“If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you’re mis-informed.”
Mark Twain had a knack for overstatement, but you wonder if there was ever a golden age of the newspapers, and if so, what it looked like. In Scotland, it’s seldom looked like it has this week.
Some weeks ago, Graham Spiers, writing in The Herald, made reference to comments he claimed a Newco director made about the Billy Boys song. Spiers didn’t name the director, but questioned the club’s board’s willingness to tackle offensive behaviour.
The Billy Boys were a Glasgow razor gang from the 1920s and 30s, named after their leader, Billy Fullerton. Glasgow was one of the poorest cities in the industrial world, with high unemployment and mortality rates, squalid housing conditions and what we would now term disaffected young people who drifted into criminal gangs. The Billy Boys were known as a Protestant gang (there were similar Catholic gangs) and started going along to watch Rangers, and singing their signature tune, in the 20s.
So far, so anthropologic. The song, the gangs, the disaffected masses were a product of their time, but the song persisted through the decades, including the “up to our knees in Fenian blood” third line. It was the mood music to employment practices at Ibrox from the 20s until 1989.
Scotland has changed enormously since then. We are a genuinely plural society, not one scandalised by “mixed marriages”. The vast majority of people don’t care who or what you are, boundaries have been pushed back, there is a fairly level playing field, no matter your creed or colour. All of this change brought focus to the Billy Boys song, it’s not the mood music to modern Scotland, or to ANY Rangers fans I know.
I couldn’t care less about the song. For me, it is a millstone around the neck of Newco, as it was of Oldco. It drags them down to a place they can ill-afford to be. It offends (not alone in football), has a criminal legacy (not alone in football), but it’s unique quality is that third line. You can’t say that about any group of people anymore.
Spiers has put his neck on the block over sectarianism at Ibrox repeatedly over the years. He wrote about his recent experience at Ibrox, expressed an opinion, and submitted his copy.
The club complained. Football clubs complain lots about many things. There’s a set answer newspapers give to these complaints: “It was an opinion piece”. They never retract or apologise for “an opinion piece”.
I’m 100% certain The Herald’s first response to Newco was “it’s an opinion piece”. This would normally have been the end of it, but on Wednesday The Herald issued an apology.
Spiers then became a blogger to explain “My opinion – as expressed in my column – was based on a truthful account of my meeting with a Rangers director.”
Who you believe is irrelevant for this topic. The only relevance is that within a 24 hour period, The Herald and Evening Times group changed how they deal with criticisms of an opinion piece – and then used six degrees of separation to drag Celtic into a sectarian headline.
“Ex-Celtic player in dock for sectarianism”, screamed the Evening Times, using the Celtic badge into the bargain. A woman is on trial for allegedly making a sectarian comment on Facebook. She once played for Celtic under-19s, never the senior ladies team. She doesn’t play for Celtic Ladies under-19s (or any age group) anymore, and didn’t a year ago when she made this comment. She never held an employed position at the club.
An amateur, juvenile, registered with the club who are a member of the Women’s Association. Fill your boots, Evening Times. The apology will do them no favours with any constituency, it will cost them more readers in each than sticking to their guns would have. Reacting by grasping onto something so tenuous to drag Celtic into the murky waters was unconscionable.
They do not report in this manner elsewhere. Headlines for court appearances never lead with the person’s club memberships, “Prestwick Golf Club member in driving ban”? You’ll never read this.
One very good political journalist once told me “The football content pays my wages”. That being the case, The Herald’s already difficult job to survive has been enormously undermined. Spiers also explained “the pressure brought upon the newspaper became severe”. They can ill-afford to lose advertising revenue streams, or readers.
Napoleon once said, “‘Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets”. He’s been dead a long time, though. Newspapers can now make themselves impotent in an afternoon.
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Well said Robbie Dinwoodie….the Herald is going to regret its actions with GS and AH…hell mend them!…craven cowardly editor-in-chief.
Don’t know if this will work, but a little light relief to cheer up those with a sense of humour.
If not, just Google it (not exactly taxing…!)
Tom Lehrer – The Vatican Rag – fabulous version …
HH
Yes Gary Ralston really did just write: “Billy King swooped to conquer”
https://t.co/NooMW4VkcV
tonydonnelly67…….the young fans who go and watch
Celtic these day’s face a far more authoritarian polis
than our generation had tae put up with back in the day.
Nye Bevans’ Rebel Soldier.
I’m going to Hampden tomorow. As is my sister, her grandson, my son and his fiancee. I understand that the ‘main’ stand and the one directly across are both sold out.
Watched Hibs v St Johnstone in Pub, Hibs dominated and deserved to win. Henderson has decent game but the stand out player was McGinn. Great wee player, Broonie’s long term successor?
Jobo Baldie……hope yer not picking up the tab
fur the pies and bovril.
Nye Bevans’ Rebel
Will be at HAMPDEN with the Bhoy tomorrow and hopefully at Pittodrie midweek.
See the rumours about Kazim-Richards, was / am good friends with his brother when I lived in landanshire. He almost joined us before when he was the Coca Cola kid, was a close race between us and Brighton, but he ended up there under McGee who he hated as he was never accepted. Dunno if he is any good, but u remember England hoping him to choose them but he stuck with his family turkey! Would find it funny if he signed for us, unless he is a turkey!
Aiden McGeady to set them up for Hooper at Sheffield.
NYE BEVANS’ REBEL SOLDIER on 30TH JANUARY 2016 5:22 PM
Are there any cqners joining me at Hampdump
tomorrow or is there a bhoycott on?
————
I’ll be there, can’t say i feel good about frequenting that place though.
BSR,
Was told that last week and was invited to speculate with any handy bookmaking chap of my acquaintance.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 30TH JANUARY 2016 5:54 PM
Aiden McGeady to set them up for Hooper at Sheffield.
——-
Heard he was going to Seville.
WC…good stuff pal,don’t dae away these day’s.
Time fur me tae me tae scoot,if yer going the morra
wrap up well,if yer under 25 behave, if yer over 25
you should nae need telt.
I’ll be there wae the young Miss,she’s away oot tae
a party all dolled up, think she’s got her eye on some
boy,if yer a person of faith please light a candle fur the
boy,he’ll need it.
Corkcelt…..get back on here,love hearing the thought’s
of those in the ole Country.
Kevj…..just missed your hand grenade session today
hope yer well…oh fur one last Gerry McNee article Kev.
Goodnight Timland.
What a game this Barca v Athletico game is …. Incredible skills, pace and dedication from bothe teams….and Messi, what can be said about Messi ….the Best ever
Yes Gary Ralston really did just write: “Billy King swooped to conquer”
https://t.co/NooMW4VkcV
Disgusting but expected from that scumbag
An Tearmann on 30th January 2016 4:42 pm
Terrible, terrible atrocity
67Heaven .. CHALLENGING THE LIE ..I am wee Oscar…… Ipox belongs to the creditors on 30th January 2016 6:16 pm What a game this Barca v Athletico game is …. Incredible skills, pace and dedication from bothe teams….and Messi, what can be said about Messi ….the Best ever
*don’t you mean the new Patrick Roberts :-)))))
Interesting if poignant article in the Saturday edition of the Toronto Star, Canada like the mother country UK is known for its voracious newspaper and magazine readers.
‘The Guelph Mercury, owned by Metroland, a division of Torstar Corp., and the Nanaimo Daily News (both at either end of the contry), owned by Black Press, stopped printing papers for the last time on Friday.
Both companies blamed poor advertising revenue and not enough subscribers to cover the costs of operations.’
‘Earlier this month, Torstar, the parent company of The Toronto Star, announced plans to close its Vaughan printing plant and contract out printing, eliminating 285 full and part-time jobs.’
‘Tony Saxon, a long-time reporter at the Mercury, said the newsroom continued to do more with less, amid repeated cuts.’
“We won’t be the last. Nobody wants to pay for news. It isn’t just a Guelph story,” he said. “We knew things were tough. We knew the train was coming, but we thought it was down the tracks. We didn’t realize it was right around the bend.”
‘Postmedia, weighed down by a mammoth debt load and increasing pressure to cut $80 million in costs by 2017, has just eliminated 90 journalist jobs across the country. It has merged newsrooms in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa – where a single staff will write for the two papers Postmedia owns in those cities.’
“It’s going to get worse before it gets better,” said April Lindgren, associate professor at Ryerson University’s School of Journalism. “That’s because nobody knows how to fix it. If somebody had the magic solution, they would be very rich.”
TV and radio do not escape the current radicalisation of journalism.
‘A study commissioned by watchdog group Friends of Canadian Broadcasting is warning that without intervention, half of Canada’s small- and medium-market television stations could be gone by 2020, and with it, 910 jobs.’
I doubt there will be much weeping and gnashing of teeth on Celtic sites should the Canadian scenario reach the shores of the country its founding fathers came from.
Saint Stives
From way, way back.
Yes Torre Andre Flo cost a reported £12.m ( nearly forgot the m there)
Patrick Roberts cost an undisclosed fee around £12 million.
Patrick Roberts ,Possibly the most priced tagged player in Scotland and although I’m not a mega fan of loan deals, I realise that it’s part of the modern game. This loan could prove to be an exceptional shrewd deal and demonstrates that at least somebody sees us as a “safe pair of hands”
Hail, Hail.
Greenpinata
The only hope we have of getting in players with the price tag Roberts is on loan ..
The reality for us is that we can entice players like VW and VVD to come to us by promising them that they will get to the EPL if they acquit themselves well with us
Playing nursemaid to Man City youngsters like Denayer and Roberts is as good as we can do at present
RD must be held in high regard by those at the Etihad
Btw bet Denayer wishes he was at CFC right now
….PFayr supports WeeOscar on 30th January 2016 6:52 pm
Agreed.
HH.
Quiet day on here so I thought I would share this from yesterday:
beatbhoy on 29th January 2016 8:46 pm
BSR
I remember a Glasgow Cup final, 1975, Rangers (1872-2012), draw I think, they had won their first title in 11 years, were letting us know, and suddenly came the riposte:
We had nine
You had none
So we had to give you one
Na na na na na na na na na.
*My last ever game at hunden. Less than 6 weeks after this I left the shores for the colonies.
Big Billy had retired the week before after our 3-1 victory over the original Airdrie, the one that bader brutally took the feet fae (nae pun intended).
The week prior to that the same team had defeated the newly crowned champions 1-0 at the bigot den with a young lhad called Kevin McCann scoring the winner, the same bhoy scored the diamonds equalizer against us.
I was working on the M8 extension and left early that Saturday tae avoid the hordes, nae such luck as some of them were on the same subway as me. Even in their joy they were still an ugly mob.
We had lost our final 2 games and were very tired side in the 2nd half of the season and literally scraped our way intae the Final with unconvincing single goal victories over Dumbarton and Dundee respectively.
Against the former left winger Andy Lynch was tried at centre and big John Cushley saved Kenny from being sent off stepping in as he lunged at Wispy who was winding him up.
Paul Wilson whose mother had passed away midweek was immense that day in the SC final scoring 2 of our goals, while Andy Lynch was now tried at left back in place of Jim Brogan, which was not surprising as Brogie was on his last legs after a fine career as a Celt.
The Fife Beckenbauer was also missing and his last game for the club would be 4 months later. George was never the same after his best mate the Quiet Assassin left.
Dixie was suspended for the start of the next season which this game was conveniently classed as, which is strange as it hadn’t been competed for the previous 3 years, and Ronnie Glavin was already cup tied with the Maryhill Magyars.
Apart from Billy retiring, as stated above Jim Brogan captain for the day in the GC final also moved on as did Jinky who hardly kicked a ball that season although he did come on for Harry Harry that day.
The MSM set the stage for the cup winners against the newly crowned champions who were there to put us in our place.
It should be noted that even though we had failed in our quest for an honest TIAR we still ended up Double Cup winners unlike naesurname’s failed side 23 years later who ended up with nothing.
Approaching the ground the air was toxic, how can these peepul no be happy even in victory. We had erroneously parked at the wrong end and walking through the dark satanic mob, with no colours on I hasten to add, I ended up with a jab tae the mouth. Why, might be because I wisnae singing or the small cross, no not crucifix, that was slightly visible, not to the naked eye but it seems the all seeing eye.
One of our crowd was a wee bit radio rental, he turned round just as I doing my big Rod “bite my lip and turn around”, and asked if we were all ok. “Aye nae bother big mhan, mibbees we should go back and move the motor”
Later on my carolina said tae me that if the big mhan had noticed the wee bit of kerfuffle, not only would we have not seen the game but I widnae be on that transatlantic flight this side of Christmas, if ever.
We moved on and safely relocated ourselves to our own end. The bhoys got off tae a flyer as a sandra jardine, player of the year FFS, misplaced pass back fell tae young Paul who calmly slotted it home at the bigot end.
That goal ensured Paul of creating a record by scoring in four Hampden cup finals in the same season – Drybrough Cup, League Cup, aforementioned Scottish Cup and this one.
Our lead didnae last long as the ball skited off “we don’t need yer colin stein” head for the equaliser, from our vantage point big Roddy McDonald, replacement for Caesar, was at fault and one wondered if Billy had left a week too early.
However about 10 minutes later we were back in front thanks tae a superb Paul Wilson goal. He took on jackshun and kennedy and reminiscent of Big George dragged captain blood aside before thumping the ball high intae the net.
The air rendered with chants of “its magic you know, we’re happy with 9 in a row”, we wurnae really, but the usual bigoted reply was replaced with the racist chant of “Wilson is a dark skinned lhad” or words tae that effect.
The following Monday James Sanderson didnae miss them and hit the wall as his front page column slammed them stating their sectarianism was bad enough but they had now stooped tae a new low. This was in the day when we had decent journalists, not as Billy Connolly once said “freemasons with lap tops”.
We were well on top with the ugly side of football, the deid team goalie, denying Paul by stopping a shot with his legs while jackshun kicked a Buzz Bomb shot off the line. Then they durty lucky jammy bassas tied it up again just before half time when wee doddy (of scheidt) hit a shot that ricocheted off the big Teuchter, big Billy was definitely well missed.
We finished the second half the stronger side but for some strange reason no extra time was played, no penalties and no replay either and for the only time in its 128 year history the trophy was shared.
One footnote to this game is that 2 weeks later the auld enemy fixture was played at Wembley.
One of the TV panel before the game was Jock. When asked about the “future of Scottish goalkeeping” Jock remarked that he was a left sided goalie which was unusual but “we” had determined a weakness to his right a couple of weeks before and he had no doubt Don (Revie) would have noticed that also.
England won 5-1 that afternoon with all 5 goals coming at kennedy’s right side. He never played for his country again. Oh aye and the Scotland captain was the aforesaid POY, wisnae even deid team captain, and as usual Daniel Fergus was shifted tae the left back position tae accommodate the failed wing half. If yer good enough tae be POY then you should be able tae play in any position.
Interesting post on CQN Magazine Facebook page in the last half hour (not the Patrick Roberts one)
Paul67 et al
Congratulations to Gordon Reid and Jamie Murray for their efforts in Australia.
See too that the Edinburgh Hibees are through to the League Cup Final leading to the possibility of an all green and white Hampden. Or more likely with Celtic being told by the SPFL to wear anything but green and white!
Some players we have wanted to keep have been punted within 18 months,di Canio for example…
I read today Ronny’s on 100 games.
Never mind that, 46 league flags, 36 Scottish Cups, 15 League Cups add to 97, if I’m not mistaken. 3 available to win this season.
Make your own history in 2016, Ronny. Celtic forever.
Bada.
Ah think Paulo wanted to leave after Tommy was shown the door.
HH
Dixiedeans
I loved Paulo the player but even before he joined us I think he played with 7 Serie A clubs whether on loan or whatever……as for anybody worrying about “them” especially KevJ, trust me they are finished, whatever excrement the same flies are flying about they are a joke of a football team, only dipped in and out so apologies if already posted….. KevJ you post like your mentor CQNs very own shock jock……hope all is well and if you think your good fight is worth fighting knock yourself out, am more interested in Celtic & Ronny just to keep winning as many games as possible, if we don’t win, won’t change my view on Celtic
AoW from last night……you will be off work with RSI with long posts like that
Tontine Tim
Wonderful story as ever
GUYFAWKESAFOREVERHERO on 30TH JANUARY 2016 7:03 PM
I read today Ronny’s on 100 games.
Never mind that, 46 league flags, 36 Scottish Cups, 15 League Cups add to 97, if I’m not mistaken. 3 available to win this season.
Make your own history in 2016, Ronny. Celtic forever.
============
thats 97 domestic trophies, however, when i was a bhoy the glasgow cup, the glasgow charity cup, and all the others, used to be listed in our honours in the programme.
I wonder how many it really is ?
also reading Brendan Sweeneys wonderful Celtic the early years , these trophies started with a high relevance, and winning anything was an acheivement.
celtics first trophy ………… the glasgow north east cup.
An interesting point, I think, on the SLC final should we reach it is the ‘loan players’ scenario. Stokes may have missed the semi due to injury,but, Liam Henderson played in all games as far as I know. If memory serves me correctly Celtic will not allow either to play against them! Always felt sorry for the young ‘loanee’ who was ‘prevented’ from playing against us in the cup final (Scottish) whom to my chagrin cannot remember,but, I do remember thinking and saying ‘FFS, when will he get another chance to play in a cup final AND he is only one player ! Stokes and Henderson? I might have a different opinion but I hope not.
Villarreal fan just kissed the badge on his Celtic scarf, as the camera scanned the crowd in El Madrigal.
C’mon the Celtic Submari bhoys!
also, from brendans book.
the amount of crap that was written about the early celtic by the Glasgow Herald was , well, setting their standard for all the other years.
especially on charity, the irish, and the church.
DD-agree,but you get my point?HH
In case anyone missed it.
http://thecelticnetwork.com/blog/2016/01/30/the-deleted-graham-spiers-column/
Honours
—————-
from the wonderfil celtic wiki – i count –
European Cup
Cesar Lifts The Big Cup
European Cup
Champions:
1966-67
Runners-up:
1969-70
Semi Finalists:
1971-72, 1973-74
Quarter Finals:
1968-69, 1970-71, 1979-80
UEFA Cup
Henrik scores v Porto 2003
UEFA Cup
Finalists:
2002-2003
Quarter Finals:
2003-2004
Scottish League
Scottish League Champions: 46 times
1892-93, 1893-94, 1895-96, 1897-98, 1904-05,
1905-06, 1906-07, 1907-08, 1908-09, 1909-10,
1913-14, 1914-15, 1915-16, 1916-17, 1918-19,
1921-22, 1925-26, 1935-36, 1937-38, 1953-54,
1965-66, 1966-67, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70,
1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1973-74, 1976-77,
1978-79, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1985-86, 1987-88,
1997-98, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2003-04, 2005-06
2006-07, 2007-08, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14
2014-15,
Scottish Cup
Lenny with Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
Winners: 36 times
1892, 1899, 1900, 1904, 1907,
1908, 1911, 1912, 1914, 1923,
1925, 1927, 1931, 1933, 1937,
1951, 1954, 1965, 1967, 1969,
1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1977,
1980, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1995,
2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2011,
2013
Scottish League Cup
Mick with League Cup
League Cup
Winners: 15 times
1956-57, 1957-58, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1967-68,
1968-69, 1969-70, 1974-75, 1982-83, 1997-98,
1999-00, 2000-01, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2014-15
Glasgow Cup
Celebrating a Glasgow Cup Win, 60s
Glasgow Cup
Winners: 29 Times
1891, 1892, 1895, 1896, 1905,
1906, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1916,
1917, 1920, 1921, 1927, 1928,
1929, 1931, 1939, 1941, 1949,
1956, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967,
1968, 1970, 1975, 1982
Glasgow Charity Cup
Glasgow Charity Cup – Kerrydale Street
Glasgow Charity Cup
Winners: 27 Times (once joint)
1891-92, 1893-94, 1894-95, 1895-96, 1898-99,
1902-03, 1904-05, 1907-08, 1911-12, 1912-13,
1913-14, 1914-15, 1915-16, 1916-17, 1917-18,
1919-20, 1920-21, 1923-24, 1925-26, 1935-36,
1936-37, 1937-38, 1942-43, 1949-50, 1952-53,
1958-59, 1960-61
One-Off Tournaments
Honours – Kerrydale Street
One off Tournaments
Glasgow International Exhibition Cup
Winners 1901-02
Navy and Army War Fund Shield
Winners 1918
Empire Cup
Winners 1938
Victory In Europe Cup
Winners 1945
St Mungo Cup
Winners 1951
Coronation Cup
Winners 1953
Daily Express Standard 5-a-side Tournament
Winners 1981
Minor Tournaments
Honours – Kerrydale Street Minor Pre-season and Invitational Tournaments
The Alfredo Di Stefano Trophy
Winners
1967
CNE Cup Of Champions
Winners
1968
Dubai Champions Cup
Winners 1989
Tennent Sixes
Winners: 1 Time
1992
Drybrough Cup
Winners: 1 Time
1974
Translink Cup
Winners: 1 Time
2009
Wembley Cup
Winners: 1 Time
2009
Fenway Football Challenge Trophy
Winners: 1 Time
2010
Other Honours
France Football – European Team of the Year – Kerrydale Street
France Football – European Team of the Year (1970)
Winners: 1 Time
1970
BBC Sports Personality of the Year – Team Award
Winners: 1 Time
1967
FIFA Fair Play Award
Winners: 1 Time
2003
Just watched the delayed coverage of the Barca game, knew the result but just wanted to watch some decent football. Switched it over to see that Liverpool were , in the main, sticking to the shadow squad for the FA cup.
That demonstrates nicely the powers of the EPL and Sky. Anyway another thought occurred to me whilst watching the contest. They fellow Benteke is like a young Carlton Cole, if ever there was a square peg in a round hole he is that peg. He looked as comfortable as our own Ciftci does.