7 March 2020 – the last day fans gathered at Celtic Park to see their team in action. You don’t need to attend games to be a committed Celtic fan, many live far from Glasgow and others cannot get to games for a variety of reasons, but thousands of us will not have gone so long without seeing Celtic in the flesh since infancy. We are now all armchair fans.
There are parallels in our personal lives; we are armchair sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and parents, work from home colleagues. We are not all sociable creatures; I know some who are quite happy in their cocoon, but for many, this has been a trying time in their personal lives, even more so without the ceremonies of supporting Celtic.
For me, that means getting together with three generations of the family, it gives us a common currency we can spend in each other’s market. Truth is, nothing else allows us to bond in the same way. It is not the same by text, not even close.
The family thing is all good and well, but why do you and I bond, when do we bond as the Celtic Movement? For some, Celtic speaks to our ancestry, but that’s an influence that is significantly less than when I first stood at Celtic Park. I know there are some who found us through the Lisbon Lions all those years ago. This month I met a Syrian fan. He had worked various grounds as a steward and found a home for his sporting heart in the process. I also know a born contrarian, who from the age of 7 decided the team her (cherished) father despised was the one she would follow all her life.
Whatever brought you to Celtic, Celtic has an influence on our world view, almost without exception. We are a community, formed to help the starving. The more fans you meet, the more influenced you become in adopting this core value. There is not another club in the world (unless some outfit from Gibraltar claims otherwise) that has a call to action as noble as this.
In March, Celtic FC Foundation launched its Football for Good Fund. The world changed, which had two consequences for your Foundation, there would be no badge day, no bucket collection, no mountain top huddle or arctic trek, but the needy, the lonely, the isolated and the vulnerable would multiple.
The Fund raised over £1m, £250k of which came during the Christmas Appeal phase, how this was achieved in these circumstances is difficult to comprehend, unless you consider the values of those who cherish it.
Where was the money spent? You know the kids whose parents do not have a spare penny? 2,272 of them received Christmas gifts for their children and another 376 vulnerable families received ‘an envelope’ to help them through. Another £30k was distributed through 10 children and family charities.
11 homeless charities, four refugee charities, and three women’s aid charities were also given cash. Hampers were given to vulnerable elderly and families, and toys given to organisations who know where to find kids who go without.
The Welfare State is over 70 years old but like any massive apparatus, there are cracks and limits through which thousands fall. You need to be on the ground to find those who cannot be found by policy. The Celtic FC Foundation is a chain linking those of us who have with those who have not. It is relentless in pursuing the values we were founded upon. Staffed by people who endure the delight and turmoil of supporting Celtic, but who know too well the consequences when our community cannot gather, for those who count on us for a Christmas toy.
You can be proud of these values and the community you have fortified. It will outlast all of us and will benefit more lives than you will ever know. But next year, champions again or not, those of us who have, need to do more, because the metrics are not getting better.
With or without your loved ones, take care and have a happy Christmas.
389 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- »
YouTube now Glasgow Pavalion Panto live
If anyone has grandkids or fancy it.
D :)
Good afternoon all
Hope Santa is good to you all.Till we meet again.YNWA
Hope everyone has as nice a Christmas as possible in these Hunnish times.The main thing is,Stay Safe,
All the best from a very sunny and warm,Turkey.
TOSB
The Celtic team and manager come as a package to me. I support Neil Lennon and the Celtic team.
Despise Celtic PLC though.
David 66
Does it come with subtitles
many opinions, many ways of supporting – agreed
was just being an a-hole ;-)
(and also in denial !)
off to the Calton Book Shop now ….
who needs Panto when we have Celtic’s defending !
‘He’s behind you ! ffs – another goal ‘
A few strange Christmas Eve posts so far.
On the team, I agree we are currently a long shot to win the League. Paddy Power has the Huns 8/1 on and we are 9/2.
A defeat at Ibrox and it will be all but over, a draw we are still there with a decent chance but a win and we are back in the mix big time,
I expect we will strengthen this window and will be a stronger team for the run in, we obviously have our 3 games in hand to negotiate, thanks to Boli but the Huns have European games to play.
So far they have had a fairly charmed run on Covid & injuries & on opposition teams being weakened but its a long road that has no turning.
As far as I’m concerned so far we have dropped 7 points more than the Huns that is not irrecoverable.
Keep the Faith & to all Tims everywhere in the World, Have a Happy & Safe Christmas,
Spikeys
Hahaha.
Have always hated panto. Went to one when I was 6 and hated it. Never watched another one.
The Celtic defence are not that bad. YET. 😊
Corky- a draw at Poundland is no good IMO, we must win every game as I can’t see Sevco losing many points elsewhere, in fact I think they might play for a draw.HH
Bada, obviously a win is what we want but I think they will drop points elsewhere.
DELANEYS DUNKY on 24TH DECEMBER 2020 2:28 PM
TOSB
The Celtic team and manager come as a package to me. I support Neil Lennon and the Celtic team.
Despise Celtic PLC though.
………………..
That’s fair enough. Lenny has many supporters as well as detractors. We’re all entitled to our opinions on both sides.
I hope you have a great Christmas and that Marcus can do us a big favour against the Huns.
Thanks for the excellent summary Paul67. It’s a great reminder that there is much more to the Celtic family than supporting the Bhoys on the pitch. I am sure these donations etc are met with incredible gratitude by all.
Have a great Xmas with your family, and thank you for all your hard work over the years in creating and maintaining this magnificent forum.
Looking at the post match comments, is the moment you realised how lucky you were to lose your internet connection at the end of the first half😱😵👍
TOSB
Thank you sir.
Wishing you all the best this Christmas too.
It won’t be for the want of trying. Marcus and his team mates know how to beat the huns now. Here’s hoping 🤞
I backed Celtic to win the League at 9/2 last week purely because they will never be such a big price again.
But realistically I don’t think we have a snowball’s chance in hell.
16 points behind..ok 3 games in hand,3 games against The Mighty Gers.
So take those 6 games and forget all the others…Win all 6 and we are just 2 points ahead.Thats a big task. Honestly can’t see us winning those 6 games….never mind all the others…….But football is a funny aul game…
Merry Christmas to all from a sunny freezing North Ayrshire, hope you all stay safe over the festive season.
Keep the Faith.
Ba Humbug
D :)
WITS _ Keep the faith, it might be blind faith but hang in there.
Come On The Celtic
D :)
The Huns will drop points elsewhere, have no doubt about that,
Last Friday I posted that my wife tested positive for Covid which was one of those sobering moments when you realise it’s not just a news story that impacts other people. We have been in isolation since then. She was mostly in bed until yesterday but feels much better today. Chridtmas dinner will be made 🙏💚
The Spanish health service eventually got around to asking me and my son to go to the Denia hospital for a test yesterday. Result received this morning.
Positive.
So I have Covid. Probably had it for a week or so. Only symptom has been a headache that keeps coming and going. Fingers crossed that is as bad as it is going to get. Feeling very lucky.
Keep safe everyone, enjoy Christmas in whichever way you can and remember football is only a game 😁
DENIABHOY
Hopefully your symptoms don’t get any worse and it’s good news your wife is on the mend , take care and have a nice Christmas !
CORKCELT
Agree “rangers” will drop points but so will we.
Good afternoon, friends,. Just the usual wee plug. Results will be out at some point after 10pm but can’t currently be more precise than that as I’ll no doubt be coping with several Christmas Eve chores. As well as watching ‘Elf’ ;-)
CQNPOTY@GMAIL.COM
Sorry to hear that Deniabhoy but thank God you are feeling not too bad,
Best of Luck.
Should say that JAN.2nd does not give us much time to sort our defence.
TimH- beat me to it….
Paul67 – if you have ever read any of my posts you will gather that from time to time your posts frustrate me
However your appetite to hold this (at the moment) fragile common clan together is appreciated
May you and your family have a great Christmas and a fantastic New year
To all on hear, The Happy clappers, The Res 12 (11) boys, The Rebels, those who post when drunk, those that agree with me, especially those that don’t agree with me, those that think we are letting the Huns win the league, those that think we will win the league, even the lurking huns, those with common sense, those that dream and those that are depressed, to the boys that post links to some great music videos and finally to those that were once called “rubicon” this pandemic has robbed us of some time together – we must make up for it
i wish you all a very happy Christmas and a great New Year
Hail Hail
67ECW
Timhorton
I don’t know how you’ve gone through the colonoscopy prep routine as many times as you have – once is enough.
Happy and Holy Christmas to everyone and here’s hoping for a better 2021.
Deniabhoy
Hope you and your wife come through this horrible disease.
Deniabhoy – God bless my Celtic friend.
Hail Hail
D :)
There are well organised and disciplined teams in this league, like St. Mirren, Livi and Dundee United, that are as capable as Hibs or Aberdeen are in taking points off them.
Not all of them will beat Sevco but a couple might take points off them.
I share the worry that we don’t look like reaching the heighs of supremacy and dominance that Sevco showed during their winning run
Nevertheless, I tak eheart in every step closer we take. Keeping a cean sheet is a positive. Winning by more than one goal is another. The next step is being able to repeat that and then we kick on to start to win more comvincingly and regularly.
We cannot afford to blink again. We have blinked 5 times already and they have only blinked twice.
We have to win ugly at Hamilton- I would play Ajeti – as goals are often bundled physical affairs there and hten we have to overcome a tricky United squad on the 30th to bring in a New Year
—————————
Merry Xmas to all in OZ and the Far East!
The rest of you can wait for your greetings
I see little Tommy Tickle has been sacked at PSG and is due to be replaced by Maurice Tiny Pockets.
Bielsa is under criticism at Leeds too.
Seems it’s not just the dinosaurs that get sacked by dissatisfied fans
A peaceful Cristmas and a healthy new year to you all
HH
DENIABHOY on 24TH DECEMBER 2020 3:27 PM
Good Luck Mate, i’ve met a few folk that have had it none of them youngsters and they are all fine now👍
GENE
My secret is (doctor said clear fluids only) so i buy a 740ml can of lager.🍻 but you are right the prep is brutal but so is the alternative.
Shortie Watch:
listened to the match last night on Celtic TV but earlier on during the day their sports bulletin guy was only interested in one thing – ‘what happens tonight if Rangers win and Celtic get beat’ he enquired with all the glee he could muster of some ex ebt hun now on the shortie payroll – its almost as if they assume that no Celtic supporters will be listening, or that your radio has re-tuned itself in to Rangers Media. Comical really.
Delanys said:
“The Celtic team and manager come as a package to me. I support Neil Lennon and the Celtic team.”
As, indeed, do I .
I probably don`t like The Board but I don`t KNOW enough about them to be truly critical.
Deniabhoy
If matters are improving and symptoms are small, I am sure everything will soon be fine.
All the very best to you and your family.
No cycling?