I looked into the world of Scottish football betting yesterday. Betting on Celtic to win the Scottish Premiership is less rewarding than putting your money in an interest bearing account, which, I suspect, is an approximation of what bookmakers will do with any such bets. In short, our league is not so much a sport as a secure investment.
Betting gets really interesting if you meander onto what is referred to as the Without Celtic market, or who will win the league if Celtic are taken out of the equation. Favourites are Aberdeen, closely followed by Motherwell and then Dundee United and Hibs (hmm….).
Can you imagine what a league title like this would do for these clubs? Aberdeen, Motherwell and United actually vying to become champions?
Some hold a notion that Celtic are the great benefactors of Scottish football, which is dependent on you and me for the occasional home game and TV money. This is rubbish. Celtic inhibits Scottish football more than we can imagine. We are a competitive poison making it impossible for historically significant football teams to thrive.
Keeping a clean sheet away from home is an achievement for any team. Doing so twice, in Europe, and winning both games, is outstanding for St Johnstone. Well done. I can only imagine their absence from the top of the Without Celtic betting chart is a result of bookmakers anticipating their run to the Europa League final in Turin will hinder their league challenge.
I have to express my sheer delight at yesterday’s pronouncement by the chief executive of Rangers International FC PLC, Craig Mather. We can be confident of this guy’s credentials and that he is worthy of following in the footsteps of Charles Green, Tommy Cooper and other comedic greats.
Mather issued a statement on the club’s web site noting punishments handed out to Hearts and Dunfermline for entering administration were different from the punishment handed out to Rangers International’s predecessor club (the player registrations and current penalties Newco Rangers were allowed to inherit) – for a completely different series of offences.
Those penalties were imposed for a variety of misdemeanours, including failure to declare the club appointed a director who had been struck off, failure to comply with stock market rules and multiple counts of bringing the game into disrepute. The SFA disciplinary panel responsible for the penalties found that “only match fixing in its various forms might be a more serious breach”.
Would you not feel a wee bit embarrassed by this? Mr Mather asks for clarification but I suggest we don’t trouble him by directing him to the aforementioned SFA panel’s ruling. Better that he operates in the version of reality he is most comfortable with, and that he keeps his followers away from looking into the real issues……..
To that effect, our thanks to all the media outlets who unquestioningly reported the Mather comments without hint of irony, apart from those pesky online types at STV, who had the temerity to address the question. Cease and desist immediately.
Flag Day tomorrow, another historic moment in Celtic history. Get in early, or late afternoon, as it happens. Hoping to see some of our new guys make their claim for a start in Sweden.
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Turmoil at Ibrox….Who’d a thought it? Maybe some of the more gullible might waken up to what the spivs and like doing down Govan way. Has the share price collapsed yet???
Googybhoy ;-)
Right I’m off to laugh at the zombies
Play nice everyone even you Che!
Mrs Glendalystonsils was telling me that she thought the idea of a crowd of bevvied up men shouting out a lot of naughty things to a couple of fit young Swedish girls was disgusting, when I reminded her that she had been at a Chippendales show.
Dubaibhoy-
LMFTA?
laughing my fiddling tits aft?
ASOD
Right out of left field that one – Syria is a mess – all sides seem to be capable of committing horrendous atrocities – as usually happens during a civil war.
However CFC supporters would have very little chance of influencing matters there!
We do have the opportunity of making CP a place where everybody and everyone feels safe and welcomed
Wolf whistles might be construed as a bit of fun – calling for any woman to ” get her **** out for the lads” or similar is right out of order!
There is no defence for such behaviour
Or would you have defended Andy Gray and that other muppet from Sky?
HH
john o neil
18:02 on 2 August, 2013
Dubaibhoy, so you were also a model? Yes those days were tough.
I was too shy to be a model
1st caller – ‘Sports Direct stadium deal has gone quiet’ hard luck caller William
Aye
Think I maybe forget to tell Mrs Burghbhoy that its a 5.15ko tomorrow.
4 hours on the Swally pre bus sounds just dandy!!!
Hail Hail and roll on flag day
Need to have a look at our Glasgow rivals tonight on BT Sport.
Andy Grey is a public figure. Some people are ulta sensitive. I’d guess the female physios working in a male dominated sport aren’t. Not saying it’s right but I’m sure they’re used to it and not bothered.
Dubhai bhoy
The only modelling contract you got was for preperation H thats why you had to get your kit off ;-)
HH
Wonder how much The Rankers are paying Mr. Green for his ‘consultancy skills’, or maybe not!
Caller put down after suggesting ‘Rangers’ were victimised – Hugh !!!!!!
Strange choice of opponents for Gerrard’s testimonial tomorrow I’d have thought. Olympiacos.
Well done shrug Keevins!
Awe_Naw
The Wing Mans revenge?
;-)
Malone bhoy – it would be so much better if people assumed they wouldn’t like it and didn’t do it though.
I must be one of the few celtic supporters that hates the idea of not playing in Scotland. I have no desire for celtic to play anywhere else.
I do desire a;
fairer share of t.v money in British terms (we be getting robbed)
a stronger league, with better teams
bigger crowds
cheaper seats
better/ sponsors
more financial safeguards to work towards
summer football
and much more!!!!!
think a good start would be an increase in league size to 14 teams, split into top and bottom 7 (12) after 26 games (total games played before play-offs 38) as below:
Celtic C/L qualification
……………………………………
Aberdeen E/L qualification
Dundee Utd
…………………………………..
Hibernian E/L play-off
Inverness CT
Kilmarnock
Motherwell
…………………………………..
Partick
Ross County
St. Johnstone
St Mirren
…………………………………..
Hearts Premier league relegation play-off
Dundee
……………………………………..
Falkirk relegation places
Livingston
think this would spice up league from top. every team would have something to play for.
more money through play offs to help clubs become more profitable (able to hold onto player, buy players etc…), more change in the league and lots of success in relative terms i.e. Dundee avoiding relegation through play-offs etc… also adds weaker teams allowing, hopefully our bigger clubs to go on good runs of results, less cut throat, allows some clubs to bleed more youngsters etc…
its clearly reshuffling the pack given the biggest problem we face in Scotland is the boredom, shuffling the pack could actually make a big difference
What a coincidence lads- other ex models on here- what catalogue did you pose for?
Sir Barold Hatchback @BartinMain 2m
@cathcartboy @LibertIain This Blin fella specialises in insolvencies. Another newco, guys?
From twitter
WATP = We’re All Taking Prozac.
Stair, all the prestigious ones…
McCoist complete with makover and dyed hair on STV shouting about justice for his club after they were fined for going into administration,sounded as fake as his new hair
Pep Mcoist demands one rule for everyone. “Absolutely” says the oul steak bake muncher.
Are you sure Pep?
Are you really really sure?
My take on physiogate
I didn’t really rate those lassies very high in the looks department … pretty good physios though
The rockettes who cheerlead at hampdump and other sporting venues are more worthy of my artistic views :)
Guys if you haven’t read Paul McConville’s piece earlier today on the difference then you ought.
Takes the p..s right out of them.
John- ever do the Donkey jacket shoot for Millets- now that was class
Good evening Ghuys
On the Eve of the start of what I am sure will be another great season. Bring on the thunder…
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
What if
If walter And TBK win and set up another newco, anyone else think chuckles WONT sell them the magical history in a bottle .
till later all :))
Edb
You got a link or a page for that?
lionroars67 17:10 on 2 August, 2013
Graham Spiers @GrahamSpiers 16m
In The Herald tomorrow: SFA president Campbell Ogilvie tells me of his regret over his Rangers EBT, and the ‘sheer vitriol’ he has endured.
I guess that means he has paid it back then….?
Lennybhoy…Supporting Neil Lennon and CFC until I die
The seasons seem to come round quicker every year older I get :))
Hope to enjoy your company on a few occasions this year,
keptinthemorranightcsc
bournesouprecipe
17:59 on 2 August, 2013
Bevvied up modren mostly male ghuys are rubbish.
……
Whats your take on those ghuys that are not mostly male
Modesty prevents me from revealing too much. Those days are gone.
Che
I’m rubbish at links. The famous Pablophanque taught me some years ago but old age doesn’t come alone:o)
But just google random thoughts re scots law and you’ll find it there.
MurdochauldandHay
18:25 on 2 August, 2013
McCoist complete with makover and dyed hair on STV shouting about justice for his club after they were fined for going into administration,sounded as fake as his new hair
———————————————————————————-
I always wonder why he keeps having to say “I’ll be honest with you” (sometimes “perfectly honest”).
Does anyone really believe he thinks the fine was going into admin?
As I said a couple of months ago, their aim is another insolvency, with limited penalties this time, ‘for the good of Scottish football’ and all that, and a transfer of ownership to the old gang.
The team being assembled right now is one that will, they hope, win the league by a distance, their position as champions unaffected by a 15pt deduction, leading to a buy-out at a low price and a change of ownership, all in time for an assault on the championship and promotion to the SPL.