As far as Armageddons go, this one will surely be known as the Amiable Nursemaid of all Armageddons. The kind that not so much wipes everyone out, but buys them a meal, then takes them to a show and onto a nightclub.
Sky has renewed their deal to cover the Scottish Premier League after Our Man sorted them out yesterday. They will show a handful of Scottish Football League games as part of the deal, a nice quid-pro-quo for SPL clubs for their annual contribution to the lower leagues.
Delicious irony: those SFL rights are worth more to each SPL club than they are to any SFL club.
Chief harbinger of doom, Neil Doncaster, will, on the one hand, be relieved that there is still income to pay his wages. On the other hand, he must surely be embarrassed at the spectacularly in accurate scenario he portrayed to SFL clubs, and to several people in the media. Did he embark on a flamboyant bluff or did he simply not know what he was talking about?
Remember, why we are here in the first place… Our good causes this year are The Haven Centre in Blantyre, Oscar Knox Neuroblastoma Appeal, Martin Chambers Ecuador Trust and Aberdour Primary School Parents’ Association.
We have already distributed over £2000 thanks to the sale of a Joseph Gormley painting back in April. We have two further fantastic paintings by Joseph; one of Scott Brown and one of Henrik Larsson. We also have a wonderful signed Neil Lennon print by the artist Gary Brandham.
The items are being raffled on ebay right now for the price of a £1 ticket. Winners will be drawn at the CQN Open on Friday night. There will be further raffles and auctions on Friday night with some excellent golfing and other sporting activities been donated by the Celtic family. Perhaps the pick is a limited edition canvas print of John Thomson, donated by the John Thomson Memorial Committee. There are only 22 of these in the entire world, representing the 22 years of John’s life.
This is a unique opportunity to win three great pieces of Celtic memorabilia, items which would normally be pushed out of the reach of most people at auction. Tickets cost £1, buy as many as you like, but participate. This is what your club is all about!
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The real football starts tonight. Performances and results in pre-season mean nothing – but this evening we need a good performance and a positive result from the bhoys. A good lead and a clean sheet will do nicely.
aldersyde avenue on 1 August, 2012 at 09:07 said:
The question is, what Celtic will turn up tonight?
The team that blew sides away in the league.
Or the impostors who flopped in the league cup final and Scottish Cup final.
I think we will win the match tonight but fear we will concede at least one goal – don’t we always.
…………….
I think just as big a question is what time will they turn up tonight? Because they usually turn up 5 minutes after the game has started and we’re a goal down
Swan @Swan70
Just spoke to celtic, 50,000 sold for tonight and still counting. #championsleague
24 months ago Neil went into Europe with a woefully weak defense
We were told because Neil was appointed late , he had no time sign players
That turned out to be a total lie when the chairman said 6 months later that Neil was the only candidate. Total lie. And we got thrown out of Europe
24 months on and we have paid 1m for our loan goalie(we took in 1m for the one that left)
We have no center half and one striker
Another big gamble coming up and it’s always the fans who loose out
Ps. Why does CQN not comment about board lies that affect the fans?
ST
Good Morning,
So excited about tonight, cannot wait to get out of work.
Stewart Regan has had to have the help of anti-terror officers because of the hun hordes. Why, Oh why was that mob allowed to carry on? The authorities should have killed the horrible, stinkin club when it had the chance.
One Nation as the SNP would have you believe…
sky announce servco coverage moving from 3D TO D3.
SydneyTim
With wonderful fans like yourself giving 100% backing, how can the club fail.
Never EVER come back from Australia please…
SydneyTim on 1 August, 2012 at 09:51 said
Ps. Why does CQN not comment about board lies that affect the fans?
_______________________________________________________________
Hmmmm ????
Happy-Clapping Is Unhealthy CSC
Good Morning on this first day of August 2012.
You know sometimes, you have to sit down and take a look. Take a look around you — wherever you are– be it Partick, Prestwick, Provence, Perth Western Australia or wherever.
Take a look and see. There is turmoil– economic turmoil aplenty.
The news last night on BBC 1 highlighted the fact that with the greatest show on earth (The Olympics) in town– shops and restaurants in London were absolutely devastated because turnover was WAY down on what they expected. The Olympics are proving to be a loser for them as ordinary folk who would otherwise come into London are staying away because of Olympic bus lanes and so on. Instead of there being more trade there is less trade.
I know that is correct because I work for some of these businesses and they are finding things tough– tougher than ever.
Dairy farmers in this country are on the march. That is because Tesco & others advised the milk producers that they were having to cut 2p/pint off the cost of a pint of milk and so they passed it on to the dairies saying that they will not pay more than xp/pint– take it or leave it.
The dairy guys did the same thing and passed it on to the farmers– who squealed like hell– especially when after a few weeks Tesco increased the cost of a pinta in their stores. Now we have trouble.
Go down the High Street- any High Street– look at the empty shops and stores that are to let and for sale! Don’t bother looking at the offices and light industrial units available– you will strain your neck and go cross eyed— there are thousands upon thousands of them.
All sorts of people are in fear of their jobs. Act of War has recently had to tighten his belt ( I’m sorry to hear that ) and like many others he has decided to cut back on football this year and so isn’t buying a season ticket.
There will be others like him no doubt– and that is completely understandable.
Against that background– go and read the piece by Graham Spiers again this morning.
Try and spot the quote from any Celtic official in the piece?
How about a statistic? A hard fact statistic as opposed to a hinted at statsitic or an estimate?
OK– can you see any examination of the causes of supposed falling season book sales— other than the absence of Rangers, The Rangers, The Texas Rangers, The Quantum Power Rangers or the Loan Rangers?
No– not a word.
Celtic are an Island in this world of new economic reality. They are unaffected by businesses cutting back on hospitality. That hospitality includes those businesses buying season tickets for corporate purposes– and you can bet fewer businesses can afford to be as loose with the season book money as they used to– again I should know— I am one such business!
In the current climate you have no choice.
But according to that economic guru of the modern age, Mr Spiers, Celtic season book sales are down because there is no Rangers!!! That’s all!
However, let me point something else out which is of importance.
I recently found myself in a bar with a Chelsea fan. We were joined by a couple of others — one of whom held a season ticket at Ibrox. We started off talking about gigs at the old Apollo but he quickly moved on to football and asked where I “really” thought “Rangers” should play next season?
When I answered “3rd division at best—- sorry” he looked at me incredulously.
He went into a speech about how they hadn’t done anything really wrong, how the whole of Scottish football was financially corrupt, that all the clubs were at it and so on. Fair enough, let the man have his mini rant– say nothing.
Then he said ” I only go to the Celtic games. I don’t care about the rest. It is only the Celtic games that have an “atmosphere” and an “edge”. Without that part I don’t care– It’s all boring— Scottish Football will die with “Rangers” playing Celtic!”.
It was at this juncture that i’m afraid my dignified silence was broken.
Don’t get me wrong, the Chelsea fan had advised our Ibrox supporting friend that Rangers PLC had done nothing wrong– except break every rule in the book and, yes, they should go to division 3, pay all the football debts and so on– he also explained they had not been “punished” and that they has merely gone into liquidation and had the rules applied. Our Rangers friend did not much like this of course– especially from a Chelsea fan.
However, that was not the point of my ire– and I’m afraid that Graham Spiers doesn’t see the difference that I see and feel either.
What kind of supporter/member/fan of a club only turns up to a game against the club’s biggest rivals— for the “edge” or the “atmosphere”?
Edge and Atmosphere may well be nice words for something else which we want rid of in Scottish football.
I am a supporter of Celtic Football Club. I will support, whenever I can, against whoever they play.
Yes some games will be less exciting, some games may be dull— but support is support is support.
Let me go further– I will support Celtic Football Club if they play precisely– NO ONE!
I do not need there to be a football even present to support the Celtic way! I don’t need “edge”, I don’t need any atmosphere other than that created and generated by a group of Celtic fans coming together.
Let me ask a question of anyone reading these pages.
Do you think, that there will be any lack of atmosphere or whatever when over 60 CQN’rs sit down for a meal and a drink on Friday night after the— Stevie Wonder– sorry— CQN open— at Aberdour Golf Club?
Eh No!
There will not be a football in sight– there will not be another team— there will only be what Walfrid envisaged all those years ago— a social gathering of people who will be distracted from the job, the daily labour, the economic conditions, and whatever else for a few hours. In the course of those hours they will raise money for Wee Oscar Knox and others who are far less fortunate than the rest of us.THAT is supporting “Celtic” every bit as much as buying any season book.
I think there are thousands– nay hundreds of thousands of Celtic fans who think like me.
I think in this economic climate, people with different incomes, jobs, job security and job prospects, will have to adjust but will find all sorts of different ways to support their club– this club.
Oh– and that is another thing, Graham,– if there is a difference between a Company and a Club– there is also a difference between a Club and a team!
Supporting the Club and supporting the team can be two different things.
Celtic PLC obviously need to make money– and the more money they make then hopefully the better the team will be on the park. However, that is not always the case– we are emerging from a time where it now must be as obvious as the nose on your face that we had years where a company lost more money than could be imagined yet still put a team on the park that was better than most in Scotland!
This went on for the better part of two decades— decades when the rest of Scottish Football declined and had to adjust.
This is the first year in possibly 20 when Scottish Football has not been financially doped—- and it comes in a worldwide recession!
Scottish football, its fans, its clubs, its players, its scouts and everyone involve in its administration will have to adjust to that fact and this new reality. That adjustment won’t happen over night– it will evolve.
Clubs will have to market themselves differently, and appeal to fans in a different way and so on. That includes Celtic who no longer have their biggest rivals to play– in fact the change for Celtic is bigger than any other club in Scottish Football– other than those who are the subject of insolvency legislation– and so of course there is an appeal for sales– what business wouldn’t do that? What business wouldn’t use any tactic to increase sales and revenue? Including making an appeal to fans? Surely you would do that even when sales were going well? Show me a sales force that doesn’t appeal to customers for ever more sales and I will show you one that deserves the sack!
What do you think the elections at Barcelona and Real Madrid are about? They are about business, success and SALES! MONEY. INCOME!
By the way— within the next 5 years there will be a broadcasting revolution which may well leave Sky and others holding a baby so don’t bet on there being a renewal of any television deal like the one we have just had reported either– the whole thing may very well change. Broadcasting on the internet will be the thing of the future……. and that is going to be a whole new bag of chips for sport in general.
What Graham Spiers doesn’t get is that we will support where, when and how we can. Of that there is no question. We know that there isn’t a huge amount of money around– but it is not just about there being no “Rangers” and to suggest so means only one thing and that is that Graham Spiers would never make a business analysist or adviser.
Also I believe that the Celtic fan is very different to the fella who only wants to go for those 4 games. He may well justify his reasons– but his thinking is not that of a fan that supports his club!
Oh and as for the denigration of the Europa league– I suggest that Graham goes to UEFA with that point of view and see what they have to say– and I also suggest that if he ever wants to go to an Athletico Madrid game he is going to have to ask Graham Hunter to get him tickets, as with points of view such as those expressed this morning— the current holders of the Europa League title won’t even recognise him as a journalist rendering his press pass redundant!
Asonofdan With more fans like you mate,the Kelly’s and whites would still be there and the old board not the rebels would have won
Honesty is important
The board have lied on numerous occasions to the fans
When someone lies to me I act
Maybe you are just to stupid to notice they lie Dooooo
Bet you never even notice
Kev. People like Sonofdan. Have nothing to reply to the truth, just personal abuse
Seems to be the norm with happy clappers, Thrown facts that Board have lied and hey well that’s ok isn’t it
Not with me
Let me say I liked attending Rangers games, but many do not.
Others have spoken on here about Benny Callaghan Snr who for many years ran the Methil CSC bus. He would attend all Celtic matches, hail rain or shine but would not go to Rangers games as he felt the poisonious atmosphere that the sash singers brought to them was not for him.
I will continue to enjoy watching Celtic playing and watching Rangers cheating so nothing has changed except the venues of the latter.
starry plough on 1 August, 2012 at 08:27 said:
Ha ha, very good. I love it when a Scottish journalist talks about what Celtic supporters think and feel. I know there are some ‘old firm’ fans amongst our support, but I very rarely meet them and I know and meet a lot of Celtic fans.
jake the snake @celticservant
Just checked Celtic ticket site. 5117 tickets remaining to be sold for tonight. Celtic Park will be bursting come kick-off.
It seems the Celtic support have spoken out against board lies and deception and past failures…
Woke up today with a good feeling about tonight…Big Sammi will be our main weapon tonight..will be surprised if we don’t score 3+….
Brogan Rogan Trevino and Hogan supports Kano 1000 on 1 August, 2012 at 10:03 said:
________________________________________________
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So, despite all of that…..why does PL continue to pick up an, EPL level bonus payment, despite presiding over – 1League title out of 4 ?
I, personally will NOT continue to make a FAILED CEO – a billionaire. I think that there’s more than enough of them attached to Celtic Fc and yet all we hear is – poverty/bosmans/frees etc….ENOUGH. imo
Hail Hail
Graham Speirs gets it because however affable,neutral and intelligent he comes across he has the core message of the hun,to focus on Celtic in a negative way at the moment and trying to portray the majority of the sport as not discerning is condescending and spiteful,Celtic have already stated they have a standalone policy having a support who will continue to back the club regardless.
It’s never positive or encouraging with them on Celtic especially before big games.
I personally judged Speirs on his Clyde assertions that ‘asterisks should be placed beside titles’.
That’s a hun wae bools in the mooth talkin’.
Starry Plough…..Great post re GS
As someone who knows and genuinely likes Graham Spiers as a person and respects him as a decent ‘hack’ in amongst some real ‘pond life’ I have been hugely disappointed to read some of his recent stuff……today, in the Herald, sees a new low sadly.
As fo the half wits ready to decry our board for the situation…..and those who dont like what is going on…..please do take your custom elsewhere….Celtic has survived tough times and is emerging in decent shape with balance sheet and integrity in tact….
Obviously the board is looking to stabalise the ship, run it efficiently for the 2 or 3 major investors, and then hopefully at some point a ‘jackpot’ of EPL or wider proportions will emerge…..Anyone not seeing this needs to ‘get out more’. Anyone not happy with it, needs to vote with their feet…..It is the harsh reality of ‘sport’and capitalism in 2012……
SKY deal reported to be £13 Million a year.
EPL getting £6.6 Million a GAME!
Switzerland have a TV deal worth £20 Million with a further £4 Million from domestic channels.
Norway have deal worth £44 Million a year. The most viewed domestic Norwegian match in 2011 was Lillestrom versus Brann, which attracted 196,000 As a comparison, a fixture between St Mirren and Hibernian attracted 392,000 viewers on February 20 last year, while the SPL’s average viewership on Sky is just shy of 250,000 per match.
Austrian Football has a deal with Sky Austria worth £13.5m a season, an arrangement similar to our own. However, while the SPL goes out to 645,000 subscribers in Scotland alone, the Austrian league is broadcast to just 240,000 local subscribers, three times fewer. Like Scotland, Austria is in the shadow of its neighbour and Sky also has the rights to all games in Germany’s Bundesliga.
SydneyTim on 1 August, 2012 at 10:08 said:
Kev. People like Sonofdan. Have nothing to reply to the truth, just personal abuse
Seems to be the norm with happy clappers, Thrown facts that Board have lied and hey well that’s ok isn’t it
Not with me
_______________________________________________________
Me neither M8.
Furthermore…..If Neil dizny rattle the cage and be seen to at least TRY to get funds for a half decent CH then – Neil is in bed wi the bored. imo.
Hail Hail
My team for tonight would be
Forster
Matthews Rogne Mulgrew Izaguirre
Wanyama Ledley
Forrest Commons Samaras
Hooper
Subs. Zaluska Lustig Stokes Brown Kayal McCourt McGeouch
Timboy2
Can’t agree with you, though I get the general point your making about the frenzy of anticipation a derby used to bring.
Fair play to you for raising the point though, even though you knew the reactions it would generate.
For me, they need to be where they are, regardless of consequence to us or to anyone else. They died of shame, owing 134 million or whatever. There has to be a reckoning.
Kayal33,you put the wee man on the bench..I would play him before Forrest..
How long is this charade of the huns still being ‘Rangers’ going to last?
Are we going to have to wait until BDO wrap things up to have it there in black and white that they’re a new club?
Or because they got the licence transfer from the old club and they might riot if they are told they are officially ‘starting again’ they just let them continue almost as if nothing happened?
The Scottish Football league have updated their website, from being ‘The Rangers’ last week they’re just ‘Rangers’ again, founded in 1873.
Is our only hope of having this rectified the possibility(probability?) that BDO will come in and tell them they’re having a laugh if they think they can get away with this?
HH
coorslad on 1 August, 2012 at 10:19 said:
a fit Forrest is our biggest attacking asset, if he’s not 100% then put him on bench
KevJungle – Murdo..10 men Championees..1979 on 1 August, 2012 at 10:11 said:
I, personally will NOT continue to make a FAILED CEO – a billionaire.
——-
A billionaire? Really?
I have an abacus you can borrow if you want :-)
There’s nothing worse than reading Celtic supporters hurling personal abuse at each other. Why can’t people just argue the points?
timbhoy2 on 1 August, 2012 at 08:32 said:
No, not at all. I don’t have the same feelings as you. I’m not depressed at all. In fact I bought a season ticket yesterday.
You’re missing the cheats already. Get a bloody life. Scottish Football has punished them for at least a decade of cheating and you’re depressed. God help us all.
Bhoys, CQN has a solid history of
dealing with the message rather than the messenger. Sometimes, however,
Internet bampots like us do get a bit
focused on the journo rather than the
newsprint.
Say what you like about Spiers, should
we not analyse the article rather than the man? Should Celtic comfortably beat HJK? Yes. Is there a nervousness that we won’t? Yes. Are the PLC bean counters worried about the financial fallout from the demise of them? Yes. Does the demise of them with consequent loss of income increase the importance of CL football? Yes. If we don’t beat HJK, will there be discontent? Yes.
Don’t get me wrong, I avidly have
supported the proper punishment of
them and parity of treatment for all
potential SFL applicants. I believe
Sevco/The Rangers have unfairly been
accommodated in the proposed admission to SFL3. They shouldn’t yet
be near the SFL without proper vetting, accounting and accountability for past misdeeds.
Much of the article is correct and not
particularly controversial. Let’s focus on the game and the reality that we will have to increasingly plough our own furrow in the absence of an escape from the SPL. This ideally required investment in a centre back and striker before now.
Assuming we beat HJK, it is imperative that we do not repeat the mistakes of 1988 and 1998. Let us move from a position of strength to maintain and increase our European profile so that those who might emphasise the negative will in future be forced to write about the continued success of our 125 year old club.
Good morning all and Hail Hail!
I am sitting in my work in Barcelona, only on a half day, soon to be flying to Glasgow. In approx 9 hours time, I imagine I will be walking up the Gallowgate on my way to Paradise!
Really excited and looking forward to the game tonight! Tbh for all Scotland´s faults, I am really looking forward to heading home. The heat and humidity in August over here is brutal, my least favourite month in Barca.
Clean sheet and a few goals Celtic! Glasgow´s Green and White!!!!
Calling all Leeds Tims,
Some sad news, just heard that Noel Roarty, who owns the Harp bar died suddenly while over in Ireland at the weekend. As a result the Harp is currently closed.
Will need to find an alternative venue for tonight’s game. Any suggestions would be most welcome.
HH
Burnley78 on 1 August, 2012 at 10:14 said:
A very poor effort this morning from GS barely concealed attacks on Celtic and snidey comments worthy of Traynor et al.
Next time you see him boot his corduroy arse! In a loving Celtic manner of course..
Son of Gabriel
Your man, Winston through to next round beating the Canadian comfortably.
Hail hail
Stringer Bell on 1 August, 2012 at 10:21 said:
_______________________________________________
Yeah, I’ll give you that.
Btw, I noticed how you conveniently swerved the rest of the point.
Hmmmm.
Kayal33,your right play the fit players,can’t take chances with players not 100%…But I like wee Kayal…Think Sammi will be our out ball tonight..If he links with Commons well,We will romp..I’m confident.
Depressed??!!!
First competitive game of the season and I am home for it.
Dead excited!!!!
HH
DBBIA,
Truman Capote/ Gore Vidal. My apologies. Sadly both have gone now.
BRTH
I’d say one of the main reasons why every game is important to us and not just 4 a season is because we have the tension of knowing referees are part of a bombproof committee which is has been proven time n again it doesn’t like to see us successful.