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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Sounds like our season ticket sales are below what the club had hoped for.
Indeed ,they may be dire.
No matter what we say on here ,there are many fans who don’t feel the need to support the club without the Zombies being in the same league as us.
The board are failing us ,as they have no strategy to get out of Scottish football.
There are just not enough meaningful matches in Scottish football .
TT
gebhoy
16:57 on
9 June, 2014
Good stuff.
bjm68
Cheers bud.
gebhoy
16:57 on 9 June, 2014
You forgot …….yer sitting in the pub at half 12 on a pishy cauld Saturday afternoon in Glasgow,yer season tickets in yer pocket, the live game between Man United and Liverpool comes on the telly 21/2 hours before the long anticipated top of the table clash between Celtic and Hamilton takes place at Celtic Park,you have a few scoops while watching an enthralling game on the telly
20 minutes before kick off at Celtic Park you venture oot side and it’s still pishing down there’s live racing on the telly in the pub……I think I will give the gemme a miss today merr scooping to be done
It happens more often than you care to imagine mate
Rik Mayall RIP
Apparently, he was technically dead for 5 days after his quad bike accident.
When he regained consciousness on Easter Monday, he said he was chuffed to have beaten Jesus 5-3!
Monday, Bloody Monday…..
I can’t believe the news today.
Bono, oh no.. this facade..
Pray for Bono and he may spill the beans, about where he hasbeen?
I dinnae think many would reject the subtle advances of theosophists, federalists or the other dark organisations that….
Got to love it when your latest flippant remark comes back to bite ye eh MWD
How many tickets is that you’ve renewed then?
Fergus4booksCSC
Any advice appreciated.
The guy sitting beside me in work has started to gargle his crisps?
HH.
The honest mistake
Heimlich manoeuvre?
Why oh why would Celtic supporters want the undead back? I’m baffled. I really am. The very notion sickens me. Why can’t supporters simply go to Celtic Park to watch Celtic and hope to be entertained?
Tiny Tim
Ah wonder …
Could Celtic no Buy.. that Celtic Whitevah Club, that plays in the English .. Wilderness League?
It widnae cost much.. but..
If We did buy it .. surely, we wid Iherit it’s.. well. Franchise Thingmy, the Thigmy that wid Allow Us..as the New Franchisees… tae Operate as a Fitba Club ,in England..
Then..
We could Move oor Hame Grun tae.. Scotland..
Tae Much Venerated… Parkheid oan the Clyde.. Celtic Park.
noo.. We wid Armed wi the Propah credentials tae Compete in English Soccer…starting fae the Very Bottum..of course.. but
Hey.. We widnae Be Doon in the Celler fur Lang..
Ah figure that within Five or Six years.. Celtic wid be Home n Dry in The English
Lower Leagues..a Hop step n a Jump tae.. the English Premier League Riches..
Ah am sure it could be Contrived..
Awe the trouble that wid be Involed in us getting there..
Wid Be Damn Worth ..well.. the Trouble!
Ah am surprised that Celtic hiv no Proposed this way of Breaching the E.P.L.
Embargo.
But , there Ah go Agin..
Thinkin.. oota the Boax!
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
HT
Tell the minx … If she doesn’t remove the images that offend you … You might refer to my latest image on FB
Paul McStay and Rio Ferdinand to lead teams in a charity game at CP in September
Beatbhoy.
He’s not choking merely enjoying his chewed crisps by gargling them at his desk. This might be normal behaviour for all I know.
Hi Paul67,
Totally agree – talent like Fergus far too valuable to have on the sidelines.
theglasgowcelticway @ 16:48,
Think Philthy, Rich & Catflap was banned.
Thought it was the best ever.
My son was really into the Young ones and I told him about PR&C – he reckoned it wasn’t so good, hope they repeat it and we get a chance to review.
From
Kevin Turvey to B’stard – the greatest of a great generation.
A tour de force of comedy.
RIP Rik Mayell
Just bought my youngest his first season ticket,his face was a picture when we were in the ticket office,full of delight.Wait to see the same face on a freezing Saturday in December.
Drama queens maybe you could go to the football to watch the team.
!!Bada Bing!!
17:33 on 9 June, 2014
Paul McStay and Rio Ferdinand to lead teams in a charity game at CP in September
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rio is very lucky to be alongside one of the Worlds Greats.
Nice one Rio, Nice one Son, Nice one Rio, let’s be havin’ another one.
desertbhoy
sorry mate, just got back. Wasnt running today but think it will be later on in week. twists n turns will be the man to let us know
Petec
Keep it up mate, had an extremely shoite day and Bunnymen made it a good bit better.
mickbhoy188
agreed. missed the start of many games thru drink when a young man.
these days every game is on web too.
The honest mistake
I didn’t think he was, but if you pretend you thought he was and had to do the HM, it might make him think twice about repeating his gargling!
Then again. . . .
‘Why can’t supporters simply go to Celtic Park to watch Celtic and hope to be entertained?’
– steady on….the simple beauty of the logic in that statement will cause a riot on here.
Kojo
17:33 on 9 June, 2014
Tiny Tim
Ah wonder …
Could Celtic no Buy.. that Celtic Whitevah Club, that plays in the English .. Wilderness League?
It widnae cost much.. but..
If We did buy it .. surely, we wid Iherit it’s.. well. Franchise Thingmy, the Thigmy that wid Allow Us..as the New Franchisees… tae Operate as a Fitba Club ,in England..
Then..
We could Move oor Hame Grun tae.. Scotland..
Tae Much Venerated… Parkheid oan the Clyde.. Celtic Park.
noo.. We wid Armed wi the Propah credentials tae Compete in English Soccer…starting fae the Very Bottum..of course.. but
Hey.. We widnae Be Doon in the Celler fur Lang..
Ah figure that within Five or Six years.. Celtic wid be Home n Dry in The English
Lower Leagues..a Hop step n a Jump tae.. the English Premier League Riches..
Ah am sure it could be Contrived..
Awe the trouble that wid be Involed in us getting there..
Wid Be Damn Worth ..well.. the Trouble!
Ah am surprised that Celtic hiv no Proposed this way of Breaching the E.P.L.
Embargo.
But , there Ah go Agin..
Thinkin.. oota the Boax!
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’m not comfortable with Trojans…. Full Stop…..
Celtic are Celtic, we urnae here to beat the best all the Time.
Celtic is a belief system, at it’s purest moments, that All should adhere to. Mark my Words, if we are given access to the riches that others seemingly have, Well the Third Temple will have been constructed in preparation. Celtic will win the CL just before it, I have no insider Gnosis.
Vannessa?
Just back on after a few daze in limbo. Whats the Fergus gusto abt???
Petec
Ah appreciate yer Clever Riposte..
Nice…
Howevahhhhhh..
Whit’s Five or Six Years in the Wilderness?
When Such a Shinin Goal.. Beckons.. at the end of??
Heck.. the Israelites.. Wandered in the Wilderness ,a Heckava Loat Years Longer..
even…our Ertswhile..well.. Ersess!!.. Wull be Back in the Premier League..soon
N..It only took em.. Three or is It Four Years?
Man.. Time sure Flies..
Celtic, Must Get oota Dodge..
When they Dae.. dae.. That wull be the Best thing that wulla Evah ,Evah,en tae Us.
Really, we hiv Nae option ..
Celtic, Must Leave this Country.. in order tae Complete thur Destiny.
n… Ah dinna Care how they Manage tae Dae that..
Anything Goes…in Ma Book.
But, we Must get oota Dodge!
Nice Chattin , Pal..as Alwiz..
Kojo
Still,Laughin’
If I can play devils advocate for a bit;
To the bhoys who are not renewing ,because , that in their opinion, the board are not and have not done enough on several fronts, eg, Sevco, living wage etc, can I ask that IF another Seville came along, would you go if you had a ticket? Or, would you give the ticket to someone who attends every week?
Some say the Devil is dead, not deid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6A-ucLv44Y.
Help those that have had their World shattered, do it subtly though.
The dark wans that only ever thought of themselves, well the more they went up that STUPID pyramid.
Just Pray that their Minds come back again and realise the terrible deception that engulfed them.
Hardcore German Techno, the message is important. Aidan is going away from me, it is natural. I just need to make an even bigger effort, to make sure every moment is special. Simple.
jude2005
He’s sent a message to all supporters to back the team, apparently Lawell is behind it, and Putin and God knows who.
I think !
HH
TBJ
Do tell?! :-)
TGCW
Where did you relocate to?
I contribute money the Club, as watching Celtic gives me joy. Being part of something bigger than myself I find is both satisfying and healthy. Pleas from the wealthy to splash the cash, I suspect will fall on deaf ears, however.
I remember the dark days with startling clarity. I would never want to go back there. Mr. McCann made a mint, I’m fine with that. He (and a few others lets not forget) saved us. He deserves his success.
Kojo 18:03,
I disagree, respectfully.
I wanna see Aberdeen and Dundee UTD come to the fore again, and if we have supplied them with a lot of talent, that will really turn me on.
I expect an ex Celtic player to play his heart out against Celtic, it is the only way.
Rome wisnae built in a day, the Scots will rise again, fitba wise, IMO.
I hate how money is dictating everything.
BoboBalde.csc
twentyfirst
Ta for that. Love Fergus. He will always fight our corner imo!!
petec
18:06 on 9 June, 2014
I know you are one for a wee conspiracy…The New York Times running with a story today, bigging up the fact that the police across US are being equipped with military issue aircraft, helicopters, armored cars, night vision equipment and high caliber machine guns…
Jude
He saved us, done exactly what he said he would , and if he ruffled a few feathers and made a few quid then so be it. Those were desperate times. I’m with you on that one
petec
18:06 on 9 June, 2014
I know you are one for a wee conspiracy…The New York Times running with a story today, bigging up the fact that the police across US are being equipped with military issue aircraft, helicopters, armored cars, night vision equipment and high caliber machine guns…
I’m so paranoid you will never believe.
Hail Hail oor FERGUS. :-)))
Weefra HH praying to Wee Oscar.
Dr Who
injected wit, i mean with a poison.
Dr Who.cscscsc
petec
18:25 on 9 June, 2014
Nice one. Personally, as someone who has a knowledge of firearms myself, the most interesting thing about this article for me, was that the polis are getting silencers fitted to many of their issued sidearms.