You asked for it, many of you campaigned for it. All of you debated it, expressed a view on it and now your wish has been granted. The SPL voted 10-1 against parachuting Sevco into the league next season, with only Sevco itself voting for, and the Loyal Resisters abstaining.
Our fellow SPL clubs have spoken “unequivocally”, as have their fans. To be fair to fans of former club, Rangers, many of them wanted no part in this shoddy arrangement.
Having won the argument we must now win the future. As Celtic said in their statement yesterday:
“During Celtic’s long and illustrious 125-year history, there have been periods of difficulty. At these times, our supporters have always stood shoulder to shoulder with the Club. We need our supporters to be with us now, more than ever.
“We know our own supporters will be acutely aware of the significant challenges that lie ahead. We enter next season as Champions of Scotland and look ahead to retaining our title and to making an impact in a European context. We know how difficult this will be and we call on our supporters to join us in tackling these challenges, to take their place at Celtic Park, to invest in the Club and to continue to give us the kind of support for which they are renowned.”
The call has been made. Now, more than any time apart from when Fergus issued a similar call in 1994, you need to step forward and buy a season ticket for the champions and only club in Scotland who have played their entire history in top flight football.
The important debate isn’t about Newco anymore, it’s now about Celtic.
I’ve read the doom and scaremongering this morning, some of which is downright inappropriate. The grassroots fans who raised their voices and brought about this situation now have a responsibility to ensure our common future is successful.
There are many desperate for all or some of the 10 clubs who voted No yesterday to fail. We have to ensure all succeed. The forward plan for Celtic has to be a forward plan for Aberdeen, Dundee United, Hibs, Hearts, Motherwell and the rest.
All of these teams need a solution which allows them play competitive football in front of packed stadiums and to retain the talent they develop well into maturity. Any plan which does not aim for this will fail.
If we achieve this, yesterday’s vote will be the day foundations were laid for a stunning sporting achievement.
More later.
I don’t need to tell any of you about Oscar Knox, the three-year-old who is currently going through chemotherapy. We have all been touched by his photographs and TV appearance, while his dad has kept us up to date on the blog.
If you think our football club is worth stepping forward for, I make no apologies for asking you to dig deep twice today and remember why the entire Celtic project started. Take a read at Oscar’s blog and get involved.
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Jungle jam67
I could be wrong, but I thought that Dumbarton, Falkirk. Livi, East Fife, Peterhead, Sranraer and Annan had all at least made “negative indications”.
Paul, completly agree that all Celtic fans need to step forward, if financially able to, and take up what season tickets are available. We need to show, now more than ever, we don’t need Rangers FC or their fans. However, the nagging fear is, that if we don’t, and Celtic Park loses the ‘thunder’, we may start to lose our better players as they become disillusioned with Scottish football and league. Remember we ARE Celtic supporters!
I have to commend James Forrest for his piece. I haven’t always seen eye to eye with James on CQN, but he’s passionate and a talented writer.
There has to be a follow on from this. Regardless of who runs the game administratively, and I agree Doncaster must go along Ogilvie. I was swithering about Regan, however his statements last night showed the wrong type of leadership. His jacket now must be on a very shoogly peg.
It’s probably early in the day to try and right all the wrongs , and plan for the future. However I would like to make an early suggestion.
Each club has a view of itself and it’s potential. I suspect that there will be very little delusion in this. Let me clarify this. I don’t mean that there is not the potential for a renegade owner like Brookes Mileson, to be lurking in the SFL, however the collective intelligence of the support and board would understand the potential at any club.
Albion Rovers would know that they could never aspire to be Celtic. They would know that realistically attempting to get to the SPL would be financially impossible for them. That isn’t true of Raith Rovers or Morton, especially in a 16 team league. It might be a stretch, however it’s possible.
With this in mind should we consider a franchise system. Only with the support of the clubs, and only with their approval. I see no desire at all for well run Junior Clubs to join the SFL. It seems to me they are happy with their historic leagues, and only want a crack at a cup competition . Is the the way forward for clubs like Albion Rovers and similarly minded clubs. A safe league environment, with no pressure to join a system which their fan base could not support financially. Yet still retain a chance to play against the elite in cup competitions
Franchise leagues are what American sport are all about. However they evolve, especially the NFL and NBA, to expand when properly funded and sized new aspirants appear.
The NFL is the most successful sports league in the world. It has TV revenues and attendances which make the EPL seem like a hick small cousin. It doesn’t suffer from every team not playing each other, although traditional rivalries do play home and away each year. You play your regional rivals, and then a selection of games against teams to make up the quota. Each team is guaranteed the same number of home and away games
The benefit of this is Scottish terms is it would introduce freshness and variety. It would get us away from this stifling 4 games a season against the same teams.
This is merely a very light suggestion. It would terrific if the SFA took a lead here and invited input from fans. This blog and others such as RTC and no doubt equally good ones of other clubs, has raised the bar over the Rangers scandal.
Given the chance I believe we could do the same for the restructuring of the game
The poster earlier on who spoke about the paucity of Pies tops seen abroad now, merely serves to confirm my view that the majority of huns are triumphalist bullies, who are usually seen when they are winning things, and who usually indulge in their posturing bravado when they comfortably outnumber the opposition.
Their absence from public view due to recent developments will be a most welcome consequence.
Huns lose = Huns in hiding.
RogueLeader – What do we really know about this “Peter Lawwell” character anyway?
BTW I’m loving the Bomber’s work, but what happened to the Blue Knights, and Wattie’s consortium? Why are they leaving the corpse of Rangers to be fought over by the cast of Deliverance?
Wattie, leading the charge to rescue Rangers: “Here ah come tae save the day! Ah’m mighty-cardigan, and ah’m oan ma way!”
Chuckie “Ar La” Green – “Naw yer no.”
Wattie: “Awright then.”. (thumbsup)
I cannot believe this.
Someone asked a would-be-hun, so whats your team called now?
Emphasise this: NOT ME. I did not ask the question.
Bit of a laugh ensued, followed by” first division next year, has to be.”
Me: Why?
Then the argument about killing Scottish football came into it if they were anywhere but the first division.
I say then it still isn’t sport, if its a foregone conclusion a re-formed club win the league,
basically regurgitating CQN.
Mention them being debt-free “once promoted” etc. etc. you all know how these discussions go.
I ask: Do you really think that is fair punishment…
Wait for it.
I then get accused of, get this, not caring about football, about the state of the game. Dont even care about the sport as long as its Celtic. Why bother with it if there is no competition?
The sheer IGNORANCE of that statement. The audacity to say a celtic fan shouldn’t bother if there is no competition.
Lets search the dictionary for, not competition, but compete:
“To strive to out-do another for acknowledgement, for a prize, supremacy, profit etc.”
Now lets look up rule:
“a principle or regulation governing conduct, action etc.”
So, wait, I’m confused, its not competition if everyone remains who has been playing within the rules?
Scenario:
I’m playing a sport, say paintball, I’ve been hit, I wipe the paint off and keep going. By their logic if the other person wants me punished for cheating they are the ones who don’t care about competition…
Yeah I’m back to square one. Surely I missed something…
There is no reasoning with these people.
The ones I once considered sane and in the hun minority of socially acceptable, have put their heads so deep into the sand oil might be struck!
Thank god CQN is here for this vent as otherwise I’d have been out a job.
Think I owe you one Paul.
Paul67
Don’t say this enough – thank you.
HH
TLK
jungle jam67 on 5 July, 2012 at 12:16 said:
derrydave on 5 July, 2012 at 12:10 said:
??
sannabhoy@thekanofoundation.com
curly on 5 July, 2012 at 12:07 said:
You’re a funni manni Urlcy..
Regan
As I said at the time of his appointment:
Who gave him his job and why?
Compromised.
Well,of course,stupid.
Barcabhoy – The benefit of this is Scottish terms is it would introduce freshness and variety. It would get us away from this stifling 4 games a season against the same teams.
That’s what’s killing the product in Scotland. Familiarity breeds contempt.
Even Elvis or Frank Sinatra would have started to grate if they didn’t vary their acts. (thumbsup)
Paul67
Thank you for mentioning Oscar in the article, that was a nice touch!
Thanks again to the rest of you for helping out so much. It really means a lot to us.
Im just going over to see him & his mummy on my lunchbreak here so cant stop. He just rang me to tell me to hurry up! haha
Talk soon everyone!!! :-)
Knoxy
http://www.justgiving.com/OscarAppeal
philvisreturns on 5 July, 2012 at 12:28 said:
Philvis/Elvis I think we should be told…
philvisreturns on 5 July, 2012 at 12:28 said:
Even Elvis or Frank Sinatra would have started to grate if they didn’t vary their acts. (thumbsup)
Elvis would never grate, he will always be just great. :)
Son of Gabriel – They won’t be playing in Division 1 next season.
Regan and Doncaster thought they could use fear and greed to manipulate the SPL, as if they were evil railroad owners from a cowboy film, trying to shock and awe country bumpkins into giving up their land.
Bullying and bluster turned out to be the wrong way to deal with the Scottish businessmen who run the “diddy” clubs. Those men are usually bloody-minded, hard nosed individuals with healthy egos of their own. They don’t take kindly to being taken for rubes. (thumbsup)
We should only be concerned about Celtic and I sincerely hope Mr Lawwell and Mr Desmond have a plan for our club to flourish outside of this country..our culture demands it. As far I am concerned our association with this country’s association is over. We need to instigate our exit. This is a huge opportunity, certainly the greatest in my lifetime, to create history and embark on a new chapter in the Celtic story. PL and DD should present a file of evidence of the wrong doings of SFA – Including its President (Farry)withholding of a players registartion(Jorge Cadete) in 1996 and referee (MacDonald) lying to our manger 2010, as well the extinct club’s mispractice over at least last 12 years (probably many more years ) to president of UEFA Michel Platini and implore that our position in this assocaition is untenable and as a member club of UEFA to work on our behalf to find us an association where we can play without fear of corruption and compete at the level our great club/culture merits . We may have to play friendlies or exhibition matches for a year or two until this materialises and our revenues will be greatly reduced but, in my opinion, its worth the transition in order for us to move on to bigger and better days. The other clubs in Scotland can get on with whatever they will get on with and which will no doubt include the presence of another illegal -co club spewing their intolerence and bigotry soon enough. To us, its not important… We are Celtic lets be bold and embrace our future.. Please lets hope Peter Lawwell and Dermot Desmond have a similiar mind.
Hail Hail Bhoys and Ghirls
Is it true that next weeks SFL vote has been decided ?
starry plough – Philvis/Elvis I think we should be told…
Elvis didn’t die, he just went home. (thumbsup)
mrob1967 – Elvis would never grate, he will always be just great. :)
That’s the wonder of him. (thumbsup)
knoxy2000… RAISING AWARENESS OF NEUROBLASTOMA on 5 July, 2012 at 12:29 said:
Knoxy – it has to be said – “Oscar Knox” …. what a great name!!
Marrakesh Express on 5 July, 2012 at 11:46 said:
Keevins on Talksport peddling the Armageddon line. He tells Stubbs that Sevco fans want Div 3 in order to avenge those who put them there, but then says the atmosphere in Scotland is poisonous. In Scotland?
Keevins continued use of hyperbole is embarrassing, we need a grown up debate and he is continually talking about ‘Armageddon’. Sounds like the end of the world, even my kids were laughing at him. This is a great chance for Scottish football to restructure and hopefully refinance; if Sky do not want involved I’m sure others will and everyone will have to cut their cloth appropriately. No everyone is like them!
This is not the time to be celebrating and buying season tickets.
The time for that is when we know the SPL clubs have not stitched up the SFL. For if what Doncaster or Regan were saying has any truth (I know, bear with me) then we the fans have been stitched up. They have our money and they think they can do what they like.
Once all 42 members of all four senior leagues are decided, with the Zombies either a non-starter, or given what I view as a reasonable concession to start at the bottom, then they can have my money.
Until then, we do not know for sure that there will not be a stitch up.
jungle jam67 on 5 July, 2012 at 12:10 said:
Falkirk and Dunfermline are both No – might be worth including reference to the source and date of the evidence. In this case both the official club websites from 4th July.
HH
TLK
What should your National Association CEO say?
1) Scottish football is facing a slow, lingering death.
or
2) New challenges, new opportunities, a new future.
If (1), he needs to be sacked forthwith.
philvisreturns on 5 July, 2012 at 12:37 said
Elvis was a hero to most…
publicenemyCSC
Philvis:
Yeah I know that, the problem is that they don’t.
I almost had them agreeing with me when I mentioned 4 games a season not working and killing the game more than anything…
then the same old arguments came out. Its ludicrous.
I saw Viva Elvis last month in las Vegas, and “I just can’t help believing” how good it was. If anyone goes before August this year get tickets. An amazing show.
Elvisstilltheking.csc
I was born in 1944: I saw Charles Patrick Tully play. I saw our Scottish Cup win in 1965. I experienced the Lisbon lions, nine in a row, tainted Murray years, centeneray 1988, great year. However 2012 beats them all. Good bye to the ‘Old Firm’, Rangers, Wearra peepel et al.
Rangers do not exist, let all the huns that you know:’ they were liquidated and we know.’ Time to pay back: Tiny Wharton, Davidson, Dallas, George Graham, Peat,and all the rest of the hand shake brigade.
Listening to the Clyde1 Superscoreboard Podcast from last night. Shug Keevins asking Bomber Brown where he gets his information that Peter Lawwell is conspiring against Rangers in collusion with the SFA and Stuart Regan.
Brown is living in La La land he said that “Lawwell’s silence says everything” what a prat!
RobinBhoy
Every tim remember’s this headline.
http://t.co/eIipsgBH
This is the reason why we don’t buy rags.
Whoever set up the no to Newco petition should start a Turnbull Hutton in the SFA board one.:))))
jungle jam are Airdrie not abstaining on the vote because of Ballentines DEADCLUB conflict of interest.
Soooooo that will be 1 less yes they need 16.
hen1rik on 5 July, 2012 at 12:49 said
Well worth reminding people.
Also the Newcastle scandal.
When it comes to the choices for the SFL to ponder, don’t get conned into thinking it is should we admit Sevco to Div 1 or Div 3.
The choice is, which of the applicants who are applying to join the SFL should be given approval.
Nothing more. Nothing less.
The media are already trying to put their spin on it to make it appear as if the OK to accept Sevco into the SFL is a given.
No it isn’t. They don’t qualify on any grounds.
If you consult the rules for admitting new members, I think you will find that none of them refer to TV contracts etc…
Barcabhoy,
Franchising is interesting but it only works in the US becomes appropriate checks and balances are put in place to ensure that nobody financially cheats the system (salary caps etc.) and that the weaker are allowed to get stronger through first draft picks.
The fiscal stuff is good provided everybody signs up to it and removing the uncertainties would definitely encourage investment.
On the down side, there is no equivalent to a college style draft – so the rich will probably still get richer and monopolize trophies – plus the franchise pretty much lets anybody ‘up sticks’ and wander off to where they like so can lack a bit of continuity.
But it is an interesting idea with perhaps more pluses than minuses in Scotlands pretty unique fitba environment…
Robin Bhoy
Brown would be wise to follow PL’s silence.
Mea Culpa on 5 July, 2012 at 12:52 said:
I was saying this before how can Sevco possibly get a license and how can they be offered a place in the SFL before say Spartans or some other proper football club.
Audited accounts anyone how can Regan keep banging on about money when this Sevco has no accounts..
There is no place for them in football unless all the rules are broken..
Now is the time for Scottish Football to change.
Apart from Celtic, most clubs only sign players for 2 year, 3 at a push.
So the TV deal which will be in place for the coming season should help clubs pay any big wage earners they have. Now is the time to restrict wages in the SPl to say 50% of a clubs total turnover after tax has been paid and clubs have 5 years to get their finances into profit or be relegated (as they do in Germany i believe).
We should also limit the number of over 21 year old players at a club to 20 to encourage youth but to also allow clubs in europe a bigger squad.
Van Persie claiming that Arsenal’s ambitions don’t match his own.
Apparently a wee guy in the queue at Possil brew has just stated the same when asked if he’d be interested in playing for the huns.
I’ve always held the view that there are far too many league clubs in Scotland. And many of them will only ever attract supports so small that they will never grow. OK, they might be happy surviving in the 2nd or 3rd division, but isn’t there a better way?
Mergers of clubs to produce fewer bigger clubs has to be worth considering. Larger catchment areas, larger attendances, more income and more chance of success are the obvious advantages.
I know that traditional rivalries would have to be put aside and some would walk away. But all of this happened in Inverness. And now rather than two non league teams they have one in the SPL. Progress surely? There must be other areas that would benefit form having only one club?