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State of the Club Report, year-end 2012

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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.

Have you ordered your CQN Annual yet? Get it here!

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  3. reilly1926 on

    Do you remember in the 1970’s Mike Yarwood could do no wrong and then it all went Pete Tong. Yer Man Watson reached that point tonight. It was utter garbage and lazy television. Before it started my 16 year old said he would cop out. Smart boy my Nicholas.

  10. jinkyredstar cuts it back for Neil Lennon on

    All the very best to one and all

     

    Here’s to a year of wonder

     

    Cheers

  14. Ntassoolla on

    1912

     

    Keynote speech

     

    Wales

     

    Strike

     

    The Miners Next Step.

     

    “Why are we here? “.. The bosses say it’s none of our business.

     

    WE decide our business.

     

    WE say what is our our business.

     

    WE say.

     

    Your fight is our fight, and our day will come.”

  20. Summa of Sammi.... on

    .

     

     

    Happy New Year Fae The Moaning Marsupials et al..

     

     

    All the Best for the Forthcoming Year to the Many Friends I Stay in Contact with and Chat to on Here..

     

     

    2012 was Up there Personally and Footballally..:-)

     

     

    But I will Say it here and Now..

     

     

    I Miss Beating them..in Any Disguise..

     

     

    Summa of NeoDerbyIn13?14?15?CSC

     

     

    Ps.. 666..

  21. Rascar Capac on

    Well…

     

     

    Here we go again.

     

     

    The resolutions…

     

     

    Difference is…

     

     

    I mean it this time :o)

  23. petec on

    A Happy New Year to all CQNers, I hope this year is a good one for everyone.

     

     

    Has anyone heard of a DJ/Producer from Glasgow called Rustie?

     

     

    Just using the BBC I player radio on the PC and listening to a mix of his that made the essential mixes of 2012.

     

     

    I don’t know exactly when his mix first aired but if it is recent then he is definitely a CQN regular. ;))))

     

     

    The moonhowling through a few tracks now is very evident. Not that keen on his type of dance music but he gets a ‘thumbsup’ because we are talking about Radio 1 essential mix, now who started this howling anyway, as they may be getting interviewed soon. ;))

     

     

    2013 should be an even better year for Celtic than 2012 was. The Rustie mix……

     

     

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01f15yf/BBC_Radio_1s_Essential_Mix_Best_of_2012_Rustie/

  24. oldjunglebhoy on

    Happy New Year to you all…I hope it brings you all what you wish for…

     

     

    I don’t count my blessings enough, none of us do…I’m very lucky to have a wonderful wife and two beautiful daughters, great friends…and Celtic…and all that that means. Count your’s please..

     

     

    Cleaning up after the Hogmanay party…great laugh with the neighbours…mostly about Scottishness, Irishness and Celtic….brilliant…

     

     

    X

  26. petec on

    setting free the bears

     

     

    If you are still about can you give me 10 of the finest guitar sonics ever in yer own opinion, I’ll settle for one and hope for more than the 10. ;) since yer drunk. :)

     

     

    Big bad John and Hey Mr Tambourine Man is growing on the wee chap by every listening, we’ve all been there.

     

     

    HH and enjoy this…..

     

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM66cgBVEl8

     

     

    That Young Celt moved to Russia because he has Celtic running through his veins, we both know that.

     

     

    46 years ago.

  27. DUSHANBE BHILLY BHOY on

    setting free the bears

     

    05:01 on

     

    1 January, 2013

     

    Sevco\’s in the Black Books

     

    =====

     

    Just love Nils Lofgren. Great guitarist with an unique style. In fact, I have 12 of his albums. For me, second only to Rory Gallagher.

     

     

    Thanks for posting.

     

     

    DBB

  29. petec on

    Personally, I’d pay Spartak their money back to get Aiden back on a long term contract. It is obvious we have built a good relationship with Spartak, their fans were excellent at Celtic Park apart from one trumpet. They sung songs about Aiden a few times and not just when he was coming on or on.

     

     

    I doubt the Celtic Board would sanction that, I think it would be an amazing transfer coup and could give us the Number 10 we really need, I’ve always said he should be played at the number 10 position because of his two footed abilities.

     

     

    Perhaps the Celtic Money Men should take a chance for once, especially as it is one of our OWN.

     

     

    And a song for that coveted number 46 shirt from Aiden to Dylan.

     

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiWylm0HyLA

     

     

    And he would mean it in the best possible taste.

     

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkqxagJglaI

  30. petec on

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-fX0UbpZls

     

     

    KevJ, Kojo, TSD and even the philvis are dehumanisied. PAUL67 has been Humanizing people again. Especially those that are dehumanised on this site

     

     

    It goes against my own little religion, people ganging up on others.

     

     

    Paul67 is brave in everything he does.

     

     

    Paul67 is our shining example.

  31. Margaret McGill on

    Should old attendance be forgot

     

    and never thought upon;

     

    the blames of huns extinguished

     

    and fully past and gone:

     

    Is thy cheating Heart now grown so cold,

     

    In the second best of time.

     

    That Scotland had to disinfect

     

    On Old long syne.

  33. petec on

    Margaret McGill

     

     

    hAPPY nEW yEAR bIG cHAP.

     

     

    I know it is quite insignificant but can you start calling Rascar by his real nickname.

  35. lionroars67 on

    Happy new year Paul67 very good summation on what was a catastrophic year for the Govan club and may 13 be filled with blessings for you and yours

     

     

    New year greetings CQN hope one and have all what that you wish for in 2013, well the Mayans got the end of the world correct in 2012 but it was for yon deid club, this site will continue to be THE site which the MSM reads for its news and opinions, let 2013 see Glasgow continue to be green and white

     

     

    Hail hail

     

     

    CQN 2013 resolution No mention of tabloid rags and tacky moronic phone ins

  37. DUSHANBE BHILLY BHOY on

    Margaret McGill

     

    06:36 on

     

    1 January, 2013

     

    DOUCHE AUNT BEE BHILLY BHOY

     

     

    05:48 on 1 January, 2013

     

     

    Boring!

     

     

    ====

     

     

    …and your your rabid anti antisemitism (re:- Jaba) is equally boring and a disgrace. Shouldn’t be allowed on here. Brings shame on our great club, such postings.

  38. Margaret McGill on

    DUSHANBE BHILLY BHOY

     

     

    06:59 on 1 January, 2013

     

     

     

    Not responsible for the conceptual difficulties of stupid currants.

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