I’ve often found it funny how we football supporters have our pre-disposed favourites with some players slaughtered on their first misplaced pass yet when others try the same they are applauded for trying something audaciously different and so it is the same with politics.  I find none of the main candidates from the TV debates an appealing voting prospect (nor Alec Salmond who for some reason head butts fresh air when making a point).  I have therefore been viewing the first two debates with a little independence (and boredom) and found some of the tweets and texts quite illuminating.  In the first debate whilst I thought Clegg was leading well and Brown trailing badly, one of my Labour politician friends was sending me texts about how Brown was wiping the floor with Cameron.  Was he watching the same debate?  It reminded me of the texts Eddie sends me about Aiden during Celtic games.  Anyway, as Dianogah asked Eddie, what has this got to do with football, Celtic Football Club or a Celtic fans website? – Hee Haw, but it fills the time. 

Regular readers will know we started the season with a pot of £100.  Since neither Rangers nor us have been particularly reliable (we’ve just won our 4^th consecutive league game for the first time this season) our funds were dwindling to virtually nothing until these past few weeks, but early season bets are now kicking in and with Newcastle and Inverness champions, along with some better weekly results we’re back up at £124, a 24% increase through the season.  Beats sticking the money in a bank.  So can we push up towards the £150?  With only a couple of weeks to go, We need Chelsea and Notts County to win their leagues, Nottingham Forrest to make the play offs and some wins this week.  So what do Paddy Power say?

SPL

In the EPL, this week’s Paddy Power Bulletin looks toward the Premier League weekend with a focus on Adebayor’s first return to Arsenal.  Almost certainly public enemy number one the Arsenal fans will be sure to let Adebayor know exactly what they think of him after that goal celebration in Manchester earlier in the season. Paddy Power are at the ready with their decibel meter and are betting on how loudly Adebayor’s first touch will be booed by the Arsenal fans during the match. The favourite is 121-125 decibels, the equivalent of pneumatic drill roadworks.

Other Adebayor bets include which Arsenal player will foul him first, whether Van Persie shakes his hand in the pre-match line-ups and how the striker might celebrate his first goal, with 10/11 for no celebration and 16/1 for the old finger on lips gesture.

After all the volcano troubles this week Paddy Power are also betting on eruptions in the Premier League with betting on which team will pick up the quickest red card in their match this weekend. For Man Utd’s match against Spurs Paddy Power bet on when will Fergie retire whilst the Money-Back Special will refund losing first/last scorer, correct score and scorecast bets if Spurs win the game. It’s a repeat of last week’s offer when Spurs met Chelsea – and we all know what happened there!

Finally with the likes of Bobby Zamora, Michael Dawson and Adam Johnson making a late run for England’s World Cup Squad Paddy Power has latest betting on the fringe players who still have it all to play for this season in the hope of gate-crashing Fabio’s World Cup plans

PADDY POWER MONEY-BACK SPECIALS

Man Utd v Spurs – Hot Spurs

If Spurs win the match Paddy Power will refund all losing first/last goalscorer, correct score & scorecast singles on the match.

Terms & Conditions: Applies to 1^st/last goalscorer, correct score and scorecast singles placed before kick-off only. Max Refund €/£100 per customer/bet. Paddy Power football rules apply.

Volcano Betting - Which team will erupt first for the quickest red card of the weekend (by time elapsed in match)

11/1      Birmingham, Stoke

14/1      Spurs, Wigan, Man City, Hull, Bolton, Blackburn, Villa, Burnley

16/1      Sunderland, Wolves, Fulham

18/1      Man Utd, West Ham, Liverpool

20/1      Portsmouth, Arsenal, Everton

22/1      Chelsea

Arsenal v Man City

Summer’s coming – but will Mancini still wear his scarf?

1/12    Yes

11/2    No

Adebayor Decibel Betting.

Arsenal fans’ public enemy number one won’t have been forgiven for his celebrations at the City of Manchester Stadium earlier in the season. How loudly will his first touch be booed by Gooners on Saturday?

6/1       100 – 105db

4/1       106 – 110db

7/2       111 – 115db

11/4     116 – 120db

9/4       121 – 125db

5/2       126 – 130db

5/1       131 – 135db

12/1     136 – 140db

*As a guide 100db = a revving motorbike, 115db = an average rock concert, 132db = loudest football match ever recorded: Besiktas v Liverpool Istanbul 2008. Paddy Power will record the sound levels from the stands during the match

Will Adebayor dare to celebrate if he scores at The Emirates?

Adebayor’s first goal celebration