CELTIC’S statement yesterday about the club’s ambitious plans to build a hotel, museum and retail complex at Celtic Park seemed to be a cause of much angst and anger among the Zombies. We thought we’d have a look at their reaction…
First up, this chap wonders how the club have managed to move so quickly on this development and suspects that Glasgow City Council are pandering to Celtic’s needs. He said:
“It seems they are getting what we’ve spoken about for years, museum hotel proper ticket office and club shop , now how come they’ve managed to announce all this so quickly? You’ve got to wonder who on GCC is basically pandering to every request . The commonwealth was used as an excuse to spend a fortune on them , and now this.
It’s about time sometjing was done this is happening right under our noses , was a school that was listed not destroyed by them as well with special permission?”
Next, the Celtic plan should be followed across the city, according to this Bear who wrote:
“Why arent we doing this. Remember Murrays casino plan ? We could approach private companies and do a deal. GCC backed the plan. We should stop being paranoid about them and get on with money making schemes a of our own.”
However there is some realism in an answer to this point when another wrote:
“Unfortunately we are a million miles off the likes of this and have other concerns to deal with right now. Their hotel will also benefit from the council’s decision to put the Emirates there. Functions, teams, officials from meetings and events. They are getting the benefits from all angles.”
Arnold’s brother in-law was next up, commenting:
“This is mind boggling stuff. Once again I turned to my brother-in-law Arnold for guidance on all matters monetary. He is English, thus the laws are somewhat different. In Glasgow circa 2017, they are very different!
In Arnold’s humble opinion, this is part of a long term strategy by Celtic fc. In the guise of urban ‘re-generation’, they have conned the ordinary tax payer (that’s you and me folks) out of literally hundreds of thousands of pounds down the years. Glasgow has always had a long and not so glorious history of city politicians down the years. In the distant past we were talking about the odd brown envelope here and there, however with the ascent of the Catholic minority in the city it is no longer “Rome on the rates” but rather “Museums for the Liams”. The idea of museums, educational and cultural institutions being placed to the tottiedome is an insult to our intelligence. Finally, in God’s name how do they justify that final figure for this development?? They have no shame and worst of all, nobody says anything.”
Another reckons that the new Celtic hotel will be the busiest in Glasgow, saying:
“Perfect for them. Full of tims at each match, every GDC dance will be held there, Tim hatches,matches and despatched. It’ll be the busiest hotel in Glasgow.
We support a team, they support a cause.”
While this one is a realist:
“Commercially trolling us now. Light years ahead in income plans.”
This guy sees the benefits of a football club having a museum, saying:
“A Museum can bring in revenue from people who wouldn’t do a stadium tour, or even go into a “sports shop”.
It’s a source of revenue (and a fantastic bit of PR) that our own club has been negligent in pursuing. It can pull an entire local community together and actually create new followers of the Museum’s topics. Which means more future followers for the club.”
And the next guy thinks he is right:
“Completely agree with this. Another indication of how far away we are now.”
Seeing the bigger picture, this Bear has a grudging admiration for Celtic Chief Executive Peter Lawwell, saying:
“If we ever get our act together, it will take years if at all to get anywhere near them financially, we can slaughter Lhiewell all we want, but the bottom line is he is delivering for them.”
This one makes a good suggestion, that school kids would enjoy a day out at the museum. He puts it this way:
“Busloads of Sellik minded schoolchildren ( and those maybe not) shipped to the museum for cultural indoctrination.
Courtesy of the taxpayer too no doubt. Sure fire winner for them.”
This London based Bear reckons it is a good move by Celtic, but reckons that the club must get the design right, he said:
“It’s a good initiative, having a hotel allows you to have certain events that were not previously possible. Media and corporate sponsorship will increase, new hospitality packages will be created, money from concerts will increase, supporters will hire function rooms and stay the nights more often.
I could go on, if they do it right they will make a lot of money. I agree that if they get the design wrong they will pay for that in the long run though.”
Celtic improving the infrastructure at Lennoxtown concerns this Bear, who revealed:
“They are also redeveloping the old castle at Lennoxtown whereby players on trial can stay and a section for Brenda to sleep. Also building an indoor facility that can mimic weather conditions. They are MILES ahead of us off the pitch sadly.”
Meanwhile this Bear sees the financial benefits for Celtic, bemoaning as follows:
“They are raking it in on the back of the Emirates being built right next to them and I don’t think they would have built a hotel without it. They will bring custom in from fans at events both at their games and events at the Emirates, they will have functions, business meetings and all sorts of other business directly from the council’s decision to build the Emirates there and that’s on top of the custom they will bring in themselves through the same channels.
As for the museum, club shop etc. . there is competitors, fans, officials from all over the world at sporting events across the road, they walk out the front door of the Emirates and are hit by wall to wall Celtic, a constant new revenue stream and potential fan base for them. They certainly knew what they were doing building that arena there.”
Referring to last week’s news on the increase in rates for Ibrox, effective from 1 April, this Bear notes:
“…and of course their rates have been cut!”
David Murray should shoulder some of the blame for all of this, reckons this chap:
“Can’t help thinking their business/retail dept.P.R. on and off the park is light years ahead of anything we have,we can only sit back and see them disappearing into the 21st century,If I remember correctly the mint promised us something along the same lines very nearly 20yrs ago the barsteward took us to the verge of extinction.”
While Sevco Rangers makes peanuts, Celtic continue to rake it in, reckons this Bear:
“If you think them building a hotel and museum (both earners) doesn’t affect us your mad. It’s more revenue stream again for them. Ask yourself what we received form the Commonwealth Games…..a shitty plaque on a cut up pavement. They have got land for next to nothing they can build on, knocked down listed buildings, new pathway to the stadium, regenerated the full area making it more pleasing to the eye. It’s a con and us fans will sit and accept it with many saying what’s this got to do with us whilst we struggle by earning peanuts to their fortunes.”
There is a clear feeling that they are being left behind by Celtic, as this fan outlines:
“Just feel we are getting left behind commercially and will be seen as the poor football relation in Glasgow…this one highlights the growing gap between us and them it’s depressing.”
The cause of this is traced back to a Unseen Fenian Voice on the radio over a decade ago…
“This can all be traced back to comments McConnell made on Radio Clyde back in 2003. He referred to a sports complex being built across from Celtic Park. At the time, some believed this would be a training ground like Auchenyowie. But it is clear that the plans were much more ambitious. I can remember posters laughing at the idea of a hotel near Parkhead. Yet, the whole of the area surrounding Parkhead has been redeveloped, almost entirely at taxpayers’ expense. Previously, it was a dump. The importance of protecting and enhancing the environs of Ibrox was pointed out to David Murray but nothing happened.”
One of the most financially astute Bears has been looking at the money that a hotel near Ibrox could make for their club, we have no idea if he is a Board Member or not…
“There is plenty of land available around The stadium we should make a similar offer to GCC for that. They would need to sell to us for same price and in a few years we could do something similar. We have some amount of fans coming from NI, Fife etc that would stay in hotel. 200 rooms at £100 each is £200k per home game.
A probable Imposter however quickly pointed out that:
“200 rooms at £100 is £20k mate.”
Whereas this particularly bitter individual sees one club on the up and the other going down the way. He describes Celtic as…
“A bunch of snidey, sinister, religious nut cases who have worked their way up as we worked our way down. Sickening.”
Glasgow City Council will no doubt be frequent customers at the Celtic Hotel reckons this Bear:
“You can just see all GCC events and conferences being held at Hotel 67 or some sh1t name like that.”
Dave King’s Board should release a Statement of their own to cheer up the Bears, reckons this bloke:
“It’s about time we heard of the clubs plans to update our stadium. Any business plan will include managing assets, set out a 3 year or 5 year plan of upgrade and improvements and share with the fans, shouldn’t be that hard.”
Some inside knowledge from inside the City Chambers next, as this supporter reveals:
“I have a friend (bluenose) with a fairly senior job in City Chambers. His view was that the land was worthless in its present form and GCC was glad to get rid of it. The Commonwealth Games was the game changer. During events at the Emirates, where are competitors going to stay ? Where will GDC get visitors to stay? Where will they have their functions and nights out, training courses? Celtic fans will get married in there, christenings, funerals, first communions, supporter club dances. BBC will use it extensively as well. A few quid for them from another source.”
The next Bear returns to the comparisons between their club and Celtic, saying:
“They progress, we don’t. The area round Ibrox once light years better than round their dump is now a dump wth nothing to do. Our ticket office is temporary huts that’s been there for years, the superstore (ignoring the Ashley issue) is hardly super, the Edmiston building another dump (once a great place) and we need a lot more than £30m. Depressing for this old bear.”
Depression is clearly setting in as the implications are realised, here is more proof of that:
“Something we should have done years ago. Sadly we’re a million miles off doing something similar at the moment, and even if we do it will just be another thing to the growing list that we have done second to them. It gets more depressing each day when you think how far behind them we are.”
Apparently Sevco Rangers needs a financial injection!…
“We are miles behind them. If the current trend continues it’s unlikely that we will catch them up from a monetary perspective. We are at least 5 years behind and the figure will grow unless we have a serious financial injection in next few years!
Or they’ll never be able to go toe to toe with Celtic…
“Bearing in mind this is what Murray had in mind for us when we thought we’d pull away. If they do this I can’t see any way we’ll be back toe to toe without an absolute *** up by their board.”
Because here’s the situation at Ibrox…
“No players to look up to, no museum, talk of new subway link at Parkhead, no train link Ibrox although there is space, no nice walkways, no standing at the game, I think the majority of our fans are deluded if they think this is ok. At the moment they are doing everything Murray wanted to do to add revenue and distance themselves from the other teams support.”
The Celtic Hotel’s likely business from the Emirates is clearly annoying…
“Dreadful for us if they can attract cycling/athletics/basketball revenue into the bargain.”
Only three more to go, sorry of you are splitting your sides. This Bear reckons that they are in denial and bemoans the fact that the Sevco board don’t issue more statements!
“Yes a lot of people are either in denial, or in for a long suffering reality check, because they can’t see or face that scenario. Our image and ‘brand’ is being dismantled piece by piece, whilst theirs grows in a glowing environment of positive propaganda and spin.
They have already won that propaganda war (thanks mostly to our club/board cowardice, or negligence) and now they are nearing victory in terms of a long-term (permanent) financial advantage.
Losing the propaganda war makes it virtually impossible to win the financial battle. We remain silent in the face of hostility whilst they have defended their image (sometimes with lawyers, sometimes with statements) and now years later they hardly need to participate.
They have now moulded the media and political scene so much that hostility to Rangers is now largely the default position. They are now the ‘gatekeepers’ of the environment we have to operate in – and this will reduce us for sure. We have had our financial Armageddon for sure – but many of us have warned that the real important battle going on was not even being fought. Finance can come and go with investment, but a reduction of the club and it’s fan-base in this scenario can be permanent.”
Bears with deaf ears and dark political deeds says this bloke:
“A few of us were pointing this out years ago but it fell on deaf ears. David Murray received the backing of most of the support until it was too late. It will take a mammoth effort to turn things around.
I don’t believe anyone at the club has a clue about how to deal with the situation. What we should be doing is publicly adopting a position whereby we argue that Scottish Government’s and GCC (and previously GDC) have shown favouritism towards Celtic in relation to redevelopment. Ultimately, the club is in urgent need of genuine leadership in this context – we are now in a position where we have very little to lose by politicising issues.
For crude electoral purposes, both Labour and the SNP have tacitly – and, on occasion, even overtly – viewed Rangers as a convenient punch-bag. I don’t see any sign whatsoever that the club has begun to appreciate it cannot divorce itself from politics.”
And the last word goes to this Bear…
“”While we were drinking, they were thinking”.
It all comes down to the fact that we as a club, and a support, are heart lazy and have stood back and watched all this happen and done nothing. Meanwhile, they have worked themselves into positions of power in football and in politics over a lengthy period of time and are now reaping the benefits of it.
It is truly frightening to see, but they are light years ahead of us on and off the park and I for one see nothing that is going to change that any time soon.
Our attitude and laziness infuriates me at times. We laugh at them for their love us love us attitude and their stunts they pull to increase PR, but it works for them whilst we just sit on our arses and ‘follow follow’.”
