With former Rangers International director, Charles Green, no longer on the scene, Scottish Football League chief executive, David Longmuir, has had a sudden change of heart. After encouraging member clubs to reject the SPL proposal to merge leagues, yesterday he congratulated clubs who voted for the merger as “reluctant heroes”.
SFL president, Jim Ballantyne, was less pragmatic, “We are joining their [SPL] company, their organisation. They have swallowed us up. We could use nice words about it, but it is a takeover.”
On this occasion, we concur with Mr Ballantyne, who went on to say, “It will be for others to decide if this step takes us to where we want to go.”
The truth is that while this arrangement will do lots for clubs in the second tier of the game it will fundamentally change nothing, our challenges remain.
News this morning of impending financial doom at Hearts as a result of their lender and major shareholder going into liquidation presents another challenge. Hearts over-reached what looked like a bizarre attempt to spend money like there was no tomorrow. Memories of Zadoc the Priest blasting over the PA system at Tynecastle heralding their access to the Champions League qualifiers in 2006 will seem hollow now.
Scottish football has one perfectly solvent cash cow and nearly 40 businesses teetering on the brink. Send the cash cow off to graze in pastures where it can be fattened in return for writing a cheque big enough to solve the game’s problems.
Willie Wallace will be at the Celtic Store, Argyle St, for late night shopping, from 5.30-7.30 pm tonight (Thursday). Where you can buy a signed copy of his book and have a chat with the man himself. Bring a camera.
Immediately after leaving the Celtic Store Willie and Brogan Rogan (and a pile of books) are heading to the Greenock Celtic Supporters’ Club for a CQN Question and Answer evening. Entry costs £2 (all of which is going to our charity causes). DON’T FORGET YOUR CAMERA!!
Raffle tickets for this fabulous signed Celtic strip cost only £1, you’ve two days left to get a ticket, so fill your boots here.
Tomorrow, while some of us are relaxing in Fife, over a hundred Celtic fans will drive north ahead of a 1254125 Ben Nevis climb and Huddle. Two of our own are then cycling from Fort William back to Glasgow on Sunday…. They need sponsors for their 1254125 campaign. Even if you can’t make it up Ben Nevis you can help out here.
And, if your stuck in Lanarkshire tomorrow there’s a trivia quiz in aid of the Walk Centre, Nakuru, Kenyan, who help children and families of the slum. Quiz takes place at St John The Baptist Church Hall, Uddingston, 7.30 – 11.30.
Order Heart of a Lion below:
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evening CQN
looks like they might have to use some charity?
http://www.followfollow.com/news/tmnw/plans_for_fans_to_pay_for_museum_met_with_disquiet_797656/index.shtml
don’t think its goer
HH
Mr superbrain’s iq been re- assessed by rst at 169.0
He’ll still be smarter than the average bear.
Celtic Trust @TheCelticTrust
It gets worse – an MSP has asked the Royal Mail why mail delivered to constituents who happen to be FAC activists has been tampered with.
One Nation…
cant quite believe charlotte hasn’t blown the rusting old tanker out the water yet? only a matter of time Imo.
Tic talk tick tock Tic talk
HH
tuna tetaki
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39108615@N08/3644995916/in/photostream/
lionroars67
17:18 on
13 June, 2013
Celtic Football Club @celticfc 1m
Our first look at the new kit and a famous quote from Sir Robert Kelly http://ow.ly/i/2lJJl #BeCeltic7 Pre-order at http://bit.ly/18AScLX
================================
Well as a Gallowgate born Celtic supporter 67 years ago next Saturday, Celtic have been a constant life companion from age 11 – good times and bad.
“Scottish football has one perfectly solvent cash cow and nearly 40 businesses teetering on the brink. Send the cash cow off to graze in pastures where it can be fattened in return for writing a cheque big enough to solve the game’s problems”
Paul, the most important thing you’ve written, I really hope you know something.
Just passed a Westlothiana reptile of the Sevconiaextinctus breed in Broxburn.
Told the bairns not to look out the window as I didn’t want them to get frightened.
I think a few clubs in Portugal have a % of Balde.
unionbearbhind
17:51 on 13 June, 2013
cant quite believe charlotte hasn’t blown the rusting old tanker out the water yet? only a matter of time Imo.
Tic talk tick tock Tic talk
HH
I just hope she is a lady, all this teasing is starting to make me feel uncomfortable.
Hi Paul – “Send the cash cow off to graze in pastures where it can be fattened in return for writing a cheque big enough to solve the game’s problems”
Interesting stuff. Speculate for us. How big a cheque?
Hail Hail
shoulder2shoulder……lionroars67
I was the guy the police spoke to regards the ‘alright’ comment………….the taller one of them was none to pleased at my ”oh good some sandwiches’ retort when they confirmed they would be waiting for us returning from Holyrood.
Not kidded by their attempts at being ‘friendly’
This summer, there are thought to be
somewhere near 700 footballers who face
uncertainty over their futures, and compete for
an ever decreasing number of professional
contracts.
One however, in the case of Adam Virgo, has
trodden a very different path than most to get
to where he is now.
“It`s never easy for a player coming out of
contract. You hope a manager likes you
enough to give you a chance, and when you`ve
been injured for a period of time that`s harder,
as managers will look at games played and
your age and think ‘what can I get from this
player and is he value for money?`”
With a career that takes in the entire Football
League in England and Champions League
football at Celtic, unsurprisingly his options
are slightly wider.
“I have had one or two offers from this
country, and spoken with clubs abroad. Some
managers think ‘if I can get him fit then I
could get a player for good value`. You need
luck of course, but you hope what you`ve done
in the past will help.”
To say that Adam Virgo`s life story has been
eventful would be an understatement.
“I lost my mum at 13 to a heart attack.”
Recalls Adam, however worse was to follow.
Later that same year, his father Bob was
diagnosed with liver disease; and in 2001 his
elder brother James, also a footballer,
underwent a lengthy operation to unblock a
valve in his heart.
In 2005 however, with Adam a key part of
hometown club Brighton & Hove Albion, worse
was to come. Far worse.
“My dad was burgled in January 2005 and
attacked, which led to his death two weeks
later. It`s still an open manslaughter case.”
Adam was the first person to his father`s aid
following the attack, and had to painfully
relive those moments at an inquest into his
death later that year.
Two men had broken into the property and
demanded a stash of drugs they believed was
hidden there. Those men have never been
found.
A verdict of unlawful death was returned, and
Sussex Police launched a manhunt to try and
find those responsible.
In such circumstances it would perhaps be
understandable if Adam had made the wrong
career or life choices, but he instead worked
hard on the pitch, and was rewarded with the
player of the year trophy after a turbulent
season.
That triggered interest from north of the
border.
“The move to Celtic happened quite quickly. I
didn`t want to go initially because of the stuff
that had happened with Dad. I knew of the
interest and didn`t feel I was ready, but the
club forced me to leave.”
Thanks to Adam`s performances for Brighton
there were no lack of suitors, and the club is a
very different place these days to the one
which needed the £1.5m from Celtic back
then.
“I had offers from England but none as big as
Celtic, and the chance to play in the
Champions League was hard to turn down.”
Big things were promised to Virgo by Celtic
manager Gordon Strachan, who had personally
seen him several times while at Brighton.
“I was promised I would start as his number
one right back, and then move into the centre
of defence, but that was never kept to. On my
debut I got voted man of the match in a game
live on TV, and the next game I was dropped.”
There was one match which encapsulated his
time in Scotland.
“We played Clyde in the FA Cup, and I was
promised again that I would start. The
manager played a Chinese boy instead as he
was told the game would be live on Chinese
television so the club would get more money.”
To further illustrate the mental strength that
he has, Virgo recalls some of the more
unsavoury times in Scotland.
“I received death threats on the phone and by
post, and of course the usual stuff from
Rangers fans. For some reason footballers are
expected to take that, or in some way deserve
it.”
Adam could never quite establish himself in
the team at Parkhead, and spent the second
half of his three-years at the club out on loan,
back in England.
Unsurprisingly, when he left Scotland his first
choice was to rejoin boyhood club Brighton,
and reunite with manager Mickey Adams who
had initially brought Adam into the side.
“I moved back to Brighton mainly because of
the manager. He had come to watch me train
when I was a kid playing for the youth team in
my half term holidays, and he was the one
who offered me my first professional contract.”
“The ground was a big factor as well, the club
had recently gained approval for the new
stadium at Falmer after a long battle. I could
have gone elsewhere but I really thought this
would be my last move. That never really
worked out.”
Sadly in Adam`s case the old adage of never
going back proved to be the case. The club
informed him that his contract would not be
renewed, and the summer of 2010 brought
about his first taste of the West Country.
“Yeovil seemed like a good move, I knew I
would be a regular starter and I already knew
Nathan Jones, the assistant manager. That
always helps, and I loved it.”
After a stand-out season though, Virgo was
on the move again.
“I had agreed to join Wycombe in League One,
but when Paul Buckle told me what he wanted
to do at Bristol Rovers, and the players he had
already brought in like Matt Gill and Matty
Harrold I felt I would be winning a lot more
with Rovers than with Wycombe.”
“Bucks seemed a good man and three or four
phone calls to me helped me pick the Gas.”
Sadly the pre-season optimism which engulfed
both players and supporters quickly
dissipated.
“On paper that team was the best in the
league, but when you sign so many players at
once it can take a season to gel. We did well
in pre season and at the start but we then had
a few injuries, and a few bad results so the
manager made a few changes which
ultimately confused the players.”
Buckle was given his marching orders after
just a few months, and replaced by another of
Adam`s former managers at Brighton, Mark
McGhee.
“Injuries played a huge part in Mark`s time at
the club. He had a good start, and stabilised
the club well after Bucks but for the new
season maybe the new players weren`t firing.
He missed out on James Constable and also
lost Matt Harrold and Gary Kenneth to long
term injuries, and it does unsettle the team.”
“Again us as players could we have done
more, and I think Mark would have said he
may have done things differently.”
Rovers fortunes did improve however when
following another sacking, former manager
John Ward returned.
“John brought a lot more organisation to the
club, and a bit more structure. Some players
missed training sometimes before, with some
fairly strange reasons. I have never known
that in my whole career.”
“The tempo of training has increased and he is
on everyone`s case and doesn`t let much slip.
The gaffer is a good bloke who had time for
everyone, even the injured players. I never
played for him unfortunately but he was
always asking how I was doing.”
Injuries have blighted Adam`s time at the
club, and have meant that he`s never really
managed to sustain a long run in the Rovers
team.
“I picked up a micro-fracture of my right knee;
and then I had a further cartilage operation;
and a meniscus repair as well. I had five
operations in total.”
It was an unheralded time for lengthy injuries
for Bristol Rovers, but is that purely down to
luck?
“Bad luck has played a part for some of us
definitely. I`m not saying the other injuries
were the players` fault but injury prevention in
training does help and I feel we just didn`t do
enough of that as a team.”
“When you start getting a few of the same
injury you have to look at why that might be,
and I don`t think we did that. Moving training
grounds didn`t help because there was no
gym for the injured players to use, so we were
all in different places.”
Adam remains positive about his future
though.
“I have seen a new surgeon and started seeing
a new physio who has sorted me right out
with a new training schedule. I am looking at
possibly moving abroad so it`s exciting times
for me and my family.”
After a long, winding road of a career, Adam
has finally enjoyed a couple of positive years
away from the pitch. He became a father to
William, now 2, in 2011 and recently got
married.
“I have come a long way personally in the last
few months. I hope to stay in football when I
retire but I`m excited about spending time
with my family.”
Hopefully that`s not just yet though. At just
30, Adam has experience that is rare in the
lower leagues, and still harbours an ambition
to play at Wembley. Either on the pitch or the
stage…
“Playing the guitar is my favourite hobby! I`ve
played for about 16 years and have even done
open mic spots before in front of audiences!”
For a player who probably won`t be
considered as a great for Bristol Rovers, I
struggle to think of many I hope succeed
more.
And if young William grows up with even half
as much dignity, courage and talent as his
father, he will do very well for himself.
“Successful share issue blah, blah, blah … £20m blah, blah, blah … best balance sheet in the country yada, yada, yada … no debt ect, ect, ect … our loyal and wonderful fans yawn … erm, we would like to build a museum for the fans (cough) that is to say ahem, for the fans. Um, do the fans have any money to pay for it?”
Ha Ha Ha Ha
El Madrigal
15:35 on
13 June, 2013
I was there the night the karma bomb exploded over Rangers.
It makes me smile to see how in spite of the SFA and Rangers skullduggery to get a UEFA licence to play in the CL that put commercial interests above sporting integrity/merit that the latter won the day when they exited bothy CL and Europa League.
We were playing that Swiss mob Sion and they were playing Maribor having already gone out in CL to Malmo. I fully expected them to win and on that night I was in Stewratfield farm where in one side of the lounge I watched Celtic play along with my son.
On the other Rangers played Maribor and on hearing the result a we smile crossed my face as I thought Whale Oil Beef Hooked. I never thought that would happen.
At which point I turned to my lad and said “That’s them done for” or something like that.
The trouble with complaining on a point of subjective dispute – for example complaining to the ASA that “Rangers” claim to have survived the liquidation of RFC plc and the subsequent switcheroo to Sevco, is that you might not like the response you get.
Here’s a good example:
A man has been warned after he dialled 999 to complain about a prostitute’s looks after meeting her.
West Midlands Police said they were contacted by the caller who said he “wished to report her for breaching the Sale of Goods Act”.
The force said the call was received at about 19:30 BST on Tuesday complaining that the woman was not as attractive as she had claimed.
Officers have now sent the man a letter warning him about wasting police time.
West Midlands Police said the man had claimed he met the woman in a hotel car park.
‘It was unbelievable’
“The caller claimed that the woman had made out she was better looking than she actually was and he wished to report her for breaching the Sale of Goods Act,” a spokesperson for the force said.
“When he raised this issue with the woman concerned, she allegedly took his car keys, ran away from the car and threw them back at him, prompting him to call police.”
Sgt Jerome Moran, based at Solihull police station, called the man back to offer some advice.
He said: “It was unbelievable – he genuinely believed he had done nothing wrong and that the woman should have been investigated by police for misrepresentation.
“I told him that she’d not committed any offences and that it was his actions, in soliciting for sex, that were in fact illegal.”
Despite the man refusing to give his details, police were able to identify him and have sent him a letter warning him about his actions.
The Sale of Goods Act 1979 gives consumers legal rights, stipulating goods which are sold must be of satisfactory quality, be fit for purpose and must match the seller’s description.
Cowiebhoy 17:33:
Cowiebhoy 17:33:
Ooops, too quick…are you joining any of the events?
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Sandman, from page 3, just logging in, have the tickets gone?
ASONOFDAN 1751
Disturbing development,a tactic used generally against subversive enemies of the state.
Scottish Government have escalated this beyond democratic parameters,and need to be reminded of their duties to the electorate they are supposed to serve.
The Battered Bunnet 18:10 on 13 June, 2013
The world is beyond saving while eejits like that use up valuable oxygen.
Someone sold 785,740 of Sevco shares today for £392,000.
bobby murdoch’s curled-up winklepickers
I am genuinely starting to feel enormous disquiet about the resources and tactics employed in respect of some peaceful football supporters who are following democratic procedure.
Vagelis Georgariou @vagelisgeo
Amido Balde has signed. 4 year deal.
Well my info was incorrect or else it was all sorted.
lennybhoy…supporting neil lennon and cfc until i die
18:12 on 13 June, 2013
Currently on my hols, but know you will enjoy – have you told the wife your going to the golf yet -:)
Will we get a 06.00 report tomorrow ?
Made donation to MWD’S 1254125 from our wee night on 25th May, incidentally not seen him on since his wee soirée to the Tyneside CSC night, must be in training -:)
Hail Hail
Balde confirmed apparently, to be paraded tonight.
Welcome to the Family Amido.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
Balde signing confirmed by stv
Cowiebhoy 18:20:
lol…told her over dinner on the 4th June, our wedding anniversary, thought it safe as I was paying…:)
Good stuff mate, a great cause.
Enjoy the rest of your holiday.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
ASonOfDan. Amedio Balde has signed a four year contract and if you get to Parkhead you will see him being unveiled in the next 30 mins.H.H.
The balde deal was hanging in the balance until his agent heard of the CQN disquiet….
auldheid- I can remember driving home from CP on the night of the 1st leg Maribor v Oldco, wee Chico on Shortbread was high on the helium, he could hardly believe Rangers conceded 2 late goals to lose 2-1 on the night, but was absolutely 100% sure Rangers would win the return leg at Ibrox by at least 4 clear goals against a very poor side.
As he would say himself… Ho ho ho!
Something about wee Chico’s pain after European humiliations is a fascination to me.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
18:15 on
13 June, 2013
ASONOFDAN 1751
Disturbing development,a tactic used generally against subversive enemies of the state.
Scottish Government have escalated this beyond democratic parameters,and need to be reminded of their duties to the electorate they are supposed to serve.
With all due respect lads its a Police problem irrespective of political parties
Why oh why is the Official Site always be the last to confirm signing news and for that matter Twitter?
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
The bhoy from U.N.C.L.E
My apologies sir If u felt I was insinuating that it didnt happen,as that wasnt the case,only that I didn’t hear that said and that even if it was(it was) then it was definately not a genuine inquiry into our wellbeing ,not from those reprobates anyway sir .
Keep the Faith !!
joe filippis haircut
I will wait for Robbie Keane to come back before going to the car park. :0)
lionroars67
Then this a police state if no political parties are influencing events.
It would be naive in the extreme to think the SNP are not involved.
Lennybhoy
Maybe they were taking a vote on whether to put it or not?
Che 18:30:
PL had the casting vote, just like with the ‘Corrupt One’s’ unopposed re-election…:)
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!