My friends in Celtic, for the first time in four years we start a league campaign as champions. We carry a slender-but-hopeful lead into the second leg of our Champions League third qualifying round tie, and we are hotter favourites to win the league this season, than North Korea’s Supreme Leader’s favourite Pyongyang team would be, if he was to playing as striker.
Quite simply, the return on money placed on Celtic to win the league this season more accurately reflects a tax-free savings plan than a gamble. The bookies will hold your money until March or April then return it with some interest. Your rate of return will directly reflect the interest they can earn elsewhere.
This is the ninth eve-of-the-season we have reported on the state of the club. During this time we have gone toe-to-toe with a competitor who tried so hard to get the better of us, they ran up unsustainable debts, which could reach £134m, and which will never be paid or forgiven.
Celtic ran a better operation, were commercially sharper, had by far the best scouting system in the country, but paid their bills and ‘lost’ five leagues in this time.
Living with this was hard. In fact, it tore the Celtic support apart. The question was simple, “If they can, why can’t we?”
They couldn’t, and now the ideological debate is over. Mantras we have heard for decades have proven to be false. ‘Speculate to accumulate’ and ‘For every fiver Celtic spend….’ were suitable for an inflating market, where player values, TV contracts and match day revenues rose consistently, but this strategy was fatally flawed.
Whatever was accumulated in Scottish football it was never financial reserves, so when revenues dipped, or the vagaries of sporting fortune denied the wealthy their anticipated earnings, Armageddon happened – for one club!
Students of economic history will be able to tell you that even the most obvious economic lessons are eventually forgotten. New people arrive, achieve some early successes which reaffirm their ideological beliefs (in this instance ‘We deserve more money to be spent on footballers’), make no provisions for the inevitable change in circumstances, before disappearing into the obscurity from which they came, leaving others to live with the consequences.
Here is the true State of your Club. Celtic will continue its trajectory without changing what has been orthodoxy since the last century. Over any business period we will spend whatever money comes into the club. In normal times debt levels will trend downwards, providing space for the afflictions of fortune to be accommodated. We will most likely promote more players from our precocious youth system and buy fewer squad fillers than in the past.
The blink-junkies, who still believe in the values of Sir David Murray, will be reminded on these pages of their consequences *.
When this period of our history ends, we will reflect back on what, by then, will be the most successful period of any club, in any country. Ever. Those of you who lived through Lisbon are now enjoying the second Golden Generation of our club, but this time, nine years will not contain it. This Generation will stretch from 2000 as far as your mind’s eye can see, if only someone would coin a catchy phrase to encapsulate this successful period!
The Battle of the Ages is over, Celtic have prevailed, as did every Scottish football fan who wanted the madness to end. We won!
Thanks to everyone who bought a raffle ticket to help with our summer charity causes. Enjoy the season. I will.
*At the moment I’m reading End this Depression Now by Nobel Economics Laureate Paul Krugman, an excellent insight into how even the most eminent allow what they want to believe to obscure some of the lessons every economics under-grad is taught. It’s also a fine retort to the political classes who believe there’s nothing we can do for the economy but strangle it a little tighter.
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Torontony
Not sure if you’re around today, mate, but will try and drop by the club for the game tomorrow morning … might be a bit early for that pint, though.
bournesouprecipe on 3 August, 2012 at 18:58
He obviously needs or adores money. I wonder if Campbell needs or adores money?
The Great Architect needs to be challenged by Every Scottish Football fan, Celtic fans have led the way and have laid the proverbial Yellow brick road right up to his own mind.
The good thing about Peat and Smith they were happy to be in the limelight. They installed their finest once they realised the UFH was Real. ;)
celtic football club should have a couple of ladys in place as announcers.etc, there is a lot of women go to parkhead, so that should be encouraged, but as i have said many times on here ,that mob that run celtic dont have much of a clue.i think its time we all ditched rangers on here, put pressure on this board at celtic to get decent facilietes in and around the stadium,and as someone mentioned on here they are to busy catering for the corprote side of things ,rather than catering for the ordinary fan. so dermot and lawell get the finger out and do something costructive for a change, instead of trying to fleece us ,sorry about some of my spelling ,but i hope you all get the meaning of what im tring to say
SSB full of morons tonight,,,more than usual :)
LOL
HH
If my team had just been liquidated and were still under investigation and I decided to call a national broadcaster in order to voice my concerns, I’d like to think I would have at least a rudimentary grasp of what was being investigated.
It is quite frightening how ignorant the hun hordes are in general with the goings on here. Is it actually ignorance? Or is it denial?
petec
Here is the locus when you hear the word Sevco ( or Rangers © MSM )
Mr Doncaster confirmed that the independent commission set up to investigate dual contracts at Rangers would have whatever powers they required to deal with the issue.
“We’ve appointed an independent commission. They have the power to impose whatever sanctions, should they find there to be a breach of the rules.”
HH
due to other commitments i cant make the game to-morrow,i have a concession ticket for the front of the main stand close to the away end ,so if there is someone in the west lothian who like to have it for the aberdeen game, give me a bell on 07572349224.
Ibleed ludge meetings must have been cancelled, let them have their whinge it won’t change a thing…….. they’re screwed.
HH
CRC and hamiltontim
Looking forward to tomorrows game and one or two pints afterwards :-))))))))))
I know you guys only drink in moderation.
timbhoy2 very noble, but its not a good idea to put you’re number on here, hun scum read our blog.
HH
not unless its a mobile number for the samaratins :¬)
archdeaconsbench on 3 August, 2012 at 18:52 said:
He may be from the West end but that doesn’t stop him from talking out of his rear end
hail hail
Fourgreenfields
Never heard of ‘Moderation’ but if it’s cheap and cheerful we could try it at the 10 pint mark :-)
MikeinToronto – Aye i’m lurking away here waiting on the CQN Golf news. I would be delighted to see you tomorrow morning, too early for a pint but i can provide Irn Bru if ye fancy one:)
slainte
tony
FourGreenFields on 3 August, 2012 at 19:19
is moderation in the gallowgate or merchant city? never been in that pub, probably never will :¬)
HH
Four Green Fields
They don’t drink in moderation they drink in Bar67 n loads more pubs ;-)
Hh
googybhoy ♥ Celtic on 3 August, 2012 at 18:50 said:
celticrollercoaster supporting wee Oscar on 3 August, 2012 at 18:47 said:
googybhoy
Done mate.
Waiting for the postman.
FourGreenFields on 3 August, 2012 at 19:19 said:
Moderation!!! No been to that pub. Have a missed one? :-)
HH
CRC
A wiz first…..with the psh poor joke!!!
How many of these do you recognise?
The Work Nicknames Hall of Fame …
Olympic Torch – a bit of a loner who never goes out.
Sergeant Signal – well-known in the local police station, he’s a tube with stripes.
Biskits – this guy’s got ginger nuts.
Daisy – a rather lazy chap. There are days he’ll work and days he won’t.
Yo-Yo – he’s been in and out of jobs since leaving school.
The Seagull – a panicky engineer who’s always flapping.
The Barra – he won’t do anything unless he’s given a push.
The Sniper’s Dream – a guy with an unfeasibly large forehead.
The Beast – his extension number at work is 666.
Tuesday – when he was born, his parents decided to call it a day.
The Fog – a foreman who comes down on you when you least expect it.
Sooty 1 – his surname is Armour.
Sooty 2 – he can’t do anything without getting a hand.
Nato – helost a big toe after an accident on the building site.
Red October/Polaris/Torpedo – these guys are always looking for a sub.
Domestos – a wife who’s apparently clean round the bend.
18 Months – after an accident at work, this chap now has “an ear and a half”.
Neon – a 6ft tube.
Sledge – a guy who regularly gets pulled by dogs.
Boaby Butterbean – sadly for Boaby, nobody likes butterbeans.
Thrombosis – a slow-moving clot.
Phone Box – he’s always out of order.
Hezzy – his real name, you see, is Bobby Tate.
Crime – he’s not too keen on buying a round (and crime doesn’t pay).
Heid First – the nickname of a certain Mr R. Slater.
Martini – it’s any time, any place, anywhere with this good-time girl.
The Exorcist – when he visits your house at New Year, all the spirits disappear.
Minty – arriving late for work every morning, he’s always in “after eight”.
Two Trees – his surname is Smallwood.
Scud – terrible at darts, nobody knows where his arrows will land.
Pebbledash – he consumes eight pints of Guinness and eight bags of peanuts every night of the week.
Winchester – the nosy barm aid who likes a good rifle.
Toenails – he’s so far up the gaffer’s backside, that’s all you can see of him.
Treasure – the wife of a man who’s forever being asked: “Where the hell did you dig her up?”
Lightning – the painter whose roller never hits the same spot twice.
The Undertaker – a promiscuous lady who’s seen a number of stiffs in her time.
The Cadbury Kid – due to his chronic dandruff, he’s always covered in flakes.
Drawing Pin – a little p***k with a big head.
Broken Arrow – the son of the boss, he won’t work and you can’t fire him.
The Turin Shroud – a dodgy tradesman with papers claiming he’s qualified, but no one’s sure they’re real.
Blister – a lazy employee who only turns up after all the hard work’s done.
Mudguard – a balding apprentice with a wicked sense of humour, he’s shiny on top and full of crap underneath.
Axminster -she’s a bit rough, but very easily laid.
No. 59 – terrible body odour means he’s sweet and sour.
The Greyhound – he’s got a shocking comb-over and refuses to believe “the hair’s off”.
Hip Hip – his real name is Hugh Rae.
Nicam – everything you tell him goes in one ear and out the other.
The Boomtown Rat – a heavy weekend drinker who never manages to get to his work on a Monday.
Avalanche – the stressed office worker who always claims he’s snowed under.
Alaska – a henpecked husband who needs his wife’s permission to go out.
The Blacksmith – when it’s his turn to buy a round, he makes a bolt for the door.
T4
hamiltontim on 3 August, 2012 at 19:25 said:
That’s cause you always talk pash ;-)
HH
Torontony on 3 August, 2012 at 19:23
Meant to ask, do you know a Billy Docherty from Greenock, lives in Toronto (I think), he went out to Toronto about 30 years ago but still supports the hoops, my wife met him when we were last in Barcelona.
HH
archdeaconsbench on 3 August, 2012 at 18:52 said
=======================
James from Drumchapel is not a timposter he is an out and out hun who used to be a regular caller to the Real Radio phone in. Alan Rough used to take the mickey out of him to the point that James would be greeting with rage. Comedy Gold is Jamesy boy.
archdeaconsbench 19:16
Ignorance, sheer thickness, years of thinking they cant be punished, and for the few that can think they are just railroading the new club but still old club and the harshly treated victims line.
EN
Leftclick
You are correct in the issue being were football rules broken is the issue but the underlying principle the rules are supposed to uphold is sporting integrity as the wage advantage ebts gave one club gave them an on field advantage.
So whilst the focus should be on the rules remember you are dealing with mob who specialise in interpreting the rules to their advantage (see insolvency rules as an example- although even there they look to have cheated) so lets not lose sight of the principle and the consequences of the rules being broken in compensation terms. If anyone can find a way to get around the rules its that mob.
It is then that the principles need to come into play but you are right in that had it not been for the dual contract issue, the sporting principle argument would have been buried.
Know thy enemy.
Bundoran
I’m in good company then!!
Touche :-)
Celticrollercoaster
Is there a quiz tonight?Hamiltontim is at the golf day so the rest of us might have a chance.Mind you he’ll probably have his phone with him.
Think I’ll draft an email to Clyde asking to have Jamesy in the studio one night….
Moderation is a quiet hostelry where like minded individuals can have a chat and a small cup of tea to while away the day .
I’m sure you all know the place .
Pioneer Society CSC
Ht
That a fancy word for calling me a Shereen Nanjiani? :p HH
Vmhan – I don’t think so. We have Gerry McLaughlin frae the Port who is our current president. Yer erse must be killing ye from awe that biking? Guinness is a good cure for that;0)
slainte
tony
Tgcw
Hello!!
Bundoran
Aye pretty much :-)
Evening ht,see you’ve got the phone with you.
Just saw a series of Panda cars with sirens blaring heading towards Aberdour!
Peterhead
2 visits with one stone?
U
tgcw
Not there mate. R isn’t keeping great since last night so I’m at home. Hopefully better by tomorrow so I can still get out.
FourGreenFields on 3 August, 2012 at 19:29 said:
Moderation is a quiet hostelry where like minded individuals can have a chat and a small cup of tea to while away the day .
I’m sure you all know the place .
Pioneer Society CSC
Just incase you Bhoys missed my reply :-)))))
Fourgreenfields
Na still doesn’t ring a bell!!! :-)