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That sounds like a vendetta – Celtic hero Sutton reveals the Rangers star Bobo Balde ‘used to hit’ in tunnel most weeks

CELTIC fans used to belt out 'Bobo's going to get you' at games during the noughties.

And there was more than a little bit of truth to the lyric, as Celtic's Guinea defender ended up in no shortage of scrapes, often in the Parkhead tunnel.

DUNDEE UNITED V CELTIC SPL AT TANNADICE PARK   -    BOBO BALDE.
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Bobo Balde was a fearsome opponent
CELTIC V RANGERS (3-0) 03.01.2004.  Bobo Balde and Craig Moore.    Pic : Steve Welsh 03.01.2004
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obo Balde and Craig Moore battle for a high ball

Speaking in a Radio 5 Live special on the dark arts called 'Housery' this week, former Celtic star Chris Sutton reflected on Balde's predilection for violence with a particular Rangers star - as well as raking over the famous time he avoided censure for a rammy involving Barcelona's Thiago Motta.

And that man was the Ibrox side's Aussie defender Craig Moore.

Sutton said: "Bobo Balde, do you remember him?

"I don't know if you would describe it as 'housery' but he used to have a habit of just indiscriminately hitting people in the tunnel most weeks - just becaiuse they didn't like them or somebody aggravated them or something.

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"He used to do it with Craig Moore most weeks.

"I don't know if you would call it 'housery' but he was a phenomenal player."

At this point New York Times football journalist Rory Smith, also on the panel, chipped in, saying: "That sounds like a vendetta against Craig Moore, if he is knocking him about most weeks, that suggests its MORE than housery."

The Balde-Moore tunnel dust-ups may have passed into legend, but there does appear to be more than a grain of truth in it - as witness to these recollections from Moore's former Rangers team-mate Neil McCann.

He said: "I remember an Old Firm game at Ibrox and big Oz, Craig Moore, he could handle himself.

"He was really aggressive and stuff. He went up and clattered into Bobo Balde.

"There was a coming together and I remember big Oz pointing the finger at Big Bobo and saying 'we'll see mate, we'll see when we get up the tunnel'.

"But I've never seen big Oz move so quick, he was running past me laughing, saying 'is he coming Terry?' 'Is he coming?'

"I couldn't stop laughing. Celtic fans have a saying 'Bobo is going to get you', I think if he had got his hands on him he would have ended him.

"If it all kicks off in the tunnel you wouldn't want to be anywhere near him."

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