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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Oiche mhaith even. Amenable predictive text.
THE RESOLUTE MR PASTRY on 10TH APRIL 2016 7:02 PM
CULTSBHOY CAN NOT RELATE TO CELTIC BOARD AMBITIONS ON OR OFF THE PARK@5;32
”You, nor I, know the relationship between PL’s son and Celtic”
That’s exactly what bothers me… In a PLC there should be absolute transparency?
Oiche mhaith even.
CCB
Tangerine walks in Kilwinning???
Never! :-)))
Liking holes in 1 at Masters…
AN TEACH SOLAIS
I do not want to be in arguments
With fellow Celtic supporters I am too old now for that. Kill Ultra said he E-mailed Canamalar and what date and time he did so.
.GFTB…..They march in the brig,,,,,and are allowed to do as they wish….the Cooncil boys (labour) need their vote……when my wee niece hears them she thinks its the circus…….no time for orange parades…..they give me the pips
Cults
Loved big Shane’s ace there at 16th. Qualitee! :)
PAPAJOE55 on 10TH APRIL 2016 8:32 PM
AN TEACH SOLAIS
I do not want to be in arguments
With fellow Celtic supporters I am too old now for that. Kill Ultra said he E-mailed Canamalar and what date and time he did so.
………….
He could always Email his details to Paul 67 and Canamalar could check them against the list of signatories to ensure that he has no sinister purpose but it still wouldn’t entitle him to the information he seeks.
Could be wrong there something rings a bell
Anyone been to Pisa recently ?
So whats stopping kill ultra sending an email ?
I’m away to catch up on Friday Night Lights on Netflix.
Kinda like the idea of the whistle thing in the 12th minute…….yes its no surprise that fans aren’t clued up on res 12…..at the Hearts game I asked folk round about me if they had heard of it….all replied no!!!!! a while back leaflet distribution was suggested seems to have petered out……..would certainly go with the the whistle noise for the 12 th…minute..
Papajoe, Nor really do I. I want us all to pull together, get the documentation to Switzerland and await the outcome. However the tone, tenor and register of your friend’s repeated demands, set in a background of online threats to Auldheid, about which Kill Ultra appeared rather unconcerned: paraphrasing because I cannot be bothered scrolling back, “Let the Police deal with it”..
Now, how insensitive does continued demands to see documents and,or, meet a donor appear in that light, aI ask myself.
I commend any and all Celtic supporters who have contributed to progressing Res12 but absolutely we must ensure that our resolutions are safe.
The ambience in Glasgow is not the same as I dTir Chonaill.
Hope your friend reflects and accepts the assurances and clarifications which have been provided to him. HH
Delaney’s Dunky
Yeah who care about score if you’ve just aced it in front of the world…!
Yir only tims wae a whistle…….away walk the wee dug and listen to the wee birds in the woods afore they bed down for the night
SFTB
A good post earlier about the reasons for and against attending Sunday’s game.
Normally, I’ll help as much as possible when someone is looking for tickets for a Celtic game. Not this time and not on the one previous meeting with Newco.
I got one ticket for a guy who goes most weeks home and away but wasn’t eligible because most of his away tickets don’t come to him directly from Celtic.
Those of you who have been in LMS 7, Jobo sent us an e-mail with weeks 6 and 7 fixtures. One of the fixtures from week7:
Rangers* v Celtic (12.00pm)
Jobo’s footnote:
* – not to be confused with any former team who, in the words of John Cleese was described more or less thus: “They’ve passed on, they are no more, they have ceased to be. They have expired and have gone to meet their maker. They’re a stiff, bereft of life. They rest in peace. If they hadn’t been nailed to the 3rd tier’s perch they’d have been pushing up the daisies. Their metabolic processes are now history. They are off their twig, they’ve kicked the bucket, shuffled off their mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible. They are an ex-team!!!!”
It made me laugh anyway, better than any of his weather reports…:)
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Cults
10 over is better than 12 or more over. :)
BCW
No but was in Florence recently. There the buildings are all weird- perpendicular they were. HH
I always fancied diving through one of their Lambeg drums…too old now :(
PAPAJOE55 on 10TH APRIL 2016 7:51 PM
Thanks for your endorsement mate. Sorry for the grief you’re getting. Will catch up with you soon.
_________________________
Canamalar.
Why don’t you go through your Inbox? How many other mails did you receive dated 31.7.2013 at 14.24 (GMT) ?
Sipsini
I know a man who went through a lambeg drum with a machete. One of the reasons they were stopped walking in Clydebank.
Good Evening,
I was in the Hilton Hotel last night for the Kano Foundation dinner dance and had a really enjoyable night.
The Kano foundation is a fantastic organisation who Tom Boyd described as essentially keeping alive the old tradition of “lifting weans over the turnstyle”.
Of course today you can’t do that. Everyone has to have a chip and pin card or a bar coded ticket to gain entry, however, week in and week out the Kano Foundation take groups of kids into Paradise so they can see and feel the famous Glasgow Celtic.
There was a very nice video piece, and a timely and fitting reminder that all of this is done in the name of our own Martin Kane, and of course one of the main organisers who has been involved from the start is our Sannabhoy.
There is much debate on the blog about many a thing. The performance of this player or that, the performance of the board or the CEO in key areas, the policies that the club should follow in relation to this issue or that. There are arguments about politics, sport, faith, holiday destinations……. damn nearly everything under the sun at times.
And at times this blog throws up great humour.
As I sat in a room full of Celtic fans with the great grandniece of Margaret Skinnider, who doesn’t give a toss about football but puts up with it for the sake of a good night out, I was struck by one overwhelming thought and emotion.
On Friday night I was in Stirling with Celtic fans and spent a long time chatting to Winning Captains and Cowiebhoy both of whom I had not seen for some time and both of whom are just such obviously nice people and big Celtic fans. I had a chat with Cartuja who always greets you with a big smile and a degree of devilment. I was introduced to others and a whole host of money was raised for charity with smiles and laughter ……. and of course Messrs Gemmell, Hughes, Gallagher and McKinlay.
And here I was on Saturday and I couldn’t help thinking that there were an awful lot of very good people in the room whose company I enjoy and whom I am proud to say I like. I don’t always agree with their point of view on this or that, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like them.
I had a long chat with JP (Sannabhoy) and came away thinking what a lovely fella he was – though I have known that for years.
I had several chats with Tom Boyd who later on brought his dad over for a long chat and he is just as nice as the captain who helped stop ten in a row. Celtic will struggle to find a better ambassador that Tom or one who enjoys a belly laugh more and who gives as good as he gets in the winding up stakes.
Janette Findlay and Eddie Toner are always great fun to chat to, either individually or as a couple. I am not a member of the trust but I always enjoy their chat and their company whenever I am afforded the opportunity. They are very warm and kind people.
Joe Miller once told me one of the funniest stories I have ever heard, and at several times last night he reminded me of that, and onoccasion just kept doing daft things that make you laugh. In between times though, he is able to tell you how many ex pro’s he has out doing coaching work with kids in the community spreading the joys of football and the legend of Celtic.
I had a brief chat with John Fallon, whom I don’t know well at all, but whom I have always found to just a nice man and he was very keen to introduce me to a fellow McGinley who I spent ages chatting to about potentially mutual relatives, places and people we both knew in Donegal and Bishopbriggs.
By the way, Blantyre Tim, I hope the leg gets better quickly.
Paddybhoy he is very keen to figure out your line going back the way and was very knowledgeable on the “McGinley Clan”.
Linda Croker – partner of the late George Ryan – was there with many of her Sean’s Trust mums and again you hear her tales of what she is doing in her community and for her charity
My friend Dermot from The Invisibles charity was there with his wife and is someone else who puts his shoulder to the wheel for good causes on aregular basis. He is just a bam I have known for 30 years and more but is a diamond of a man in many many ways.
John Paul Taylor was there at his second function on consecutive nights and is someone who puts in a real shift in the name of Glasgow Celtic as do “Jack and Victor” who escort the various trophies around the country. Theyare always great craic though neither one has ever bought me a drink yet.
There were so many more — at every table, round every corner and at every moment there was someone who I was delighted to speak to and listen to and laugh with — renewing old acquaintances and reliving the odd bit of past daftness.
Good people, doing good things and having fun doing it. It doesn’t get much better than that,
However, for me, Saturday night had one truly outstanding — and I mean OUTSTANDING – star.
Scott Brown shook every hand, greeted hundreds with a beaming smile, posed for endless photographs, acceeded to everey autograph request, spent time talking to and listening to endless lines of people taking a real interest in what they were saying and what they were about.
If he was interrupted at the dinner table once he was interrupted a hundred times and never once did he greet any such interruption with anything other than an open smile, a welcoming handshake or a kiss, with perfect manners and a huge amount of dignity.
I cannot remember the last time I was so impressed at the selfless gracious behaviour of another human being. He gave of his time freely and with great enthusiasm.
When he did get some peace to himself, he sat with the Holy Goalie and Tom Boyd and laughed like hell at stories and comments. He appeared to be enjoying himself immensely.
However, when I had a brief chat with him he did register two heartfelt complaints:
1st — why had he never been invited to the CQN golf dat at Aberdour and when was that going to be fixed?
2nd — He had intended just turning up to this year’s event but the organisational geniuses at CQN and at Celtic Park had contrived to ensure that the event clashes with the game between Celtic and Barcelona!
This will just not do says our Captain.
Seriously, though there are some very very good people who have Celtic in their hearts and who are at the very heart of many really good things that are done in the name of, and with the co-operation of, Celtic Football Club.
In my humble opinion, that should just never be forgotten or overlooked.
Linda Crocker – partner of the late George Ryan – was there with many of her Sean’s Trust mums and again you here her tales of what she is doing in her community and for her charity
papajoe55 on 10th April 2016 8:07 pm
Canamalars abrasive(to be kind) style isn’t to everyone’s liking and I think a few would agree with your sentiments.
I lurked while Big Nan and then Kill Ultra tried to illicit information but due to his (Canamalar) “style” of responding to what appeared to a bystander to be perfectly legitimate questioning the debate then degenerated and any hope that reasonable and civil debate could continue was lost.
I still have no idea where Res12 is or where it’s going, one Res12 poster tells us Celtic abandoned them and they have heard nothing from the club since January. Then we were informed the club says Res12 guys should take it to UEFA.
Paul67 and Winning Captains drop heavy hints Celtic are supporting it.
Karma is about to bite back big time and in some way is linked to Res12, feck me who really knows what is going on.
It strikes me that a few of those that first put their names forward as shareholders to get the Resolution past the first hurdle feel that things didn’t happen initially the way they were told they would, when things went off course there seems to have been a bit of Machiavellian cloak and dagger stuff going on between the club and the Res12 guys that doesn’t appear to have been communicated back to well leading to suspicions on all siides.
One thing appears to have emerged from this from the side-lines looking in, you aren’t allowed to ask to many questions and have to take the word of some people you’ve probably never met on something they can’t disclose as it may jeopardise something that may or may not actually be happening which seems a bit odd.
From someone on the outside looking in the abuse directed firstly towards Big Nan and latterly Kill Ultra, from what looked like, initially at least , as genuine reasonable attempts at information gathering was hunnish imho.
TOPKAT….
I was really surprised when asking a big Tim in work…home and away mhan, what he thought of the personal attacks on Auldhied on Twitter due to his involvement on Res12… I was met with a blank stare.
He is a clever chap, well up with most Celtic matters. After telling him the ins and outs of it, he was gobsmacked.
As has been said, maybe it’s time for Res 12 to be more in the publics domain.
I have my thoughts that the train has left the station now and all is in the past:(
kill ultra,
no, you want verified then send to same address you say you sent your signed res12 to, or sling yer hook.
I’m no wasting more time or energy on you, get it.
BRTH
Thank you for a heartwarming account of Celticness at its best and a note of appreciation for what all the people whom you mention do for others. On a day of acrimony on the blog it is uplifting to know that the kernel idea of our club- assisting those in need, is being nourished..
The work which all the volunteers do in the name of Celtic is remarkable and deserving of our deepest thanks.
It was great to hear of our Captain’s generosity of spirit totally at variance to how our SMSM are won’t to portray him.
Your post reminds us of what being a Celtic supporter should be about, giving not self aggrandizement. HH
lovely post brth, scott brown – we mustn’t forget what he’s being through with his sister passing of cancer at only 21!
Old sailor guy in the Brazen earlier proudly told me he painted CELTIC on the walls of Gatun Lock, Panama Canal 1963, green paint and all. Later than year he’d another effort on a Montreal lock, but the boat was doing a couple of knots.
Peterhead fans came in and I was pleasantly surprised to hear their well informed views on Cheats FC.
BRTH
Lovely to hear. Glad my childhood pal Tosh is same as he ever was. Glad to hear the thoughts of our Fife Capitano.
DD…
The walks in the chateau are few and far between, the bhoys paint the roads with slogans the polyester prods don’t like.
Brogan Rogan 9.12pm
That post makes me proud to be a Celtic supporter well done.
Eddieinkirkmichael
I don’t profess to know too much about res12 I was only supporting Kill Ultra a man I know is Celtic through and through. HH
BRTH
Brilliant post about a lot of great people. I already love Broonie. You have increased that by a factor of 10.
Eddie,
I agree.
Big Nan hates secrecy.
So many others do as well.
BRTH,
It was great to see Broonie back to a bit of form for the SPL run in.
Delighted to hear of his ATTITUDE at the night out.
Wee Kieran has a good mentor.
Sips
I have my thoughts that the train has left the station now and all is in the past:(
——
Thought you were BMCUW for a moment there!
;-)
HH jamesgang
BRTH
That post gave me a warm glow inside. Great stuff :)
A personification of Mary Shelly’s “Rangers” has come into my head tonight and I can’t shake it.
Gollum from Lord of the Rings, coveting his “precious” WhoGivesAFack Cup :)))