I’ve been to a few non-Celtic games over the years and always found is striking the different reaction mid-table teams have to a defeat compared to how we react. There is simply not the expectation that every game has to be won. For most of the last 40-odd years Celtic have been nip-and-tuck with a direct opponent at the top of the league, so a single defeat can have a significant bearing on league title prospects.
Even when we were not involved in a close league race, the desire to win by an astonishing number of points provided an edge, whereas, back in the 90s, the chasm between Celtic and the top was made increasingly unbearable by each passing defeat.
This season is different. We’ve dropped 10 points in 10 games but substantial evidence exists that the team is making solid progress, a fact not disputed by the support, even as they left Celtic Park on Saturday. For most, the distress of defeat has tempered.
We’re two points ahead of three teams at the top of the league, with a game in hand, which makes this the most competitive SPL ever. The gap between second and second last is just six points, St Mirren who sit second bottom, would be level on points with joint-second St Johnstone had they won the game between these two earlier this month.
All this honest competition has resulted in a rise in average attendances for most clubs during “Armageddon”. It’s too easy to poke fun at the miscalculations of the SPL and SFA chief executives who believed the game needed a fatally flawed giant in the top flight. Instead, what it needed was genuine competition, which we have, to a degree.
Hibs, Aberdeen and St Johnstone are all two points from the top of the table while Inverness and Killie are only one win below them. Can you imagine how good a league this would be without the last remaining over-sized behemoth?
The SPL didn’t need Rangers, in fact, it is a better, more competitive league without them. The same goes for Celtic. We are not good for the league and do nothing for Aberdeen, United, Hibs or clubs who want nothing but a sporting chance in the game. Many of these clubs seem to have Stockholm Syndrome; locked into the belief that they need to be with their tormentors.
If I was writing a blog about any of these clubs I’d tell Celtic to go find themselves some fantasy football league and let the rest of the country get back to a proper sporting endeavour. They have nothing to lose but their loser labels.
The next issue of CQN Magazine is due out shortly, let me know if you would like to advertise, advert@cqnmagazine.co.uk.
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Surely not
are the huns deid yet?
..and I can now retire
Paul67
Ive been saying for years that I believed that far from dying on its feet attendance wise, a Scottish league without us (and THEM) would be better supported as it would be much more competitive.
As we have seen already this season, each of the teams have been beating the others. had one team (it looked like motherwell initially) been able to go on a sustained unbeaten run, they could well be more than a few points clear at the top, given our inconsistency!
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Does that mean I claim the “Actually Read the Article” First??
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Ernie Lynch
Your at it again.
BOOOOOOOOO!!!!
So in the last weekend in October, Celtic lose their first SPL game, and our former rivals, now Sevco, win their first away 3rd Division game.
Strange times.
Happy times.
tully
Paul67
What will the League be like without Hearts in it? It is looking more and more a possibility, with a tax tribunal for £1.75Mn only weeks away.
No rangers or Hearts in the League, heaven on earth…
Hail! Hail! In victory and defeat.
Im not interested in richer leagues I just want away from the SFA and bombproof refereeing committees.
Top 10
TTT , I dont post if there’s a chance I might get a podium, childish:-)
“I’ve been to a few non-Celtic games over the years..”
Go on Paul, spill the beans. Which of our `rivals’ have you given the green pound to?
justaskincfc
from the HB, a zombie take on chuckles appearance on keys and gray
EBT issue still not resolved.
Commission sits in November for stripping titles. Would be a mindless act.
Contradicting Doncaster saying Scottish game is in the gutter.
Tried everything to save oldco. Were prepared to pay more to play in Europe.
We are oldco when it suits authorities, we are newco when it suits them.
Letter dated 18th May, SPL agree to pay Dundee Utd an outstanding debt. Failed to pay them. SPL still keeping our prize money from last season. SPL incompetant. Newco had to pay Dundee Utd in the end.
Got settlement with Southampton(Davis), agreed fee. Was paid to SFA, Green asked SFA to pay Hearts as we owed them. SFA say no and refuse to follow money onto Rangers. Green had to pay Hearts out his own pocket. I think he said £500k was paid to Hearts from his own pocket.
C Adam sell on fee. English FA, paid direct to Duff and Phelps, they are not due the money. Don’t think he said if we got it in the end.
We are not due Jelavic money from Everton but we do have to pay Rapid outstanding fee.
Incredible stuff, more to come after the break.
SFA still witholding European money we earned. Refusing to release it.
We have settled European debts from oldco.
Club have had no one over last 5/6 years to fight corner.
Club not massaging attendances. No need to. Just look at pictures, not many empty seats. Allegation dismissed.
Our rivals are raging we have came out of this mess strong.
In awe at size of club but sad that something so great was in such a mess.
Non payment of tax brought club down. Craig Whyte to blame but plenty issues didn’t help before he came in. Murray is accountable too.
His job to save Rangers not British tax payer.
Never worked with Craig Whyte. Ahmed introduced him to Whyte. Whyte introduced Green to administrators.
Zeus Imran Ahmed seems like a major player at Ibrox
Craig Whyte sueing club and D&P, he wants cut of shares issue.
Club not running out of money, not at all. Plenty investors.
Flotation was always on cards since Green took over.
Plan to bring on board non exec directors. Possibly non share holding people.
Fan rep will be invited onto board. There will be 2 boards. Club board and PLC board.
Fans have seen and heard what Greens vision is and he has done everything he said he will do. 37000 season tickets sold
Another break. Back soon.
Ticketus fuss. No involvement whatsoever, they were involved with Murray and Whyte. NOt involved now. This years season ticket money is ours, in bank, Rangers money.
Not running out of money. He states again. No debt. No liabilities. Paying bills.
Were paying bills for administrators who ran out of money.
In August we sold season 37000 tickets including our own money(investors), clubs got cash.
Wage bill was £27m at takeover, now under £7m.
Next years season tickets on sale in May and club have will have 2 years season book money before season ends. Club in sensational financial state come end of season.
Will protect club with his life.
Not selling ground. That is utter nonsense. Allegation dismissed.
He might be Green but he isn’t a cabbage.
Flotation was always on the cards. Nothing new. Was always in their plan. He promised he would do it so he is doing it,
If he done it next year club worth more, shares more expensive. Better for fans doing it now.
Fans should be allowed to buy shares at lowest price.
Minimum share purchase, £500. Can buy shares after club is listed. No rush.
23000 hits on website for shares. Over 10000 pledges. Over £21m in pledges. Some of them doen it whilst wife out shopping, she may cut it!
Even half of that pledge is still amazing.
Initial aim to get in, fix us and get out. Like Nanny McPhee. (His words)
He now has Rangers-itis. Addicted to club.
Now wants to finish job and take us back to greatness.
Will be staying until we are back in Champs League. But may change his mind and stay until we win it.
Another break. So much more to come. He is staying for another 10 mins. Back soon.
SPL working on plan for reconstruction, SFL in on it too.
Scottish football in a mess.
Can’t take SPL seriously. Can’t forget how we have been treated.
He doesn’t forgive and forget.
Has to be reconstruction.
Reiterated we will not play in SPL.
When we win SFL1, we will ask fans what they want to do.
Delighted with first away win yesterday.
If fans want it, we will go back to SPL but he will have no part in it, he will leave.
More viewers than any other Sky games watching Rangers matches.
We have power to tell Scottish football what is happening. Murray didn’t want to use Rangers power within the game. Green will.
Green will get 10% in shares, no cash. He hasn’t been paid since February. No ages.
Thinks there will be a European league in 5 to 10 years.
Man U valued at 1.2b, Everton valued at £300m. Rangers only valued at £30m, and wrongly. Not fair he says.
Fans want big games.
Ally never close to quitting.
Ally admitted Walter best pal, Walter trying to buy club, he had to support Walter. Green happy with that. Ally great honesty.
Walter was let down by investors. Deal collapsed.
Ally thanked Green. Green had meetings with Walter.
Would love to get Walter back involved, maybe on board or as an advisor.
Club short of football brains. Needs input. Needs help.
Green wants help, no afraid to admit it. He is open to people offering help.
Floating before Xmas.
And that is us. Done. Thanks Charles
Hearts want to sell ten per cent of the shares owned by Ubig, the parent company in which Vladimir Romanov has a controlling interest, for £1.78m. So buying Ubig out would cost £18Mn. They have debts of £22Mn.
In total you would need £40Mn to own Hearts.
Maybe instead of wishing Celtic away, if the SPL teams had run their clubs properly they would be able to compete in the League and get beyond July in Europe, which would have brought in a substantial income.
Will the ole first page be this slow later in the week?
Good common-sense leader, Paul.
Sadly, many on your site have become so used to seasons of mists & mellow fruitfulness that they have allowed themselves to believe that ‘ …warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.’
We are SPOILED.
When Celtic lose it’s always a wee weekend dampener, when they lose unexpectedly it’s even damper. A Saturday 3.00pm kick off, brings the fans from the full spectrum of the Celtic sphere from near and far, midweek European gallantry adds to the welcome, but football doesn’t always play out they way we expect.
Statistics and history were waiting to ambush Celtic, and Kilmarnock’s defence was stouter than Celtic’s resolve, where on the surface complacency is banished, but might remain rooted hidden in the human psyche. Anyway there is always a narrow margin between win, lose or draw, about which we do not care, we certainly don’t care so much in 2012 because whether your’e prepared to acknowledge it, or not, there is no big bad wolf to steal the league away.
Hughie a fit, more senior Celtic fan was late for the match on Saturday, he always makes his way from the South Side and stops for a dram when he can, or jumps on a bus. This week in his rush he’d forgotten his season ticket, but such is the Celtic way, by the time he’d arrived his wife and daughter had gallivanted and beaten him to the gazebo with his laissez-passer, to allow him his safe unhindered ingress, to his beloved Paradise.
Hughie lost his Father when he was six years old, and by the time he was 13 he had three part time jobs on the go, delivering papers, delivering fresh fish, and delivering milk. Born and brought up in Cambuslang he was asked by father when he was five, O.K. son there are two football matches today, we can go and see Cambuslang Rangers, or we could walk to Celtic Park where Celtic Reserves are playing?
This morning he’s away to work as a Roofer as usual, whistling and cheerful because he’ll be there on Tuesday night, to take his seat against St Johnstone.
tully57
“So in the last weekend in October, Celtic lose their first SPL game, and our former rivals, now Sevco, win their first away 3rd Division game”
We also lost to St Johnstone 2:1 in September
The Onlooker
Anorak CSC
Kayal33
What a jackanory Auld Chuck is.
Stupid, stupid zombies…
The Token Tim takes today’s REAL Podium award as the first post to address the new article.
Snake oil Charlie at it again.
‘When Celtic lose it’s always a wee weekend dampener’- not helped by departure of wee Ola from Strictly.
‘We are not due Jelavic money from Everton but we do have to pay Rapid outstanding fee.’
‘We have settled European debts from oldco.’
And the above is why the zombies are so stupid!
ASonOfDan
12:22 on 29 October, 2012
it would appear Abraham Lincoln was wrong and you can indeed fool all of the people (zombies) all of the time
Hi Paul,
Interesting piece and spot on, the demise of RFC has had overall a positive effect on the SPL, in ways tooo numerous to mention.
Hopefully the Scottish underachievers will look at their History and make an attempt to emulate their great teams of yore.
Wee often have a bit of a chuckle on the self inflicted misery of the Gers but my genuine feeling is dark ops propaganda aside they have been missed as much as Dunfermline. All the other Clubs are far too busy concerning themselves with their own business and performances to care a jot.
I’ve said several times and still believe the best solution for the Football Clubs of Great Britian is for the Football Association to run British PL 1 & 2, for the elite and the SFL, LofW and EFL to run their respective tier three and below leagues.
The world according to Charles Green——–
Save Rangers —— stuff the tax payer and the creditors.
Ticketus ——– No involvement whatsoever —- they were involved with Murray and Whyte-not involved now .
We paid bills for the Administrators who ran out of money.
We will not play in the SPL..
Mmmmm
Our little Yorkshire Pudding says Sevco will never play in the SPL whilst he’s there.
Then he says he’s not leaving until the champions league’s back at Ibrox!.
Obvious problem there.
I think that old Chick Green just reads from predictive text
Did Charlie mention how they’ll cope without ebt’s and a flexible friend?
‘Club not massaging attendances. No need to. Just look at pictures, not many empty seats. Allegation dismissed.’
Strathclyde’s Police figures and the £0.00 tickets say otherwise Chuck…
ASonOfDan,
It’s all down to the polis not counting the 6-10k in hospitality,CG says!
Hey Chucky, if the Sevconians all wanted to start again in Div 3, how come they keep bleeting about being ‘demoted’ to Div 3 ?
them muppets who are allways trying to post first + their daft patter are making me boak……..Iv probably just encouraged them noo……aw naw???
Chuck stated his club has never been part of the SPL.
I wish he would make his mind up…
Paul McConville tweeted earlier that a block of 5 or 6 pages in the BTC result(dossier) are “devastating”.
It’s like waiting on Santa all over again… :0)
A load of disjointed nonsense from Green but it’s what ra peepul want to hear, so job done.
Keys’ closing remark said it all, he knew Green was talking utter bull****.
P67
Saturday will not be remembered by me for the poor game we witnessed against Kilmarnock in what felt like sub-zero temperatures.
Saturday will definitely be remembered by me as I stood in the lunchtime sunshine, in the midst of living legends, the Lisbon Lions at the grave of James Edward McGrory.
I took my 2 young bhoys to the CelticGraves event to celebrate and remember the life of Mr McGrory at Dalbeth.
A hero in my late father’s eyes, who grew up with tales of his local Garngad hero and legend, famous for scoring for St Roch’s Juniors in the 1921 Junior Cup Final against Kilwinning Rangers as they won the blue riband trophy at the 1st time of asking.
He then moved onto his boyhood heroes to become our all-time goalscoring sensation with 550 goals in 547 games, which I am confident will never be surpassed in Scotland.
As a boy, I met Mr McGrory outside the old Celtic Park main stand around 1971-72. My father knew him and I knew of him, along side other previous greats, Johnny Thomson, Patsy Gallacher and Charles Patrick Tully. But, this man, was a living legend. That made it very exciting for a young bhoy.
They talked in detail about St Roch’s and Celtic. It was the first time I had met a legend in the flesh and I knew the importance of that moment, which remains vivid in my memory.
Once again, Saturday showed me what is unique about our Club and what great ambassadors we have that keep our heritage going for future generations.
It was even more significant to me trying to explain the importance of the day to 2 young bhoys, aged 5 & 4. A great from the past and in the midst of some living legends – Caesar, Stevie, Bobby, Bertie and Jim.
The 5 year old got it, thankfully, but the 4 year old was mostly concerned with being a zombie and shouting “zombie carrots” in a cemetery.
I will need to go to another CelticGraves event in the future, when the 4 year old is a bit older. I encourage you to do the same…it is our heritage
hhplc