My friends in Celtic, pause for a few moments and peruse your domain. On the field of play your favourites matured into accomplished football players. 2011 ended with an acclaimed Joe Ledley header confirming what we already knew, Celtic were the best team in the land.
Despite ‘losing’ the previous three league titles Celtic held firm in the January transfer window; a difficult decision. We needed to win the league – at any credible cost – but without jeopardising the financial stability of the club. More than sporting form was under debate on these pages at the turn of the year, continents were shifting.
Since 2004 readers of Celtic Quick News have read the gospel of financial responsibility. Bills need to be paid, debt cannot be allowed to rise year after year without enormous consequences. Back then we asserted that Rangers would crash and burn. By 2008 we predicted they were on course to go out of business. This message was not always welcome among our own. It was mocked by some, who demanded ever-higher spending to match the Murray Millions, but on 1 January 2012 there was scarcely a Celtic fan alive who didn’t think Rangers were going out of business. It was only a question of when.
When the crash was confirmed, on St Valentine’s Day, Scottish football embarked on a remarkable period of soul-searching. Rangers last owner, Craig Whyte, had a plan, which we explained in some detail in 2011. Whyte subsequently revealed he met with SPL directors, Neil Doncaster and Ralph Topping in October 2011, told them the likelihood that Rangers would go into liquidation, and asked them to back a plan to catapult a Newco-Rangers into the SPL.
The plan was nonsense. Whyte should have been sent away with told to pay his bills but Doncaster was oceans out of his depth. A fait-accompli would be presented to the SPL clubs, vote to change the rules and elect a Newco into the top flight, or deal with “Armageddon”.
Football eventually did the right thing, as many, perhaps most, Rangers fans wanted all along, but hundreds of scribes attached themselves to Whyte’s Cunning Plan, which was presented as a bastion of responsibility, not the work of deception it was. The fight-back started on these pages. Soon it encompassed fans of every club in Scotland and the SPL clubs have no choice but to stick with the established rules.
Rangers creditors voted against a CVA and liquidators were appointed. Pop, and they were gone! Football fans of every colour, who has endured defeat to Rangers but still asserted that expenditure must be limited to income, enjoyed three seconds of glory as they turned to the bling-addicts beside them and said, “Told you”.
A man from Yorkshire with a group of partially-known investors nipped in ahead of various groups of Rangers fans to secure the assets of the club. Evidence suggests he believed the club would achieve a CVA (the assertion that “the history, the tradition, everything that’s great about this club is swept aside” if they were to be liquidated confirms this), but he bid more than any group of Rangers fans for the liquidated assets so ended up with an opportunity to issue himself with 5 million shares worth 70p each a few months later. Beautiful.
We’re on our own.
Celtic began as the solitary voice at SPL meetings speaking against Whyte’s plan. They were not responsible for the demise of Rangers, but let the record show, when the moment of reckoning arrived, the Celtic board liquidated the Old Firm.
On the field of play we were a well-oiled machine. Our first league title in four seasons arrived with consummate ease. Kilmarnock showed what a well-drilled team could do in the League Cup final, with a little help from a last minute blind-spot when Anthony Stokes had his legs whipped from him in the box, but let’s be generous, you know it, I know it, we would have missed the penalty anyway.
Last minute Hampden penalty decisions would crop up again in the Scottish Cup, when the whole Deliberate Handball rule was cast asunder, but refereeing is always been an emerging art in these parts.
The new season, our first ever as the only superpower in the Scottish game, held one major challenge – qualify for the Champions League. Four wins in four qualifying games was better than expected, so the team who were slapped by Sion, attacked by Atletico and usurped by Udinese a year earlier, were in the Champions League.
Be generous to those who dismissed our chances. One poor guy writing the ITVFootball tweets wrote “Bye bye Celtic” on the day we were drawn against Spartak Moscow, Benfica and Barcelona. Based on the evidence available, it was a fair call.
It is nothing short of fantastic, in the literal sense, that we qualified out of that group. Even now, halfway through the season, Barcelona have lost only one competitive game, when Victor Wanyama, Tony Watt and their pals ripped up the form book. It took Barca until the 93rd minute to secure a win over Celtic in the Camp Nou, or they would have three competitive draws on their record for this season, one to Real Madrid in the league, and a meaningless draw against Benfica being the only two.
I honestly thing we have overachieved in Europe this season. Neil Lennon and his players got everything right. The corner and free kicks from Charlie were immense. No one in Europe does better (some supporting evidence here). Forget the more fancied thoroughbreds, Charlie Mulgrew is our Moneyball player, a team full of them and we’ll win the Big Cup.
Victor’s leap and Tony’s finish will be replayed in our minds for years. Despite leaving ample hints, the DVD didn’t materialise at Christmas. Georgios has scored in all of our five European away games, a record.
Expectations will rise as a result of these achievements but we got so many things absolutely right in this Champions League campaign the odds against doing so again next season are high. Celtic will need to start preparing for next season’s Champions League now if they are to have any chance of remaining in the tournament next Hogmanay. If we were operating at 90% capacity we would have finished bottom with one or two points. As for Juventus, bring them on.
These end-of-year reports are often a lot less encouraging. 2010 was far from easy reading, the distance we have travelled since 2010’s is incredible. Celtic end 2012 as one of the most admired clubs in the European game. We develop great players, compete against the best better than anyone else, and have a sense of purpose which will never be extinguished.
Take care and may 2013 bring you all that you hope for.
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TimsinOhio
A wee hot toadie will do you the world of good, get well soon mate.
Hope to see you at CP in 2013.
bigjie
Best wishes to you also and grateful thanks for posting the highlights throughout the year.
I hope there will be many more to come.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/A-Q8ReqCIAAJo_u.jpg:large
American hun
JJ @ 13:14
Saw you met a Besiktas fan in the Gym today. Did you go through the wrong door trying to get into your pub? :-))
Subterranean @ 13:46
Fine post and 1 with which I concur 100%. Time to stop lurking though.
Sydneytim @ 13:56
Is that it. Gone for mths and we get a 1 liner. Get back on here ya daft troll. :-)))
SFTB @ 14:10
Excellent post with an extremely well made point. Will be interesting to read Paul67’s reply when I get to it. I wonder though if your Q’s could be put to Peter Lawell in writing as they are of high importance and require an answer.
Awe Naw 14:10
Another great post with very pointed Questions that will hopefully soon be answered as this plays out. Although I do not believe the SPL tribunal has any relevance to the SFA. Does it?
Jimbo67 14:28
Another great post.
Right that’s it. Too bloody many good post to keep commenting on them. Wit the hell is up wae you ghuys today. Have you all taken wordsmith Acid or something?
MWD back t catchup without further comment or i’ll still be here at the bells.
UM
Maybes Tanner should have a word about reconstruction with the FA’s of all these countries.
These are the points that the respective teams are running away with their leagues are ahead.
Aust. Vienna…..7pts
Anderlecht….8pts
FC Copenhagen….12pts
Bayern Munich….9pts
Olympiakos…..8pts
Juventus….8pts
Barcelona….9pts
Manure….7pts
Celtic….6pts
Holland….2 teams on the same, as is in Portugual, France where there are 3 teams on the same.
Scotland, eh, whas like us, it gives you the dry boak.
HH
Are we too early for an Etims Rumour Mill?
Watching SKY sports highlights of 2012…….. They haven’t shown our winner against Barcelona ….. I’m sure it’s just an oversight….
May I take this opportunity,to wish you all, you wish yourselves for 2013,and after what has transpired, in the Year of Our Lord 2012. I will die a Happy Hoopy Man.
AWRABEST PAPA JOHN.
MWD
Thanks for kind comments re post. I missed Sydney Tim? Hope he’s doing well- no sure if I know who he is but if he’s the guy I think he is he’s a good bloke.
H x 2
67Heaven
SKY sports montage for the various sports it will be covering during 2013 includes; Tony Watt’s goal .v. Barcelona and celebration.
Won’t get tired of watching that advert!
Happy New Year Bhoys, What a year we leave behind. Have a good one and Hold Fast no matter what they trow at us. The Money went into the box at St, Margarets,
Hail Hail my friends in Celtic, Hope Next year is a bit calmer. lol
KLV
Richard Wilson
with t.v viewing figures like that its hard to understand why the spl dont get together to drive forward their own t.v channel that could realise significantly more income for every club in scotland, rather than taking the scrapes of sky’s table.
throw in advertising, sponsorship, highlight packages and subscription fees of say £15.00p a month and we’re in business. every club could triple their television income and everyone paying would be doing so, in the knowledge their club is benefiting. clubs could have a dedicated slot throughout the week out with live game times and very club would benefit from equal income as an eqaul partner. or we can keep taking the easy option of collecting the money from sky wile they take our money and give it to the EPL.
hail hail
timsinohio
hope yer manflu lasts till you go back to work… o))
Canamalar,
Will let you know when I’m likely to be in Glasgow: know any pubs with plastic beer-glasses?
To all CQN-ers: may we have a 2013 that’s even better than 2012.
praecepta
20:01 on
31 December, 2012
I’ll let them off, then ……. LOL
A happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to you Paul 67 and to all at CQN..
What a year it has been!!
Hail Hail
Starry
Chuck is obviously bricking it to respond…… Different ball game when it’s a wee 4th tier team though!!!
C’mon Chuckie make my day!!??
Sipsini
Ive got a spare for wednesday if your free
Stephbhoy 20:03 on
31 December, 2012
Can we have Rob McLean commentating, with perhaps the uber-intelligent Craigan to co host, or even Wee Pat Nevin ( apart from the Celtic games, he no likey sectarian singin).
I`m stretching it to hope we could poach Burley from ESPN, so I suppose Hateley will have to do.Have I started drinking too early?
HH
am off for the night, i hope you all have a great new year, 2013 beckons
hail hail
Well that’s the last pint of the year in the hibs club, just want to
wish Paul67 and all CQN posters a happy new year when it
arrives and here’s to a cracking2013 for the hoops
Some posts suggest a possibility of Newco going into Admin as well. If this were to happen and a NewNewco came into existence,would the NewNewco buy the OldNewco`s one year History or the Oldnewco`s recently acquired OldOldco`s 139 year history?
Off out now to begin celebrating the close of the Old Year. I will be wishing all those in my vicinity at the time, a Happy New Year at the appropriate time. Cqners will have to wait until tomorrow.
JJ
Stephbhoy 20:03 on
31 December, 2012
kind of hoping, if it was new start we would leave the past behind (tim thinking me think) so dont think we would have any room for that mob.
i would not employ any doom and gloom merchants, rulig out every person in the msm
hail ail
Jungle Jim
this is getting complicated hehehe
Burghbhoy
20:09 on
31 December, 2012
I’m interested, what’s all this about??
Just a quick peek out of the shadows to give all you posters my heartfelt thanks for a quite wonderful years entertainment on CQN. Should it surprise me that Celtic being the common denominator the diversity of personality and opinion is endless ?
Happy New Year one and all, big and small.
YNWA
A new years message from our hero !
http://i46.tinypic.com/12349cg.jpg
burghbhoy- As he said himself “….. not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse”
got it:
“Celtic followed that up with consecutive 3-0 victories – against Motherwell at Fir Park and in the last ever derby against Rangers at Paradise.”
Prestonpansbhoy…..
Official CFC web site in review of the season acknowledged that last ever derby between Celtic and Rangers ended in 3 nil victory for us.
Hopefully Chuck will respond in his customary way and big Peter will destroy him in public with the truth.
Last post was a plea to Chuck to respond like he does with wee 4th tier teams and demand an apology but I think he is bricking it!!
Hail hail
Burghbhoy
20:26 on
31 December, 2012
Thanks Miss Prestonpans told me to go to our web site for a laugh, and I did :)
What a year.
Happy New Year to all Celtic supporters.
Next comes the best bit when the Sevconians are forced to swallow the Fact that they are playing for their first ever trophy. Then the fun really starts.
TheEarthIsFlat.CSC
Had a quick peek at fascistfascist there to see if they were demanding an apology, couldn`t see anything. Did notice that Hugh Adams had died, the ex director who saw through Murray from the start.
Also noticed a thread starting with `Anyone gonna miss the new year game against them?
Deluded right enough, as these posts show.
Not one bit, my ears will be clear of their bigotry
——————————————————————–
Nope, tbh I haven’t given them a second thought all season, they simply don’t exist for me
—————————————————————————————
Not one bit and if we never played them again then it would be too soon!
It is 100% them that will miss it as they need us far more than we need them and Scottish football are now beginning to realise where the real fan problem lies
————————————————————————————————
They will miss it
We wont
That makes me happy
——————————————————————-
Stupid stupid Zombies
Away for a shower now………………………..
Invercelt @ suggests “Canamalar,
Will let you know when I’m likely to be in Glasgow: know any pubs with plastic beer-glasses?”
Invercelt I’ll let you know when I’m in Inverness. I’ll bring my big stainless steel beer tanker. Reusable in all eventualities. Harder even than a hun head. On top of which its scrap value is rising too.
Happy Hogmanay.
Prestonpansbhoy..have a great new year when it arrives..close your doors in case a stranger walks by and steals yer dinner ! Hh :)
johann murdoch
20:31 on
31 December, 2012
Hope you have a happy new year too, Mrs Prestonpans was wondering what I was laughing at!
Not going to Italy btw since the 6th of March is her 50th and will enjoy the delights of the lake district instead, then find a pub :-)
I just popped in the wish each and every one of you the very best for 2013. 2012 was a great year to be a Celtic fan and an awful one to be a hun.
Long may that continue.
To leabrannagh – I disagreed with your interpretation of speculate to accumulate. But thats for another time…..