The Scotsman did an interesting article today on the fact that recent attendances at Celtic Park have fallen well short of the circa 46,000 paid for tickets, the majority of which are season tickets. It touches on several issues.
Suggestions that a league in which Celtic inevitably process to the title is less attractive to the spectating public than a league with a competitive challenge is not a surprise. It would be bizarre otherwise.
Still, many Celtic fans continue to support the club for a whole variety of reasons: we want to see it prosper, we enjoy going to games with our family and friends, and, unsurprisingly, we enjoy watching football.
Anyone who doubted that attendances would soften after Rangers were liquidated should have widened their survey sample. For most of us, this was a welcome change. The joys of beating Rangers were undeniable, but most of us have a deeper relationship with Celtic.
The Scotsman predict that in the event there was never a “team called Rangers in the top flight” Celtic would endure some serious downsizing. If we remained within the confines of Scottish league football this is undeniably true. So what? There would be little competition, less income, fewer signings and more promotion from the youth team.
In this scenario there would inevitably be fewer Champions League nights too, but in the big scheme of things, would we want it any other way? Of course not. Celtic will be there, in sunshine or in shadow, playing football and paying their bills. I’d sign up for this right now.
There is, of course, the question of how welcome our continued presence in Scottish football would be with the prospect of not just winning 10-in-a-row, which I hear our favourite Sevconian, Ally McCoist, is now discussing as a possibility, but the realisation that 10 would soon become 20, or 30-in-a-row.
All Celtic can do is continue to win football matches, pay their bills and see off all challengers. The game here is irrevocably broken; the consequences of this will continue to emerge in the months and years to come. All we know for sure is that Celtic will prevail, no matter which scenario plays out.
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WeeFra-better posts today than in quite a while IMO.Guys posting their take on the fitba ,is that not what this blog is for ? HH
derbyshire bhoy:-
I wonder sometimes how much our club wants to force change at the SFA. Far easier just to shout that we`re a minority voice peeing into the wind without flexing our muscles. Ogilvie re-elected without protest, the fabled dossier that wasn`t produced etc.
But I think things are changing amongst fans of other teams. Look at the way they made it clear that Sevco being parachuted into the top flight wasn`t on, Aberdeen fans protesting at Hampden and the “Your silence was deafening banner” that they took to Celtic Park last season.
Fans of other teams are as hacked off as us with the pro-Sevco bias within the SFA and now teams in the lower leagues are getting to experience it first hand with bent refereeing decisions going against them whenever the Zombies come calling.
I think there`s definite scope for co-ordinated action to be taken, even if fans from different clubs could organise so that a common question/ instruction re Campbell Ogilvie`s position at the SFA is asked/put at every club`s AGM, you won`t change things overnight but its time to get the goatfiddlers and cheats out of football and Ogilvie is a good place to start.
Intersting to note that FC Basel have brought trough 40 players from the youth scheme into their first team since 2001..
FC Basel is known throughout Switzerland for having a good youth system.[citation needed] It has produced Swiss internationals such as Erni Maissen, Adrian Knup, Alexander Frei, Marco Streller, Philipp and David Degen. Since FC Basel moved into the St. Jakobs Park in 2001 they have strengthened their youth academy and many young talents like the Felipe Caicedo, Ivan Rakitić, Zdravko Kuzmanović, Xherdan Shaqiri and Yann Sommer along with Eren Derdiyok have risen through the ranks there. Since 2001 more than 40 successful players have risen through the Basel youth system and joined their first team, for example:
Ecuador Felipe Caicedo
Switzerland David Degen
Switzerland Philipp Degen
Switzerland Eren Derdiyok
Switzerland Alexander Frei
Switzerland Fabian Frei
Portugal José Gonçalves
Liechtenstein David Hasler
Switzerland Gökhan İnler
Switzerland Timm Klose
Serbia Zdravko Kuzmanović
Croatia Ivan Rakitić
Switzerland Xherdan Shaqiri
Switzerland Yann Sommer
Switzerland Valentin Stocker
Switzerland Marco Streller
Switzerland Granit Xhaka
Switzerland Taulant Xhaka
Switzerland Hakan Yakin
!!Bada Bing!!
Maybe Tanner lost his notes.
After all, he can’t be expected to keep every little detail in his head.
Forster
Izzy
VVD
Lusting
Efe
Samaras
These are Celtic’s CL class players, in my opinion.
lab is…
And Mathews…
A great player!
Wrycatcher
Did you call me an orange person born out of catholic wedlock earlier?
Just askin ken?
As for visiting other blogs…heaven67…Wrong! again!
ok about this unbeaten run lets start again.
Anyone?
Bada
The negativity is what does ma hied in. How many actually go to CP. You and I do. That’s ma beef. Nice talking again ole buddy. :)
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
latchford
21:02 on 30 December, 2013
Was told Fisher was injured…….difficult to entertain when we’re playing cluggers
TET, Hoopy Birthday mhate, have a great one.
67 Heaven
Ger is a shortened form of my real name. Fortunately, not everyone is obsessed by the FOD as you seem to be.
Following Celtic is a way of life for me, win lose or draw. I desperately want Celtic to do well and have been disppointed by some performances this season by the team generally and the new signings in particular. On the bright side, we have more league points than at this stage last season and we have a better defence than we’ve had for years.
I honestly don’t see what the board could have done to stop the SFA rule bending but I’m not happy with them re the treatment of our fans and our lower paid employees.
I do object to the vitriol directed at PL. Can someone suggest a better candidate for his position?
Fisher had a virus!!
B11OYS…..
Not a fan of personalised number plates but fair play to you for having the cojones to drive around in it.
Was on the M6 between Staffs and Manchester last week and the fattest ugliest bassa I have ever seen kept flashing the lights at me to move over from the outside lane.
I was travelling really fast so he must have been in a big hurry for his 10th turd of the day in a service station , I reckon.
Loved watching his blood pressure rise as I just sat there in front of him for at least 10 miles.
He was driving a white Merc….plate was OO 1690…..seriously.
WeeFra-doing good mate,weather looking grim for Wednesday,we’ll be there.Pity other bhoys can’t get transport.HH
Gave Sevco 60 minutes of my time longest I’ve seen them and they are mid-table SPFL stuff at best. However why anyone what’s that mob in our league beats me. Tonight’s game was about vile songs, they don’t have a single football song, and MIB favours.
Ryecatcher
Hahahaha
I think many on CQN are to pre-occupied with the Rangers we need to be improving our squad for both European and Domestic football.In Europe we want to improve and push for the last eight in the CL that is an achievable goal.We also need to improve for our domestic football in order that when the deid team come into the SPL we brush them aside like the small time team they really are.I think improvement will come if we use a mixture of players we bring in and young players coming through from Lennoxtown .Lennie has to be braver and bring in the youngsters he also have to change his safety first tactics and bring a wee bit adventure back into our play. I also dont want to see us sign any vetrans who want to top up there pension fund use the money that would be spent on these vetrans towards our youth set up. H.H.
Weefra
I attend celtic park every game so you stop counting yer chickens before they hatch :)
Don’t talk about playing at the highest level in Europe, we don’t.play at the highest level. That is the last 8 not the group stage. We don’t score, can’t keep possesion and give away really silly goals. We are not very good. The stats do not lie. And don’t be fooled by players saying the atmosphere at CP is the best. I’d rather they feared us as a team, home and away, instead of patronising us about the support. We rode our luck last season and did very well but this season we were found out, lacking in all departments. Did Neil or the board learn anything from last time? Methinks not. As far as DD and PL are concerned it’s only about raking in the cash. Do they have no ambition, no pride other than the balance sheet? We have been cheated by the SFA, the Huns and referees without as much as boo from our board….We are being taken for mugs, perhaps because we are…
Does anyone know where the SPL is ranked in Europe??
balance sheet
I wish I were wrong and you right.
The default position is always Support Celtic, the Players and the Management.
Things are ridiculously easy at the moment, domestically.
Gods story, ayeways pits good against Evil. IMO, Celtic are a real force for Good.
Luke 21.
Joe Filippis Haircut
21:24 on 30 December, 2013
I think the battered bunnet elaborated quite eloquently earlier on Scottish football youth prospects. Better send your son to medical school or Nobel prize winning intermediate vector boson education than to any youth academy.
67heaven ..naw I’m no talkin aboot Murray Park :)
starry plough forza oscar
21:27 on 30 December, 2013
Yup
3rd in the shite category
.
.
Noticed a Few..‘For the Record’.. Quotes tonight..
Then nearly All stating they either Don’t want Rangers back or Won’t go back to Celtic if Rangers are back..
Closely followed by a Comment on the Rangers game or Rangers supporters..a Rangers Ref or SFA Rangers ex employee..
For the Record: l have Now asked over 20 People l know here in Oz and Everyone said they Miss the Rangers games or look forward to Humping them again or Similar..
Not one Person has said..
Not one Person has said.. they Never want to see them Back or would Not go back to Celtic Park if/when they do come back..
l am Not trying to be Smart here..and l don’t think it is because l am Asking Ex-Pats..
It’s just Strange the Total difference of Opinion compared to CQN..?
Summa
Margaret McGill
Really so high!
I’m guessing somewhere in the 20’s…
Weefra, and I sit not far behind TBJ :-)
In fact once had to put up with him sitting next to me, and I still went back :-)
See you on 1st Jinky
Hail Hail
Summa of Sammi….
21:31 on 30 December, 2013
‘over 20 People l know here in Oz’
###
Distance lends enchantment to the view.
CowieBhoy, are you going on the bus?
If so what time is it at and from where?
Bada, see you there, if poss. :)
TBJ you shut TF up. :)) How you doin’ kiddo? Yip, the ole chooks are laying again. Hopefully get you up for a free half doz. super quality. Maybe early new year??. :):)
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
starry plough forza oscar
21:31 on 30 December, 2013
Thank you!
I stand corrected!
I did not realize there were more than 20 European countries in the shite category.
Doc
21:34 on 30 December, 2013
If its a McGills bus…beware!!!
Summa of Sammi
I’ll tell you two things (a) have not came across a single bhoy who wants them back (b) have not came across a single hun who thinks they are the same team.
Maybe its just a East of Scotland thing…..
Margaret McGill
The SPL takes the brown biscuit for the shiteyist league outside of Albania..
Doc, I will drop u a text
Hail Hail
cowiebhoy
Ye can pick yer friends, but,,,, oops I got that wrong. Hahahaha.
Weefra HH supporting Wee Oscar.
Mags:-)
WeeFra, thanks for that;-)