I was at Fir Park on Saturday and spent the first half wondering how on earth Dundee United were bottom of the table against an abject home side. Then Motherwell scored with their only venture into the opposition final third, which told the recent story of both clubs. United, led by the evergreen Steven Fletcher, flipped the result in the second half, Motherwell were just too poor to earn a point, even at home to the team bottom of the table.
Oddly, they do better against teams above them in the league, having beaten Hearts, Hibs, St Mirren and Livingston in a recent run of form. The only points they have dropped since early February were to Kilmarnock, Newco and that loss to United.
It will all be about Celtic tomorrow. No one has left Celtic Park on domestic duty this season with as much as a point, even when the champions have an off day, they still retain the firepower and determination to win.
With several players nursing an injury, or on the path to recovery, Ange Postecoglou will have a plan to get his squad in peak condition for the Scottish Cup semi-final, a game that has towered over the fixture list for weeks. If we don’t see Reo Hatate at some point, I doubt he will have much to contribute next week.
I had some of my most confrontational issues in business as a creditor, in dispute with an administrator. An administrator’s duties is to release money for creditors. On occasion, professional fees dwarf funds raised for creditors. Creditors’ claims are dismissed, then disputed, then reluctantly accepted, before seeing pennies in the pound left over after fees are paid. The cynical creditor could be convinced he was being played.
In completely unrelated news, when administrators Tenon went bust in 2013, I shed no tears.
Elite Sports Group Ltd’s administrator, Kroll Advisory, seem like nice chaps by comparison. However, be in no doubt, the game they engaged in yesterday is to relieve Newco of millions of pounds. They have contracts between Elite and Newco, and expensive legal advice backs up their action. They have taken the decision to use creditors’ money to fund a court case against Newco, to a value initially estimated at £9.5m.
A judge yesterday ordered Newco to open their books to Kroll Advisory, allowing the administrators to fine-tune the sum they are suing for. This was a minor detail and may result in the sum being reduced. The confirmed news is that Kroll are in play (previously in doubt); Newco made no provision for this action in their accounts.
It could take months for the fine-tuning to take place, then many months for a court date. After that, parties will wait for a written decision (more months). And, of course, appeals could add another year. I reckon 2025 or 2026 before this is over. Until then, a cloud of financial doubt will hang over the club, affecting credit worthiness and investor appetite. If they were wise (I know!), they would start to make savings in order to pay a potential liability. We wouldn’t want them hit by a sudden and unaffordable bill!
All of this is unnecessary nonsense and harks back to the indecent haste Newco showed when attempting to extricate itself from deals with Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct. I regretted the day Dave King left town and will celebrate if he ever returns.
Good governance never features on a league table, but the consequence of bad governance eventually shows up on the Scottish Premiership table. On one truly fabulous occasion, it even showed up on the SFL League Two table!
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There’s a High over Scotland…who knew :-))
H.H.
Burned sum time…it’s still pre noon…wtf….you need to go hard ;-))
Today
This afternoon will see plenty of sunshine for the most part but the cloud will start to increase from the east later in the day.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/g40
LEFTCLICKTIC
My two sons and I were ST holders. In the mid-90s my wife and I were on holiday in Florence. The boys — 13 & 15 — were told they could go to the Celtic v Rangers game with my brother, their uncle Gerry, who would meet them off the train in Bellshill.
Turned out Gerry phoned them Friday night, they were staying at their gran’s, to say he couldn’t make it as he had to work Saturday.
My sons didn’t tell their gran about this disappointing development. Instead they got the train to Queen Street and walked to Celtic Park. Rangers won 2-0.
They hid their scarves and walked back to Queen Street after the game, during which they witnessed a few violent incidents along the way. They made the mistake of taking the London Road through Bridgeton.
Thankfully they were not involved in anything although they admitted to being shaken by the time they sat down on theie train back to Edinburgh.
I was livid when I found out and could not help thinking of what could have happened.
Only a few weeks after that day, 15 year-old Celtic fan Mark Scott was murdered in Bridgeton as he headed home from Celtic Park.
That tragic incident really brought it home to us all.
Hail Hail
Today we remember our European Cup winning captain Billy McNeill, who sadly passed away on this day four years ago
The Greatest Celt of them all.
so for the statto;s
where will our goalscoring exploits (hopefully) take us today ?
averaging 3.4 per game we can overtake
———————
SAINT STIVS on 17TH APRIL 2023 6:57 PM
I hope this formats ok when posted.
Top 10 league goals for per season *adjusted to 3 for a win
season / P / W / D/ L / gf/ ga / gd / points *- top scorer all competitions
2022/23 – 32 – 30 – 1 – 1 – 102 – 24 – 78 – 91 – Kyogo 29 – Ange LC+champions elect.
2013/14 – 38 – 31 – 6 – 1 – 102 – 25 – 77 – 99 – Commons 32 – Neil league only.
2003/04 – 38 – 31 – 5 – 2 – 105 – 25 – 80 – 98 – Larsson 41- Martin 4th season league and scottish cup double.
2016/17 – 38 – 34 – 4 – 0 – 106 – 25 – 81 – 106 – Dembele 32 – Brendan Invincible Treble.
1967/68 – 34 – 30 – 3 -1- 106 – 24 – 82 – 93 – – Lennox 44 – Mr Stein, 3 in a row – League and LC and GC.
1965/66 – 34 – 27 – 3-4 – 106 – 30 – 76 – 84 – McBride 43 – Mr Stein. League, LC and ECWC SF.
1966/67 – 34 -26 – 6- 2 – 111- 33 – 78 – 84 – McBride 38 – Mr Stein the clean sweep won it all and quiz ball.
1937/38 – 38- 27- 7- 4 -114- 42 – 72 – 88 – Crum 27 – Maleys last Hurrah and an Empire Exhibition Trophy.
1935/36 – 38- 32-2- 4 -115 -33 – 82 – 98 – McGrory 50 (32 APP). Maley league only.
1915/16 – 38- 32- 3 – 3 -116 – 32 – 84 – 99 McColl 36. Maley. No SC during wartime. GC won.
So some observations –
* Most points was 106 the invincibles.
* Most goals 116 in 15/16 with Maleys 2nd great edwardian team, 3in a row on route to 4.
* Best goal difference – 84 in season 15/16.
* special mention for Stein 3 seasons in a row with 106, 111 & 106 scored all in 34 game seaons, surely the records would have broken with 4 more game each time.
SAINT STIVS on 17TH APRIL 2023 7:01 PM
Most wins the invincibles 34 in 38 fixtures.
Thawt we wer going for the Invicibles points n goals sores…aye but ;-))
H.H.
Happy Birthday to Winning Gemmell
No doubt Vaults will be busy
All the best if your lurking
:-)
HH
Stivs…don’t want to blow smoke up yer arse…butt I will ;-))
H.H.
Dan joins the chat….how u doin ya long streak of pork ;-))
H.H.
Back to Basics.
Arsenal
I thought when they went out in Europe they showed a mental fragility contrasted to citeh.
They have barely had the success since 2003
Giving the Prof impression they have more important priorities epl over Europe,when they have not the mental strength to see that lesser trophy thro,to see a title through becomes a doubt.false strength.A team like Arsenal should be competing in everything like Vengers 2004 side,that side had mental strength and kudos built up,this side are kinda living on the standard set and havent done much since.
To much money harms as more comes into epl making it footballs equivalent of NBA in America.
If they slip its now a big fall.watch Chelsea next year.½billion for 9th.Chaos looms
Soz mate got delayed goin to game tangent post.
Ps we are the Canadian basketball league -))
HH
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16 wins 50 home goals
today v motherwell (previous 2-1 tight game if i recall right)
and a home game against st mirren (4-0) should they get top 6.
then we will have to play someone or two from the top 6 a third time at home.
we have already played twice at home to
sevco (4-0, 3-2), Aberdeen (2-0, 4-0), Hearts (2-0, 3-1), Hibs (6-1, 3-1), Livinston (2-1, 3-0)
so, we will get 19 home games, but if saint mirren dont make it we would have the really unusual event of playing TWO teams at home THREE times.
I am looking into it now, i think the same could be in play for SEVCO, in that they will have TWO teams away from home THREE TIMES , Hibs, aberdeen, hearts or celtic (nae chance)
either way they can call the phone ins all year blaming the unseen fenian hand, lawwell and the pope who conspired to cheat them out of the 56.
wah wah wah
So I assume the post split fixtures and kick off times will be announced Monday?
There no reason they shouldn’t be done Saturday, as the final 6 will be known before 5pm.
‘GG on 22ND APRIL 2023 12:21 PM
So I assume the post split fixtures and kick off times will be announced Monday?
There no reason they shouldn’t be done Saturday, as the final 6 will be known before 5pm.
————————
you would think all this week the schedulers were on their spreadsheets with every eventuality and outcome, gave these to police and tv partners, and would be ready to press go by the end of this evening.
then again, i dont recall them ever publishing before the last game pre split is done.
i types in half jest about huns complaining about the fixtures, but i do bet three times at pittodrie or hibs will be an issue for them.
anyways we havnt scored 7 at home yet this season, that would be nice, blow them away celtic cmon , ange wants the record.
Good afternoon all from Fleetwood Town F.C.
tell broonie we say hello, or better still get a picture and get it out there,
it will be a big thrill for him to meet you
Do we start with the usual defensive line up today or do we rest the venerable CCV and give him a run out for the last 30 minutes?
I suspect given the conjecture from the press corp, Ange will start him and sub him early.
Could Oh be handed a start to protect Kyogo? I wouldn’t be surprised if Kyogo comes off the Bench for the last 30 minutes, or if the game is safe he doesn’t make an appearance at all.
Ange May spring one or two surprises to keep the opposition guessing and protect his stalwarts before the trip to Hampden.
ange will pick his best team from those available,
he told us yesterday.
a game to be won and we play the game in front of us, not thinking of next weeks fixture at all.
What do we want?
A Celtic victory
Defeat for Kilmarnock who I want relegated, again,
and Dundee United to beat Livvie and keep them out of the top six.
Afternoon all.
Many thanks for your comments on my post from yesterday, it’s greatly appreciated.
Celtic minded folk are a wonderful community.
‘mon the hoops !!
Brian
https://www.celticfc.com/news/2023/april/22/remembering-billy-mcneill-as-a-celtic-player/
I’ve deliberately resisted the temptation to copy n paste, as I believe the guys n gals who put this together deserve the credit and hits for their work. Joe Sullivan gets the bye line.
St Stivs
From last November.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wr2N6VasEvPHkqKV8
A rather grumpy looking BRRB. 🙄
BIGRAILROADBLUES on 22ND APRIL 2023 1:07 PM
St Stivs
aye but who is who ?
.
Finally nearly heading after wee work delay.
To work Celtic do your best
For us and each other
Enjoy.
Remember Celts gone who inspired and led
Billy.McNeill
HH
I remember a few years ago the top 6 were known prior to the last games before the split and the post-split fixtures were announced in the week leading up to the final fixtures.
Expect this season’s post-split fixtures to be announced Tuesday or Wednesday.
St Stivs
Can’t remember, I was hors de combat. An aw that.
BRRB
Perhaps I should get a snap with Joey Barton 🤣
Gene
Ffs naw!! 😂
BRRB
Is “hors de combat” French for pished?😀
Celtic Football Club
@CelticFC
·
2h
💬 “It’s a challenge for us but we’re at home and you know there are not too many home games left to go, so we want to make sure we put on a good performance for our supporters and edge us closer to our goal.”✊
CELTIC: Hart, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Starfelt, Taylor, McGregor, Iwata, O’Riley, Haksabanovic, Kyogo, Maeda.
Subs: Bain, Mooy, Turnbull, Kobayashi, Oh, Bernabei, Summers, Ralston, Vata
GGH
Aye.😂
live updates up
Wrexham promoted, a brilliant story
Watch the documentary series and you will get it