Few Celtic fans could reflect on what they have done for the club with as much satisfaction as John Keane, the former director, who died yesterday. In 1994, when the Bank of Scotland gave Celtic 24 hours to repay their borrowing or face administration, Keane was one of a group of Celtic supporters who had engaged ‘the old board’ with a view to brining about a regime change.
The board resisted, but when faced with the inevitable, they looked for help. John Keane was the only man who stepped forward. As I understand, he paid a banker’s draft for £1m into Celtic’s Bank of Scotland account. This put the club in credit, Keane had no claim on the money or the club, it was completely an act of faith. The board, in theory, could have continue to trade, but they immediately opened negotiations with Keane, Fergus McCann and others.
John joined the board when the new regime, headed by McCann, took control. As one of the largest shareholders in the club, his influence was larger than his public profile. The Irishman remained on the board as a non-exec and eventually honorary chairman until 2019.
Football is full of blowhards who like to shout about others, but very few of us did what was necessary to prevent our club from collapse. Without John’s £1m, a brutal administration would have followed the next day and Celtic’s history since then would be very different.
Those who knew him and worked with him held him in great affection. Our thoughts go to his son Mark and the family.
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Did anyone hear what Kenny Miller had to say about Ryan Porteous’ tackle and red card?
I heard he said ” that wasn’t a foul , i was tackled and went into orbit and never got a foul “😉
Heard Nevin this morning on the radio , bigging up Gilmore. Said he was fantastic at retaining the ball and always has been all the way back to when he played for ranjurs. He didn’t play a senior game.
He really is a strange wee guy.
Dr Feelgood – – – Sneakin’ suspicion
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN6zUoR5wow
KINGLubO
AT,
Sometimes,not all,I think you are on a differnt planet.The stuff I put on about Calmac,WAS from FF.Not everyone reads it,but are amused when they do read their ridiculous bile.
When I put anything on from the Record,or Ibrox News,its to ridicule the nonsense,not to pass it off as news.
Really stuns my senses that you cant see or comprehend this.Its a worry.
THE BLOGGER FORMERLY KNOWN AS GM on 18TH JUNE 2024 9:30 AM
Did anyone hear what Kenny Miller had to say about Ryan Porteous’ tackle and red card?
____________________________________________________________________________________
No I didn’t but was it along the lines of ‘ if that is a red card then there’s going to be red cards in every game as he is clearly going for the ball’ or something like that?
Clunks,
On the transfer money post yesterday.We have been offered 4 million for Welsh,recently,think from Italy.2 million for Haksa,and 3.5 million for Lagerbielke.Kobypayashi wanted back in Japan.Someone will want Yang,so its probably fair to say,10 million.
On the ,not getting all that money in at once,the same will apply to us.We will be paying in installments like everyone else,so the 37 million,stands up,no matter how yo look at it.
John Keane obituary in The Times…
John Keane obituary: businessman who saved Celtic
Construction magnate and lifelong Hoops fan who handed the Parkhead club a cheque for £1 million as bankruptcy loomed
June 17 2024, The Times
One afternoon in September 1994, the Bank of Scotland told Celtic Football Club that its salary payments, due to be made the following day, would not be honoured. Not only was the club overdrawn, it had no plans to get its affairs in order. The bank had run out of patience, and the board had run out of road.
That evening Kevin Kelly, the chairman, swallowed his pride and picked up the phone to John Keane, an outspoken critic of the board, and explained the situation. Keane, an Edinburgh construction magnate and Celtic shareholder, put in a call to the Bank of Ireland. First thing the next morning, John Brosnan, his bank manager, was on the steps of the Bank of Scotland in Glasgow with a draft for £1 million to deposit into Celtic’s account — despite the near certainty that Keane would not see a single penny of the money again.
The salaries were paid, Celtic was saved from the brink of bankruptcy and Keane became a club hero. “When I told my family I was going to get involved in football they told me I was crackers, but I have had Celtic in my blood all my life,” he said. His investment bought the club time, helping to keep it afloat until a takeover led by Fergus McCann, the Scottish-Canadian entrepreneur, could be completed and other investment secured — including more funds from Keane.
Keane was not one to bask in the limelight, however, instead allowing others to take the credit for Celtic’s rescue. In one of his rare comments on the matter, he explained simply: “Administration was unthinkable. It would have been a slur upon the name of the club.”
A taciturn man of few words, Keane knew from experience what it was like to be in a financial scrape. In 1977, he spent three months on remand in Saughton Prison, Edinburgh, facing charges of defrauding the Inland Revenue after claiming tax relief on subcontractors he had declared exempt from paying tax. He admitted fraud at the High Court in Edinburgh and was fined £50,000. He also paid the Inland Revenue £153,164 to meet the tax shortfall.
What irked him was how this skirmish from his distant past was unearthed just as he rode to Celtic’s rescue, which he said was the work of “enemies” of the club. “There has been a campaign to use this information against me and the club,” he told The Sunday Mail. “Some people have a chip on their shoulder — but I’ll not name names.”
From the outset, he had been up front with Celtic about his jail time. “The court was worried I’d skip the country, but I stayed to face the music and paid a large fine,” he said. It was not something he wished to hide from, and neither was he ashamed of the past. “This type of thing is all part and parcel of being in such a high-profile business,” he added. “People of a younger generation don’t know what it was to work in the construction game in those days.”
John Stephen Keane was born in Doohoma, Co Mayo, in 1934. His mother hailed from the Gorbals in Glasgow and his father was an Irish agricultural labourer. They had returned to Ireland to raise their family but his mother’s love of Celtic, helped by the Scottish newspapers that were mailed to her, ensured that her son was raised knowing the club and its traditions.
At 17, Keane moved to Scotland to sell potatoes, and before long he was acquiring experience in civil engineering, construction and property development. He established Keane Contracting, laying cables and pipes for utility companies including the forerunners of British Gas and BT. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen, and their son Mark.
From the moment he arrived in Scotland Keane was a regular at Celtic Park. Gradually he became involved in the club’s politics, joining a consortium of rebel supporters led by Brian Dempsey, a former director who had been ousted from the board. In 1991 he bought shares worth £20,000, though the club insisted that as a private limited company it would veto the sale. The following year he was involved in legal efforts to remove the old guard by diluting the holdings of the Kelly, White and Grant families who had controlled the club since it was founded in the late 19th century.
After he ploughed £1 million into rescuing the club, Keane’s construction expertise was called upon for plans to convert the old “Jungle” stand into a modern, 26,000-seat facility. “There have been some problems, but they’ll be overcome,” he explained nonchalantly. “We’re up to schedule on the work and foundations have already been put in place.” He also joined the board as a non-executive director, and in 2012 he was appointed honorary chairman of Celtic Football & Athletic Club, which handles relations with supporters.
On the opening day of 2013-14 season Keane was invited to unfurl the SPL champions flag when Celtic kicked off the defence of the league championship title against Ross County, a rare moment of public glory for the man who had come to the club’s rescue in its hour of need. “This is a great honour,” he said, adding: “I hope I don’t trip and that they don’t boo me too much.” Given what he did to save Celtic, he was instead greeted with cheers.
John Keane, businessman, was born on November 18, 1934. He died on June 16, 2024, aged 89
The Kellys,the Whyres,and the Grants.The mob from the 3 families that were in charge of the club in the 90s,an absolute disgrace to the people who had gone before them.
RIP and God bless John Keane.Forever in Celtic FC history now.Could not get a better epitaph.
Bournesouprecipe
Thank you for that obituary
HH
Turkeybhoy
Poor deflection,as cogent as your player evaluations/speculations at 10.19.go easy on the play station manager.real world is bit different.
HH
Bournesouprecipe
Did the Times list the Obit writer?
I see the English Premier League fixtures are out today, does anyone know when they’ll be out for the SPFL?
CELTIC MAC
I don’t think they did, I can see why you ask. I’ve lifted it from elsewhere, as you’ll know The Times is paid subscription
SPFL Fixtures….
June 27th.
Weeron
bournesouprecipe
Might have a quick look at it when I’m at the newsagent!
Won’t be paying mind
The new article will be up at noon.
I will update on the Superbru leaders after the Portugal match tonight, which marks one-third of the way through the Group Stages.
Mostly everyone is getting their picks in on time. I am still resolving Jonny the Tim’s issues and have sent him a Brumail explaining what he must do.
“The new article will be up at noon.”
—-
that old chestnut?
SPFL Fixtures….
June 27th.
And once Sky and Premier Sports get their hands on them they will be all over the place 😡
no but yeah