When even Jim Farry blocked a royal postponement

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25 years ago, Scotland were due to play a World Cup qualification game against Belarus on the day of Princess Diana’s funeral.  The SFA, then run by chief exec Jim Farry, the same man who was eventually removed from office for delaying Celtic’s registration of Jorge Cadete, decided the game should proceed as planned.

Whatever you think of Farry, he acted without concern for the royalist contingent.  Despite the SFA’s offices being vandalised and Scottish Secretary, Donald Dewer, applying political pressure, Farry dug in:   ”We have taken heed of the various viewpoints, but let’s be reasonable about this, life does and must go on.”

He did not act alone, the SFA International Committee were involved, and they included Celtic’s Jack McGinn, and the Greatest Football Administrator the world has ever known, Campbell Ogilvie!  This was a strange time in Britain, maybe the strangest few weeks of the last century.

Royalists were split between backers of the self-styled Queen of Hearts (honestly), and those in the minority, who sided with the actual Queen.  The Queen, a bit like Farry, held out as long as she could against the indulgent wallowing infecting millions, by resisting calls to lower flags to half-mast.

Before the end of the week, royal flags were lowered and the Scotland game was postponed.  Those of us who never took an interest in royalty were often heard saying “Let’s be reasonable about this”, but were largely ignored.

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740 Comments

  1. Hot Smoked…………

     

     

    :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

     

     

    :)))

     

     

    :)))))))))))))))

  2. One of my favourite BIG JOCK quotes………

     

     

     

    “The secret of being a good manager is to keep the six players who hate you away from the five who are undecided.”

  3. Celtic is owned and controlled by a tax exiled billionaire but it’s good to know so many Celtic fans are concerned about the unequal distribution of wealth.

  4. LIONROARS67 on 10TH SEPTEMBER 2022 7:21 AM

     

    ‘For those of us who want to live as citizens of a free republic of Scotland, what takes place today outlined below is the formidable forces we face’

     

     

     

    ###

     

     

     

    I don’t know how you find the strength to carry on against such an insurmountable foe.

     

     

    If only we could have a Jacobite king (or even a queen or maybe something in between to keep up with the times).

  5. LionRoars67

     

     

    Thanks for sharing this insight Re protocol etc with us.

     

     

    Very interesting to this poster.

     

     

    Like you I will be out a bit ( Aberdour Beach beckons ) then a few chores then watch some cricket 🏏 and some European football and then finally Notre Dame against some new outfit who are playing at that rarified level for the first time.

     

     

    Maybe fit in a bit of tennis with the polish girl against the Tunisian. Both are likable but the idea of the first Muslim grand slam winner being celebrated in New York tomorrow of all days 21 years on would be ironic.

     

     

    Trying hard not to miss the football and trying hard to avoid watching any of the pantomime in London.

  6. ERNIE LYNCH

     

     

    Spoken like a true loyalist unionist. You’re taking this very badly pal.

     

     

    She’s dead. Get over it.

  7. Ernie

     

     

    There are degrees of dirty money which are deemed acceptable as suits peoples individual position ref their football clubs.

     

     

    It’s a funny thing isn’t it but we all see the world through our own lenses and what suits us.

     

     

    Our tolerance of badness and unfairness seems to be driven by what suits our internal narrative and what we cling to.

     

     

    Outrage at Saudi’s today, why less at Man City ? Abramovich and Russians, Americans leveraging when Glazer et al came in, Chinese and Malaysians are dodgy apparently, some Eastern European gangsters, tax avoiding Irish tiger riders, dodgy Dave and his bank debt, the EBT scenario there are many levels of dodgy behaviour amongst football club owners these days. I am sure even St Mirren and Motherwell with their fan ownership are not totally pure. It’s not new either as Third Lanark demise would show.

     

     

    It’s a question for individuals as to where they draw the line with their team and what version of truth they want to believe.

  8. BURNLEY78 on 10TH SEPTEMBER 2022 9:17 AM

     

     

    I just find it odd that people are getting exercised about the tax affairs of the royal family (which is hardly news) seem so unconcerned about the tax affairs of someone who has more direct bearing on our lives as Celtic fans.

  9. How long can it last — after a while even her fans will start to see the absurdity?

     

    Reading the broom — I think the establishment will soon be getting some hard lessons.

     

    The grid only works if you have some substance behind it.

     

     

    They are playing us for fools — and this time it will get noticed.

     

    Plus the right wing media need to keep selling papers / need hits.

     

    MeMa isn’t enough of a “witch/hate figure” to fill 21 days of news.

     

    I wonder who they will pick on next?

  10. Good to see my wee question about queenies wealth bringing

     

    out some interesting debate.

     

    Some of the books I’ve read had the monarchies richness as

     

    uncountable as they had hidden assets dating back to aul queen

     

    Vic.

     

    Maybe I’m just an old cynic, but I’d a thought a few mill for a new

     

    hospital, or build some new hooses for her most loyalisssst

     

    subjects would sanctify her graciousness.

     

    H.H. Mick

  11. Interesting how for many the tax debate comes down to a few farms owned by various royal / pseudo royal institutions and has nothing to do with their own personal circumstances or tax arrangements.

     

     

    The royals play at being capitalists.

     

    It makes them look credible / active in real life.

     

    Instead of an establishment agitprop street theatre troupe playing to a shrinking gallery.

     

     

    Last couple of days = lots of froth.

     

    Big issue for me — Queenie and the Commonwealth.

     

    She had to listen to the fringes / margins and she did.

     

    They got a better reception of her than they did off Maggie.

     

    Interesting — to me anyway.

  12. 2005 “Emergency” rights issue — interesting debate yesterday.

     

    Main thing for me — spin / how to sell change / the work WGS did.

     

     

    Plus the happy clappers / board groupies are out in full view.

     

    Result — even if L/Town is a poundshop training ground in the wrong place.

     

    One word — midgies?

  13. Interesting and provocative article by Laura Clancy; thanks FSC.

     

    Even here – downunder – the ghoulish, monochrome-mantled media is falling over themselves to out-forelock-tug each other with fawning, gushing tributes for mibby the most pampered pensioner in the entire world.

     

    Don’t get me wrong; some sadness could be apt. But to see grief elevated to a ratings competition is a bit grim.

     

    The biggest boak is when innocent weans are being compelled to drop flowers at non-Windsorian edifice gates in Oz, along with scribbled notes about how much they loved the quine; yet had zero scoobies about her at all.

     

    These kids are being told they should feel sad about something so distant. Still; each to their own.

     

    Businesses can open but football [definitely businesses these days] can’t go about their business. Wtaf?

     

    Mick; this was a fugger of a winter and the bug caught up with me with some malice in recent weeks.

  14. Quadro

     

     

    A bad winter indeed, climate change ? I was sitting in the garden

     

    top off on Wed, today got my hoodie on wtf.

     

    Think summer will be a swelter.

     

    Big Celtic day next Sunday, loads of new members, we’re in the

     

    Dubliner now, just up from the beach, 4 o clock k.o. lol.

     

    🇮🇪☘️🥃

     

    H.H. Mick

  15. Charles has sworn that he “shall inviolably maintain and preserve the Settlement of the true Protestant religion”.

     

    That’s the essence of the British constitution.

  16. There’s no doubt, the grieving by numbers is all very odd and more than a little contrived.

     

    At the same time, I suspect folk such as the chippy owner from Muir of Ord will come to regret their desire for 15 seconds of fame.

     

    The silent majority can only keep going and try to avoid all the madness

  17. Queenie as national granny — I can just about cope with.

     

    Charlie Boy as just about anything — gives me the dry boak.

     

    Monarchy charade now being played out on the TV — currently re-appraising my view of Cromwell.

     

     

    They will destroy themselves with all this wall to wall stuff.

  18. Heading for the worst recession in a generation and we spend zillions on this pish and those royal leeches.

     

     

    People surviving with foodbanks and the tory elitists running amok but, hay ho.

     

     

    Media brainwashing has gone into overdrive.

     

     

    Worse than the poppy fascists.

     

     

    Time for people to actually smell the roses.

  19. Though included in the Act of Union 1707 it is interesting to note that the Kirk’s status as the National Church of Scotland dates from 1690, ie from the time of the Dutch Prince, when it was restored. The Kirk’s relationship with the Stewart Monarchs was not always a happy one, Mary, James, Charles I, Charles II one and all, culminating in the defeat of the Covenanters at Bothwell Bridge in June 1679. See earlier at Kilsyth and Inverlochie. Bothwell Bridge was a famous victory for the Duke of Monmouth, eldest son of Charles I, and one for which we should still be thankful. (read the covenant) Monmouth, Dutch born, and himself protestant, the Man who would be King, found himself at the wrong end of a hiding in 1685, and subsequently was executed by his Uncle James II. James of course was replaced by Billy just four years later, hence the Kirk’s status being restored. You may have heard Charles give the oath to the COS earlier this morning, slightly hesitating I thought after the intro “I ….understand…….” Well he does like to wear both the Stuart dress and royal tartans after all….

  20. 79 Caps,

     

    That comes from the Union Of The Crowns.Written up by the Presbyterian Church,as part of the deal.They feared the COE would engulf it eventually.Remember,,they were all Protestant at the time.Both sides had been slaughtering each other for years.

     

    In the Constitution,so must be signed.

  21. Ernie.

     

     

    So today you are annoyed at Desmond and defending the royal familys avoidance of tax.

     

     

    Would have thought that as a socialist, you would have been more annoyed àbout the UK being the second biggest exporter of arms and ammunition to the rest of the planet

     

     

    Would have thought that as a Celtic fan and a socialist you would have been more annoyed that there are more food banks in your beloved uk than there are MacDonalds.

     

     

    The duke of Westminster has avoided £3,000,000,000 or 3 Billion pounds in death duty taxes .

     

     

    The European Research Group are on manoeuvres, the majority of Dizzy Lizzys cabinet are ERG.

     

     

    Dermot Desmond may be many things, but he is not using the monarchy to hide behind and impliment UK government policies which are killing our friends our family our neighbours.

     

    He is not responsible for the millions in poverty in the uk.

     

     

    Dermot Desmond is not responsible for the people dying waiting for ambulances, etc,etc, etc.

     

     

    He is not responsible for the people going to school unable to study because of hunger.

     

     

    He is not responsible for public schools being financially assisted by the UK government.

     

     

     

    IMO to be a billionaire is immoral, but to defend the monarch’s tax affairs, at the same time as attacking Desmond doesn’t seem consistent with your avowed socialism or being a Celtic fan or did i miss the bit where children starving in the 21rst century was something Celtic fans shouldn’t care about because defending the union is more important?

  22. Ernie,

     

     

    Actual evidence that dizzy lizzy and her ERG puppet masters are using the monarchy to hide policies that will kill people:

     

     

    NEW – The DWP have released a report under the cover of the Queen’s death.

     

     

    They reject recommendation to adjust benefits for current inflation to meet the cost of living crisis.

     

     

    Rejects review on adequacy of benefit rates.

     

     

    Rejects LHA uprating.

     

     

    https://committees.parliament.uk/work/6437/the-cost-of-living/news/172997/cost-of-living-work-and-pensions-committee-publishes-government-response-to-report/

  23. DALRIADABHOY on 10TH SEPTEMBER 2022 12:05 PM

     

     

    Can you show me where I have defended any aspect of the royal family, their tax tax affairs, tax avoidance in general or the concept of monarchy?

     

     

    I’ll save you the bother of looking. It aint there. Because I haven’t done any such thing.

  24. Not sure they really are playing cricket.

     

     

     

    South Africa are doing their best to make sure it is not a contest and they turn a 5 day game into a one dayer.

     

     

    Hard not to believe their captain wasn’t on the ‘take’ after a crazy team selection in 2nd test and an even more crazy decision not to put England into bat.

     

     

    Now in the 3rd he has brought in even more inexperienced folks to the team and No surprise they could be all out before lunch in the first day !

  25. 0-3 would be awarded against the huns to Napoli if the tie is abandoned.

     

     

    The best result the zombies have had in weeks.

  26. I could be wrong but I’m guessing the city of Aberdeen is at this moment thankful that today’s football matches have been postponed.

  27. TURKEYBHOY on 10TH SEPTEMBER 2022 11:59 AM

     

    79 Caps,

     

     

     

     

    ‘Remember,,they were all Protestant at the time.’

     

     

    ###

     

     

     

    ‘They’ or ‘we’?

  28. URKEYBHOY on 10TH SEPTEMBER 2022 11:59 AM

     

    79 Caps,

     

     

     

     

    That comes from the Union Of The Crowns.

     

     

    ###

     

     

    And the Kirk’s status was guaranteed by the Act of Union.

     

     

    Doesn’t suggest that Scotland was a colony as some of the cult like to pretend.