CQN memorial, anti-Moneyball, FAC

573

CQNers are a new type of community.  We mostly, though not always, share interests but we are anchored in commons values.  The achievements of the community are incredible.  We’ve made friends, some of whom are no longer with us and who shared their darkest hours on these pages, while others were lost in an instant.

Those lost friends now have a memorial stone outside Celtic Park, a credit to their memory.  Thanks to all who contributed.

You and I have been talking Moneyball for six years.  We’ve been convinced of the merits since then, most of the world is now, so it’s gratifying to know a manager would rather lose his job than succumb to the new orthodoxy.  Very brave of Mark Warburton, he has the makings of an ideal Newco manager.

Last week I wrote that I expected Newco to appoint Stuart McCall as permanent manager.  He was a reliable choice, had taken Motherwell to two consecutive second place SPL finishes, knew the task, had spent years scrapping around for free transfers and, let’s face it, is a ‘Real Rangers Man’.  I would not have looked past him.

Warburton managed Brentford for two years, winning promotion in the first and taking them to the play-off semi-finals in April, but Brentford is the story of owner, Matthew Benham, who has invested close to £50m in the club.  Warburton is fortunate to find two consecutive owners intent on spending £50m living the dream…….  you do have the money for him, Dave, don’t you?

Fans Against Criminalisation issued this statement yesterday:

“Our view is that from the outset, despite the claims from the then First Minister, Alex Salmond, that he ‘wished to build consensus’ the only support that the government has managed to attract for the Act is that of the Police Service of Scotland and the only consensus that is being built is that of the opposition to this dreadful, unworkable and pernicious legislation.

Their claim of public support for the Act is based on figures which show that people want action on sectarianism and not specifically that they support this Act.  They also conveniently ignore the fact that the overwhelming majority of sectarian offences (ie those with religious aggravation) do not take place in football grounds [http://www.gov.scot/resource/0042/00424865.pdf].  In addition, many of the incidents for which people have been charged under the Act are unrelated to sectarianism.

We deplore:

•             The action of the Scottish Government in giving off-the-record press briefings alleging that the Act will stay in place. This undermines the integrity of the Review process and the role of Parliament and its members.

•             The use of the statistics from a highly skewed YouGov poll commissioned by the government to mislead the public.

•             The continued reference by the Government to the Stirling research as being the ‘Review’ which the legislation requires them to have is an attempt to prevent the full and transparent examination of the Act which the public in general, and football fans in particular, expect and are entitled to.  These claims are made despite a statement issued by the University of Stirling on Friday (12/6/15) afternoon that the work produced by their team is not ‘the review’ and their work cannot be interpreted as ‘an endorsement of the Act’.

We note:

•             The conviction rate for this Act over the whole period of its existence is standing at 22%. This compares with a conviction rate for rape (itself notoriously low)  in 2013-14 of 41%

•             The scale of the resource devoted to enforcing this Act (including a specialised unit of the police service) which necessarily diverts finances and manpower from the detection and prosecution of more serious offenders.

We pledge:

•             To continue to oppose this legislation by all peaceful means until it is repealed.

We call on the Government to listen to football fans; to listen to those whose lives have been drastically affected by a piece of legislation which is a stain on the justice system of Scotland.”

We have the most right-wing left-wing government in history.

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  1. can’t wait to see the paving stone in place TBJ well done for your efforts getting it in place

     

     

    lots to catch up on so am away to read back

     

     

    leftclicktic……… your wee one has learned from the best

     

     

    HT keep up the fight

     

     

    Cowiebhoy …. Big J, your Pan Bread when I get hold of you :-)))…..sell tickets for that one…good luck :-)))))

     

     

    HH

  2. TBJ says Wee Oscar Knox is in heaven with the angels on

    For anyone looking for the CQN stone at Celtic park – it’s to the right and front of Jinkys statue

  3. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    PRAECEPTA

     

     

    I’ll be sure to make a wee donation too. Janice deserves all the kudos in the world despite,no doubt,soliciting none.

     

     

    Equivalent of a fair few Guinnesses heading her way-just to put it into perspective.

  4. Neustadt-Braw on

    hahahaha roll up ! roll up!

     

     

    be BAP aloobee Weir the peepil….

     

     

    doomed to go stale and be recycled into compost for Green things to grow oot of…

     

     

    braw

  5. foghorn leghorn on

    BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS

     

     

     

    11:14 on 15 June, 2015

     

     

     

    FIGHORNLEGHORN

     

     

    No mention in TGBS post about party affiliations

     

     

    Except in your head…

     

    ———————-

     

     

    read it again, and i quote

     

     

    “especially from the SNP”

     

     

    so the implication is that the SNP dont respond to public communications as efficiently as other parties

     

     

    so i was only asking for those stats or where he got his information from

     

     

    i wasnt saying he was wrong, i have never written to any politician in my life, i dont think any of them really give a toss

     

     

    but if he has specific information that might help everyone else then i think he should divulge it

  6. Dena29

     

     

    They give wee bits of a loaf to the fishes :-)

     

     

    I await his response with Bread, oops dread :-))

     

     

    Hail Hail

  7. Shieldmuir Celtic on

    Paul,

     

    Thanks for an excellent analysis and criticism of this dreadful Act. I hope you forward it to Holyrood, and that we play our part by contacting our M.S.P.’s. As I have said before on here,I think the fundamental problem rests with the word ‘sectarian’ which in my opinion should be ‘bigotry’. ‘Sectarian ‘ is too vague and means different things to different people. Hence the numerous miscarriages, made worse by the ‘new’ Act which leaves decisions to the judgement of policemen. Hence the disgraceful level of 22% conviction rate. Is this what we call justice in oor wee country?.

  8. South Of Tunis on

    ” I say with great clarity – either we have equal distribution of migrants in Europe , or we organise refugee camps in Libya or we organise a serious policy of repatriation . If Europe doesn’t follow through on its responsibilty and solidarity ,it will find a different Italy ”

     

     

    Angelino Alfano – Minister for The Interior 14 / 6 / 15..

     

     

    ” This is a major humanitarian crisis . Europe needs to stop prevaricating. Europe needs to stop looking the other way . .Let me be clear,Europe’s answers so far have not been good enough . If Europe chooses solidarity , good. If it doesn’t , we have plan B ready-but it would first and foremost hurt Europe ”

     

     

    Matteo Renzi -Italian PM – 14 /6 / 15

  9. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    FOGHORNLEGHORN

     

     

    I thought his ‘especially the SNP’ comment was due to the fact that they are the party in power,and the driving force behind the legislation.

     

     

    His comment about MSPs ignoring such letters was general,without allusion to a specific party.

     

     

    I think he is correct in that.

     

     

    I also think you were correct to

     

    pull him about the earlier reference to the SNP,which tbh I thought irrelevant to the point he was making.

     

     

    While I’m doing the Charlie Nick sitting here thinking routine,I also think it’s high time all the new converts to the SNP stopped finding fault in real or implied criticism of them.

  10. Neustadt-Braw on

    Lewis Macleod’s transfer to Brentford proves how far Rangers have fallen….

     

     

    a headline from January 2015 ..Daily Record….

     

     

    hehehehehehe

     

     

    stupid stupid Hunny Buns….

     

     

    braw

  11. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    SOUTHOFTUNIS

     

     

    It’s estimated that there are over 50m displaced people-refugees-worldwide.

     

     

    This is no longer a local problem for anyone,it’s a worldwide humanitarian disaster.

  12. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    Braw

     

     

    Very good …I will use that in the coming days

     

     

    Braw indeed !!

  13. South Of Tunis on

    BMCUW .

     

     

    Absolutely ! .

     

     

    Watching the scenes in Ventimiglia and Bolzano ———- Mad Max style horror . . Film on Italian news this morning re the scenes at Milan Central Station . Young Eritrean woman with a 3 month old baby -sleep in the station / telling the reporter ——- ” I want to go to Oslo – Please Help “.

  14. I am Not Lurking Anymore on

    Just seen the pictures from a snow covered Ben Nevis huddle well done to everyone involved

  15. Neustadt-Braw on

    ….PFayr supports WeeOscar

     

    11:58 on

     

    15 June, 2015

     

    Braw

     

     

    Very good …I will use that in the coming days

     

     

    Braw indeed !!

     

    ………………………………..

     

    I assume you will be ignoring the #Do Not Feed the Bears# signs?

     

     

    braw …………. all though ,having observed their eating habits….. they seem to act like they are Mushrooms …..

     

     

    braw

  16. Captain Beefheart on

    Paul67,

     

     

    A lovely way to remember the folk from CQN who have passed on: simple but effective. Just like CQN.

     

     

    Not sure about your last point though. Authoritarian govt? Left wing governments also veer towards authoritarianism. Because socialism doesn’t work, the government have to keep a firm fist over their populace who are obviously unhappy with food shortages etc.

  17. Well if we were t afraid before we should be now. I’m not talking about Warburton but his inspirational side kick David Weir. I hope Warburton keeps exceptionally good health as the minute Weir get the chance to deliver half time talks Sevco will be transformed. This man really should be on the motivational speaker circuit.

     

    Uplifting and energising , tactically aware. I think Weir is the man to fear.

     

    ( Eh, not really)

  18. time for change on

    Neustadt-Braw

     

     

     

    11:50 on 15 June, 2015

     

     

     

    Lewis Macleod’s transfer to Brentford proves how far Rangers have fallen….

     

     

    a headline from January 2015 ..Daily Record….

     

     

    hehehehehehe

     

     

    stupid stupid Hunny Buns….

     

     

    braw

     

     

     

     

    Brilliant!!!

  19. The Green Man on

    Captain Beefheart

     

     

    Are you for real?

     

     

    All governments are authoritarian….I would have thought that was obvious.

     

    Its government that is the problem…not socialists.

     

    When any MP joins the government, they then become agents of the state.

     

    Right, Left, or Centre.

  20. Garngad to Croy on

    I was wondering why David Weir was part of the BBC team for the Cup final ? Now we know why! Better that the license fee payer pay for his hotel accommodation for job interview purposes than the skint Sevco !

     

    He did not even know the names of any of the Falkirk team!

  21. Captain Beefheart on

    SP,

     

     

    Probably more like Beano politics. Never read the SP or the Broons. HH.

     

     

    Ok Bobby, no more politics today. Have a fine afternoon wherever you are folks. Offski.

  22. Captain Beefheart

     

     

    A quality production The Beano..

     

     

    On another note picked up a Charlie Whitehead anthology on Kent the other day, good record..

     

     

    HH

  23. The Green Man on

    Captain Beefheart

     

     

    When you are out and about today….pop into a library for an hour, and do some appropriate reading about politics, and I don’t mean David Starkey.

     

    You have annoyed the anarchist-surrealist collective today, and we demand justice.

     

    You are hearby sentenced to the virtual guillotine as a result of your metaphysical nonsense:)

     

     

    Ned Ludd for CQN

     

     

     

    HH

  24. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    THEGREENMAN

     

     

    Star key’s comments about the SNP were disgraceful. Grist to their mill,stuff like that.

     

     

    Aw naw,not another bread analogy…

     

     

    Seriously though,comments like that do not help one bit. Maybe he should stick to his subject-history.

     

     

    Drawing lines between the past and the present clearly isn’t his strong point.

  25. minx1888 praying to Wee Oscar on

    TBJ – well done you!! a wonderful memorial to some wonderful people!

     

    God Bless

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