St Johnstone have bigger fish to fry between now and the end of the season than the Scottish Cup, but their date at Hampden against Celtic next month is their chance at glory.
Celtic apart, Saints are the only side to have won the Cup more than once in the last 16 years. Final wins over Dundee United in 2014 and Hibs in 2021 demonstrate a recent history of success we should guard against. It’s maybe better to face the team with a recent success run out of the way before the final.
Celtic won their first Scottish Cup in 1892, but it was 2019 before the club won that trophy three seasons in a row, on their way to a quadruple treble. Just six seasons later we are back in the semifinals aiming to achieve three in a row Scottish Cup wins again.
We should know better than to be complacent. After winning the cup in 2004 and 2005, Clyde eliminated Roy Keane et al in 2006. Winners in 1988 and 89, we lost the 1990 final to Aberdeen after 20 penalty kicks.
That was Aberdeen’s fifth Scottish Cup win in nine seasons. Celtic have won the Cup six times in the previous nine seasons, but Aberdeen’s triumph in 1990 was an era ending; they have not won again in the 35 years since. When successful runs end, it is seldom obvious at the time.
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Morning!
Happy Wednesday eve and travel day!
Had one of my last fires 🔥 out back last night – with a 🥃 – enjoying the cool air in TX before the heat comes.
Looking forward to the Hampden game and was agnostic on the draw, provided the ‘real Celtic’ show up.
With news that Man Utd are talking about building a 100,000 stadium would we be happy if Celtic built a state of the art stadium close to but not on the site of Celtic Park?
I know Saint’s fans who miss the Dell, and Arsenal fans who miss Highbury but they say that most fans have seen it as a positive move.
Celtic supporters will be housed in three of the four stands at McDiarmid Park when the Scottish Premiership leaders visit St Johnstone on 6 April, the Perth club have announced.
Should Brendan Rodgers’ side win their next two games at home to Rangers and Hearts, they can clinch the title with victory away to Saints, whose fans will be accommodated exclusively in the Geoff Brown Stand against Celtic.
“The 6 April Celtic match has the potential for unique issues,” St Johnstone said in a statement.
“There is increased interest in this game and there is legitimate concern that Celtic supporters could obtain tickets in home fan areas, creating additional safety issues. We believe it is thus prudent to consolidate our support in the Geoff Brown Stand.
“We always strive to create the best possible home advantage for our team but, in addition to the safety of our fans, we must also consider the financial realities that come with operating as a sustainable football club.
“Substantial additional revenue will be earned from allowing Celtic fans to fill the East Stand, revenue that will benefit our player budget for next season.
“As a result, and following lengthy discussions, we can confirm that away supporters will be allocated the East Stand, North Stand and Ormond Stand. As there are accessible seating areas in the East Stand, we will not be required to sell tickets to away fans in the Geoff Brown Stand.”
The Perth club added that East Stand season ticket holders “will be offered similar, and to the greatest extent possible, upgraded seats in the Geoff Brown Stand”.
St Johnstone also say the approach adopted for the Celtic game “is not a definitive position going forward and will form part of our test and learn process”.
Scottish Cup holders Celtic have been drawn to face St Johnstone in the semi-finals, which are scheduled to be played at Hampden over the weekend of 19 and 20 April.
Man Utd are the latest club to embark upon stadium upgrades as clubs look to increase match day revenues.
Let’s hope we’re not sleeping at the wheel as regards Celtic Park.
Yorkbhoy –
One of the wee mascots on Sunday was from Yorkshire
Can’t believe that Aberdeen penalty shoot out was 35 years ago. Pretty sure I didn’t watch the final few kicks.
I feel old again
Fred Colon on 11th March 2025 12:20 pm
Yorkbhoy –
One of the wee mascots on Sunday was from Yorkshire..
There are a lot of English Celtic fans in Yorkshire.. a lot of them have Celtic as a second team… more than I found in other parts of England
Good afternoon all from the owners enclosure at the Brazen Head. Tension mounting and nerves jangling. And that’s just the bar staff.
BIGJIMMY IM Starting of with the first race at Cheltenham, the horse I will put on£5 ew is Workahead,have a good day.
Smart move by St Johnstone, that move will pay a couple of players wages next season.
Good data Paul expanding an essentially 2-word article
“No complacency”
Bigger issues to discuss?
Like, what about that Maeda song?
Wow
Yorkbhoy – good point on new stadium.
An option that should help frame the stadium upgrade and expansion debate.
For me it’s a “no”
£400m we don’t have.
Paradise is our spiritual home.
Appreciate there are access issues.
Expanding and improving the open spaces around CP (not behind the North Stand obviously) would help mitigate.
Who knows – perhaps thousands could appear randomly, 2 hours before kick off, followed by more mobile kiosks and entrepreneurial bouncy castle operators.
“F*n Z*ne”
Sh !!
Don’t tell GCC
I dont dislike the main stand so much as i think it holds back our potential. Said last night, the club are investing massive amounts of money in infustructire work in the football department so clearly there is a desire to spend on such work.
Hopefully once that is done and they have exhausted improvements and upgrades in the east, south and west stands they can look at modernisation of the main stand.
No reason the wee corners could not be double teired (for ordinary joe’s like us) 5k extra seats between the two uppr corner.
No reason the south stand can’t be extended (towards the celtic way with space for better medua, hospitality, corporate etc). Add a new top tier with double deck (smaller middle section for added corporate seats, row of 10 seats with attached boxes the length of the main stand and a larger upper tier for ordinary joe supporters.
An extra 10k that includes 1500 added corporate seats and much improve facilities would transform celtic.
Club also have plans for hotel, museum etc in place, they could go ahead with the current plans or add that into stadium infustructure.
All that work would cost 100 million easily, but then it would take celtic up several levels and would likely increase revenue and profit by many millions year on year.
HH
Remember that 1990 penalty shoot out vividly.
Poor Anton Rogan was the fall guy … but he actually struck a good penalty.
Brian Irvine converted the winning spot kick .. and the football, political and media establishments
… who at that time each took turns to denigrate Catholicism ….
… rushed to embrace Brian’s Christian faith as a bedrock of who he was as an athlete.
Funny that.
Bada, at first reading of your post i thought you were talking nonsense 😀 but having thought about it, you’re bang on.
How many tickets would we get? 8000 @ about £30? £240k i reckon they’ll have some players on about £60k a year.
Could when up paying for about 4 players.
Good shout 👍🏻
Don’t think the money in the bank would be best used for that type of work, perhaps a new share issue, % of money in bank and loan to get all the work done ✔️
WEDNESDAY 11TH
I received a large amount of birthday cards today. Some from people I do not know. In particular a Mass bouquet with fifty Masses on it from Mrs Burns from Sevastopol Street. We all know of her, she never forgets us and we shan’t forget her, bless her dear heart.
I also received a card from reporter Brendan O Cathaoir, which indeed was thoughtful. I received a letter from a friend, and from a student in America whom I don’t know, but again it’s good to know that people are thinking of you. There were some smuggled letters as well from my friends and comrades.
I am the same weight today and have no complaints medically. Now and again I am struck by the natural desire to eat but the desire to see an end to my comrades’ plight and the liberation of my people is overwhelmingly greater.
The doctor will be taking a blood test tomorrow. It seems that Dr Ross has disappeared and Dr Emerson is back…
Again, there has been nothing outstanding today except that I took a bath this morning. I have also been thinking of my family and hoping that they are not suffering too much.
I was trying to piece together a quote from James Connolly today which I’m ashamed that I did not succeed in doing but I’ll paraphrase the meagre few lines I can remember.
They go something like this: a man who is bubbling over with enthusiasm (or patriotism) for his country, who walks through the streets among his people, their degradation, poverty, and suffering, and who (for want of the right words) does nothing, is, in my mind, a fraud; for Ireland distinct from its people is but a mass of chemical elements.
Perhaps the stark poverty of Dublin in 1913 does not exist today, but then again, in modern day comparison to living standards in other places through the world, it could indeed be said to be the same if not worse both North and South. Indeed, one thing has not changed, that is the economic, cultural and physical oppression of the same Irish people…
Even should there not be 100,000 unemployed in the North, their pittance of a wage would look shame in the company of those whose wage and profit is enormous, the privileged and capitalist class who sleep upon the people’s wounds, and sweat, and toils.
Total equality and fraternity cannot and never will be gained whilst these parasites dominate and rule the lives of a nation. There is no equality in a society that stands upon the economic and political bog if only the strongest make it good or survive. Compare the lives, comforts, habits, wealth of all those political conmen (who allegedly are concerned for us, the people) with that of the wretchedly deprived and oppressed.
Compare it in any decade in history, compare it tomorrow, in the future, and it will mock you. Yet our perennial blindness continues. There are no luxuries in the H-Blocks. But there is true concern for the Irish people.
MH- I think they have an American owner now,makes total financial sense
We have a billionaire in Dermot Desmond who could build a new stadium and still have change back ,I would like to know how much all of them board members are actually worth ,Maybe the fans will be the ones to step up to the plate just like they did when Fergus McCann was there,
This pertinent and mannerly discussion about the hows, whys, wherefores and shoulds or not about stadium changes and/or expansions is in stark contrast to the shenanigans on the sooside.
Was having a chat with a mate who is of blue-leaning persuasion (never a Hun) and he was trying to put some lipstick on that pig-in-a-poke by discussing their ‘potential’ investment in-coming from America. After some banter to-and-fro I pointed out that they had to have another share issue yesterday to keep things going and that rich American organisations only ‘invest’ to get something back out, so given the annual black hole reported over there I thought that the Yankees ponying up mullions was a tad unlikely.
“Anyway” I interjected, “why don’t they go to a bank and get a loan to help them stabilise their finances and help with the business plan?” He took a moment then just said “Fair enough, we can’t so we’re fecked!”
Twelve years in existence and they still can’t approach a financial institution for practical help, yet our meeja continue to laud them as big players in the game? Laughable.
Anyway, enjoying the polite and informative discussions re. stadium upgrades. Would love some of the ideas mooted to come to pass.
Ave Ave
wrt saint johnstone making sensible business decisions.
the cup semi finals cash is spilt 4 ways for the pooled amount.
quite feasible 90,000 toal at £30 each+ means at least £600k comes their way.
i want them to stay up.
I don’t know the specifics of cost and return on investment for a bigger Celtic Park.. but I would suggest that a new stadium would be easier to build rather than modify what we have.
I don’t like the idea of a Cambuslang but would be happier if it was in Parkhead…
Out of interest how much does a club get for hosting a European cup final?
Out of interest how much does a club get for hosting a European cup final?
i think i read somewhere, that cubs have to submit a bid proccess to actually host a final. ##
24 September 2024
Uefa has reopened the bidding for stadiums to host the 2027 Champions League final, after the match was stripped from Milan.
The San Siro was to be the venue for the showcase final but, after Milan officials failed to assure Uefa that planned redevelopment work would not hamper the event, European football’s governing body opted to take it away from them.
AC Milan and Inter Milan are considering building a new stadium in the San Siro area.
The new host stadium for the 2027 final is expected to be announced in May or June 2025.
SS
Thanks for that..
yorkbhoy –
your question on finals hosting that led me onto the very detaield rules from uefa for club competitions.
i cant find anything regarding stadium rental (or indeed part of the gate receipts) being given to the host clubs.
when we think of the model, half of clubs play their matches at stadiums owned by municipalities or their football associaton.
boring-ish but here goes.
XII – Financial Provisions
Article 56 Financial rules up to and including the quarter-finals
56.01
The home club retains its revenue (revenue from ticket sales, refreshments, concessions, etc.) and pays all match organisation costs (rental of match stadium, floodlighting, rental of training facilities for the visiting team, security and medical arrangements, TV production installations, if applicable, etc.). UEFA may reimburse some of the additional costs of televised matches.
56.02
The travel and accommodation costs of the visiting club’s delegation are borne by UEFA on the basis of the reimbursement policy communicated by UEFA at the start of the season. The difference between UEFA’s contribution and the actual travel and accommodation costs must be borne by the visiting club.
but this part is interesting – uefa owns the rights to ticketing revenues for not only the finals but also the semi finals .
——————
Article 57 Financial rules – semi-finals and final
57.01
UEFA organises the semi-finals and final and covers all related costs, including the teams’ transport on-site.
57.02
The travel and accommodation costs of the four teams (with up to 31 persons in each team) are borne by UEFA on the basis of the reimbursement policy communicated by UEFA prior to the semi-finals. The difference between UEFA’s contribution and the actual travel and accommodation costs must be borne by the clubs.
57.03
For the semi-finals and final, UEFA owns all rights relating to ticketing.
AIPPLE
Safe journey and hope you witness a hun skelping pal .
arteta interview coming up, another torn faced hun so he is.
EMEALDBEE from earlier
Good stuff. Kinda reminds me of when Dianne Abbot was asked about the national debt, she said, no problem, we will borrow a load of money and pay it off.
Great maths
KINGLUBO
you know i was puzzled by empty seats and boxes during our home cl games – look at how many freebies uefa get.
i know the sponsors pay via all those commersial contracts, but if they cant use them all more effort should be made to get them back to celtic fans –
———————
46.03
For matches of the play-offs, the league phase and the knockout phase, the clubs undertake to provide UEFA with the following numbers of complimentary tickets for the VIP area, including hospitality at no additional charge, for use by UEFA and its partners:
Play-off matches: 10
League phase matches: 50
Knockout phase play-off matches: 50
Round of 16 matches: 50
Quarter-finals: 50
Semi-finals: 50
Likewise, UEFA must be provided with complimentary tickets of the next highest category after those providing access to the home club’s VIP area for use by UEFA and its partners. These tickets must be located in a single block, in a section located between the two 16m lines and within the same tier level of the stadium, for use by UEFA and its partners. The following numbers of tickets must be provided:
Play-off matches: 50
League phase matches: 330, plus up to 42 that UEFA may purchase at retail price
Knockout phase play-off matches: 380, plus up to 45 that UEFA may purchase at retail price
Round of 16 matches: 380, plus up to 45 that UEFA may purchase at retail price
Quarter-finals: 425, plus up to 52 that UEFA may purchase at retail price
Semi-finals: 475, plus up to 51 that UEFA may purchase at retail price
46.06
In addition, UEFA and its partners must be given the opportunity to acquire, at face value, the following numbers of retail tickets, whereby tickets in the next highest category must also be situated in one block and in a central section (i.e. not behind the goal):
Play-off matches: minimum of 350 top-category retail tickets, 370 retail tickets in the next highest category and 220 retail tickets in the third highest category
League phase matches: minimum of 308 top-category retail tickets, 370 retail tickets in the next highest category and 230 retail tickets in the third highest category
Knockout phase play-off matches: minimum of 365 top-category retail tickets, 460 retail tickets in the next highest category and 360 retail tickets in the third highest category
Round of 16 matches: minimum of 365 top-category retail tickets, 460 retail tickets in the next highest category and 360 retail tickets in the third highest category
Quarter-finals: minimum of 608 top-category retail tickets, 710 retail tickets in the next highest category and 640 retail tickets in the third highest category
Semi-finals: minimum of 829 top-category retail tickets, 920 retail tickets in the next highest category and 730 retail tickets in the third highest category
Stadium upgrade. Yes . Prudent and needed.
Greater capacity. No. The transport situation cannot cope with the existing capacity adequately. never mind any increase.
GCC transport planners play with ideals , not reality.
HH.
For Sunday I note McLean and Beaton in the main. Positions.
I do hope our support turns up and doesn’t leave it to the opposition fans and the GB to provide the sound track this week.
It was a huge game on Sunday and it was great to hear and see the Hibs fans sing and stand for the game. Pity 50000 Celtic fans (including many new ones) prefer to sit and not really say much for 96 minutes. Still I guess that’s consumers ‘used to winning’ for you.
Hopefully we see and hear differently from our season ticket holders this week but not holding my breath. YNWA and then sit down and look for a preferred escapegoat to blame to replace Taylor or Scales .
Burnley78 on 11th March 2025 3:54 pm
I think Away fans are invariably more vocally supportive than the Home support at any ground.
I do , however , accept your `used to winning ` comment though I think that is more or less normal in other walks of life.
Incidentally, I don`t know if you saw my post yesterday (?) both thanking and complimenting you on your efforts to keep us updated on various ,possible CL qualifying scenarios..
It is appreciated.