I followed Celtic’s accounts since Fergus took over and started posting them out to us. Around the same time I began following those of David Murray’s MIH and Rangers, the fortunes of each, and ultimately of the rest of Scottish football, were intertwined.
Fergus ran a stable ship, but things kicked off when Dermot Desmond replaced him as Celtic’s largest shareholder. In Dermot’s first season in charge, excesses were lavished with England and Liverpool legendary player, John Barnes, in charge. That didn’t work out but the next season, with Martin O’Neill in charge, spending took off in a fashion never before seen at Celtic. A treble arrived, but the financial losses were eye-watering.
The trouble was, we had all gotten used to this new level of spending. Dermot was applauded (by some) for matching the “ambition” of David Murray, so much so, that finding a route back to sanity was always going to be a challenge.
Then came the Seville season. Celtic Park was packed out for European fixtures until April, while domestic games were also a sell-out. The commercial team did a deal with shirt sponsor NTL to have the new season’s strip launched early. It looked like every able bodied person in Scotland had purchased the new Celtic strip.
That summer I waited for the accounts to drop. This document would reveal our true potential. The first sign of trouble was an email, “Alert for Celtic PLC Final Results”, on the afternoon of a Champions League qualifier. I anticipated good news story, but good news would surely be stage managed better than to slip out on the afternoon of a game?
The document revealed we lost £7m, despite Stuttgart, Celta, Liverpool, Boavista, Blackburn and Siduva. Despite all those shirt sales. We beat MTK comfortably, lots of people were happy, but I knew why these accounts were released on a match day; Celtic were living beyond their means and that could not go on forever.
OK, so we released accounts on a game day, giving the news cycle four hours to digest and report before Henrik and Co. moved the story on. On Wednesday, Newco didn’t press the publish button until they were a goal up against Kilmarnock! This could be the work of Charles Foster Kane.
Within a minute, karma struck. Kilmarnock equalised, Xanadu lost.
You will know the detail by now. On a turnover of £32.6m, Newco lost £14.3m, this, coming years after comments such as: “just about breakeven” soothed the masses.
The accounts themselves are horrible, but, of course, now historic. Income for this season will rise with Europa League qualification, while costs associated with the recruitment necessary to propel the club to fourth in the league will also rise significantly.
The question is, if you act like Citizen Kane, do you follow the same trajectory?
Really looking forward to Hearts tomorrow. After the week they have had, a bit of karma must be coming their way.
Celtic Supporters’ Association
Annual Memorial Mass
for all Celtic Supporters & Their Families
Tomorrow at 12.30 the annual memorial Mass for ALL Celtic supporters and families is held at St Michael’s, 1350 Gallowgate, a short walk from the stadium. A time for us to remember those who passed on the club over the last 130 years. There will be tea and coffee in the hall for you before you head to the game.
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MacJay
Tomorrow we welcome Hearts to Paradise.
Welcome to the Pleasure Dome.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood CSC ?
YNWA
BT
Your dad and Neil Lennon have something in common. Baws of steel.
Tiochfaidh ar la
Oglach,
Good comments Today.
I’ve never played a rebel song for the wee mans ears since he appeared in 2000. My Dad never played any rebel songs. I knew every Wolf Tone verse when I’d left St Pats.
Murrayfield – The wee man was well versed and giving it a lot more than ever before.
Sort the Cheating out and Scotland will Flourish nevermind Celtic.
We all know that Ain’t gonnae happen though. :((
FERGUSSLAYEDTHEBLUES on 2ND NOVEMBER 2018 6:07 PM
If you are ever in any doubt as to how despised NFL is just start a conversation about him in any social gathering and you will be able to pick out the bigots by just looking at their faces.
—————–
Nail on the head, I’ve witnessed it so many times. HH
BLANTYRETIM IS PRAYING FOR THE KNOX FAMILY, sorry blantyretim did not know that, as someone who used to watch your dad playing for celtic, im disgusted give my love to your dad and feck the lot of them.hh.
DELANEYS DUNKY on 2ND NOVEMBER 2018 8:29 PM
Saint Stivs Nelson Mandela was asking for a jail sentence. Heard that in my youth fae a hun.
*Was that dingbat
Sipsini
I have told huns I grew up with about my mate Provo Joe fae the ‘Mulk.
You want to see their faces. ??
YNWA
Bbc4 starting great tonight with Paul weller
DELANEYS DUNKY on 2ND NOVEMBER 2018 9:51 PM
Wouldn`t miss it for worlds.
I fear there may be trouble .
Ca` canny.
Tontine
It was not the eligible bachelor fae Knightswood who has never had a burd, but someone of his ilk.
YNWA
Big Packie
As DD noted he is an unrepentant fenian
Something that has been passed down through the generations before and ongoing
Faith of our Fathers
Said hello to Frank Skinner at Glasgow airport today and immediately thought of my favourite tv moment
of his……..Big Tommy G
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsCOydsjBmg
SAINT STIVS on 2ND NOVEMBER 2018 8:18 PM
???
BT
Sligo Tims are we!
YNWA
G-Thang,
Whits the correct Score the morra?
;))
I’m just happy to be going for over 3.5 first half Celtic goals again.
For Neil
https://youtu.be/AqzGM2ygcmg
Voguepunter (and others)
Every Saturday morning, 9am till noon, AbsoluteRock on DAB the Frank Skinner radio show is absolutely fantastic listening.
DALLAS DALLAS WHERE THE HECK IS DALLAS on 2ND NOVEMBER 2018 8:20 PM
??
BT
Didn’t realise your Da took crap like that, how feckin sad.
HH
Sadly my Da falls into the smsm trap.
A Celtic fan that reads the papers and follows the news and at 81 he won’t change.
His opinion is that NFL brings it on himself.
When trying to explain why he’s wrong, I hit a brick wall.
Times are changing now with the internet giving outlooks and opinions from unblinkered people.
Jobo Baldie
What Frequency is that on?
Pete
Tonight I’m a Rock and Roll Star.
Oasis CSC
Celtic 5 Hearts 1 my prediction
YNWA
PETEC on 2ND NOVEMBER 2018 9:54 PM
Oglach, Good comments Today.
I’ve never played a rebel song for the wee mans ears since he appeared in 2000. My Dad never played any rebel songs. I knew every Wolf Tone verse when I’d left St Pats
*I never heard a”rebel” song growing up and my da’s parents were Irish. The closest I heard at family events was the “Wild Colonial Boy” and my mother didnae like that because of of the line “he shot James McAvoy”.
However, I had hardly got off the Balloch bus at Dalreoch when I learnt the “dumbarton orange walk”, not really a “rebel” song but close enough, incidentally found out a few years later my Uncle Joe was involved in that stramash.
First song I was taught in the music class was “Come Let Us Sing To The School Of Our Youth”, written by a presbie that lived in Burnbrae, the 2nd was “The Wearing of the Green”.
We used tae go up tae a mate’s house in Brucehill at dinner time tae listen tae “Songs of Freedom” by Theresa Duffy, wisnae a rebel song I didnae know by the time I left there.
Sipsini
I saw a prog a while back and they asked little old women about Lenny, exact same attitude, they just believe what the msm tells them, thankfully it’s changing, it’s slow mind you.
HH
DELANEYS DUNKY.garry hope your right.ynwa.hh.
DELANEYS DUNKY on 2ND NOVEMBER 2018 10:04 PM
Tontine It was not the eligible bachelor fae Knightswood who has never had a burd, but someone of his ilk.
*heard he used tae sell “hang Nelson Mandela” t-shirts.
Magical
BP
Was right on Wednesday. Had Celtic-4. Thanks Ryan.
5-1 tomorrow. Hearts score fae a penalty.
YNWA
Is mise Neil Lennon.
UFB/TOHGCSC
PETEC –
I’m out of my depth here!! I was gifted a Digital (DAB) Radio. I think you just scan for the stations . I’ve saved 6 as pre-sets with Absolute Rock being one of them. Actually, I think the Frank Skinner Saturday morning show is on ANY of the ‘absolute’ stations. Sorry for being stuck in the 20th century. Probably explains why a ‘turntable’ is on this year’s Santa List!
Sips
I’ve had the same struggle with my dad ref Broonie….’yes but he’s a bit of a thug isn’t he?’
Had him through on Wednesday watching (ironically) his boyhood team Dundee and he was going tonto by the end at the kicking being allowed to pass by the ref, especially on KT.
His generation are so dependent on the MSM for news and views. He’s better than many, but he’s not quite the Reb that Mr Fallon is! Not yet. I’m working on him mind! ✊?
HH jg
Tontine
Aye, the fat prick did.
Scumbag who rips off huns for money.
Knightswood’s shame.
YNWA
TT and DD,
My Dad said to me this week that Evan Williams told him in the Lennox that Callum couldnae tackle a fish supper.
My Dad has complained a lot about wee callum, Delighted for him that he is being confidence BOOSTED by Brendan, likewise James Forrest.
We are Incredibly Lucky to have who we Have in the places we have Right here and right Now.
CELTIC
JIMTHETIM53 on 2ND NOVEMBER 2018 7:10 PM
I don’t understand why Neil Lennon has been singled out for so much abuse from joining Celtic. And that’s from early days with us. I can’t remember Martin O’Neil or Brendan Rodgers getting stick the way he does. Even Pat Bonner as a player. I think the Holy Goalie got more abuse. Why Neil?
*the black north has had RC’s playing for them, MON was captain and their greatest ever player Peter Doherty was one tae, they didnae play for us at the time though.
Willie Cook, Bertie Peacock and Alan McKnight were capped while playing for us, but neither was of the RC faith.
Charles Patrick and Anton Rogan also played for them while at Parkheid and Charlie really wound them up, he was nae favourite with the copland road end.
NFL was capped 40 times for them when with lowly Crewe and Leicester, he even captained them several times and yet once he signed for us the death threats came.
So why the enmity now, I don’t know, however a former owner once played the orange card in selling replica strips tae honour their Dutch players, aye that’ll be right. He also requested they refrain fae the Big Jock slur but backed off when he realised it might affect the bottom line. They now have a licence tae hate and their brithers in the most anti-Catholic country in the western world are reveling in it.
I honestly don’t remember it ever being as bad as it is now and has been since Marlborough sold them in 1988.
DAVID17 on 2ND NOVEMBER 2018 9:05 PM
Disco lights show before the Leipzig game next week 7.45pm sharp ?
—————
I was hoping we would get a glimpse tomorrow as we celebrate another 3 points.
Nevertheless on Thursday it will be epic. Celtic have their fingers right on the pulse here. Light and sound shows are the future. Just look at Glasglow at Botanic Gardens. Extended dates to cope with unprecedented demand.
Very perceptive Celtic.
HH to all.
Kieran Tierney brings it on himself with his big feniany head
Orange Walks
Huns not catholic signings
Sectarian signing at both hun clubs
Discriminatory employment policies
Etc etc
We could all add 3 or 4. What gets me is the hypocrisy…the can’t believe this is happening..ffs where have they been?
Lenny has his demons and having spent time in his company he is open honest funny and a great companion. He has taken this head on for a long time and needs support from fans media and politicians. What a ghuy…one Neil Lennon…naw there should be thousands of us today tomorrow and everyday for we are all Neil Lennon.
Kikinthenakas ???
Callum has made some excellent tackles being in the midfield.