A decade ago, Celtic played a friendly against Real Madrid in Philadelphia.
Rangers had just died, and everyone was in a good mood in the city of brotherly love.
Well. Almost everyone.
In the foyer of the Hyatt Hotel on the day of the match, Celtic’s CEO Peter Lawwell didn’t see the upside when I spoke to him.
“This has cost us five million” was his bleak observation to me.
In the decade since that beautiful summer, everything that has emanated from the Parkhead boardroom has underlined that basic message :
Celtic are part of the Old Firm brand, and they need a city rival called “Rangers”.
Of course, the fans do not want to hear that.
However, everything that has transpired since 2012 underlines that basic commercial fact.
The club’s treatment of the Resolution 12 requisitioners has been shabby at best.
There isn’t anything to be debated on that issue.
The facts have been forensically established over years of hard work, and they can be examined here.
I can only imagine what the Bunnet would have done if it emerged that for a DECADE, his club had been scammed by a club that fielded scores on ineligible players in order to have an illegally inflated football budget.
Remember, he had Jim Farry’s head on a plate of delaying the registration of Jorge Cadete!
Instead, the current Celtic board did everything they could by action and inaction to assist their business partners across the city.
As ever, football finance expert and McCann’s go-to guy David Low was on the money today:
Someone really needs to explain to the Grey Brigade at Parkhead the dangers of “brand matching”.
Do they really want to be associated with THIS on a global stage?
Obviously, the basket of assets are delighted with the joint venture.
The one positive thing to come out of this Old Firm sojourn to Australia is that never again will the Grey Brigade shills be able to parrot the “we’re not half of anything” tripe.
That was a lie then, and it is a lie now.
At least now the Celtic fans know that they’re supporting the Old Firm brand.
Of course, that grubby reality will not come as a surprise to my regular readers.
The truth was always out there.
Discover more from Phil Mac Giolla Bháin
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
The Grey Brigade……………….hypocrites to a (money)man. HH
Dermot Desmond and Michael Nicholson, Men at work follow following the money.
It beggars belief. I’ve not registered this degree of hostility to the board since the Kelly/White days. I hate it that in the eyes of the world we’re inextricably linked with that mob
I hate the thought of us agreeing to this game. The only thing that would make me feel a little less disgusted would be if Celtic publicly announced that they formally consider Sevco to be a tribute act with a mere ten years of unremarkable history. No 55 titles and no 150 years of existence. The Ibrox club that died in 2012 is no more alive than Michael Jackson who also has a tribute act, but as we all know, it’s not really him, because, like the original club from Ibrox, he’s deid as well.
Long time lurker, first time caller…
Is there some parallel with the “Cold War”, I’m sure it died decades ago too?
Glory to Ukraine!!!
……….and this is exactly why I gave up my family’s multiple season tickets for the benefit of the next generation of gullible Celtic fans who still believe Scottish Football is worth supporting in any way shape or form……..
Lawwell happy to sell his or Celtic’s soul for £5 million…the same price they paid for Barkas.
If Lawwell had the foresight If Celtic had won the ten they’d made many millions. But he downsized obviously with the permission of Dermot Desmond.
I remember how shocked I was when I found out about this a couple of years ago. After arguing for years that there was no such thing as the Old Firm, that it was a media invention I was gutted to find the Bhoys had bought into it and shackled the club to the basket of assets.
Always knew that every Celtic Board treated the support with disdain. Absolutely sickened with this Board, complacent and conspiratorial as always. Have sold the Celtic support down the river for 30 pieces of silver yet again.
According to the tweet from Heavidor, the “Old Firm” trademark belongs in part to Celtic and in part to the OLD Rangers Club so they have no right to it whatsoever.
It does not make it any more palatable though!
Another shambles created by a Celtic Board who are so out of touch with reality its frightening, this tournament is not about Ange, its about protecting and showcasing a brand that should have been dead and buried in 2012 despite the wishes of the supporters, this Celtic Board have once again proved that they have zero shame and zero interest in their supporters concerns, the Blue Pound is all they care about.
Sack The Board
The board will continue with their policy until the fans do something concrete about it. A boycott of all games involving Sevco would be a good start. We’d also get to see just how many fans really are against the OF brand.
I dislike this Board and their antics. However, from an intellectual property perspective it makes sense for Celtic to ensure they are part of the renewal process. That prevents either the Tribute Act or anyone else from (mis)using it.
As for the Australian piece. I have mixed feelings. I lived there for 5 years and missed Celtic games badly. Therefore, I have a number of mates who are over the moon that they will a Glasgow Derby again. I’m pleased for them.
Will be interesting to see them having to be a subservient side show to Ange.
And if we win the league, the press will be all over the big man, big time.
Honest im really gutted by that shower of shite on our board dirty 2 face bastards everyone of them and i hope the fans turn against them all and get them out of our club before they kill it p.lawwell Nicholson Bankier should be removed right away as lawwell still has a say just now hope the fans give them it rotten at paradise tonight and dont miss them dirty tory fuckpigs.