Pay your way or go to the wall

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I’ve not touched the Anthony Stokes story on purpose. It’s one of those stories you could be writing for a week, if you started. Anthony enjoyed a successful period for Celtic but the writing has been on the wall since the latter part of Neil Lennon’s era.

He’s still only 27, with around half his career ahead of him, but it won’t be at Celtic. I hope he gets a club who can make the most of his talent.

Despite the riches brought by a new TV deal solidarity contract, many English Football League clubs are still under severe financial pressure, including Neil’s current charges, Bolton Wanderers. Bolton owe the vast majority of their circa £200m debt to owner Eddie Davies, so there’s a good chance that will be written off, but administration remains likely.

Bolton chairman, Phil Gartside, who I hear is now seriously ill, saw this coming years ago, when he proposed an EPL 2-type league reorganisation, while lobbying for the inclusion of Celtic and Rangers. The plan was kyboshed by his then fellow Premier League acquaintances. It would have been transformational for Celtic, and literally a life saver for Rangers.

That Bolton debt figure is pretty eye-watering but the returns from non-league club Forest Green Rovers caught the eye. Net debts reached £5.4m after season 2013-14, thanks to a £2.9m loss. In non-league football. There’s only one Scottish club with that kind of debt. Although I suppose they are also playing off-piste in the Championship.  Pay your way or go to the wall.  Long term that rule applies.

The football industry in England and Wales will survive for a while yet, despite the broken financial model. It won’t be until the TV rights value drops due to reliable and easy to access pirate feeds that the bubble will burst. And it will burst.  The underlying fragility in the football business is that your expenditure is either fixed or often contracted on a multi-year basis, while income is vulnerable to sharp shocks.  It’s not a healthy business to be running at a deficit in.

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483 Comments

  1. coatbridge paper bhoy on

    Gerryfaethebrig

     

    Did your dad have a great pal with the initials E C, just a long shot!.

     

    If he did, we have quite a few mutual acquaintance’s .

     

    Gb

  2. Margaret McGill on

    KelvinBhoy

     

     

    take comfort that like your dad we are all Celtic supporters. Through and Through.

  3. Winning captains. I don’t agree we are a well run club. We are being run into the ground.

     

     

    But regardless you can count on me for the fight. Like TET said its now or never. All or nothing.

     

     

    Good night

  4. Turkey

     

    GTF

     

    You don’t have a scooby who or what I am, but I know you are a non entity.

     

    Now go away and steep in your pish

     

    …………………….

     

    Yellow card please, he is well worth it

  5. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Mags

     

     

    Why would you get banned ?

     

     

    You are the CQN’s Raquel Welch……although am sure Raquel would be more positive about Ronny’s Bhoys than your good self, you and Kev J should have a wee day oot and converse and let us all know everything bad about Celtic because obviously neither are happy with that Fenian mob winning the league every year…….

  6. Margaret McGill on

    I take issue with most CQN posters. Its a bit different on other nom de plum blogs. In my opinion the current Celtic board are traitors to the Celtic name and cause. Parasites in it for the money. A Gravy train with DD assignments. The club is currently being ruined because the accountants that run it have accepted the paradigm of money and then proceeded to screw it up. Celtic get more money and more turnover than their Europa League opponents. Their Modus Operandi is OLD FIRM. So the superlatives have all run their course. There will be no consequences to hun and SFA cheating. No judicial sanctions that amount to anything. Nothing will change in Scotland. Paul67 now realizes this and as informed is waiting on the EPL financial model to burst for some crumbs. Maybe DD has been told this (again as he was 10 years ago). The whole thing stinks.

  7. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Coatbrig Paper Bhoy

     

     

    My father spent all his days in the Bank Social Club, he used to get annoyed cause I went to the Bammy as a Bhoy, you will obviously know the boozers, my older brother Tommy is now following in our fathers footsteps with the Banks club…..if you don’t mind me asking where in ML5 do you reside ……. When going to the games a few years ago our bus left from The Fountain but they have now moved to Columba club

  8. “What Will We Do When The Board Openly Betray Us”….Now Theres a Question…….Not IF but WHEN…..Lottery Numbers Please, If You Aint Too Busy Nostradamus….Just Asking Like…

  9. Margaret McGill on

    FBI released a statement today that they have enough evidence to convict 16 FIFA officials for taking over $200m in bribes over the last 11 years and thats just the tip of the iceberg.

     

    The games a bogey man.

  10. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Margaret McGill 11.40pm

     

     

    How do you think the football team are doing ?

     

    What do you think about young Tierney ?

     

    Do you think Scott Allan should start ?

     

    Who many goals do you think Leigh will score ?

     

     

     

    Or is it all it about the Bass…. I mean the Board

  11. Love When CQN posters Post About Events in The Future with a Definate…Makes me Laugh…Sages , Each and Every One….

  12. Margaret McGill on

    The Celtic board have already openly betrayed Celtic supporters. However, until its in Daily record palpability English the “openly betrayed” issue will still be a conundrum for many. :)

  13. Maggie, good post, @11:21′ no justice, no peace.

     

     

    Kelvinbhoy, Tractorbhoy, in my thoughts.

     

     

    Kickinthenakas, cheers buddie, good wee night oot in Belfast.

     

    Hope your boy wins tomorrow.

  14. Margaret McGill on

    Gerryfaethebrig

     

    before detailing, answer me this first.

     

    In your opinion.

     

    Why did MON, WGS and Lenny leave Celtic?

     

    None of them fired and they were great servants to Celtic.

     

    So tell me.

  15. I Dont Even know what the weather will be like in Glasgow tomorrow but ive been informed on CQN that The Celtic Board Will betray the Support and that Nothing will Change regarding the huns , Well i dont need to think about those Things Anymore, They ARE gonna Happen in the FUTURE………..The Gospel According to CQN…Laughing…

  16. coatbridge paper bhoy on

    Gerryfaethebrig

     

    Was a Kirkwood BHOY , not long back , hot and sunny here 11 am there’s a clue. Got to fernibache , Motherwell and Dundee utd games + watched Molde game in Columba club.

     

    Does your surname start with G?.

     

    GB

  17. Margaret McGill on

    I’ll stick my neck out here and predict the Glasgow and the Glasgow celtic future….

     

    rain, rain and more rain.

     

    :)

  18. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Played many of my younger days at the Sports Barn, whether it was Patrick Thistle (sic) the Chunky Chicken or even the Eagle Inn, Coatbridge Paper Bhoy I even played with Connections the old Whifflet Arms and the Eagle Inn…….Fling the Georgian, the Columba Club and the Fountain bar, it might be more to do with a shandy than any amateur football ability

  19. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Mags

     

     

    What is a great servant ?

     

     

    I need a definition before I can answer

     

     

    MON = successfull

     

    WGS = successfull

     

    Lenny = successfull

     

     

    Why do you think they left Margaret ?

  20. Margaret McGill on

    Gerryfaethebrig

     

    No control over the squad in all its aspects is why they all left.

     

    You mean you dont know?

     

    or are you being obtuse?

  21. Gerryfaethebrig on

    CQN

     

     

    God night and God bless

     

     

    Clogher Celt hope things are getting better

     

     

    Hail Hail

  22. coatbridge paper bhoy on

    FRANNYB67

     

    Stayed in Craigend dr…..emigrated to Airdrie in 76 ( I know ) then Oz in 90. As you n se I’m pretty old’ish.

     

    GB

  23. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Mags

     

     

    Obtuse is one of the nicer things I have ever been called, stop the riddles, what do you think the problem is and why it’s happening ?

     

     

    Preferably don’t just say because of the board

  24. It definitely seems like (in best Private Frazer voice)

     

    We’re doomed.

     

    Rubbish.

     

    Can any of the prophets of doom provide me with this weekend’s lottery numbers?

     

    I’ll share the $170 odds with you.

     

    Promise.

  25. Gerryfaethebrig on

    Mags

     

     

    You will never change or be happy but keep pressing the keyboards

     

     

    Coatbrig Paper Bhoy

     

     

    Craigend Drive, I think a few of my cousins abide there AC is the son and there a few sisters PC and AC….. Apologies if you don’t know them

  26. Thoughts and prayers with kelvinbhoy and his famy

     

     

    Tractorbhoy hopefully your da pulls through , my own is in Belfast at minute, last blast of treatment tomorrow then back home to Derry… Scan then in couple weeks time to see how successful the treatment was. Fingers crossed all good . Tough times

     

     

    God bless the celts

  27. not paranoid enough.

     

     

    main stream media.

     

     

    tonights evening times. who edits this shit.

     

     

    ———-

     

     

    NOW YOU KNOW

     

     

    “Celts late goals cancelled out Willies early strike”

     

     

     

    Q, There have been may old firm games over the years that produced great comebacks, with one in particular being remembered by celtic fans”

     

     

    Q, Can you jog my memory, not long after Lisbon, rangers played celtic in a league cup game at celtic park. Rangers were 1 up , and missed a penalty with 15 minutes to go, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

  28. Tony Stokes’ tweet seems to have offended those looking to be offended.

     

     

    Sure, he’s getting paid to watch the hoops, and many of us spend/have spent hard-earned cash, etc, etc, blah, blah, blah.

     

     

    Dry yer eyes – in isolation a tweet from a modern-day player expressing frustration at not playing and discounting his enormous wage as a factor in his outlook would usually be considered a cerditable event.

     

     

    I saw nothing more in that tweet than a guy raging about kicking his heels in the stand, and desperate to pull on a Hoops jersey.

     

     

    But, you know, things will be interpreted to most suit those in the mood for offense. Not offence, which is Tony Stokes’ main problem. Ye see what I did there, disambiguation an’ that…

     

     

    Still, looks like he’s this season’s Scepovic – kept out of the team (or off the bench, this year) by someone not doing much to justify his place ahead in the queue.

     

     

    So before he’s crucified any longer on the altar of selective offendedness, ponder the question: What exactly has big Cifti done to keep Stokes out of the squad?

  29. Evening times answer,

     

     

    what could possibly be the spin –

     

     

    ——————-

     

     

    The tie was played on 30th August 1967. Willie Henderson put the Gers ahead early in the game. In 76 minutes Willie Henderson was fouled by Clark inside the box. Kai Johansen took the penalty but struck the bar.

     

     

    Late goals (wtf where they all scored in injury time ?)

     

    from Wallace, Murdoch and Lennox gave celtic the victory.

     

     

    ffs

     

     

    from this momentous comback game , what picture did they use ?