Prelude to the big event

112

Out of Europe and 13 points clear in the league, Celtic’s biggest game on the fixture list comes next month against Hibernian in the Scottish Cup. Everything we do between now and then must have an eye on winning that encounter at Celtic Park.

The first stage in that quest is a visit to Easter Road tomorrow. Hibs are on a run of 12 games without defeat, which includes eight wins. This has seen them climb off the bottom of the table and join Aberdeen and Dundee United in the fight for third place. These are good times for David Gray’s side.

Their last defeat is worth exploring for both clubs. Your memory may have faded, but Celtic’s 3-0 win over Hibs that day did not reflect the flow of the game. Hibs could have matched our goal tally. It was evident that Gray was close to getting a tune out of his side, and Celtic still had work to do.

My biggest concern about the two games ahead against Hibs is the number of times we have faced them this season. Tomorrow is the fourth time the teams have met. Celtic have won the previous three but good sides and good managers learn how to play you.

Back in October we ended another great undefeated run when we dismantled Aberdeen at Hampden. The bubble burst and send the Dons into a tailspin. Hopefully a win tomorrow can do the same to Hibs, before that all important Scottish Cup tie.

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  1. The worst thing hibs can do before that Scottish cup game is to take something tomorrow. Brendan doesn’t forget.

  2. . `The bubble burst and send the Dons into a tailspin. Hopefully a win tomorrow can do the same to Hibs, before that all important Scottish Cup tie.`

     

     

    The final clause helps dilute your main point . Otherwise, I feel many Celtic fans are quite happy to see Hibs do well.

  3. If you can put the shenanigans, boorish and entitled behaviour to the back of you mind for a minute – the 49er deal isn’t that bad an outcome.

     

     

    A stronger hun team will push Celtic to Euro levels 4+ times a season and reduce complacency in the boardroom.

     

     

    It would be even better if it could raise the level of the league across the board but I’m not hopeful there.

     

     

    As much as I would hate a hun win in any trophy, I don’t support Celtic because we win every domestic challenge and would welcome the competition.

     

     

    Having said all that, cue the shenanigans 🙄

  4. The Blogger Formerly Known As GM on

    B78 – hope you are well and on the mend.

     

     

    Not sure if you saw my post @10am on the previous blog where I tried to make the point that either the “49ers” are over-paying for RIFC or Celtic’s shares are woefully undervalued (assuming the rumoured £150m price tag for RIFC is correct).

     

     

    Comparing the respective market caps is misleading as it ignores the fact Celtic have £65m of net cash and RIFC have £25m of net debt (as at the year to June 2024). Taking this in to account, Celtic have an enterprise value of c.£100m versus the £175m the “49ers” are supposedly paying for RIFC.

     

     

    Making the (heroic) assumption both clubs should be valued similarly, RIFC equity is worth £75m, half of what the “49ers” are supposedly paying. Alternatively, if the folks who are way smarter than me are correct in their £175m valuation for RIFC, Celtic’s share price is 75% undervalued!

  5. FOURSTONE – thanks for sharing the Jinky Cash vid; first time viewer.

     

     

    HOTSMOKED: I’ve long kept an affection for the old cabbage ‘n ribs since the Cropley, Stanton, Schaedler era.

  6. Hibs will be missing 3 of their better players tomorrow. Not totally sure a win will have so much bearing on 9th March.

  7. Celtics performance in Europe against a quality pukkah opponent like Bayern – with all their bona-fides………..really put the spotlight on our achievement and underscored what our Great Club has achieved. This neatly put the huns in stark relief…………

     

     

    I’ve no doubt some gazillionaire will cast their eyes over a potential investment – it may even be the SF 1690’ers or somesuch…………But…….BUT………scoddland couldnae wait to boost thur favourite Klub and the latest “mega-money skoop!”……………..

     

     

    Scotland has the Fitba’ landscape it deserves.

     

     

    HHH.

  8. Blogger formerly known as GM

     

     

    Def feeling better thanks. Should make it to Easter Rd tomorrow.

     

     

    Tough to analyse respective Finacials and values.

     

     

    Rangers are completely opaque. Even simple stuff like debt is unknown.

     

     

    We have such low liquidity and perhaps a perception of limited upside on how well it is being run now. Eg glass ceiling of our geography.

     

     

    It is far from a perfect market.

  9. Bankiebhoy

     

     

    Thanks. I had a horrible wee appendix extraction 2 weeks ago. A few other bits as well but it ended up really good and I am def a lot better for it. The older you get the more challenging the recovery mind you !

  10. i am struggling somewhat to see what value there is in buying 2nd rangers.

     

     

    Struggling to see how they can make a thin dime profit.

     

     

    Opportunities to increase revenues via investment, As Kevin Bridges says “how?”.

     

     

    I am not fully onboard with a stroger performing Rangers ups our game either.

     

     

    I had a wee peak at the Leeds operation, still a basket case, and now i hope they dont get promoted.

     

     

    https://swissramble.substack.com/p/leeds-united-finances-202223

  11. bournesouprecipe on

    Same club?

     

     

    A K Ray, Ross Hall Hospital, Glasgow £150

     

    ADI UK, Preston £7620

     

    AS St Etienne, France £252,212.39

     

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    Argyll and Bute Council £406.80

     

    Arsenal Football Club £136,560

     

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    Audi Stirling £396.05

     

    Azure Support Services, Macclesfield £523,949.71

     

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    Base Soccer Agency, London £52,560

     

    Bauer Radio Ltd (Radio Clyde) £702

     

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    Bhutta’s Newsagents, Glasgow £567.45

     

    Big Think Agency, Glasgow £14,265.60

     

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    Brabners, Manchester £12,999

     

    Brentwood Estates, Manchester £42,963.06

     

    Brian Proudfoot, Glasgow £2,802

     

    British Gas £1,562.42

     

    BT £1,292.13

     

    Business Cost Consultants, Glasgow £6,240.60

     

    Business Stream, Edinburgh £9,727.22

     

    CNP Professional, Cheshire £719.96

     

    CRE8, Gloucester £68,406.70

     

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    Cameron Presentations, Glasgow £8,795.99

     

    Campbell Medical Supplies, Paisley £3,386.73

     

    Camtec, Herts £552

     

    Canniesburn Taxis, Bearsden £269.69

     

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    Chelsea FC £238,345.43

     

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    Chilli It, Chester £416.52

     

    Chris Clarke, Kilmarnock £150

     

    Christine Siebelt, Milngavie £1,100

     

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    City Electrical Factors, Glasgow £215.40

     

    Clyde Productions, Glasgow £180

     

    Coca Cola £10,133.91

     

    Colin Suggett, Sunderland £741.80

     

    Collstream Limited, Derby £5,779.37

     

    Collyer Bristow, London £40,691.22

     

    Colours Agency Glasgow £1,980

     

    Computer Links, Livingston £2,146.32

     

    Computershare Investor Service, Bristol, £23,855.03

     

    Craig Services & Access East Sussex £900

     

    Culture & Sport Glasgow £10,338.96

     

    Daily Record & Sunday Mail £312

     

    DealBureau Commercial Finance, Southend £10,000

     

    Decco Limited, Glasgow £174.72

     

    Dell Computer Corporation, Berkshire £272.85

     

    Direct Medical Imaging, Lancashire £230

     

    Disclosure Scotland £372

     

    Dominique S Byrne, Nuffield Hospital, Glasgow £160

     

    Dr David A S Marshall, Bridge of Weir £160

     

    Dundas & Wilson, Edinburgh £24,027.84

     

    E.ON £8,827.14

     

    Eagle Consulting, Inverness £40

     

    Eagle Couriers, Bathgate £96.60

     

    Eden Springs, Blantyre £644.64

     

    Edinburgh Audi £5,197.08

     

    Electrical Was te Recycling, County

     

    Durham £18

     

    Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Stirling £9,000

     

    Events Audio Visual, Clydebank £300

     

    Exchequer Corporate Finance , Surrey £4,000

     

    Executive Hire, Harlow £1,060

     

    FES FM, Stirling £80,874.93

     

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    FX Signs, Glasgow £15,546.56

     

    G Media Mangement, Cheltenham £995

     

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    GTG Training, Glasgow £396

     

    Gareth Neil Design, Glasgow £3,200

     

    Gerry McGeoch, Glasgow £150

     

    Glasgow Audi £1,041.62

     

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    Glasgow City Council (Council Tax) £2,008.21

     

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    Glencairn Crystal Studio, East Kilbide £354

     

    Gordon McKay, Blackridge £150

     

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    Hamilton Brothers, Bishopton £115.56

     

    Hay McKerron Associates, Milngavie £3,600

     

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    Hutchesons Eductational Trust, Glasgow £550

     

    ILC Media, Preston £2,040

     

    IMG Media, Chiswick £180

     

    Impact Signs, Cumbernauld £9,482.79

     

    Integrated Cleaning Management, Hampshire £3,329.19

     

    Iris Chorus Application Software, Devon £5,973.60

     

    Iris Ticketing, Devon £37,210.42

     

    Iron Mountain, Livingston £1,271.16

     

    JCM Business Consulting, Paisley £2,745

     

    JJB Sports £19,390.59

     

    James Gordon (Engineers), Galston £1,437.68

     

    Jewson, Glasgow £930.60

     

    Joe Lennon Picture Framing, Bearsden £840

     

    John Deere, Gloucester £41,191.59

     

    K7X, Ayr, £240

     

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    Keith Hawley, Glasgow £2,600

     

    Kevin Cameron Radio Service, Paisley £600

     

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    Mar Hall, Bishopton £5,511.90

     

    Marsh Ltd UK, Norwich £779.10

     

    Martin Dawes, Warrington £654.74

     

    Media House, Glasgow £19,200

     

    MediaCom, Edinburgh £11,544.42

     

    Menzies Hotels, Derbyshire £257.40

     

    Michael Douglas, Glasgow £100

     

    Milngavie Mini Market £413.29

     

    Modular Property Holdings, Glasgow £20,930.22

     

    Motif Promotional Clothing, Glasgow £27.29

     

    Murray Group Holdings, Edinburgh £278,964.30

     

    Nairn Brown (Glasgow) £1,492.50

     

    National Car Rental, Leicester £162.52

     

    Navyblue Design Group, Edinburgh £6,960

     

    Newline Products, Glasgow £7,001

     

    Newsquest (Herald & Times £1,500

     

    Nexo S.A., France £1,799.37

     

    Nicola Young, Glasgow £3,500

     

    Noble Grossart, Edinburgh £18,612

     

    Nordic Scouting, Oslo £20,000

     

    North Glasgow College £11,041.80

     

    OHSS, Edinburgh £234

     

    OfficeFurnitureOnline.co.uk, Dumfires £338.40

     

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    Opal Telecom £169.72

     

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    PR Newswire Europe £300

     

    PTS – Plumbing Trade Supplies, Leicester £30.42

     

    Paramed, Howwood £1,050

     

    Parklands Country Club, Glasgow £500

     

    Parks of Hamilton £7,256

     

    Paton Plant, York £1,450.16

     

    Perform Group, Middlesex £346,097.43

     

    Pineapple Aroundshot, Co Durham £2,316.96

     

    Pineapple Photographic, Co Durham £5,875

     

    Ping Network Solutions, Glasgow £4,020.25

     

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    SG World, Cheshire £577.56

     

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    Shred-it Glasgow £444

     

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    Simplewaste Solutions, Clydebank £17,626.26

     

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    UK Fast, Manchester £689.78

     

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    Umbro £1,756.05

     

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    William Henderson, Glasgow £275

     

    Yuill & Kyle Solicitors, Glasgow £1,486.80

     

    Celtic FC £40,337

     

    Dundee United FC £65,981.49

     

    Dunfermline Athletic FC £83,370.13

     

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    Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC £39,805

  12. Back to Basics - Glass Half Full on

    https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/know_shit_from_Shinola

     

     

    Describe the intended audience for this latest scoop to a tee.

     

     

    Their giddy lapping up of the “news” proves it

     

     

    The use of an Americanism is a hat tip to the .. ahem .. “involvement” of the 49ers.

     

     

    When considered with regard to the R2ngers demographic .. Old Phineas got it wrong.

     

     

    You CAN fool all of the peepul all of the time

  13. AULDHEID

     

     

    Were you at Joe’s Stag night in the Lough Erne, which lasted three days?

     

    Also spent a lot of time with him in the Braemar with big Cecil.

     

     

    Goodolddays CSC

  14. The Blogger Formerly Known As GM on

    BSR – great post. Lest we forget.

     

     

    It is sometimes forgotten many, many small businesses and individuals suffered loses, not just the taxpayer.

     

     

    I wonder what they all think when they see BBC Scotland employ people who benefited from them being screwed over.

  15. The SF49ers takeover fantasy arrives just in time for season ticket renewals. Five minutes after the deadline, the takeover bid will disappear in a fog of media excuses and recrimination.

  16. Tom McLaughlin on 21st February 2025 2:09 pm

     

     

     

    I posted similar yesterday ?) but the truth is I don`t really have a clue about either the authenticity of the reporting or of the effect, if true, it would have on Sevco..

     

    Would they become the Texas Rangers?

     

     

    PS I KNOW San Francisco is not in Texas but I couldn`t help myself :-))

  17. Saint Stivs on 21st February 2025 1:20 pm

     

    “i am struggling somewhat to see what value there is in buying 2nd rangers.

     

    Struggling to see how they can make a thin dime profit.”

     

     

    Leveraged buyout Glazer style means its almost cost/risk free with debt moved to club after purchase?

     

     

    Buy and lease back of £1brox would let them take money out whilst ensuring the club are still paying the costs to maintain?

     

     

    Finally, using Rangers to blood Leeds youngsters and “projects” would help the group as a whole with Sevco subsiding wages/paying for loans but not sharing much (if any) in the way of profits from this.

     

     

    If Leeds can establish themselves as an EPL team, their kids and prospects might be enough to make Sevco more competitive than they can be now – after all they just have to beat the rest consistently to have a chance.

  18. quality quadbhoy – they become SF’s gimp. It does make sense of why they have kept on big phil – they’ve had their eye on this and can do without distractions.

     

     

    Extract Extract Extract brother 49ers.

  19. The Blogger Formerly Known As GM on

    Quad – not sure if it’s possible, but with American private equity owners (let’s be done with this 49ers nonsense and call a spade a spade) they could perhaps tap the corporate bond market, instead of bank funding.

     

     

    Unfortunately for them, interest rates are no longer zero.

     

     

    If they were generously given a BBB credit rating you would be paying 5.5% for 10 year paper and that’s with credit spreads currently at generational lows. Their balance sheet is already creaking under the weight of “investor” loans. It can’t carry any more debt.

     

     

    As for sale-and-leaseback, I’d love it if they did that. For sure you get an immediate infusion of capital, but when the money’s gone, it’s gone. Meanwhile that long term liability of future lease payments just sits on your balance sheet.

  20. Fenerbache eh?

     

     

    Jose will be reviewing the Queen’s Park tapes for strategy prep…..will be shitting himsel’

  21. bournesouprecipe on

    From elsewhere,

     

     

     

     

    Is your football club skint? Tick

     

     

    Are you struggling to find the money to pay your bills? Tick

     

     

    Is your domestic season over in February? Tick

     

     

    Did you recently suffer the worst result in your short but hilarious history? Tick

     

     

    Are your supporters tired of being constantly ridiculed by their most hated rivals? Tick

     

     

    Is your manager a clown but you can’t afford to pay him off? Tick

     

     

    Are you expecting Hector at the front door again looking for the R&D money back? Tick

     

     

    Do you have to start finding £4.5 million to pay for Oscar Cortes in the months ahead? Tick

     

     

    Are you about to ask your fanbase to fork out hundreds of pounds for another season of the same old p1sh? Tick

     

     

    Do you need to find a reason to pull the wool over their eyes yet again? Tick

     

     

    We’ve got the perfect solution. Make up some hilarious story about more people with wealth off the radar who are desperate to pump millions of pounds into your tribute act of a club. Feed it to all your compliant gimps in the media. All your brain-dead gullible fans will buy into it, give you all their money, then in the summer you can give them the bad news that the deal has fallen through at the last minute for some unknown mysterious reason. It’s almost season book renewal time at Sevco folks!!!

  22. HOT SMOKED on 21ST FEBRUARY 2025 2:16 PM

     

    Would they become the Texas Rangers?

     

    ######

     

     

    Can’t remember where I saw it, but I was taken by the suggestion of San Fransevco…🙂

  23. I really wish there was no substance in it.

     

     

    Of course as GM says it is far from a panacea. It is still a shift for them. At a time when everything really does seem desperate.

     

     

    My own sense is a variation of it will happen.

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