It is worth more than a passing observation that in yesterday’s game Celtic had players from 11 different countries in the starting line-up:
England, Sweden, Honduras, Scotland, Nigeria, Netherlands, Finland, Israel, Ireland, Greece and Wales.
Recruitment came from clubs in 7 different league structures:
England (3) and Wales, Scotland, Norway, Honduras, Israel (2), Netherlands and Germany.
There were a further four different nationalities on the bench.
Of the starting line-up only Fraser Forster is not a full international, although that is surely only a matter of time, but Fraser is the only player we have from a large football nation, perhaps an indication that it is more difficult to recruit nationals from England, Germany, Italy, France and Spain than elsewhere.
The signing of Emilio Izaguirre from Honduras three years ago came two years after the player’s representatives had him on trial in England. It’s likely Emilio’s CV was in every mailbox in the British game, so I doubt we have much of an infrastructure in Central America.
Celtic have obviously matured links in Israel recently, Beram Kayal and Efe Ambrose have delivered value, while Nir Biton fits the profile of the player Celtic should be looking for. Embedding relationships in similar markets offers a higher likelihood of value – and therefore football development – than taking our chance on the mainstream British and European circuits.
Prize to anyone who can point to Guinea-Bissau (Amido Balde’s country of birth and location of a Sporting Lisbon-associate club) on the map. There is a lot of work to do to catch up with the Portuguese.
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67 Heaven. They in my opinion are not going to go bust they have to many helpers in the background.I full expect to see them in the SPL the season after next and we will never hear the end of how they went from the bottom tier to the SPL in consecutive seasons. H.H.
Morning all.
Has peace and quiet broken out? Here’s hoping.
http://www.uefa.org/footballfirst/protectingthegame/financialfairplay/
In the interests of accuracy and to address a point made by Michael the “policing authority” in 2010 when UEFA FFP was introduced was the Club Financial Control PANEL.
They were replaced in 2012 by the CFC BOARD see initial link.
They are the succesor organisation with the powers to investigate. Thus the resolution asks them to carry out their role and not the CFCP.
The idea that the reformation of one policing authority renders possible misdeeds committed before that reformation out of bounds flies in the face of the justice the authority was created to uphold.
Its the kind of scrupulous thinking that turns moral wrong into right because of a legaliatic interpretation of words on paper.
The recent ruling by the Court of Session on the Aberdeen Asset Management case is a welcome change to a more ethical direction in this respect..
joe filippis haircut
10:03 on 29 October, 2013
Watch this space….whoever is working for them in the background is stopping short at financial assistance, and they are now desperate for money……..but it’s not going to happen….
Kayal33 @ 10:00,
Good shout, all of them would be in my top ten ~ Deans & Dalglish is my favourite.
Agree with Larsson/Sutton, BBJ was great but Sutton and Henke were supreme.
Hail Hail
67 Heaven. I like you will continue to watch and time will tell us who is right but what ever way it goes its a disgrace that they have been allowed to get this far. H.H.
Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles
08:39 on
29 October, 2013
Donald Trump…
it’s wearing the mullet’s rug!
Striking partnerships
Larsson & Sutton, Larsson & Hartson, McLair & Johnston, Deans & Dalglish, Chalmers & Lennox, Chalmers & Hughes.
Those are the best pairings I’ve had the privilege of seeing in my 48 years of going to games.
Other indiviuals of note include Wallace, Hood, Macari, McCluskey, Van Hooijdonk and Hooper.
I’d love, in a few years time, to be able to add Amido Balde to that list.
Jackson and Conway?
Biggins and Payton?
Any personal abuse regarding this post and you will be shopped immediately.
I ommitted Nicholas and McGarvey. FFS, how could I forget them?
Auldheid
10:07 on
29 October, 2013
There you go again with another of your bullying posts :)
I see Sevco goalkeeper Cammy Bell believes that dropping two divisions
will not restrict his ambitions to be involved in the Scotland set up.
Err um Cammy it already has. What a sad deluded hun !
McAvennie and his page 3 burd.. she helped macca score plenty..
Michael 00.50
In my opinion you are out of touch and way off the mark in so many ways. I have never disagreed as strongly with any post as I do that contribution. I may be wrongly pigeon holing you here, but when the old board were clinging on to our dying club, I knew two or three diehards how wanted them to remain at all costs, even if it meant playing to 10000 fans in a dump. Why do I get the impression that you are in that camp?
…’you were in that camp’
Camps are todays clique
bmcd48
2 players yesterday were getting promoted by the MSM for Scotland call ups- Cammy Bell and Kris Boyd.
Nothing ever, ever changes.
Tonydonnely67
See my response to Michaels point about CFCP and justice.
Either a wrong took place or it did not.
If it did not then that should be easy to prove. So far no evidence has been presented by the SFA to prove rules were followed as intended.
It is not about Celtic. They just happen to be the club most affected if due process was not followed.
If you are content for Celtic and you to be wronged by the governing body then that is your decision.
But what if a wrong took place and could be proved? Would you still allow mistakes in pursuit of addressing that wrong influence you to not pursue rectification?
On a personal level Canalamar had a right go at me a few weeks back at something he thought to be true.
It was how he read a post of mine.
He then missed my correction and had another go.
Again I corrected him and finally when he checked he apologised. I could have let that influemce my approach to the resolution but it did not for 2 reasons.
1 The SFA have not answered the questions in a manner that bears scrutiny of the process.
2. Canalamar went to some trouble and effort to find out how to table a resolution, then draft a starter, then take in some cases abusive comment but also he took into account reasoned feedback. Then he had to handle the paperwork and keep track of messages.
So when he comes on to CQN possibly a bit frazzled after all that effort and misreads something from me and has a go I can understand why.
So for those 2 reasons I would not let what are at the end of the day human failings we all have, get in the way of what my ethics tell me is right.
Happy Birthday, Starry Plough, this Bud is for you.
Colin Jackson and George McCluskey?
Auldheid
10:35 on 29 October, 2013
Very well said.
gherrybhoy57
10:21 on 29 October, 2013
Other indiviuals of note include Wallace, Hood, Macari, McCluskey, Van Hooijdonk and Hooper.
Cadete?
Happy Birthday Starry have a good one.
Gherrybhoy57…
Well said re-Amido..
I believe Lenny Will provide us with our next great pairing, Hooper and Stokes came close but didn’t play enough games and injury and transfers ensured their partnership falls short.
When we get the next pair ticking I believe we’ll be seeing a top Celtic side.
Hail Hail
good morning
a subject worth visiting
robbed of a title
god bless tommy burns
thanks fergus
taken from celtic wiki
—————————————————————–
Controversies – Cadete and Farry
Incidents, Events & Controversies | About Celtic
Events
Through no fault of his own, Jorge Cadete was involved in one of the greatest controversies in Scottish Football history. Despite being signed prior to the transfer deadline, the S.F.A. deliberately delayed processing his registration in time for a Scottish Cup tie against Rangers at Hampden.
Following a complaint from Celtic chairman Fergus McCann, SFA chief Jim Farry was eventually relieved of his duties after being found guilty of deliberately holding back Jorge Cadete’s registration by a committee of arbitration almost three years after the event.
In January 1997 in a crunch league match with Rangers at Ibrox Stadium, Cadete was yet again the victim of controversial action. The striker netted to make the game 2-2 but the linesman ruled the goal offside. Television evidence went on to prove the goal was in fact legitimate.
Celtic went on to lose 3-1 thanks to a Jorg Albertz free kick and Erik Bo Andersen double for Rangers.
Cadete missed the following matches:
February
24th, Celtic 4-0 Partick Thistle, Premier Division
March
2nd, Celtic 4-0 Heart of Midlothian, Premier Division
10th, Celtic 2-1 Dundee United, Scottish Cup
17th, Rangers 1-1 Celtic, Premier Division
23rd, Motherwell 0-0 Celtic, Premier Division
April
7th, Rangers 2-1 Celtic, Scottish Cup
Timetable of events that led to Farry’s downfall . . .
February 26, 1996
Valid registration form submitted by Celtic to the SFA plus valid contractual agreement between Celtic and Jorge Cadete. No objection at any stage taken by the SFA to the content of that form and the agreement. Since player registered with the Portuguese Football Association international clearance required under FIFA Regulations.
March 7, 1996
International Transfer Certificate (ITC) received, by fax, from Portuguese FA. Confirmed to Celtic by fax from SFA on March 8. No indication that SFA has any concerns with ITC.
March 12, 1996
Original of ITC received by post from Portuguese FA in identical terms to fax received on March 7. FIFA issue a fax to the SFA advising that the ITC was issued by the Portuguese FA under the instructions of FIFA so that the player could be registered in Scotland.
The SFA fail to process the registration of the player.
Had the SFA been following their usual procedure the registration of the player would have been given effect to from February 26, 1996.
March 12-23, 1996
Mr Farry regards the ITC received on March 7 and 12 as being invalid and will not register the player until Celtic have resolved a compensation dispute with Sporting Lisbon and the conditions which the SFA consider are attached to the ITC are removed. Celtic receive no communication advising why the SFA regard the ITC as invalid.
March 23, 1996
Celtic have entered into agreement with Sporting Lisbon and Jorge Cadete has separately entered into another agreement with Sporting Lisbon. Celtic have to
conclude a new agreement with the player. A second set of player registration papers are submitted by Celtic to the SFA incorporating a full professional application form and the new player agreement.
March 27, 1996
The SFA fax Celtic refusing to register on the basis of the application forms submitted on March 23, 1996 alleging that there is a clause in the player
agreement to which they take exception. A clause in substantially identical terms was included in the player agreement submitted on February 26, 1996 and no objection was taken at any time by the SFA to that same clause.
March 29, 1996
Fax received by the SFA from FIFA advising that the ITC was valid from March 7 and that the issue of any contractual dispute regarding the player status with Sporting Lisbon was irrelevant. The SFA Executive Committee meets, “deems” international clearance to have been granted, and requires the player agreement submitted on March 23 to be amended by deleting the clause objected to on March 27 and a further two clauses not objected to on March 27. Celtic are given no opportunity to make representations to the SFA executive regarding the position at, or prior to, the meeting on March 29.
During a telephone conversation between an officer of Celtic and Mr Farry, Celtic advised that they would be required to submit a third application form and player agreement with clauses deleted. According to the evidence given on behalf of Celtic, an agreement was reached during the course of that telephone conversation between Mr Farry and the officer of Celtic that the registration of the player would be given effect to on March 22 on the basis of the third form which would be submitted either later on March 29 or 30.
Mr Farry denies any such agreement. Celtic require registration by no later than March 23 in order to ensure that Jorge Cadete is available for selection to play in the Scottish Cup Semi-Final tie with Rangers on April 7. No evidence that SFA executive advised of this circumstance at meeting on March 29.
March 30, 1996
Third form and agreement submitted to SFA. Mr Farry refuses to register with effect from March 22, insists on amendments to the third player agreement, which are effected that day, and proceeds to effect the registration on March 30. Celtic accept the position because the Scottish Football League registration deadline expires on March 31 and if Celtic do not accept registration on March 30, Cadete will not be available to play in any league matches in Scotland for the remainder of the 1995/96 season.
March 30 to end of 1995/1996 Season
Cadete plays in all remaining games apart from cup semi-final tie on April 7. Celtic lose 2-1. Cadete, although fit, cannot play because of the date of his SFA registration.
1996/97 Season
Cadete scores 33 goals in 43 games.
October 7, 1997
FIFA write to the SFA, following SFA inquiry, advising the SFA that any conditions that may be attached to an ITC are to be regarded as null and void and that an ITC is required to be accepted as a valid ITC from the date specified on the ITC. In the case of Jorge Cadete this was March 7, 1996.
Celtic’s Position
1. On the basis of the first valid application for registration, submitted on February 26, 1996, registration of Cadete should have been given effect from February 26, when international clearance by way of the ITC was received by the SFA on March 7.
2. On the basis of the second valid application form and player agreement submitted on March 23, 1996, Cadete should have been registered with effect from March 23, since the SFA were in receipt of a valid set of player registration documents and the ITC received on March 7.
3. On the basis of the agreement entered into by telephone on March 29, 1996, Jorge Cadete ought to have been registered with effect from March 22, 1996 on submission of the third application and player agreement on March 30.
4. The SFA have now accepted that as a consequence of failures on the part of James Farry Esq., the registration process was not carried out as it ought to have been and that the player ought to have been registered by no later than March 23, 1996, thereby enabling him to play in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers.
Articles
Dominic Keane and Fergus McCann’s letter to the SFA
Jim Farry Suspended from SFA job
Interview with Farry (1997)
A Fall Guy named Farry (Scotsman, 2/3/1999)
Football: Celtic win Farry fight
David McKinney
Tuesday, 2 March 1999
(Independent)
JIM FARRY’S football career is effectively at an end after the Scottish Football Association chief executive was yesterday suspended over the Jorge Cadete affair. Celtic have claimed for three years that Farry delayed the processing of the transfer of the Portuguese player in time for the Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers in 1996. Celtic lost the game 2-1, but yesterday they won the war against the most powerful figure in the Scottish game.
The SFA has offered Celtic a written apology as well as agreeing to pay compensation and meet Celtic’s legal fees, and Fergus McCann, the Celtic chief executive, yesterday wasted little time in condemning the part played by Farry. “It has taken Celtic and its supporters three years to receive justice on the issue of the SFA’s chief executive Jim Farry’s failure to properly register Jorge Cadete.
“It is deplorable that a prominent member club should be disadvantaged in this way when on several occasions the SFA’s chief executive had the opportunity to make the correct decision. Mr Farry’s failure to properly and timeously register Jorge Cadete leaves the club in no other position than to ask for the office bearers of the SFA to recognise that Mr Farry’s position is untenable. This case demonstrates clearly that Mr Farry cannot be allowed to hold and exercise such powerful authority.”
The issue recently went to arbitration with the SFA admitting liability before proceedings could finish. Clearly angered by the whole situation, Celtic are demanding the dismissal of Farry, who has held the top job at the SFA since 1990 following 10 years as secretary of the Scottish League.
In the last nine years he has been frequently criticised for his dictatorial attitude which at times appeared out of tune with the ordinary supporter. He insisted on Scotland playing a European Championship qualifier on the day of the funeral of Princess Diana only to back down in the face of severe pressure and criticism.
Farry’s motives for delaying the Cadete transfer remain unclear and although Celtic supporters will interpret his actions as indicating a pro-Rangers stance McCann refused to be drawn on the topic. “I’m not claiming there was malice but there was intent. There was a failure on his part despite the advice of Fifa and Celtic. This is a matter that goes beyond Celtic Football Club, it’s a question of somebody who has failed to follow the rules of football.”
McCann intends to hold discussions with the other clubs in the Scottish Premier League and his frustration with the powerbrokers at the SFA could prove the motive towards a shift of power towards the new body who would effectively run the elite body of Scottish football. In the meantime Farry has agreed to co-operate with an SFA investigation into his actions.
SFA boss suspended
Monday, March 1, 1999 Published at 18:53 GMT
(BBC)
The Scottish Football Association has suspended its Chief Executive, Jim Farry, in a row over the transfer of a Celtic player three years ago.
Mr Farry had vowed to carry on but the suspension was announced on Monday. He and Celtic Managing Director Fergus McCann are in dispute over Jorge Cadete’s move to Parkhead three years ago. A statement read by SFA Vice-President John McBeth said: “The Scottish Football Association advises that the arbitration raised by Celtic against the SFA has been settled by the parties prior to completion of the arbitration.
“The settlement is in favour of Celtic. The SFA has issued a letter of apology to Celtic, will make payment of an undisclosed sum of compensation to Celtic and will make payment of Celtic’s reasonable legal expenses in connection with the case. “The SFA also advises that its chief executive Jim Farry has been suspended on full pay. “Due to the legal nature of this matter, the SFA will not make further comment presently.”
Celtic had said the SFA delayed the player’s registration, leaving him ineligible to play in a cup tie against Rangers. The BBC’s sports reporter Roddy Forsyth said: “The notion that a player was held out of a game against Rangers that Celtic ultimately lost is rather explosive.” Mr Farry was adamant he would carry on working at the association’s Park Gardens headquarters even if the inquiry, headed by John Murray QC, went against him. “I have absolutely no intention to resign. To say that is mischief making,” he told the Daily Mail.
Cadete moved to Celtic in 1996 from Sporting Lisbon but was forced to miss a Scottish Cup semi-final clash against Rangers, which the Ibrox club won 2-1. Mr Farry has courted controversy during his career at the SFA helm and has survived several calls for his resignation. One of his most troubled passages involved the decision to sanction the playing of a Scotland World Cup qualifying match on the day of the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. He said: “I have received notification from my employer that the SFA may require to carry out an additional investigation of certain issues arising from the dispute between Celtic and the SFA. “I indicated I would be pleased to co-operate with any such additional investigation which will be the third review since the player was registered for Celtic on March 30 1996. “It is normal, I understand – although it is a first for me – that when an employer notifies you of a suspension pending the outcome of a proposed investigation, it is nice to comply.”
Farry sacked by SFA
Monday, March 8, 1999 Published at 16:08 GMT
(BBC)
Jim Farry has been sacked as chief executive of the Scottish Football Association for “gross misconduct”.
Farry’s nine-year term was ended following a complaint from Celtic over the registration of Jorge Cadete three years ago. He was suspended last week and his fate was decided at a meeting the SFA Council on Monday.
Farry insisted he had done nothing wrong and had said he would not be resigning from his job. He is now considering legal action. SFA president Jack McGinn has been named acting chief executive pending the appointment of Farry’s successor. Celtic ‘satisfied’ The move follows an independent commission ruling in favour of Celtic last week after the Parkhead club protested at the delay in registering Cadete.
The Portuguese forward missed vital matches towards the end of the 1995/6 season sparking a bitter dispute. The decision will delight Celtic managing director Fergus McCann who had demanded Farry be sacked for his role in the affair. Celtic released a short statement in response to Farry’s dismissal making it clear they were satisfied with the outcome. It said: “No-one likes to see anyone lose their job. However, in this circumstance it was inevitable due to the substantial evidence of Mr Farry’s behaviour and attitude.” Farry issued a short response after the announcement, saying: “I will now be forced to seek legal advice. I can make no comment beyond that.” It is understood that Farry had requested to attend the SFA Council meeting but received no answer.
‘A lot to think about’ SFA council member Hugh Scott, owner and chairman of Greenock Morton, said: “It is always disappointing to see someone of that quality no longer fulfilling that function.
“I would think that we have confidence in the office bearers to make sure natural justice is dispensed. “We must always remember that the president and vice-president are very capable of running the SFA. “I think the answer is that we all have a lot to think about and we all have to be comfortable with what we have heard and seen, and I have a high regard of what we have seen and heard.”
Statement from the SFA
The Herald 09/03/1999
THE Scottish Football Association advises that, following the suspension on full pay of its chief executive, Mr James Farry, the decision has been taken to dismiss Mr Farry immediately for gross misconduct.
Pending the appointment of a new chief executive/secretary, the president of the association, Mr Jack McGinn, has been appointed acting chief executive.
A detailed report from the SFA’s external lawyers was received by the Association last Thursday, March 4.
The report related to matters arising from the recent arbitration with Celtic FC, relating to the registration of Jorge Cadete.
The Emergency Committee, comprising the SFA’s office-bearers, considered the report on Friday, March 5, and decided to request the views of the executive committee, given the policy issues involved.
The executive committee, after detailed consideration of the report and having received further legal advice, unanimously recommended that Mr Farry be dismissed from the SFA immediately.
The emergency committee effected the recommendation on Friday evening.
Council was appraised today of the situation, viewed the report, and detailed discussion took place.
The reasons for Mr Farry’s dismissal result from his acts and omissions during the Cadete affair, including his conduct during:
(i) the period of the investigation of the registration by an SFA sub-committee;
(ii) the preparation of the SFA’s case for the arbitration;
(iii) his testimony during the arbitration; and
(iv) the period since his suspension on February 26.
The SFA does not intend to make further comment on the reasons for Mr Farry’s dismissal for reasons of confidentiality.
In relation to the Cadete affair itself, approximately 110 documents were produced by the SFA and Celtic, 13 witnesses in total would have given evidence, and there had already been five days of evidence, which was scheduled to last at least a further three days with legal submissions to follow.
The SFA has made the most strenuous efforts to keep matters confidential throughout, first to comply with the rules of confidentiality in the arbitration, and thereafter in fairness to Mr Farry.
The SFA wishes to make the following comments:
(i) The SFA decided to settle the arbitration prior to the conclusion of Mr Farry’s evidence, following very strong advice and recommendations from its external legal team;
(ii) Mr Farry was immediately advised of the decision to settle and, indeed, agreed with the decision. He did not, however, agree with the terms of the letter of apology to Celtic;
(iii) Attempts were made by the SFA’s legal team to have Mr Cadete himself testify on their behalf. However, Mr Cadete refused to come to Glasgow.
In light of recent events, the SFA will, of course, undertake a thorough review of its registration procedures.
For information, the SFA processes around 47,000 player registrations per year at all levels of football, and this has been an isolated case.
It has been a very difficult period for the association and the recent events should not be allowed to cloud the work which Mr Farry has undertaken on behalf of the association and, indeed, Scottish football.
There are many positive things which can be attributed to Mr Farry over these years which should not be forgotten.
Farry’s fall from grace
Scotland on Sunday
Published Date: 22 February 2009
By ANDREW SMITH
THE MOMENT the SFA’s own counsel, Paul Cullen, threw down his pen in frustration at Jim Farry’s “very poor” performance under cross-examination, the writing was on the wall for the man who had ruled Scottish football with a rod of iron. But the embattled chief executive, a punctilious power-broker of fearsome repute, probably wouldn’t have recognised it. In a supreme irony, it was the Great Administrator’s misadministration that proved to be his downfall.
His misinterpretation of what was written in the game’s statutes forced him to face Celtic’s lawyers in an arbitration case and ultimately forced him out of office in what will be remembered as Scottish football’s greatest courtroom drama.
Ten years ago this week the Royal Automobile Club in Glasgow provided the setting for the endgame in an extraordinary saga. Its starting point had come three years earlier when the SFA fatally delayed registering the new Celtic signing, Jorge Cadete. Farry’s stubborn refusal to lodge the paperwork in time for the Portuguese striker to appear in the 1996 Scottish Cup semi-final, and Celtic owner Fergus McCann’s equally stubborn refusal to let the matter rest, have given rise to various theories on the motives of two abrasive men. Previously unreleased legal papers shown to Scotland on Sunday do not lend any credence to the fanciful interpretations which have taken root in the decade since. Nothing supports the notion that Farry acted deliberately to hold up Cadete’s registration out of “anti-Celtic” bias. Or that his adversary, McCann, was responsible for a “witch-hunt”. Yet so sensitive does the episode remain that McCann declined to discuss it this week. Neither was Farry available for comment.
Farry left the arbitration hearing at the RAC on February 24, 1996 with no future in a game he had served across three decades because his own testimony destroyed his reputation. Even the SFA’s own lawyers, Burness Solicitors, picked Farry apart.
The case revolved around the wording of an International Transfer Certificate for Cadete, who joined Celtic from Sporting CP (Lisbon). Celtic forwarded the ITC to the SFA on March 7, 1996 with all other relevant paperwork having arrived two weeks earlier. Initially, the club believed the player was a free agent. He wasn’t, but that should have had no bearing on Farry registering Cadete. Celtic could not convince him of this because of a “conditionality clause” within the ITC. Under law, this was an irrelevance, which a fax from FIFA explained. Yet, it was not until Celtic lodged a third application to register Cadete at the end of March that Farry was eventually persuaded of that fact. Under the SFA’s 14-day clearance rule, that was too late for the striker to play in the Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers on April 6 – a match Celtic lost 2-1.
On March 29, Farry agreed to apply it retrospectively, only to change his mind the following day.
The Burness report exposed the extent of Farry’s bungling. At the arbitration hearing he “substantially damaged his credibility and the integrity of the Association’s case” by failing to produce correspondence from FIFA between 1994 and 1996 on the conditionality of ITCs. He “drew a warning” for “consistently” evading questions; was “unable to give a convincing explanation” why conditions in the second application “were unacceptable to him”; “indicated significant aspects…of registration fell to subordinates” “as he had been abroad”; “he gave evidence … not regarded as credible ….”; “he gave contradictory evidence on the powers of the Executive Committee”; “was unable to explain why retrospectivity of the ITC was not applied in this case” and “deflected responsibility to Mr (Sandy] Bryson (head of registrations] …. (on] certain executive decisions”.
Moreover, it had emerged that the day before his self-destructive evidence he had to be ordered to appear at the hearing by SFA vice-president John McBeth. Farry had intended to travel to Geneva for a conference.
The errors by Scotland’s supposed supreme football law enforcer resulted in Burness advising the SFA to settle. They did so immediately for fear of the further damage that could follow from allowing the arbitration to proceed to a conclusion. In doing so, they paid Celtic’s legal costs and gave them a £10,000 compensation payment – somewhat short of the £600,000 McCann demanded for the semi-final loss. Farry was suspended on full pay and removed from his post permanently two weeks later. He departed with a £200,000 pay-off that still rankles with McCann.
The downfall of the infuriatingly bumptious SFA secretary/chief executive of nine years is one that has to be understood in the context of the infamous workings of the Association. “Increasingly, he was running the Association as if it were his personal fiefdom,” one former colleague reveals. “He had a way that made it very difficult for other voices to be heard and meant there was no way of suggesting to him he could have made a mistake. He prided himself on his knowledge of the rule book, and had an impressive grasp of it.”
Clearly, he did not have as solid a grasp as he imagined. Hubris was a by-product. Every single piece of mail sent to the SFA would be delivered to his desk at 9am. He would read all correspondence then forward it to relevant departments. Replies to letters had to be written as if composed by him and at 4pm every day he would sign them off.
McCann was also a steely, single-minded operator but his martinet ways did not extend to this level of control in his day-to-day business. And neither did his determination to correct the wrong over Cadete’s registration amount to a personal vendetta.
“At Celtic the Cadete case was not a ‘get Farry’ exercise,” says a former club official. “Achieving justice on the matter certainly became a crusade for Fergus, but then he could go on a crusade over a bag of crisps. No one at Celtic, especially him, thought Jim was working to any agenda. We just thought he had made a huge mistake and wanted that recognised. Yes, there was an element of rubbing the SFA’s noses in it, and therefore Jimmy’s nose in it because he was the personification of the SFA. But plenty people at Celtic had a lot of time for him, could appreciate that he had strong points and worked hard. It was never the ultimate aim that he lose his job, and that was a surprise.”
But his departure became inevitable, when the SFA announced on March 1 that the arbitration had been settled in Celtic’s favour. McCann declared Farry’s position untenable. The settlement including a letter of apology to the club that didn’t best please Farry.
His fate was sealed when Burness delivered their report to the SFA on March 4. In damning fashion, it set out his “obstructive actions”, the impact of which was, “to impede the preparation of the Association’s case, to increase the expense of the process and to cause material frustration to Counsel who indicated his dismay at the counter-productive stance adopted in this complex case”.
The following day, at a meeting of the SFA Emergency Committee, the office bearers unanimously agreed that “the Chief Executive be dismissed from his executive position and his office as Secretary of the Association on the grounds of gross misconduct”. In Park Gardens, meanwhile, as they had since the end of the Cadete affair, employees continued to sport broad smiles, walk the corridors with a free air and even sign their own letters.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (2009)
JIM FARRY
From East Kilbride he came, to East Kilbride he has returned. Initially worked as a landscape gardner then went into football administration when he joined the Scottish Football League in the late 1970s, before moving to the SFA. Little was heard of him in the years immediately after his sacking for his “acts and omissions during the Cadete affair”. In 2007, however, he was appointed business development manager for construction and refurbishment firm AKP Scotland Limited. Now 64.
FERGUS McCANN
The removal of Jim Farry, with whom he had several battles – most notably over the £53m spent on the redevelopment of ‘white elephant’ Hampden – was the last of many disputes he saw through successfully. His five-year plan complete, in April 1999 the Scots-Canadian sold his majority shareholding in Celtic for a £29m profit and returned across the Atlantic to set up a luxury bus service operating between Boston, where he is now based, and New York.
JORGE CADETE
The striker’s season-and-a-bit at Celtic proved to be where he last enjoyed the scoring form that made him such sensation in his early 20s at Sporting. Following 33 goals in 43 games in the 1996/97 season, he claimed mental health problems prevented him returning the following season, and eventually he moved to Celta Vigo for £3.5m. Later played for Benfica, Bradford and Partick Thistle. In between times, he appeared in Portuguese Big Brother. Now makes the odd TV appearance.
I read that if you want to appear smart, the following words should be used regularly. So, with that in mind, cyber respect, and possibly even a cyber pint to anyone who can utilise them all in the one sentence.
Salubrious, Discombobulated, Propitiation, Plethora, Curmudgeon, Ubiquitous, Parsimonious, Gerund.
….and I have a feeling that Curmudgeon won’t be too much of a problem in a CQN context :-)
…nor should Parsimonious cause too many concerns :-)
Hooopy Birthday Starry Plough.
JFH 10.03
They will only go bust again if it suits the next major shareholder .
They will be back in the SPFL in two seasons.
The next major shareholder will underwrite another share offering.
He will have aquired the new club on the relative cheap.
Unburdened by the previous massive debts and tax liabilities.
They will have a significant budget to compete against us from this share offering.
Add a stadium full of frenzied Zombies and it’s game on.
I can’t understand Celtics lack of pressing for UEFA and the SFA to state categorically , that this is a new club and had no previous trophy count.
That is the most tragic part.
TT
The discombobulated morning after a night with a plethora of parsimonious CQNers in the salubrious surroundings of Babbitys might cause one to act like a curmudgeon,but in propagation,I’m in The Ubiquitous Chip being over-charged,so gerund yeez!
Propagation= propiation
iPad autocorrect!
The ubiquitous plethora of discombobulated curmudgeons were propitiatory in salubrious surroundings while the parsimonious celebrated victory, they were asked to gerund one.
Couldn’t make propitiation fit, sorry:-)
BMCUWP:-)
Back to work, tea break over.
PhilBhoy, any personal abuse for that post is merited and Paul67 will probably just add more abuse:-)
Smiley thing added, just so you know I know it was a gag you know.
Doc…..
….back to lurking, or should I say work!
Tiny Tim – There are many things that appear to us fans as inexplicable and it will almost certainly remain that way. My reading of it is that Celtic PLC have no interest whatsoever to publicly engage in a war of words with Sevco over their real or imagined status. Nor do they have any appetite to take on the SFA over perceived or real injustices down through the decades.
One can guess as to the reasons why but unless PL ever writes an autobiography we will never know for sure.
Over the last few years we’ve had some pretty big-hitters on our board, guys who know how to run big business and play the political game. Behind the scenes they know how to make things happen. If those things haven’t happened as we would have hoped for or expected, I can only assume that it is for one of two reasons:
1. Celtic PLC does not want to kill Rangers even when the chance is there to do so because they believe it is in Celtic’s best interest to have a major rival
or
2. Behind the scenes, the powers that really count are too big to take on and our board cannot go to war with them. Vested interests, self-preservation, skeletons in the closet etc.
Bobby and Doc
ha…very good . Hat doffed and 2 cyber pints well earned.
TinyTim
11:09 on 29 October, 2013
‘They will be back in the SPFL in two seasons.’
###
I would take issue with the word ‘back’.