New Balance take over from Nike this summer as Celtic’s official kit partner and main sponsor. The US sportswear firm have along heritage in technical products, like running shoes, with less of a legacy in the leisurewear market than the likes of Nike, but this move, as well as a recent deal to partner Liverpool, indicates a strong commitment to become a major player in the football marketplace.
Both the Celtic and Liverpool contracts have been advertised as potentially record deals for the respective clubs, although each club declined to put a figure on the value, or the contract period in their official statements. It’s likely that a significant part of the contract fee will depend on Champions League qualification.
Unconfirmed reports put the size of the deal at £29m, cash that other clubs have securitised off to a retailer.
Last call today for CQN11 St Patrick’s Dinner, which takes place next Friday, 13 March, at the Kerrydale Suite. After the dinner we have a Q&A with Packy Bonnar, Tommy Coyne, Joe Miller and Tom Boyd. We have Archie Macpherson speaking about Jock Stein on the 50th anniversary of him becoming manager, and song from Patricia Ferns.
The object of the night is to raise money to build another school kitchen for Mary’s Meals in Malawi. Kris Commons’ partner, Lisa Hague, will also join us. She will be auctioning an incredible prize of a signed Ronny Deila jersey, signed Kris Commons boots and match hospitality in the Players’ Lounge for the Marie Curie Hospice in Glasgow.
Tickets will be posted out over the next few days, email me if you’re still looking, celticquicknews@gmail.com we’re closing the book tomorrow.
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This has most likely been on the blog before, but even so, it’s worth another airing for the Green White & Gold Glesca buses alone.
It’s also worth it for an incredible Willie Waddell quote fairly early on in the programme where he talks about some Rangers supporters difficulty with coming to terms with Rangers losing a game….
(they give their wives a “bashing”) – check it out at 8 mins 40 secs (the whole programme lasts 38 mins).
Some football action from a game at Ibrox circa 1973 where the bhoys beat them and some quite fantastic shots of the Celtic End. Slightly before my time…..my first Ibrox victory was the Joe Craig game in ’76.
Remember a guy called Cliff Hanley?
Let me tell you bhoys, Cliff – a Partick Thistle Supporter – does not miss them.
Also brilliant listening to Big Jock being interviewed…..I could listen to that man all night.
Compare him in the programme to Willie Waddell…….light years apart.
The programme that could not be made by a British TV Company…….
1974 German TV Documentary on Celtic and Rangers
tully
Oldtim
No it was me you John,Chris and my cousin Brian
what is the stars
23:29 on 5 March, 2015
Naw, I was born in Ayr, Ayrshire. (True story).
My maw’s family was from Belturbet, although she was also born in Ayrshire, a daughter of Irish immigrants.
Trust me, there is no nobody (or more hardy) more devoted to the Celtic than an Ayrshire Tim.
bhalach
23:17 on
5 March, 2015
I believe a position defined as “Supporter Relations Director” has just opened up.
================
Not surprised as bad communication was a point raised at a fact finding exercise with supporters last May.
Apparently big sports organisations in USA have someone watching social media 24/7 to keep their finger on the pulse of their fans.
what is the stars
23:29 on 5 March, 2015
As an addendum, I crossed swords with you in a debate in my former incarnation as San Diego Bhoy.
If you should remember, I regret our spat. I had had a fekkin shite day at work and should have just stayed off the blog.
YNWA
My friends in Celtic,
I see the mascot of New Balance is “Newbie”. Very appropriate in a Scottish context, and I would love us to use it in all future press conferences.
Nobody will be feeling duped and hijacked more than PL today, however I feel he may yet have the last laugh.
HH.
What is the Stars,
With due respect, are you not confusing Belturbet with Belmullett? Or have I missed a joke?
hail! Hail!
Our PR dept would have to be very good if it was to anticipate that question today.
Yogihughes
Belturbet/Belmullet
You are correct my mistake
Too much beaujolais ,well spotted Yogi
Balach
I cant remember our spat and thats the way it should be
Nothing wrong with a frank exchange of views amongst friends
Just watched king on SP News, living the lie …. the next few weeks should be VERY interesting, with Michael still to play his hand …… personally, I don’t think any Nomad will include this ‘can of warms’ in their portfolio, when they open the bonnet. …… and I don’t “glib and shameful” will be appropriate to describe his demeanour when he opens the bonnet ….
iki
23:43 on 5 March, 2015
ABSOLUTELY ….
auldheid
23:37 on 5 March, 2015
I recently had opportunity to visit the newest franchise in USA football, the “Jacksonville Armada”.
Coincidentally, it’s also the team the Celtic coaches have a working relationship over here.
I assure you, social media is in the forefront of their venture and forward thinking.
If we have 24/7 corporate customer relations available now, why wouldn’t Celtic have such a representative employed to serve our international fan base?
Apologies to Maggie McGill, who will feel physically ill at my previous paragraph. :-))
We need to keep challenging the lie ….good night Fholks
Iki,
They may well have to be very good to anticipate the particular Q, but to anticipate an off piste question is basic stuff.
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie
My friends in Celtic,
I agree with 67 heaven ” we need to keep challenging the lie”.
With that in mind I remember winning captains et al suggesting that there would be follow ups to the Herald ad.
Maybe this is a good time to contemplate this !
HH.
Oglach
18:15 on
5 March, 2015
PL really should brush up on his history. Wasn’t the very first song sung at Celtic park an Irish republican song ‘God Save Ireland’ ?
* a song written to commemorate the Manchester Martyrs who were executed for the murder of a police officer in Manchester, England, in 1867..
The trio were members of a group of 30–40 Fenians who attacked a horse-drawn police van transporting two arrested leaders of the Brotherhood, Thomas J. Kelly and Timothy Deasy, to Belle Vue Gaol.
On a side note walked into a bluenose pub called McKenzies one Saturday afternoon after work. A lad sitting in the corner noticed me and shouted me over, he had his guitar with him and started tae sing the “Smashing o’ the Van” which has more verses than Kevin Barry. The patrons hudnae a clue what he was singing.
iki
No reason to expect them to.
Plenty of reasons for them to react immediately and step in once they had heard it
Whatever you say – say nothing!
I grew up in a nice part of Glasgow in the 60’s and 70’s. My father was Irish and my mother’s people were of Irish stock though born in Scotland.
I have always supported Celtic Football Club and what it originally stood for though I thoroughly believe that for the vast majority of its 127 year history it was ran as no more than a private cash cow for a few families who in moments of largesse paid lip service to its charitable beginnings.
However, that is an aside.
It is a fact of life, that many people in the West of Scotland and beyond who were originally of Irish descent and who sought to get ahead in life – especially in the professional classes – raised their children to steer clear of any mention of Ireland, Irish Culture, Irish politics, The Troubles, the disgraceful and criminal behaviour of the British Government ( a Government that at one time had more convictions against it in the European Court of Human Rights than any other ) and the very existence of “The Glasgow Irish”
many employed the Golden Rule about Ireland and all things Irish – Whatever you say, say nothing!
To be fair, many people who never mentioned Ireland just wanted to get on with life and were concentrated on other things, however for others there was a very conscious decision to leave everything Ireland and Irish behind in order to better climb the social ladder in certain areas of Glasgow.
I have never understood that and I have rarely found anything so distasteful and insulting.
Something that was just as bad was a period during which Celtic fans sang the most awful of songs which openly wished the soon to be end of people of a certain religion.
That same era also gave rise to groups of kids singing all sorts of songs about Ireland which they never understood. I recall being in the jungle in the days of singing A Nation Once Again, On the One Road and the Soldiers Song and realising that lots of those around me did not realise that the last song was the National Anthem and that the dreadful add on to On the One Road was a bastardisation of the original words of unity.
That realisation sickened me to the core and thereafter I became a stranger to Paradise for a few years because I could not stomach the place.
Yes it is disgraceful that Peter Lawell was asked the question as it shows whataboutery and poor journalism in all its glory.
However, Irish republicanism in the second decade of the 21st Century is a very different topic and beast than the movements of the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.
Thank God it is too.
Sanitisation of the Celtic ( with a hard C ) background is old hat except for in football circles. You can now find Irish bars, Irish Music, Irish plays and all sorts of Irish Culture in Glasgow and elsewhere in Scotland and as a city we are about to host the next two World Irish Dancing Championships.
For me, the existence, progress, success and structure of Celtic Football Club and its followers will always play second place – and a very distant second place at that – to the connection I feel with what I consider to be my Celtic ( with a hard C ) culture. That Culture includes a connection and a belief in all peoples, cultures and religions – and their right to fight for the right of free expression to follow their own culture, religion and means of expression – provided that culture is not involve the detriment and subjugation of others.
My own culture is both Irish and Scottish – and I am proud of both but don’t bang a drum about it.
There are times when you have to say who you are, what you believe in whilst being prepared to accept that not everyone will agree with you, that other opinions may prevail and that sometimes being the minority in a democracy can be bloody tough.
However, what you don’t do is sell your soul and rewrite history because it is easy or convenient or because it is what your interrogator and his readers and viewers might just want to hear.
That road leads to two major casualties and they are truth and justice – and truth and justice should never be for sale or barter.
Celtic football club is steeped in Irish History, the great diaspora, Irish Culture and the amazing and valuable link that such culture and history played not only in the formation of the roots of club but in the wider populace of Scotland.
It is not something that should be apologised for, ashamed of, shirked or avoided and those who seek to just pretend that such history is of no or little consequence and should remain unspoken of are deluded and not of my ilk.
However, those who would seek to constantly preach Irish republicanism – or ancient Irish republicanism or for that matter militant Irish republicanism – through Celtic are equally misguided and off the mark.
Especially where they equate such political beliefs with Celtic and Rangers as opposed to the actual betterment and wellbeing of the people of Ireland itself – people who are/were sung about from the terracings but who are largely forgotten in reality.
I don’t care how well or badly Peter Lawell runs Celtic as a PLC or as a club or as a sweet shop.
If he is going to preside over an organisation of any description and deny or sell a history or a culture down the river then he and his organisation are not for me.
That is not me being rude or overly opinionated or angry or hot headed.
I know him to be a nice enough man on a one to one basis, a businessman, in some respects a very good CEO, a Celtic supporter and, I am sure, a decent enough bloke in a personal capacity.
No – that is just me being me and believing in what I believe in and what is important to me and my opinion.
In the main Celtic Football Club concentrates on Football matters these days and that is fair enough. However, if you are asked about other things or the conversation turns to other areas stand up for who you are and what you represent.
To do otherwise is the selling of the culture and history of your forebears and they didn’t cross the Irish sea to be swept under anyone’s carpet when it suits.
PL did not appear too put out about the questions and, due to his not ‘batting them away’, I wonder if perhaps the questions were pre-planned?
In other words, maybe PL wanted to make a statement on the subject but also wanted it to appear as if he was just replying to random questions.
Or maybe that’s just me seeing deviousness where there wasn’t any (on his part anyway).
mike in toronto
Now there is something that I totally agree with you on.
A year or so ago, when someone was going on about the support being the club, I likened Celtic to a three-legged milking stool.
The Board, playing staff and fans.
If one of the legs broke off the stool, the stool would not be fit for purpose, i.e., kaput.
I’ll let you join the dots.
One thing for sure.
Today’s ambush was conceived in Level 5 and ws designed to be a giant squirrel, due to the impending melt down in Govan.
I wonder what tomorrow’s headlines will be?
Niteall.
BRTH
I am reminded of John Reid’s answer to the Celtic AGM in 2008 which I thought covered the issue pretty well even if some folk have a problem with the author, who managed to be disliked equally by both sides as NI Minister in the days leading up to the Good Friday agreement . (Great Hatred Little Room, a book by Jonathon Powell the civil servant working on the process gives a bit of insight into John Reid)
John Reid’s Statement at Celtic AGM 2008 when asked:
Why did you decide to speak out about ‘The Famine Song’ and is it important that the club make sure that our supporters protect the integrity of Celtic’s name?
I spoke out about it because this is a pretty vile song and I don’t think that any reasonable person who has read the words of this song can see it as anything other than a pretty vicious, racist song. It combines racism and sectarianism and goes beyond a lot of other things that we have seen in the past. That’s one of the reasons why I spoke out and I also come from Irish and Scottish descent myself, so that’s the main reason.
But there is a bigger and wider reason as well and that is, the nature of this club. We are proud of the fact that we have Scottish origins and Irish heritage and we are never going to deny that. We will defend that and that is not a cause for shame, it’s a cause for recognition and celebration. Indeed our very name ‘Celtic’ is about the unity of the Scottish and Irish people. It stands against those who would divide, discriminate and oppose those two entities. And because we start from that basis of the unity of peoples then we have always been open and inclusive as a club.
That’s why traditionally we have never discriminated. That’s why our board, our shareholders, our footballers and our footballing heroes come from all sorts of different backgrounds, religions, ethnic groups and do so internationally. That’s why I said last year that whatever differences we have when we come into this club we leave them at the door because we believe truly, in a Scotland that is one bit of many cultures and is way beyond now being Scots and Irish. That is our stance, therefore we have to speak out when we see racism or sectarianism being practised and of course, if we are going to do that we have to practise what we preach.
We have to be careful, from our own point of view and that’s why I am absolutely delighted that our fans in recent years have had accolades from the world football authorities, from the European football authorities and let me say when I point out that there may be a minority who are transgressing our own rules, that they are our own rules. I don’t know any Celtic fans who have been chanting racist slogans or anything of that nature, so I am not comparing like with like here. But I am saying that we have got to be whiter than white and that we have to explain to and educate everybody at this club, including that tiny minority which at away games sometimes leaves us exposed to those who would attempt to say that we are all the same. We aren’t all the same, but we have to make sure that that is evident to everybody. That’s the nature of Celtic Football Club.
thomthethim
Pleasure chatting with you today.
I like your analogy.
Tough issues, and will undoubtedly cause some angst, but I think it is important that we – as you say all parts of the club – confront this issue head on.
HH
mike in toronto
00:38 on
6 March, 2015
thomthethim
Pleasure chatting with you today.
I like your analogy.
Tough issues, and will undoubtedly cause some angst, but I think it is important that we – as you say all parts of the club – confront this issue head on.
HH
********
Amen and good night.
bhalach
23:47 on
5 March, 2015
As a retired Capacity Builder I see many of Celtic’s problems arising from lack of capacity.
On liaising with supporters that has been addressed by the introduction of an SLO, Supporters Liaison Officer, a post which has worked well under John Paul Taylor the incumbent, but is even now been reviewed by him and the CST following an adjourned Resolution at the last AGM to look at how the job was working out. (adjourning Resolutions being the sensible way forward in some cases)
From my observations more capacity needs to be added in the area that the US pays attention to and if it is, then just as with the introduction of the SLO, matters will improve so that banana skins are spotted before the banana is peeled.
(why were players slipping at key moments v St Johnstone btw?)
Just catching up on todays events and cant believe a journo from Scotland was allowed to sabotage our new kit sponsor launch. This smacks of covert hunnerism. I’ve said many times on here we should not allow MSM journalists anywhere near Celtic park, we should discontinue taking money to advertise the DR, and STV / BBC should be told to GTF. Celtic need to toughen up and sort this out. We are and have been coming across as weak and have allowed the MSM to walk all over us, probably even more so since the hun died.
They need us more than we need them. Cleanse paradise of these parasitic hun lickspittles.
……………………….
Very nice to meet up with MickTT last night for a pre match and make tentative plans for next Friday’s festivities.
HH Celtic men and wummin.
A Government that at one time had
more convictions against it in the European Court
of Human Rights than any other ..
http://listverse.com/2014/02/04/10-evil-crimes-of-the-british-empire/
Number 3 from above should be of particular interest ..
http://atrueindependentscotland.com/bbc-handed-explosive-evidence-of-massive-corruption-that-is-set-topple-the-british-establishment/
Goodnight
Auldheid, any idea how much the DR pay our club annually to have their anti Celtic rag advertised on our pitch side boards? I’d look in my last copy of the accounts but I’m not sure it would be broken down in sufficient detail to see how much they pay us to advertise their fantasist comic in our ground. I cant envisage it would be a substantial amount and cant understand why we continue with this parasitic relationship.
10K?
100K?
300K?
Cant imagine it would be much more than the middle figure above so I don’t get why we take a penny from them when they continually try to undermine our club.
STV/BBC? do they give us money?
Who was the journo who asked this question at the kit launch today
Reading back, aside from BRTH’s great post, the overall meme of the blog was that of a hornets’ nest stirred by the presser.
A presser which was solely to announce Celtic’s record kit deal with New Balance.
Yet the scurrilous SMSM hacks hijacked the ocassion to throw a couple of curveballs at an unexpectant Peter Lawell who brushed them off with some confused PLC speak but clearly constructing like a nervous suspec tas he tried to work out the angle of deflection.
Peter Smith, the hack de jour, has been defended by a few on here because of his perceived ‘braveness’ about asking Sevco incumbents a few searching questuions.
I’m not swallowing that. Anyone who can manufacture Irish Republicanism controversy and bring criticism of Celtic fans into the moment when the focus should have been on the deal and the future relationship between club and manufacturers is one thing only:
A Hun rat bastard.
And Peter Smith, you are a Hun Rat Bastard. And we know it.
Sandman, well said. Smith will be picking up his brown envelope tomorrow for a job well done.
Will Celtic take any action? I don’t think so. We are weak in the PR department and are back to “taking it on the chin”. I’d love to see Celtic do something sensational here but I doubt anything will be made of this and we’ll capitulate to the hun masters who dictate the agenda.
As much as I despised John Ried, we could do with someone like him at the club right now, but perhaps without the dossier bullshit.
Hastalavista Celtic
Sandman
Peter Smith was one of a number of journalists who were sent hard copy of the HMRC papers and side letter for Flo and De Boer kept from Harper Macleod by Rangers Administrators in March 2012.
The consequences of that failure are to bring the whole LNS Decision under question.
So far, Mr Smith, like his fellow journalists have chosen not to ask the questions or if they have, have chosen not to answer.
When you remind him and some well kent names on Twitter of their failure to respond there is no reply.
A Ceiler Gonof Rust
01:01 on
6 March, 2015
No I don’t have the figures but agree with your general thrust about taking the gloves off.
We do have to remember however that the media may have dirt on some of Celtic staff which might be a constraint.
The SMSM just keep stooping lower and lower.
Ronny is a fighter, to me that is very obvious, and you could see on his face, the total disbelief about the questions being asked. I’m sure he will just work even harder to get Celtic as strong as possible, and sicken these knuckledraggers as much as possible.
I genuinely feel we have one of the most promising coaching setups with RD, JC, JK, and J McG.
Not so sure ole Louis has everyone onside @ a money monster Club.
Auldheid 02:06,
Thanks for that info. There can be no doubt about that journalist now, imo. It reminds me of huns that kid on they are only Morton, St Mirren, Airdrie and so many Clubs supporters, I tend to find these are the ones who are involved with Masonic Lodges.
Deep tentacles the Brotherhood in Scotland.
If Lawwell and Celtic roll over and don’t take action against STV then its a signal to all to continue the attacks.
Regarding the journo Peter Smith no issue with him. Why was a news journo allowed in. All Press Conference attendees for such an important club event should be screened in advance and have special passes. Also the mandate for questions should be clear. This is what pro active PR departments do. We don’t have one or if we do its asleep at the wheel.
PR / Communications for internal consumption and external world is professionally managed in blue chip companies. We are on a scale of 1 to 10 a 2 max so yesterday is not a surprise.
We need to make an example of STV. It’s not personal just business. Ban until end of 2015. Also install a proper PR person. It really takes one strong leader to do it ….a good one will cost circa £250k basis before bonus, LTI etc
This is only the start with King arriving at Ibrox. We act now or we have to deal with this shit on a regular basis. I just wish we had Fergus around as I see Lawwell as too weak to take the tough decisions versus Media. He is not running for election. It’s time to be brutal with the pond life.
http://www.theguardian.com/media/greenslade/2011/dec/28/stv-group-rangers
That partnership is going great guns.
Celtic should not let anyone from STV anywhere near Celtic Park after the stunt they pulled.