Marching Newco into the Sea one insolvency at a time

‘Starve your club of money until I get what I want’ is just about the measure of Glib and Shameless’ statement yesterday.  No one at the SFA, SPFL, the Glasgow City Council, the Co-op/Vatican Bank or Celtic could do as much damage to the Fledgling Rangers as Dave King’s pronouncement.

These people have taken so many wrong turns in this episode it is like they are being operated by a compulsive Karmic puppeteer.  There is a time for withholding ticket sales, Celtic fans did it 20 years ago next month, but Celtic fans had a plan, grassroots support, investors on hand, unencumbered by Fit and Proper concerns, or the law against directors of a liquidated business working in a company using the same or similar name.

Most importantly the Celtic ‘old board’ included some, like Kevin Kelly, who was committed to change, while even the hold-outs were died-in-the-wool Celtic men, if clearly misguided.  None of the decision makers would ever consider razing the stadium.

Fledgling Rangers are at the mercy of hedge funds, some spivs and a couple of ‘Rangers’ men, who must be increasingly frustrated at the attempts of others to usurp what they legitimately bought and paid for.

Before stepping off the ledge – and make no mistake, stopping fans from buying season tickets is the only way to kill not just a club, but any successor clubs – you need to be sure you are in a position to cut a deal, and that you have the cash to make it all possible.  If you don’t have a watertight plan, you are working towards the end of your football club and its dilapidated remains.

I would be utterly amazed if the Easdales or Laxey Partners submit to this Glib and Shameless series of demands.  If they do, I have seriously misread them.

King was on the oldco board when they walked slowly to the gallows, all for the want of the kind of money he now says is needed to make Newco competitive with Celtic.  His chance to bang the populist drum and raise some cash was in the years before the club, stadium, stock and bike were sold for a combined total of £1.

It makes you wonder if there is a plan to march the entire club, and all its symbolism, into the sea, before picking up the driftwood after another liquidation.  For a fan of the club that would be horrendous, but think of the rich pickings available to whoever can grab the assets.

This is high stakes poker, but those forcing the issue don’t have any skin in the game.  Even if the whole thing is washed away in the storms, they will avoid most of the blame.

Delighted to read Fergus McCann on the club site this morning:

“I am very proud when I see Celtic’s progress, its status in Scotland, and its worldwide reputation. Especially when I see the great work of Celtic FC Foundation carrying on the legacy of Brother Walfrid.”

Despite the perspective that the events of 2012 gave us I still meet people who just don’t get what he did for Celtic.  No football fan is under any obligation to worry about their club’s finances but the man at the top is, and when our top man wore a bunnet, our transformation was outstanding.

There is a little over two weeks to go before the CQteN St Patrick’s Night Dinner on Friday, 14 March, at the Kerrydale Suite, Celtic Park.  The beneficiary of  the night will be Kholoni Primary School, Malawi, where we will fund Mary’s Meals to build a kitchen for 1200 kids who currently don’t have meal facilities.

We have received some incredible assistance already (more on what happened in Germany and Belgium when I get the next stage of the development ready), but you can get involved by ordering a personalised beanie hat, with your name on one side and CQN on the other.

Hats cost £15 each and if you order before 7 March you can collect yours at the CQteN Dinner.  If you’re not attending the dinner (and why not?) the £15 will cover postage and packaging.  If you ordered a Virtual Ticket, you’re personalised hat is part of your package.  All profits go to the school kitchen.

Take a look at the front and back of the hats.  To order, email hatfrompat@celticquicknews.co.uk with name, whether you are attending CQteN and address if not, and I’ll get your message to Pat.