Enormous congratulations to Georgios Samaras, Celtic’s Player of the Year, 2012-13. Scoring in five consecutive Champions League away games this season was a remarkable feat. His last minute winner in Moscow was a seismic moment in our progress in that tournament. Georgios is a player who thrives on positive reinforcement but endures negative sentiment without hiding. No wonder all his managers have valued him so highly.
I was also delighted Fraser Forster won the Players’ Player of the Year award. His performances against Barcelona were nothing short of incredible. It should surprise no one that Victor Wanyama and Kelvin Wilson received a large number of votes for the Players’ Player award. Kelvin will play for England if he continues to perform at the level he has this year. Victor was a genuine contender for all awards, including goal of the year, but was honoured only as the Young Player of the Year, reminding us all that his is gifted beyond his years.
I was referred in the direction of yesterday’s Sunday Mail online story about Rangers International FC’s finance director, Brian Stockbridge, showing a reporter the “deeds”, made eloquently famous by John Brown. Stockbridge used the deeds of Ibrox, Murray Park and the Albion car park to “prove Craig Whyte is on a loser”.
Craig Whyte’s current actions against the newco club and his report to the Serious Fraud Office are based on the belief that RIFC inappropriately took possession of Rangers assets, including Ibrox, when the club were liquidated last year. Proving RIFC have the deeds is no defence against Whyte’s claims, in fact, this merely establishes the premise of his point.
Despite discussing these matters with a reporter Mr Stockbridge made no comment on how Sevco Scotland Ltd (since renamed as The Rangers Football Club Ltd), acquired the entitlement to the assets which Sevco 5088 Ltd had an irrevocable agreement to buy after paying an exclusivity fee.
This interview contrasted with Scotland on Sunday’s interview with former oldco Rangers director, Paul Murray, who without a whiff of irony said, “Whoever is involved going forward has to look after the club’s interests first and their own interests second. You are a custodian of the assets and you’re passing it through the generations. That’s your role.”
Well done as a custodian, Mr Murray. I wouldn’t let you be custodian to corner flag (memories of Dougal from Fr Ted on corner flag-watching duty). He also suggests the club “should also get back to some of the values that were there under Bill Struth and William Wilton”. “Some of the values”, do you think he means that most distinct value? I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt, but why on earth could he not chose an inspiring custodian from a period when oldco was not blighted by their controversial employment policy? There must be someone. Surely?
Murray does, however, nail several issues in his interview. “You have Charles Green who said he had no involvement with Craig Whyte and that was patently not correct.
“The problem is that when you get found out on these things you then start to question other things. And one of the most important things in all of this is the SFA. The SFA sought very direct and specific assurances that Whyte was not involved and Charles Green gave them those assurances and I’m not sure that was actually correct.
“If Charles Green had a set of documents that proved that Whyte is lying then this thing would have been put to bed in two minutes, but it was then discovered that what Whyte was saying was broadly true.
“I’m not saying he does, but say Whyte owns the assets but on the other side he’s just lost a multi-million pound claim to Ticketus. Are we saying that Ticketus would then own the assets by default? And if they own the assets they’ll want to be paid in order to give the assets back to Rangers, but how will the club do that bearing in mind that it had an IPO [Initial Public Offering of shares] that is potentially not valid?
“It was then discovered that what Whyte was saying was broadly true” is perhaps the most significant understatement I’ve heard in years. The moment Pinsent Masons report will be a watershed.
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Pal who lives south of Firhill tells me that[ post match ] his wee street was treated to the delights of wee gangs of pubescents hurling sectarian abuse at each other.—–school kids , a Glasgow Monday night , April 2013 . Sad and pathetic.
HH
stevebhoy10.03
Two tests! This morning. Not sure i studied hard enough..
I was there last night and would normally never have gone but had a family interest in it. It was probably their biggest game of the year and their fans were out to cause it. They are an absolute poisonous bunch of scum. There were 18 police on the track at their end trying to control them. 1 at the celtic end and a handful of stewards.
HT,
he is not banned – yet!
The 3 game ban for the swearing (still find that hunbelievable!) is due to finish this sunday against Ross County.
But if Norris’ report contains bad news for Lenny, then it is likely he could face the ban for the Final.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
09:09 on 30 April, 2013
THE BARCA MOLE
Btw,small Timmy night planned in Ayrshire on Thursday.
Haven’t got my pass out from my Mum yet,so time to earn some brownie points!
**************************
Bobby, if it is going ahead can you tell me how to get in touch please?
HH
Benny
Great how some books get serialised, maniac running about a football pitch, how many days did Phil Mac last…. great wee country…. and just out..!
TTT
IF there is a further ban then lets remove all the dubiety over who got a ticket and who didn’t, tell them to stick their Cup Final up their arse.
Will it bring a furore from some quarters? You betcha but it will give the Club a platform to get all of this out in the open.
We know from recent and past experience the SFA don’t do transparency
Apologies for the language.
Morning CQNer’s
medtim
08:30 on 30 April, 2013
____________________________
Your absolutely correct M8.
But, the thing is…what can we do about it ?
You see…some of the clubs GREATEST servants were – masons.
But, I canny tell ye who – cause it’s a secret :)
The formula to stick it right up the establishment was laid down pure and simple by Mr Stein when he famously said – “The way to beat them is to put the ball in the net more than them !!! ”
The establishment hate nothing more than watching a Celtic team running roon the park with a trophy bedecked in green n white ribbons !!!
I’m probably in a minority when I say this but – I would swap a victory over Barcelona in the group stage of the CL for – Celtic winning a trophy – any day of the week.
As a club we need to be the best that we can be. That is not the case imo.
The cheap-skating in terms of – managerial appointments / player recruitment – exorbitant admission prices compared to the quality of player on the pitch – exorbitant salaries being paid to unproductive players….I could go on but…Paul67 would probably delete me :)
We are being shafted by the establishment because we don’t have ANY Cellic supporters on the bored imo. They’ll tell you their dyed in the wool but….naaaaahhhh….they urny.
What we need are some – uppity Tims on board who would give off the reputation that the Celtic Football Club are not to be F###ed with !!!
Jeanette Findlay for one. She speaks for me.
HH
Lee McCulloch poses with David Weir at book launch
The dugouts are so far away from the pitch at Hamdump anyway, that Lenny will probably be better off in the stand.
Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles
They two gezzers support some amount of teams
But still funny even though they look like WG and Nafos
Last nights game is as good enough a reason why I hope we never play the Huns again. Pictures of seats ripped out by Celtic supporters all over the web.
Brings us down to their level unfortunately. Regardless of the thuggish behaviour of the Rangers casuals these photos will be the ones remembered.
Never again is too soon.
RobinBhoy
Token – Cheers.
Does anyone know yet why Lenny was called to Norris’ office ?
DR………………”Allegedly Craig Whyte kept our bonus and still failed to save Sevco!”
Elbows
ThickOrWhat CSC
Pogmathonyahun aka Laird of the Smiles
that’s me away to my work with a smile on my face , :-)
henriks,
according to Lenny “…a number of things…” but he wouldnt elaborate.
Time will tell i guess.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Che,
whilst I agree up to a point, I think HT’s suggestion of Lenny going up to get the Cup and then celebrating with the 20,000 (we know there will be more of us there, but officially anyway) Celtic supporters – who will no doubt let their (and our) feelings towards the SFA be known – would be a much bigger GIRFUY than not going?
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Che, I have heard talk of Marky Brown, a Republican legend, probably from friends in the Ardoyne but I am ashamed to say I am not familiar with the details of his life, is there any chance you could give a short bio.
Those two critters in that photie : very sad. But they look delighted; they’re probably caned on narcotics & crack, topped off with a dollop of methadone and a honkful of amphetamine…..it’s the only explanation.
The breakfast of champions……of the fourth division.
More to be pitied than anything else. They’re spent, they’ve spent up, and reality will come as a rude awakening.
I guess the photie’s as good an analogy of sevco as you’re going to get.
If Lenny is banned from the dugout by the bigots in the SFA, I hope the players sit down on the pitch and wait for Lenny to come out the tunnel before they go up to collect the cup.
There is a lot of angst on here and elsewhere against the SFA and their ruination of Scottish football. Totally justified.
There is also frustration in trying to get the story to travel outside of Scotland. Again justified.
What I can’t equate is the scramble for Cup Final tickets.
No one who genuinely believes that the SFA have screwed the game, should be supporting their showcase game.
Even though the desire to see Celtic win the cup is strong, there is a bigger game to be won.
A half empty stadium would attract interest and questions would be asked.
Some talk on here about people telling Celtic to ” stick” their STs, if they are asked to shift their seat, or they didn’t get a C F ticket.
Yet, when there is a chance to strike a meaningful protest at the SFA comes along, ” not interested, the team need me”.
Weget the SFA we deserve.
Alison Robbie @AlisonRobbie 3m @wullieboy78 Partick Thistle say both sets of fans ripped up seats
Alison Robbie @AlisonRobbie 59s Partick Thistle say seats were ripped up in both Celtic & Rangers ends of ground at Glasgow Cup final
Welcome greenhillsbhoy.
I will look forward to your posts.
I also wish that our fans had ignored last night, however it seems we must face reality.
HH, Always in Celtic.
ttt@10:58
Fully agree with your post. A half empty Hampden would be a huge embarrassment to the SFA.
Sponsors such as Sky would start asking questions.
My last game at Hamdump was the SC semi against Hearts. Won’t be setting foot in the place ever again until the SFA are gutted from top to bottom, starting with the corrupt Ogilvie.
Chris Graham and Gow from ESPN both having a go at Tom English on twitter for not reporting specifics about Celtic fans ripping up seats. They’re both strangely quiet now that Partick have reported both sets of fans ripping up seats.
http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/flares-ripped-seats-old-firm-rivals-reignited-at-the-rangers-vs-celtic-u17-glasgow-cup-final/?
These images are some of the worst I’ve seen. A few seats from Celtic fans (around 5 in total) and flares and highly questionable (to put it lightly) hand gestures from Sevcovians.
And the media want this back?
Shame on the lot of them.
It seems that Blatter and his minions are to escape any sanctions over bribery charges, as, wait for it, there was no Code of Ethics in place at FIFA at the time.
Sounds kind of familiar.
Che,
With regard to attending the CF, if I get a ticket I will be going.
I am just as angry about our treatment by the authorities of our club, Lenny, the GB, Mibbery, Sevco and the refusal to apply the rules, as anyone else.
But what I could not stomach is to see a Celtic team play in front of an empty Celtic end.
Even if it is only me, I’ll be there.
Can you imagine Ogilvies face, armageddon headlines, Scottish football is dead, bring back Sevco headlines. It would be spun in a way our support didnt intend.
Especially if we are being handed losers medals, and that will be more likely without our fans. Football without fans…….
It’s frustrating as hell, public opinion matters and this would go badly for us.
We can talk about it at lunch, I’ve got my wallet!
Pretty sure Roy Keane got banned for saying he went after Alfie Haaland in his book.
Snake
That was nothing compared to the trouble pre match. SevCo casuals (grown men) lashing out at families + young boys if they saw even a hint of green on their person.
These same ‘big men’ were too scared to come out of their own pubs when RFC played MU in the CL a few years ago.
Only interested in attacking people half their age.
ttt
Ogilvie makes Blatter look an honest and upstanding citizen.
TMWTL
I have absolutely no reason to doubt you.
What I worry about is the first time we play that mob’s senior team.
They are desperate for it, our fans are not and with good reason.
If that’s how it will be at an U17’s game, what will it be like when the media crank it up to their full notches?
I hope and pray no one was seriously injured. Sadly we know that others were assaulted.
Where was the huge police presence?
Snake
10 cops shadowing circa 200 Sevcovians looking for trouble.
Going by what happened at the Gallowgate last month, they should have been hemmed in and all given Section 60’s.
I would wager a decent amount that quite a few of them would have been carrying weapons.
Police bottled it and let them do what they wanted.
doc is neil lennon
11:16 on 30 April, 2013
Got to agree with Doc.
We have been ill treated by the SFA throughout our history. From Jimmy McGrory’s seven caps and the paucity of caps given to the Lisbon Lions. The dropping of Kenny Dalglish as he was to equal the record of consecutive caps by George Young.
The flying of the tricolour, Farry and Dallas.
You could put together a song “the SFA way”
We, our fathers and grandfathers have supported our team in the face of the SFA. They do not like it and never will. It will be great to see Hampdump in Green and White.
The sun is shining
Getting into the gowf season noo, so that means 31003 will be naggin me tae play.
Asked him why ye need tae dress like a Goodwin tae play……
TTT
Thanks for clearing that up.
Even better, if NL does face a further ban, send him up to collect the cup (should we win it!!), ignore the press and celebrate in front of the Celtic support.
Can’t agree with those suggesting that we don’t turn up for this. I understand about it making a statement but this is Celtic, in a cup final, with the chance of a double.
I understand people want to support their club and attend the cup final and I wouldn’t criticise them for doing so but I can see where those who are advocating a boycott are coming from also .
The bigots , cheats and masons are running ( should that be ruining ) Scottish football , all rules are ignored or bent to save THEM . Not another team would have been protected this way , I don’t have all the answers but something radical has to be done to get this cheating and corruption out to a wider audience .
At the moment it feels as if we are doing nothing and getting nowhere , there are people a hell of a lot brighter than me in the Celtic support who should be able to organise some form of protest / challenge to this Masonic cover up .
I love Celtic as much as any supporter and get great pleasure from taking my two Bhoys to Celtic Park to cheer on the Hoops but its hard sometimes not to think your fighting a losing battle in this country .
Sorry for the rant but just feel the Club and us the supporters deserve better .
Forever in Celtic
HH