Substantially unlike Celtic

The statement from Bolton Wanderers joint administrator that Celtic agreed to pay “substantially more than the financial obligation” for Luca Connell is substantially unlike Celtic.

Bolton dropped to the third tier of English football in May, seven years after dropping out of the Premiership.  They spend 19 years mixing it in the top flight of English football, and, under chairman, the late Phil Gartside, were advocates of inviting Celtic and (then) Rangers into the league.

In 2009 Gartside, anticipating their place at the top table could not last forever, proposed a two-tier Premier League, with Celtic and Rangers invited to compete in the second tier.  Gartside understood what he called the “financial polarisation” would wreak havoc on clubs like his, as they over-reached trying to avoid the calamity of relegation.

Relationships with administrators are fleeting affairs.  Different people will soon be in charge, but Bolton will remain in hardship for some time, and Celtic will remain keen to build different types of relationships with a variety of clubs.  The “substantial” element of this payment was building affinity.