The scene above is of Celtic Park in the 1990s, with the stadium and surrounding area pretty much as they were when Fergus McCann, you, me and 10,000 others stepped forward to buy the club. Improvements had been made on a decade earlier: the Celtic End roof ran to the front of the terrace, while you would walk around the east side of the stadium.
No one has ever satisfactorily explained to me how Fergus was able to decamp for a year, buy footballers and erect a 60,000 seater stadium after raising less than £20m capital, but when he left the stage 17 years ago next month, we had a facility appropriate for the times.
The east end of Glasgow has seen many economically poor decades – over a century’s worth, in fact. The area was built to cater for dirty industries and house workers and their families in as little space as possible. Poverty, social diseases and dreadful mortality rates have blighted the place ever since. As a consequence, housing and industrial land was cheap, and people prepared to plough money into the area were scarce when Peter Lawwell arrived the club started to acquire land around its footprint. The chief executive has always had a plan to move the club beyond its confines, in many ways. Celtic Park was going to be a visitor attraction all year round.
The long-disused London Road School (the large building to the right of the photo above) had a stone outer wall, but in all practical ways it was an unusable eyesore. Metal had been stripped from the outer and inners walls by thieves, the building was not watertight and vegetation had taken root high up the walls.
Celtic wanted to rip it down and develop the area, but the same forces which will prohibit you from parking within one kilometre from the stadium on match days from next season, denied the club permission. They only changed their mind when it became clear that the Queen would have to approach the stadium for the Commonwealth Games alongside the crumbling school.
If it wasn’t for one visit by the Queen, none of what subsequently happened in the area would have been possible.
Now Celtic plan to build a hotel, retail facilities and the long-awaited club museum (below) in the area to the south west of the stadium. The money and necessary partnerships are in place.
Don’t assume that the Council will welcome what is a stunning improvement to an enormously neglected area of their city. CQN’er, the late Councillor George Ryan, told me an SNP opponent at the Council objected to planning permission for the Celtic Superstore as it would have a negative economic impact in neighbouring supermarkets. You will deal with parking chaos next season for a reason.
The economic impact of Celtic on the east end of Glasgow for the decades ahead will be significant. Parkhead will morph from being a derelict scheme to being the site of a tourist attraction within one generation.
The community who laboured to level the ground to build the first Celtic Park on the site could never have imagined the process they were setting underway.
Well done to all, we can be very proud of the legacy we will leave future generations.
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It aint that hard,
Celtic win, East end wins, charities win. End of.
ModernBrother WilfridCFC
NEGANON
As I see it-and this is hardly from a happyclapping standpoint-the purpose of Celtic Football Club is manifold,possibly more complex than the purpose of most football clubs.
Firstly,it is to remain financially viable. Even in bad times,we must ensure that we are still around for the good times. Next,to put the best possible team on show so that as many fans as possible are desperate to watch them play.
Those really are the football and business aspects. But there is a social side to it too. We do have a responsibility to our community,and to those who are disadvantaged by the accident of being born in the deprived east end of Glasgow-and elsewhere.
As a club,our charitable ethos might not be doing enough in some eyes-I canny argue there-but it is certainly doing better than when I was growing up. As I said in the last article,going to Celtic Park in the 60s,70s,80s was like taking a walk through Beirut. The place was a disaster zone.
Demolition was long overdue,living there did no-one any favours. Once you were in,it was virtually impossible to get out. The council flattened the houses,the derelict factories and warehouses.
They didn’t even landscape the area,just left it. And Celtic have picked up the slack. Along with the happy circumstance of investment in infrastructure for the Commonwealth Games,the area is vastly improved,new housing is still being built,but tbh the jobs haven’t really arrived.
Well,there will be a fair few in the planned new structure at Celtic Park.
Celtic FC has not turned its back on its founding principles. It has adapted them for today. And there will always be plenty of us who will remind them,when necessary,what those founding principles are.
In précis,I don’t see the plans as a betrayal. I see them as regeneration of an area long crying out for it.
“You will deal with parking chaos next season for a reason.”
Of course, something will have to be done in order to facilitate the old and infirm, but in the main, the scheme is a blessing to those who live here, and that’s “the reason” por cierto.
excuse the lack of cycisim & sarcasm……but the money we owe the tax-man……can the finance for these proposed developments be set aside for future projects…..can this be off-set? …..;-))
FTSFS
H.H.
BMCUW
‘ adapted them for today’
From what I know that’s how I see it also
Sunburst on 22nd February 2017 1:10 pm
By Putting a Hotel on London Rd, every time an Orc lands there, they will have to pay us $150 (don’t have a flippin pound sign. Then, when they can’t afford the $150 they will have to give us their property (low value but it’s better than nothing) and we eventually watch them declare bankruptcy. I love Timopoly
——–
Couldn’t help but think of “go to jail”! :-)
NEGANON2 on 22ND FEBRUARY 2017 1:39 PM
Neither and both.
One begets the other and the real skill is balancing the risks involved.
cynisism…..;-))
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
Quality post mate. Particularly this bit..
“Celtic FC has not turned its back on its founding principles. It has adapted them for today. And there will always be plenty of us who will remind them,when necessary,what those founding principles are.”
There are always going to be mixed feelings about change and purpose etc but from a purely personal point of view as a Tim abroad I have to admit to thinking on my last few visits, something needs to be done here to make Celtic Park a more attractive visit.
They spent a lot of money here redeveloping FC Basel stadium and what was once a dead area in the city is thriving once again. me personally I don’t need shops and a mall at the fitbaw but during the week the area round St Jakob and the stadium itself are pretty busy considering it’s stuck out East in the railway zone/ good yards.
I don’ think they have a hotel and I would doubt they need one but a hotel a Celtic Park could be good.
Any improvement in the area round Paradise is welcome in my opinion.
HH
Bobby I never said the plans are a betrayal – as I said I am torn by them – I just don’t trust the motivation of the board.
What I find pretty amazing is how we like to complicate things. Celtic are a football club first and foremost I think most would agree. Survival is a prerequisite I agree but survival can only be achieved by ensuring that you are at least attempting to meet your goals. If you have little food and are faced with a choice of eating that food to get the energy to go out and get more or preserving that food for fear you will have none the choice is easy is it not? But of course this is what Paul likes to call speculating to accumulate. And its used to try and discredit those who dare ask the question around our ambition level.
Celtic exist to be a successful football team. But our board do not act in that manner. Hence my suspicion about the purpose of this investment.
As for our charitable reason to exist. I think we should bring that to the fore – but I find it disingenuous of celtic to laud its foundation and take credit for it when in fact it is of course the support who supply the donations. But its the same as it ever was.
Yeah, as Paul points out that some ‘political’ opponents will reject this development for their own reasons and hopefully the fact that it looks terrible is one of them.
Bobby,
Belter neebs.
Starry,
Agreed
HH
DESSYBHOY
Aye,but it reflects the demographic of their sports department.
It also reflects-very badly,as always wi a hun reflection!-their Equal Opportunities in recruitment for that department.
You are correct to raise it. Regional BBC departments may operate autonomously but not with disregard to overall practice and standards.
Celtic have promised to invest every penny raised in the club. This is acceptable to the Tax authorities. We are investing our profits into a scheme which will grow the club, create employment and grow our turnover. Celtic Investors and shareholders are not interested in seeing financial dividends and prefer to see their rewards in the Trophy Room.
In addition to the Financial and Job benefits it has the effect of raising our profile in the eyes of bodies like UEFA and the ECA. It is diversifying the club into other areas. it also serves the Fans who attend the matches by providing quality facilities.
There is very little downside to this announcement and I am sure the 10year plan will have additional investment. For example works to Lennoxtown and maybe even Barrowfield. I always thought a mini-stadium at Barrowfield would pay dividends for our development teams and visiting clubs.
As far as Redevelopment of the south stand area, it can wait until we can justify the expenditure to create 20,000 additional seats. 60,000 is sufficient for present however if we were to be invited into EPL or European League then who knows.
NEGANON
Blinkin’ flip,bud. Yer coming round to this,albeit with misgiving and suspicion.
Hang on in there. I’ll be back to mineshafting shortly and you’ll be giving it the happyclapping and calling me a miserable sod!
HH,mate. A good discussion,imo. Rest assured,we all want the same thing.
A successful Celtic,still proud of our charitable roots and of our continued success in that area.
previous comment, was a bit harsh sounding.
what I meant was while I want this development to happen, hopefully it goes ahead with modifications to the angular and unpleasing on the eye design.
etims not happy re hotel.
for all ontario canada bhoys, this saturday 9pm tvo bobby sands 66 days documentary.
BLANTYRETIM 1240
Sorry,meant to say…
Cracking wee piece on Charlie Gallagher,a great player when we had,unfortunately for him,one or two more suited in his position.
His place is cemented with us for his ability,his willingness to be a back up for the greater good-and mibbe a coupla crosses for Billy and an “assist” off the bar for Bertie!
That’s good enough for me,for starters!!!
MORE ADVICE NEEDED ….
how do I convince She Who Must Be Obeyed that she does not, in fact, want to go see some silly movie this weekend, but actually wants to stay in and watch the Bobby Sands documentary?
:)
BMCUW
Spoke to him briefly at their corner ( Doc tells me he moved my dad for encroachment the previous match)
Speaking of which I was walking up to great my dad with oldtim67 and the abuse I received was shocking, something about a part time jinx….
Call me Gerry – Condolences to you and yours. May your Dad RIP.
TIMHORTON
The E-Tims head honcho lives in Stoke,where Lou Macari set up his homeless shelter. He has been helping out there,along with his mates. Maybe being so close to it all has influenced his opinion.
It sure would mine.
The posts in reply were largely supportive of the development. And respectful of his opinions!
Bigbhoy……done it and ran away……getting into Awe Naw territory…..It’s jist great being a Celt ;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
MIT
Educational reasons if she is to understand the terrible beauty that is Ireland before visiting
BLANTYRETIM
As long as yer only a part-time jinx,I’m fine wi that.
Jooost don’t turn into a full-time one!
CALL ME GERRY
My deepest condolences to you and your family.
Ofski
People to assist☘️☘️☘️☘️
Want to continue seeing Brendan Rodgers’ style teams at CP, then we need to get to point where that’s still possible without CL. This whole complex makes that more feasible.
If I was to take an absolute flyer on this. Let’s say there were talks advanced talks about changing the CL into a miid-week Euro league, but entrance was dependent on certain facilities being available…
Call me Gerry- sorry for your loss.
ernie lynch on 22nd February 2017 12:26 pm
Ernie Celtic FC provide a full support infrastructure for Celtic FC Foundation; with out this support the costs would come from the charitable donations. The Foundation has raised and distributed over £10M since its inception.
I think Br Walfrid would find that satisfying.
KTF
The Celagio
GEORDIE MUNRO
I’m sure you’ll be glad of a bed after yer epic journey fae Fife:))
HH
WEEMINGER
I don’t think you’ll be that far off the mark there:)
neganon2 …one goes hand in hand with the other …. are you Ernie Lynch …. Hahahahahahaha
BT….thank you for that…..;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
WEEMINGER on 22ND FEBRUARY 2017 2:27 PM
Sorry that came out a little more dramatic than I’d meant, Anything that increases revenue and makes good recruitment of quality less dependent on the CL is a good idea.
CALL ME GERRY
So sorry to read of your Dad’s passing.
May he rest in peace.
Prayers said for you and your family.
The hotel proposal is a tremendous idea.
It will generate jobs (in building it and then operating it). It will generate tax income for the city. It will provide facilities for our fans. And it will improve a patch of land which is essentially derelict.
People opposing it are either anti-Celtic or complete and utter mad lefty luddites.