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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Hibs v huns semi final on the cards then
Hibs doing well then?
DD
You’ll be grand i’m sure …just bring a double mag !!!!
3-1 pen farts
2-1 Vardy scores for leicester
JUSTSHATERED on 22ND FEBRUARY 2017 8:56 PM
It was probably my age at the time but the 82 World Cup was my best ever. i remember being tearful when Brazil went out but it all added to the drama
TeT
Will enjoy an all green family final.
Rioskorrie
I agree that the 82 team was at least as good as the 70 one, player for player. As brilliant as Socrates, Zico and Co were, Pele was on yet another level.
I find that it impossible to pick the best side never to have won the WC. For me It’s between Hungary 54, Holland 74 and Brazil 82.
I feel for Puskas and Cruyff especially, who were the world’s best players for a period of time.
DD: In that case I’ll accept the offer:-)
Of course, I will let Ryan know he is off the hook when I get a better offer:-))
Robbie savage really is a roaster, he’s been slagging off Leicester all nighto and making out they’re out the tie, now he’s talking about equalisers
Delaneys
I hope so, I reckon the draw will be what the sponsors want, a repeat of last season is not what’s required me thinks.
HH
WITS
Travis Bickle/Robert De Niro CSC
Last time I was down at the West the remnants of a ‘walk’ were drifting past me and my weans. I’d been in the people’s palace and was walking up to get a bite in West. I was rather proud that my timmish good looks were drawing their Neanderthal stares and growls – I thought I must’ve been looking really good that day!!
then I remembered one of my weans had a Celtic top on! Although I reckon the look of scorn on my own face would’ve given me away anyhow!! I’m more inclined to laugh at them than scorn them these days. Pathetic remnants of a dying kulture……
Almore
Ryan is teetotal now. Great when his auld man needs a taxi anytime. :)
Roberttressell
Have you seen the new Trainspotting movie
The Kulture makes a guest appearance
TeT
Scotland’s Shame!
WITS – not yet but I heard about it! Laughing at it is a sure sign that it’s on the wane. Ain’t dead yet though and there will be a sting or two in the tail but it has nothing left to offer the majority of its own hinterland…..
WITS
The ludge culchur is diminishing here. The weans of william prefer chemicals and mixin wi funny, intelligent Tims these days.
No more…….. hahaha
RT/DD
You would almost feel sorry for them…..the lost tribe )))
Delaneys
I recon that is the best banner that was ever done, the Scotland’s Shame with the arrow pointing at thems
I thought Seville would give Leicester a pumping today … but credit to Ranieri … they may not be doing it domestically, but he is getting more from that squad in Europe than I thought he would.
Call me Gerry
Stay strong mate.God bless.
HH
MIT
I like Ranieri
Has a bit of class and dignity about him ( the real sort not the WATP type dignity)
Well done , Lenny bhoy.
TeT
Agreed. The fact they couldnae see the Scotland’s Shame banner that day, therefore, oblivious to the laughter of 52000 Tims, made it aw the better. :)
“How Celtic Got Away With It…”
https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2017/02/22/how-celtic-got-away-with-it/
Reading bleating from the diets is nearly as funny as that from their inbred cousins.
WITS …. I do too. … as you say, he seems like a really nice, classy guy… ..
Barley get on with all these pop ups at minute aswel as being crazy busy
So probably missed some tickets for huns game going spare..
Anyway off to berlin in early hours of tonight so any tips or info be great. Staying in mitte ..there for 3 nights.
Thanks
The Jambo???? on Radio Scotland is about to self combust. Alan Preston???
TET- that banner was simple and genius all in one.
DD- Preston is a very good and honest pundit IMO, great knowledge of young players all over the country, i think he’s involved with an agency and watches a lot of youth/reserve games HH
Lenny will be chuffed ,sticking it to the mini huns..
DD,
Quickly switched to the radio as Hertz got the penalty, thought that was Michael Stewart talking, anyway got the send off rule wrong too
BB
He is hurting bad whilst talking a lot of sense.
The wee bhoy fae Clydebank was magic tonight. John McGinn.
Hopefully that result tonight brings a few more of Lenny’s sceptics round, well done Lenny.
PB
That Preston jambo knows his stuff.
WITS
Thanks for that
Delighted that CQN battalion Leader Delaneys Dunky is leading our affray through enemy territory next week
HH
CRC
That was a satisfying night’s fitbaw.
Happy for Lenny and the Hibees and it’s always good to see Hearts scarves being lobbed onto the pitch. Nasty, horrible fan-creatures.
Glad Ranieri salvaged a decent performance and result. Wouldn’t be surprised if he turned them over in Leicester.
I remember at the beginning of the season somebody asking him if they could win the EPL again and he as good as said no way, but we’ll give it a right go in Europe. I was surprised the English press didn’t make more of it.
I hope the likeable, shrewd old owl makes it to the semis.