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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Kojo,
Faither and co. are never ever far away from Paul67 and the best brother a brother could have.
We are so proud of both that our heart sometimes feels like bursting, our offspring brings us great joy and happiness.
Your words today about my son have been, as usual, very welcoming and I am proud of them, along with every other poster today.
All can only guess as to how I am feeling right now.
Martin42
Thanks to something that started 10 years ago today, 20th July 2004 I have had the good fortune to count many more like minded amongst my Celtic Family, thanks to CM67…I give you CQN.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Latest for those interested,
Donegal 0-5 Monaghan 0-3.
Monaghan have had 4 players booked.Red is a certainty in this game.
First the Dam 5 now the CQN 10……….congrats & thanks………..
Some lovely posts on here today.
Heartfelt congratulations Paul,
What a marvelous achievement in creating and sustaining the Premier Celtic Blog, the CQN magazine, the tremendous charity work and social network of celtic fans that has been created. Thank you.
I’m amazed how you can come up with a constant flow of editorials so varied and so interesting.
It also says a lot about you how you have not wavered in the face of criticism, abuse and I wouldn’t be surprised if there have been threats along the way also. But then again you don’t do walking away.
Enjoy all the wonderful congrats today Paul. You done good!!
Best regards,
Jim
Hoopy Birthday to CQN a brilliant job Paul roll on the next 10
HH
Long time no poster and now an occasional “lurker”, however very many congratulations Paul on a wonderful site. I spent many an enjoyable evening conversing with good Celtic men, pity about the wind-up merchants, still I guess all types support the greatest club in the world.
Looking forward to the next ten years and the next chapter of the Celtic story, what will you be writing about in 2024?
San Miguel calls, see ya.
Congratulations on this milestone Paul and well done for smashing through the msm agenda. Well done also to all the folk who embraced the blog and proved that Celtic fans can be just that wee bit special.
tricoloured ribbon
Tight game between Donegal and Monaghan , think your right about a red card though .
Donegal bossing the final….my team lucky to be only 2 behind.
:-(
bobby well done on podium I think honouring the family tradition of the name is a wonderful thing that leaves you with a pride that I can only compare to being celtic minded I am always mindful of my actions because of two things
1 ) the charlies that have proceeded me this Charlie and the charlies that are to follow
2 )Celtic yesterday, today, forever ……(sorry paul67 for stealing your header)
p.s. i’m still a non smoker!!!……2.5 stone on though grrrrr
HT
Donegal 0-06
Monaghan 0-04
call me gerry
The reverse of last year mate .
fourgreenfields,
If Donegal stretch their lead,and it looks like they will,Monaghan will lose the head.
Congratulations on ten years of CQN Paul.
A fantastic achievement by any standard.
It would be impossible , possibly even for Martin O’Neil, to come up with a list of superlatives to describe how much a quality Celtic blog like this means to those of us now in foiegn lands trying to keep up with not only the facts but just as important the mood and emotions of our fellow supporters back home.
The charitable achievements and friendships formed are nothing short of incredible.
Who would have believed that a single blog post ten years ago could touch the lives of so many across the globe.
Well done Paul and also the too many to mention fantastic contributers over the years.
call me gerry,
Are you a Monaghan man or just have connections?
tricoloured ribbon
Think so mate , Donegal should be further ahead .
If Monaghan can screw the nut then it should still be a tight game.
Come on Donegal
Congratulations on 10 years CQN
Keep up the good work
fourgreenfields,
Have mixed feelings pal.
My da’s connections all Donegal,but my mammy was a proud Monaghan woman!
King snake,
The real. .. Johnny Cash.
6 albums.
Songs for Rangers?
‘Why do you punish me for loving you?’
‘I will miss you when you go.’
‘I’m so lonesome I could cry.’
Oh, ‘Hurt’ also.
They’ve not been walking the line. Their vendors have been Blistered. And their debts are Five Feet High and Risin’ …
http://www.celticfc.net/news/6277.
Well done to the young Celts.
The blog is indeed a happy place today, full of praise for the founder, P67 and rightly so. We should have more happy blogging days like today.
CQN has achieved a lot in the first 10 years, arguably the finest achievement to date is doing ten in a row before Celtic Football Club and the former Club…only Celtic Football Club have the opportunity to match CQN’s achievement, alas the former Club will never ever match it…what a thought…:)
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
My Dear, Martin42
at 16.37
Ah Know fine well.. How Proud ye ..n.. Yer wife.. Must Be of
Your Laddies.
Although,as Ah hiv jist Bin Reminded.. by someone..
Ah nevah hid the Privilege tae Hiv Produced such a Fine Couple of Lads.so..
Ah hiv Jist Made a Liar oota Masel..!
Fur.. Ah really canny Know how Ye Must Feel aboot Paul’s n Kevin’s Achievements!
So..
Ah wull jist hiv tae use Ma Imagination~ which is usually pretty vivid…so
Ah wull Manage ..like Ah First said.. Fine… Efter Awe!!
Yes, Paul has ,Indeed, Turned oot.. Rather Well..as Has Kevin , tae..
Ye ur a Lucky Man.
Ma Best wishes tae You n yer dear Wife, Sir.
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
Good afternoon folks,
Paul67, just wanted to add my own thanks to this wonderful blog and congratulations on 10 wonderful years of informative articles, which challenge the main media lies and their distortions of the truth.
Many thanks to all the posters who contribute to make the blog varied, interesting and informative.
Here’s to another 10 years.
HH Dan
Happy 10th birthday CQN ……
Paul thanks for all the new articles posted from day one…
long may they continue…
Congratulations Paul and thank you for giving me and many others this blog to share our Celtic experiences, the good and the not as good. Cannot thank you enough for the countless hours, days and weeks you have invested in bringing so much together here.
Hail Hail
TCR can’t believe you’re not over for the Radnor swansong,sooner it’s flats the better :-)))
Ah see that ..
REGAN HENDRY.. scored . a Hat-Trick,in The Under Seventeen’s Win,today..
He is Wan o’ Ma Picks fur.. Fame n Fortune in the Big Leagues..
Along wi..
Mark Hill.. Cal Miller, n a few ithers.
“Yoof , ur the Light n The Way.”
Kojo
Still Laughin
Sevco are in for a Big Battle, their future Dark As A Dungeon, hopefully going to The Wall, thence being sold off One PIece At A Time. After all, What Is Truth?
Congratulations and well done, Paul for an outstanding blog. Your efforts and that of many others involved are much appreciated by most of us on here.
Gordy,
Ye know what mate,I was seriously thinking of making a flying visit.
I was thinking earlier about all those who have passed through it’s doors,a lot of them no longer with us.Had some great times in it and I’m sure you did too.Was always a Tim stronghold.
Take care pal.
remember it well , the night I discovered CQN , just moved house and computer was temporarily set up in a cupboard under the stairs. Must have been about 7 years ago .What really grabbed my attention was how all the articles made sense…i.e…….that that team from the south side would inevitably go bust if it did nt change its ways ( and we all knew that wasnt in their make up) . I was hooked immediately. Happy Anniversary CQN and Paul !
Gotta Leave, Steve..
Soon, wull be Headin oot… Fur Mass..
Seeya,Folks.
Kojo
Still,Laughin
Very occasional poster but just wanted to add my congratulations and a big thank you ,for all you have achieved with this amazing site.
Long-time & occasional poster…
Well done Paul
Ten in-a-row, ten in-a-row,
Ten in-a-row, ten in-a-row.
Ten in-a-roooww.
Ten in-a-row.
Ten in-a-row, ten in-a-row….
Lennybhoy.
Thanks for the text, I loved it.
Martin42