I didn’t realise until watching TV last night it was Keith Lasley that Anthony Stokes ‘did’ on Saturday, the player who put Adam Matthews out of the game for a couple of months. It’s a physical game, and I’m not going to concede violent behaviour is acceptable, but it would be super-human to not be affected by earlier violence. We need to rise above this.
On a similar theme…. Another incident I missed at the game was James McFadden wresting Fraser Forster, who was holding the ball, early in the second half. Minutes later Fraser threw himself to deny McFadden what looked like a certain goal.
Players need an edge to be able to summon their very best performances, and a wee nyaff climbing all over you is as likely to give you an edge as anything. McFadden has a few years left in him. He’s at a well-run club who will give him the platform to excel, if he can find the focus to deliver.
I see some re-writing of history today and over the weekend on where responsibility for Newco Rangers acute financial plight lies. Among throwing blame on convenient scapegoats, one-time-hero-though-transparent-chancer Charles Green, and financial director, Brian Stockbridge, few seem prepared to offer up the prized oaf.
They banked £22m from a share issue and cash from circa 30,000 ticket sales, enough to see them through to top flight football, as long as they didn’t blow it on football bling. So who was responsible for doing exactly that (if you can stretch the definition of bling to Jon Daly and even lesser appealing gems)?
Sure, Stockbridge and Mather signed off, and they certainly knew the financial situation the club was in, but we know enough of the story to explain why it happened.
Despite having a budget close to 100 times their opponents Newco suffered considerable humiliation at the hands of fourth-tier clubs last season. Without reinforcements their chances of progress from the third tier was far from guaranteed – if they continued to allow Ally McCoist to run football operations.
McCoist was unsackable. He played the fans perfectly, earning a ridiculous contract and shares a 1p each for his ability to put bums on seats. Mather had to throw enough talent into the squad to ensure promotion with McCoist in charge, then rely on Charles Green to pull together another share issue.
The question you have to ask is, once McCoist had his reinforcements, who torpedoed the Charles Green supply ship?
No one is going to tell you Charles Green is a man you would want associated with your club, but before mob-rule ensured his attempts to raise investment cash were quashed, should someone not have asked the questions, why did the board find it necessary to bring such a pariah back and what happens if we throw him and his investment plans out?
We’re about to find out.
If suggestions that Newco will come close to expiring cash in hand before season ticket income arrives are accurate I expect they will get there, even if players don’t agree to a wage cut. Companies can control when to pay creditors, even HMRC, who despite what is likely to be an acute interest in Newco, would take months to complete a debt recovery action.
Don’t get too drawn in the minutia of this, whether an insolvency event happens or not does not change the fundamentals, which we touched on last week. Newco had a gamblers chance of turning into something resembling Oldco.
Spooking the SPL into giving them a ticket into top flight football would have seen them debt free and competing for last season’s SPL. Three years of paying our bills while losing the league would have been pointless. I genuinely think only one of Glasgow’s big teams was ever going to survive the SPL decision on Newco.
Had they liquidated Oldco, then flooded Newco with talent and won the league, Celtic would not have recovered, a reality that should be remembered when journalists talk about Scottish football harming itself in 2012. It was them or us.
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Mick McCarthy V Crawford Baptie
Mismatch of the century. Big Craw thought he had been hit by a bus. Mick didn’t even wait for the red card. Great hit
If stokesy’s tackle had been on any other player , NL would probably fined him,
the fact he is not taking any action is probably a wee thank you for something
NL would ‘ve loved to have been on the park to do himself to the little shit lasley
Joe Ledley jumped out of a tackle that nearly cost us a goal , could that be a sign
he might be off
Darnell looks a very good prospect , the boy can pick out a good pass with the
right amount of pace on it , like him a lot
If stokesy’s tackle had been on any other player , NL would probably fined him,
the fact he is not taking any action is probably a wee thank you for something
NL would ‘ve loved to have been on the park to do himself to the little shit lasley
Joe Ledley jumped out of a tackle that nearly cost us a goal , could that be a sign
he might be off
Darnell looks a very good prospect , the boy can pick out a good pass with the
right amount of pace on it , like him a lot
And he’s a game wee b@@ger
setting free the bears supports Res. 12 & Oscar Knox
17:10 on
I agree those links aren’t the best. What is clear though is at that time everyone and their dug was aware Gretna were to be liquidated, why then did SFL demote them down the divisions instead of throwing them out the league?
I still believe that were Gretna(newco) to have indicated their desire to continue playing in div 3 then there would have been no issue from the authorities at that time and think it was clear by the way the SFL relegated them that they knew that this would have been a seperate entity from that which had played previously in the league.
A Confederacy Of Dunces..?
A wee blast from the past.
I read it when it surfaced ( early 80s? )
The funniest tragedy I ever read or maybe its the saddest comedy I have read.I was never sure.
Ignatious Reilly is one of Literature s great characters.
For what it is worth ——highly recommended.
Geometry and Theology CSC -Way down south
SFTB @ 16:52,
We are pretty much in agreement – You are going, quite rightly down the path of what should have happened, a new Club with no titles playing out of Ibrox.
Auldheid is stating did happen as far as anyone knows.
I’m trying to make a point that I bang on about from time to time.
The SFA’s part in this farce is untenable.
The fact that the SFA Board has discretion is not necessarily a bad thing, we can always see scenarios where an Executive are called to make a decision.
What is wrong is that Executive Board used those powers to make a decision which was neither discretionary nor in-line with the stated aim and objectives of their rules.
If we as a support can understand that the argument that the team playing at Ibrox is still Rangers FC is only because it was sanctioned by the SFA Board we can start focusing on the real culprits.
Will it mean the decision will be reversed and a new membership be issued to the Ibrox Club? I very much doubt it but it may accomplish a couple of things.
a) Expose that the SFA Board misused their powers when they transferred Rangers membership
b) Ensure this option is not open, if the SFA have need to use this facility again to protect Rangers.
Hail Hail
SFTB…
No need to apologise….
I’ll just groan quietly in the corner for now
:-)
eddieinkirkmichael
“everyone and their dug was aware Gretna were to be liquidated, why then did SFL demote them down the divisions instead of throwing them out the league? ”
They “knew” they were in administration when the SFA demoted them. When told that they could not continue and would have to liquidate, they were out of the senior leagues and out of existence.
“I still believe that were Gretna(newco) to have indicated their desire to continue playing in div 3 then there would have been no issue from the authorities at that time”
I think that is a big assumption. Spartans and others had been trying to gain entry to the senior leagues and would not have reacted well to a leap-frogging by a Johnny-come-lately that had half of the same name as a liquidated club.
On balance, I believe my point still stands. No precedent or prior treatment of clubs can excuse the Sevco fabrication.
desertbhoy@17 13.
Free time in Zurich.?
I envy you .
I could easily spend an afternoon in Reggaefever —–one of Europe s great vinyl choon stores .
Chairbhoy@17.37
I think we are back on the same page now.
In the interests of justafan’s sanity, I am going to take a break now.
http://videocelts.com/2014/01/blogs/latest-news/french-interest-in-samaras?
Never mind the main article ..have a look at the perfect gift for a zombie on right hand side.
Desertbhoy
Zurich is a cracking wee town, plant of bars and shops down the old part of town!!
Nadelberg go for it!!
Our Tommy showing how to properly kick an opponent
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsCOydsjBmg
Evening All
South of Tunis
I have read Confederacy of Dunces twice. Some of the early passages are a funny as anything I’ve read since the second chapter of Portnoy’s Complaint. I believe JK Toole committed suicide before the book was published and that it was his mother – reputedly a ringer for the mother in the book- who endured that the book saw the light of day.
Re Anthony Stokes on Saturday – unlucky sending off. ( is it me or is it only Celtic players who get straight reds?).
We have had a few hard players in my time – Paddy McCluskey, David Hay, Jim Brogan and wee Bertie spring to mind from the far off past whilst BBJ, Big Chris and Bobo of recent vintage were real hard players.
I do though recall reading that the player whom the Lions ( and squad) rated as the toughest nut was Stevie Chalmers. I found this quite hard to square with the affable , family man I have spoken to a few times but apparently nobody got the better of Stevie. Not a bad player as well.
Jimbo67 supporting Oscar Knox
Can I have raspberry on that champions league ice cream
The only time D fisher has struggled was Aberdeen game
Niall McGinn done him for pace , but the boy stuck to his guns
Big lustig was my player of the year until the OP ruled him out
For me it has to be KC and big VVD a close second . ; )
voguepunter
17:54 on 20 January, 2014
Never mind the main article ..have a look at the perfect gift for a zombie on right hand side.
————————–
I think that’s very deserving of atleast a point for an assist in your fantasy football league.
If the SFA can break em….
Hail Hail!
marspapa
18:05 on 20 January, 2014
Can I have raspberry on that champions league ice cream
The only time D fisher has struggled was Aberdeen game
Niall McGinn done him for pace , but the boy stuck to his guns
Big lustig was my player of the year until the OP ruled him out
For me it has to be KC and big VVD a close second . ; )
KC for me
DjYNWA67
Wouldn’t like any underhandiness (made up word) though the guy who was Buster Keaton
should be below me :O)
On the theme of bruisers , could someone put up a link to the game where the
Police came on with (swords drawn) I’m sure big jock told the players to get back
On the pitch , ma memory wiz never any good , cheers if it’s possible .
jimbo67
18:03 on 20 January, 2014
Re Anthony Stokes on Saturday – unlucky sending off. ( is it me or is it only Celtic players who get straight reds?).
Opposing teams don’t get Red cards for kicking us. They’re all on injury based bonuses for whatever length of time they can keep one of our players out of the game.
Just seen this on twitter from a few days ago:))
http://theshamrockglasgow.wordpress.com/2014/01/18/celtic-scarves-a-brief-history/
djynwa67
Yeah pretty much how I see it.
Jimbo67 supporting Oscar Knox
Sftb,
There is no debate. This a new club. It’s history started in 2012. And their fans know it.
And without wanting to sound patronising we really shouldn’t need the SFA to tell us what is self evident.
I also do not see why we withdraw our support from Celtic if the SFA pretend otherwise.
TGSC,
Sailing On….
I lost count of the amount of times our players just escaped a sore one on Saturday, only their ability to avoid and hurdle the tackle saved them….. and that was only in the 8 mins of highlights:))
Jimbo, a useless ‘Confederancy’ fact is that on one particular page, one can find the words ‘Celt’ and ‘hun’ on it. That’s one for the Old Firm fans. A great, great novel but one which the PC brigade might be offended by in this day and age.
Sat on my own waiting to see Mogwai at CCA. #billynomates
I think I’m enjoying the slow death more than I thought I would.
big nan
14:53 on 20 January, 2014
Recognise some of Inverkeithing bhoys names but all a little bit before my time. Grew up in the fine town and don’t stay a stones throw away from it now but rarely visit the fine hostelries any more.
Always a good few Tims in the town but has always had plenty of Jambos and a fair few rabids.
Knew a few of the tar babies, aforementioned bar owner and Jock Clinton spring to mind.
Always associated the Vollies with Hibies, abiding memory from my youth is of old Micky Cannon standing at the door waiting for it to open come rain or shine.
Small world Mo charra
Weeminger
Is that the wee boy fae Jungle book?
It’s been very quiet here todayy. Aree we running out of things to moan about?
John O’Neil
I never knew that. I’ll look out for it in my third reading! It never struck me as being non-PC but I guess that’s why Hollywood won’t touch it. Will Ferrell ( a fairly bankable star) would love to make a version but can’t get a backer. Kind of glad if it remains on the page though
Jimbo67 supporting Oscar Knox
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers ………fc not plc
14:47 on 20 January, 2014
DIVITBHOY
Whit,this wan?
Naw, worse!
Vogue – aye he’s giving me fashion tips.
weeminger
18:28 on 20 January, 2014
It’s been very quiet here todayy. Aree we running out of things to moan about?
——-
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh you will waken them up and it will all kick off again
Setting Free the Bears
Gretna were unable to put a team on the pitch and the Liquidators closed down their ground Raydale Park. It was Raydale Park that belonged initially to the Community and the fight by locals to ensure that it remained in community as a sporting environment. They were eventually able to rest the ground from the Liquidators and as a result of hard work by locals able to get a team and gain admittance to the East of Scotland League. Since the club was formed after the war it has always been part of the community until kidnapped by Brooke’s mileson. Keeping the name of the village inthe team name was natural and no other name would have been considered. However it couldn’t remain simply as Gretna FC because of the liquidation and the 2008 was added, clearly intimating the founding year of a ‘New Club’
Leftclick – wake up sydney and tell him we’ve swapped Commons for Snodgrass.
POTY?
Don’t think this subject will create much debate either…
KC by a mile…despite IMO being poor in most CL games…
Domestically he’s been right up for it and looks as if he’s really enjoying playing football. I’m regularly amazed at the number of miserable looking players ( not talking specifically Celtic here)…
I listened to SSB during the demise of thems when abroad. I’m abroad again (Aberdeen :-) and have started ocassionally listening again on tunein radio online.
It still makes the blood boil at times, especially with Hugh “Jim Goodwin” Keevins is on the show, but sometimes it’s worth it.
An English-sounding guy just on had a go at them about refs….even mentioned “referees loyal” before being cut off :-)
Oh….and guidi is a Lobey Doser