Football politics, sugar on the medicine

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Football club politics is hard.  You can adopt a popular position – for example, restricting Celtic fans to 700 tickets at Ibrox, but try accounting for bad actors throwing bottles, or the public safety hazard of disrupting egress routes build up over a century.

You successfully stop 7,000 Celtic fans from having a party, no more Leigh Griffiths tying scarves to your posts, but having conceded to fans’ demands, how do you unwind your position when circumstances move on?

The source cause behind Celtic ultimately deciding there would be no visiting fans when Newco visit on 8 April happened some years ago, when Newco designated part of the Broomloan Rd side of the ground, used for a century by away fans, for their ultras group.  The ultras had to be moved to accommodate Celtic fans, which was always going to rub them up the wrong way.

Celtic were correct, the recent scenario where 700 fans were kettled into a stadium at huge public cost (policing outside of grounds is not paid for by the clubs), then had all sorts thrown at them for two hours, was untenable.  Go back to 7,000 fans, with all that means for moving ultras and Celtic parties, or have home fans only.

It would take an enormously strong Newco board to revert to 7,000 visiting fans, something they have never had and are very unlikely to have any time (generation) soon.  Gone are the days when a David Murray-type would tell them what they needed to know at Ibrox, and they would lap it up/pay their bond to confirm a right to buy a season ticket, without complaint.

The only scenario that I see changing things is when Newco season ticket sales drop so far they can free-up space in another stand and locate their ultras there, perhaps with the promise of safe standing, as a sprinkling of sugar on the medicine.  So maybe not that long.

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  1. Afraid not, still too slight. Played very well though.

     

    Full of confidence.

     

    We are very strong on both wings. I would think he is 6th choice at the moment.

     

    Looked very tonight though. Will be on the bench against France in my opinion.

  2. MADRARUA

     

    Thanks for that. Exciting player, but I think you’re right….. just not got that something extra. I’m

  3. Re Mickey Johnston

     

     

    I will be happier if he learns to tie his bootlaces. I have never known a player to have to re tie his boots as often as him.

     

     

    Seriously though his team are seriously punching in a strong Portuguese league this season.

     

     

    Benfica in last 8 of CL, Sporting in last 8 of Europa and Porto weee last 16 CL. Guimaraes are in 5th in the league and well placed for European qualification. I am unsure the extent of Johnstons contribution.

  4. fairhill bhoy on

    Well New York was cold and na never again.

     

    Liverpool legends here we come 🍀👌👌💪

  5. You Never Know?

     

     

    Mikey?

     

     

    This Celtic Team is exceptional and Mikey wisnae quite that when he Treble Cleft on loan.

     

     

    No doubting his ability.

     

     

    He is oor player wae bags of talent.

     

     

    Who knows, Ange will huv a betteer idea than little ol’ Pedro McGedro.

  6. Burnley78 on 22nd March 2023 9:48 pm

     

     

    When my Son wisnae playing well he tended to dae that, tie his laces.

     

     

    It’s a mechanism.

  7. betteer?

     

     

    wtf

     

     

    I think, if the rumours are Scooby Dooby Doo about Liel, Remarkable if Mikey J becomes another Celtic Superstar.

  8. FB – I’m the biggest clown on this Amazing Planet.

     

     

     

     

    We are Blessed.

     

     

    I got a day out with an Amazing Sevco Supporter on Saturday…. He wants to delay the Event until efter yhe Celtic game.

     

     

    GrooveRider – he and MC Lenny knocked it right out the Billy Stark – ma fav DJ wiz Easygroove RIP.

     

     

    It was some Event, IMO the best Set wiz this.

     

     

    Easygroove still, AGAIN, he dropped the maist bangin’ Bangers but he didnae huv thatSkill that Grooverider hus in Abundnance.MC Lenny in effect.

     

     

    It is Short.

     

     

    I wi zDani B

     

     

    Amazing

     

     

    Wowser

     

     

    Bowser

     

     

    Trouser

     

     

    Arouser

     

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAAvrHnQsUs

  9. Tchaikovsky to round about 22 minutes……and that is indeed just the Raphael Van Der Vaart.

     

     

    CELTIC

     

     

    CELTIC

  10. GP is talking ma Rudi V.

     

     

    Time is marching on.

     

     

    We huv to win a Euro Trophy Jam&Spoon.

     

     

    The size of this Club cannae really be quantified. it is massive beyond measure.

  11. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    No Tory MP on Newsnight tonight defending Alexander Johnson.

     

     

    One of his pals on mounting a rearguard action …. badly.

  12. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    Amazing what you can find online.

     

     

    Following Nick Watt’s analysis I had a look at the 2019 general election results in Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency.

     

     

    The perfectly normal sounding Norma Burke, Bobby Smith and William Tobin all stood for election.

     

     

    Each received fewer votes than Yace “Interplanetary Time Lord” Yogenstein.

     

     

    🤭🤔

  13. GuyFawkesaforeverhero on

    Between tonight and a week next Saturday, I’ll type a summary of chosen articles included in Clydesider, Issue 23 Spring 2023, West Dunbartonshire’s community’s positive press.

     

     

    Beavers Return

     

    (full article Harvey Smart, photos Katie Kennedy courtesy of Beaver Trust)

     

     

    Early 2023, a family of beavers was introduced into the Aber Burn, a waterway in Gartocharn. This is the third translocation of beavers since their reintroduction to Scotland in 2009.

     

     

    Beavers can create friction when living alongside human neighbours, as was the case with this family on Tayside for encroaching on agricultural land.

     

     

    They’re better suited to areas where we are trying to restore wetlands. These wetlands hold water which leads to better water quality and conditions for invertebrates, in turn supporting wading birds and ducks.

     

    Projects such as this wouldn’t be possible without RSPB’s volunteers.

     

     

    The natural world is tough. Two of this family’s young kits have been killed by otters in February. The rest struggle on.

     

     

    When properly managed, beavers can create a massive positive ripple effect in an ecosystem, creating habitats once integral to our landscape that we have lacked for centuries.

  14. Ireland Player Ratings As Chiedozie Ogbene Goal Spares Team’s Blushes Against Latvia

     

     

    By Gary Connaughton

     

    Updated Mar 22, 2023 11:00 PM

     

     

    Mikey Johnston – 8

     

     

    On for his international debut, Johnston made an immediate impact. It was his driving run that led to Ogbene’s goal, with his excellent strike rebounding off the post before falling to the Rotherham man.

     

     

    He has remarkable pace and almost scored a sensational solo effort in the final ten minutes. You could get a sense as to why Stephen Kenny was so keen to bring him into the squad.

     

     

    This was a fairly short cameo, but it was an incredibly impressive one.

  15. International football suits skilful or fast players who don’t shine that much in the better drilled and tougher world of top level club football. Also applies to slow centre halfs

     

     

    Scotland got gubbed in Dublin but guys nowhere near a high level in England

     

     

    Scotland have a few of those as well; Patterson, Gilmour

     

     

    Johnston may well become a hero for Ireland but drop a level in his club career. I’d love him to make it at Celtic and next season will decide it i think. If Abada does leave, he may get his chance.

     

     

    Pretty sure he has a relation on here, i bet the family are delighted at his debut

  16. Fifty penalties have been awarded since VAR’s introduction in Scotland in October. (Sun)

     

    From BBC Scotland Sports gossip

     

     

    A spokesman from the SFA was not available to confirm that Celtic’s penalty against Hibernian on Saturday was in fact the 50th, with the other 49 being awarded to The Rangers*

  17. Tom McLaughlin on

    CONEYBHOY

     

     

    I too hope Mikey Johnston gets his chance next season and takes it. He has shown in the past that he is a talented footballer and maybe, hopefully, his time has come.

     

     

    It’s up to Ange to assess the player’s value to the aquad. .

  18. FAIRHILL BHOY on 22ND MARCH 2023 10:03 PM

     

    Burnley78 – do you really think labour still the answer

     

    ————

     

     

    It’s the only answer.

     

    The government’s at Holyrood and Westminster are a cauldron of lies, failure and deceit.

     

    Both ruling parties are toast and deservedly so.

     

     

    HH.

  19. Tom

     

     

    I meant to add that injuries have been a big problem for him too – hopefully beyond that too.

  20. From last night.

     

     

    An hour between posts.

     

    This blog has always set the standards because of its diversity and tolerance. That has been its strength.

     

    International week has always been filled with various topics and appropriately discussed.

     

     

    It stands to reason if you alienate and cancel long term posters and censor discussion the blog diminishes.

     

     

    This blog was originated to combat lazy journalism. If we are not diverse and offer alternative opinion in football and beyond then we become part of the problem.

     

     

    HH to Liberté, égalité, fraternité.

  21. The legends game on Saturday brings us all back. Sometimes the word is used slightly flippantly.

     

     

    However today is the birthday of an undisputed Celtic legend.

     

     

    HH Bertie Auld.

  22. Tom McLaughlin on

    The Leith CSC has a full coach travelling to Liverpool on Saturday for the Legends match.

     

     

    ☘️

  23. TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 23RD MARCH 2023 10:03 AM

     

    The Leith CSC has a full coach travelling to Liverpool on Saturday for the Legends match.

     

    ☘️

     

     

     

     

    Impressive…..and I share your views posted at 8:58am

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