Bankier, Livingston and most plural club in UK

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I didn’t see Ian Bankier’s performance today, but I watched his predecessor John Reid a few times. John wasn’t liked by a significant body of the support, largely for professional reasons (his role in government), but when he got on his feet to address Celtic supporters, he had an intuitive feel for what to say. No one ever needed to script him.

Ian Livingston has received a lot of criticism since voting with the government in the recent Tax Credits bill. I’d heard the nature of some of what was written online included reference to his background – appalling, without question. Nor would it surprise you or me, we’ve been online long enough to see just about everything, including those who troll others on account of their background or identity. Often with Celtic-related targets.

We are a plural club, with people from Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, and for all I know, other backgrounds, on our board, all these and more in our dressing room, and among our support. I’m proud of this. We are often caricatured as an exclusively Irish-diaspora club but few in the UK can claim such an ethnic panorama.

A club of immigrants founded 127 years ago has continued to attract new immigrants ever since.  It’s worthwhile reminding ourselves of this, it should continue to be a part of our forward strategy.  What correlates with this is that anyone with a prejudice will find a target at Celtic – such is the diversity of our club. Celtic fans, players and officials have been targets like this for a very long time.

Was Ian Livingston right to vote with the government on Tax Credits? No. I haven’t considered the policy’s economic merits (first pass suggested it had none) but I believe his voice should have been raised against the policy. The expectations of being a representative of Celtic, not just a board member, are weighty.

Ian Bankier could have read all inappropriate online comment referring to Ian Livingston’s background immediately before today’s AGM, but that forum was not the place to mark anyone’s card. The intuitive feel John Reid had on these occasions was missing today. Go complain about such comment to the appropriate authorities, or to whatever online facilities hosted the comments, tell Ian Livingston ‘You’ll never walk alone’ in a private moment, but address shareholders and Celtic fans on matters appropriate to them.

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  1. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    P67

     

     

    Correct …Bankier missed the target by miles today …his only job and he got it desperately wrong …

  2. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    We really mustn`t miss this gem

     

    ===================================================

     

     

    CANAMALAR on 20TH NOVEMBER 2015 10:40 PM

     

    HT,

     

    Squirrel, quick or you’ll miss it :)

     

     

     

    Was half way through an argument that really just wanted to say

     

     

    Macjay you bring shame on our club, did you eat you own offspring raw ?

  3. One of the great delights of You Tube is when you come across a song you have not heard since your teenage years. I loved and still love the intro on this one

     

     

    Carol Grimes

     

     

     

    I didn’t know we had a Head of PR- far less that he had written the Bio of Cheap Trick (unfortunate co-incidence rather than truly ironic). I kind of liked this song though they were not a cool band to like

     

     

    Livi’s alright, Bankiers alright- they just seem a little weird

  4. TBJ says Wee Oscar Knox is in heaven with the angels on

    I think calling someone a bankier will be the insult of 2015

  5. macjay1 for Neil Lennon on

    HAMILTONTIM on 20TH NOVEMBER 2015 10:26 PM Macjay Mate. Just so I make myself clear. The ONLY reason I take issue with these matters is because I think your campaign harms Celtic. You,of course,disagree. I would hope you don`t take my comments personally. Just read back. Some of the vilification directed towards our Board is,for me,nauseating. Do you think this does not harm Celtic? I can`t imagine why people continue to support an organisation run by people they abhor. Hypocricy? Do they seriously think they`re going to change things? I would doubt it.

  6. Pfayr

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I was being sarcastic.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    The tripe about Sir Robert Kelly turning in his grave and the tricolour being taken down was just too much hyperbole to stomach.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Fergus McCann was a hero in my eyes. An unashamedly capitalist bassa but the saviour of Celtic. I wish I had had £20m to put up in 1994 all I had was my £600 and have never regretted my decision

     

     

    – See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/agm-ahead/comment-page-24/#comment-2722005

  7. Sorry paul67 provide evidence, we’ve all heard things, one tiny bit too of evidence and everything goes to bed, without that it’s just an army invading another country because the telly told us it’s right.

     

    Evidence, this is Celtic supported being accused and I for one demand they are not done on hear say

     

    So come on, one quote ?

  8. MACJAY1 FOR NEIL LENNON on 20TH NOVEMBER 2015 10:41 PM

     

    HAMILTONTIM on 20TH NOVEMBER 2015 10:26 PM

     

     

     

     

    Macjay

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Mate.

     

     

     

     

    Just so I make myself clear.

     

     

     

     

    The ONLY reason I take issue with these matters is because I think your campaign harms Celtic.

     

     

     

     

    You,of course,disagree.

     

     

     

     

    I would hope you don`t take my comments personally.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Just read back.

     

     

     

     

    Some of the vilification directed towards our Board is,for me,nauseating.

     

     

     

     

    Do you think this does not harm Celtic?

     

     

     

     

    I can`t imagine why people continue to support an organisation run by people they abhor.

     

     

     

     

    Hypocricy?

     

     

     

     

    Do they seriously think they`re going to change things?

     

     

     

     

    I would doubt it.

     

     

    – See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/agm-ahead/comment-page-24/#comment-2721996

     

     

    —–

     

     

    J, if that’s the case why make the comment that it was just another thing we wanted to run with?

     

     

    Harm Celtic?

     

     

    Today I’m disgusted by our custodians. But after work I went to Parkhead and bought my daughter her first season ticket and three tickets for Inverness away next Sunday.

     

     

    Come on, think about it.

  9. If Celtic are about football rather than politics, why do we have a Tory on the board who wants to hurt poor people.

     

    Its one thing to be all inclusive, quite another to be party to an insidious ideological assault on the poorest people in society.

     

     

     

    HH

  10. Dallas

     

    From previous blog, Pat Stanton would or should have been a Celtic Great

     

    Only played for us 18 months prior to hanging up his boots through injury

     

    In those 18 months, I witnessed what our defence had been missing

     

    Imagine him in our current defence

     

     

    Hail Hail

  11. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    RC

     

     

    Bankier couldn’t give a toss about CFC …we’re an easy payday

     

     

    He’s an embarrassment and should be chased

  12. So Livinstone was Wrong to Support Tax Credits Cuts, but hey he did…So What…Thats What i read From Paul..

     

    Aint What i Think…..

  13. Giving John Reid as a standard to Ian Bankier is like signing Amido Balde and giving him a DVD of Chris Killen.

  14. F… (im sure u can complete this word) bankier and livingston

     

    Ive had enough.

     

    I will always remain a supporter of celtic but the club will not get a penny more from me until these 2 leave.

     

    Our board are takin disgracing us to new levels.

     

    DD’s apathy and non interest is galling while we are at it.

  15. Paul 67,

     

    Ian Bankier looked very nervous today.

     

    I am sure that in his previous life he has dealt with confrontation on many occasions, but probably in either 1:1s or small groups.

     

    However, today was different, when facing an audience of several hundred, and some new faces asking questions.

     

    I am not sure if the AGM is posted online anywhere, but if it is I suggest you watch Isn Bankiers body language – lots of hand to face stuff.

  16. Paul…there is a time and a place to voice your personal opinion, bankier chose his moment, why?

     

     

     

    Could I change the last bit to two! I went three years without a season book for myself and my kids until a couple of years ago…reason being I lost tax credits due to my income, as a single parent with two kids working full time and any overtime going, I managed that escape time and it was our special day every second week.

     

     

    Now we have a man on our board that voted to make it even harder for people that is still in that situation not to be able to attend games. Another board member gives the smsm ammunition to slaughter us. Wtf.

  17. setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox on 20th November 2015 10:54 pm

     

     

    The most plural club??

     

     

    What about Dagenham AND Redbridge?

     

     

    Queens Park Rangers?

     

     

    Wolverhampton Wanderers?

     

    —————

     

    Brighton and Hove Albion

  18. I agree someways on the Ian Livingstone political views being anti Celtic

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I don’t remember (but I could be very wrong here ) if I ever heard such a big demonstration at an AGM against a Celtic chairman who supported the killing of hundreds of thousands of innocents in an illegal war

     

     

    I think a lot of this is party political from members of the party who did nothing for the poor when in power

     

     

    Posted before Paul’s new article

  19. HT,

     

    Obviously he likes them sautéed probably a wee bit salt

     

    Absolutely no compunction or sympathy for this animal, me a Christian too eh

  20. What , if any , positive input has Mr Bankier achieved while holding a lofty position at Celtic PLC ?

     

    The gulf between contributors and takers grows deeper. Depressingly deep.

     

    Meanwhile patience is required from the contributors for the product on the park while the takers tell us to keep calm and shut it.

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