Celtic and Hearts’ true colours on show

It will surprise no one that Celtic asked their £50k from James Anderson’s donation to Scottish football to go straight towards the Foundation’s covid crisis work.  The last update I heard before this, the total spent by the Foundation on covid-related causes was £450k, so that puts them north of £500k now.

This comes at a time when there was no badge sales at Celtic Park and a series of supporter and Foundation fundraising events were cancelled.  The need is great, money is going out and precious little can be coming in.

Not much will change on the fundraising front while the crisis rages, but the need for the Foundation’s work at Christmas and beyond will be greater than ever.  We need to do whatever we can when this is over to fortify the Foundation’s resources.

Well done to Aberdeen and Kilmarnock, who also forwarded their donation to their charity arms.  These are hard times for every club; you have to respect the few who think of others before themselves.

Speaking of which, this line from Hearts newly sacked manager, Daniel Stendel caught my eye this morning: “Asked if he was angry to find out that Hearts had paid compensation to Dundee United despite him not accepting his wages since March, he answered: “Then I even paid for my successor!””

Use the money your manager has agreed to forgo to help you out, to pay compensation for a replacement in order to sack him.  Ann Budge knows how to resonate with Hearts’ well-established values.  Both Celtic and Hearts’ true colours are on show today.