If you’ve been here for 12 years you’ll know that Celtic Quick News started because there was a great untold financial story going on in Scottish football. Celtic were castigated by many, including a large portion of their own support, as “prudent”, while Rangers, then under the majority ownership of Sir David Murray, were lauded for their willingness to ambitiously push the boat out.
But there was a problem. Celtic were losing millions every year. Rangers were losing a lot more, £35m in one season alone. David Murray’s company, Murray International Holdings (MIH), were ½ a billion in debt to Bank of Scotland, and rising.
By this stage MIH’s steel business was dwarfed in significance by its property portfolio. They borrowed from the bank and, perhaps with an eye on the fantasy Ibrox Super Casino, gambled that the market would rise inextricably.
For a few years the debt kept rising. “What’s the problem?” many said, if the Bank are prepared to lend MIH and Rangers, their strategy must be sound. These were difficult times to be preaching financial responsibility in Scottish football, but the reality was written in mile-high font for many of us. “They’re going to crash and burn”, seemed inevitable.
Today we read the news that MIH are, like Rangers before them, finally liquidated. Ignore the reported £200m that Lloyds Banking Group (now owners of Bank of Scotland) lost, that’s just the loose change. The Bank had swapped debt for shares in MIH as clouds gathered. The true financial cost to Lloyds (significantly owned by UK taxpayers) is vastly higher.
Much of the story of David Murray will never be told, not while he’s alive, anyway, as it took place well away from verifiable sources. This might change after he’s dead. The one redeeming positive he brought to football was to end the sectarian signing policy at Rangers in 1989. For that he should be lauded, many before him had the chance to do the same but chose not to.
That aside, the influence of Murray and MIH was poisonous to his club. He sold out for £1 to a liquidation expert in May 2011, against the wishes of his own board’s advisory committee, as his club claimed its last ever league title. The rest, is poetic history.
As luck would have it, tonight I’ll be with some Celtic supporter friends. We’ll raise a glass to Sir David and his legacy. Thanks for all you achieved, David, it could never have happened without you.
Erik Sviatchenko is a lesson in the difference good players make to a team. He’s started 11 games since joining in January, we’ve lost four goals over that period. In our previous 11 games we lost 12 goals. His impact on team performance has been phenomenal.
We’ll miss him tomorrow – so should make tactical changes to accommodate the perceived risk.
Motherwell are on fire. Less than two months ago they were in the play-off spot. Now they need just one point to guarantee a top six finish. They will battle every second for that point. If we are going to win tomorrow’s game, we will need to put in our of our best shifts of the season.
Time to get it together, Celtic.
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Heard all about Mr Gallagher’s corner kicks and other attributes. Some player by all accounts.
Charlie G
That ‘Todh McKinlay’ any relation to the fine Celt Tosh?
It’s been a great night here with a tremendous reception from the Celtic supporters for myself Charlie and Big Yogi . It’s been a pleasure and I am having a gray night.
I’m going to come Celtic Quick News soon and I want to thank you all for your kindness shown to me recently. It has made a big difference and as always the Celtic family amazes me with kindness to me and the other Lions.
Greenpinata
Most of the time that’s the case, but id say 2002-03 was one of the exceptions.
Foghorn: Not mathematically, simply to inspire confidence. Ronny and the team have had lots of chances to put clear water between us and the chasing pack. Sadly, this team doesn’t inspire confidence, even domestically.
I take no satisfaction in saying that, nor do I feel that we are entitled to win the league. However, our resources are far greater than our competitors and there are many matches this season where I feel we should have done a lot better.
Some Roy Croppie tunes would round this evening off lovely…………Ladies & Gentlemen…….I give you…….Rrrooooooyyyyyy………Ccccccrrrrrooooooopppppppyyyyyyyyy………
WEEBOBBYCOLLINS…
Thank you…
THE GOOD SHIP CELTICA… Please enlighten me!
Regards & Hail Hail
TBM
Team for tmoro
——————–C.Gordon——————-
Jancko. Boyata. Mulgrew. Tierney
—————Brown. Bitton——————-
P.Roberts. Rogic. Johansen
————–Griffiths———————
Ultimately, don’t risk Lustig,merest him.
And for very different reasons, don’t risk Efe Ambrose
Tommy Gemmell. True Celtic and European Cup legend. After a tough day and night of work, smile is back on my face.
Mr Gemmell
Great to have you on CQN. We’re not worthy!
Charlie Gallagher HH. Are you waiting for Roycroppies Friday night tunes ?
Almore on 8th April 2016 10:22 pm
Foghorn: Not mathematically, simply to inspire confidence. Ronny and the team have had lots of chances to put clear water between us and the chasing pack. Sadly, this team doesn’t inspire confidence, even domestically.
I take no satisfaction in saying that, nor do I feel that we are entitled to win the league. However, our resources are far greater than our competitors and there are many matches this season where I feel we should have done a lot better.
——
No matter the resources at Celtic we can’t do anything about Aberdeen and their results, their are technically only 12 points between the 2 teams, though we all know football doesn’t work like that.
Right, how many of the rest of you have scored two goals in European Cup Finals?
Stop bowing and stand to attention and salute Mr. Gemmell
ROY?……..Roy?……….wtf are you?
“Gallagher with the corner,…………………. to McNeil……………….GOAL” ⚽
Celtic 2 -1 Vojvodina
As usual don’t read nor try to engage in the comments. I have a wonderful ability to upset people without meaning to plus I don’t really care – no harm meant, no harm done.
Just curious – many others on here like me who have had mixed feelings about supporting Hearts this evening for the first time in my life?
Just wondering like.
Best regards to all
Alex
Sftb
Raymac probably scored a hattrick in the World Cup. :-)
I just love jam tarts
Hello Celtic Quick News for the Tommy Gemmell dinner in Stirling. Great to talk to Celtic supporters tonight and answer their questions. Jimmy Johnstone was mentioned so many times and I don’t know why we never won more European Cups. We should have.
Anyway I have been told I have to come on to the blog sometime soon.
That Brogan Rogan guy can talk!
Those going to Motherwell enjoy it – Aberdeen have blown their challenge.
TBM,
SFTB put it way more eloquently than I ever could on the last page.
Charlie and Tommy, welcome and Hail, Hail. Never got to see you guys play unfortunately.
TGSC,
Sailing On….
In the presence of Legends.
HH
almore
i agree with every word you say
but i couldnt spin tomorrows game as a must win especially after tonights result
i just want to get over the line and then draw a line under this season
and get the changes in after that, cos we need big changes
The Huddle: Can’t argue with that.
Big Tam
Best of luck and we are all heartened to see you are out and fighting back
Big HH to you and your cubs
I’ve scored 2 hatricks in 2 European Cup finals on the old Playstation
ALMORE
Happy flippers like you make me sick.
31003 Patience amigo. Im sure rc wiil join us shortly. HH
Isn’t it great that an ex St Pats bhoy is such a legend.
I ‘m happy after that result.
Auldheid – you raised your head above the parapet, so I suppose the threats were expected, but I’m still shocked that you’ve been got at. Many guys on here today have offered help, but you know my address, and you know my offer of help is unconditional – give me a shout.
To all the guys who get to speak to Tommy Gemmell tomorrow, can you remind him of a time when he and Jinky were in the Rogano bar in 1978. A group of starstruck teenagers were at the bar and they scraped their various coins together to buy them both a drink. One of their number (guess who) presented them with a pint each and got a handshake from them both. They both left soon afterwards, shook all our hands, and big Tommy made a round the world motion to the barmaid saying “these boys Peggy”.
I got bought a pint by two Lisbon Lions – even though they were buying it for more people than me.
The sweetest pint of Tuborg Gold I’ve ever tasted.
Tommy Gemmell invented the modern full back. If Kevjungle really was in the Jungle in the 70s he’ll remember some so-called fans Celtic fans singing anti-Gemmell songs when we played Dundee. He’ll also remember true fans kicking the shite out of those who chanted those songs.
Long live Tommy Gemmell – a hero and a legend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE_jOD2Fxvs
Then He Kissed Me
The Crystals
HH
Charlie best wishes to Claire and good luck with the book YNWA
Foghorn: We’re on the same page:-)
Hope All The Cqn Haters of Ann Budge And Hearts are on Their Knees Just now in Thanks..
Thanks That They have Givin Our Poor Team And Our Even Poorer Manager a Chance, A Massive Chance, To All But Clince The League At Fir Park….GET IT DONE..
AIDEN BHOY@10:13 – You have a point, however what can they do? – they are in the same boat as Celtic, until and unless hard evidence is found on the Res12 issue and the HMRC Supreme Court decision is in – there is nothing but circumstantial evidence – it is strong circumstantial evidence but it is not enough.
Let’s just wait, if we/anybody goes in ‘half-cocked’, we/they will lose future credibility and undermine any case.
Hail Hail Charlie,
Brilliant to see you post. Thank you so much for all you did for the Celtic.
Charlie…do you still have your boots? Get them on sir! We need your type…hail hail to you!
Almore
Of course it could be better but tomorrow we MAY be 8 points clear with 5 games to go with a GD that is 32 goals better than the sheep. We have seen our team score 20 more goals than this Aberdeen team that has bought forwards much more efficiently, it is alleged. Even our defence has conceded 12 fewer goals than theirs but we prefer to laud the limited Logan and Shinnie than the guys who contributed to our defensive record.
We have lost only 3 times this season in the league. By any measure, bar missing the wierd frisson that having an Ibrox club in our midst brings, this has been a successful league campaign.
Or we can choose to wallow in the long gone lost Euro campaign from Aug to November.
I will choose to take my joys when we are winning and save the regrets for when we are losing.
Great night to be a Tim. Made even better to see my all time favourite Celtic player, Charlie Callagher, make his debut. Charlie, I can always bring to mind that corner you made to start us off on that wonderful journey in the 65 Final. My favourite Celtic moment ever!!
Fir Park, Dens park…. 6 and two 3’s.
As in not great surfaces, tight parks.
That’s why we need people willing to take initiative. People willing to shoot. Rogic therefore a must start. I’d be tempted to play McGregor too, as the bhoy has a goal in him.
Happy enough with Boyata and Mulgrew at the back. Boyata has been more than decent the last 2 games. Being involved with Belgium an obvious boost to his confidence.