You would be forgiven for thinking Honest Dave King is a bit preoccupied by the C word. Every time he extrapolates where the club he supports (through an accomplished undermining strategy) is heading, the subject returns to knocking Celtic off their lofted perch.
This task could take £30m-£50, King estimates, a burden he is willing to share with others, although he does not appear to put a figure on his own piece of the action. Ploughing £50m into newco Rangers over the next five years would certainly help, but it would still leave them short of Celtic’s projected income over the period, and in this town, success is a zero sum game.
Top dog gets a crack at Champions League income, which is a bit of a chicken and egg situation. For a Scottish club to get into the Champions League in a responsible manner, they need Champions League income more seasons than not. Alternatively, they can gamble recklessly, build up contractual commitments which stretch out for years into the future, in the hope that they out-perform the other would-be top dog.
We’ve seen this movie before, it is the arms race that David Murray bulldozed Scottish football into. It was calamitous for his club, which was sold for £1 to an insolvency specialist before being liquidated.
It had consequences for Celtic too. Fergus McCann build a stadium and left us almost debt free, but in the intervening 20 years Celtic lost far more than they would have, if they had copied the lavish spend (and tax) policies Murray undertook with Rangers.
Things are different now. We have cash in the bank, a winning team on the field, who have qualified for the Champions League group stages twice in succession, and we’re guaranteed to be seeded to qualify again next season. We also have a secure long-term borrowing facility, so in the event of a reversal in qualification, the club would not be put in jeopardy.
Starting an arms war with this Celtic team would be an act of remarkable courage. Observers will also note that the upper limit of King’s expected requirement, £50m, is just a little less than 10 times what the highest bidder for Rangers assets managed to clean up with, when the supporter’s need was greatest.
There is an alternative football development strategy, it’s called sustainability. Budget to spend no more than what you expect to earn, appoint good coaches and scouts, pay your tax and look the world in the eye.
Engage fans in this sustainability model. Tell them the road to the top will have twists and turns, and will take a while, but they can be sure their club will never be liquidated. This is the only way to run a football club, whether your Celtic, Aberdeen or newco Rangers. It’s not always popular, there will often be calls to speculate a little more, but it will ensure the club survives.
King is a smart guy, so he will know this. He’s even lived through all the pain and drama once before, so the sustainability question will be intimately familiar to him. The question, therefore, is why is he attempting to lead strategy into the Clyde, flute in hand, like some latter-day Pied Piper of Govan?
He seems reluctant to underestimate Celtic but I detect a belief that the hedge funds, not to mention the Easdales, can be shoved around. That is courageous.
Keep up the good work, Dave.
Here we Go for 10 In a Row!
The 10th annual CQN charity golf day is set for Aberdour Golf Club on Friday 4th July. As ever it will be oversubscribed so if you’re interested in attending drop an email to BlantyreKev and Taggsy at cqnopen10IAR@gmx.co.uk as soon as you can.
Cost for the full day’s entertainment including golf is £80. There are a very limited number of non golfer evening places at £45.
Further detail will be released nearer the date and when places confirmed.
Seville – The Celtic Movement:
[calameo code=0003901710a55b5798f06 lang=en page=48 hidelinks=1 width=100% height=500]
827 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- »
Nae kiddin Rye that song is depressing
Drambowie….
It is a bit of a mood song,you gotta be in the mood to listen to it.
Classic oxymoron of depressingly uplifting
Ha I know I was picturing the young team at the time, and where they are now
and it’s still f888888 morbid lol
H.H.
Conjunctivitis.com
A site for sore eyes.
I can’t get it on my Samsung rye.
Just tae cheer us up play Ferlin Huskey’s Drunken Driver.
or My son calls another man Daddy
@01 41 Quote . What a great name for a tune. Ha Ha.
The Thai Tims must have been reading paul67’s article.
http://youtu.be/mumFvrIX-q4
HH
@lymm Brill
Lymmbhoy….
Brilliant video mate.
I’ve actually gone off on one….laughing out loud when everyone else upstairs is in bed….tears of laughter imagining the reaction if it got posted on Follow Follow.
Hail Hail to 10 in a row
Drambowie….,
It’s The Verve song you mentioned.
@Rye Huh?
Drambowie….
Sorry mate,getting tired….confused you with A light insanity.
OOps sorry Rye I was trying to integrate sorrow with sweetness with depression
The Drunken Driver a heartbreaking song that out sold love me tender WTF.?
YOUR CHEATIN HEART. OUT SOLD SLIM Whitmans Happy anniversary.
@Rye your usually cookin mate at this time
catch ye later. JD.
GNGB…….
Hail Hail
Lymmbhoy 01:48 on 26 March, 2014 The Thai Tims must have been reading paul67′s article.
http://youtu.be/mumFvrIX-q4
…………………………………………….
Great to see someone still covering the wee ones in Thailand. They seem to be have been long forgotten since they were here two years ago.
Also good to see my new golfing buddy on the back of their wall wearing a styoopit bunnet!!!, just don’t tell kikinthenakas. He’s actually playing wi this duffer.
Hail Hail the this tims, you always make this tim smile.
Tom McG, you probably won’t see this now but if you do, accept my thoughts on the loss of your brother. Brothers are special and the thought of losing mine makes me want to post a song.
Condolences on your loss bruv. Hail Hail.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gyic1eLHgDQ
We Are Celtic
Tom, that post above might have come across a bit crass, sorry.
Please accept my condolences and make sure you give your bruv a good send off in Glasgow
Bothers are special, yes they are
HH
ACGR –
Just logged in and saw your post.
Thanks. Much appreciated.
My flight leaves in 6 hours, so just relaxing as everything is done. Might walk along the road and grab a couple of cold ones as I wait for the good lady to finish work and drive me to the airport.
I’ll be somewhere over Asia when Celtic clinch the title. That will make Gerry smile.
Thanks again to everyone for the good wishes.
Hail Hail
gold coast tom
04:42 on 26 March, 2014
Safe flight Tom
Ayrshire is Green and White
HH
Gold Coast Tom
04:42 on
26 March, 2014
Aussie thoughts are with you and yours.
Sink a few for us expats who still hanker for ” oor ain folk.”
Safe trip and haste ye back.
My Brother Gerry had it very tough in life, but he never grumbled, and was always there to lend support and advice to younger members of the family. My two sons, and Gerry’s various nieces, thought the world of their big uncle. He always had time for his extended family and many’s the occasion he got out of bed after midnight to drive into town to rescue a stranded niece or nephew, and even brother.
In early 1989, Gerry and his wife Dianne were very happy as they awaited the birth of twins. They already had a boy, Christopher, who was 5 and grew up to become a great friend of CQN’s very own Summa of Sammi.
On Holy Thursday 1989, Dianne duly gave birth to healthy boys – Martin and Michael – in Bellshill Maternity. Gerry was absolutely thrilled and I have never seen such a proud parent as he held those beautiful babies in his arms while an exhausted Dianne looked on with her own beaming smile.
On Good Friday afternoon, Dianne collapsed beside her hospital bed. She was unconscious and was rushed away for emergency treatment. About 20 minutes later, Gerry arrived with a big bunch of flowers, only to find an empty bed and no sign of the babies. Gerry was taken into a room to be told that his beautiful wife, the mother of his 3 children, had suffered an aneurism and was now on a life support machine in Monklands Hospital in Airdrie.
Before long, both Gerry’s and Dianne’s family were at Monklands, anxiously waiting for news. Gerry was devastated. A broken man. A lot of tears were being shed by a lot of people as we took it in turns to sit by Dianne’s bed and talk to her. She just looked like she was asleep and we all expected her to open her eyes at any time and in her customary way, ask what all the fuss is about. Dianne never opened her eyes.
On Saturday evening we were told that she was brain-dead and that there was no hope of any form of recovery. Only the machine was keeping her breathing. It was explained that by law, they were required to perform a number of standard tests on two occasions, 12 hours apart. The second test would take place at noon on Easter Sunday. At 1pm on the Sunday, the immediate family of both Gerry and Dianne were taken into the room and we watched helplessly as the machine was switched off. The doctor explained everything every step of the way.
Gerry held his wife as she slipped away. It was truly heartbreaking to watch.
On Easter Monday, the Daily Record called at Gerry’s door. I had taken it upon myself to answer the door to all visitors as Gerry sat in the house, surrounded by family, trying to come to terms with what had happened. They explained that they got the nod from the hospital and wanted to write a story about the tragic events. I told them I would speak to Gerry and that they should call back later. I spoke to Gerry and he agreed to speak to them later that evening. I told him he didn’t have to, but he said they had a job to do, just like everyone else.
The reporters arrived and they were very tactful and sympathetic to Gerry, it has to be said. Gerry said he was determined to bring his babies up in a manner befitting Dianne. He said he would not let her down and would make her proud. The reporters took away a couple of photographs of Dianne.
Gerry told them he did not want them writing a story that would frighten any women out there who are expecting twins. In the midst of all that had happened to him, my brother actually had the time to think about other people and didn’t want other expectant mothers worrying. That is the measure of the man and at that moment, I was so very proud of him and I remain proud of him to this very day. On Easter Monday the Record ran the story on the front page, basically a news feature about what had happened. They came back on Monday night and took pictures of Gerry at home with his new twins and Christopher. On Tuesday it was again front page with a big picture and the headline, I’ll bring my boys up the way Dianne would have wanted
Gerry never married again.
On Sunday last, the twins celebrated their 25th birthday. At 15 minutes past midnight on Monday, their father passed away peacefully. He saw in their birthday. He also fulfilled his promise to Dianne. His 3 boys are absolute gentlemen and have made both their parents very proud.
On Saturday in Bellshill, Gerry will be buried beside his beloved Dianne. They will be together again. I know she will be as proud of him as we all are.
Again, thanks for listening.
God bless.
Tom,
What an incredible story, your brother certainly has carried a very heavy cross, it makes many of the things that we think might be important seem insignificant.
God Bless you and your entire family.
AR
Gold Coast Tom
05:34 on
26 March, 2014
Tom.
Your loving account of Gerry and his ,and your,family is an education and inspiration for us all.
An account of courage in the face of extreme adversity.
“May flights of Angels sing him to his rest.”
GCT- good luck with your travels. Hope your brother is at rest
HH
CRC
Ain’t it just like the night to play tricks when your tryin’ to be so quiet,
We sit here stranded,though we all do our best to deny it..
Whathappenedtocqncsc.
gold coast tom
Fantastic tribute to your brother
May he go to his rest with loved ones who have gone before
Take care
Tom.
a wonderful yet tearful story about a wonderful man.
Coincidentally my train to Edinburgh is at Bellshill right now and I am saying a prayer for Gerry, Dianne & the boys.
Tom, truly moving account on your brother.
A real man of character.
Cherish those memories mate.
Life may not be forever but memories are.
Hail Hail
Tom
Prayers offered for you and your family lovely tribute to your brother
Travel safe & God bless
gold coast tom
An incredibly moving story of your brother Gerry and his family , thoughts and prayers with you at this sad time .
YNWA
GCT
Respect & condolences to you, your immediate family and friends at this sad time.
RIP
Heartfelt story of your brotherly love………..tears swelling as I write this.
God Bless
Paddy T
Gold Coast Tom,
My sincere condolences.
We are brothers by blood
And my love does flood
The thoughts of yesterday
Two children fast at play
That was the past
And the memories will last
Because in our dreams time stands still
There we can view thoughts of yesterday and, tomorrow at will
Tomorrow will come and I’ll be there
With unmeasurable amount of love to share
For now we have our dreams and thoughts
Our should’ve and oughts
Our fathers and mothers
But… we are brothers
We are brothers by blood
And my love does flood
Good morning friends and a Big Happy Will it be Won on a Wednesday from a very dry, clear and bright East Kilbride. Don’t think we’ve ever clinched the title at Firhill before so something different I suppose. Selfishly I had hoped that Aberdeen would have won last night delaying the party till Saturday. Could still end up that way of course but very unlikely – 4 nil tonight ;-)
GCT.
they are together again my friend.
May god bless you at this very sad time.
Be safe.
Big sean
GCT
Tam ,you’re in my thoughts.
Hopefully your pain will turn to happy memories very quickly.
Keep healthy yourself.
As you said .
Your parents have suffered enough.
TT