The Scottish Football Supporters Association Benchmark 2017 survey results were released yesterday. Over 16,000 fans participated in the survey, conducted by academics from the University of Leipzig, and showed an alarming disconnect between the paying public and the sport’s governing bodies.
I was surprised at the optimism evident in the survey. 73% believe their club is committed to the good of football and 63% believe they are open and honest.
Worse than scandal-ridden Fifa
From a maximum mark of 5, fans rated their own club’s commitment to the good of the game at 4.01. The SFPL and Uefa were almost tied on a low score (1.99 and 2.02 respectively), while at 1.58, the SFA ranked worse than scandal-ridden Fifa’s 1.86.
The SFA also ranked bottom of the pile when it came to perceptions of openness, honesty and trust; good governance and transparency; as well as to a commitment to fans affairs.
Although dissatisfaction with the SFA was across the board, “Rangers” (sic.) fans were significantly more satisfied with the national association than either Celtic fans or all other fans. Perhaps an indication of the work Stewart Regan did in halting the SPFL’s request to review matters surrounding old Rangers.
Fans of all colours want an independent supporters’ organisation to allow fans access to the structure of the game, although, interestingly, “Rangers” fans are significantly less keen on this idea.
Former First Minister, Henry McLeish, said the report uncovered “some very concerning issues, but also provides a real opportunity for change.”
The SFA responded immediately, blocking any change while pointing to its in-house Supporters Direct Scotland body, as a source for their authorised fan liason.
When 16,000 of your customers tell you they believe you to be less honest than Fifa, you have a problem. This is an ideal opportunity for the SFA to grasp the nettle and connect with their public. But what’s the point in raking over old coals? Better to let the game wither on the vine.
Well done to the Scottish Football Supporters Association and the University of Leipzig for this insight.
Tommy’s Runs for The Oscar Knox Fund at Solving Kids Cancer
The enormous pain Oscar endured during his five years, and the continuing pain carried by those who loved him will never be offset. But it is an enduring inspiration that Tommy Melly (in particular) and many Celtic fans in general, work towards solving kids cancer in his name.
Tommy has completed five runs this year, his final effort before taking a winter break is in Glasgow on Sunday. His commitment has been astonishing, this kind of work takes hundreds of hours training.
You can read a wee bit about the story here. And if you want to do your part, you don’t need to run anywhere, just give the support him however you can.
Thank you.
The CQN Podcast: A Celtic State of Mind (EP21) Matchday Special v St Johnstone – When History Was Made…
Kevin Graham recorded the latest episode of The CQN Podcast at McDiarmid Park, as Brendan Rodgers’ side extended their unbeaten domestic run to a record-breaking 63 matches against St Johnstone.
ORDER BRENDAN RODGERS – THE ROAD TO PARADISE WITH A FREE GIFT INCLUDED FROM CQNBOOKSTORE.COM
Brendan Rodgers – The Road to Paradise The Official Autobiography is available now from CQNBookstore.com – the first 100 orders received will come with a free gift.
From a small village on the north-east coast of Ireland to the treble-winning manager of Celtic, Brendan Rodgers’ football journey has been a remarkable one of dedication, hard work, a desire to always keep improving and a determination to succeed at the highest level of the sport … and throughout his life there has always been a love of his team … Celtic Football Club.
In his own words, Brendan Rodgers tells his story – from a promising young footballer growing up in Carnlough and dreaming of playing for Celtic one day through to his professional career – as a player, a coach and now as one of football’s top managers. And Celtic supporters will also enjoy an insight into a remarkable season – from the first competitive game in Gibraltar through to the thrilling Scottish Cup final, with plenty of highlights in between, including the manager’s first trophy triumph and some unforgettable Glasgow derbies.
ORDER YOUR COPY NOW FROM CQNBOOKSTORE.COM AND RECEIVE A FREE GIFT WITH YOUR BOOK!
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The Token Tim – Happy Birthday, hope your having a good day.
HH
Celtic critic Tony Cascarino embarrasses himself by getting all his facts wrong
The failed Celtic striker just keeps on digging himself into a deeper hole.
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Darren Cooney
15:08, 8 NOV 2017
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(Image: SNS Group)
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Tony Cascarino just keeps on digging himself into a deeper hole over his criticism of Celtic ’s unbeaten run.
The failed Hoops striker dismissed the breaking of a 100-year-old record by his former club as ‘irrelevant’ as he belittled the achievement and standard of Scottish football.
And today he just made things worse for himself because in attempting to justify his argument, he made a series of howlers.
The pundit made FIVE factual errors live on talkSPORT that left listeners north of the border screaming at their radios.
(Image: Racing Post)
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‘Celtic’s unbeaten record means NOTHING’ Failed Hoops striker Tony Cascarino delivers his verdict
1) He claimed Celtic were beaten 3-0 away to Astana in the Champions League. WRONG!
Astana won 4-3 after suffering a 5-0 hiding at Celtic Park. Brendan Rodgers side claimed an 8-4 aggregate victory to reach the Champions League group stage.
2) He claimed Celtic couldn’t compete against Manchester City. WRONG!
Pep Guardiola’s side twice failed to beat Scotland’s champions. The first game finished in a 3-3 draw that had the whole of Europe raving about it while the second match ended 1-1.
3) No club outside of Celtic or Rangers had paid transfer fees this season. WRONG!
Aberdeen paid more than £300,000 for Stevie May and a fee for Gary Mackay-Steven, while Hamilton, Hearts Hibs, Partick Thistle and Ross County also all forked out payments for players.
4) Rangers spent only £3.5million this summer and Celtic £4.5m. WRONG!
The Hoops board paid £4.5m for Olivier Ntcham and £1m for Jonny Hayes. Rangers, meanwhile, splashed out north of £8m for a host of summer signings.
5) Scotland’s top flight is called the SPL. WRONG!
It’s called the SPFL, Tony but Premiership is just fine. Mind you, we won’t hang you for this because hardly anyone seems to know the name has changed.
Celtic spent £4.5m on Ntcham (Image: SNS Group)
Here’s Cascarino’s quotes…
“Right, let’s put this into perspective. Before anyone gets personal with me, yes I had a dreadful time in Scotland but that’s not really here nor there. I played against some really good Rangers teams with people like Ally McCoist there, Mark Hateley, Gary Stevens and it was competitive.
“Now Celtic’s run has been beating teams who are on a completely different level from themselves. Only Rangers have spent three and a half million in the transfer window this summer. Celtic have spent four a half million. Everybody else has spent nothing Jim – not a penny. Everyone else has done free transfers.”
Dembele scores against Man City and he wants to savour more nights like it
Dembele scored twice against City (Image: SNS)
Cascarino went on to brand the Premiership the weakest league in Europe. He added: “They Celtic are a very good side in probably the weakest league in Europe, compared to everybody else. What’s the team in Wales? Is it TSN, who win the league every year? TNS, okay.
“Celtic are decent but even in European terms Celtic can’t compete against the Man City’s, Bayern Munich’s and PSG’s. Just look at wages, that tells you everything about levels of football. There are Conference teams that play more than some of the bottom six teams in the SPL. That tells you everything about where Scottish football is at the moment. It’s fact.”
Hibs head coach Neil Lennon at Hampden
Lennon wasn’t happy with Cascarino (Image: SNS Group)
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Tony Cascarino’s Celtic attack slammed as Neil Lennon turns tables on ‘rubbish’ English football
Cascarino responded to Neil Lennon, who waded into the debate on Tuesday by branding English football ‘eye-bleeding’.
The former Republic of Ireland striker said: “It’s a much different level Jim. You’re comparing chalk and cheese. There’s nothing wrong with Celtic. Celtic is a club that has got many talented players that a lot of clubs from England would take from them, okay?
“Everybody else is literally miles behind Celtic. And you could justify it by just looking at the points tally at the end of the season, look at where Celtic are on money, wages that they pay their players. Just look at the players that have been signed by other SPL teams, it’s all facts.”
No, Tony, it’s not. It’s really not.
0:00
The above was taken from smsm.
Oh and apparently the odds have shortened on Van Bronkhurst ( did he not score 3 v West Germany in 1966 ?) getting the Newco job, to 3/1 2nd fav. mcInnes ( apparently) has went from 1/6 to “only” 1/3 ?
Is Pritti Patel too “Pretty” to get the Huns job ?
HH
Happy bithday TOKENTIM have a good one !!
quasimodo is too pretty for the huns job
the bell, the bell where’s jimmy bell
has a ring to it :)
………………. but i’ll keep my eyes peeled-don’t forget who tolled you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFW6yUlgGdI
Dallas Dallas… Thoughts are with you and yours ….may your Dad rest in peace…
NB..
Glad I made that 115 post when I did. Wouldn’t want people to think I’d lifted it from Jonathan Freedland,or the accompanying comments,in the Guardian!
Advocatt becomes the latest to advocate McInnes for sevco
How do ye’s all know each others birthdays?
Barney63 -‘ they know where you live’ (in a threatening NI accent)
they are in the ‘we know your birthday clique’:))
JOPHES on 8TH NOVEMBER 2017 4:24 PM
Thats wot I thought ;-)
JOPHES,BARNEY63
It’s to stop people lying about their age.
Regards,
BMCUWP,aged 13 and 3/4
SOUTH OF TUNIS on 8TH NOVEMBER 2017 10:33 AM
#2 – 1966. Humped The Deady Bears 4-0. ( Bobby Lennox hat trick) https://youtu.be/RQCDtvG66ho
*the Small Faces were on Ready Steady Go the night before playing their newest release “All or Nothing”.
When some one asks my age my stock answer is, I’m as old as ma tongue an a bit older than ma teeth.
Barney63
Proud to be 67 this year
Mr Token
Happy Birthday matey.
HH.
TONTINE TIM @4 31.
You are a man after my own heart-there was no tele in my house-I had to go across the road to a PTFC pal’s house to watch Ready Steady Go..I remember his Old Man opining that John Lee Hooker was a bit “primitive ” for British tele.
So there seems tae be a concern that the Scottish Football Supporters Association Benchmark 2017 survey results were actually a Celtic supporters report. Well why shouldn’t it be, as I said a couple of days ago we are the establishment club, we gave the rest of the country the game that is now played, corrupted or not, and we saved it fae a man who would have bled all the clubs dry, he failed though, try as he did, and we were part of the reason.
We put the country on the world map back on May 25, 1967; they had a couple of chances but blew it by playing industrial fitba with the likes of baird, davis, shearer greig etc., by playing pure, beautiful, inventive fitba © the Big Mhan fae Burnbank.
They on the other hand when they did win a European trophy in a game that never completed the 90 minutes with a Spanish referee blowing for time as Moscow Dynamo were on the ascendency in fascist controlled Spain and having the trophy presented tae them in the lavvy.
When they try tae maintain that they’re a big club ask them why their name is not on the Scottish Cup along with Queens Park, Vale of Leven, Dumbarton, Renton, Hibs, Third Lanark, Hearts and us, after that there was no more room. Our victory was 20 year after deidco was founded.
Who would win in a fight between Celtic Quick News and Big Jimmy Quick News?
Well done Tommy, I’ll buy you a lemonade, and make a donation in the pub on Saturday.
Good Mhan.
Catch you all later bhoys
Barney63
I’m 56 and I think the bhoys knew my birthday from my brother who is also a poster :-)))
HH
Good grief. Now the SMSM have got Advocaat to do their bidding for them to get their favoured candidate into their favourite club.
Wonder if he was asked about his “loan”. Or the money he spent at the liquidated club?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOyj4ciJk34 for south of tunis.
I wouldn’t worry too much about the comments of Tony Cascarino, others including Adrian Durham of all people on Talksport were highly complimentary to Brendan and his squad on that record smashing run. After the FIFA award and the record there just had to be windup merchants coming out of the woodwork. That’s to be expected.
There has been so many crap games on Sky’s so-called Super Boring Sunday that I had no hesitation in opting for a club hurling match on our Gaelic language TV station and what does that tell you about my opinion of the EPL a league that badly needs of a shakeup.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 8TH NOVEMBER 2017 5:21 PM
Who would win in a fight between Celtic Quick News and Big Jimmy Quick News?
…………………………………….
Nowadays..Celtic Quick News would win………but in my younger days……I was a lot quicker, especially at running away from angry husbands !
HH
HANKRAY on 8TH NOVEMBER 2017 5:41 PM
……………………………..
I don’t worry about Chumps like Cascarino…..i do get fed up knowing that these Chumps are getting paid money for this crap.
I could easily talk crap for a lot less 24/7.
HH
Big Jimmy………the guys I worked with used refer to him as Tony Caskashite-o
Hearts ridiculed as you can’t see the goal from new £14million stand but tickets for area WILL still be sold
Images show the control room completely obscures the view of one goal but Hearts say tickets will still be sold for the area at reduced prices if demand exceeds supply.
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13:54, 8 NOV 2017UPDATED15:22, 8 NOV 2017
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The new stand at Tynecastle is almost complete (Image: SNS Group)
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Hearts have come under fresh fire over the delayed new stand at Tynecastle after images appeared on social media showing restricted views that completely obscure one of the goals.
Opposition fans – and the sponsors of rivals Hibs – have poked fun at the club after the pictures emerged on Twitter.
The problem surrounds the control room at the famous Gorgie ground which juts out and blocks the view of one goalmouth at the far end of the new £14million main stand.
The room is set to be cut back to solve the problem – but not until the winter break in January – two months after the stand reopens.
Hearts owner Ann Budge previously informed fans of the restricted view. However, she added that tickets for the area WOULD be sold at reduced prices should demand exceed supply on matchday.
The restricted view in the new stand at Tynecastle (Image: Twitter)
Ann Budge is in no hurry to appoint new head coach
……………….
Apparently..The Hibees fans are having a good laugh…again.
HH
BIG JIMMY
Did you go to St Gregory’s? (The Greg)
Tony Canny score a goalio…couldnae lace ma boots….and I’m nearly 62 !
He shouldn’t have been allowed to carry the Celtic Kit Hamper…but at least we got Captain Tommy Boyd in exchange.
HH
BIG JIMMY
Yer toooo young to be the ghuy I was thinking aboot!
Last night after reading about Dallas Dallas (heartfelt condolences BTW) and pothers talking about their da’s and the influence they had on their Celtic supporting lives I thought about my own.
He’s 24 years gone today, only 70 at the time which would make him 94 now. SoT’s da at 97 disnae seem that ould now lol.
When I look back on our history I often think of him delivering milk and rolls before school when we won the Empire Exhibition Cup and the League in the same season, the year before we broke the crowd record for the national stadium when beating the sheep in the SC.
Little did he realise that the next time we would win that trophy he would be married with 2 weans of his own. As a lhad he didnae know an unsuccessful Celtic, however, 10 years later and he’s now married with 2 bhoys and his team are almost relegated, dark days indeed. But a successful recruitment strategy saw us bring in players that not only won trophies and broke records but also “played football the Glasgow Celtic way”.
And then it ended, just like that. He eventually stopped going to games, apart fae glamour friendlies i.e. Real Madrid, Wolves in the floodlights switched on game, Dumbarton when we guested for their floodlights, early European games Valencia and MTK, semis and cup finals and even at that not when we played deidco. He didnae even go tae the semi at hades when we were raining champions, that is the bottles that rained on our young fans from a disenchanted support.
He was now like a lot of his contemporaries, a 2 nights late, Saturday morning and Sunday shift mhan with a family to take care of. After lousing at noon on a Saturday instead of heading tae a game he would put a line on and watch the racing on the tele.
He would always say though that the first British team tae win the Big Cup would be us as that’s what we do. He would also say our next manager would be big Jock or Sean Fallon and when Jock went tae the Hibbees, disappointed with that he said it would now be Sean.
Then on that fateful January Monday morning as we crossed Balloch Bridge on pulling the racing supplement of the express out he glanced at the headlines before handing me the paper. Hmmm was the first thing he said and then “I hate that scheitd” on reading that we had appointed our first protestant manager, “I don’t care if we sign a heathen Chinese as long as he puts a winning team on the park”.
He wisnae that fond of me at this time as I was breaking all the rules in an effort to be the worst teenager in the country but there was still that bond, Celtic.
3 months almost to the day as I emerged from Hampden euphoric at Big Billy’s bumper I bumped intae him, he had a huge grin on his face and gave me a big hug, still no really talking tae me as I stood there like a clone of Sandy Shaw with my long brown hair, That bond that is Celtic shone through.
He did start to go back to games and although not a singer of rebel songs, even though both his parents came fae rebel counties, he had no problem in me belting them out on my Dansette with a wall covered in Celtic posters and pennants. I was back in the will by this time tae.
PHILBHOY on 8TH NOVEMBER 2017 6:02 PM
BIG JIMMY
Did you go to St Gregory’s? (The Greg)
…………………
Aye..The Auld Greg from January 1968…..and then the New Greg in Cranhill from around the summer of 1970.
I left the school to start work in January 1971..I walked oot of my “O” Level class one Wednesday morning, got interview on the Friday….started work as a “Nipper/TeaBhoy” on the Monday morn…about a month before decimalsation in February 1971.
HH
BIG JIMMY on 8TH NOVEMBER 2017 6:01 PM
Anne Budge is also offering to let you stand outside the ground for nuthin !
PHILBHOY on 8TH NOVEMBER 2017 6:09 PM
……………………
Nae bother mate…you have just probably mixed me up with another good looking guy ?
HH