The Twitter outburst by former St Mirren chairman, Stewart Gilmour against SPFL chief exec, Neil Doncaster’s appointment to the SFA board, called “a bloody disgrace” and “in there as a puppet”, is remarkable on any level.
Despite working inside the game for many years, all Gilmour offered was the kind of Twitter rant any of us could come up with. In short, that the SFA appointed someone they knew, with influence in the game. If you are looking for the specifics behind Gilmour’s objection, you will not find it.
What Gilmour didn’t say was who supposedly was working Doncaster as a puppet.
Decisions made by the SPFL in 2012, when the league decided not to invite Newco Rangers (then Sevco) were not universally popular on the St Mirren board. You heard other echoes of that time last year when Gilmour suggested that one of the Celtic Park backroom team was pulling the strings of Scottish football: “Some of the chairmen that attend the meetings will not take Peter [Lawwell] on. I think he’s got too much power on other clubs.”
We can only guess who Gilmour believes is pulling Neil Doncaster’s strings, but I suggest it is laughable, whoever it is.
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Good Evening.
Tontine Tim.
Yes the Dunblane papers are locked away for 100 years and one has to ask why? Tom Minogue, who used to post on here, regularly refers to this fact on twitter and in his own blogs.
You mentioned the books by Chris Mullins and Lodovic Kennedy. To main who came from very different backgrounds, who, if I recall correctly, were members of different political parties, but who were both journalists with an open mind, an abiliy to research and write about the issues of the day and who were brave enough to risk taking on the system via the medium of the written word and the TV and radio.
I recall one of my earliest Christy Moore concerts which would be sometime in the mid 80’s where he spoke of “singing about the issues”. Sometimes it is difficult to identify just what the “issues” are as they often get caught up in the maelstrom of comment and counter argument.
Mullins and Kennedy could easily have been sidetracked by any number of side issues surrounding the troubles and the way the Irish were perceived in the UK but the stuck to the one big issue and focused on it – namely that the convictions were unsafe, that the evidence was either not there at all, was fabricated or was questionable at the very least.
They also shone the torch on the proceedures of the police which had wide and far reaching repercussions.
Justice, the right to a fair trial, the proper gathering of admissable evidence and proper police procedure are concepts and words that trip of the tongue of many each and every day. But these are more than just words and for any system to work you have to have people believe in what those words spell out and guarantee to everyone with the jurisdiction.
The meaning of the words and theor true and proper application cannot and should not be bent and moulded to suit any situation as a matter of expediency and convenience.
In the cases of the the six, the four and the Maguire seven (and many others) proper justice, legal proceedure, due process of law and the right to justice were sacrificed on the alter of convenience and with the intention of protecting the Government of the day and ultimately the system of law which could not be seen have made such grave errors and allowed them to continue.
There is much whooping and hollering tonight at the repeal of the OBAF act. However, in my opinion, whether the act has been repealed or not, the last few years have seen many football fans essentially branded as lesser beings in the eyes of the law, the press, journalists, the Police and the Courts with various proceedures and tactics employed and applied to football fans and no other class of citizens.
The tactics and procedures employed by the Police in relation to football fans are a disgrace in many respects and this will not necessarily change with the repeal of the act. While the act is gone, we still need to ensure that football fans are treated fairly and even handedly by Police Officers in comparison to any other group of citizens.
Sadly, there appear to be no Mullins’ or Kennedy’s around to ask the questions, make the investigations and then broadcast or publish their findings.
And that is a real tragedy for society.
BRTH
I will leave yoi with this thought from Stuart Cosgrove and Tam Cowan:
Stephen Hawking was able to explain a brief history of time, all sorts of theoretical applications of pure physics, the mysteries of black holes and so on, but he was completely defeated when it came to explaining how Rangers died in 2012 yet could continue to exist 6 years later.
BRTH
Set your recording for 9.30PM Monday BBC2 for ” Secrets of the Masons”.
We’ll finally get to see Hugh Dallas wanking off a goat over a tea cake,while he’s being vigorously back ended by Sir David Murray.
Lets hope they don’t fight over the biscuit.
Secrets of the Masons, I doubt anything will be revealed that we don’t already know about them……:_(
And, get young Odsonne purchased. We can afford this and he’s already proven he’s not a gamble or a project.
And, while we’re at it, g wee Paddy Roberts signed too.
Let Celtic entertain me.
Acgr
Odsonne and Roberts?
Whose gonna pay for heated driveways??
Wits, global warming has it positive sides….:_)
Any of your future glue factory entrants making money over the last few days? I think my wee bro might be a Cheletnam for the Dobbins.
HH bruv
Acgr
Tomorrow Friday last day of Cheltenham
Apples Shakira 1.30*
Brelade 2.10
Dortmund Park 250
Our Duke 3.30
Burning Ambition 410 *
Flawless Escape 450
Three Stars 530
* Double
All of the others each way…
Best of luck with that
Here are my thoughts on offensive songs from 2009.
How To Tell If a Song Is Sectarian Written by Auldheid Saturday, 21 February 2009
Every now and then a songs debate flares up in Celtic Cyberspace and the one thing you can be sure of is no agreement will emerge.
This will always be so unless there is a set of criteria to go by.
Examining The Billy Boys offers one set of criteria for a sectarian song in that the words “up to our knees in fenian blood” offers violence to a person of an identifiable religious faith either directly or in this case by inference, fenian = Catholic.
If however you take the Soldiers Song or The Fields that are deemed acceptable by Celtic if I understand it correctly the thing about these songs is that they are “inward aimed” or “centred on self” celebrating that sense of self.
Sectarianism is defined as ” bigotry, discrimination, prejudice or hatred arising from attaching importance to perceived differences between subdivisions within a group, such as between different denominations of a religion or the factions of a political movement.
The key words are sub divisions WITHIN a group. The group involved with The Fields or Soldiers is a single group where no sub division exists. For a song to be sectarian it has to project OUTWARD from that group ideas or beliefs that the group wish to impose on others or to express distaste or hatred for those OUTSIDE the group.
The key words are inward celebration and outward projection. The first cannot by definition be sectarian but the latter depending on the words can. So why not use those criteria to at least draw a line?
Now on what is objectionable to others: songs that are inward celebrating might cause offence to others but they are the ones taking offence, it is not being offered to or aimed at them. It is something intolerant in them that sparks the offence taken.
If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, why not offence?
We as Celtic supporters are not responsible if others take offence at our songs of inward celebration. It is only when outward projection as in say add ons occurs that sectarianism might apply.
These criteria would apply to Rangers songs as well as our own.
This debate has been going on for ever. You would think someone would have penned official criteria from usage by now to give guidance to the support.
Note criteria is NOT a song list. Folk can use the criteria to look at what they sing and maybe think about why they are singing what they are.
Inward celebration of belief/faith/culture/tradition or outward projection of those things on to others fuelled by hatred..
Question the motivation, using the criteria, not the words.
hun media have a thread going titled “What could you buy for 5p in 1971 & 1972 ?”
Maybe tey should update it to “What could you buy for £1 in 2012?”
Stupid stupid hun sdratsab
WITS, thanks for the tips. I must confess to being an ignorant twat about the dobbins other than having eaten a few when I lived in Belgium. Tasty when thinly sliced on a nicely baked Belgian bread.
WTF does the * double mean?
I’m into Arbroath tomorrow to back every nag you’ve listed but I would like to know WTF *double means.
Should I call GA for advice? Am I a addic?
HH WITS, yer a hoot bruv………………..:_)
Acgr
* double
Double the two horses with the asterix
De asterix is not de gaul.
De asterix is this…*
Double means double. Two horses must win
Beware the Ides Of March
Carthago Delenda Est
Clear ?
WITS, naw but I’ll consult ma wee bro on my bet and take your advice, then stick my size 22’s dowry or £50, whichever is the greatest on it.
horses are for eating, not betting.
Hamilton Tim
Yes a great bit of work by the CST/GB and FAC. I watched the debates from Holyrood with admiration on the case for OBAF repeal and how it was presented and am pleased a daft law was removed from the statute book BUT (see next)
setting free the bears for Res. 12 & Oscar Knox on 15th March 2018 9:44 pm
Great news on the OBaF Act repeal.
Well done to The Celtic Trust, Jeanette Findlay and James Kelly, amongst many others.
James Kelly had to suffer vilification on a Celtic website, including calls for Celts to actively vote against him in a forthcoming election.
Whilst I am pleased with the outcome, this is not over. James Dornan will be looking to draft Strict Liability laws in the next stage of their battle against football fans and to preserve their narrow definition of sectarianism as “all that Irish stuff”. We didn’t see too many prosecutions after Scotland v England matches nor on the political campaign trail.
We are not comfortable enough in our skins as Scots yet in order to accomodate the Irish-Scots, the English-Scots or the Asian-Scots beecause they are not sufficiently 110% Scottish.
============================
The threat of Strict Liability reminds me of the ending to Charlie Wilson’s War where the Americans, having helped the Afghans defeat the Russians, more or less abandoned Afghan rebuilding funding and left a vacuum the Taliban filled to America’s cost.
Strict Liability sounds ok in principle if I thought it would be applied fairly to all Scottish football clubs, but if the Res12 experience has taught us two things they are:
Rules don’t apply to The Rangers as they do to other clubs.
Those responsible for applying those rules will go to any lengths not only to protect Rangers but harm Celtic if the opportunity to do so is there in order to gain sporting advantage and protect themselves .
The experience gained by FAC/CST/GB would be invaluable in the campaign for honest governance. The CSA are well up to speed with the skulduggery from Hampden, but what is lacking is an overreaching policy on how to deal not just with Hampden but the media attacks or spin against Celtic.
We should be speaking as one voice to defend against both and now that the OBAF has been repealed hopefully the same mistakes as the Americans made in Afghanistan are not repeated and the resources of all Celtic supporter groups, official and unofficial can come together and focus on obtaining football governance we can trust, removing the threat of sporting disadvantage strict liability might bring if it replaces OBAF.
Res12 has ploughed away on its own whilst FAC/CST/GB dealt with a more immediate important issue, but if ever there was a time for the Celtic family to get together and push for reforms it is now.
I hope the issue moves up the agenda of all official supporter organisations and a policy is formed.
This is your daily reminder that Sevco are in breach of the Financial Fair Play break-even requirement as defined at Article 63(3) of the UEFA Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play Regulations (Edition 2015).
Are the Licensing Committee girding their loins?
DAVIDOPOULOS
Would they not also be in breach of Article 62 (3) i?
Good to see ACGR return with some irreverent moonhowling. Way to round off a garbage nightshift,wi a few of his classics!
PMSL,mate. Owe you one for that.
MEDTIM
Is that the one that says
62(3)i-Nae cheatin’ bassas allowed.
Good morning, friends and a Big Happy Friday from a rather wet and windy East Kilbride.
Just waiting on the remaining 21 picks for week 2 of Last Man Standing 10 so if this rings any bells with you please act now ;-). Oh and not forgetting the 10 other who might yet buy back their history…
Be nice, now.
March 1981
Monday 16th
I had a wonderful visit today with my mother, father and Marcella. Wonderful, considering the circumstances and the strain which indeed they are surely under.
As I expected, I received a lot of verbal flak from Screws going and coming from the actual visit. Their warped sense of humour was evident in their childish taunts, etcetera.
I wrapped myself up well to keep me from the cold. My weight is 58.25 kgs today, but I burnt up more energy today with the visit. I’ve no complaints of any nature.
I’ve noticed the orderlies are substituting slices of bread for bits of cake, etcetera — stealing the sweet things (which are rare anyway) for themselves. I don’t know whether it’s a case of ‘How low can you get?’ or ‘Well, could you blame them?’ But they take their choice and fill of the food always, so it’s the former.
They left my supper in tonight when the priest (Fr Murphy) was in. There were two bites out of the small doughy bun. I ask you!
I got the Sunday World newspaper; papers have been scarce for the past few days.
There is a certain Screw here who has taken it upon himself to harass me to the very end and in a very vindictive childish manner. It does not worry me, the harassment, but his attitude aggravates me occasionally. It is one thing to torture, but quite a different thing to exact enjoyment from it, that’s his type.
There was no mirror search going out to visits today — a pleasant change. Apparently, with the ending of the no-wash protest, the mercenary Screws have lost all their mercenary bonuses, etcetera, notwithstanding that they are also losing overtime and so on. So, not to be outdone, they aren’t going to carry out the mirror search any more, and its accompanying brutality, degradation, humiliation, etcetera.
Why! Because they aren’t being paid for it!
I’m continually wrapped up in blankets, but find it hard to keep my feet warm. It doesn’t help my body temperature, drinking pints of cold water. I’m still able to take the salt and five or six pints of water per day without too much discomfort.
The books that are available to me are trash. I’m going to ask for a dictionary tomorrow. I’d just sit and flick through that and learn, much more preferable to reading rubbish.
The English rag newspapers I barely read, perhaps flick through them and hope that no one opens the door. A copy of last week’s AP/RN was smuggled in and was read out last night (ingenuity of POWs again). I enjoyed listening to its contents (faultless – get off them ! – good lad Danny (Morrison)). I truly hope that the people read, take in and understand at least some of the truths that are to be regularly found in it. I see Paddy Devlin is at his usual tricks, and won’t come out and support the prisoners…
Well, that’s it for tonight. I must go. Oíche Mhaith.
‘Be nice, now’ has an almost Winston Wolfe air of amiable sinisterness to it when compared to Dena’s much more innocent sounding ‘be nice now.’
The threat posed by a humble comma!
The irony being that Dena’s the scary one of the two!!!!
;-)
HH jamesgang
JAMESGANG
As in the infamous-“You lot just behave yourselves!”
HT
My education continues. This morning, Paddy Devlin.
Thank you. It’s not just in the classroom that the teaching can take place.
HH
Bobbio
Dena’s grand. But we all know it would take just one look and we’d all fall into line. Quickly!
JAMESGANG
Darn right!
Price of failure to behave is another famous little quote of hers.
“Of course,I’m not really a drinker,me” as she downs a Guinness faster than she ever downed a yard of ale in her student days. Point being,if yer out of order,it’s your Guinness she’s downing!
The Ultimate Sanction.
Is WILLIEFERNIE around?
If you are,can you mail me,please,on
bmcuwp@gmail.com
PARKROAD67 is on his way to see you shortly,and he’s lost a bunch of mail addys.
If anyone knows or can contact WILLIEFERNIE,can you please pass on this message to him.
It’s a long way from Girvan to Perth. Especially the one in Australia!!!
Bawwwee FegushHUN quoted in the Scotsman that BR deserves no plaudits from the sevco match and Celtic ‘got lucky’ by having Jozo sent off.
Stephen Hawking’s death was a huge loss to human intelligence. But even he’d have been useless in trying to explain the dystopian anti matter of Huns in the Media logic.
HH jamesgang
JAMESGANG
Not suggesting that I’m more intelligent than Stephen Hawking-though arguably I might be now(!)-but I’d put it down to Ferguson being a bitter wee orange b.
Eureka!
MEDTIM
Yes, I just cite 63(3) as that is a very quick and simple acid test for the validity of their application.
Sorry for the late reply, I’m in the middle of a 7 hour drive Edinburgh – currently at Wetherby services (weather be bowfin’)
Zombie season ticket renewals must be due out. L5 working overtime this morning. Celtic were lucky (EBT Barry), there’s not much between the teams (Elbows) and Marseilles want Moussa and Eddie won’t decide his future until the end of the season (stenographer from the daily ranger).
Brainwash the stupid in full flow…..
DAVIDOPOULOS
I believe the acid test refers to provenance of gold. The huns ain’t got none,so it doesn’t apply.
Good luck with the trip. My nephew is home this weekend for the first time since he moved to Loughton. I hope he’s decided to fly,or take the train.
Latter being my choice. Obvious reasons.
GARY67
I seem to be in a contrary mood today. Hopefully,these responses are only to posts which coincidently invite such.
You can’t brainwash the brainless,and you can’t wash the filth.
Just saying…
Just finished ma shift. Like I said yesterday, love Rod the Mod to bits and all that he does to promote the ‘Tic. But as sure as night follows day ( or erm, in this case, day follows night) Blue watch came in and preceded to take turns at showing the Rod video and appeared elated at how obsessed we are with thems. Perhaps they are right. No in my eyes. Ipreferred playing the whole result down like it was perhaps compared to a decent away win against Killie, Hibs etc. To me that’s the best strategy for GIRUY’s
Well done HT both on the Diaries & the campaign to end Fan’s Criminalisation.
The Diaries make me sad but I would be a lot sadder if they were forgotten.
BLUEGRASSCELT
I like your style,cut of your jib,etc. I’m all for treating them like the something or other on my shoe,but sometimes you just have to remind who’s who in this world.
I think that’s the way Rod is playing it.
Of course,I was much more restrained…
” I don’t want to talk about the officiating – we all make mistakes . Look at my goalkeeper.. I’m not looking for excuses. . I tried to take advantage when I was a player..”
Rino Gattuso — 15 3 18
CORKCELT
As you know,I had my issues with the methods used during “The Troubles”
But I never doubted the courage of a man who did what Bobby Sands did. And,of course,so many others.
His diaries are both a constant reminder of that,and a warning from the past to preserve and build on what we have.
It wasn’t achieved easily.
I see the beeb are running trailers for kids to distinguish fake news from reality. They could start with’ the same club’ nonsense they spout.
Reminds me of the old saying
‘Take the plank out of your eye before taking the splinter out of others’