The Most Savage Troll Job in Old Firm History
Just minutes after the final whistle at Ibrox, Celtic’s official social media account delivered a brutal nine-word message that has sent shockwaves through Scottish football.
“Goodnight, Celts! 😉”
That was it. Nine words. A wink emoji. And a picture of new signing Mika Baur.
The timing was absolutely perfect. Rangers had just been dumped out of the Europa League by Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok. The Ibrox crowd had booed their own players off the pitch. Derek McInnes was still waiting for his first win as Rangers manager.
And Celtic — without kicking a single ball — had just delivered the knockout punch.
What Actually Happened at Ibrox
Rangers went into the second leg trailing 2-1 from the first leg in Poland. They needed a win at Ibrox to keep their Europa League dreams alive.
It started perfectly. Captain Lawrence Shankland scored from the penalty spot after 19 minutes to level the tie on aggregate. Ibrox was rocking.
But then the nightmare began.
In the 65th minute, Jagiellonia’s Nik Prelec rose above the Rangers defence to power home a header. The Poles were level on the night and 3-2 up on aggregate.
Rangers could find no way back. The disjointed home side tried changes in formation and personnel — but nothing worked.
At full-time, boos rang out around Ibrox. The Rangers players did their lap of honour to a chorus of jeers. It was Rangers’ earliest elimination from the Europa League since they were beaten by Progrès Niederkorn in 2017.
The Celtic Connection
Here’s where it gets even more painful for Rangers.
Former Celtic defender Yuki Kobayashi started at the heart of the Jagiellonia defence. The Japanese centre-back, who left Celtic for Poland, returned to Glasgow on Thursday night — and helped end Rangers’ Europa League campaign before it had really got going.
Even the man who knocked Rangers out used to play for Celtic.
A Celtic fan couldn’t have scripted it better.
The Social Media Masterclass
Celtic’s social media team knew exactly what they were doing.
Mika Baur had officially completed his move to Celtic earlier on Thursday, joining from Paderborn on a four-year deal. There was every reason for Celtic to push content around their latest arrival.
But posting that particular goodnight message so soon after events across the city — accompanied by a wink emoji — had Celtic fans convinced the social media team were trolling their rivals.
It was subtle enough that nothing actually had to be said about Rangers. The timing did all the work.
Fans absolutely loved it. One commented: “Absolutely superb timing.” Another said: “We see what you did there.” A third added: “Timing is everything, admin.”
McInnes’ Nightmare Start
For Rangers, the consequences are far more significant than a few jokes on social media.
Derek McInnes has now gone four competitive matches without a win since taking over from Hearts. His tenure is already “in disarray”. He has admitted Rangers are “not ready” for top European competition.
The Ibrox side have:
· 0 wins in 4 competitive matches
· Crashed out of the Europa League before the group stages
· Dropped into the Conference League play-offs
· Lost 2-1 at home to Hibernian in the league
· Fans booing at full-time in multiple matches
McInnes’ response? “We could all be doing with a win.”
The Financial Gap
The humiliation goes beyond results.
Rangers will now drop into the Conference League play-offs, where they face Jablonec from Czechia. Even reaching the Conference League would leave them operating in a “very different financial world” from Celtic.
Champions League money already dwarfs Europa League revenue. Dropping another level into the Conference League only increases that financial gap.
Celtic, meanwhile, are flying. They’re five points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership and negotiating a Champions League play-off. The gap between the two Old Firm rivals is growing by the day.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t just a bad start. This is a crisis.
Rangers have made nine new summer signings. They’ve broken their transfer record multiple times. Chairman Andrew Cavenagh has promised three to five more signings before the window closes.
But nothing is working.
Star striker Youssef Chermiti is out with a long-term ACL injury. Left-back Tuur Rommens could be out for two months with a groin strain. The squad is stretched thin and McInnes is running out of answers.
The boos at Ibrox tell the story. Rangers fans are running out of patience.
What Happens Next?
Rangers face Jablonec in the Conference League play-offs. Win that, and they salvage some European football. Lose it, and the season is already a disaster.
McInnes is under immense pressure. Four games without a win is unacceptable at a club like Rangers. The fans are turning. The players look lost. And Celtic are miles ahead.
One thing is certain: the Old Firm gap has never looked wider.
And Celtic are enjoying every single second of it.
Celtic delivered the ultimate troll job after Rangers’ European humiliation.
A nine-word ‘goodnight’ message. A wink emoji. A picture of a new signing. And absolutely perfect timing.
While Rangers crashed out of the Europa League to a chorus of boos at Ibrox, Celtic were laughing all the way to the bank — and to the social media timeline.
A picture, a goodnight message and one well-placed wink were enough to twist the knife.
Rangers are in crisis. McInnes is winless. The fans are booing. And Celtic are loving every minute of it.
Goodnight, Celts. 😉
