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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HT – ditto mate. Enjoy the latest holiday! This one is special….! :-)
T4
Jobo Baldie ….. gies peace ….. you are part of the furniture here and often the first post I read coming off the nightshift ……. how would I know what the weather was going to be like in my slumber were it not for you …… ? -:)))
Paul67,
Congrats to you sir on the last 10 years and more power to your fingers typing your articles for the next 10 at least!!
Thanks also to all those good bhoys (and ghirls too) whom i have had the pleasure to meet since i started lurking in 2005.
You never know I may even manage to make thre next CQN hootenanny!
But dont hold your breath…. :-)
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Happy Birthday CQN and thank you Paul for keeping us all abreast of what’s really going on.
Without the blog I wouldn’t have met loads and loads of fellow tims I can call friends, I think HT was one of the first, at the Wee Oscar for Life quiz night fundraiser in The Phoenix, through to having the pleasure of chatting to sipsini in Aberdour’s lovely clubhouse,
and everyone in between.
Just remembered, it was BT who put me on to HT, great guys, looking forward to the next ten.
Hail Hail
ps anybody know if any supporters buses going to Murrayfield near G72.
Very sure, good to know somebody’s checking :>).
Reading the posts today has taken me way back. I’m not sure when I first learned of CQN (I know it was via News Now) but besides amortisation, the Seville money’s whereabouts, 2 other things particularly stick in my head: how CQN got me through Black Sunday (actually the pain is gone now) and the joy of being in or out of cliques…..Hmmmmmm, as someone was wont to say.
As Martin42 was wont to say, STAND UP FOR THE CHAMPIONS.
WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED.
One last thing: where’s DBBIA, on this of all days? .
Congratulations, Paul, still the best informed, most intelligent, interesting celtic website on the web.
Paul67
I had lived in SE England for many years before moving to Arbroath seven years ago. I had kind of thought that The Establishment Love in with Rangers would have become a thing of the past. After about ten seconds reading/viewing/listening to the MSSM, I was sickened to see nothing had really changed. How glad I was to discover CQN on a general trawl of t`internet . Very well done, Paul. Much appreciated.
JJ
Paul67-would like to add my best wishes and congratulations to you on the 10th anniversary of your wonderful creation and to also say a very heartfelt thanks for the many hours of enjoyment CQN has brought me.
I can remember happening upon the blog via Newsnow-prior to that I was like others a KTF and Henrik’s tongue reader-but CQN was immediately something different.
I remember a few years back someone posting a tongue in cheek account of their addiction to CQN and remember thinking it was way over the top-now with the benefit of hindsight if anything it was understated!
If anyone remembers it and could dig it out and repost I’d love to read it again-I’m sure the blog would enjoy a look to.
Thanks again Paul for bringing CQN to us on a daily basis and to all the excellent characters and posters on here from all corners of the globe-Thanks also for some great Celtic times.
Keep up the great work Paul-and here’s to the next 10!
Celtic forever!
Tricoloured Ribbon
18:56 on
20 July, 2014
If this Mexican is arriving,I hope he is better than the last one.
Juarez.Useless.
I have never met TR and I am pretty sure that, as a Tim, he is more than likely excellent company and easy to have a laugh with. That doe not come over in the above post, though 0:-)
JJ
It is looking very likely according to sites elsewhere that we are signing Aquino on loan.
Not sure about this at all
I discovered this blog about four years ago when I read a piece by Estadio. I was bowled over by the quality of his writing. I don’t post often but I rarely miss reading the articles and comments. I met Estadio a few times and Hebcelt. I was able to put faces to monikers at the CQNTen night.
I have a good story from that night but I’ll have to get permission to tell it.
CQN is unique
Gordybhoy64, somewhere on page 8…
I too miss the Friday night quiz and music nights, mostly the music as I was so shite at the quiz! Anyway, meet you here next Friday with an armful of YouTube links and let’s kick it off again. Anyone else?
jungle jim
19:52 on 20 July, 2014
Tricoloured Ribbon
18:56 on
20 July, 2014
If this Mexican is arriving,I hope he is better than the last one.
Juarez.Useless.
I have never met TR and I am pretty sure that, as a Tim, he is more than likely excellent company and easy to have a laugh with. That doe not come over in the above post, though 0:-)
JJ
….
Hahaha jj.
He was a coward too.He drew out of a challenge against St Mirren in Paisley and it very nearly led to a goal.I’ll always remember that.As I said,useless.
enough of this happy clapping work to be done, enjoy your babies birthday Paul67 you deserve it
HH
You would think ALAN would have posted his thanks today as well. After all the big shout outs he has had.
I should have mentioned that I met Mort. I knew OG Rafferty some 40 yearsago and Knoxy 2000 when he was only a nipper.
tricoloured ribbon
19:53 on 20 July, 2014
It is looking very likely according to sites elsewhere that we are signing Aquino on loan.
Not sure about this at all
Not according to Celtic Underground twitter
Talk within the club is that we’re not going to take him on. @VillarrealCF @marca @paulthetim
Paul67 Well done and thanks for everything over the last 10 years of CQN, heres to the next 10 ;-).
Jamesgang how are we getting to Murrayfield on Tuesday? We could get tge TGCSC bus from the Dunblane Hotel? Leaves at 6pm, let me know so I can make sure we get seats HH
Must admit I like the try before you buy strategy
Gary,
I hope that info is correct.
Saint stivs .:))
I see you spotted my deliberate mistake :>) Awrite ah’ll tell the truth an shame the devil ah made a right mess of my nickname. ah’m no even sure this goes to you, easilly seen ah’m no used tae this, ah better stick lurking and learning.
Canamalar,
I have resigned myself to this.
Deila won’t get a penny to spend unless we reach the group stages.
Non de ploom – no don’t stop lirking :)
Spelling is only important to thems that want it to be
tricoloured ribbon
If he was a loan signing with a deal to make permanent after the loan period then it could be a real coup. It’s a position the manger has said he wants to strengthen. But if it’s a loan deal and he goes back to Villareal next season then IMO it’s pointless. I’d rather give a youngster a chance or if we don’t have any the manager considers ready to step up then give him the money to buy someone and put them on a three or four year deal.
Or maybe anyone we have coming through is a year away from it and learning from a specialist might be exactly what is needed to bring them on, especially if he’s a good example as a professional
Paul67, congratulations, Happy Anniversary,
Ten great years.
Hail Hail
gary,
I said earlier I thought McMullen should have featured in the friendlies.
It was an ideal opportunity to try the lad when we had a stack of games.
Then again maybe Deila doesn’t rate him.
Would just like to add my thanks to Paul for this wonderful blog as well as all the Celtic news and opinions we have horse tipsters,restaurant reccommendations,holiday advice etc, Celtic is more than a club CQN is more than a blog HH
neil canamalar lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
True, a feasible scenario. In general I just don’t like loan signings unless there’s an option to buy at the end of them.
tommytwiststommyturns
19:00 on 20 July, 2014
What were you doing, playing Squash…:)
Jobo Balde:
Great to read your back, will be great to read the old weather report tomorrow as I’m off.
Nom de Ploom:
Welcome and a great day to take the plunge.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
gary67,
I’d be surprised if we would bring in anyone unless that was the deal
Paul 67
Thank you for your efforts and sacrifices in maintaining CQN for 10 years.
If I want to know anything about news on Celtic – I come on here before any other news source.
No bigger tribute can be paid.
Keep up the good work and regards to yourself and your family
Many thanks.
celtic dawn, thank you.
chicagobhoy1967, very fine words. I hope you get to Celtic Park one day soon.
GlassTwoThirdsFull, aye, those were the days.
ThisIsTheOne, aye I remember that one. You couldn’t interrupt our enemies making their mistakes if you took billboard ads out detailing them.
The Class of 67, it sure is.
Jobo Baldie, delighted to hear it.
jinkyredstar, yes, May 08 was a special time.
fourstonecoppi, you’re welcome, amigo.
Emerald Green, fine words, thank you.
cliftonville celt, here’s to it.
non dee ploom, delighted you’re here at last. Keep it up.
Telbhoy67, cheers.
Syd Negakev, cheers.
Hamiltontim, aye, I know that well. Good to have you both there.
Auldheid, steady now.
stevieo62, mine too.
awalkacrosstherooftops, I know how it is. Good to hear from you.
vclxi, ah! Remember when the Generation of Domination was regarded with suspicion? Now it’s a question of how many generations?
Glendalystonsils, my warm regards to Mrs glendalystonsils.
saltires en sevilla, you’re very welcome.
Gordon64, a big thanks back.
DougC, yes, we’re blessed with great contributors.
Art of War, let’s hope we keep moving forward for a decade.
weet weet weet, thank you.
Bhoys4ever, celticquicknews@gmail.com
B11OYS, delighted to hear that, thank you.
martybhoy59, cheers.
Token Tim, thank you.
captainmoonlight, me too. Thanks.
celtic40me, many thanks.
Jungle Jim, you’re very welcome.
sixoclockatthechapel, thank you for your kind words.
Houl yer wheest, it sure is.
dena29, will do.
Hutchybhoy, cheers.
Zihuatanejo, it sure has been.
Teg, totally agree.
Thanks Paul……wonderful site, keep it going. Loved it logging into it every single day,
paul67
I haven’t commented on the blog in years but I read it daily. congratulations on 10 years of informative, balanced articles about what holds us all together. Well done that man!