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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Happy birthday cqn ,
scullybhoy
08:23 on 21 July, 2014
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Right enough,as a mere mortal… possibly so.
However, ye can always find a higher level if you so wish to.
What was James Connolly Johnstone, or previous to him,Charles Patrick Tully?
The Centenary Celtic side imho will always be the greatest, apart from the Lions obviously.
Billy McNeill was their leader.
Packie, big Mick McCarthy, Morris, Anton Rogan, TB, The Maestro, The Bear, Grant,Frankie, wee Joe Miller, Walker etc.
Unique you see because the vast majority of them were die hard Tims.
You will never see this phenomenon again.
It was meant to happen.
2017 – Champions of all Europe once more.
That should be the objective from here on in,also the 10.
Stranger things have happened.
THE CELTIC FOOTBALL CLUB STANDS ALONE.
HH.
Parkheadcumsalford ……… our 3rd round qualifier will see us return to the Holy Ground …… HH
16 ROADS
Very good point,I hadn’t really thought of that.
I reckon only Chris Morris would have had no Celtic blood coursing through his veins.
Most of our club legends leave as Celtic fans,though not all of them join us like that!
Also I hope that we play the Warsaw side in the next round.
Let them have their day in the sun.
You see the Jacks are now pishin’ their trunks with excitement at the very prospect of meeting the mighty Celtic.
F them, Shamrock Rovers being the exception… Dublin soccer fans are no friends of ours.
It just goes to show… from Real Madrid to Saint Patrick’s Athletic, to the zombie football club…
EVERYBODY wants to play against the famous Celtic of Glasgow.
Now that, I can assure you my friends, is a fact.
WE STAND ALONE.
Remarkable.
Slan. :D
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
08:59 on 21 July, 2014
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Bobby M – Think the bold Chris hailed originally from Cornwall, of Irish heritage.
Now that has got to be Celtic, surely?
Laters.
HH.
16roads
yip, they all want a game against the famous Glasgow Celtic…
pcs
have ows the weather?
Thinking of a wee trip to the seaside as its the fayre Monday don’t you know…o)
If it wasn’t for CQN I probably still wouldn’t know what amortisation is!
I probably still don’t.
Congratulations to Paul for keeping this going for 10 years. At times he must wonder why he bothers.
CQN comments only became worth listening to in 2005.
Kingoh (date of joining 2005)
Have ows = hows?
Broke the blog.?
Many many thanks Paul for all the time, effort and commitment you’ve put into this wonderful site over the last 10 years.
Considering there was no financial reward in it for you makes it, in this day and age where everything has a price tag on it, extraordinarily generous of you, and even more so as it must have required a fair amount of sacrifice from you and also I’d imagine your family too.
Thanks again and please know your efforts are not unappreciated.
Off to Ayr races with mrs 79, anyone got any tips ? (serious ones) I’ll be backing Jinky in the 2nd race but nothing else sticks out
HH
21051967
thanks for that tip, I won’t head down that way if racing on..
CQN first place I always check into only discovered the comments bit after about three months….just read Paul’s news….
Just leaving Nairn now pleased to see a few Hoops being worn. 1st time here and has been brilliant.
Game tomorrow roll on parking in Edinburgh.
HH everyone and thanks for your company and to Paul for the gift of this site.
21051979 even
I need new glasses..or to stay off the drink….
Paul67
Great work on the blog and espcially the work that is done off it in helping countless charities.
With the time difference its very difficult to keep up with conversations but i do try and post as much as i can.. Its amazing for info on everything from celtic to holidays to solving world problems.
Really look forward to moving home and attending some events that are organised and depending on where i set up home getting to see our beloved football team as often as possible.
God bless the celtic movement ✊
blantyretim, yes I think its going to be mobbed, setting off early, staying the night then off to Edinburgh
16 ROADS
I knew he played for RoI,but I never really thought of him as a fan before he joined.
Great player for us in The Centenary Season though. They were ALL Tims that year!
Btw,IIRC his family are big cheeses in the Cornish Pastie industry.
Pity he couldnae have done summat about the pies when he was here!!!
BLANTYRE TIM
Stick to glasses OF drink. Works for me.
BMCUW
Missed out about Chris Morris, whats the story there ?
So CQN starts Year 11. Let’s hope that the spirit of friendship and celebration that yesterday’s anniversary gave us continues.
BT,
‘I need new glasses..or to stay off the drink….
I know which one of these is most likely to happen.
Enjoy your eye test!
210579
16 ROADS posted earlier
‘The Centenary Celtic side imho will always be the greatest, apart from the Lions obviously.
Billy McNeill was their leader.
Packie, big Mick McCarthy, Morris, Anton Rogan, TB, The Maestro, The Bear, Grant,Frankie, wee Joe Miller, Walker etc.
Unique you see because the vast majority of them were die hard Tims.
You will never see this phenomenon again.
It was meant to happen.’
I said that I hadn’t thought about that before,and that all of them would had Celtic running through their veins prior to joining.
Except Chris Morris. Though as 16 ROADS pointed out,he was of Cornish and Irish descent,and you canny get much more Celtic than that!!
Touché….
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
09:53 on 21 July, 2014
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Never thought of that before either.. I was only 3 when that team played but would love to have seen mcstay an tommy in the flesh.
True celtic men
Emerald Green,
Thanks for that.
BT,
Beautiful down here at the moment. Unfortunately, I have to go to Glasgow.
BMCUW…
Yes 38 bud. Went abroad in 77 and last Euro game i remember attending was Saschenring Zwickau (or whatever). Never liked anything with a reference to sash!!
Anyways…… back again and have my ticket for Murrayfield.. section West1, row HH (must be an omen there).
Any arrangements for a general meet up with CQNrs or planned watering holes to visit??
Should be in auld reekie afternoon.
HH
The wakes- Lord of the wing
Is their a better football song than that… Naah i dont think so.
Fitting tribute for our wee man
Paul67,
Congratulations on a wonderful 10 years.
Picking up on the points some have made about posters they remember from previous years, I am annoyed at myself for having forgotten their names from the early years. I got a lot of good wishes when I announced in 2008 that I was resigning from my job in England to look for work in Dublin and when I landed a job but the names escape me.
Would it be easy to run the stats on the blog and publish a top 10 posters for each of the 10 years?
could be useful and a bit of fun
haha, always remember CM for delivering the perfect ball after McStay played the best pass Ive ever seen. Roberts wasnt conducting any crowds that day !
Paul67,
Churlish not to pop on and say a huge thanks for ten years of the blog. I wonder how much you realise your reach is elsewhere – You inspired me to kick off my own business blog and I’d be a millionaire for every time the missus shouted “can you give me a hand with the kids and get off that bloody celticquicknews” :)
Thank you.
Big Wavy
Morning all.
What a beautiful day outside. Sadly I’ll be running about like a daftie preparing for the holiday.
WeeFra, I hope you see this. I’m leaving early morning and I know that you’ll be busy tonight and obviously tomorrow so I may not be on when you’re about.
Please know that I’m thinking about you and you’re in my prayers wee man.
Good Morning everyone I see there are more rumours circulating about Stokes and some Celtic fans knocking the player now I know that from time to time he does some daft things which do not reflect well on him.
However,he is a handy player to have in the side especially for SPL games and if we move him on I think he would be a big loss H.H.
twentyfirstofmaynineteenseventynine,
That’s the goal that always comes into my mind when someone mentions Chris Morris.
One of many fine attacking full backs we’ve had over the years. Not quite so good defensively though …
DESERTBHOY
I reckon one or two may be in The Rosenurn,right next to the ground.
I also think-though I haven’t seen it mentioned-that a fair few will be in The Haymarket. That would be my choice. Much bigger. Less than a mile away too.
Enjoy the match,mate. If we can fill the stadium it will be the largest football crowd in Edinburgh.
Ever!
Thanks to Paul for giving us this wonderful place. It’s been the cause of much laughter and on occasion, tears.
Thank you to all the posters who have brightened up many a day, it has been and continues to be a pleasure.
P
Desertbhoy
oldtim will be in Edinburgh early afternoon as he has to check in to his digs, I’m hoping to get a lift to and from Edinburgh with tohg but someone have inched his pass for car park…
210579
Believe it or not,I didn’t see that match!
I had three tickets. I also had my Dad,my uncle,and my best mate in tow.
What do you do?
And I was driving,couldnae even have a bloody drink!
Mornin All’
Real feel good vibe from the troops yesterday in honour of the Mhan.
It’s sooo good bein a Timothy.
A.B.L.N.O.