Just back from book promotion duties, I had time to catch up with a couple of trusted sources last night.
Between them, they brought me up to speed as much as they could.
One of them used a term that was redolent of the early days of the Craig Whyte regime at old Rangers:
“Frontloading”.
Now, that word used in the context of spending on players should raise concerns among The People.
However, the collective goldfish recollection means that they will be cheering instead of crying.
One of my guys said that the company that had been providing merchant services to Sevco for taking season ticket sales had thought better of it.
This might explain, he said, why the club has trumpeted a sell-out and then put season tickets on public sale.
His take on this, and he is in an excellent position to make this call, was what had transpired in court between Mr King and the Takeover Panel chaps.
Both of my sources believed that the “Cold Shoulder” was now coming into force and to expect some sort of public announcement within two weeks.
That prompted me to ask one of them about Sevco’s relationship with the Metro Bank.
His view was that “…it can’t survive…”
I’m agnostic on this, as I do not understand how these matters play out and make no claim to have any level of expertise apropos Square Mile stuff.
Meanwhile, one of Mr King’s Blue Room colleagues has expressed his concern about the convict chairman’s disassociation from reality on the issue.
At the most recent conclave of the Sevco High Command, the Johannesburg based convicted criminal expressed a desire to resist the Takeover panel.
This isn’t the only concern for those in the Blue Room who have some grasp of reality.
As of yesterday, General Ashley had still not answered their call.
Will he sell the Hummel merchandise for the coming season?
Well, he is certainly making them sweat.
The much written about the signing of Jon Flanagan from Liverpool was a direct result of Mr Gerrard expressing ire at the slow pace of the rebuilding programme.
One of my sources is in an excellent place to gauges the financial implications of this strengthening of the Sevco squad:
“So far we’ve added around £8.5m in extra salaries onto-best case scenario-a loss of £6m last year”.
He rhymed off some likely personal deals to me.
Flanagan (£20k per week) Goldson (£25k per week) McGregor (£20k per week).
He then said that Nikola Katić was on a more modest £7.5k per week.
However, this could rise to £10k per week due to a performance clause in his contract.
Meanwhile, most of Pedro’s high earners remain in the squad, but most of them aren’t in the plans although they’re still on the wage bill.
Not surprisingly amid all of this spending Close Brothers are getting a touch anxious. Remember, they are due £4m next February.
They are witnessing this….ahem…“Frontloading” from the season ticket take and perhaps they are concerned.
One of the Sevco High Command asked the Serious Professional this week what loans are due to be re-paid to directors on July 1st.
The picture, at best, appears unclear and it also isn’t certain if the cash this there to pay them back at all.
Both of my sources have heard that FOUR RIFC directors have drawn up resignation letters.
Two of those missives are Parked for now and the other two are looking at the situation closely.
Of course, two directors have already Done Walking Away:
Mr Paul Murray and Mr Barry Scott.
When this happened it as spun to The People that this was good news.
It self-evidently was about clearing the way for new chaps and fresh investment.
As ever the Ibrox clientele swallowed this nonsense and punched the air in triumph.
Of course, this is the best time of the year for the Ibrox customer case.
That is because there are no competitive football matches being played.
That means that he Stenography Corps have free reign to regurgitate all manner of feel-good pish.
Now, there are a couple of intrepid stenography fellows out in Spain with Sevco.
They could try their hand at journalism and ask Mr Gerrard if he is truly happy with the training facilities.
Did he expect better?
By way of contrast, Celtic will almost certainly travel to Austria by private charter and not at 6.30am on Easy Jet.
Moreover, Brendan’s Bhoys will not be wearing off the peg training gear with the club crest transferred onto the incorrect side of the garment.
Meanwhile Celtic under Rodgers is a very different proposition to the vainglorious shambles that is Sevco.
The Irishman continues to direct operations with a steely determination.
Stuart Armstrong sold for £7m is a stunning bit of business.
With his contract running down he was free to sign a pre-contract in six months time.
Moussa Dembélé wants to extend his stay and Patrick Roberts has been offered to Celtic on a permanent deal.
I’m told that Celtic are still targeting another two other players for the first team.
When domestic football in Scotland resumes next month The People will be jubilantly expectant.
If you’re not into schadenfreude dear reader then you really should avert your gaze.
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I don’t even live in Scotland any more and I find the Rainjuurz and Sevvie G love oozing from every orifice of the media to be utterly sickening. I can only imagine and sympathise regarding the true extent of this.
England have apparently won the World Cup already after demolishing a team only there as they prevailed in a poor confederation that even Scotland could have won.
Sevco likewise have won the league already and possibly a treble.. all without kicking a ball yet.
Just an irate sub note regarding the World Cup. …
It really hasn’t interested me much this time round which is not so much a response to Scotland’s continued absence – but due to my gradual opt out of the game entirely . It is corrupt at every level top to bottom and in every corner of the world.
Oh and as an irate sub subnote …
When did the broadcasters start thinking that viewers give a monkeys how the in studio pundits react to goals!?
Perhaps it is to replace the now un-pc ‘ cameraman surfing the crowd for the pretty and well endowed female supporters’ to show us all!?
I really do enjoy Phil`s articles on Sevco . Even so, Sevco are still with us even though I have read many, many articles suggesting the end is in sight. Will I still be reading of their imminent demise this time next year ?
Hope Paddy signs because we’re going to face too many parked buses this season.
Gerrard will be pragmatic : getting a point at Celtic Park for will be like winning in Maryhill was for the Barking Caravan man…..
What a load of rubbish, WATP ?⚪️?
Who dat
I’m sorry to hear that you have a “wee bob”. I’m sure if you continue your wee bob stretching exercises whilst reading the SMSM pish regarding Ali G’s less intelligent sibling, it will soon become Big Bob.
A signed copy of your book arrived on Friday Phil, will enjoy reading it on the beach at Santa Ponsa this week.
Thank You.
Christ almighty…obsessed much?
Who dat
Well you are the one on Phil’s blog. You dummies really don’t do irony do you? HH
Says the Sevconut reading this site. You seem to be confusing being obsessed with being highly amused mate. Then again, being confused (and gullible) is what you lot do best. How the hell else have Whyte, Green and now King got away with robbing you blind since your new club was formed? It’s not just us taking the p155 out of you! Why not get yourself along to Ibrox Noise, or some of the other crackpot Sevco supporter sites, and bathe in some of their soothing feel-good pi5h for the deluded and hard of thinking? You will feel much better.
Agree with you on most things but not regarding DK’s comeuppance via the Toppers dance troupe. Ain’t gonna happen.
Regarding your book’s success and in an attempt at being clever, I tried to find an antonym for schadenfreude but is is a minefield so the best I could do was, I am feeling”Mitfreude”. It might not make much sense but you get the idea and I had wasted so much time on it not to use it.
Also a head’s up, the next time you’re thinking of disappearing, would be good. The media have got me believing Sevco have a chance of the league this year.
‘They will probably get sick of the sight of me’ – that says it all
Welcome home Phil…given what other posters have said, I’m not alone on having missed my regular fix. All the very best with your book.
I fear you’ve not had time to witness Sevco’s new target. Wait for it……none other than Louis Suarez. Messiah Gerard believes the Uruguayan Omnivore could add much needed bite to the embryonic strike force. The lack of teeth in Sevco Cubs has been lamented by the arseholes who inhabit the Ilbred barn.
Anyway an agreeable loan arrangement with whoever would keep the Neanderthals happy and add some stability to Stevie’s flying carpet.
It is possible that Louis’ flashing sabres could shine a light on goal, hence assisting Alphonus More or Less with his vision issues.
Alas, as previously mentioned by me, the quest to attract Mr Ronaldo to Stevie’s 18 to 40 club has failed. The mercurial Portuguese wizard is thought to have commented on Sevco’s interest…”Not in a million years….the filthy cheating bastards”..
(Allow for translation).
Important matters Phil far and above Sevco. I’ve ordered your book from amazon on Father’s Day from a wee voucher one of the kids gave me but it’s out of stock. Hopefully means it’s selling loads but because it is it’s sold out and they’re awaiting more copies so can you organise a shipment for them Phil
The publisher has all of that in hand.
None of the players who have been moved on were big earners.
Holt probably on 5 or 6k per week eg.
The replacements are all on substantially more money.
No one in the media has the guts to ask where the money will come from to fund the spending.
Take Alves, Herrera, Pena and Cardoso, whose annual salaries in total will amount to around £6/7m.
Assuming revenues increase by 20% to £36m, thats a huge outlay for 4 players contributing hee haw on the pitch.
The new management team are earning substantially more than Pedro’s lot.
There is no sign of the King promised share issue, note the media’s lack of interest.
TOP/COS won’t go away.
Close Bros will be keeping a keen watch on their investment.
Aye, King’s cunning plan is playing out well.
Phil any news on the loan across the water being repaid? There has been a few weeks since you mentioned the request for the loan to be repaid but nothing since.
If only someone would enlighten DLP about Celtics financial situation?
Poor wee soul seems away confused.
?
Sevco stinks
Strange that you should mention young Paddy being offered on a permanent deal. When the new strip was unveiled a few weeks ago, I had a look at the official Celtic merchandise website, and the No 7 shirt for NEXT season had Roberts on the back.
With so many interesting takeaways, this blog was well worth waiting for .
Good to hear that the cold shoulder is now coming into play. James Forest’s article regarding the availability of season tickets (and Bhoy are they available ) makes perfect sense if the company providing merchant services has exited the scene.
Also makes sense that Metro bank will be jittery too.
Moving on to the SD situation. Might big Mike be the man who says NO? Would he put embarrassing DK before profit? Not sure, however, as you say, he will certainly make them sweat.
The £8.5 mil addition to the players wages bill is music to my ears. And they’re not done yet. As I’ve said before, go on Stevie, spend, spend, spend !.
Lastly and by no means leastly, Paddy Roberts being offered to Celtic on a permanent deal!! I’m sure I’m not alone is hoping that this comes to pass.
I’ll be keeping my ear very close to the ground over the next two weeks regarding that statement from the TOP. How will the MSM spin that?
On your own admission, celtic(1994) have a wage bill of 60mill. With the on going spiral cost of maintaining a sub standard stadium, one season without champions league money and you are in the shit.
I would be worried, very worried by Steven Gerrards arrival.
Nurse!
Nuuuurse!
Billy’s got oot again!
Oh dear Mr Ferguson,
Celtic PLC the COMPANY ( the Club) were founded in 1888 and incorporated in 1897. That fact is still reflected in Companies House. Unlike Sevco … incorporated in 2012.
As for the wages, don’t worry. We can afford to pay our bills .. we always have.
Thank you Fergus McCann for stepping up and saving our club. Unlike Sevco we have Real Celtic men with wealth and power.
Don’t you worry about us. We don’t have a career criminal running us into the ground.
Ha ha ha. Funny man but a very silly billy. Dream on. HH
????????…
Worried, very worried….??????
My side’s are sore…..
Mr John Fergusson, can you supply me with a couple of important dates.
On what date did Celtic 1888 enter administration?
On what date was a CVA rejected and Celtic liquidated?
I patiently await your response.
Forget about supplying dates…. these drugs are the bees knees!!
Celtic don’t budget for champions league money. If we get it it’s a bonus.
Go see the doctor John…u obviously are not well
Is this a joke? Celtic’s revenue is roughly three times the size of their local rivals. Celtic are financially stable.
You are engaging in wishful thinking and like every Rangers fan you can only focus on signing new players.
CELTIC 1994? Explanation required.
Signed copy arrived … many thanks
Load of pish away gee urself a good wash
Brilliant Phil cheered me up Sir
Sad feinan cunts fixated on winning in the poorest league in Europe and I’m a Huddersfield fan
Of course you are…
of course he is..
He hides his copy of Sevco news inside his copy of the Huddersfield gazette
Being a Huddersfield fan is the least of your issues….
He nost certainly is a uddersfield fan
so sevco cant win the poorest league in europe pmsl, what tune`s do you know on your flute,,,by the way huddersfield/ sevco not much difference,
Actually about £102m difference which is what Huddersfield received from the Premier League last Season loll
And an Ignorant Bigot. I blame the Parents and Schools.
Typical thicko bigot, can’t even spell his insults correctly…
Spending more time at literacy night school would be far more advantageous than flute playing, if you want to give the right impression that is. Otherwise you are just another deluded dummy who needs to read Phil’s blog for your news. Bolt. HH
That would be the league you sevco, sorry Huddersfield, fans are desperate to finish better than third in.
In the two horse race that is Scottish Football your team came third.
What does that make them?
Donkeys!
Heehawheehawheehaw.
Well, Sevco have won hee haw of any real note, so donkeys seems to be very apt. If you want to be pedantic and say they won a couple of diddy titles and the Petrofac Cup (things we would be embarrassed about having on our role of honours) maybe diddy donkeys?
Another Glasgow club claim they are ‘the most successful team in the world’ on the basis of their Scottish title wins!
A certain club in Glasgow boast about being ‘the most successful team in the world’! It’s all based on those meaningless Scottish titles it seems.
1967 moron the team that won the meaningless league wins the European Cup with 11 scots in it.Never done before or Since 1970 semi final plays Leeds United wins home and away 2003 uefa cup run puts out 2 Top 6 English Team enroute, keep watching the Epl best in the world they say HH
No you’re not, and I think the word you are looking for is fenian. Bitter, twisted AND illiterate!
A Huddersfield fan using fenian … of course petal. Now crawl back under your rock.
Imagine being so sick in the mind to admit to being a huddersfield fan fan??? Nothing here for u either
Off topic, the signed copy of “The Squad” arrived safely on Friday. Many thanks.
Enjoy.
You have a first edition…
Ta for the update, now my turn while away did you catch the Scottish Govt released figures showing half the religious hate crimes in Scotland were committed against Catholics/people of Irish descent, despite us only making up an eighth of the population.
Does that mean the other other half is the Romans picking on the Christians again?
Any more (blue) room for fresh blood on the Sevco board and it will resemble nothing so much as the bleeding hallway in “The Shining”.
Another excellent blog sir. It puts into context what I saw passing Mordor on my way to Never, Ever land. A herd ,flock of Unicorns.
Couldn’t believe it. Neither could anybody else.
They are really a laugh eh? Sevco no the unicorns.
Thanks again.
Bon Chance with the Squad. Which I will enjoy reading.
Good to see you back Phil hope all went well with book stuff.
There’s a rant on Davies left peg about impending court cases and Southampton rumours of us trying to punt players.
Is it a rant in your opinion same as the stadium shot he published about a year back?
Good grief. If those wage roll figures are even half right then the ship is not just heading for the rocks it is accelerating.
Is the glib and shameless plan to avoid having to make the share offer by creating an insolvency event?
Their annual sal bill can’t be far from Celtic’s, the financial difference however is stark.
Of course the DLP site spins Celtic’s finances and general position a little more extreme. It is like he has taken most of Sevco’s woes and cut and pasted ‘Celtic’… Southampton’s feeder club no less.
With the daft money on offer in the EPL and Celtic in a strong position on selling at any price the future is good for Celtic on a profit front when it’s time to move players on. European exposure will only add to squad value.
Selling Morelos, Tavs and Windy should generate enough to pay off the soft loans 🙂 and a wee dip into the overdraft facility should be enough to cover the close loans, oh wait that is the facility. I suspect the close loans may end up being a longer term thing with an extension on the agreement costing much more over the term, still Jam today.! A quick wee switcheroo on the loan front could see Club Tropicana on the hook for the close loan. I bet that’s not a new thought to Dave.
For myself Phil uber shadenfreude is the biz , great to get an update on what is actually happening.
Nearly finished my copy of THE SQUAD ,I know its virtually just been released ,but I have to ask any plans for a sequel.
Be Lucky John
Thanks Phil for a comprehensive summary of the icebergs in the path of the good ship Sevco. And not one password required.
Good luck with your book HH.
Great to have you back on the case phil I was close to having a search party go through all abandoned buildings in ibrox as it’s not above the “peepul” to try shut up journalists, however I’m glad to hear you were on promoting duties for your new book! You have arrived back in perfect time to have a front row seat for the revolution down ibroke way to tell the nation they’re here to win silver I suggest they got they’re 30 pieces when they signed for that shambles of a club with no concern for the social impact of Flanagan apologiest in the press a new low in my opinion….anyway the season will be here soon not been this excited for years hope your news that paddy is being offered back is true boots got talent not possessed by many footballers!
Well that piece certainly doesn’t accord with prevailing narrative in the press!
And the despatches about the Sevco pre-season training from the Costa del Stenography are a joy to behold… On which note – and if I may – can I interest your readers in a holiday? https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2018/06/23/a-holiday-with-club-sevco/
Oh, and beware of witchcraft! https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2018/06/23/steven-gerrards-shocking-discovery/
Can’t believe the weekly wage of some of the new sevvie all-stars. I must be worth a few quid myself and like Pedro’s globetrotters, I wouldn’t even need to kick a ball. HH
Thanks, Phil. The Armstrong sale makes sense, even though I’ll miss him. Definitely a player, and smart too. I’d like to see more of Kouassi, so this could be his chance. Great to see the bhoys involved in the world cup playing so well against very tough opposition. Valuation of these guys will be sure to increase too. Cheers.