I wasn’t engaged in Celtic politics 20 years ago, never attended the Celts for Change meetings and I wasn’t there to hear ‘The rebels have won!’ in person, but it was clear the Celtic Movement had achieved a remarkable revolution.
The old board’s biggest failing was its lack of strategy. 20 years on Fergus McCann rightly receives the plaudits for putting his money where his mouth was but until that very week he was merely one cog in the machine. Celts for Change were the advance party, others, such as McCann and John Keane were the generals, playing a critical role in the revolution, while the circa 30,000 fans who came forward to buy season tickets and shares were the foot soldiers who did the heavy lifting.
It cost £620 to participate in the subsequent share issue. People borrowed money in order to do their bit – in order to help Celtic, while others clubbed together to raise the target amount. This was an era when credit was even less pervasive as it has been in recent years. Thousands ‘did without’ to make this happen, and no one knew this more than Fergus.
The Revolution came 20 years after Jock Stein’s world record nine-in-a-row, but the intervening period brought obscurity in Europe, only once did we progress beyond Christmas and that was after overcoming Dundalk and Partizan Tirana. Six league titles were won.
The 20 years since have produced nine titles, with another in the oven, while former directors of former clubs are talking about the prospect of Celtic winning 10-in-a-row. We’ve had Seville, and lots of genuinely great achievements in the Champions League. It has been a fantastic two decades.
The one thing Fergus drove most thoroughly was his vision of the club’s social mission. Bhoys against Bigotry and Celtic Charity were launched and put squarely in the middle of who we are as a club. The renamed Celtic Foundation has grown and now engages thousands of fans each year in outstanding feats of generosity. If we are not ‘just another club’ this is the reason. If you’re not involved, get involved.
Over the years I’ve heard talk about a monument to Fergus, which would be entirely inappropriate, the man is a low-profile pragmatist, but we’re overlooking the biggest monument in sport. When he took over as managing director, Celtic Park was a magnificent football arena but fit only for our memories. We needed a safe, all-seater stadium. He raised £14m at a share issue, built the biggest football stadium in Britain apart from the decrepit Wembley, and left five years later with the club around £2.5m in debt.
It was an economic miracle which still beggars belief. I cannot explain how on earth this was achieved.
So Fergus, take a bow, you were years ahead of your time; ruthlessly uncompromising, just when we needed the same, but to those who only wanted to do their bit, without a wish for credit or glory, treat yourself this Pancake Tuesday, you deserve it. Every goal since is down to you.
Congratulations to Peter Lawwell on his appointment to the executive board of the European Club Association (ECA), alongside Bayern’s Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Milan’s Umberto Gandini, Ajax’ van der Sar and Ivan Gazidis of Arsenal; a heavy-hitting team. The appointment reflects not only on Peter Lawwell but on the fans and everyone who makes the club what it is.
Celtic are the club who more than any other in Europe have been disenfranchised by the drift of football success away from meritocracy to TV markets. Denied access to the TV markets neighbours enjoy, their status will inevitably decline further compared to those in other territories.
Do the ECA care? They will now. If football is to continue its 150 year tradition as a meritocratic sport, structural change must come. Celtic have been promoting this message consistently for years, so the ECA know who they have invited into the room. Let’s get on with it.
Seville, The Celtic Movement, launches this month.
“The long walk home from the game was memorable for the incredible reaction we got from the locals. They applauded each of us as we walked past their homes in recognition of what took place in their city throughout the day. Things like this don’t happen but that day was different. Seville, like Lisbon, will always remember Celtic.”
Order yours below:
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Big Cup Winners
Aye, I’ve never ever seen anyone get lifted for nothing: and I can assure I’ve been about.
Sorry but I missed your question. It was the video of the meeting in Edinburgh when they were all discussing the shape of the act that you kindly posted for me.
As I said earlier today I get much more exercised about. 64,000 you Scots on the scrap heap of unemployment. I also said earlier if the polis are evil they don’t need any act
Hamiltontim is praying for Oscar.
You going to the Polo Lounge after CQN10? :-)
Maybe?.
zimm
WH Website??
The Ukraine.
From the Socialist Worker website, what I think is called a Third Camp socialist take on events.
######
Putin raises the stakes in imperialist Crimea crisis
by Alex Callinicos
‘Russia’s seizure of military control over Crimea has brought Ukraine to the brink of war. This crisis represents the coming together of three distinct conflicts.
First, there is the struggle that has been going on for more than a decade among the corrupt and thuggish bunch of oligarchs who have dominated Ukraine since independence in 1991.
Secondly, there has been a genuine popular movement against the now exiled president, Viktor Yanukovych. This has expressed anger at the corruption of the entire political elite in Ukraine.
Unfortunately, this movement harbours illusions in the European Union (EU). Moreover, thanks to the historic weakness of the left in Ukraine, the far right has played a significant role in the “Euromaidan” occupation in Kiev.
Nevertheless, those who claim Yanukovych’s overthrow was a “fascist coup” are parroting Moscow propaganda. He fell because the section of the oligarchy who had previously backed him withdrew their support.
Third, and now most important, is the inter-imperialist rivalry between Russia and the West over Ukraine. In this conflict, Ukraine matters much more to Russia than it does to the United States or the EU.
A Ukraine that was fully integrated into the EU and Nato would be a step towards Moscow’s worst nightmare of being encircled by the West. President Vladimir Putin went to war with Georgia in 2008 to prevent this nightmare being realised.
Seizing Crimea is a counter-move to Ukraine’s tilt westwards as a result of the overthrow of Yanukovych. The peninsula is of crucial strategic importance to Moscow. It has served as the base of Russia’s Black Sea fleet since the 18th century.
Putin claims to be acting in defence of Ukraine’s Russian speakers—a majority in Crimea and widespread in southern and eastern Ukraine. But beyond a parliamentary vote in Kiev to strip Russian of its status as an official language, there is little evidence of any real threat to Russian speakers.
Power
Putin is engaging in an inter-imperialist power play. He is betting on the weakness of his rivals. He’s probably right about this. The EU boasts of being a “normative power” and throws its weight around on its eastern and southern peripheries. But crises like this underline the EU’s dependence on US military capabilities.
And American eyes are turned towards the Pacific. When Barack Obama backed down from his threat to mount missile attacks on Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian regime last autumn he underlined that US has no appetite for any more land wars in Eurasia.
His administration is shifting its military assets towards East Asia to meet the major challenge represented by China. Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel has just announced plans to cut the US army from 566,000 to 440-450,000.
Washington is undoubtedly keen to see Ukraine integrated in the Western alliance system. But the idea put around by some on the left that behind the Ukraine crisis lies a drive by American neoconservatives for war with Russia is the purest nonsense.
US secretary of state John Kerry is threatening Putin with economic sanctions. But the latter may remember that these were also threatened over Georgia in 2008 but never happened. Then as now, Russia’s strongest card is the EU’s dependence on Russia for 40 percent of its natural gas imports.
The biggest danger to Putin comes from himself. He may overreach himself by trying to turn effective control over Crimea into the partition of Ukraine. Occupying the eastern part of the country could turn into Russia’s Iraq. In western Ukraine there are long nationalist traditions nurtured by memories of the bloody independence struggles during both world wars. These could be reactivated now.
Socialists in the West must of course oppose any military intervention by the US or NATO in Ukraine. But the crisis reminds us that imperialism can’t be reduced to American domination. It is a system of economic and geopolitical competition among the leading capitalist powers.
Rather than tail any of these powers, we must fight this entire system. This means opposing Russian intervention in Ukraine. Never has the slogan “Neither Washington nor Moscow but international socialism” been more relevant.’
http://socialistworker.co.uk/art/37577/Putin+raises+the+stakes+in+imperialist+Crimea+crisis
….PFayr supports WeeOscar
20:35 on
5 March, 2014
OT
What tables do you have
Also any idea of last orders ?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I suspect yours will be from your better half!
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/
20:43 on
5 March, 2014
macjay
We invaded the Falklands – Iraq & NI to name but a few!!
_______________________________________________________
Not surprised you want to change the subject.
The Daily Record – NEVER believe a word !!!
Can’t believe how many Celts still buy the rags…
Saw this earler on the TSFM:
http://www.pcc.org.uk/news/index.html?article=ODg0OQ==
“PUBLICATION: Daily Record
COMPLAINT:
Mr Craig Whyte complained to the Press Complaints Commission, under Clause 1 (Accuracy) and Clause 3 (Privacy) of the Editors’ Code of Practice, that the newspaper had published an article which inaccurately stated that a fan of Rangers Football Club had been thrown out of a supermarket after launching a “tirade of abuse” at him.
RESOLUTION:
The complaint was resolved after the PCC negotiated the publication of the following correction and apology:
Following our article of December 27 2013 we would like to make clear that, contrary to our report, former Rangers owner Craig Whyte was not verbally abused while shopping in Tesco and nobody was thrown out of the store for doing so. We apologise for this error.
DATE PUBLISHED: 03/03/2014″
Pfayr
Not familiar with Focus
Chasbhoy
They will learn. It is all about technolgy and what it costs to get it right.
That drops significantly year on year.
How long before DR show SPFL games live? Why not?
Paper is fairly redundant as a means of delivery news. In fact it no longer does. It delivers history.
Stairheedrammy
20:39 on
5 March, 2014
Billy- if you want to see guys being lifted for nothing check out the Gallowgate Kettling videos on you tube- tims lifted for being tims
—
Could you tell me the title of the video – just watched ‘green brigade march 16/3/13 where absolutely nothing happens………….
EmbraMike,
We have 6,7,15 and 16, floor plan here, sorry meant to post this earlier….
http://s674.photobucket.com/user/241media/media/0001Ax_zpsd66a1e6e.jpeg.html
Goodnight fholks
Laters.
OT
Thanks
Btw ..The Polo Lounge is for HT and the like …don’t think you would like it …trust me
macjay
Dratt I like a good surprise me!!
Chasbhoy
Try going through The Mirror site. Exact same feed but not jammed once for me, fingers crossed. Commentary a bit quiet but it’s no bad.
EnnisBhoy
Stairheidrammy
That same kettling was done at Gleneagles during the G8 summit and you often see this reprehensible practise in London.
Sixtaeseven,
I’m not sure if it still stands but some time ago in France is you printed a story that was found to be pash, the apology had to take up the same amount of space and be in the sane style print.
Should be introduced here.
Auldheid, before I go, totally agree, by the time a paper hits the newsstand the main stories have already moved on.
One exception, Sevco, it goes around in circles rather than moves on.
Spend, cheat, lie, liquidate, spend, cheat, lie, liquidate……………
Anyhoos.
Tough old day.
Billy bhoy
In which case you don’t know enough to comment on the matter
The introduction of Focus was a game changer and they are responsible for most if not all of arrests at football matches
PFayr supports WeeOscar.
I’ll be getting my head down when I leave the Kerrydale suite.
Guess who’s back, back again. Shug is back. Tell a friend.
Surely the question is not ” Did you ever see anyone lifted for nothing” but “Did you ever see anyone lifted without justification”. I certainly have been and have seen.
jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/
20:51 on
5 March, 2014
macjay
Dratt I like a good surprise me!!
______________________________________
:-)
The N.I. analogy is good.
British Empire……………..Ireland………………….Northern Ireland.
Soviet Empire……………..Ukraine…………………Crimea
The moral of the story?
oops sorry….William Hill website.
###Warning. Gutter joke ###
Oldtim @2055
The lengths some will go to avoid paying for a taxi. :)
Any posters or lurkers at table 34??
Geordie
Outrageous !!!!
Just looked back at the correspondence with Zbyszek. Zbyszek is an extremely intelligent and honorable man whom I have met many times. He has lived through tough times in Poland and is incredibly sensitive about understanding propaganda which is just that. Propaganda. He speaks and reads Polish, Russian, German and English perfectly ( and gets more than by in other languages). So when he gives an opinion about events in Central Europe, I trust his insight and judgement one hundred percent.
Jeepers Shane Long has missed 2 bloody sitters for the Republic, he did convert a more difficult one earlier.Everytime I see James McCarthy play I get so annoyed that we didn’t snap him up.
PF Ayr
Agreed and who controls FOCUS and whose agenda is it following and who has power to change it?
Get that sorted if possible and the atmosphere of harrassment they have created will change.
What exactly are their instructions and who instructs them?
Are the ultimately responsible to a higher civil authority or have the dogs of war been loosed?
H.T.
Oz 3 Ecuador 0 in London.
Tom Rogic assist for the third.
Geordie,
Sounds like a good idea as it would discourage inventing stories to sell copy.
It’s not even lazy journalism – it’s the exact opposite in fact.
Unfortunately a lot of folk who, through habit or whatever, buy the DR/Sun/Herald/etc take everything as gospel.
morrissey the 23rd viva resolution 12!
20:55 on 5 March, 2014
Guess who’s back, back again. Shug is back. Tell a friend.
Welcome back shug
HH
Ireland should have been 4 up, suddenly Serbia grab 2 in a few minutes and now we are 2-1 down.
re the FOCUS carry on…why don’t we turn the tables and film THEM on our mobiles.every little helps
BigYinMilan
21:01 on
5 March, 2014
Re.Zbyszek
That`s the impression I got,which is why I was disappointed at his departure.
Not surprised,however.
He was subjected to a disgraceful insult.
FOCUS
Why don’t they be honest and replace the “O” with a “U”?
Auldheid
CC House runs the show ….he has subjugated McAskill
IMO the SNP govt are too conceded to admit the act is poorly drafted and COPFS are in the pocket of the govt …therefore they continue to prosecute this nonsense despite the judiciary throwing the cases out on almost every occasion
Lastly those on the Focus group garner cases because of self interest ..it beats doing real police work
I have missed 97% of posts since Bum Barer Day. Apologies for allowing real life and Twitter to draw me away.