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.
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I don`t know the date that CQN started but, with its creation, Paul has given us a present which has lasted throughout many, many a Christmas.
Thanks and well done Paul.
🎅 Merry Christmas everyone HH 🍀
Nollaig Shona gach duine.
HH
GORDON64 on 25TH DECEMBER 2020 12:40 PM
And happy birthday to you too big man.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
To PAUL67 and family , hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy and safe new year .
A special mention for BLANTYRETIM , BLANTYREKEV and BRTH for getting me through a troubled not to distant past (big hugs from VAL and me).
To all the other TIMS on the blog may god bless you and keep you and your loved ones safe.
COYBIG.
Merry Christmas, one and all
Merry Christmas from Louisville all!
Wind chill means it feels like -16 outside. Someone walk my dog please.
HH!
Merry Christmas to all you braw ghirls and bhoys on this dear green place….
smiley may your deepest wishes come true thing
Braw
merry Christmas to everyone in timdom.
On the BBC news from London when they turned to the Christmas celebrations the first clip was of the Pope then they turned to Cardinal Nichols in Westminster cathedral. Then they showed a clip of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The state broadcaster in London gave priority to the Catholic Church before the state church.
Just like last year.
just like every year.
Merry Xmas to all, big thanks to Paul and all the other Tims on here that make it the go to celtic forum.
Having these pages to read means I can avoid msm for news about the hoops, which is an absolute godsend.
May your days be merry and bright, and let’s keep Glasgow green and white x
Westcraigs,
Just like every other year, Midnight Mass was on every BBC1 station, except BBC1 Scotland, like every other year. Sad state of affairs.
Season greetings to all posters and lurkers
This wonderfurful platform has helped me more than u will ever know
Stay safe everyone
Hail Hail
💚
SCANIEL on 25TH DECEMBER 2020 11:44 AM
Merry Yuletide Greetings from a frosty and freezing D&G.
Wesotych Swiat to Delaney’s Dunky if you’re lurking
Big Jimmy – your namesake got a can of Mackeson Stout in his feed this morning. It’s a sad state of affairs when he can have a drink on Xmas morning and you can’t 😡😡😡
……………..
Its an INJUSTICE….I tell ya Boo Hoo.
Ive been known to make an ASS of myself after many Stouts.
A Merry Christmas Scaniel and to your family and workmates…and to all the lovely animals of course. may God look after you all and protect you.
Hopefully, I can get to meet you all asap ?
HH.
I am spending my day watching a Documentary on Freeview Sky Arts Chanell 11…all about Laurel and hardy…Superb stuff.
After that its ” SPARTACUS”…Yet again……and during that I will have my Roast Chicken and Chips.
HH.
ttps://twitter.com/TamsellicsonIII/status/1342412638463139840?s=08
Gogglebox Hearts fans watching the penalty shoot out….
https://twitter.com/TamsellicsonIII/status/1342412638463139840?s=08
Agreed, and for Timdom, I’m grateful.
God Bless and HH.
………………………………
HOT SMOKED on 25TH DECEMBER 2020 12:18 PM
I don`t know the date that CQN started but, with its creation, Paul has given us a present which has lasted throughout many, many a Christmas.
Thanks and well done Paul.
Penalty shoot out with heartache imbeciles:
Totally undignified lot.
Paul67 registered the domain name CelticQuickNews.co.uk on July 23rd 2004.
For those not of a mathematical persuasion I did the hard sum for you, CQN was born 16 years ago. Or 5,999 days ago.
Happy christmas y’all.
As ever, thanks to paul67 for the big picture, the learned cqn’ers for the thoughts I wouldn’t have and to anybody watching a match, thanks for putting up with me nerves.
I pray you’re all safe and if you’ve lost loved ones and friends, my prayers are for you! (has connaire been on? haven’t seen him recently)
Come on the fuggin hoops HWG10IAR.
Irsit easy to set up a “dummy” accooount so that ye can post an’ swear an awe that????
(m)askin’ furra freen!
;)
MODERATOR 2, SCROOGE FC
Firstly, A Very Merry Christmas to you and yours. Secondly, I am befuddled at the rationale for curtailment of debate on an issue pertaining to the very essence of sport, namely the integrity of the game. The parties to the debate are decent, honest individuals, and long standing fans with decades following Celtic. I would respectfully ask where you would suggest as the appropriate forum for debating the most critical issue in Scottish football? Are you really telling us that all future mention of Res 12 is proscribed?
Cheers.
THE BLOG
OOPS! Sorry for double post. To much eggnog.
Paul67 & Family. Nollaig faoi shéan agus faoi mhaise daoibh.
Merry Christmas to all on here. Hope you have a lovely day with family and friends.
C’mon the HOOPS.
Loved watchin the Hearts huncousins.
GIRUT
Happy hoopy Christmas Xmas to all, lots of thanks to Paul and all the other stars on here that make it the go to Celtic forum.
Reading these pages every day [?] or lurking most weeks, means I don’t have to rely on the fabled SMSM for news about the hoops, which is brilliant.
May our days be merry and bright, and let’s keep Glasgow green and white xxxxx.
INIQUITOUSIV- totally agree mate,it was a subject that a lot of Celtic supporters, still don’t know about, the exchanges were between guys who know each other, never seen any insults…..not like a dust up with bitchy comments to each other,but hey ho…
INIQUITOUSIV
I was enjoying your debate as i’m not up to speed on the subject…………pity
How’s the form Jim?
mr maley
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EpyGHnrW8AAsjPV?format=jpg&name=4096×4096
Football Grounds of Scotland: Rosebery Park, Glasgow. Former home of Shawfield FC. Club dissolved 1960.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ep3v7LFW8AQRDeA?format=jpg&name=large
no ma dad
https://twitter.com/i/status/1175426170520821761
the famous goalkeepers union lightning walk out strike action of boxing day 63
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EqFdVdIXYAcps7K?format=jpg&name=small
Hope you’re are all having a good day …
Channel 5usa…. Murder she wrote …The Celtic Riddle…
The main cqn topic 😜😁😁😁
A very Happy Christmas to all Celts- hope to see many of you when a return to CP is possible
Merry Christmas 🎄 Paul67 and family.
Merry Christmas to all CQN posters and lurkers.
Enjoy your day with those you love.
Taurangabhoy
could someone on twitter pass this on to Paul Lyons.
Lost Glasgow
@LostGlasgow
An early gift from Santa – the best picture I’ve yet seen of the wee trainset that used to run around the base of the Christmas tree in Central Station.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EqAUNUPXIAEm3Rp?format=jpg&name=large
@footballsforgottenteams
@lostinfootball2
·
Dec 20
16. Lokomotive Leipzig
Held the dubious distinction of losing all their Euro ties v Scottish opponents(Hearts, Hibs, Killie), but still made the ECWC Final in ‘87, losing to Van Basten’s Ajax. Decline set in after the break up of the DDR. Now play in the Regionolliga Nordost.
@footballsforgottenteams
@lostinfootball2
·
Dec 19
15. Politechnica Timisoara
Celtic fans break out in a sweat when discussing the ref’s performance in a 1980 ECWC tie with the Romanian side. A series of complex ownership battles resulted in the club’s dissolution in 2012. The fan base shifted to an amateur side of the same name.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EpotiKUW4AIrwou?format=jpg&name=small