they are built to battle, this Rangers team. Looking at it today, I

thought were very good. They had some fantastic performance. O'Hara

was excellent. I was really impressed. And it could have been

another goal, had it not been for John Baird being perhaps a bit

greedy? Yes, he was Rangers' best defender today. In fairness he

apologised on the pitch and again at half-time as well. But two penalties

in the match. It was a fantastic game, it really lived up to

expectations. Two really poor refereeing blunders, neither was a

penalty. At the end, one manager saying they balance out at the end

of the season! It is a classic management get out of! But one thing

here, there are pattern is emerging. We are all naively talking about

Rangers and hips but there is four or five teams in that Championship

who can chip away. We saws getting something at Ibrox. Hibs struggling

today at home against Queen of the South. It will be a brave person who

predicts the outcome of this division. Tom, what about them being

challengers for the championship? Falkirk on this incredible run, but

they are under the radar because we are all talking about Rangers and

hips. It suits them to fly under the radar. If they keep playing like

they did today, then we will be talking about them, because I

thought they were really good. Stuart, do you fancy them? I do,

actually. When the media are willing two teams to go head to head to the

end, I am always looking for the one beneath the radar. And that is

Falkirk C. Over to Celtic Park right now to get an update.

Only three minutes to go and it remains Celtic 1-2 Motherwell. Nir

Bitton put Celtic in front just after half-time, his deflected shot

beat Connor Ripley in the Motherwell goal but Louis Moult with a fairly

quick five double turned the game around completely. Incredible,

chances at both ends, in stark contrast to the first half. --

quickfire double. Motherwell looked like they will secure their first

win in six years. Overture Rugby Park where I don't think the outcome

is in doubt. No doubt at all. -- over to Rugby Park. Aberdeen look

back to their early season best well and truly. With Celtic faltering

what a time for them to get what looks like being win number 57 for

Derek McInnes in his 100 league matches in charge of Aberdeen. It

was a quickfire start from Aberdeen, Niall McGinn headed home to make it

1-0, Adam Rooney got his 50th Aberdeen goal to make it 2-0 and 20

seconds after the restart Johnny Haynes made it 3-0, Kenny McLean

with the shot, and as I mentioned a short time ago if fantastic goal

from Aberdeen to make it 4-0 Logan rolled the ball home from a clever

backheel. Kilmarnock have been woeful, shouts of "Rubbish" from the

Kilmarnock fans, they never got out of neutral in this game and they

face a grim fight against relegation in second bottom. Over to McDiarmid

Park for an update on St Johnstone against Hearts.

No goals, we are in the final minute at McDiarmid Park and if there is a

winner I would expect it to be St Johnstone, though piled on the

pressure in the second half, they missed a glorious chance. Steven

MacLean blasted the ball high over the crossbar. The board has gone up

announcing four minutes left of play, will we have a winner, stay

tuned? I have nowhere else to go! Over to

Dens Park, Dundee against Hamilton, still 4-0 for the home team, Paul?

It certainly is, in the first half after 25 minutes Dundee were 4-0 up,

Jennings with a hat-trick and a curling shot from Stewart, the

goalkeeper was at full stretch but could not get there as the ball

settled in the net. It looked superb and Dundee were brilliant in the

first 25 minutes. The second half as printable as you like, Hamilton

playing better, Dundee with their foot off The Gas and Dundee leading

4-0. A good day for them, will it be a

good day for Dundee United awaited Caley Thistle?

It is looking that way, they lead 2-1, two ex-Caledonian Thistle

players getting the goals and getting that luck they need at the

bottom of the division as well. Just a second or two ago, the ball was

played into the box and Gary Warren Rosa Burc everybody to smack the

header against the Dundee United crossbody -- rose above. They have

the crucial lead with a minute plus stoppage time to go at Inverness --

crossbar. Over for the latest between Ross County and Partick

Thistle. It is still 1-0 two Partick Thistle

thanks to the Andrew Davies own goal on 52 minutes. It was a shame for

him because he is normally steady at the back, he has scored three times

at the right end of this season but this time the misfortune was for

him, since then Partick Thistle could have doubled their lead, Chris

Dillon hit the bar twice with a header and Partick Thistle, if they

win this game, it will be the first time they have four straight

victories in the top flight since 1977, I wasn't even born then.

Neither was I! Now we can get the full-time report from Dens Park.

The full-time whistle has gone but this match was over after 25 minutes

in truth, by that point Dundee led Hamilton Academical 4-0, a really

good hat-trick from Kane Hemmings and a good goal from Stuart,

wonderful curling effort. The Northern Ireland international got

taken off after the four goals. It wasn't all his fault, his team were

slow and lethargic but his performance didn't help. Their first

win since October and their first clean sheet since the middle of

September but their home fans will talk about the opening 25 minutes

for a while to come. Finished Dundee 4-0 Hamilton Academical.

Before the match they said they are a technically good side but they

need to work on the mental side of things. Seems they have that sorted,

coming out of the traps early on. I saw them on a Friday night against

St Johnstone and they were fantastic and have lots of talent in their

team. Jennings got goals today and Stuart, these are really decent

players. -- Henningsson. I wonder if it's the case they have not had

anything like the consistency that Hartley has been demanding of them

-- Kane Hemmings. There was a grudge match between the two teams. I think

this first half, the first 45. Goals coming up, sorry. There is a

goal to hear about, Inverness ought Caley Thistle?

Oh dear, it is for Caley Thistle in stoppage time at the end. Dundee

United players are on their knees in as that one went over the line,

crossed into the penalty area, the United defence let them down. It was

Lewis Horner who had gone above everybody and the official signalled

the ball had gone across the line, and it is deep into stoppage time.

Caley Thistle 2-2 Dundee United. On the face of it, appoint awaited

Caley Thistle is not that bad a result, is it? No, this morning he

would have settled for it but having one for so long with the wind and

this will feel like a kick in the guts. I think it's going to feel

like a loss rather than a draw -- the win. You saw the goal that

Rankin scored earlier on and it sounded like they had just turned a

corner. They are definitely improving.

There is no question they had more shots on target, more possession,

everything. But the thing is they have had that dragged away from them

and Kilmarnock fans, maybe there is a little sigh of relief that at last

something has gone right for them. Does the next one feel like a defeat

to you? We will get the full-time report and give you time to reflect

on that. It will feel like a defeat although

the game has finished 0-0. The first 0-0 draw in 15 years between the

sides although Saints will feel they had done enough to grab all three

points. Especially after Hearts were reduced to just ten men after 27

minutes. Needless from the Hearts striker Juanma, head-butt in front

of the referee who had no option but to send the play-off. St Johnstone

piled on pressure in the second half and had a gilt-edged chance to go

ahead but Chris Kane was tripped inside the box, Steven MacLean

stepped up to take the penalty kick but blasted the ball high over the

crossbar. He'll most made up for the Miss with a chance, it went just

wide. Murray Davidson must be wondering just what he had to do to

score today because on three or four occasions Neil Alexander stopped the

ball, with his left foot, clipped it over the crossbar and in the last

minute it looked to be nestling in the bottom corner but somehow the

keeper stuck out his big left boot and lifted the ball just over the

crossbar and wide of the goal. Hearts stay in third place. It's an

opportunity missed by the Saints. It sounded like Daniel Day Lewis

film, my big left boot! It is all over between and Aberdeen. Aberdeen

have reignited this title race with a stunning display here in Ayrshire.

They are back to their brilliant best. It was such a great start for

Aberdeen in so many ways, fantastic play from Kenny McLean who swirled

in the ball which Niall McGinn headed home from close range. And

Ben McGinn was the supplier this time with the ball into the box,

Adam Rooney there for his 50th career goal for Aberdeen to make it

2-0. Kilmarnock were so poor in the first half and offered so little,

Aberdeen perhaps should have scored many more goals. They did score a

third just after half-time, 20 seconds in, in fact. Kenny McLean's

Ross found Johnny Haynes in the middle and he stabbed the ball home

to make it 3-0. Their work-out was the chances for Aberdeen in the

second half, Adam Rooney should have made it 4-0 with a free shot from

the edge of the box but it went straight at Jamie MacDonald. In the

end Aberdeen only had to be in first gear for the majority of the first

half because Kilmarnock never got out of neutral. A great move to make

it 4-0, Smith with the ball into pole at, and the ball rolled over

the line by Logan. The Kilmarnock fans will go home angry indeed. They

have voiced their concern. The pressure is well and truly on

managing carry lock. As for Aberdeen's manager Derek McInnes,

100 league matches in charge, this was his 57th win.

Stand-by for the big story of the day, it comes from Alasdair Lamont,

watching Celtic at home to Motherwell.

The Motherwell team are victorious. They are across celebrating to my

right with a small band of supporters. Their first win in most

eight years. So they are right to take the applause of those fans for

a heroic performance by the team. They came from behind, Nir Bitton

had a deflected shot go past Connor Ripley in the Motherwell goal. That

gave Celtic the lead and you felt that would bring on more Celtic

goals as they had dominated possession in the first half. But

Motherwell wrote a different ending to this story. Louis Moult tapped in

as Marvin Johnson fired the ball across the goal to equalise and then

Louis Moult again from the penalty spot, Scott McDonald enticed Subaru

pitch into a rash tackle and the ball was rolled into the net by

Louis Moult as Craig Gordon dived across to his left. There were

chances for both teams. Gaudin denied them -- Simonovic. Celtic

also had opportunities. -- Gordon. He was never seriously troubled in

the Motherwell goal after that. Celtic have gone four games without

a victory, the last time that happened was under Tony Mowbray.

More big news, Hibs have gone 1-0 up, scoring in the 90th minute. We

will get more details on that shortly. We are heading to

Inverness. It is all over between Caley Thistle and Dundee United. A

cruel blow for Dundee United, just when you thought they had managed to

eke out what would have been their third league win of the season on an

afternoon when they managed to score two goals in a league game for the

first time since the 11th of August. It was an open and entertaining

game, played in fairly wintry conditions with swirling rain and

sleet and snow from time to time but plenty of goalmouth action. At the

forefront was Billy McCulloch, the former Caledonian Thistle player,

two X Caley Thistle players got the goals, John Rankin, recalled from

the start, the experienced midfielder clipping in the first in

the 26th minute, his first goal of the season exploiting the space down

the left hand side regularly, and when the ball was pulled back it was

drilled into the corner of the net by Rankin. Inverness Caley Thistle

missed several chances in the first half, non-law so Ben James Vince and

in front of an open goal from six yards somehow headed the ball -- no

less by James Vince. Within seconds of the restart the ball was drilled

beyond the Dundee United goalkeeper, left unmarked from across as the

United fragility defensively was all too evident throughout the

afternoon. Polworth could have edged his side back in front from his

first shot blocked, his players screaming for the cutback but

instead he had a go and the shot was blocked again. A mistake from Owain

Fon Williams, the Welsh international goalkeeper, across

from the left from Chris Erskine, the goalkeeper came out and spilled

the ball and who else Billy McCulloch bundling in for his eighth

goal of the season, the former Thistle player. Haas Billy

McCulloch. In the second minute of stoppage time all of Dundee United's

defensive foibles to haunt them, again the ball into the penalty

area, this time the right-back getting up for it, Luis Arnau, his

header was cleared but from behind the line as far as Dundee United

were concerned -- Horner. John Hughes will feel vindication for his

side for the effort they put into a fine game this afternoon. It

finished Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2-2 Dundee United. We can

hear from Easter Road where Hibs scored the late goal. Was that

enough for the win? It was. The fans went on the pitch when the goal went

in from Dominique Malonga. Queen of the South played really well, and it

looked like a frustrating afternoon for Hibernian, trying to join

Rangers at the top of the Championship. It was all about the

second half despite the chances in the first half. The Hibernian

Captain's desire shown in the 90th minute to get to the byline and hang

up the cross, and Dominique Malonga from six yards, downward header into

the roof of the net, the fans went crazy, people on the pitch, though

bookings collateral that. Queen of the South can feel hard done by but

this Hibs team are going the whole in this Championship with Rangers

and Falkirk. It finished Hibernian 1-0 Queen of the South. Seems like

he enjoyed that! Lets see if it was exciting at Firhill also.

It finished Partick Thistle 1-0 Ross County. A benefited from Ross

County's misfortune to win their fourth straight top-flight match for

the first time in nearly 40 years, that fact is better than Neil Lamont

at Celtic. Davies scored in his own net after a dreadful first half.

Kris Doolan almost doubled the lead when he hit the crossbar twice in

close succession later. The Jags into the Premiership's top six,

winning six of their last nine matches. Partick Thistle 1-0 Ross

County. That takes us nicely to this

afternoon's classified results. Q the fourth official.

Starting in the Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership, Celtic 1-2 Motherwell.

Let's have a look at the league tables. Just the one point between

the teams at the top, although Celtic have a game in hand.

Rangers and hips now level on points in the Championship.

In League One, Dunfermline opening up a little bit of a gap at the top.

In League Two, Annan Athletic still on top despite losing today.

In the Barclays English Premier League, Leicester City now five

points clear at the top after winning away at Everton this

afternoon. Let's have a look at the English

Championship. Middlesbrough two points clear of Derby County at the

top. At the bottom it does not get any better for Bolton Wanderers.

Four points adrift now. Let's find out more about the action

in the Premier League in England this afternoon. We can get the

details now from John acres. Leicester City, bottom at Christmas

one year ago, will be top of the pile on Christmas Day this year. One

of the most unlikely stories in Premier League history. It is

largely thanks to Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy, and it was those two

who did it again for them today. Nicely taken penalties from Riyad

Mahrez, two of them today. He has got 13 for the season now. Tim

Howard could have been sent off. Okazaki made it 3-1. Mirallas gave

Everton some hope. They gave it a go at the end but Leicester deserved

their victory. Cool finishing. By the way it was Lukaku who equalised

in the first half for Everton. He has now got seven in a row, chasing

Vardy's record. But it is Leicester's day. And it will be

their Christmas. The only Scot in the Premiership, manager, that is,

was away at Manchester United this afternoon. Their first win in more

than a month and their first at Old Trafford since August 19 89. These

three points will take them out of the allegations -- out of the

relegation zone. Cameron Jerome Boateng first before setting up Alex

Tettey that the second early in the second half. Anthony Martial reduced

the arrears. Declan Rudd in the Norwich goal still only had one more

shot to save. United's struggles continue, six without a win. Louis

van Gaal under serious pressure. It will be an uncomfortable Christmas

for him. Let's go to Stamford Bridge, where

Chelsea started life after Jose at home to Sunderland this afternoon.

Jackie Oakley reports. Chelsea 3-1 Sunderland. Guus Hiddink was here to

watch but his name was not chanted once. Instead the name of Jose

Mourinho was chanted throughout the match this notably when Fabregas and

cost were substituted in the second half. It was two goals in 13 minutes

from the invigorated Ivanovic and Pedro which did the damage. Oscar

made it 3-0 from the penalty spot. Fabio Borini got one back for

Sunderland, sparking them into life. They were much better in the second

half. They created several other chances, as did Chelsea. Their fans

highly frustrated that they did not play with such positivity recently

under their idol. Why - that is the question. Southampton against

Tottenham was watched by Tony husband. Pretty comfortable for

Spurs once they handled a lively opening from Southampton in which

Sadio Mane was denied by a fantastic save from Hugo Lloris. Harry Kane

danced through the Saints defence to score. Within three minutes, Dele

Alli effectively sealed it, side footing in at the back post. Hugo

Lloris denied Southampton a grandstand finish with another

fantastic save in stoppage time. But these two teams are going in

different directions at the moment. Stuart, Chelsea - Mourinho has gone

and it is as though they have been freed from the chains? I don't know

about that. There is rumours that he refused to take his ?40 million

severance pay and has given it back to the club for development.

Interesting, the idea that Cesc Fabregas, when he was subbed, lead

to even more challenging for Mourinho. Clearly he is one of the

players singled out as having been disruptive in the dressing room etc.

Let's talk about Man United losing at home to Norwich. A big win for

Alec Neil. Louis van Gaal had said, if they lose, it is the end of the

world... Well, for me, it is a question of when not if he is booted

out of there. His team is rubbish. They have spent several fortunes on

this team. The team is really poor. There is no connection with the

fans. Van Gaal is losing matches which Man United should be winning.

For me it is all over for him. Any high-profile managers looking for a

gig down their?! I think there might be a couple. Mourinho, Guardiola is

definitely a Man United guy. Leicester City, away to Everton.

This time last year they were bottom. Now, they are top. Can they

go on and win it? I don't think they can, actually. But you are a

romantic! I am but it is extraordinary for them to be top at

Christmas. Never say never, but that would be fantasyland. A wee bit of

sad news, a broadcasting legend, Jimmy Hill, has passed away at the

age of 87. I say broadcasting legend but there was much more to him? I

think he was a phenomenal character and he will be much missed. Let's

start with the Scottish perspective. He loved winding up Scotland fans

and he had this acidic love hate relationship with them. But he

actually loved Scotland a lot. He will always be denigrated for the

so-called toe poke goal, Scotland against Brazil. He liked turning up

in his St George is cross. You have got one of those as well! I have,

two or three of them! But he was a visionary. Not just as a player when

he was challenging the way players were paid in the nineteen 60s. Also

as a director and chairman of Coventry City, he was looking

forward to the days of all-seater stadium, where clubs had to be more

cute about how they dealt with the community and whatever. Jenny Hill,

much missed. I never met him but I felt like I knew him. I used to tune

in every Saturday night and he was the guy who taught me about

football. You could read the newspapers, but he was the man every

Saturday night. Stuart is right, his contribution to football was way

beyond television. All-seater stadiums, three points for a when,

minimum wager abolition... He was a serious football guy. Much respected

figure. Let's take time to reflect on an honour for another much

reflected figure, this boat on one of Scottish football's all-time

greats. -- bestowed. A statue of Billy Knott Neil was unveiled at

Celtic Park this afternoon. -- Billy McNeill. Let's look back on

some moments from the illustrious career of the man they called

Caesar. Celtic captain Billy McNeill wins

the toss... It is a goal from Billy McNeill!

Billy McNeill has scored! Stuart, where does one start with a

living legend? Well, you start with the emotions. That is tearful. You

will never ever see that image again. Here is a Scottish guy

captaining a Scottish club where see the players are Scots, lifting the

greatest trophy in world football for clubs. We will never see the

like again. He is also someone who bestrides the era. We had the great

Jock Stein team, where they come to Celtic and he transforms them into

the Lisbon Lions, and he lived through that period, captaining

Celtic and playing for Scotland. One of the lovely bits of irony is, he

also had Lithuanian ancestry. And the rules that are in place just

now, he could have chosen to play Filippo Waimea over Scotland! I

don't think they had a team then in the Soviet era! -- for Lithuania.

Just as important a figure in the Celtic story as Jock Stein, do you

think? Yes, he is colossus. The board and of a leader, a man. I am

delighted about this tutor. Chu. It is a beautiful piece of art. I am so

pleased that it was unveiled when he is alive. A lot of these things are

unveiled when a great man has died. Fantastic to see his family there

and to know that that is going to be there for ever. Jock Steen said

Billy McNeill was a leader who made others around him play better. Yes,

and that is the cusp of this. To be a great team you need people who can

drive the extra 5% out of the players around them, and he was

clearly that. You saw that in the game in Lisbon against Milan. Who

would have thought that a Scottish club would do that and silence the

greatest teams in Europe? He has an aura about him but no

sense of perceptible ego. No, he's the most ordinary kind of superstar.

But from a different era. From a different era but he is a gentle

man. We can talk about his absolute greatness on the football pitch, but

he's just above all a gentleman. Every time I've met him he has been

polite. You wouldn't think he had achieved everything he achieved,

that he was Celtic's greatest ever leader. And from a period of time

when the biggest in Scotland took a bus to their training sessions come

it is quite remarkable now that there is nobody in the current

senior leagues in Scotland back and look that guy in the eye, an

absolute legend. They only take the bus if they have lost their licence

now! Let's go to contemporary matters. Celtic dropped points at

home two Motherwell today. What is that going to do? It will not look

great on Ronny Deila's CV. He will need ataxic and not a bus! -- need a

taxi. It is a throwback to the past, the Celtic fans would wish they

could go back to that era, because at the moment it is really a fee.

Isle of Elmley said that if Ryedale motored away with the leak -- are

always said if Ronny Deila. They would be OK to come back after the

summer for another tilt at Europe. If that is repeated in the next few

weeks it could be over for them. They are away to Hearts in the next

match. Hearts are a grisly team that are difficult to beat even for the

best and flamboyant teams in the division. But what I would say is I

wonder if this is actually the result that will be the undoing of

Ronny Deila. Obviously it comes very quickly after the failures in

Europe. There is a lot of discontent, it's the match before

Christmas. Celtic fans will have been hoping to simply see out this

game, get three points and maintain. And they have to be looking at

Aberdeen. They are a point behind and Derek McInnes must be worrying,

looking back over that poor run they had early in the season and

thinking, why did we do that? Derek McInnes, like Peter Houston,

will say there is no title race involving his team. But he will say

it to his players privately. Some buffoon on radio Scotland said some

weeks ago that Aberdeen can't be trusted. Which one of the two of you

was it? Unfortunately it was me! I looked at Aberdeen on the losing run

and I thought there is no way they can sustain this but now it is one

point. They are back to their brilliant best and it is four wins

on the trot. That will be the headlines tomorrow, their victory.

But it disguises another very important story, that is a

horrendous home result for Kilmarnock who are looking at Dundee

United securing a point up at Inverness. I think there is lots of

discontent at that club that goes back to Michael Johnson's

chairmanship. There is not huge satisfaction or unanimity about Gary

Locke as manager, and the fans are deserting in their hundreds. Killie

had high hopes for this season, they were targeting top six. I spoke to

Gary Locke at the start of the season and he said he thought he had

a better team than last season and the players could get them into the

top half. There is vulnerability about them. They've conceded four

against one of the top teams in the country but a few weeks ago they

conceded five against Partick Thistle. There is a desperate

flakiness about their defence. And a desperate situation developing for

Kilmarnock. If Dundee United are getting it together, they got a

point today that maybe they could have got three points. If Dundee

United can get it together, Kilmarnock are now going to be in

big trouble in 12th place. They are already hanging on. They are

dropping like a stone if they end up in the play-off position and they

get Falkirk. You wouldn't bet on it. Speaking of which, let's talk about

the Championship. You said you thought Rangers might lack the

stomach for the fight but Hibs don't. Allan Preston using the word

desire. 94th minute goal this week, 92nd minute last week. It is

troubling in a way that they are leaving it so late in games. But its

solicitor to have of character in this team, there are leaders in this

team. That is a huge result for them today. It is interesting at the top

of the Premiership and the Championship today, some really

interesting results. It begs the question whether goal difference

will come into play because Celtic and Rangers both enjoy quite

substantial goal difference. Does that matter? Is it an extra three

points or not? We have a Rangers-Hibs match coming up. That's

right, it is a corker. The 28th of Rangers-Hibs match coming up. That's

December. I could hear at the Falkirk Stadium today the Rangers

fans periodically during the match were giving the team a bit of stick,

they are frustrated and I can understand that completely. For a

lot of the match they were bossed by Falkirk, and they had a chance to

get a draw and they blew it from the penalty spot. These are sticky times

for Rangers because they are dropping points. It is ten points

dropped in the last six. It is not supposed to be this way. At the

start of the season they were swatting teams. Now they are having

to dig the and not finding a lot. Briefly who is your tip for the

championship now? That is putting me on the spot. I think it will go to

the wire. I have a suspicion that Hibs will win it. I would say Hibs

as well. Your boat tipping Hibs? You're going to be popular to night

on the websites -- you are both tipping Hibs. Time is most up for

today so I will remind you of some of the results. Big stories in the

top two divisions in Scotland, Celtic losing at home to Motherwell,

2-1 to Motherwell, congratulations. Aberdeen just one point behind

Celtic at the top, 4-0 winners at Kilmarnock today. Partick Thistle

enjoyed their fourth win on the spin, in the first time in the top

flight for many years. Caley Thistle and Dundee United shared the spoils

in the Highlands. St Johnstone and Hearts drawing a blank at Perth. In

the Championship big stories there as well. Rangers losing at Falkirk.

Hibs getting a late win at home to Queen of the South this afternoon.

And a first win for the St Mirren manager. Just one sleep until the

highlights show, don't worry I'm not on it this week. John is back in

rude health. I will be back next week overindulging as usual with the

Boxing Day edition of the results show and I will end on a

cliffhangercancer Stuart Cosgrove make it to the radio studio in time

for Off The Ball Saturday Supplement. I've set a few

booby-traps along the corridor. It is Christmas. If he makes it he and

Tam Cowan will be waiting for your call is. That is it, thank you to

Stuart and Tom for their Wisdom and thank you to you for watching. I

will not see you until Boxing Day unless I see you in the street. I

hope you have a happy Christmas, and I hope Santa is good to you.