The changes over the last decade have been so profound, and are now so established, it’s difficult to recall how different the balance of power was back then. In 2004, a small handful of people had complete control over the Celtic media narrative.
Was Martin O’Neill going to Leeds United? He was, you were told he was, live on the country’s most listened to radio programme. By a former Celtic player, too. Objectivity and the opportunity to challenge was controlled by the very people who were writing the headlines.
For years, this was the way it was, and it was poisoning Celtic. The ‘old board’ were worthy of little better, but Fergus McCann was brutally attacked. He was the man who would bring equality and respect to our club and fans, but he was demonised by lazy hacks who cared little for truth. So much so, he was booed by the very people who celebrated the league title his vision brought. It was a bitter experience for many.
Martin O’Neill, in some respects, like The Man 35 years before him, brought a force of personality so strong, the gaggle of critics could only stand back in awe, but the system had a flaw. Stein brought unimaginable success with little more than unimaginable brilliance. O’Neill used money, lots of it. More than Celtic were earning. His whirlwind high-spending start at Celtic ended with the £6m signing of John Hartson in 2001, little over a year after he took the job.
Martin would spend another four years working within a budget; not one that brought expenditure into line with income, we continued to lose millions each year, but one which limited signings to a fraction of what was spent on Hartson, Lennon and Sutton.
While those four years were among the most exciting in our history, it was an unhappy era.
Put yourself back in time for a moment. Celtic are champions and have beaten Ajax to qualify for the Champions League for the first time. We were imperious, had beaten Rangers 6-2 and took to a field in Turin to final take part in a tournament which for so long appeared out of our reach.
Juventus went 2-0 up but back came Celtic. I worked with a Rangers fan who was at a lower league game that night. When we equalised, his friend text “I don’t think I can take this anymore”. We had come from nowhere, an irrelevance in Scottish football, but here we were, champions of Scotland and level against Juventus.
At that moment, anything was possible. For the first time in decades, we thought, maybe just…
We soon learned that it takes more than honest endeavour to win in Italy, and visits to Portugal and Norway provided a rude awakening. This was not ’67 all over again, there was a lot of work to do, we just needed to keep the pedal to the metal.
Two years after that defeat in Turin we came close to winning our second European trophy in Seville, with a team which had, pretty much, been in place for three years. We were getting the hang of European football, but the team was aging.
For reasons that defy logic, history records the Seville season as the highlight of that team, but the achievements of season 2003-04, with 25 consecutive league wins, and eliminating Barcelona from Europe, were vastly greater.
Then the party was over. The Great Swede left, we’d lost £35m in a few short years, and reality was acknowledged; all clubs need to live within their means, or face liquidation. The climb-down was necessary, but I’m not going to tell you it wasn’t hard.
Back then few people read football clubs accounts, even though Celtic posted copies to over 20,000 shareholders, but all the clues were there, Celtic had to stem the flow. We lost £7m in the Seville season alone; wages to players and coaches were unsustainable.
Despite this, Celtic were regarded as cautious. We lost £35m over five years; Ranger lost £35m in a single season. If they could pump debt up to £80m and survive, why wouldn’t Celtic? We would learn the answer to this question in 2012, but think back to 2004, thoughts that one of Scotland’s major clubs could be liquidated were ridiculed – often, on CQN.
So how did the media deal with our club in 2004? I was driving to work one morning and had heard “What the Celtic fans want to know, is where is all the Seville money?” once too often. “Where is all the Seville money?” was a toxic question. There was no Seville money, only higher debts.
When I arrived at work I ranted about such lazy reporting. This was calculated reporting of the most pernicious type. A Rangers supporting friend suggested, “Why don’t you start a blog and challenge what they’re saying?” I’d never heard of a blog, but he sat me down and got me going.
The first CQN article, written 10 years ago today, was a modest call to “Ignore the Press”, but just before I pressed publish, I had to select, ‘Allow comments: Yes or No’. I’d no views either way but ‘Yes’ was default, so I left it.
The whole thing, the millions of comments, the hundreds of thousands of pounds raised for those in need, the friendships made, the golfers, the slimmers, those helped in bereavement, the thousands of kids attending our school kitchens each day in Malawi and the countless hours of enjoyment we’ve had, are all down to a default position on Blogger. And a Rangers fan telling me to start the fight back online. Who’d have thought it?
Now, people stop me in the street to talk about Celtic. Can there be a greater joy in life? Thanks for all the help and support.
Celtic yesterday, today, forever.
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Congratulations Paul. It must be a source of great pride for you in starting up a site which has brought so many positives for all of us who love our magical Celtic.
God bless you.
What a fantastic lead article today. Honestly, CQN has been life changing for me, not only for the multitude of new friends that I’ve met. And there’s no way that ny two-headed monster is going to ruin this ole blog. My 3 day flounce is over and normal service will be resumed very, very early Monday morning.
Jobo
ps – fantastically well done to Rory.
Just to add my congratulations on ten years and thanks for the memories.
I’ve been privileged to meet many CQN stalwarts at games, in the Babbity (what clique?) , the wonderful Aberdour days and the odd quiz.
We have come through Black Sunday, the loss of Jinky, Bobby, Ronnie and Tommy. We remember fondly the posters who have passed an left their mark on this world.
We have also witnessed triumphs – to my mind Tannadice in 2008 takes the biscuit – with the odd disposal of Barcelona adding to the mix.
The change on the face of Scottish Football, the exposure of blatant corruption from our formal rivals and the ever decreasing relevance of the main stream media have marked the milestones on our CQN journey.
Thanks Paul and thanks to all of you (happy clappers, mineshafters and moonhowlers) for the great memories and here’s to the next ten years.
Hail hail
Like many here Paul, thanks for the site.
Iv been here pretty much from the beginning under guise of ‘blahblahbhoy’ now fourstonecoppi
It’s been a pleasure and priveldge to be part of this wonderful site
Cheers amigo!!
Minx1888
My opinion exactly. :-) Just read that your off for your holiday, if so, have a fabulous time and thank you so much for keeping my mum in your thoughts. You and HT are class, and I really mean that. :-)
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPY Birthday Sophie
Well , must say I was slow in discovering the wonder of CQN or indeed the timternet in general due to my technophobic affliction ( auld git syndrome ) but find it I did and bhoy has it changed my habits over the piece ….. I used to read papers but dont now , I used to listen to phone in’s but no longer do …….. I used to shout at the aforementioned electrical devices and rags regularly such was my outrage of their perpetual anti Celtic rhetoric ……. a trait that brought my sanity into question from those near and dear to me … that still happens occaisionaly but not anywhere near pre CQN days …… I dont always like nor agree with the views expressed by my Celtic family nor do I expect them to endorse mines but the fact that they ( you ) are all Celtic to the core brings an understanding and a tolerance which envokes respect those opinions and if truth be known I have frequently changed tact having considered the alternative views put forward on these pages …….. for all of the above I am eternally thankful …….. Hail Hail Paul because what you have created here is truly wonderful on so many levels ……a mirror image of the very reasons we pay homage to …… The Celtic Football and Athletic Club 1888 … COYBIG
Paul
Thank you for this wonderful place
Here’s to another 10 years
Well done Paul, I’ve been lurking for years now and do so every day if possible, not being very quick with the old keyboard, if i think of something to say by the time i pluck up the courage to post some one will beat me to it hence it’s taking me this long to register on this brilliant blog,but this being your blogs tenth birthday i thought it was about time. Long may i read the real news on cqn. Oh by the way Naw am no :>).
Congratulations Paul.where would we be without our daily fix of CQN. Lang may your lum reek !!!!
Dena29 , you mean the police don’t already have your details !? I’ll drop you an email.
Jobo , 3 day flounce Ma bahookie – you just fancied a couple of lie-ins .
TTTT , Minx – cheers. There are so many people with their hearts on the right place on this blog that it would be very difficult not to be influenced and to get involved. The work that you did for Kano in 2008 was and is an inspiration to us all and served as a ground-breaker by showing what can be achieved by people who just want to help. That’s not to mention the efforts of CRC , MWD , Kingoh , Gordon_J , Pablo , Ramie , et al – ok this is beginning to sound like a list !
HH
Congrats to Paul and CQN.
May the happy clappers and negatonians continue to entertain and inform us for many years to come.
May the ones we’ve lost rest in peace.
Come on the hoops.
Sannabhoy and 2000 kids say Hail Hail to Pablo’s family
19:17 on
20 July, 2014
Dena29 , you mean the police don’t already have your details !? I’ll drop you an email.
8-)))))))
HH
Jobo Baldie
I was shocked when you announced you were quitting posting. Glad that I’ll be able to read your erudite musings again.
HH
Paul67
If you’d asked me around 4-5 years ago when I first began posting would I have missed Celtic away to Kilmarnock to attend a CQN event I’d probably have laughed at anyone who’d suggest it. However, as you know that’s exactly what happened.
The reason for the u-turn was to be a part of something very special in the company of many friends and good Tims.
CQN has had a deep and profound impact on my life, from meeting Minx who has become my best friend and so much besides to being a part of the Wee Oscar For Life Team, one of the most worthwhile things I’ve done in my life.
I will never be able to thank you enough for that Paul.
Ps as you set up CQN because you were arguing the ‘Seville money’ point, I reserve the right to question the points of others as you did 10 years ago :-)
weeron
14:02 on 20 July, 2014
Paul, thanks for everything.
I remember your articles showing up on Newsnow. Refreshing and insightful.
I also remember those early blogs. I recall it seemed to be just you and Neganon.
I still live in hope that a means can be found to filter the comments.
Perhaps I would end up reading just you and Neganon…..:)
But, back to my opening comment.
Thanks for everything,
=============
Hmmmmm
Has anyone seen Paul67 & Neganon in the same room at the same time?
The perfection of polar opposites creating the gravity that holds it all together.
A view from outer CQNspace.
Cheers Paul
Yi’ve made ma day
Paul67
Just a quick congrats to you and CQN for doing 10 years.
Dont get to post anywhere as near as I would like to these days for many reasons but always catch the headline piece.
Thank you for everything you have done on here,it is truly a great thing you have created.
Heres hoping for another 10!
Happy Birthday CQN. And thank you Paul for giving me my “go to” place for accurate news about our club.
From Day 1 as well.
Your predictions on the downfall of the baddies have also been uncannily accurate. I must admit to having been a bit sceptical at your “Generation of Domination” proclamations but you nailed it.
Long may you keep the Lazy on their toes.
vclxi
Nom de ploom,
You sure :o)
ger57 –
not quite sure I went so far as to unequivocally state that but anyway, I’ll be back with a bang early morning! Will be good to set the ole alarm clock again ;-)
aul 67
IMO your best ever article has been about the blog itself.. (My missus hates you BTW because of the time I spend lurking on here). More power to your elbow.
Nom de ploom – welcome – aye ye ur!!! :)) hh
Paul 67
who is aul 67?
Paul67
10 in a row.
Well done and thanks.
HH
Kobo
Glad you took me advice sir :-)
TTTT/WeeFra
Thank you Bhoys, it’s a pleasure to know you both.
Oh dear on a day when we celebrate the good of 10 years – a” sleek it” appears
Paul 67
A big thanks to your good self and all your
backroom staff for making CQN happen.
Monty Python’s final performance live on Gold.
Happy Birthday CQN , can’t believe 10years have past . Thanks to Paul for creating this wonderful forum, I have met so many great folks through your blog.
CQN more than a blog
chicagobhoy1967
hope the day your dream comes true is not too far off…
H.H.
Just logged in for the 1st time today as I was working and missed the party.
Can’t add to anything that has already been said Paul other than to say well done. CQN has been a force for good and a focal point for for Celts all over the world with some incisive and knowledgeable leaders for 10 years.
The next 10 will have a lot to live up to so I hope you are up for the challenge!
God bless you and yours!!
John
Lennybhoy@1743
Sure did mate, then went off to the Dome for many cocktails, got the bus back, so l’m told can’t remember!
Hayho looking forward to drinking in town for the game on Tuesday:)
Paul
Take a bow sir
HH
Ya clique:)))))
Does anyone know what happened to the poster with the best blog name ever (IMHO)
“One star means more”
Reminder please of Paul’s email addy.
Thanks
Bhoys4ever
Hamilton
Thanks for nod yesterday mate!
Been busy recently, but keeping tabs on events – belated best wishes to you and M
HH
Paul67
Congratulations on 10 yrs of CQN.
My daily routine now begins by checking CQN before anything else.
It has come to a point in the family where I will say
“Just read this cracking post on the net ”
And my wife and daughter will say in unison
“On Celtic Quick News”
Amid much laughter.
It is by far the best site for all things Celtic and the posters are something to look out for each day.
This has been a very special few years for all of us and more so by the presence of your great site.
Thanks again and here’s to another
10 (in a row ) hopefully.
Paul67
Just logged on,I would like to take the opportunity to commend you on your article and thank you for providing a wonderful platform to discuss all things Celtic with some fantastic bhoys