Former chairman of Oldco Rangers, now director of Newco, Alastair Johnston, took aim in the media at Celtic supporters yesterday, saying “I always wondered about the mentality of certain Celtic supporters, not by any means most of them, who basically said our club died in February, 2012.”
Why do they do this to themselves? If it is an attempt to convince people that liquidation did not happen, it will fail. All that will be achieved is the re-telling of the facts. Rangers entered administration on 14 February 2012. It failed to come out of administration and a liquidator was appointed to dispose of the remaining assets.
Secvo Scotland Ltd bought a “bundle of assets”, including the stadium. The administrators, Duff and Phelps, changed Rangers name to RFC 2012 Ltd and gave permission to Sevco Scotland to use the word “Rangers” in their name. Without this permission, Newco would have gone through a similar naming process as Clydebank – Airdrie United – Airdrieonians, who were only permitted to use the word “Airdrieonians” 11 years after the liquidation of oldco Airdrieonians.
If I’m honest, if we were in those circumstances, I would tell myself every day that the Celtic I grew up with was the same as Newco Celtic. I would have no incentive to do otherwise, so Johnston and anyone else who cares, can think what they want about Newco.
He is welcome to his thoughts, if it helps him through the trauma of what he did as chairman of Oldco during the EBT years, and the club’s failure to prepare over many years for HMRC’s legal challenge. Johnston’s board made no provision to retain enough money to trade through HMRC’s challenge, despite that legal challenge being underway years before it got to the crunch.
What he tells himself does not change the facts. Oldco is in liquidation. All player contracts ceased. Assets were sold off, a deal to use the name had to be agreed. Sevco Scotland became an associate member of the SFA while Oldco was still a member. Oldco voted on whether to admit Sevco Scotland to the SPL. Sevco changes its name and were granted entry to the SFL Third Division.
Johnston played a role in the demise of Rangers. He was chairman and had a responsibility to direct the club away from dangers. He failed and now presents an alternative reality, which is easier on the mind.
He also said, “it will be 120 years or so before you can tie with us.” For each of those 120 years, Celtic fans and others will say, “But Rangers died in 2012”. Just as Rangers fans are content to believe their club continues, belligerent denial is not going to change how others regard liquidation. It’s over, Mr Johnston, you let your club die.
There was other guff about “thriving” not “surviving”. They think they are going to win the league and that their circa £11m annual deficit is an indication of thriving. Again, I disagree.
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JimTim 10.14pm
No need to respond from your lurking status … but can you ask yourself one question while lurking …
“Did this Celtic team have “steel” the previous two times this season when they managed too do what you summarise they can’t do”
51 years ago today I visited Celtic Park for the first time to see a first team match. Celtic 3-1 Dunfermline. A goo Dunfermline team which had won the cup a year earlier.
It’s not always appreciated that that was the only trophy which escaped us and prevented us winning a trinity of trebles from 66/7 to 68/9.
But that first game was special. We have beaten Clyde and lost to Rangers in the previous 3 days. They were hot on our heals and under the great Davie White they were spending big to stop their rot of not having won the league in 5 seasons. A time when Celtic has won the big cup.
They had in fact ‘played us off the park’ according to the worthies outside the Celtic Supporters Club wheee I stood waiting for my dad and uncle Paul and uncle Billy Broon.
It was going to be tough for Celtic to compete this season. We were relying on other clubs taking points from them realistically….And we had to play AC Milan in the European Cup.
Of course Jock had lost a wee bit of his magic powers too. Sticking with his old favourites and not backing big Yogi, a few others were not so fit as they should be according to the wise old guys. Someone even said the players were being greedy I remember.
This was a season before I discovered ‘the system’ and the referees such as Bobby Davidson and Ian Foote and Mr Gordon of Newport on Tay. So I wasn’t reall concerned on that score at that time.
7 year old me was only worried about all the clever old men around me convinced Celtic had no chance of getting 4 in a row never mind another treble.
My dad who was a plumber and not necessarily a big football expert did explain (in his words) how Celtic were a reason for many working folk to look forward to their weekend and Celtic gave many disenfranchised folk a voice and even a glimmer of vicarious success. Because of this sense of underdog and ‘feeling hard done to’ the faithful supporters were always seeing problems and potential disasters rather than the great things we were achieving.
On the back of decades of despair we were in some kind of fantasy dreamworld on January 4th 1969, yet still our support knew better and feared the PR machine output about David Whites bluenoses.
A year later Celtic were robbed of an incredible 3rd treble in 4 years by Mr Davidson of Airdrie. We were beaten in the final of European Cup Final having beaten the mighty Leeds.
Great Celtic times and some parallels with today. In my Celtic supporting lifetime, despite the ‘clever old men who knew better’ my Celtic has won 27 league titles out of 51 ( Aberdeen winning 3 and Dundee Utd 1). This is an incredible record. The club has its own functionable stadium with plans to enhance. It’s finances are transparent and in the public domain. It has nearly 2 x the crowd which attended my first match turning up each week.
Given Celtic had won just 6 leagues in the previous 45 years this has been a simply incredible achievement.
My dad and uncle Paul and Billy would be ‘blown away’ by what Celtic has achieved in this time.
Even my dad, who was no pr expert, would have seen through the efforts of Alistair Johnston ( a guy I have had first hand dealings with ) to drive wedges in between the the Celtic faithful. Dear old dad knew what their game was.
Hopefully most Celtic supporters can see it too. Right now we need unity and alignment as a club. I think the next 3 weeks will make things more clear as the ‘fall out’ from 29th becomes more apparent, the reasons for Sevco statement overdrive and their obfuscation become more clear and Celtic flex their muscle to ensure we deliver.
HH.
Macjay1 @ 9:25
Thats is not FOX being anti Trump. They had her on as an easy target for them but she held her own. Not a fan of hers, she is also anti Impeachment.
But I do agree with you. CNN, MSNBC et al are falling over themselves.
Burnley78 10.33pm
a great post
Sometimes the past isn’t that much different from the present :-)
CQN might get a bit of slagging (even from some of its own :-) but sometimes you need to enjoy what your reading
Cheers Burnley78
CAMUSBHOY on 4TH JANUARY 2020 10:20 PM
Jimtim we have played Sevco 3 times this season remind me of the results..
@@@@@@@@
Are you serious here . We did win comfortably at snake mountain . When we had guys working as a team , Hampden was thankfully down to our goalkeeper for that result . On the 29th we didn,t battle for a result , rots my guts to say this but we were out fought as we were twice last season at there place . Your right maybe just my opinion , but we need to toughen up pal ,
New year !! Same old ! Well Fay the our resident motormooth 👍
Burnley78
Great wee read.
AN TEARMANN on 4TH JANUARY 2020 10:05 PM
haha 😀
BURNLEY78 on 4TH JANUARY 2020 10:33 PM
Regarding last paragraph, not quite sure what you mean re ‘reasons’. For the record i don’t not think they will have any financial troubles this year, they are more likely to strengthen this month.
Regarding PR stuff, their target re VAR stuff was to put the SFA on the back foot re Morelos and that has succeeded. Not quite sure what they are up to with the ‘same club’ stuff, whether that is further deflection or something more thought out.
Re our ‘muscle’, we shall see what we do. If we are ever going to use our muscle the time is now.
AIPPLE on 4TH JANUARY 2020 10:45 PM
Agreed. Not Fox being anti – Trump.
However , unquestionably Fox providing an alternative viewpoint.
A basic responsibility for any channel which pretends to provide balance.
I know nothing about her , however on the basis of that piece , I found her more impressive than any of the other poss. Dem. candidates.
https://thecelticblog.com/2020/01/blogs/shveds-celtic-no-show-is-especially-bad-because-it-has-allowed-forrest-to-regress/
Agree with what his namessake says
Two games v Sevco to go this year in SPFL
If corkcelt is still about. Happy to have a small bet Which hopefully I lose
If JF plays at IPox he will get less then a 6 the sandman ratings. Last games v them have been 0, 2, and 3
Ok v then 3 years ago and being invisible. But not anymore. No passengers v them
Sydneytim 11.15pm
Surely your at the wind up ?
So Sandman’s piss take ratings you rate more than the Celtic managers opinion ?
Strange times indeed… … is it the “worry” about the “challenge” or do some love a worry
David17, good evening. Hope you are well?
Under the current stewardship, I have seen no evidence of muscles, perhaps I am wrong and i am hoping so! Last time I saw anything remotely as ” muscle” was when John Reid was kicking about and then he was replaced with Ian ” Behave now” Bankier. It’s been an inspiration under his legacy.
HH
CRC
GTFB. Indeed a 2 and 0 was too high
Why risk Forrest v them when the % are that he will be poor v them
Serious concerns about strengthening during this window. It has no benefit for peter lawell so won’t happen
Good evening, ( what’s left of it ) do any of us seriously expect us to back Neil in this notoriously hard window 😂😂😂 absolutely no chance! But you can be sure they will kid on as usual they tried
GFTB. I watched Forrest against Hibs and Aberdeen a few weeks ago
Awefull. No completion. Suffering now with poor window in July
CELTICROLLERCOASTER……HAIL, HAIL CESAR on 4TH JANUARY 2020 11:31 PM
Good evening,
The Board need to up their game on all fronts to meet the challenge in front of them. Not a good start to January but only 4 days in. One way or another it will all be laid bare in the next 5 months.
HH
Burnley 78
Smashing post, and as i said previously, there’s much more to
come out after the hun game, but…but..the board need to be
uniting us as one and showing they have some balls.
But will they?
H.H . Mick
SydneyTim , just to say admire you mate ! Never ever waver , despite constant attacks HH my friend! Ps you remind me of another friend of mine on here! Got the same abuse!!He was a man well ahead !!
Mick and Sydney
I hope the fires that are raging across parts of your country end very quickly, stay safe guys and your families, it looks horrendous from here
Sydneytim 12.01am
Even I find it hard to argue with you over Jamesy’s form the last month, I would probably blame you for being “home”
I still rate him as one of our top performers and would rather have him than not … but that’s a personally choice … I don’t think we had a poor July window … Fraser, Frimpong, Bolingoli, El Hamed, Elyounoussi, Julien, Taylor … out of those 7 in my opinion there are 5 out of 7 successes with two plenty to come … again we can all turn it to whatever way it suits … I still think we are in a terrific place, maybe we could be a bit better but I honestly don’t see it being a bad place … we won our Europa group league for the first time in our history as 3rd seeds … ST not sure if you are still here or back “home” but hope you enjoyed your time back in Scotland … “Jamesy Forrest aside” :-)
WEEBAWBABITTY Thank you sir.
Sometimes it’s harder to criticise the play of one of our own If Sinclair has put in performances like James done in December he would have been heavily criticised
I remember watching about 98% of peter grants games. One of us but for many games could of got someone off the terraces who would have made a better contribution
As someone said. It’s a battle now. Every game every minute and James is not up for it
Old Co went bust in 2012 to get out of the debt they where in.
New Co is real name is The Rangers International FC PLC even
Wikipedia acknowledges Rangers International FC Anyone who
says & thinks otherwise is living in denial end of COYBIG All
GFTB. Home now Currently shopping with my 9 year old for her tenth bday on Wednesday
She just won’t wear green
It was wonderfull being home. Went to 3 Celtic games and watched the 4th one in the dolphin in Patrick
Transfer window in July Forster magic
Elyounoussi hit and miss. He is not a fighter which worries me
Have to look at v them. No left hand side midfield player. No right midfield player. No right back and no left back
So window was a failure Had a massive building to do. Stacks of money 65m. We spent 11.6m and it showed
ST 12.26am
Ah the old bullshit … get somebody off the terraces and they would do better
there was a reason you or one of you were on the terraces
Peter Grant might not have been your “cup of tea” maybe like “James Forrest” maybe every Lanarkshire select team in the early 80s knew less than you & your mates in the terraces … Peter Grant was a terrific footballer through schools football, Lanarkshire select them onto Glasgow Celtic …. one question why were you of any of the bhoys on the same terrace not on the park then ???
Rhetorical question … you wouldn’t be watching if you were better
SidneyTim , pleasure mate ! Your passion for me shows you have Celltic at heart HH bro ! In my honest opinion, Forrest has great stats if you want to dress it up , but in over 20 games against the hunz!! Many games has he produced Anyway! Most people on here and sentenial celts Agree ! WEE HAVE TO BUY QUALITY IN THIS WINDOW !!
ST 12.35am
Both Elyounoussi & El Hamed got injured when on international duty outwith Celtic’s control ..
Hope wee Miss ST has a terrific birthday on Wednesday and delighted you had a great trip home
And when wee Jamesy comes back fae Dubai flying and winning us points you better get on here for a bit of balance
If you bump into the Sydney CSC president . … JR tell him to get logged on CQN … and ask him if he is missing a wee pint in the Georgian
WEEBAWBABITTY we have to buy quality in this window!
Easier said than done.
We have to invest on the playing staff wisely avoid duds &
thuds & players from other Clubs who are subject to requirement &
We have to try & get rid of the dead wood in our squad
SidneyTim! GNGB, there was at least 100 Peter grants in all ages selects ? probably about 99 percent and over we’re more shoite than him ! KT never made every select !! Doubt if any Tim thinks PG was a better player ! All about opinions! And agendas a suppose Mick T csc
GFTB. Indeed peter grant was top in schoolboys
1st sadly lacking in pace and a bit of a coward as a player and assistant manger
All I remember him doing was being unmarked and passing to Paul mcstay who was surrounded by 4 players. Then he would run backwards in opposite direction
Stayed in team only because he was cheap
AKBW1888, without doubt m8. But say if we spend 15 million on two players, most fans I would think would say at least we tried ! Thanks for responding!!
Peter Grant is Celtic through & through he may not have been a great player with
great skill however @ least he gave 100% effort when he pulled on the jersey
I will never forget the look on his face when we won the Scottish Cup back in
1995 he was also Celtic’s man of the match that day & it was the only trophy
we won during Paul McStay’s Captancy
DESSYBHOY
Raining here today and very relieved, some very surreal scenes
up the coast with the navy landing craft taking people off the beaches
and camping sites where kids were playing earlier.
Instead of marines it’s kids, dogs, etc. shades of dunkirk.
A area the size of belgium was ablaze and lots of people lost or missing
but those wonderful firefighters still tackling it head on.
So much respect for them.
And for our CSC who as usual have kicked off a fund to raise cash for
all those left with nothing but the clothes they stand in.
The Celtic family, they’re always there when needed.
H.H . Mick
SidneyTim! 👍 ! But remember he had a man of the match against Airdrie in cup final 🥳🥳
Oops !! Anyway SidneyTim! Appreciate your posts
AKBW. Yes 100%. But just Awefull
Although if JF gave 100% he would be a different player
I remember seeing him ten years ago and saying to myself a young Belemey Never made the grade as too slow , lazy and weak
WEEBAWBABITTY
nae problem about responding & you are welcome as regards to the playing
squad one thing about Brendan Rodgers he is good @ motivaiting players
& he knows when to change things (plan B) that is what we have to remember
& use not forget & James Forrest was a different player under Brendan Rodgers
Weebabbity. Thank you. I was at that game b the mighty Airdrie. About his level
Babbity. Is that the pub ? Was in there 12 months ago and met the Quiet assassin