Apparently, time for Rangers fans to step forward to save their club has passed. For the want of £500k any one or collection of them could have bought an exclusive period as preferred bidder and worked on a rescue but no one stepped forward.
It is perhaps worthwhile reflecting on our hour of need 18 years ago. Celtic had exceeded their agreed overdraft limit and the Bank of Scotland informed the club that unless the account was brought back into agreed limits that day, it would go to court to appoint an administrator.
Back then there were no transfer windows, so players could, and would, have been sold by the administrator the next day. Celtic would have been left with an unwanted shell of a squad.
Word of the impending doom spread around the Celtic business community and John Keane decided to act. He withdrew £1m from his account and paid it straight into Celtic’s account at the Bank of Scotland.
John did this in the hope that he could buy time for the Celtic Movement to pull a rescue together. The bank could still have withdrawn the overdraft the same day, which would have made him an unsecured creditor with no chance of a return. There was also no agreement signed to secure the transfer of the club from the old board, each member of whom would later be dealt with on an individual basis, as shares were sold, or in the case of Kevin Kelly, pledged behind Fergus McCann’s consortium.
John kept his money in Celtic and received a seat on the new board, which he retains. He declined to appear in the publicity photos on the steps of Celtic Park when the club was rescued and although he attends the AGM every year, he remains a quiet and largely unknown figure. He has since invested more in Celtic, money he will never see back, but which has ensured his family can block a Glazier-style takeover of Celtic.
I have spoken to him once or twice, although he doesn’t know who I am, but I have often thought he deserves a standing ovation at the AGM for what he did all those years ago. Maybe this year.
We can only wonder why there was not a John Keane across the city.
Very well done to the Daily Record for their excellent story about CQN’er Tony Conway today. Tony, who now lives in the United States, suffers from motor neuron disease and made the trip back to Celtic Park last year with his Dad, John, and brother, Martin. They spent time with Jinky’s son James and met a host of people at the club, including Neil Lennon and Billy McNeill.
Read it, it’s a great story.
Remember to keep an eye on the signed Celtic shirt being auctioned for Wellburn Care Home, it ends Monday.
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TET
Sort it how?
EDB
Honest referees don’t cheat
The reason I started to watch “them” v DU was in the hope of seeing them get a gubbing. I suspect most on here who are watching on sky did so for the same reason. Now alternating between Barca and Spurs though, since DU obviously decided to “walk away” along with the orc fans
A goal for Inverness would do very nicely
Jimljinxedit
Aberdeen score
Oglach
Someone has to ask the question; why?
Sheep score
1-2
It’s good to observe possible signing targets too, like Johnny Russell e.g. to form an opinion. I remember pre- Izzy, some wanted us to go after Dixon, he has been dreadful.
I started watching them to see their pitch infestation.
MWD
2-1 Parma
Goal
Lausanne Sports 1 – 0 Sion
Looking forward to Der huns being 6-0 up when the Ocs invade their own pitch on 72 minutes, sit down, get the game abandoned, then watch as liquidation hits before they can fulfill the rearranged fixture and automatic relegation must be applied.
Carlsberg pitch invasion time.
!!Bada Bing!! on 2 May, 2012 at 20:33
we should know somebody mutual on here.
I am offline for an hour or so.
That is ridiculous defending again, passed it straight to their player when he should have launched it.
WDH -Cheers.
The Spirit of Arthur Lee
They scored an hour ago :>)
Sandman
Looks like the first part of your prediction will come true.
We talk about cheating on the park, diving and the like but Dundee United are cheating tonight. They’ve chucked it. Must’ve left their bags at the airport.
Goals
Ried 2 – 0 Austria Vienna
huns takin the pi%$ now,Broadfoot coming on.
TET
What was the RM score?
SOAL-0-0 7 min played
SoAL
Just started, 8 mins in, 0-0
Nuneaton still 1 up against Guieslely,after 52 mins
Bolton score 1 each
Goals
Kaizer Chiefs 2 – 0 Sundowns FC
Ruby Ruby Ruby
Ronaldo misses a penalty…..arrogant effort….not happy
Real Madrid miss a penalty. Cristiano Ronaldo has lost the knack. Still 0-0. Fourteen gone. Bilbao have fielded quite a weak team. If Real Madrid win they are champions.
Higuaín scores. Bilbao 0-1 Real Madrid.
Feckin guillotene
Spanish huns score 1-0 RM. time to go no shock here tonight i think
timing C1st
TET
Is he french?
Great goal from Higuain ….
Big shout for a penalty for Bilbao. Not given.
How is the invasion doing?
0-2/Otzil
delayed I think
2-0 Real …..