Steven Fletcher has his own place in Celtic folklore. We bid for him in January 2009, the player made a public plea to Hibs to allow the deal to happen, but Rod Petrie rejected the approach. Fletcher would go to Burnley at the end of that season for a deal worth around £4m, which seemed eye-watering at the time for a striker who scored 11 goals the previous 12 months.
As Celtic ran out of steam in the spring of 2009 attention turned to what might have been had Fletcher signed. He was the one that got away. The whats, whys and maybes of that time are irrelevant now, but in short, Celtic didn’t value Fletcher at £4m and Petrie reckoned he could get that kind of money in England if he waited.
Before selling to Burnley he didn’t even put the customary call out to Celtic to entice a higher bid. Petrie wanted Hibs to be known as a team who could produce players for the English Premier League – a Hamilton Accies-Lite, if you like. It’s a legitimate strategy.
The player is 28-years-old and now free of the ankle injury which plagued him for over a year. He’s on an astronomical basic wage at Sunderland, who paid north of £10m for his services. Few Scottish footballers will have higher career earnings than him, but that contract ends in June. This season has brought 4 goals from 11 starts for a Sunderland team who sit in a relegation position.
The injury profile makes him a possibility for Celtic. Without it, as a free agent, he would remain in the English Premier League next season (whether Sunderland do or not). His agent will no doubt be shopping him around right now, as will Sunderland, who at the moment will be asking for a consideration to be paid to release him this month.
We must have signed 20 strikers since January 2009, very few as good as Steven Fletcher. I’d take him in a heartbeat.
I’m pleased Anthony Stokes (16 months younger than Fletcher) has a choice of clubs wanting to loan him this month. All three: Dundee United, Inverness and Hibs, would be good places for him. United are a better team than their abysmal points tally indicates, but they are desperately short of strikers. Stokes could transform them. Hibs and Inverness are both clubs looking purposefully towards the second half of the season.
Charity Q&A Night, Carfin
I’m on the (otherwise excellent) Q&A panel at the Xavier Centre, Carfin, on Saturday 30 January alongside two Libson Lions – John Clark and Bertie Auld, Celtic author and sports academic – Dr Joe Bradley, and Fifa referee – Willie Collum.
The purpose of the night is to raise funds for Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust and the Young Adult Ministry. Tickets will be scarce, so if you’d like to attend, call Mick on 07827 975271 soon.
You know when you look at a line-up and just know it’s going to be a great night…..
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BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 14TH JANUARY 2016 11:10 PM
MACJAY
Ay.
Orright,then.
BMCUW
How you the night buddy. Ready for another hell road for glory night? Hope yer well “M” and speak tomorrow as usual. Take care. :-)) HH.
BMCUWP,
I’m still saving…we’ll c….hope so ;-))
H.H.
helicopters. dont talk to me about helicopters
my hoose in bishopton, is now directly under the flight path of the rescue. ambulance, joy riders. helicopters from argyll and islands to the new hospital heli-pad,
its loud, its low, it drones, from a long way away, till it passes the house, i wonder how it passes by rnefrew and the landing zones of the airport.
i am getting woke up, at least twice a week, middle of the night.
the hogmany weekend they were like busses.
i couldnt get drunk fast enough.
and every time they wake me up i think ………….
i hope they make it, and that patient is allright
FFs Lads…Whats all the argy bargy.
Cheer up…we are signing Steven Fletcher:)
Carlton Cole and Steven Fletcher up front…..What more do you want:)
HH
THELURKINTIM
Good man!
WEEFRATHETIM
Ditto!!
THELURKINTIM
Ach yer fine. Signing off now as a busy day tomorrow, snow permitting. Hahaha. Night Night all. Zzzzzzzzzzz. HH
Weefra
Oor pal in Swindon just produced. :))
Saint Stivs,
our fishing & oil (sic) industries need heelos….the fact that our search & rescue has become civilian ( i.e. Profitable ) should b a cause for concern ;-((
H.H.
DD
Evenings are fine buddy. :-)). HH
Nite BMCUWP, Weefra
Av still got plenty of bullshit to spout ;-))
Easter Uprising Centennial….will giving up smoking help me get there …..yep ;-))
H.H.
Saint Stivs
You should try getting a sleep in Whitecrook. Airport flightpath. My grannies house used to shake and the house went deaf for a minute.
THELURKINTIM
Am still off them. A year past November. Dead chuffed and a stone and a half heavier. But, hey ho. No bad after 60 years a heavy smoker. :-)) deffo Hammock now. Night Night Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz. HH
DELANEYS DUNKY on 14TH JANUARY 2016 11:38 PM
Saint Stivs
You should try getting a sleep in Whitecrook. Airport flightpath. My grannies house used to shake and the house went deaf for a minute.
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last few years when antonine moved their games from duntocher to colquon park, i found that quite funny.
lovely posh hooses on the west side of the park ………. 10am sunday morning
easy jet from stansted.
nae lie ins there.
posh postcode, waste of money.
Saint Stivs
Upper Drumchapel. ;)
Weefra…..that’s inspirational…..a cannae wait till I’m smoke free…..too bad I’ll b a fat b’stard ;-))
H.H.
Triple podium?
H.H.
Triple double ffs ;-))
H.H.
copied from johnjames website, but what an impressive list of honours for a club/company barely 3 years old
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Green’s appeal to the Inner House of The Court of Session. I was surprised that Green’s severance package, that included an iron clad litigation clause, was dismissed in court. Green’s experience at Sheffield United should have been instructive on UK legislation. The severance package should have been sent to his solicitor and modified as per any instructions. If this was not the case, he finds himself in an invidious position. DAC Beachcroft, who are the instructing solicitors for Green, received a private communique from Lord Doherty. This was sealed so as not to prejudice Green’s criminal trial. I posit that this sealed document is central to his appeal, which commences on Friday 15th January. If the appeal is upheld unanimously, Anderson Strathern, for RIFC/TRFCL, would have to seek leave of the court to take the matter to the Supreme Court. If a majority decision, then there is no requirement to seek leave to appeal. In my opinion King will kick this into the long grass of a Supreme Court appeal. However, his costs are a game changer. King will find a way of not paying him, including liquidating RIFC. This is how a career criminal operates. If I were Green I would put my house on the market. The threat to Rangers is insolvency and a 15 points deduction. The same club argument will be flipped on its head to avoid a twenty-five point penalty.
Glasgow Sheriff Court on Friday 15 January. A decision will be delivered as to whether the interim arrestment of £300,000 becomes a binding arrestmnent. There is a precedent with Martin Bain and Imran Ahamad. The former had £480,000 arrested, the latter reached an out of court settlement. My opinion is that the Sheriff will not uphold it.
Contempt of Court, Royal Courts of Justice, 18 January. I have written at length on the maverick judge, Justice Smith. The chances of King paying £200,000 damages to Sports Direct are somewhere between no hope and Bob Hope. King will have his costs paid and probably receive an apology from the court. It remains to be seen whether the junior team will appeal on the basis that counsel for King lied. Justice Smith will attempt to minimise the lie.
MASH v TRFCL, Court of Session, TBD. There was a procedural hearing yesterday, 13th January, which will lead to a hearing at a date To Be Determined. The petition raised by Brodies LLP is in regard to the prejudicial actions of the RIFC board in regard to the MASH 8.92% holding. Remedies include censure, suspension or an order to buy Ashley’s shares at the price he paid for them. We await the hearing to establish what Brodies are seeking.
Ticketus & Other v Whyte & Others 14 January. This hearing in The Chancery Division of the Royal Courts, is the latest in a long line of civil proceedings in regard to Craig Whyte. As it’s listed for 4pm, it will be a procedural hearing to determine when it will be heard in court.
BDO v Advocate General 24 February 2016. BDO are seeking leave to appeal to the Supreme Court a judgement that found in favour of HMRC. If denied the clamour for title-stripping will reignite. It will of course not happen as the SFA/SPL are as guilty as the former board of RFC and no club has the appetite to pursue it. Case closed.
BDO v Law Financial Ltd TBD. BDO raised a petition on 25th August 2014 to dismiss the letter before claim of £25m submitted by Law Financial Ltd. At the precedural hearing, Law Financial stated that they will oppose this motion. The hearing date is yet to be determined.
MASH v SFA/RIFC Court of Session April 28. This hearing will subject the appointment of Dave King as fit and proper to judicial review and will posit that the SFA’s ‘at their discretion’ article is a charter for allowing criminals to hold office in Scottish football. I expect Ashley to succeed in this claim. King is the antithesis of fit and proper. Those who voted for him, Regan, Topping, Obilvie, McCrae & Johnson should be suspended from office. King should be stripped of his role as a director in RIFC. The evidence is compelling. If the Scottish judiciary is not in any way compromised, King and his supporting cast at the SFA will be gone.
Nite Tims everywhere ;-))
H.H.
Delaneys I myself am from lower bearsden……..
Am from Southern Arden ;-))
H.H.
JJames with a pinch of salt ;-))
H.H.
Neg
Any Tim like yourself, Richie and Dallas who grew up in Danny McGrain’s scheme, are fenian heroes. I only hung about with my cousins in Drumchapel. The hatred we faced was scary. Improved my boxing on Achamore. :)
Thelurkintim
Fenwick??
The Brilliant Andy Weatherall with his awesome Sabres of Paradise.
Hopefully, Celtic will have young Lions soon, even if it does indeed look pretty bleak at the moment.
Spooky Sonics – in the Clock Factory
We just need another 10 like Kieran, well with his attitude anyway, annoyed at the attitude by a few of the players, hopefully Ronny will get rid of them ASAP and that is never easy.
31003 on 14TH JANUARY 2016 10:40 PM
Basil Brush will be turnin in his grave
Ffs is Basil deid ….;)
BDO v Advocate General 24 February 2016. BDO are seeking leave to appeal to the Supreme Court a judgement that found in favour of HMRC. If denied the clamour for title-stripping will reignite. It will of course not happen as the SFA/SPL are as guilty as the former board of RFC and no club has the appetite to pursue it. Case closed. – See more at: http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/fletcher-what-might-have-been-what-makes-it-possible/comment-page-9/#comments
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I don’t know if this is based on arrogance or wishful thinking.
The clubs will not decide what happens , the fans will.
Auldheid,
“………no club has the appetite to pursue it” Seems to agree with you there?
“……..the SFA/SPL are as guilty as the former board of RFC” Have to agree there?
“Case closed” ~ could this mean he thinks that BDO right to appeal will be refused and the BTC is finally closed?
HH
I was really looking forward to seeing this Team play without Broonie.
I thought it was a chance to really get back to a highly skilled midfield. IMO, Ronny D is firefighting olde Selfish, Self Centred (lmao fallen man)…. and let’s face it, in a Material World, without God, it is Entirely predictable. Every Last one of us is a Sinner.
Emilio is guiding young Kieran like a God fearing player would do, IMO.
Who knows anything really?
Come on the Righteous Efe Ambrose.
Negonan2. I am from middle Bearsden
Ahh paul67 you are normally great with stats
The Celtic team in 2009 was dead on its feet , we needed a striker. Hibs wanted 1.5m we offered about 700k
The deid team won the next 3 leagues ( yes they cheated ) but even EBT’s would not have made the shortfall up from CL If we had reached the pot of gold
Peter Lawell admitted he made the mistake 7 years ago. A mistake that kept the deid club in existence for an extra 3 years and lost our club about 30-40m ++ in income over the coming 3 seasons
And. He is still there. Shocking. Mistake after mistake and Lawell is still picking up his pension Sack him now
SydneyTim,
Hail Hail m8ty.
What’s going on?
Noone should pray for Revolution because Revolution means Blood, and that is a Priceless thing, disnae really matter Howeeevaaaah as the Underpinning English language is being systematically eroded, for the lower class.
SYDNEYTIM
I’d have sacked him the minute he got ideas above his station. And his ability.
Too late now. The damage he has done will cost much more to rectify than even his most ardent fans could claim he has ‘saved’ us.
One very costly hire,indeed.
Bobby. Indeed. Our team cannot complete on the park now to Scandinavian teams due to Lawell. His pension is number one
SYDNEYTIM on 15TH JANUARY 2016 4:15 AM
Bobby. Indeed. Our team cannot complete on the park now to Scandinavian teams due to Lawell. His pension is number one
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Nothing to do with Deila,then?
Hi,Syd.
Good to hear from you.
Happy New Year,pal.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 15TH JANUARY 2016 3:40 AM
SYDNEYTIM
I’d have sacked him the minute he got ideas above his station. And his ability.
Too late now. The damage he has done will cost much more to rectify than even his most ardent fans could claim he has ‘saved’ us.
One very costly hire,indeed.
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Perfect descriptor of Ronaldo.
:-)
MACJAY
Very good.
Worth remembering that RD was hired by our Director of Football. The same man who had previously ‘lost’ three managers with three titles each.
I reckon that if you get your way and RD goes he will be replaced by the manager of Dukla Pumpherston,or similar.
Having said that,remember how we used to smile when some genius at FIFA 04 or whatever would apply for,say,the Liverpool job?
Don’t rule it out,bud. Another ground-breaking initiative coming your way…
Good film earlier?
Interesting comment from Weefratim about foxes last night which wound me up a bit.
Calling them murdering bassas, total vermin, horrible creatures etc and peddling the usual myth about them killing for fun.
May I suggest you watch the excellent David Attenborough video and that may improve your understanding of this animal.