There comes a time during any endeavour when you have to ask, is this worth all the hassle? News revealed by Phil MacGiollabhain last week and swiftly picked up by the newspapers today that an SFA executive has had his life threatened for what some regard as holding a firm line on application of the game’s rules, are one of these occasions.
This is sport, it is not the struggle against apartheid. It really, really, isn’t worth putting your life on the line for.
The SFA executive who received the threat has not been named but he will hopefully find a degree of fortitude in the face of such intimidation. We have called for resignations from the SFA but not under these circumstances. If the recipient of the threat continues to work as normal they should be commended for their bravery.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to put football back on solid ground but whatever our game looks like in future, it must take on a different face. Ordinary football fans want their sport back, a sport where honesty and endeavour can be rewarded by success on the field.
That will have consequences for us. Celtic are far too powerful for any other club in Scotland to genuinely compete. 35 of our 41 clubs figured out they can do without Rangers and 34 of them know they can do without Celtic too.
They should remind Sevco rules are there for a reason and tell Celtic to stop mumbling about finding another league to play in and go do something about it. I could not be more convinced that every other club in Scotland would be better off if Celtic Park and Ibrox didn’t exist.
Question is, do the rest of the clubs have the balls to do something about it? Is the ‘Arab Spring in Scottish football’ over, or does it still have another chapter?
1,234 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- ...
- 33
- »
Weeminger
If the execs pay had dropped as much as players and transfer fees since Seville I think it would be more like 100 pound off the cost of a season ticket.
Where have you been since 2003 ?
Hail Hail
Philbhoy – wow, I was pretty close then :)
My dad and Pauls dad (James?) were good buddies. Running to work now but would love to continue conversation later.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 25 July, 2012
My subjectivity versus your objectivity lol
You do realise you’re a funny guy, right?
Back in 67 the players still lived amongst, the supporters and the directors lived in the mansions
The only difference now is that they all live in mansions
If Barry Hughes and John Brown buy St. Mirren and call it the Thee New Rangers and appoint Sally as boss … will it fly with the hun hoardes ?
Hail Hail
Excellent Celtic mhan and probable CQN lurker Lawrence Donegan relates in his book No News At Throat Lake about his year living in Donegal that he went to Dublin to hear his old friend Lloyd Cole in concert and meet up with him afterwards.
A fan, on seeing them together, asked Lawrence “which Commotion” he was, and he said “Scary Commotion”.
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on 25 July, 2012 at 14:13 said:
Convince me. There are certain one’s that may open up in the future like media rights but it’s not just on the pitch where speculating to accumulate carries risk.
And which of these does not involve exploitation of the fans in some way?
I never understand the ‘fleeced’ argument. Like all non-essential items you choose to pay for it or not. I choose to put my entire football budget into my season ticket. No merch, no satellite sports channels. I’m happy with that commitment. It makes me no better or worse a supporter than those that choose to put more or less in.
I have never felt ‘fleeced’. If there is a match ticket that I feel is beyond my pocket, I don’t buy it. My support of Celtic doesn’t waiver becasue I missed a game.
philvisreturns on 25 July, 2012 at 13:19 said:
—————————————————————–
At last! Why are we allowing ourselves to be governed by a system based on an english public school term and rules? Surely we don’t have to send MPs to London from every corner of the country to have those ridiculous schoolboy debates and to take instructions from lobbyists for Rupert etc?
If ever our parlimentary system was shown up for the sham it is it is now. Blair working for the banks, Cameron working for Murdoch, Clegg the bully’s whipping boy – just happy to be their at any price , and Bawface in it for himself.
There should be far more independent politicians who take decisions based on the facts presented rather than this ludicrous ‘party-line’ p1sh.
Too many politicians are self-serving nerks who are only in it for the dough.
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on 25 July, 2012 at 13:28 said:
……………… we can no longer honestly call it an all inclusive club, all inclusive as long as ypur no poor, innit geez …………..
For sure…………
Regards & Hail Hail
TBM
The thing is …
There is no other league for us. The English clubs won’t have us, the English leagues won’t have us, the English administrative /social / political organisations (FA, police) won’t have us. Then the European and world football bodies forbid it.
And, a detail we are supposed to care about, the English fans don’t want it.
I don’t know what other options are supposed to be open: the Irish League? Northern Ireland? Belgium? Holland? Maybe something in Scandinavia?
This corpse is continually being dug up and paraded around as a substitute for constructive action in Scotland.
When Aberdeen next visit CelticPark they may well leave with a quarter of a million pounds or more – now, why, do you suppose, is that? And how much good, do you think, does it do for Scottish football?
weminger,
so your happy to be priced out of a game, and you dont see it as a problem, enough said.
Theres no arguing with someone who who knows their place.
one cqn Badge on golf hat (what wilI I say to Questions from fellow golfers on Monday regarding it ? ) other on tin flute (suite) off soon to Hampden for American game soon with Mrs W T this retirement lark its hard,deffinately recomend it
H H
What would happen if everybody stopped paying their mortgages,and refused to give the mortgage lenders their money back?
Sixteen roads to Golgotha
Nothing would happen. Neil Doncaster and Stewart Regan would sort it all out.
mncelt
Cheers!
I won’t be far away!
Sixteen roads to Golgotha
The mortgage lenders would arrest your wages with the full cooperation of your employer and you will be charged for them having to do it.
Hail Hail
Cost of an Upper Stand Ticket – Celtic Innsbruck 19 10 77 = £2
Cost of a Circle Ticket – Glasgow Apollo 5 5 1977- McGuinn / Hillman / Clark = £2.50.
How do gig /fitba costs compare in 2012 ?
I see the Scottish establishment has turned its sights on the new archbishop, msm pushing quotes taken out of context to try and vilify, now where have we seen that strategy used again
eddieinkirkmichael on 25 July, 2012 at 13:44 said:
Just thought I’d say how impressed I was with McCourt last night, he reminded me of Riquelme who played for Villarreal a few yrs ago. Requelme wasn’t the fastest player or the greatest tackler but he did control games by simply delivering killer passes and generally controling games with his superb passing ability. In the modern game where the ball is frequently played across the field as teams look for openings in the opposition Paddy could become a valued asset for us as he definately create an opening. Maybe Neil has found the ideal position for Paddy, I for one would like to see him given a more prolonged run in the team to see if what he can do in his new position.
My take on paddy last night was if he wasn’t playing a square pass he gave it away every time, and that was with little or no pressure getting placed on him. Can’t agree your assessment, would much rather see Wanyama/Kayal, Wanyama/Ki or Wanyama/Ledley as our middle partnership or any combination of the above with commons thrown into the mix for a 5 man/3man midfield.
The demographics of CQN contributors would (I feel) make interesting reading……… Not a pop at such at all, given that the (few) aforementioned I have had the privilege to meet have been cordial in the extreme, and struck me as outstanding individuals but sometimes, you know, to me, it seems to escape the general outlook that not everyone that loves the ‘Tic’ has access to a PC or can afford to take their family to Paradise………
Some live in very difficult times…………
Just a thought eh!
Regards & Hail Hail
TBM
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on 25 July, 2012 at 14:29 said:
There was never a time when I could have afforded to go to every single game that I wanted to. So nothing has changed for me.
As I said. In relative terms the price of my seat, and tickets is more or less unchanged in the 15 years I’ve had it. In terms of unemployment benefit, it’s roughly 8 weeks benefits. Again i think that’s roughly comparable, it might have been the equivalent of 6.5-7 weeks and yes that is a massive percentage rise but I don’t the tickets were any more affordable to the unemployed then than now. I could certianly never have thought of having one when I was briefly out of work.
over on filthy filthy, one of their well known poster’s says the deal has already been
done and they will not be stripped of titles, now it could be nonsense but if is true
what will celtic do?
Sandy Jardine would turn up at their bit with a load of ole towels from TJs.
South of Tunis
Now that nobody except you and DBBIA buys albums, gigs are where the beat combos make their cash these days. They represent a dear night out.
SoT,
depends on who your going to see, innit
want to see superstars, pay £50 to over £100
like football in that respect, problem being we are paying to see superstars but watching journymen
I’m £25.50 per game this season good value IMO.
Pirlo,Riquelme…? nurse ! nurse !
Sof Tunis prices are comparable, value isn’t!
Price to see BS and ESB at Etihad about twice what you’d pay to watch SPL.
Der Hunnes are claiming a deal has been made today between SPL and SFL regards TV rights and Rangrs license to play football will be issued by the SFA.
They’re worried sick about a “cave in” apparently.
What was Breechin famous for besides??
Somebody called Band of Horses is appearing in Glasgow in November and it’s £21.50, perhaps not including the booking fee you have to pay to book, so maybe more.
I don’t know if Band of Horses is a band or an actual band of horses and, either way, if they are any good.
lennon’s passion,
and would you say playing standards have improved, both us and the opposition.
Awe_Naw, how much for a Bayern Munich season ticket
RobertTressell on 25 July, 2012 at 13:50 said:
agree with a lot you say, but your fundamental suggestion that MPs get a decent living wage is complete and utter nonsense! we are desperate for real talent to be in government, paying a bog standard wage is the last thing to attract real talent. Pay senior executive scale salaries with good pensions. and you will attract senior executive level ability into these important positions. You should also have a proven track record in senior decision making positions before being allowed to run for election, or equivalent achievers in areas such as arts, sport, music etc. I am sick to the teeth of having so many MPs/MSPs who are utterly incompetent and thick. Dumbing down of politics? you bet! places even more control in the hands of the real string pullers behind the scenes.
DBBIA ——-
Thanks ——-
Paid 50 euros to see Mario Biondi in Catania last year —price included buffet food and a glass of Prosecco.
Paid 35 euros to see Morgan Heritage in Catania –price included a bottle of water and as much secondary herb inhalation as I could manage .
Paid 28 euros to watch Catania last season.
Here´s the season ticket prices for Eintracht.
http://www.eintracht.de/tickets/dauerkarten/
I am seemingly on a waiting list for three ST demand is that high category 5 or higher
Please note that the ST allows you to use public transport for free anywhere in Germany and a reduced program preis … which I think might be posted to you a few days before the game but not entirely sure.
Hail Hail
Mate was fined £6 in 1973 for jumpin the turnstyle at C P and it was only £3 to get in. We did wonder what happened to him for a while but we had the kerry-oot!!
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire on 25 July, 2012
Improved since when,1967 no. Since Tony Mowbary yes.
Some good stuff on here today. Allow me to vent ….
Kevin McCarra has been pontificating – a deliberate word – on the issue of the Catholic Church and gay marriage. His article starts in typically bizarre fashion.
“After years of watching The Devil Wears Prada and Sex and the City and preferring the products of Habitat and Ikea to Adidas and Puma, you finally acknowledge that there may be trouble ahead.”
These are exactly the sort of moronic comments which make it difficult to grow up gay in the West of Scotland, Catholic or not. McCarra should stick to telling the world how he’s the only Celtic season ticket holder who thinks Rangers have “suffered enough.”
But his general point, that the Catholic Church is out of step with the issue, needs to be addressed too.
I happen to agree with him on the substance of the issue. I think the Catholic Church has this one wrong. But yet again, as with every issue which raises its head involving the Catholic Church, or, indeed, any faith (except one, but more on that later), there is a general outcry over it from those who don’t even HAVE a religious faith. And that, my friends, is the REAL issue.
What we have in the Western democracies now is a movement of narrow minded bigots, so set in their ways, so ideologically dogmatic, so utterly out of step with what they preach to others that I tend to switch off whenever they speak.
I refer to the secular liberals, those who disdain not just one religion but ALL religions, who believe in the primacy of “modern liberal thinking” and refuse to accept any view but their own.
They refuse to acknowledge the positive role religion – all religion – plays in the lives of millions. They refuse to acknowledge its contribution to the state. Odd when one considers the UK constitution, such as it is, is founded on the primacy of religion and the US Constitution is founded on the basis of religion. They refuse to accept religious “dogma” as having any validity … although many of them put faith in such “dogmas” as that espoused by Adam Smith and Milton Friedman.
These people have a number of fundamentally contradictory opinions, on any number of subjects.
They believe in personal freedom … unless it’s freedom of speech and expression, where they want to put up walls against any number of opinions and ideas.
They believe in social responsibility … except where that interferes with any number of the personal freedoms they so like to espouse. Like abortion. Which I believe is fundamentally wrong, and I do not have to be a Catholic to believe it. There’s no mainstream religion, in fact, anywhere, which supports the taking of a human life at any stage in the life cycle.
They believe in freedom to worship … but they reserve the right to decry religion, its practitioners and its institutions in a way in which they would not allow other agencies of personal choice to be criticised. All religions … except one.
They are, for the most part, defenders of the State of Israel and will not offer ANY criticism of the Zionist ideal, and attack everyone who does as being “anti-Semetic.” I find it curious how they can be so loud in defence of a certain section of the Jewish faith but be so critical of almost every other religion and religious view on the planet.
I personally do not, never have, and never will, cared at all about the religion of any person I have ever met. Of all the things about someone which matters to me, their religion comes last in terms of importance.
I despise hatred, intolerance, ignorance and bigotry in all of its forms, and yes, I’ve seen it wrapped in the flags of religion many times. But I’ve seen it used as a stick to beat religions, all religions, many, many times more.
Men and women of faith are, for the most part, deeply committed people, more committed to their beliefs than many of those who knock them ever have been or ever will be. If many tenants of their churches seem contradictory, its no more contradictory than having someone who calls the gay marriage legislation a step towards making this a fairer country but who would silence entire sections of the population for holding a contrary opinion.
I respect those who have devoted their lives to religion, who have thought through its implications, confronted its contradictions and made a decision to accept them and still remain true to the central ideas at the core of their faith.
I respect that more than the half-educated whitterings of idiots like McCarra, who wouldn’t recognise REAL equality if it sunk iron fangs into his backside.
Genuine tolerance is not seeing someone’s skin colour, not caring about someone’s religious persuasion and not assuming that because a man is gay he reads romance novels, watches musicals and has great dress sense. That, in case no-one told you McCarra, is ignorance writ large.
For the liberal secular intelligensia as a group I have only contempt, contempt for their grand-scale refusal to accept any opinion they do not like, or which challenges their view of the world.
Oh yes … and one more thing. Although an issue of importance, especially to those who believe it impacts on their ability to lead rich and fulfilling lives, the subject of gay marriage is not one the vast majority of people in this country cares about at all or makes any difference to their lives.
In placing such great store in the issue, the government, as they did over the Football Bill, is indulging in social policy appearance politics instead of getting down to the nitty gritty of fixing those issues the majority of people DO care about.
I hate to put it this way, but this is fluff. This is not vital to national infrastructure, security, economic growth, education or health care. It is a small change at zero cost, and it affords the chattering classes a chance to target some familiar bogeymen … most of them wearing cassocks.
It is gesture politics, like so much our political classes do.
Some will say it presents a more modern, more open, more liberal view of Scotland. This is hard to take seriously in the same parliament which has legislated to make songs, banners, expressions, references and gestures illegal because some people don’t like them. This country is no more free than it was yesterday, no more tolerant than it was yesterday.
But it is less free and less tolerant than it was before the Offensive Behaviour at Football bill came into law.
The political class is indulging, as usual, in naval gazing and chasing headlines. There appears to be an obsession with many of our political representatives to place greater importance on this stuff than to other issues which impact on people, such as fuel poverty, social mobility, equality of opportunity, free education, youth employment … you know, stuff like that ….
So to all my friends in politics celebrating this as a good day, maybe it is is in a small way, and so pat yourselves on the back for a “job well done.”
And I agree with your stance on it.
Then get back to the real work.