With Leigh Griffiths set to sign in the next few moments our business for the January transfer window is complete. As well as Leigh, we added 20-year-old Icelandic striker Holmbert Fridjobsson, and 23-year-old Norwegian left-midfielder, Stefan Johansen.
I expect Johansen and Griffiths to be holding down a starting place no later than next month. Johansen’s case will be made all the more straightforward if Joe Ledley accepts an offer from Crystal Palace, although he may choose to wait until the summer before leaving.
We’ll be wondering why we signed Mo Bangura years from now, he patently didn’t look a player at Celtic.
Neil Lennon has a fixer-upper with Leigh, a player he has taken a number of references for and believes he can turn into a productive Celtic player. The player’s personal history is something he has to put behind him now. I’ve read many comments on this subject over the last few days, with some empathy, but it’s just as well Twitter wasn’t around in the 60s, 70s or 80s. Some of our heroes from past eras have been more than a tad off-colour in my earshot.
Time for Leigh to get onto the field and do what he does best.
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From the movie Amistad…
Your Honors, I derive much consolation from the fact that my colleague, Mr. Baldwin, here, has argued the case in so able and so complete a manner as to leave me scarcely anything to say. However, why are we here? How is it that a simple, plain property issue should now find itself so enobled as to be argued before the Supreme Court of the United States of America? I mean, do we fear the lower courts, which found for us easily, somehow missed the truth? Is that it? Or is it, rather, our great and consuming fear of civil war that has allowed us to heap symbolism upon a simple case that never asked for it and now would have us disregard truth, even as it stands before us, tall and proud as a mountain? The truth, in truth, has been driven from this case like a slave, flogged from court to court, wretched and destitute. And not by any great legal acumen on the part of the opposition, I might add, but through the long, powerful arm of the Executive Office. Yea, this is no mere property case, gentlemen. I put it to you thus: This is the most important case ever to come before this court. Because what it, in fact, concerns is the very nature of man… And this is a publication of the Office of the President. And it’s called the Executive Review, and I’m sure you all read it. At least I’m sure the President hopes you all read it. This is a recent issue, and there’s an article in here written by a ‘keen mind of the South,’ who is my former Vice President, John Calhoun, perhaps, could it be? – who asserts that: ‘There has never existed a civilized society in which one segment did not thrive upon the labor of another. As far back as one chooses to look – to ancient times, to Biblical times – history bears this out. In Eden, where only two were created, even there, one was pronounced subordinate to the other. Slavery has always been with us and is neither sinful nor immoral. Rather, as war and antagonism are the natural states of man, so too, slavery, as natural as it is inevitable.’ Now, gentlemen, I must say I differ with the keen minds of the South, and with our President, who apparently shares their views, offering that the natural state of mankind is, instead – and I know this is a controversial idea – is freedom, is freedom. And the proof is the length to which a man, woman, or child will go to regain it, once taken. He will break loose his chains. He will decimate his enemies. He will try and try and try against all odds, against all prejudices, to get home. Cinque, would you stand up, if you would, so everyone can see you. This man is black. We can all see that. But can we also see as easily that which is equally true; that he is the only true hero in this room. Now, if he were white, he wouldn’t be standing before this court fighting for his life. If he were white and his enslavers were British, he wouldn’t be able to stand, so heavy the weight of the medals and honors we would bestow upon him. Songs would be written about him. The great authors of our times would fill books about him. His story would be told and retold in our classrooms. Our children, because we would make sure of it, would know his name as well as they know Patrick Henry’s. Yet, if the South is right, what are we to do with that embarrassing, annoying document, The Declaration of Independence? What of its conceits? ‘All men…created equal,’ ‘inalienable rights,’ ‘life,’ ‘liberty,’ and so on and so forth? What on earth are we to do with this? I have a modest suggestion…. The other night I was talking with my friend, Cinque. He was over at my place, and uh, we were out in the greenhouse together. And he was explaining to me how when a member of the Mende, that’s his people, how when a member of the Mende encounters a situation where there appears no hope at all, he invokes his ancestors. It’s a tradition. See, the Mende believe that if one can summon the spirits of one’s ancestors, then they have never left, and the wisdom and strength they fathered and inspired will come to his aid. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, John Adams. We have long resisted asking you for guidance. Perhaps we have feared in doing so we might acknowledge that our individuality which we so, so revere is not entirely our own. Perhaps we’ve feared an appeal to you might be taken for weakness. But, we’ve come to understand, finally, that this is not so. We understand now, we’ve been made to understand, and to embrace the understanding that who we are is who we were. We desperately need your strength and wisdom to triumph over our fears, our prejudices, ourselves. Give us the courage to do what is right. And if it means civil war, then let it come. And when it does, may it be, finally, the last battle of the American Revolution. That’s all I have to say.
Surely a left back is the priority for the summer to have cover for Izzy. We have three right backs, only one left back.
Samaras’ performance against Barcelona (THE very best) in our home CL game this season was MAGNIFICENT.
He carried our 9-man outfield effort upon his shoulders, giving Barca a rare old time trying to contain him.
Some on here have very short memories/bias through ignorance of the game/ bitter incomprehensible grudges.
Keeping Samaras can only enhance our future CL chances.
Leftclick
That is not a bad team! I remain addicted to the memories of those earliest games my dad and two uncles took me to. Huge crowds ( 37000 usually) tremendous noise, standing enclosure in front of the stand, half the clergy in the archdiocese up in the stand, wee Jimmy on one wing , big Yogi on the other, Lennox, Wallace, Chalmers , Hood or even wee Macari in the middle getting the goals, big Tam hitting the ball so hard you felt sorry for it, big Billy imperious, wee Bertie and the Majestic Murdoch running the show, Faither in goals or sometimes John Fallon and then Evan Williams running about their are to keep warm , the calm Clark or the feisty Brogan sweeping up and either Craig or Hay supporting wee Jinky with tireless overlaps. If I am never
not misty eyed about those far off days just shoot me.
Jimbo67 supporting Oscar Knox
Area not are that the keepers ran about
Jimbo67 supporting Oscar Knox
Griffith not registered in time for tomorrow,Bryson still on top of things at Hampden?
I love it when we dig up a hidden gem, a player who has perhaps been overlooked by other scouts. Usually found at a lower level European club or just breaking through like Wanyama was. Most of these guys (not all) may have fancy foreign names but it’s not the name that’s attractive to supporters it’s the mystique that we may just have unearthed a hidden talent. Leigh Griffiths is no hidden talent, everyone knows his abilities or perhaps more accurate, would be his inabilities. No doubt he would have been extensively watched and yet nobody made a move for him but us, either in this window or the last one. I just hope every other club/scout are either blind or are proven to be a poor poor judge of a player.
BCW.. can you nip down to glasgow green and take a look at the pitches and let me know if i will need my long aluminium studs for my boots this afternoon ? you are in the area anyway :)
Touting in Seville…
From SEVILLE – The Celtic Movement. Book launches at CQTEN…
“However, there I was, sitting in the bar in this rather posh hotel where I wasn’t staying, on the night before the game. I was with some others and we were formulating a plan as to what we would do in these unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances (being let down for a ticket), when it became clear that there was this bloke who was selling tickets for the match. He had a book of tickets and was selling them at around 300 euros as time to anyone who was willing to pay the price. As I say it was a rather swish hotel and there were plenty of takers with the appropriate money. I was tempted, but at the end of the day decided that I wasn’t paying that price and opted instead to just watch the game and enjoy the party at one of the fan zones. But your man with the tickets did a good steady trade selling to Celtic fans and Porto fans alike.
I was in the fan zone the following day when suddenly the face of the ticket seller from the night before appeared on the big screen. I recognised him immediately but still had no idea who he was and was quite bemused as to why this guy’s face would be up on screen. Then I realised he was sitting on the Porto bench, I think his name was Jose something or other!!!!”
True story! Plenty more in what is a superb book.
Modern drawstring trousers are rubbish.
From Nowoldandgrumpy
From TSFM http://t.co/Kdmlq7pdn9
I have searched the relevant Registers and cannot find a firm with the above name listed. RIFC ?
john clarke on February 1, 2014 at 11:29 am
18 1 Rate This
Quiet Saturday morning. Here’s an exchange of emails between me and the Financial control Authority:
Date Sent: 23/01/2014 10:00:53
To: Consumer.Queries@fca.org.uk
Subject: RE: Rangers International Football Club; IPO prospectus,
2012.
Please may I ask why Rangers International Football Club were permitted to exclude the rate of remuneration of one of its most highly paid employee’s (the team manager) from the details provided in the prospectus issued for their IPO last year?
Can you refer me to the relevant provisions of any Rules or regulations that empower such an exemption and on what grounds?
Would any and all companies intending to seek AIM listing be favoured with such exemption?
Thank you.
John Clarke
———————————–
Reply from FCA
“Dear Mr Clarke
Thank you for your email asking what rules allow Rangers International Football Club to exclude the rate of remuneration of an employee’s details in the prospectus issued for their IPO.
In response, I am sorry to inform you that it is not clear what sort of firm this is and in what circumstances they are regulated. I have searched the relevant Registers and cannot find a firm with the above name listed, so cannot provide any information at this time. I would therefore ask that you provide more information about your query and more details about the firm so that I can locate them on the relevant Register.
For further clarification about our role, the FCA regulates most financial services and firms to ensure that markets and financial systems remain sound, stable and resilient and to ensure consumer protection. Should you wish to find out more about how we do this, please click on the following link:
http://www.fca.org.uk/about
While I recognise that this is not the answer that you were hoping to receive, I do hope that the information I have provided explains the reason for this and you are aware of your next steps.
Yours sincerely
————-
My reply to that:
“Thank you very much for your reply.
Rangers International Football club, Companies House number SC437060, is regulated by the Alternative Investment Market, to which it was admitted at the tail end of 2012.
It appears that, at the request of the manager of that football club- who was afraid that if his huge salary was made known to the public, he would become a pariah- the Board made representations seeking permission not to include details of that salary in the Prospectus prepared for their application to be admitted to AIM.
( The background, for your interest, is as follows: a football club known as Rangers Football Club Ltd went into administration. It lost its membership of the Scottish Premier league, and of the Scottish Football Association.
The assets were bought by a consortium which set up a new club ( Sevco Scotland) which then changed its name to The Rangers Football Club, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rangers International Football Club plc.
Unfortunately for the new club, it was not admitted into the Scottish premier league. Instead, it was granted membership of the lowest division in the Scottish Football league.
The manager of the new club, playing in the bottom-tier league, where many teams are composed of part-time players and have attendances of only some few hundreds, was nevertheless on a salary of c. £800,000 p.a.
It appears that he felt that he would have been mightily embarrassed if the fans of the club realised that he was being paid such a ridiculously high salary , which was vastly in excess of the combined salaries of the managers of the other teams against which his team competes.
Especially when his own players were being asked to take a cut in their salaries to ease the financial pressure on the financially very badly and chaotically run club).
I had thought that the Prospectus for an IPO had to be kind of upfront about the running costs, directors’ and staff salaries and such like, and not try to pull the wool over the eyes of potential investors.
I was therefore astonished to read that AIM (or whoever) had agreed that the Board of RIFC could keep schtum about the hugely disproportionate cost of their manager.
Yours sincerely,
John Clarke
——
Got to get the truth out there!
From macbloscaidh
Well it wouldnt be the first time a crime has taken place at the marble staircase
http://t.co/Nryysgud0Z
UVF boss was killed at Ibrox; LOYALIST MYSTERY # Witness claims murder was covered up # He tells of attack on stadium staircase.
Disgusting how this is covered up.
Link to this page
Byline: RUSSELL FINDLAY
A SHOCKED eyewitness has described how a leading UVF loyalist was murdered at Ibrox Stadium – and his death covered up.
William Taube’s head was smashed against the marble floor of the Edmiston suite inside Rangers’ ground.
In a sworn statement which has been passed to the Crown Office, the witness claimed he had been pressured to tell police it was an accident.
The witness – who is terrified of retribution – only spoke out as he could no longer live with the knowledge he had witnessed a murder.
He also wants to discover what happened to Taube’s mystery attacker, who he fears was killed in a revenge attack.
Unmarried dad-of-four Taube, 42, was co-hosting a Blue Mist function on a Sunday night in April, 1999.
Guests included several Loyalist prisoners recently released from the Maze.
Security was provided by Taube’s friends, including a leading member of the UVF in Glasgow.
Just after midnight, Taube, of Balornock, Glasgow, challenged an unknown man who was pestering female guests.
The witness, who The Sunday Mail has chosen not to name, says the man lunged toward Taube and headbutted him, causing the two men to fall down the stairs.
As he began punching Taube, he was attacked by a gang of Taube’s friends.
The pair then began fighting again and fell down a second flight of stairs.
This time Taube landed on his back with the man on top of him, cracking his head on the tiled floor.
An ambulance was called and Taube’s assailant was beaten up in the car park before fleeing.
Taube died of head injuries at Glasgow’s Southern General Hospital. His devastated family buried him in the city’s Riddrie Park cemetery.
The witness last saw Taube’s attacker being chased down Edmiston Drive by up to 10 of his associates.
The witness said: ‘One of them told me, ‘He’s a dead man.’ I’ve no idea what happened to him.
‘I was told to say Taube had too much to drink and had fallen down the stairs.
‘I objected but two ex-prisoners at the top table threatened to kneecap me if I didn’t do as I was told.’
During his first police interview, the witness told disbelieving officers it had been a drunken accident.
He said: ‘They knew I was lying because they kept asking if I was under pressure and if I wanted to change my story.’
Several days later, police quizzed him again. This time he claims to have been threatened by an officer.
He said: ‘As I was placed in the holding cell, one said that if I didn’t say it was an accident, Taube’s pals would be told I was holding up the release of his body.’ Following the incident, the witness received death threats and his marriage hit the rocks.
He believes Taube’s UVF pals were told he had changed his statement.
Last night, Taube’s heartbroken mother, Isabella Wallace, revealed she knew his violent death had been covered up.
Most of Taube’s family were not there on that fateful night, although his son William Jnr, 25, and Taube’s common-law wife were present.
Isabella and Taube’s brothers Thomas, 45, and David, 43, believe secrets have been kept from them.
She said: ‘I said there was a cover up at the time and still believe it. William’s death wasn’t an accident.
‘I haven’t spoken to his partner since and I think she knows more than she’s telling us.
‘I even fell out with the police and told one in particular he was telling us a pack of lies – he seemed determined to get it out of the way quickly.
‘I went to the procurator fiscal’s office several months after William’s death and the woman couldn’t get me out of there quick enough.
‘I insisted on a post-mortem but the fiscal said it was only a head injury and that was all there was to it.
‘Even when he got to hospital they left him sitting in A&E for two hours.
‘I don’t know if that’s because they thought he was just a drunk who had been in a fight but I wonder whether they could have saved him.’
Isabella added: ‘Nothing will bring him back but there was more to it.
‘I don’t even have a picture of my boy. I wanted one to put in a necklace but he didn’t like having his picture taken.’ At the time, Strathclyde Police did not release details and officially decided it was a fall.
The fact Taube died as a result of head injuries sustained inside Ibrox Park remains undisputed.
The man in charge of the enquiry into Taube’s death was detective inspector Alan Kyle, now retired.
He said: ‘I remember Taube fell down the stairs from the cloakroom area towards the front door.
‘The circumstances were as we obtained them from witnesses at the time and reported to the fiscal.
‘As for the allegations about a police officer, I had no knowledge of them. If I had been aware, I can assure you I would have investigated it.’
Last night, the Crown Office said: ‘Any new evidence relating to this case would certainly be looked at by the procurator fiscal.’
CAPTION(S):
Terror group: The UVF; Probe: Kyle, right, investigated the death at Ibrox of Taube, whose grave, left, is in Riddrie
Sandman-correct re Samaras,i hope he stays.Can’t believe we are letting him go to the World Cup as a free agent? Give him a 3 year deal,if a bid comes in and he wants to go,we will get a fee.The guy owes us nothing having dropped over a million from his Man City contract to sign for us.
G’day Celts and as it’s my first post of 2014 I’d like to wish you all a happy new year ✊
Best wishes to Joe Ledley and a warm welcome to Leigh Griffiths a goal scoring striker at long last ( thumbs up).
HH
Many people don’t realise that it’s a team game. That one player makes space for another, and perhaps makes the other look good. Didier Deschamps was described by Eric Cantona as a “water-carrier”, but was listed by Pele in his “greatest living footballers” list in 2004. So what does this mean?
At the moment, Celtic’s strikers don’t score goals. Who cares, if they make room for young Mr Commons? I’m not Anthony Stokes’s greatest fan, but recently he has played a blinder in terms of making space for KC. Celtic are set up at the moment so that our furthest forward player is not our main goalscorer (to give an analogy, Makelele was Chelsea’s most significant defender, although he wasn’t in the back line). This is a team game.
In the same way, Sammi is obviously playing to instructions from NL (if he wasn’t he’d be out the door, à la Thomas Graveson under WGS). He is a good footballer, often asked to play a game which doesn’t make him shine (target man?? Running at a packed defence??). He works his socks off – which many people don’t see because he “flounces” when he loses the ball. He’s more suited to a counter-attacking game than the SPL, but he is also useful in the SPL, where he can make space for others.
There are many people who seem to want us to sign a penalty-box striker so that we can do better in the CL – we never get near the penalty-box against the better teams in the CL! This is exactly where we need Samaras. If we could replace him with the young Michael Laudrup then I’d say that we go for it, but this is not where we are. We need more quality players, and perhaps more mobility in the middle. We certainly need to hold on to the defence as long as we can. Let’s keep our footballers as far as possible.
Jimbo67,
Congratulations on today’s anniversary. We owe our fathers for the gift of Celtic. I owe your late father, who I miss, for introducing me to the joys of Gin & Tonic. I think I’ll have a large one tonight to toast George & you.
hen1rik
Nice exchange – love it… Hahaha
tallybhoy
11:40 on 1 February, 2014
I might have missed one or two, but I have counted nine of our young players out on loan.
Watt, McGregor, George, Irvine, Atajic, Chalmers, Findlay, Miller and McGeough.
How many will return?
————-
IMHO only Watt, as a definite, whilst McGregor needs tested at a higher level.
A lot of Watt’s goals are counter attacks or using his strength one on one, and this could be a real asset for us in Europe.
It may be tempting to bring them both back in the summer, but I would give them both another year on loan, with careful consideration to clubs/ leagues/ coaches who would develop their tactical awareness.
I thought we had a player in Dylan, but I suspect he is one of these guys who over 6/7 years will work his way up to top end of Championship
new article posted.
Great piece of business getting Joe to Palace. £1M in fee and saved wages between now and June.
My worry now is young Adam Mathews has lost his best mate in Glasgow.
Rubicon
Thanks. Obviously I miss the old man on days like this . A glass will certainly be raised to his memory tonight. I have much to thank him for but 45 years ago today was just about the best thing.
I hope you are well.
Jimbo67 supporting Oscar Knox
Fraser Forster has a total of 114 clean sheets from 228 matches in his club career.
Sandman @ 12 14
Glad to hear big Georgios is staying, has he signed a new contract?
Agreed the Greek was a marked man in the CL after is performances and scoring in the CL last season. Marked by three opponents every occasion he had the ball and with no Wanyama or Brown to help out he carried a big workload.. he is a class player and is off to Brazil to play in his umpteenth International tournament which is not surprising.
Looking forward to seeing Leigh G giving Kris Commons a dig out in the goal-scoring dept
Looks like it’s not just Celtic players that get booked after scoring
Sunderland player scored a penalty, then stood on top of the advertising bored to salute his fans who are away up the very top of that massive stand behind the goal at Newcastle, and he gets booked
He didn’t jump over the board, or gesture the Newcastle fans who are in the lower bits of that stand
These refs are muppets
patmcg1888
Many thanks for the CQN Beanie which is great. First outing tomorrow to be worn with pride. Apologies for the tardy acknowledgement. Highly recommended to one and all.
Sorry to see Joe Ledley go – can’t understand his thought process going to a team which is fairly certain to be in the relegation zone. It’s all about the money, I guess.
Anybody got a good recommendation of somewhere to stay in Tenerife late April for a week (from 25th)? Looking for a pure chill out All Inclusive, with easy access to a Tim friendly establishment for essential viewing as required. Thanks in anticipation.
HH
Can anyone translate Charlie Nicholas ramblings about contracts on skysports just now, jeez, Paul Merson’s coming across like Einstein in comparison
Anymare signings??
Griffith not registered in time for tomorrow,Bryson still on top of things at Hampden?
————–
Nice one, I like that.
Scunthorpe 5-4
Aberdeen 10-11
Dundee Utd. 6-5
Dundee 4-9
Falkirk 4-11
Stake £10
Return:£186.14
Easy money, got to think positive right.
Wish we well, hehehehehe
jist in fae the jiggin’
Well.. Ledley, Decides tae Flee..
n.. Ah Am. .. Fu’ o’ Glee
Howevahhhhhhhhhhhh…..
Sammi, Stayed.. n Ah am..
Dismayed!
Ach, Ah should hiv Known!
Fur.. Where is Sammi, Gonnie Get a Sinecure ,such as he hiz at Celtic?
Ah wull answer that..in
Two Woids!
Nae Whur!( Nowhere,is only ONE word..ed)
Yes it is.. but..
Ah didnae Write.. Nowhere!
Sammi ,is a “Tease tae Please” , Kinda player.
which, Ah detest..
Ah hate Inconsistent Players..n Sammi,is wan o them.
Well.. Although, he is staying. that disnae mean that he wull get
many games.. Between Noo n Season’s end.
Fur..
Oor Strikers’ Dept..is Chock Full..n is gonna get…
Even..Chockier!
when the Cannon Ball Kid returns tae the fold…
n.. Pukki, Finds… his.. “Sweet Mystery of Life”( n . He Wull. Oh..yes. He Wull)
n.. Amido, gets his Keester in Gear..( n, He Wull.. Oh Yes.. He Wull)
n, the Fridge…Gets Hoat.( n, He Wull.. Oh Yes… He Wull)
n the Pocket Dynamo, A.K.A……Lee Griffiths, comes Alive.( n, He Wull.. Ye kin Bet yer Sweet Patootie.. He Wull)
Ah call him that.. because he is
a Mere.. Five Foot Sevener.. (jist) in his Argyles…an he hits the scales at a Wraith – like.. Ten Stone Three ….
Not tae Mention.. Stokesy Bhoy.. whom…oan Second thoughts..
Ah Wullnae
Yep, Sammi, wull Stey.. but.. He wull spend maist o’ his Saturday efternoons..
Lookin fur a Weddin’… tae Hing aroon.
Sure, Ah am Kiddin’..
But,as ye know..
Many a Trewth is spoken. In Jest.
Right?
Of course, Ah am.. Right.
Ah alwiz.. Am.
Kojo
Stil,Laughin