LWYRUP. Youth recruitment. Newco cave

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John Beaton was the man who put pressure on referee Don Robertson earlier this month, not Brendan Rodgers.  Robertson had already awarded Celtic a penalty in the game against Hearts when VAR Beaton recommended he rewatch a high boot by Yang, who had already been cautioned for the incident.

Right then we knew the chances of a referee awarding Celtic a penalty, then declining to change his decision after a VAR recommendation was non-existent.  Beaton was left helpless at the Celtic penalty, there was simply nothing he could do about it.  The Yang incident, though, that was an open goal for him.

Celtic arrived at yesterday’s hearing LWYRUP, which was material to the SFA Disciplinary Panel’s decision to award the manager only a one game touchline ban, which he will serve on Sunday against Livingston.  Disappointing, though this is, Brendan will be available to continue his dominance at Ibrox the following week.

The CIES Football Observatory this week issued a report on the average age of recruitment of first team players over 10 transfer windows (to July 2019) for over 800 clubs in the world’s top 48 leagues.  It’s a fascinating read and documents a period after an incredible change at Celtic.

The Red Bull stable are unwavering in their commitment to The System.  RB Salzburg top the table (ave. age 20.93 yrs) and RB Bragantino (Brazil) are second.  Also in the world’s top 30 are RB Leipzig and New York RB.

Salzburg have taught the world how to recruit on a budget.  They sign lots of young players, develop them through a collaborative network, then bring their graduates to the first team, before selling them on and promoting the next generation.  The only UK clubs in the top 30 are Liverpool and Brighton, two impressive examples of how recruitment should be done.

Scotland’s highest entrants were Hibernian (41st) and Celtic (59th, ave. age 23.53 yrs).  59th out of over 800 is a high placing.  It would be higher still without the likes of Kolo Toure and Scott Sinclair.  I know what you’re thinking – don’t say a word against Scott Sinclair.

Scott was a stand-out in the Celtic team which won the first of our Quadruple Trebles; without him, one of the most historic periods of our history may not have happened.  But there is a cost of this success.  While we were spending money on Scott’s wages, Salzburg were signing hordes of teenage talent.  Most of those would not make the grade (few as spectacularly as Kolo at Celtic), but this is always the way in football.

Apart from that Quadruple Treble, our most common 21st century reference point is the Martin O’Neill era.  Martin transformed us from always-underdogs to always-favourites.  He remains an inspiration.  But Martin recruited old men with no notion of what tomorrow would bring.

Sign them at their peak and let them leave when they’re done.  It was exciting, but despite all the trophies and European runs, we lost money every season Martin was here, as we marched a pace behind David Murray’s Rangers towards the cliff.

Change came just in time.  Spend was curtailed and the club built a recruitment strategy which did not rely on Match of the Day.  Murray’s Rangers, gloriously, stepped over the edge alone.

This season has seen us commit to a plan Salzburg would endorse.  We are not as good as them (yet), but honestly, if you think there is an alternative strategy that would better serve our interests, you have an unhealthy need for short term fixes.

Celtic and Newco have agreed to allow around 3,000 visiting fans at their games after Celtic insisted on having a safe segregated area of Ibrox or nothing at all.  After years of torment, Newco reduced Celtic’s allocation to 800 tickets (Celtic responded in kind).  Celtic fans were left vulnerable in a corner of Ibrox and had to egress from the area through usually unhappy Newco fans.  In the stadium, Celtic fans were subject to missile attack from above, while the journey home was far from pleasant.  Eventually, Celtic decided it better to have no visiting fans at these games than allowing an unsafe situation to continue.

There will be some satisfaction at this decision, however, the devil is in the detail.  I have been going to Ibrox since the days we got half of the old enclosure but only a third of the stand above; missile attacks from above have been around that long.  Make it safe or don’t have Celtic fans there.

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358 Comments

  1. Also a pleasure meeting David66, he was definitely caught in the cross fire of Big Jimmy & Tom McL’s terrible patter and had to endure BRRB as his nearest get out :-)

     

     

    Better get back to work …. Some of us have to try and still pay the bills

     

     

    3 points tomorrow is the only Easter present I want 🍀

  2. Tom McLaughlin on

    Great afternoon in the Shipbank yesterday. Met some terrific Celtic people and what a smashing traditional old Glasgow pub.

     

     

    My jaws are still sore from laughing at my own jokes.

  3. I see the Scottish Football Supporters Association have taken the ACSOM podcast to the wider support base their members are drawn from.

     

     

    https://scottishfsa.org/chairmans-blog-29-03-24/

     

     

    That is a good thing because improving refereeing standards needs wider support, although shareholders in Celtic can play their own part in signing up to the resolution put forward on Sentinel Celts that gets mentioned at end of ACSOM podcast.

  4. There was some talk earlier about moving around Celtic Park in the 60s.

     

     

    If memory serves me well (which is questionable), coming to Celtic Park from Parkhead Cross, besides Springfield Road and Janefield Street, there were streets like Malcolm and Palace Streets, which no longer exist. Half my class in St Michael’s came from them, and we often used to play in the wee bit of spare ground outside the gates leading to the old rangers end (you could also then get in there to go into the Hayshed/Jungle, many a time I was lifted over but usually by my Dad).

     

    There was a street there, whose name for the life of me I can’t remember, which ran behind the rangers end and ended in London Road. next to the Main Stand.

     

     

    For the life of me, I can’t remember that memorial but I’m presuming it was in Holywell Street at the Celtic end. Old Harry and Young Harry McGrory lived there and often stood beside my Dad in the middle of the Hayshed.

     

     

    I think it was only in the 70s or 80s that the make up of the Jungle changed. In the 50s and 60s, it was mostly men and their young bhoys, who were either down at the front or on the wall at the back, me included.

     

     

    At half-time, some people used to walk through the Jungle heading for the end to which Celtic were attacking in the second half.

  5. Shuggiebhoy67 on

    The Boot,the Ball and the Goalpost was in Yate Street,outside my Grannies house,it runs parralel with Stamford Street,and ran up to what is now the roundabout at the Forge retail park

     

    HH

  6. AN TEARMANN on 29TH MARCH 2024 11:39 PM

     

     

    Thanks, AT, well remembered. The ‘big date’ is not until 2nd August (1974 seems just like yesterday) AND it will be a Friday as well as it was back then, but the Mrs has decided we should go for a smaller function so it will be dinner for about upper 20s with you-know-who footing the bill.

     

     

    At least the Shipbank Shipwrecks won’t be present so the drinks bill should be manageable.😊

     

     

    Ave Ave

  7. PARKHEADCUMSALFORD,

     

    Ian Ferguson came from Janefield Street at Holywell street

     

    HH

  8. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    Good morning CQN.

     

     

    Warning – don’t read this on a dodgy stomach.

     

     

    You might throw up.

     

     

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68697365

     

     

    An astounding hagiography for an absolute political chancer on the wrong side of history, intellectual lightweight and rape suspect.

     

     

    When it comes to bumming up right wing causes Mason has form. Another chancer.

     

     

    As for the knight of the realm – see my previous criticism of spin.

     

     

    In the hands of the dishonest .. words can craft messages without actually saying anything.

     

     

    “strenuously contesting the charges”

     

     

    And

     

     

    “Ah didnae dae it!”

     

     

    Are two different things.

     

     

    PS ….

     

     

    “A 57-year-old woman has also been charged with aiding and abetting in connection with the alleged offences”

     

     

    There are currently ZERO references online to the age of his wife, Eleanor Cousins.

     

     

    Strange.

  9. Tom, Gerry and Tony Roma, Good to meet for the 1st time yesterday, I thoroughly enjoyed all your company.

     

     

    Tom some of your jokes were funny and I enjoyed. Keep on keeping on.

     

     

    As for the rest of the comedian’s no one compared to Big Jimmy doing his Cagney impersonation. Omg as I type here I am chuckling away.

     

     

    BRRB – You are officialy the CQN social convenor and damn Good at it.

     

     

    A big shout to Big Jimmy’s Landlord (not his hoose landlord) and bar staff in the Shipbank, what a lovely spread they put on.

     

     

    D. :)

  10. Meaningful competition and rivalry are key for any sporting entity to survive and thrive.

     

     

    Discuss ?

  11. Parkheadcumsalford

     

     

    Walking up Kinnear Rd to the games coming from the south side was my walk of hope and most offer joy.

     

     

    We would go in to the stadium at the back of the rangers end though. Then walk out the back round to the jungle and stand on 18 yard line for first half. Then walk round toward the Celtic end as the second half progressed. Ending up at 4.40 almost at the main stand at the side where we could exit and run back down Kinnear Rd at the final whistle to catch our bus and hear of the Huns were losing.

  12. Burnley78

     

     

    3rd time lucky :-))

     

     

    Do you know what is happening with this years cqn golf day?

     

     

    HH

  13. David66

     

     

    Tom & Gerry :-)

     

     

    Shipbank was excellent, my first venture beyond the Tollbooth and hopefully there will be more in the future

     

     

    Burnley78

     

     

    On my opinion the “board” put many feelers out back in 2012 and just again my own opinion, through Celtic family & friends 99% want a Hun entity to beat … just look at friends & family get togethers and local boozers sometimes ticket only for these games, even the fans who would quite gladly never face a Rangers team again all get a bit het up about a new Klub :-)

     

     

    Am delighted to have lived through their liquidation but equally dislike this mob as much as their previous incarnation 🍀

  14. Preston bhoy cheers fella 👍I am sure recommended the Duck Duck go search engine and it is much better for me no more large advertising 🤩

     

     

    Now the only issue I have is I am unable to post comments using it as I don’t remember my CQN password and used the resent facility but I am not having any success doing that.

     

     

    Any tips bhoys ?

     

     

    Thanks in advance Maestro

     

     

    🤓

  15. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    BURNLEY78 @ 10:58 AM

     

     

    Meaningful competition and rivalry are key for any sporting entity to survive and thrive.

     

     

    Discuss ?

     

    ————

     

    Tasty bait B78.

     

     

    I’ll bite happily.

     

     

    Meaningful competition – always.

     

     

    And a key ingredient of “meaningful” is honest.

     

     

    Rivalry – always. Doesn’t always have to be the same rival though.

     

     

    A thought occurred to me when considering this.

     

     

    The composition of the top of the table rivalries in Scotland and England in the last 30 years.

     

     

    In Scotland, only four clubs feature and one of those, Hearts, for a single season.

     

     

    In England .. quite a few including

     

     

    Man Utd Arsenal

     

    Man Utd Blackburn

     

    Man Utd Liverpool

     

    Man Utd Chelsea

     

    Arsenal Chelsea

     

    Liverpool Man City

     

    Man City Chelsea

     

    Leicester Tottenham

     

    Man City Liverpool (again)

     

    Arsenal Man City Liverpool

  16. Dalriada Street If .memory serves me well ,I think there was a railway line ,Argyle Line there ,and just up a bit was a station in Whitby Street were them high rise flats are,is that right.

  17. Shuggiebhoy67 on

    Timbhoy163,

     

    Railway ran from Bridgeton Cross under London Road and emerged in Whitby St.then on to darkest Lanarkshire,

     

    Argyle runs from Central Station thru Bridgeton Cross I think

     

    HH

  18. Parkhead Stadium Station: The Hidden History Of Celtic’s Football Specials

     

     

     

    After much research and anecdotal evidence, it was clarified beyond doubt that the station was situated in a cutting overlooked by what is now called Whitby Street, but which was originally known as Winston Street in honour of Winston Churchill, who had married a niece of Lord Newlands. In fact, Lord Newlands was the landowner at the new Celtic Park site, which the club moved to in 1892. The club can, therefore, thank him for providing a more viable option at a time when the original Celtic Park was becoming impossible to afford due to the ridiculous upsurge in rental demands. Newlands was something of an unlikely saviour for Celtic, as he had been an active Unionist politician, who had worked as Foreign Secretary and Private Secretary for the Prime Minister. He was an enthusiastic establishment figure, who was President of the Lanarkshire Territorial Forces Association and even went on to become the Grand Master Mason of Scotland in 1899 until 1903.

     

     

    https://thecelticstar.com/parkhead-stadium-station-the-hidden-history-of-celtics-football-specials/

  19. 1901 – Business Directory, Parkhead Glasgow

     

     

    Quillan, James Coopers 40 to 96 Janefield St., Parkhead

  20. McErlean, Francis Pawnbroker 735 Gt. Eastern Rd., Parkhead Springfield, Tollcross Rd, Parkhead