Former Bolton Wanderers chairman, Phil Gartside, lost his battle with cancer yesterday. During Bolton’s 18 year Premier League tenure, Gartside wanted Celtic and Rangers in the league, as part of a reorganisation which would have seen a second tier Premier League created.
His motivation was the realisation that English football’s model was inherently dysfunctional. Teams like Bolton would over-commit to the player contracts necessary to keep them in the league, but with everyone else doing the same thing, it was only a matter of time before they finished in the bottom three. Less than 3 years since relegation Bolton face a winding-up order this month over a £2.2m debt to HMRC.
‘The Gartside Plan’ for league reorganisation found little support among his Premier League peers. Each passing TV deal poured ever-more money into the Premier League but the model remains dysfunctional. Those relegated regularly face dire consequences – and that’s before the bubble bursts.
As English and Welsh clubs who have dropped out of the Premier League continue to deal with the consequences, Europe’s mega-rich clubs are unhappy with their return from Champions League football. The relative democratisation of Champions League qualification, introduced by Michel Platini, which sees more clubs from smaller countries reach the group stage, is seen as a problem to some of Europe’s richest.
They want games against Manchester United, not Dinamo Zagreb. So do TV companies and sponsors. The football industry in Europe operates a series of EU sanctioned cartels. These sanctioned exceptions were granted on the basis that football is a sport, not a conventional business. The more top clubs act like businesses, not sporting institutions, the more reason to tear down the walls of these carters.
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Sunderland sack Adam Johnson saying: “In light of Adam Johnson’s guilty pleas, the club has terminated his contract with immediate effect.”
Acgr
Congrats to both those women … especially for having a mad man like you to put up with ;)
You are awful. .. but I like you
Token
It wisnae you. It was the other two.:)
Clogher Celt @ 6:42pm
http://www.motherwelltimes.co.uk/news/local-headlines/councillors-vote-to-fly-irish-flag-1-4027944#comments-area
The local rag.
check out the 1st comment and who its from :-)
The other 3 comments will be much more representative of a large proportion of NLC residents no doubt.
And knowing some of the Councillors who will be voting on this, dont expect it to pass at full vote….although it must also be said that i have a feeling there will be a few who will be very sympathetic to this motion. Whether they follow their hearts or not remains to be seen though.
Don’t hold your breath….
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
TGM,
You took that too far, it’s just getting too far fetched :)
Unlike my story of the crusades and the knights of Sion :) there’s a ring of truth to that.
GGH
In mitigation, I did think they would both pick them :-)
I hope Token wins.
HH
Anyroadup
Early flight
Night night n hail hail
“Tear down the walls of the football cartels”
Start with the SFA
Kikinthenakas
ACGR,
Hoopy Birthday to the good Celtic wummen!
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Canamalar
Right…my last pitch.
Marx in the City….similar to Sex in the City.
Marx, his son in law, and two Glaswegian Marxists in Downtown New York.
And my very last:)
Karl Marx, the Satanist…by Dennis Wheatley.
Marx tries to prevent Satan(Charles Grey) from taking over rural Buckinghamshire in the 1870s.
16 Part series.
HH
Oh n happy birthday agcr’s wummin
Nytol
Cathie cats versus Proddie dogs about to start… Caesar the cat has his hoops on. :))
GGH,
;-)
TET,
i also had a ‘PPS’ on my email that said “i wonder if either of my last 2 fellow standees will have went for the sevco” :-)
The thought did pass my mind to consider them, but i just couldny do it…….no doubt you’ll both be laughing up your cuff’s at me come Sat evening though ;-)
Promise I wont try to hold the moral high ground…..too much, hahaha
I’d say good luck mate, but you know i’d be lying ;-)
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Hooooopy Birthday to CowieBhoy, a Rosters Roaster:-)
And to ACGR’s Wummin’
I like the second one best
But the first one is more believable when you consider communism was built on Wall St
A Roasters Roaster of course.
ACGR…
Just read back mate, all the best to your mum and wee sister. HH
And no some German wallpaper shop
Canamalar
With you on that one.
A few isms been funded from Wall St.
Prescott Bush and his pals.
HH
Doc,
Google shout, many happy returns cowiebhoy
Right that’s enough startin to fell like ……..:)
Cowiebhoy…
Happy 30th, you could pass for Docs bhoy :) HH
If anyone missed the STV news tonight, the interview with Alloa’s chairman was priceless.
http://thecelticblog.com/2016/02/news/alloa-rile-sevco-with-pitch-size-change-a-dig-at-past-practices-at-ibrox
They really have Sevco at sixes and sevens over their decision to alter the pitch size.
I like Mulraney and always have.
This is what he had to say about the Newco vote back in 2012.
On 6 July he said;
“We will not be bullied into a decision by any outside influences, but will act in the best interest of Alloa first and Scottish football second. Sporting integrity will of course weigh heavily in any decision we make.
“We will continue to assess this situation as it changes as we believe there are very likely a number of variables which could become apparent before the vote next week.”
By 12 July he’d made up his mind and said this:
“As we previously advised in our first statement, we would do what we believed was in the best interest of Alloa FC, Scottish Football and sporting integrity. Fortunately we believe that the best interests of all three are mutual.
“Alloa can see no reason to vote in any way other than to put the new Rangers in the league that their own manager and fans have asked for, division three.”
A smart, passionate, honest man … our new Turnbull Hutton?
My friends in Celtic,
Quite intriguing listening to self proclaimed atheists talking so much abour religion. Of course it is their perogative, but I would have thought that Alchemy would be more their scene.
Hail, Hail.
Token
It really gets harder as the weeks go by when your choices are few and far between, if manure was an option for me I would have gone for them, over the years I have made a few bob from the huns, esp when they went a goal down, you always knew they would get the help they required, never had any bother taking the cash, it makes not a jot if I do or don’t bet on them, what will be will be.
I never bet on Celtic, can’t jink them.
Best of, and I do mean it :-)
HH
Adams Johnson sacked by makems
Feliz Cumpleanos Cowiebhoy, I hope you have many more.
HH
If Groucho and Chico Marx came up with the ‘sanity clause’ did Karl come up with the ‘satany clause’?
Very touching post from the hard man legend ACGR about his two Celtic Ladies. Your Mam sounds a character ACGR, God Bless her. A very Happy Birthday to both and to Cowiebhoy.
Coneybhoy
Very clever
TET,
hahaha Cheers mate. :-)
I know where you are coming from mate re the huns. A mate of mine has always said along the lines of “they will win regardless, so what wrong with me profiting by it. If i lose my money, great, as it means they lost, but if they win, then ive picked up a bob or two, so why not?”.
I bet them once and once only many years ago – was in a 5 fold with Us, man ure, arsenal and newcastle – will never forget it. It just felt wrong wanting them to win. So never did it again.
But that’s just me, possibly stupidly letting heart rule the head, something you should never do in betting.
All the best pal, after all its a great cause.
HAIL! HAIL!
Token
Canamalar, did the ole predictive text catch you out there? :-)
Sipsini, only those who have never seen CowieBhoy will believe that one!
He’s 20 years older than me!
He certainly looks it!
Coney boy
Top Marx for that one
Canamarlar, cheers dude, your invite means a lot to me but Im oota here on the 0700 tae fun city today. Had enough of this sand filled dump………..for the time being.
Maybe, just maybe…………………….we’ll meet………………..on a sandy beach…….
Ya dick
Celtic, and wee Celtic wummmmmin are gold.
Goodnight friends and HH
Happy Birthdays to Cowiebhoy and ACGR’s Mum and Sister. HH.
Cowiebhoy, Happy Birthday. You take care mind and enjoy your family being across from Canada
ACGR wummin- have a great day too!
HH
CRC
Doc
At least your waist size is 20 inches bigger than Cowiebhoy, so you win that one :-)
HH
CRC
Doc…
Only joshing, as you know…you finished that painting yet? :)
Corky, Im about as hard as big rubber wobbly thing (ask mrs corky aboot that)
Belated HB to you bro, hope you are faring well.
TBJ, Im lookin at yoooooo.
:_)