In retrospect, there was so much wrong at Celtic during season 2020-21, that the destructive antics of Boli Bolingoli had no bearing on the outcome. At the time, however, it felt like a body blow. As restrictions of the first lockdown were lifting, the football industry was granted permission to mix inside their own bubble, but they were prohibited from mixing with the general population.
Bolingoli broke these rules by taking a short trip to Spain, then made a substitute appearance for Celtic at Rugby Park, before news of his actions broke. He has been sent out on loan twice since, and, on other occasions, used sparingly only when the squad was depleted by illness and isolation.
Yesterday he left Celtic for the last time, securing a two year deal with Mechelen. He will not be back to do the Paradise Windfall draw. Whatever Celtic got wrong in 2020-21, unlike some, they did not duck and dive when it came to public health rules.
Celtic face Czech side Banik Ostrava this evening, as part of their centenary celebrations. They finished fifth last season, well adrift of Slavia, Sparta and champions, Viktoria Plzen. As a guide to their aptitude, Jablonec, who we beat home and away in August in Europa League qualification, finished eighth. In fitness terms, Banik should be ahead of Celtic, with six games already under their belt, so I expect this game will take a toll on the players.
Fun fact: Wikipedia notes Banik have had 31 managers since the Millennium and are on their third boss of the year.
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AIPPLE on 13TH JULY 2022 12:01 PM
Happy Wednesday all.
4 weeks to go.
HH!
AIPPLE you are luckier than me. I was due to arrive back on 29th and had an invite to the Aberdeen game. BA cancelled the flight so we had to cancel the whole trip, including a week in Lisbon.
Best Wishes OLDTIM 67
Most regular fans who fancy a drink before the game have a favourite pub or pubs. It’s part of their matchday routine/ritual The idea that they would all flock to an onsite facility is fanciful.
Personally I’d rather drink in a bona fide pub that is open everyday, has a bit of heritage about it and regular bar staff than in a purpose built facility that’s open for a few hours once a fortnight during the season and is staffed by temps. Others might think differently.
What is needed though is some sort of decent toilet facilities accessible pre match, particularly for those with weans in tow.
Happy Birthday to OldTim67, one of the most genuine men I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.
Hope you have a good one my friend, and that there are many more to come.
Top bloke.
AN TEARMANN
@1259
Excellent summation of how the rags try to engender sales.
Hail Hail
Stay Safe
On the pitch and iff the pitch the same rules apply, stand still and you’ll be going backwards. Celtic need much better facilities in and around the stadium and should be sqeezing every last penny possible to make the business the best I can be. Football clubs in general are very poor at looking after the supporters. Not helped by a hostile government who does not like supporters of football having to much fun
Finger out cfc!!!!
Sargassosea and AN Tearmann,
Saw you guys talking about Donegal last night and places around Kerrykeel. I spent every summer growing up in Kerrykeel at my Uncle Hughie’s Bar, Shiels Bar, right inthe wee town center. even used to work in thebar as a young teenager at night as the band room would get pretty packed. My uncle Hughie and Aunt Jeannie had their house above the bar, before they built a house onthe road out towards Milford. Kerrykeel is on my retirement list but I need to convince my Yankee wife of that.
Thanks for bringing back great memories. I haven’t been over there since I left to come to America in 94.
Sean.
Methinks Ernie’s on a fishing expedition surely…..
HH
MPShanks- thanks for that, but it doesn’t suit my argument 😁,Kerrydale is full very early on matchdays,we really need more facilities all round the stadium perimeter,where possible
Ernie- i have been going to the same pub beside the Park for over 25 years, and i wouldnt change it, but we really need to put a lot more on IMO
FAO BRRB and FRIEDSDORFOR….
I have just spoken to ” MAUREEN” at the Kerrydale Suite via the phone.
She has advised that NO ONE is a allowed into the Suite UNLESS they have paid for the Hospitality Package in advance or are Season Ticket Holders. I checked this morning and the Hospitality Deal is priced at almost £80.
So it looks at though we will have to meet somewhere on the Celtic Way, and then TRY and get Transport into the Town, but Maureen also advised me that The Police WILL NOT allow traffic to access London Road at the bottom of the Celtic Way, until at LEAST 30 Minutes AFTER the game ?
She also advised that Celtic WILL indeed be opening up another ” NEW BAR” etc elsewhere in the Stadium, but she could NOT tell me WHEN or WHERE ?
HH.
BIGRAILROADBLUES on 13TH JULY 2022 12:25 PM
Friesdorfer, be nice to have your company again A on Saturday post match. Big Jimmy and I shall send you back to the Silvery Tay feeling happy and carefree. 😜🍺……….
………….
And PENNILESS !
LOL.
HH Mate.
I emailed JPT this morning regarding future plans for a bar for the general public or a fan zone.
Will let you all know when he replies.
BRRB and FRIEDSDORFER..
Although I will be with POR CIETRO during the Match etc….He is a NON Drinker, so I dont expect him to be hanging around with us Scallywags after the game.
HH
!!BADA BING!! on 13TH JULY 2022 1:32 PM
But I still don’t see an economic argument (which is the only reason money would be spent) in favour of providing more facilities. The capital cost for the potential revenue to be earned for at most a few hours on maybe 25-30 days a year just wouldn’t stack up.
Season books are sold out so it’s not like the lack of facilities is adversely affecting attendance figures, is it?
At the end of the day CP is a football stadium, not a tourist facility.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7716579/Manchester-City-themed-pub-inside-Etihad-Stadium-open.html
https://www.bdcnetwork.com/tottenham-hotspur-stadium-has-its-own-brewery-europes-longest-bar
Ernie,
Celtic Park is both, a football stadium and a tourist facility.
Many families arrive before the games and go to the Superstore. They need somewhere to go that is child friendly in the local vicinity. Toilet facilities, sheltered foot and drink outlets should be a pre requisite.
Most ” events” catering for tens of thousands of people now have appropriate facilities to suit. Pop up bars etc.
Celtic, GCC and some supporters need to realise that this is 2022 and times have changed.
The match day experience has evolved.
HH.
Lounges for fans & the matchday experience.
Had Fergus demolished the entire stadium, and not left the main stand intact, then the new build could have been placed further away from the cemetery wall at the back of the north stand. Giving much needed breathing space for fans and architects alike.
I have no idea if this was even considered 28 years ago as the main stand would still be a viable asset at the time.
Without appreciating any of the logistical challenges …
… I find the idea of some new temporary facilities outside the South Stand quite appealing
… while we wait for the Celtic village to materialise.
A marquee type covering with wide access either end provides a teensy bit of shelter in rotten days
market stall counters at front to take orders, mobile food prep units in the back
Row of cheap benches and tables.
Row of portaloos.
What else needed?
Scale might be a problem.
No space to feed 5,000?
Feeding 250 doesn’t make a dent?
Years ago when my kids were younger we’d have anything between 2 and a half to 3 hours to waste before kick off. A wander round the Celtic Superstore and then ended up going to the Forge, it was dry, warm and had toilets. The alternative a pub, not a great venue for kids or go inside the stadium long before kick off to try and keep them occupied until kick off, at least we had somewhere to sit. We’d been up since 4 travelling over from Donegal, some basic, dry , warm place with toilets outside the stadium ( fanzone) would have been so welcome! It still would!
Borgo67
Hi mate,came across this on twitter of your late brother winning a competition as a 14 y.o.
On the timeline another brother is mentioned.
https://twitter.com/frankdevlin2/status/1546925570948202498?t=itGvrhQtLqlVsJ8I-i0VPQ&s=19
:-)
HH
GREENPINATA on 13TH JULY 2022 2:02 PM
‘ They need somewhere to go that is child friendly in the local vicinity. ‘
###
They don’t ‘need’ any of that.
They’d prefer it those facilities were there, but they’re not, and they survived the experience.
And the stadium is sold out, so the matchday experience is obviously good enough for enough people.
MCPHAIL BHOY on 13TH JULY 2022 2:10 PM
It didn’t stop you going though, did it?
Definitely fishing….
Ernie,
Continuous improvement should never stop. It’s part and parcel of valuing our supporters
#Weneverstop. On and off the park.
ERNIE LYNCH on 13TH JULY 2022 2:18 PM
MCPHAIL BHOY on 13TH JULY 2022 2:10 PM
It didn’t stop you going though, did it?
————————————————-
I didn’t correct. But it did stop one of my kids, she’s never been back since she was last there, soaked, tired and freezing too many times. How many like her have given up too, particularly those like us who have left in the middle of the night to watch games and then have 6 or 7 hours of travelling afterwards?
BIG WAVY on 13TH JULY 2022 2:21 PM
Nothing of the sort. Why would Celtic spend money they don’t have to? The stadium’s sold out.
Try engaging with the argument.
So what if Chelsea and Man City are opening bars inside their stadia? Celtic have had the Kerrydale Bar for what, 10 years?
MCPHAIL BHOY on 13TH JULY 2022 2:25 PM
The point remains, The Stadium has sold out.
I’m not suggesting the match day experience couldn’t be better, particularly for those who travel a long way to get there, and have to face the same journey to get back home, especially if they have weans with them. Obviously it could.
I’m suggesting that there’s no reason for Celtic spend money they don’t have to.
As a matter of interest were you travelling on one of Paddy Sweeney’s busses?
Sadly lacking, but Paul67 has written more than once about the stadium as is, only clubs with resourceless funding make proper stadia nowadays Spurs, ( millions in debt ) Arsenal less so.
How to make antiquated ‘hole in the wall’ catering of the main stand fit for Celtic supporters costs too much, that’s why its a basic house of steel paid for by the Celtic supporters share issue in 1994.
The Celtic Park footprint is constantly denied upgrade by the former Lallygrad , and State Aid Central it doesn’t want Parkhead with a proper match day experience anywhere within public view. They’d rather you didn’t bring a car either, and want invisible cyclists to breeze through.
One hamburger van – why do I you need another one attitude?
SARGASSOSEA
That sucks. Hate to hear that. I do worry about cancellations.
Happy Birthday OldTim!!
BigJimmy.1.38.
You big charmer you 🤣. Wee Maureen succumbed to your patter by givin you a wee exclusive on bars opening soon.🤣
:-)
Yup!ye still got it
HH
AN TEARMANN
Thanks. It’s been doing the rounds on our family WhatsApp. Don’t remember him ever mentioning it , prize winners all got a guinea, so that wasn’t yesterday .
Do football clubs sell food within the stadium? Do they make money from said sales?
Clubs need to maximise revenue. The sale of alcohol, to as wide a market as can be accommodated, is a no brainer
The Boss.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPF7aZ65WSw
And a Happy Birthday to OldTim, Njoi yer day.
AT
Another thing I noticed on the newspaper cutting of my brother being the Celtic boy, is the score from our league cup game against Arbroath 3-3. I did a bit of digging, a hat trick from Derek Rylance, game played at hampden in front of less than five thousand. Had never come across that game before.
BSR @ 2.43
Who — outside of the laziness of the board — is stopping the club from expanding / improving its facilities?
The EPL are not expanding / improving out of the goodness of their heart — they see the money they can make out of all these new facilities and they want their share of the matchday spend.
The area around the stadium is 80% a tarmac desert.
Plus we has a “Superstore” shop that has the look of a posh portakabin.
Imagine flying 5K miles to Glesga to see where your idols play and there is no museum and the airport had better retail facilities — we are just so low rent I wonder how society ever took to indoor toilets..
on and on and on and on.
tedious.
especially from people who never take in a game.
Best wishes to OLDTIM67!
Hope you are having a great day!