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!
1,546 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- ...
- 41
- »
Wumman at darts???
PF….
Best wishes to you chum………..
Bankie
Happy new year.
Good to see ye back
Awe_Naw…,
Did you see the statement :oD))))
The rumble :oD http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MWb_xz0OakQ
Then the security http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RWZD_bkNK-c
HT….
All the best…..
TET
Hail Hail…………
To the new Rangers – Imeacht gan teacht ort!
I guess thers not much of a crime rate in the city of dundee…..massive investigaton underway….tenders going out ….millions set aside to find the culprits….ports and airport passengers being checked out….all police leave cancelled……must be a satellite up there somewhere that can pin point this riot……….better still maybe the the 3 stooges who stand at exit 14 filming the GB every 2nd week can throw up some light
canamalar
Aye, how to is the question.
What will it take ???
I would have hoped that a condition of the clubs accepting the sfa breaking all their rules would have been a level of transparancy and a smigin of a level playing field.
I agree with Auldheid that they couldn’t or wouldn’t turn their back on the hun money, but surely they could have forced the sfa’s hand.
Smashy whit fekn lingo is that ? hauf German?
HH
Agree with many on tonight.. MSM in full horrific Sevco propaganda mode. We seem to have no one in the media able to call them out..
Any doubts re read Sundays Herald article , in fact any herald / record article in last fortnight.
They don’t even attempt to hide bias now.
Compare dens park report with Sevco at Ibrokes recently.
HH
WE keep showing them up..
Paradise tomorrow…
Smashy
GOATIT
HT – they are not woman just look like they have some woman bits!!! Well that horrible Taylor man does!
I assume that is what you meant and not a wind up comment – yer not that brave are ye?
Celtic Underground @celticrumours
Rumours that Kevin Thomson’s agent is keen to talk to Celtic.
Expand Reply Retweet Favorite
No thanks
This darts match is boring ….. LLOOLL….!!!!!!
I think Scottish professional football will go the same way as The Dandy.
It is already happening with the MSM. It wont be long before their isn’t one.
The Glasgow ship yards.
The Scottish police force. I.e one unified smaller force.
If you consider Scottish television also bbc and independent ..it has not moved on. In an industry that has greatly expanded over the years it has become ever more diminished.
It is an ever decreasing circle that will not give up its grup until they are made too by those in charge of the finances. It is a shame that the Celtic support has never managed to understand that. If they did it could be cleaned up in a matter of weeks.
HH
4-4 at the darts
Grup=grip
TET,
Auldheid is a romantic, our own club refuse to operate with transparency what makes anyone think they want it to happen at the sfa or spl.
Minx1888
I’d always imagined that the nicest thing you could say about a female dart’s fan was that her tattoos were spelled correctly.
You’re not a dart’s fan are you by any chance???? ;-)
Hamiltontim
21:44 on
1 January, 2013
VP
I remember selling 2 fitba cards in The International on Aitkenhead Rd prior to the 3-0 win against the huns in the year we played at Hampden.
Nae winners.
WOOHOO!!!
Ps did put half of it in the plate though.
===========================
HT
I remember that game well, I think I was the first fan in the stadium. Got dropped off at 12 noon on the Sunday after a wee Double Bubble shift in Compaq with nothing to do but go in early (And sober). Good game though,which cannot be said for many games that season.
HH
V P
Got a good pal from Belfast who sends me texts in his native Irish gaelic. Sent that as reply to him yesterday of an evening and thought I’d share it with you. ( just you – naebdy else!)
Neil canamalar Lennon hunskelper extrordinaire
I reckon Celtic think they have The Rangers where they want them for the next few years.
Parkheadcumsalford @ 00:00 on 1 January, 2013
A very happy New Year to Paul67 and his family and to the Celtic family wherever you may be. 2012 was a momentous year. Let’s hope 2013 is even more memorable.
Wemberlee, wemberlee….
————
Congrats to Parkheadcumsalford for the first-foot of 2013, with a very simple but worthy and concise post, which was clearly made without any assumption or sense of entitlement. I take these wee omens seriously :))
If we all pull together and help keep the faith, this team will go as far as we will it to. We might have politics interrupt us on the way in the form of European mibbery, but as a force our support and club are rightly feared by all when it comes to a game of football. Cos, we are more than a just a football club.
And HH to oor Lenny for keeping us all strong and together, and not submitting to the pressures of unpleasant forces.
I also hope no matter what happens, we all remember that this mhan is Celtic to the bone. A bit different from Tommy Burns, as his competitiveness is more on display than Tommy’s, but it takes more than one Angel to beat the devil. Thinking aloud here….
I’ve met Lenny a couple of times over the years – he wouldn’t remember me of course, but I certainly remember every time – a gentleman (which is not so easy to be when under threat of attack all the time! ), and someone that has always known and loved his football.
Am hoping the next time we lose 2-0 to flamin Kilmarnock or something, we all keep the heid, and see the bigger picture – which can be a good future if we stand to a mhan behind our manager. He’s developping for the future, cos he plans to be part of our future.
And only Celtic can produce this kind of devotion from the most talented men in football !
Whit a rant – my fingers are sore now >:((
My thanks to Lenny and his squad for making 2012 a fantastic year in our history, and here’s to more!! [raises glass] .
HH
Ht/Palacio
1 Rudi Vata, there’s only 1 Rudi Vata.
He scored a great goal that day
No sure I like the sound of Kevin Thomson!!!
………..without any evidence of genuine affection or credible devotion..(.that we would rrasonably recognise as the actions of a Celtic Supporter)….the Sleekits pop in with snyde, cynical jibes, that seek to undermine this Dear Green Place….and who and what it represents……..
Their agenda is as plain as their motives….
Palacio67
22:11 on
1 January, 2013
We didn’t make a kick off at home that entire season.
We drank in The International before every game, would leave at 5 to 3 then share several bottles of Mad Dog on the way to the ground. It was the only way to cope with the performances.
We were in shock at the result that day.
I just dropped one in my mates hoos, wot shuld be my next move?
Burghbhoy
22:16 on
============
Vata, Moore og and who else? Something is telling me it was another foreigner or was is it the young small lad we had playing for us at the time McLaughlin?
HH
Kevin Thomson ….Hun chuckle monkey …constantly injured …raffle yersel
Think I’ll get my agent to give CFC a call …I’d be better use than Thomson…am a CFC supporter
Auldheid,
That’s the problem, you and the board think there is a legitimate place for them
canamalar
I would have thought that when you are being cheated on a regular basis, you would want a bit of transparency.
All the clubs would be better off financially if they weren’t being cheated and having their money stolen from them…..NO
Ht
Spot on mate, we used to spend the first half of most games that season chanting outside Pastor Jacks church.buckied up!
5-4 Taylor
Burghbhoy
22:16 on
1 January, 2013
Think the other 2 came from PVH and an og.
Palacio… Big Pierre I’m sure
Re the polis,
A friend of mine’s maw told me yesterday how she dropped her 80 yr old maw at the shop, then went to park the car 100 yrds away. As she had just helped her mum out the car, she of course had no seat belt on when she got back in to park properly. Nee naw nee naw, blue lights, you know the rest. This good woman was more embarassed at having to step into the back of a polis car in broad daylight town centre, than she was bothered at forking out for the fine.
Aye, I’m grateful that some wee lassie shoplifting to feed her weans was out of their radar at that time, not so sure about the granny muggers though >:(((
misguidedfools.com
Will there be a Sky reporter outside Murray park and Tynecastle this year
Just a thought