Time to Break Free of The 'Old Firm' Label

In the aftermath of the '911' attacks on the World Trade Centre in 2001, a New Labour spindoctor famously decided that the sheer enormity of the media coverage represented 'a good day to bury bad news'. In her case, the 'bad news' she wanted to bury was nothing more exciting or controversial than a minor amendment to Councillors' pension rights.

Last Wednesday morning, slipping by almost unnoticed amid the rollercoaster ride of the previous 24 hours; the massive boost of Robbie Keane's arrival followed all too swiftly by the crushing low of the defeat at Kilmarnock, came Celtic's own attempt to bury - or at least obscure - our very own piece of spectacularly bad news. A new sponsorship deal (OK, that's good, isn't it?). A joint sponsorship deal (uh, oh). With them (Ah, for feck sake!).

With our very own New Labour figurehead as Chairman it's hardly surprising that the plc reached for the tried and tested tactics of spin in breaking this unwelcome news to a disappointed support. As far as I understand it, there was no specific reason why the joint deal which will see 'Tennent's' adorn the strips of both Celtic and Rangers from next season had to be announced on Wednesday. It could just as easily have been announced last week, but someone obviously decided that we'd all still be riding so high on the arrival of Keane and - presumably - a comfortable win in the game in hand against Killie that we'd let the bad news of yet another joint deal tying us inextricably to the huns to slide past almost unnoticed.