You and I have discussed the need to upgrade Celtic Park for a long time. It is a 20th century stadium that is showing its age through the second quarter of the 21st. I am unfamiliar with the South Stand, but I hear that is most in need of renovation, which is hard to believe, as I am familiar with the condition and facilitates in the North Stand.
I have raised the question many times over the years with the club, with incredible budget estimates thrown back as the determining issue. Post-Brexit and with geo-political issues going on, the cost of construction skills and materials have risen to new heights.
Glasgow is not London, which is its own special category of crazy when it comes to construction costs, but Crystal Palace redevelopment of their main stand caught my eye. Work is underway to increase capacity from 26,000 to 34,000. The initial budget when the project was conceived in 2017 sat at £76m (not much above what I heard redeveloping the Main Stand at Celtic Park would cost). Current cost estimate is £200m.
For Palace, it is not really about the extra 8,000 seats, those seats will have a higher average price, as they will bring significant new hospitality facilities. £125m of the funding requirement comes from Goldman Sacks. The rate on this was not disclosed, but Goldman replaced Palace previous lender, who charged 11% (costing £9.2m interest, and that was before construction).
We look back on the 1990s as a time of trauma: one league title, one Scottish Cup and one League Cup. £40m was also spent that decade on re-building Celtic Park. That was an astronomical figure for the club back then, but the new ground brought additional income streams online from season 1995-96. When the stadium was finished in 1998, Celtic were in an unrecognisable income position.
I don’t think we can put off stadium upgrades forever. Fans of the future will expect (and will pay for) better facilities. But I’m not sure a Crystal Palace-type project is a viable risk.
CQN Golf Day 2026
This year’s CQN Golf Day will be at Dunblane Golf Course on Friday 10 July. Our guest speaker is celebrated film and TV actor David Hayman. David broke through when he starred as Jimmy Boyle in a Sense of Freedom (1981), and went on to appear in major cinema successes such as The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008). More importantly, he founded the charity Spirit Aid, which works with children whose lives have been devastated by war, genocide, or poverty. I will be speaking as well.
It is a great day, if you would like to attend, email Taggsybhoy: cqngolf@gmail.com . See you there.
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Awe Naw Nae MON oan the day Anaw Noo
Ooopsss
Where is the equivalent of P67’s strategic thinking inside the building? Sleepy Mikey out, P67 in. I’m sure you’ll tolerate the pay cut for the cause…
But stadium upgrades cost money Paul.. we need ours for……………
What about an interest free loan/part loan from “The Owner” or at least at a favourable rate of interest
Leave a legacy Dermot
PETERLATCHFORDSBELLY on 10TH JUNE 2026 12:10 PM
Not sure if serious.
Just because you dont have it spoon fed to you every day doesnt mean it doesnt exist
The subject was on these pages years ago re upgrading the stadium, when interest rates were minimal
It’s been over 20 years since our last share issue. A mixture of savings, share issue, loan and perhaps commercial deals – selling naming rights, could see us make a renovation a reality. We could look at increasing revenue to repay any finance by building an hotel or museum and improving stadium footprint as part of the work scope.
All of this is clearly ridiculous to even discuss under this board.
Re Transfers. MoN will buy a big CF and a larger right footed CH. If we sell Johnson then he’ll go for a Large RB. The midfield will consist of fighters and shut them downers. Shaun will be asked to mould these fellows into modern type footballers, and Fozzy will make them laugh! :)) por cierto
PAUL67
The Main Stand, not sure it should be called that anymore, is the costliest stand of them all re ST prices, and was so inadequate for the 19th century never mind the 21st. Just bite the bullet, Celtic PLC, and use some of the suggestions in an earlier post and get it started, por cierto.
How much did you say was in the bank?
https://i.postimg.cc/4NyxJdwv/IMG-4709.gif
WTAF CSC
Read the fecking article
Its an exremely difficult problem, get it wrong and we could go the same way as Rangers. Its not scaremongering, the risks are huge.
Its not like DD doesnt have an ego and doesnt want to sit in a shiny new stand while he watches the team he “owns.”
Financing it will be a huge challenge – unless you want DD to have more control over the club we’ll have to borrow money. We’ll likely pay more than Crystal Palace – they play in the most cash rich league in the worked with al the benefits that brings when you need cheap financing.
There no escaping some harsh realities – servicing the debt will mean less money to be spent on players transfer fees and wages in the short term, and increased ticket prices forever. Hospitality will be more expensive
It’ll give some people something else to man about, though.
POR CIERTO on 10TH JUNE 2026 12:28 PM
Season book prices will be much higher in a new stand
Maybe if partner club upgrade theirs…..
Doing nothing regarding maintenance and Improvement to our stadium will not be an indefinite option going forward
AN DÚN on 10TH JUNE 2026 12:20 PM
A hotel was discussed, we have improved the footprint, I would imagine a museum would have been discussed but interns of racing revenue to pay off a loan on a stand its not going to help much.
“A mixture of savings, share issue, loan and perhaps commercial deals – selling naming rights, could see us make a renovation a reality”
How would you break that down?
– how big is the loan?
– what are the savings and how much do you think we could make?
– Who buys the shares – are you happy with DD increasing his shareholding by underwriting it?
– what are the commercial deals that are out there that we havent already done?
– would you be happy seen gaming rights to Celtic Park and how much do you think it would generate?
Resident Mayor Larry Vaughn on CQN
Move along now season ticket holders, you want what ?
FFS Do you know how much that costs ?
What was that ?
You want innovative exploration of all the possibilities on how to fund needed upgrading of facilities
Move along now, nothing to see here, get yer tickets pre season friendly
At least the communication issues acknowledged “ last summer “ are all sorted.
Ahem CSC
celtic40me
You’ve mistaken me for a million pound a year chief executive.
Direct these questions at Michael Nicholson, good luck getting an answer.
Traore available get him signed ,would be a sensation in Scotland HH
Two things of note re the leader:
1) David Hayman starred in my first movie, Heavenly Pursuits, working title ‘Just Another Miracle’ featuring Tom Conte. BA Robertson wrote the score. Unfortunately all my scenes were cut as they were with Girl In The Picture. To this day Helen Mirren still owes me a plate of chips. Not that I hold a grudge.
2) Tesco did a very famous though cringingly short-lived promotion on one of David Hayman’s films. The promotion was: Buy ‘The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas’ and get a pair of striped pyjamas.
In 2010, Bodo/Glimt, who face Sporting CP in the Round of 16 in the Champions League on Wednesday night, were on the verge of bankruptcy. Today, the market value of the club has skyrocketed mainly thanks to a sustainable business plan and earnings from the European club competitions. Flashscore has dived into the financial evolution of the Arctic giants.
If people working in the financial department of Bodo/Glimt are today walking around with dollar signs in their eyes, mesmerised by the wealth pouring into the club during their participation in this year’s Champions League, you can hardly blame them. Only 16 years ago, the Arctic minnows, who during the last five years have turned into a household name in the European club competitions, were on the verge of bankruptcy.
Facing financial collapse, players sometimes went months without pay, and creative initiatives were needed for the Northern Norwegians to save their favourite team. Empty bottles were collected by locals for deposit money; fishermen donated fish to the club for sale; the local handball team decided to donate its ticket revenue to “Glimt”; and the local radio initiated a wide-reaching fundraising campaign.
When key figures like coach Kjetil Knutsen and CEO Frode Thomassen joined the club some eight years ago, the club operated with a total budget of approximately €4.2 million ($5 million) with only 40 employees on the payroll.
Fast forward to 2026, and Bodo/Glimt have already earned around €52.5 million in the 2025/26 season, excluding matchday revenue. Total income could exceed €70 million with another major play-off home game ahead, twice as much as what the club spent in the entire 2024 financial year before their European breakthrough.
While Knutsen’s outfit will head into the encounter against Sporting CP boosted by the fact that, since the 1971/72 season, no club outside Europe’s five major leagues has recorded four straight victories in the continent’s top competition, they can also take joy from the fact that the Champions League has revolutionised the club economy.
Bodo/Glimt are today harvesting the fruits of clever tactical planning and scouting, and a shrewd commercial strategy aimed at maximising the benefits from European qualification backed up by strong player performances.
At the same time, the club has resisted the temptation of investing all funds in short-term field success and instead built a sustainable model for long-term success, among other things proven by their investment in a new, modern, 10,000-seater home stadium.
In that way, Bodo/Glimt has turned into a perfect example of proper sports management. Today, the Arctic giants have become so much more than the result of any oil-backed bank account by mixing a data-driven business model with a local tactical identity.
Four key measures have been part of their master plan for their football business.
Long before they began extending their trophy cabinet, North Norwegian talent remained a priority for the club. Today, the club aims for local players to take up 35% of the minutes played over the season to maintain a brand identity that is attractive for potential regional sponsors.
At the same time, Bodo/Glimt has launched a €100 million state-of-the-art stadium project set to provide year-round commercial revenue as Bodo/Glimt attempts to do away with their former status as a yo-yo club.
Performing under difficult circumstances remains a key pillar for the organisation that invests a substantial amount of money in employing former fighter pilots and performance specialists to ensure players can handle the pressure of big stage competitions like the Champions League.
In terms of their wage structure, Glimt maintains a wage-to-revenue ratio of approximately 45%, which is significantly below the average in Europe, and this helps the club to remain profitable even in years when they don’t qualify for the Champions League group stages. Despite that, Bodo/Glimt have been able to multiply player wages by no less than ten in five years and still manage to maintain a sustainable structure thanks to income from the European club competitions.
Salaries have increased in line with their achievements, and Bodo/Glimt clearly top the rankings in the Norwegian Eliteserie in terms of the wage bill. Last year, the club paid out 346 million Norwegian kroner (approx. €31 million) in salaries – an increase of 116 million Norwegian kroner (approx. €11 million) from 2024.
In comparison, Brann had its best financial year last year. The Bergen club paid out 142 million Norwegian kroner (approx. €13 million) in wages, over 200 million Norwegian kroner (approx. €17 million) less than Glimt.
Over the last few seasons, the club has generated roughly €80 million from player sales while spending only €38 million on incoming talent. Strategic reinvestments have allowed them to reap the benefits of sustained financial growth rather than becoming a “pure” selling club, a trap that many Scandinavian clubs otherwise fall into.
Today, Bodo/Glimt has generated significant revenue through strategic player sales to major European leagues. Over the last four years, high-profile departures include Albert Gronbaek (sold for a club-record €15m to Rennes), Faris Moumbagna (€8m to Marseille), Hugo Vetlesen (€7.75m to Club Brugge), and Victor Boniface (€6.10m to Union SG).
While Bodo/Glimt has recently experienced an unprecedented financial surge, they are still not currently the richest club in Scandinavia, with FC Copenhagen maintaining a significantly higher wage bill and overall valuation, but it seems only a matter of time before Bodo/Glimt overtakes top spot should they maintain their march up the European rankings.
Hertz sign another player 💨
Remember this name- — – Oswin Appolis, South African
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwkWjMLx6J8
kinglubo
lionroars67 . that was my first thought too. As a multi billionaire I don’t think getting a redevelopment loan at favourable rates either directly or indirectly would be much of an issue for him. Like a mortgage, I assume such a loan can be spread out over 20-30 years? In which case it is not really beyond us, is it? 100 million over 30 years .
Back of the fag pack calculation:
Borrow 100 million at 6 percent over 30 years, it would cost approx 7 million a year to repay it (215 million in total paid back). MaybeIf DD could provide or secure such a loan at the standard BoE rate of 3.75%, then the annual repayments would be around 5.5 million and the total around 168 million.
Just a bit of fun, but those kind of annual repayments are well within our means without having a major impact on player trading.
Dermot desmond didn’t get to where he is today by not being good with figures . He can probably fill in and count up a golf scorecard without a single mistake .
All options for upgrading the stadium will have to be explored at some point and if there’s one man who will know all the options it’s him. Maybe he’s still waiting for an invite to join the English league .
As Bada says, the topic was discussed at length and in detail a few years ago. The footprint is the area of largest return for least outlay. Fencing the footprint and installing catering, coverings and entertainments gives 2 or 3 hours of large crowd hospitality revenue for every home match. It’s significant new income at relatively modest investment, provided the coonsil allows it.
The south stand is a throwback. It was rebuilt when the Quality St kids were coming through and most of the Lions were still playing. The Quality St kids are now old Heroes and the stand is missing only macaroon bar sellers for full authenticity.
Of course the facade and hospitality accommodation is newer, but I’m struggling to think of an older structure in Scottish football. It’s been there longer than we’ve been waiting on Ernie Walker’s think tank reporting back.
DENIABHOY on 10TH JUNE 2026 1:13 PM
Very good for back of fag packet
Irish billionaire Dermot Desmond owns a vast global portfolio of assets managed through his private equity firm, International Investment & Underwriting (IIU). His most prominent holdings include:
Given “The Owner” has considerable knowledge of raising capital and investing in various projects, it would not be beyond Dermot’s capabilities to assemble a professional team in conjunction with the club to fund and construct stadium upgrades, indeed he could fit visiting project stadium upgrade in whilst he is on his various golfing sojourns in Scotland
Since it’s quiet
Meanwhile in the real Celtic world,
Season Ticket renewals and first Direct debits average cost £626 Direct debit kicked in
Luis Palma – Kerching
Hayato Inamura – Kerching
Best players up for sale as per.
Time for ahem replacements ?
No recruitment system ( Ask Martin ? )
10 weeks till we play in the CL qualifier
No public updates
Head of Football Operations?
Chief scout?
Director of football?
Five January ‘loanees’ came and went
Last minute mad scramble looking for bargains and loan players on every deadline day?
Buy low, sell high ( 1 in * ratio ? )
Buy cheap squad filling first team players,
Ancient ‘ good value ‘ transfer strategy.
£80M cash reserve
3 Kit launches per season
No forward planning or adequate depth in squad.
No competition in key positions in first team
No progression planning for our own youths to break through.
( B team players in the Lowland league playing against juniors and amateurs )
Managers leaving ‘prematurely’ after winning a double for (AP and BR)
Money not reinvested properly in the playing squad.
Supporters don’t turn up ( or leave early )
No adequate communication with supporters.
No communication with the media on behalf of supporters.
No public voice of Celtic other than the manager
Regular unexplained banning of the media.
Regular unexplained failure to meet with supporters groups.
Banning certain Celtic Social media portals
Abandoned AGM told to ‘BEHAVE’
Abandon talks with Celtic Collective
Banned Ultra’s for nearly a full season
Season ticket holders bombarded with requests for additional money.
Money not re-invested properly in the stadium ( now well dated ).
No proper pricing structure for European games.
HCTS in need of complete review.
No incentives to buy season tickets.
No season ticket resale exchange option.
Part time opening hours for a Portakabin Ticket Office.
Stadium footprint neglected?
Still missing basic facilities in the Northstand.
Non existent WIFI technology.after all these years
No fanzones ever.
Poorly supported fan representation with GDC, Police Scotland &, SAG
Repeated failure to speak out and stand up for maligned Celtic supporters
Wee Ross was right “ We can’t compete with the bigger clubs in Europe “
🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪 CSC
AN DÚN on 10TH JUNE 2026 12:57 PM
” You’ve mistaken me for a million pound a year chief executive.”
I see you more as a two bob contrarian who complains about everything but doesn’t offer serious answers.
“Direct these questions at Michael Nicholson, good luck getting an answer.”
I wouldnt embarrass myself.
Is the Cambuslang site still available
The stadium will need upgrading at some point in the foreseeable future. Behaving like the Kellys and ignoring infrastructural problems will not serve the club well. Not asking questions and assuming our board knows best is just forelock tugging bollocks.
It’s all well and good for P67 to ask these questions of his mates, an ordinary share holder without such lofty connections gets told eff all.
Publishing feasibility reports, income projections and a road map to get to where we want to be is what a serious business should be doing.
Lionroars
Ref Bodo
Or maybe they will follow up failing to win their domestic league to Viking Stavanger last season by daily to qualify for CL proper this season ?
An D
You really think these are not topics the ownership of the club are fully engaged on ?
Or do they spend all their time moaning about life on a blog
I am not opposed to the idea of it all – I think the whole club needs something to reenergise it.
But what is really unhelpful is ignoring the very real risks that an expensive stand could mean, just for the sake of having a go at board.
AN DÚN on 10TH JUNE 2026 1:33 PM
“Publishing feasibility reports, income projections and a road map to get to where we want to be is what a serious business should be doing.”
I thought you weren’t the right person to ask about stuff like this?
You’d be taken a bit more seriously if you answered some basic questions about your plans for financing the expense
DeniaBhoy
Spurs and Barca have long terms loans stretching into the 2050s after working on their stadiums. As you say, effectively a mortgage.
A working class person would baulk at buying a house outright or paying university tuition fees upfront. Structure the debt and make it affordable, then the impossible becomes possible.
Of course the facade and hospitality accommodation is newer, but I’m struggling to think of an older structure in Scottish football.
================
main stands at –
cappielow.
firhill
fir park
dens park
pittodrie
on the south side of glasgow behind and beneath a red brick edwardian toilet block containing a marble staircase there is an oak panelled framed door, with strange masonic symbols leading to inner burial chambers of a long lost tribal uncivalisation of whom nothing remains but without any written history are know simply as “the people”.
In these tunnells there are several rooms that historians have given names to – the blue room for the walls are that colour, the boot room because a pair of ancient gutties was once found, the dressing room is thought to be a place for changing from work clothes to ceremonial garbs maybe of orange and purple as some fabrics scraps were found with mysterious scratches on them which may make up a name C S T R 7 2 , most mysterious of all “the trophy room” because it is believed this once dominant race who pillaged, robbed and cheated their way kept the spoils in this room, however, with nothing there today, we shall never know.