On many fronts I’m delighted Fergus McCann feels confident enough to get back involved with Celtic, some 15 years after departing the scene. It wasn’t always this way. We reached our first European final in 33 years largely as a result of the groundwork he put in place, but he didn’t feel comfortable making the trip to Seville.
He was first tempted back at the unveiling of the Br. Walfrid statue, using the occasion to put the club’s charitable heritage to the fore. He has since been back to speak at Celtic Charity, now called Celtic FC Foundation, events.
His intervention today, saying “It is important for people to stand up and show their support by buying season tickets. That is my simple message” echoes a letter he sent to season ticket holders in 1995. Celtic had endured a difficult season at Hampden, if memory serves, we finished below Hibernian in the league, sentiment was low and as season 94-95 drew to a close I remember thinking the rebuilding project was in jeopardy.
Only 31,025 souls turned up to watch an end of season victory against Rangers with many unsold tickets in the Celtic areas of Hampden. Fergus was also unpopular among a sizable portion of the support, with prominent Celtic supporters only too happy to undermine his reputation.
The season ticket renewal packs arrived with a letter from Fergus which invoked memories of his trip to Kilmarnock in 1963 to see Celtic ship six goals during Jimmy Johnstone’s debut. Fergus knew what the years ahead would hold for Celtic but he needed faith from you and me or the project would have been in real jeopardy.
To everyone’s pleasant surprise Celtic fans rallied in great numbers as the new stadium opened. So much so I was scrambling around trying to get a season ticket as the ‘sold out’ sign went up before I got myself sorted. It took another couple of years before we recorded one of the most momentous league wins in our history but the strategy was sound. It was always going to get there while others played casino football.
This week, Fergus wrote, “The league is important going forward. Filling the seats makes a huge difference to the club’s chances of getting the players it wants, paying the salaries and getting into Europe.
“The rebuilt Celtic Park has 60,000 seats for a purpose. It was built on my belief that 60,000 at every home game would give the club a key advantage. And it has.
“Season ticket cash is essential for Celtic to buy players while TV income is a small fraction of that of the bottom club in the English Premier League. But not all-important. Personal attendance at every game – through and through – is a key part of our culture. It shows how important Celtic is in our lives.
“We both know that you don’t stop being a committed supporter of Celtic because the league doesn’t include Rangers, or because you feel you could pick the few big games you want to attend. For years I went to ‘unimportant games’. In fact, I was at every Celtic game, home and away, in the year before I emigrated to Canada.”
Ticket sales is one of those things which bends more with sentiment than we often consider, but we are at a new beginning this summer, one which many feel hopeful for. I reckon there is a good chance we’ll see an up-click as the Ronny Deila Days start.
Tune in on Friday. After the CQN Lions night at the Greenock Celtic Supporters’ Club on Friday, we will have Bertie Auld on the blog this Friday, 13th. More details later in the week.
And just in case you’ve been living on the moon this past week, watch BBC Alba at 21:00 tonight for the Jock Stein film.
Visit the CQN Bookstore to get Tommy Gemmell to sign your personal copy of his tome, All the Best.
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Re the Jock Stien documentary, which was very good but about a tenth as long as it should have been, it stated that Jock, at the end of his Celtic Managerial stint, refused a move upstairs.
I thoughht he was offered th a job at Celtic pools.
Any of our more clued up ghuys confirm or deny.
Wouldnt describe that as a move upstairs
HH
Does anyone remember the time when Archie broke all the taboos when commentating on a Celtic v Thems game at Celtic Park? You know, that commentators never, ever referred to any of the players solely by their Christian/ forename lest it impugn their impartiality
I think they beat us 2-1 or 2-0 and Sleekit (I can refer to him by his forename only – but I’m not a commentator) scored. Archie was at first confused as to the identity of the scorer. He says, ” What a goal!. Was it (Sleekit?) Yes! It was Sleekit!”
On another occasion when STV had given Archie his own chat show (didn’t seem to last very long) one of his guests was Brian Glanville. Glanville lived in Italy because he loved Italian football. He regaled Archie and the viewers with a tale of a Celtic match in Italy. Pavarotti was in amongst the Celtic fans and he spoke highly of the singing ability of the massed Celtic fans and how they could, en masse, carry a tune. Archie says, “Well yes. Everyone says these things about the Rangers and Celtic supporters.”
Glanville replied, ” No, he never mentioned Rangers. He was speaking specifically about the Celtic supporters.”
Macjay
Well, now that their stance on this has apparently changed, has your opinion of them?
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
10:20 on 10 June, 2014
NATKNOW
Nae rush,bud.
Keep it for the twelfth of next month!
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Is that the start of the grouse season or the trout season? I always get confused with that. ;-)))
Ps that post abt Regan was in relation to him being interviewed re 2022 World Cup allegations.
Good morning all
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
gearoid1998
10:31 on 10 June, 2014
Ps that post abt Regan was in relation to him being interviewed re 2022 World Cup allegations.
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FIFAs response will be that there is already an investigation underway by the FIFA Ethics Committee. The terms of the investigation mean that the committee can only interview current FIFA officials. Mohamed bin Hammam is a former official who is at the centre of allegations and who will not be interviewed by the investgating lawyer, Nothing to see here, Timmy! :-)
BMCUW
09.42
Morning,
You old cynic you, and all these years I thought Swizzles were sweeties! ;)
lilys
NATKNOW
12th of July,bud.
A lot of old trouts wi a grouse…
Seen on Twitter
No words needed.
https://twitter.com/BarryMcGonigle/status/476106586612858880
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Ps returned to base and finding it strange posting wae my mam not frowning asking me what i’m upto on THAT (laptop) :))))
Natknow thanks. Was just commenting on the irony of it all Regan being asked to comment on corruptiongiven what had happened on his watch re the deid team.
Some great posts on here this am tosb @ 10.27 and the man in the black velvet waistcoat take a bow ghuys. Long may.it continue. KTF and HH especially for east coast Tom on his safe return.
Enjoy watching the Champions this season.
I’ll never forget Mr Stein shaking my hand as I was introduced to the dressing room as a, startled, awe struck 11 year old when I had my pic taken as that particular weeks – Celtic bhoy – for the Celtic View, way back in 1975.
Two years later…Mr Stein put his hand on my shoulder as he ushered me back onto the ole Celtic end at ibrokes after, a crowd break-in during the 2-2 draw were big Roy scored a double on the march to Mr Steins last title for the hoops.
Almost a year later he did the same thing in ‘ushering’ myself and hundreds of other youngsters back onto the terracing during the JRP Gordon game.
Maybe it’s just me but, I think that the JRP Gordon game left an indelible psychological scar?
Anyway….I’ll be well chuffed if Johnny Collins gets a part in the management team at CP, well chuffed.
And, to all those who decry John Collins – GIRUY
Hail Hail
Off oot, bye.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
11:01 on 10 June, 2014
NATKNOW
12th of July,bud.
A lot of old trouts wi a grouse…
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Still OK to take to the streets wi’ shotguns then?! :-))
gearoid1998
11:06 on 10 June, 2014
Natknow thanks. Was just commenting on the irony of it all Regan being asked to comment on corruptiongiven what had happened on his watch re the deid team.
Some great posts on here this am tosb @ 10.27 and the man in the black velvet waistcoat take a bow ghuys. Long may.it continue. KTF and HH especially for east coast Tom on his safe return.
Enjoy watching the Champions this season.
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Yeah – you’re absolutely tight mate. Not sure the SFA “do” irony.The whole thing is a game of politics. There’s no genuine honesty there. They’ll do whatever it takes to get something calling itself “rangers” back into the top division.
JQB,
Durham Cathedral has a famous link to Scotland.
The bishop of Durham gave the order to burn down the cathedral while it was occupied with over 100 Scotsmen petitioning for sanctuary.
Not tight – right!!
Surely there are no tight CQNers. Not the ones I’ve met anyway!
If anyone wants a personal message on All The Best from Tommy Gemmell please email me now – david@cqnmagazine.com
BMCUW ,
Hi boab, sent you mail a couple off days ago, could you let me know if you got it as it’s an old addy.
Hope you’re still showing your English mates how toooo swally pints :)
natknow
11:13 on 10 June, 2014
Not tight – right!!
Surely there are no tight CQNers. Not the ones I’ve met anyway!
________________
You’ve not met jonny the tim yet. :)))
sipsini
11:21 on 10 June, 2014
natknow
11:13 on 10 June, 2014
Not tight – right!!
Surely there are no tight CQNers. Not the ones I’ve met anyway!
________________
You’ve not met jonny the tim yet. :)))
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I’ve not, no. Should I bring my wallet? :-)
My ole dad would take us round the great mediaeval cathedrals of England.
He’d point up to the cross keys on top and say’ See son, they didn’t build this. This is one of ours’.
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
11:12 on 10 June, 2014
‘JQB,
Durham Cathedral has a famous link to Scotland.
The bishop of Durham gave the order to burn down the cathedral while it was occupied with over 100 Scotsmen petitioning for sanctuary.’
####
Don’t think so. Scots captured at the battle of Dunbar were held in the Cathedral and many died. The cathedral wasn’t being used at the time (that’s why it was available to house prisoners). There was no claim for sanctuary. I don’t think there was even a bishop. There was no order to burn down the cathedral.
The point is though that the English are basturts. Mind you, the Germans are worse. You should see what they did to our chip shop.
Neil C
They didnt tell me that on the way. Damn bishops, or is it English? I can never remember who am supposed to be against ;)
Seems a friendly enough town now tho – haven’t been stabbed yet, which I always take as a good sign.
natknow.
Just jesting, we’re going to our two bhoys football dance in the Glencairn on Saturday night, I’ll point him to the bar just incase.
SIPSINI
I did,mate.
I replied to it. But having read your post,I checked ‘drafts’ and it’s still there!
I defo belong to the IT generation,eh?
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
11:33 on 10 June, 2014
Join the club ….hhahahahahaha
One thing I learned from the Alba documentary (well done Alex and Margot BTW- hope you win some awards for that) is that Jock met his wife Jean in a Cambuslang chip shop.
I think we need a blue plaque campaign to issue a GIRUY to Cambuslang Rangers and The Black Bull.
Anybody know which particular fried potato emporium was the location for this historical event?
We should just give them all a Blue Plaque, or a special green one for Jock.
‘After the Battle of Dunbar on 3 September 1650, Durham Cathedral was used by Oliver Cromwell as a makeshift prison to hold Scottish prisoners-of-war. It is estimated that as many as 3,000 were imprisoned of whom 1,700 died in the cathedral itself, where they were kept in inhumane conditions, largely without food, water or heat. The prisoners destroyed much of the cathedral woodwork for firewood but Prior Castell’s Clock, which featured the Scottish thistle, was spared. It is reputed that the prisoners’ bodies were buried in unmarked graves. The survivors were shipped as slave labour to North America.’
Lifted from Wiki /EWLM/EWTB.
Cromwell, eh?
Gggrrrr
Worcester Cathedral is a smashin’ wee place to spend a few hours on a drookit afternoon.
Ole Elgar is buried there.
Is there no pubs in Durham or something? :-)
FFers ponder the glib and shameless silence:
“Quite simply that any strategy will be private and not in the public domain.”
——
“See, I dont biy that for minute. Hostile takeovers always make the news.
Look at Pfizer and Astra Zeneca. Daily news bulletins”
——
“I’ve read that there is a serious national mining strike in South Africa at the moment. Not sure if this has impacted King or diverted his attention.”
Natknow,
R u stalkin me?
Havin a lovely pint in sunshine just now ;)
BMCUW.
I just get the kids to check mine, they are miles ahead of me :)
My daughter went on the demo last night regarding the attacks on women in the Glasgow area, I was surprised that there wasn’t film coverage on the news as the tv cameras were there!
Lastly, she also told me that she got an A in her HNC accounts….proud as punch.
Any truth in the rumour it was Tony Donnelly who was heckling sevcos Graham Wallace in Canada :))))
MONAGHAN
Fffs,is King already being hammered by the mineshafters?
Nae luck!
JimmyQuinnsBits
11:46 on 10 June, 2014
Natknow,
R u stalkin me?
Havin a lovely pint in sunshine just now ;)
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Haha! Good on ya fella!
leftclicktic.
Brammer :))