Sinister and inflammatory

542

I was considerably alarmed at this morning’s Daily Record article, which appears to equate calls for an inquiry into an alleged conspiracy to subvert tax law, as well as SFA and SPL rules, on a level with sectarianism. Most clearly here:

“Of course, this will infuriate the self-proclaimed, proud ‘bampots’ on social media toiling away 24/7 in pursuit of justice for Scottish football.

“Their irreversibly entrenched view will always be that ‘the Protestant establishment club cheated on an industrial scale’”.

I’m disturbed that so many people on social media are having their views on rule breaking caricatured as an anti-Protestant witch-hunt.

This is wildly inaccurate, sinister and inflammatory. A sign, perhaps, of the direction of travel in this debate.

This bit is really, REALLY, important.

If there is a perception that there is a risk to social media users this debate is closed – trust me on this one. Right now, some are asking themselves, “How much sectarian hatred are the media prepared to stir up if we talk about this?”

Convince people their club’s record is being questioned, not because of rule breaking, but for religious reasons, and you open Pandora’s Box – and we all know this.

Don’t get angry. This angle is thus far isolated, should be mocked and we should quickly move on.

If you want the debate to take place, don’t lose focus and stick to the point: were tax laws, SFA and SPL rules broken, if so, was this an oversight, or was there a conspiracy to subvert the rules and earlier inquiries?

Perhaps most importantly, this is the time for other clubs and their fans to have their say.

Jim Craig and Brendan Sweeney on CQN TONIGHT!

Lisbon Lion, Jim Craig, and Celt for Change, Brendan Sweeny, Live chat on CQN tonight.

I’m absolutely delighted we have yet another Lisbon Lion, Jim Craig, on CQN tonight, as well as a one of the most influential fans in our history, Brendan Sweeny (who will cringe at reading that).

Brendan has researched and written Celtic: The Early Years, forward by Jim. It is the most incredible account of the how and why a football club was formed in Parkhead in 1888, and the seismic events which shaped its future during the Early Years.

Both will be on CQN tonight from 7:30, you can ask questions on the blog and chat to them. Ask Jim about those great times, his career after football, or what’s going on at the club now.

Brendan, as an integral part of Celts for Change, Jungle Bhoys and now Celtic Graves Society, has been a force of nature for the Celtic cause. This is also about as far into the limelight as he’s ever likely to emerge!

Premium Seats competition for Kilmarnock game on Saturday

Magners, Celtic’s main sponsor, are offering fans the chance to win a pair of Premium Seat tickets in the Jock Stein Stand to the match. All you have to do is answer the following question:

Who was Celtic manager when Kilmarnock won their first game in over half a century?

Email answer to celticquicknews@gmail.com with the answer in the email SUBJECT box.

Competition closes at 22:00 tonight, so this is a one day target!

On another subject, Ad hominem, def:

An ad hominem (Latin for “to the man” or “to the person”), is an attack on an argument made by attacking the character, motive, or other attribute of the person making the argument, rather than attacking the argument directly. When used inappropriately, it is a logical fallacy in which a claim or argument is dismissed on the basis of some irrelevant fact or supposition about the author or the person being criticised.

Just saying……..

Time for some Labi Siffre tunes.

Click Here for Comments >
Share.

About Author

542 Comments

  1. Blindlemonchitlin on

    Hi Jim . couple of questions

     

     

    Who was the best singer in the Lions and what was his party piece?

     

     

    When you did your double act with Derek Johnstone did your pals stop buying you drinks?

  2. Hi Jim and Brendan…

     

     

    That’s corrie just finished, what is your favourite soap;)

     

     

    No need to answer, it will probably be the same as me…The zombie watch.

     

     

    Jim thanks for the great memories and Brendan well done helping to clear that board out. HH

  3. SETTING FREE THE BEARS

     

     

    Another close shave. My uncle George McBride was instrumental in that – he was the Head Teacher at the time. Congratulations on the prize – you should be finished reading it by now.

  4. Jim and Brendan you are both great ambassadors for the club and are among the foremost in the army of amateur historians that record Celtic’s proud past.

     

     

    I have dabbled in a small way myself on the CelticWiki and it grieves me to say that our club doesn’t have a full time archivist. In researching Celts from the past I find that I don’t even look to Celtic FC for information on a particular player/game in the distant past but rather go to the clubs the player moved on to, or the opposition the game was against.

     

     

    This is a sad state of affairs as our club should be the first port of call.

     

     

    Time for the board to appoint a full time archivist to coordinate all the good work done by the many volunteers and authors of Celtic’s past and make a museum and information centre of all things Celtic?

     

     

    Fancy the job Jim, Brendan?

     

     

    H.H.

  5. BRENDAN SWEENEY:

     

    I was on the CSA Executive Committee when you and Eddie and Joe O’Rourke joined, mid to late 90s. Our Club then left the CSA, do you still participate with the CSA?

     

    Paul67 will pass on my real name to you.

     

    Keep the Faith!

     

    Hail Hail!

  6. Hi Jim , I remember being impressed at how you and Jinky linked up on the right . It seemed to me you had some planned moves . Jinky would attract the attion of two or three defenders and you would steam up on the overlap. Making JJs markers unsure as whether to go with you. As the defenders hesitated Jinky would cut inside heading towards goal . It caused mayhem to the opposition defence. Do you remember this move and was it practiced or off-the-cuff??

  7. Brendan Sweeney on

    Saint Stiv, the Pat Welsh story is truly fascinating and was, it seemed, a vital part of the ingredients that went into the Celtic Story. Willie Maley himself is quoted as telling the story so that’s good enough for me. Pat Welsh after arriving in Glasgow, was one of the men who travelled to Cathcart with Brother Walfrid and John Glass to try and sign Tom Maley and the rest as they say is history. A fantastic story.

  8. Jim , who was the best player you had seen on the training pitch who couldn’t quite bring it on a Saturday afternoon (Like my golf game).

  9. Brendan, thanks for you , and your comrades work in Celts for Change, I went to all the public meetings, the atmosphere at them was electric. HH

  10. THE EXILED TIM

     

     

    If you are still playing or indeed if the club say anything – it draws attention and leads to worse treatment.

     

     

    The more you complain the more you are likely to get shafted yourself.

     

     

    However one must also say when you speak to the wee clubs they complain that the big clubs like Celtic get away with murder.

     

     

    Ex-players can say what they like but who is really going to listen?

  11. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    Jim,

     

     

    Thanks for sll ypur efforts as a Celt.

     

     

    Do you think we are on the right path with regards football development snd what would you suggest to improve matters with regards beating Europes elite ?

     

     

    HH

  12. Brendan Sweeney on

    Bournesouprecipe, at the time i remember thinking Fergus was leaving at the right time having done exactly what he said he would do. Looking back now we missed his personality and drive and his fearless approach in taking on anyone in the fight for justice. Fergus will always have legendary status at the club, he couldn’t have done it without the support and the support couldn’t have done it without him. God bless him.

  13. Brnobhoy

     

     

    I think because they earn so much money these days that they don’t really go out and about – you would see us about much more than the current players. When we played for example in Dundee, we had to join the fans to queue for fish n chips in Auchterarder. If we had won and won well the fans would let us go to the front of the queue. If we lost we’d be at the back waiting.

     

    Now they have a chef on the bus!

  14. I’ve just logged in – oooops

     

    Mr Craig, what’s your thoughts on not making that Aussie pair Melbourne Mick and Paddymacoz’s best Celtic 14 since 1965 :-)

     

    And give us your team please

     

     

    Hail Hail

  15. JIM CRAIG:

     

    Jim a lot is written and said of the honest mistakes from our Referees. Whilst I am of the opinion the honest mistakes have not been honest mistakes, I firmly believe that the Players should adopt the attitude that we will just roll up our sleeves and try harder and score more goals. In other words not to lie down, not give in and metaphorically stick the two fingers up at them.

     

    You guys must have had it tight. Recall being at a Lions event at Celtic Park, wee Bertie told a story about being sent of by Tiny Wharton. Bertie had been warned and when he knew the red was coming he said to Tiny if I called you a b——– will you send me off, if I thought you were one would you…Bertie got the red, he told it better than me…:)

     

    Anyway my question is this Jim, how did you and the Bhoys deal with the honest mistakes in your day?

     

    Keep the Faith!

     

    Hail Hail!

  16. Many thanks for your answer, it was along the lines I thought it would be :-)

     

    Ach well, suffer we must then.

     

    Thanks for the memories.

     

    HH

     

    PS

     

    I would have thought fairness was paramount in sport, it seems not so in scotland.

  17. Jim/Brendan

     

     

    The crowds are down at Celtic and the game itself in Scotland overall is Poor ref the Euros.

     

    Any ideas how this could be Revived.

     

    Big ask?

  18. Brendan Sweeney on

    BRT, James McKay owned a hairdresser’s on the Gallowgate near where the Bellgrove Hotel now stands and some early AGMs were held at the adjacent Annfield Halls but i’ve not seen concrete evidence that meetings were held at either before the 6th November 1887. Meetings certainly did take place and i’ve listed the run of events that created Celtic in the opening chapter, Life Before Celtic. I’m delighted you are particularly interested in this part of our history as it is fascinating and makes us unique.

  19. blantyretim is praying for the Knox family on

    Jim

     

    Re brnobhoy

     

     

    I think it’s about having the players be around about the stadium for kids to meet their heroes and make their day

     

     

     

    Once a month at Barrowfield for instance

  20. Brendan,

     

    I would be interested to know what your thoughts about Celtic potentially playing in England are.

     

     

    Is it something that you would like to see?

     

    Do you believe that the move may be a feasible option?

     

    Are you privy to any ‘inside’ information on the respective positions of Celtic and the footballing authorities in Scotland on this issue?

     

     

    All the best to you.

  21. Hi Jim it was a definite penalty in Lisbon :)

     

     

    Jim do you feel players are getting more abuse these days from the fans

     

    than when you played & makes them hide

     

     

    Plus did it affect the player’s performance in any way in your day

     

    when fans dished it out to certain players

  22. Tamtim

     

     

    It really needs to be judged by the SFA and the problem is that they haven’t dealt with it. Let them get on with it and remember we have got to wait to see if there is going to be an appeal.

     

     

    I don’t find football politics very interesting to be honest, I am more interested in the current Celtic side.

  23. thomthethim for Oscar OK on

    From SFM

     

     

    valentinesclown 18th November 2015 at 6:09 pm #

     

    I wrote to Mr Lawwell and expressed my concerns in relation to the HMRC winning appeal against Ibrox club. I stated I would like to know my club’s stance if no appeal is lodged concerning findings from COS. Since my letter Celtic put out the statement that we are all aware of and which I am happy with.

     

    I received a reply today from Mr Lawwell and in the reply was the following sentence “I have, of course noted your comments and you can rest assured that our primary concern is and always will be, to protect the interests of Celtic Football Club and Scottish football as a whole-at all times, publicly and privately”

     

     

    All fans should be assured by their own clubs as I have.

  24. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    Evening,Jim.

     

     

    Grateful thanks for being part of the best team ever!

     

     

    When did Jock let you all know that he had his eyes on the big one?

  25. Brendan Sweeney on

    Celtic Mac, Brother Walfrid’s departure from Glasgow in mid August 1892 was part of a major reshuffle of the Marist Brothers in Glasgow and his transfer was full recognition of the work he had done in the east end of Glasgow. Significantly Brother Walfrid never saw a match at the current ground. He moved to London in the same week the current ground opened. The original Celtic Park was where Brother Walfrid watched Celtic play.

  26. Margaret McGill on

    Paul67

     

    The DR article is obviously a sign of desperation. Anything Old Firm that results in Rangers deference to Celtic in terms of title stripping will always be deemed as sectarian. It’s the MO of DR daily sales. So why bring it up? Leave it. Let them rot in their own sectarian cesspit and let the legalities and laws outwith the corrupt Scottish judiciary hunnery re HRMC run their course?

     

    I know you wont respond to this but at least I know you read it 

     

    Whats Peter piper telling you these days? Are you still kissing ass?

  27. Brendan Sweeney on

    Jim i’m not privvy to any inside info but i’d love to see Celtic play on a bigger stage where we would be able to fulfil our potential and become a massive force in the game in Europe. Looking at teams like Southampton buying our best players hurts but it is a sign of the times. Everything is geared up at Celtic for us to be a massive club, the stadium, the support is all there, we just need the right platform.

  28. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo

     

     

    Can’t answer that in a short message, What we have been doing recently does not seem to be working but thankfully the system is now in for a re-think.

  29. Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Oscar Knox, MacKenzie Furniss and anyone else who fights Neuroblastoma on

    Cheers Brendan,

     

     

    Thanks for that. I believe – hope – that I have tracked down Mr MacKay’s granddaughter who is now in her 80’s and she may have some diaries or memorabilia handed down by her grandad. If so I will give you a shout re this.

     

     

    Jim – who was the best winger you ever faced and has Willie Wallace EVER told you a good joke or story?

  30. To Jim Craig and Brendan Sweeney thank you for giving your time HH

     

     

    Margaret McGill on 18th November 2015 8:28 pm

     

     

    How totally inappropriate and rude ……

     

     

    HH

  31. FAVOURITE UNCLE on

    hi jim i just managed to log in.i have been trying since sunday,can you help get rid of the adverts.PLEASE.