I like Neil Lennon. If Neil Lennon is talking about football, I shut up and listen. But I respectfully disagree on other subjects. If the last three years have taught us anything it’s that Celtic don’t need oldco or newco Rangers. Unequivocally, Celtic Park is quieter since Rangers liquidated, the level of competition we previously had added many to the gates, none of us feel the anxiety of genuine sporting challenge, but so what?
If Celtic sell 40,000 instead of 50,000 season tickets are we mortally wounded? The accounts would suggest otherwise. Does it mean we cannot compete in Europe? I refer to Neil’s record. Does it mean we cannot attract quality players? Well, it means we will not be able to attract some players, but I’m more than happy with the calibre of players we’ve recruited at the moment. Good riddance to the parts of Celtic that went out the door when Rangers were flushed down the Liquidation Lavvy.
I’m going to cut Neil some slack. I’ve been among Rangers fans and been generous enough to acknowledge income will rise at Celtic if newco ever reach the top flight. It costs nothing to be magnanimous.
What we do need is competition, the like of which Aberdeen have given us in the league this season and they and Dundee United may provide next season, if current trends continue. Congratulations are due to Hearts, who won the Championship before the clocks went forward, an incredible display of dominance, but as our two cup wins against them this season (3-0, 0-4) proves, they are miles away from providing the level of competition we see from Aberdeen.
Don’t have time to get dragged into a larger debate at the moment, but whenever Scottish football next turns its mind to strategic development, how to bolster Aberdeen and United should be top of the agenda. I enjoyed our four games against United this month and the recent league game against Aberdeen. More of them would be welcome.
We have a league split at the moment, where the top six hive off to play for the title, but it comes with only five games to play. An earlier split, allowing us more games against those at the top, while creating more opportunity for teams at the bottom to pick up points from their peers, makes more sense. Especially if more commercial income could be shared with the likes of Aberdeen and United.
Have you ever walked up Ben Nevis? Will you ever do so? It’s a big task if you are starting from scratch. When is it safe, what do you wear, what if something goes wrong, how long will it take, what about nourishment along the way?
The Ben Nevis Huddle delivers much of what you need on a plate. The Foundation have it all in hand. You get to walk up the mountain with a couple of hundred other Celts. They let you know what you need to know, check the weather for you and generally look out for things. They have left no one on the mountain. Yet.
What’s more, you get to do it in the name of Celtic FC Foundation, for our work with autism, downs, the homeless and destitute, those marginalised from our society, and those living in third world poverty.
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Heh Celts, how we all doin this fine day?
Almore,
a pleasure to meet you on Saturday prior to the game,although all to fleetingly.Many thanks for the badge form The Brother Walfrid Csc,it was just great meetin someone who pronounced me moniker right haha.I hope you enjoyed the rest of your night in Glasgow.
I am sure wi DD,Thunder Rd and Gordybhoy youd have a laugh.Catch up next time :-)
HH
“Good idea in theory, but would mess up domestic cup midweek games and internationals.”
Glasstwothirds,
It’s gonna take a bit of honing :)
Turkeybhoy loud and clear
See you in the Grants Arms Whopeeee
Happy Birthday Bertie Auld true Celt &one of lifes gentleman.HH.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Mhi5PlY0s4
rangers in disguise – have a look and laugh bhoys
justafan
I’m not 100% sure of the correct date the pub opened, but it was around 66/67 I think.
So even with Dave King now at the helm they are still borrowing money, sure he was talking about investing £30M in them not that long ago, what happened to that plan I wonder, so this loan is to tide them over until the next loan, sincerely hope it all ends in tears.
the battered bunnet@ 14 44.
A young and fit me did the Clachlet Traverse in the company of a super fit English Bull Terrier that probably covered thrice the distance as it ran to and fro.I was very tired at the end.The dog could have done the return journey no probs.That dog had astonishing stamina.
timbhoy2, apparently this guy was a regular performer in the Grant Arms:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qiO5Ngi45O0
Paul67 et al
Maybe I have misunderstood your proposal Paul for which my apologies. Even so, as things stand we will play both Dundee Utd and Aberdeen four times. Your idea could include more. I have argued for years against playing the same teams four times, so cannot agree with more than that. A bigger league, two games home and away, then a split with one more game. All on Saturday afternoons.
Árd Macha
I would agree that they are outside several of the rules of football again but we have no one with the guts at the SFA to even question what’s going on there.
Oor phils up.
Not looking to good for sevco again ktf.
Just as well we can afford it…
Celtic have been fined nearly £9500 over two charges of misconduct during last month’s Europa League second-leg meeting with Inter Milan.
A penalty of £5860 was imposed for “improper conduct” on the field as well as a £3600 punishment for flares set off by fans at the San Siro.
Virgil van Dijk was sent off for two bookable offences, while five other players were booked in the 1-0 loss.
Uefa fined Celtic earlier this year for supporter behaviour at Dinamo Zagreb.
And this is the seventh time the Glasgow club have been penalised for the actions of fans since December 2011.
Inter, who proceed to last 16 of Europa League with a 4-3 aggregate victory – only to lose out to Wolfsburg, were also fined £3600 for their supporters letting off fireworks
…from the beeb
Just catching last nights’ sport scene, any idea if kenny miller got booked for his celebration?
P
pod i…
Yes!
HH
Maybe a top 16 could work.
Home and Away = 30 games
Top 6 split home and away = 30 + 10 = 40
Bottom 10 play each other once = 30 + 9 = 39
Bottom 10 is a bit crap really – not many decent league games left after the split unless you’re fighting against relegation.
….just not next season please :))))
eddiegreenhillsbhoy…
You got a link to Phil’s article?
Pod i,
Yes, but sssssh.
HH
shamrock hoops@14.14…I think you are a newish poster and I have noticed you always seem to post a daily record link, including for iOS and android. Are you by any chance an employee of said publication? Why don’t you c&p the articles rather than putting up a link? I think the people on this blog would prefer that to clicking on the rag’s link…it makes sense you know…
The Battered Bunnnet
I agree. Dont get the Munro thing myself.Its just good been out there.whatever height
Near E.K you have Louden Hill round the Straven Rd or Ballageach(sp) in the Moors,The weavers trail from Eaglesham over Corse Hill to Darvel, Neilston has the pad and great wee routes,DunCarnock is my fav offering great views of Glasgow. In the north Queens view and the Whangie,Dumgoyne and the Earls Seat.
Aye your right bout Suilven,great wee hills,Ben A’an in the trossachs but my fav wee hill is 494m Sgurr na Stri above Loch Coruisk in Skye http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/skye/sgurrnastri.shtml
If your doing Nevis the Arete shows it off well.
HH
tim alone … that seems to work. but, as you said, leave it for a season or two!
As I said in an earlier post, “I hope Dungdee Untited do not make the top six. I am sick of the sight of them”. As for the zombie huns, no thanks, could not care a feck if we ever play them again
The kicker is in the last line:
The company has ceased the process of satisfying the conditions for drawdown of the second tranche of the facility.
Does that mean they knew they couldn’t meet Big Mike’s conditions for the loan, so they went to the three bears instead?
As someone else said, what happened to King’s £30m…..???
The only money Dave King has got is the monopoly money he stole aff his weans..
Phil
Tough questions for the new regime at Ibrox
5 Replies
No doubt the new regime at Ibrox would have been very happy at the unexpected victory yesterday at Easter Road.
There is now a believable scenario whereby they can win through the play offs and progress into the top flight.
However today they know that this week will be a difficult one for them.
I understand from sources that the cash flow situation is critical.
The figure given to me is that there was a little more than £100,000 in the Sevco bank account at the end of last week.
Of course the new regime knows this perfectly well and they have been making frantic overtures to Mr Ashley.
Direct attempts to contact Big Mike have so far failed.
I understand that there is an exclusive interview set up this week with Mr Paul Murray.
Perhaps the award winning chap will find some time to ask him about his recent attempts to see Mr Ashley.
I understand that the RIFC interim Chairman did not even get past security.
However, I am sure Mr Murray, if asked the question, will be happy to clarify that one.
As with all good journalism, if you have the opportunity, you should ask the tough questions rather than keep to the previously agreed PR script.
Given that direct communication with Big Mike appears to be off the radar, the new regime has apparently sought the intercession of others.
Anyone interviewing Mr Paul Murray this week could ask him about the possibility of the Easdale Brothers being back in Sevco blazers soon.
Such a conciliatory move might produce a warmer response from Mr Ashley.
Dear reader not everything that turns up in the tabloids can be dismissed as PR pish and, gasp, Charles of Normandy might not have been spinning a yarn about being Big Mike’s man.
He certainly was in the Square Mile recently letting people know that he was a player again in the Ibrox farce.
Around the same time Malcolm Murray was trying to drum up support in the City for the ailing Ibrox entity.
Let’s just say he was unsuccessful.
Charlie and the boys hit paydirt in 2012 with the RIFC Initial Public Offering and that will not be replicated.
If Mr Paul Murray does grant an interview to a tabloid this week and the picture presented is of financial stability then someone is not asking the correct questions.
That Dave King is not mentioned in the list of those providing £1.5m working capital today is significant.
Moreover, the idea that Ashley was “snubbed” is risible.
The £1.5m covers payroll this week and little else and the long term financial picture for Sevco is much more demanding than beating Hibs.
zombie’s borrowing 1.5 million …. still trying to figure out how any of this makes financial sense … 1.5 might help them make payroll until the end of the season, but cant imagine that it would cover the rest of the bills …
what, then, is the game plan? get through, hopefully get promoted…. sell more season tickets and use that up front money to pay down mounting debts? They are going to have to basically buy an entirely new squad this season, or renew already bloated contracts ….so, this only defers slightly the mounting problems…..
just dont see how this makes any financial sense …. or what the real end game is … except another administration at some point.
Ashley holds all the cards,
TD
Cheers :-)
rrc
No problem HH
I agree Paul.
We Stand alone.
no business with them in any shape or form with the cheat
no co-sponsorships no TV deals.nothing.no more than is necessary if we meet the cheat.
Their rightful place has gone.Their cheating exposing what that rightful place was
It no longer exists.
That time is gone,
David Murray.
Gone.
HH
Pod i
What did you think of the panel laughing at Paton’s assault on GMS?
Paul67,
Has Neil Lennon being saying that we need Sevco in the top division?
Starry Plough
The ex-employees to whom you refer include some who were cheated out of both titles and winning bonuses by Rangers (1872-2012).
Why aren’t they raging about that fact?
Especially with Sevco’s ‘same club’ garbage.
Finished for me too if the gerrymandering to which you refer occurs.
How many payrolls in a row have now been made via loans? 5 or 6 maybe?
Loans have to be repaid at some point.
They are getting deeper and deeper into hock every month with no revenue streams or bank facilities to service these loans.
Sooner or later someone has to say “that’s plenty” and pull the plug.
Personally I reckon they’ll push the button before the end of this season and dump their debts.
dignitymyerchiecsc
Re the OB act.
When do you stop being on your way back from the football??
Have a good night Celts
:-)
HH
Phil’s up
http://www.philmacgiollabhain.ie/tough-questions-for-the-new-regime-at-ibrox/
Following the Godfather/Goodfellas discussion on here the other night, just to say that Sir Trev of McDonald is presenting a programme on the Mafia at 9 on STV tonight.
Documentary, so should negate any ‘thrill’ accusations.