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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Bobby,you me, ma wee dug beside me and all you great Celts know the story son.
Sky Sports,BBC,STV,UTV,RTE,ALBA…Rangers.I’ll tell you better than that mo chara.About 90% of people here in Derry dont even know they were liquidated and think they’ve been hard done by.Sickening.
….pfayr: 22:42 on 1 January, 2013
Bloody sevco on the TV again tomorrow
Wtf …who is watching this dreadful football?
>>>>
Growlers.
Doc is Neil Lennon
Exactly Doc, they changed the oldhunsclub1872 IL to RFC2012 PLC, which is the current name they are trading under in the stock market.
What the fecks going on?
I still think BDO will not go in too deep, but then again hopefully Hectors a bit pissed off after the FTT result. Here’s hoping.
HH
Aw Naw
A follow up post to link on TSFM :))
———-
Tuesday, January 1, 2013 at 23:05
‘http://www.edinburgh-gazette.co.uk/issues/27190/pages/3501′
—
Brilliant link, thank you.. It made me try to learn what a Liquidation Committee does.
“The liquidation committee has the following powers.
To determine the basis of the liquidator’s fees
To demand reports on matters of concern to the committee
To requisition committee meetings
The liquidator is required to convene a meeting of the committee within the first three months of its being formed. Thereafter meetings must be convened six monthly, or at such other interval as the committee may determine.
To require sight of the financial records of the liquidation
To be consulted prior to the sale of any assets to a connected person……”
I wonder which creditors are on the committee, and how many?
MWD
Please no. We don’t need the player, nor the hype.
palacio67
I have high hopes this will end the continued history nonsense. I still don’t expect them to go after Sevco however.
Canamalar ,
Grrr. In actual fact, “lost wallet”, “bit of skin” and “sleep” have been the bain of my flamin life :))
Funny thing is, those that know me keep telling me it’s alcohol related.
Muppets.
Good night all
“Oscar Know celtic warrior YNWA”
Canalamar
They would still be in Scottish football regardless of any legitimacy considerations. Its Scotland.
Its also the old The Serenity Prayer in action.
FFM,
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=d2FT4FprxDg
Doc is Neil Lennon
23:46 on, 1 January, 2013
charles green bought the history and can do whatever he wants with it. He can even open a bar and claim it’s won football stuff.
Tet.
We’re just seeking truth and justice.
“Maybe too much to ask for”
Jon Daly then??
sipsini
Aye, far too much :>)
Goodnight Timland.
HH
Auldheid,
They rightfully should have been made to follow either the Gretna route or airdrie united route, both acceptable. As it is, unacceptable and not where any Celtic supporter honestly feels justice has been served, regardless of what the executives on the Celtic board are happy with.
From wiki
Phoenix companies
In the UK, many companies in debt decide it’s more beneficial to start again by creating a new company, often referred to as a ‘phoenix’ company. In business terms this will mean liquidating a company as the only option and then resuming under a different name with the same customers, clients and suppliers. In some circumstances it may appear ideal for the directors, however if they trade under a name which is the same or substantially the same as the company in liquidation without approval from the Court they will be committing an offence under S216 of the Insolvency Act 1986 (and equivalent legislation in UK regions). Persons participating in the management of the ‘phoenix’ company may also be held personally liable for the debts of the company under s217 of the Insolvency Act unless the Court approval has been granted.
Can someone please explain to me why this does not relate to the Zombies?
Am I missing something ?
HH
After that amazing bit of music from Kostas Papadopoulos and Lakis Karnezis ( heh, copy and paste means I get the honour of linking these fellas to CQN first :))
Anyhoos, here’s two of Ireland’s finest guitar players – and original, bear in mind – these fellas created the backdrop, first guitar players to make an impact on Irish music !!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzE439U5iMI
jude
Should have been Charlie Austin.That ship has long sailed.
Palacio67,
What’s the chances of a Scottish court not giving permission ?
Not proven even
Night night Timland.
Weefra HH
Canamalar,
:)) Ya fud :)) You’ve definitely been to one of our gigs :)) Am going to sing that when we play at the Man C SC in a few months, with ironic sideburns and a Noel Gallagher wig :)
That’s all make believe by the way…..
Lampard on 140k a week….
No faith in BDO to unravel the Hustle we are witnessing.
Palacio yep,
Quite simple it’s Scotland.Masonic rules apply,not the law.
The Luck Of The Irish
Palacio67.
Thems is huns,no rules apply.
FFM,
:o)
We’re they no geordies ?
zimmerman
Great post amigo ! Am listening and watching as I (try to) type !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lKwXwU5iWs
If there is one thing the old media beats the new media at hands down every time it’s swatting flies. Lost count of the number of iPads I’ve broke!!!
MWD
Canamalar,
:)) Ya fecker…you leave the Geordies out of it…and the Mancunians…and the Maccams/// feck, maybe this has nothing to do with where we come from at all…. :)))
Grrr, city borders, where only 50% taxpayers can cross……………. <:O
FFM,
Back at you bud,
working class hero…do for me.
MWD,
:)) Uhuhuh, the picture that conjured up of flies and the DR office and the taxi that took Jabba to hunland,,,,,,,uhuhuhuh.
BDO, Murdoch, Orgreave, Finucaine, Saville, Hillsborough, Smith (Cyril), MP’s expenses, Leveson, Lobbying…Inter sevco…….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG5e1oaen-M
Dinner time in a typical sevconian household
Goodnight and God bless you all.TAL.
The rotten mob question the validity of the cliche
More flies with sugar than shite
Palacio67
Go on to a web site called ‘duedil’
Brilliant … You can look up any company it gives vitals ,accounts,directors who else these directors are involved with etc !
HONESTLY IT WILL OPEN YOUR EYES !
But back to your question
Rangers football club applied for a name change may/June time …
To RFC 2012 Plc
I wonder why? Prehaps they knew liquidation was on the books a month or so later ??
It was granted a month or so ago …
So rangers football club (incorporated 18whatever)
Is now know as RFC 2012 plc
Still inc 1872??
Newco …
If you search for rangers international you will find the freshly incorporated a month ago club … Directors in all inc cardigan (his other directorships)
Chuckles n co
palacio67
00:05 on2 January, 2013
The pertinent phrase may be
without permission if the court.
do they have that?
zimmerman
Still don’t think it beats your own post – when oor JL had a point to make, he made it well. Feckin powerful !
I think you’ll like this. The song might not be especially meaningful, but as you know, the setting was, in Gdasnk, for the Solidarity celebration ! Nae surprise the main man’s son was arrested in London during the occupy protests, and the meeja lunged on it. :((( Meanwhile, Poland welcomed the whole concert. They know their politics !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzX_zPSrqcQ