When the public pronouncements of a football club can usually be characterised as anodyne, that’s actually a good sign.
If you disagree with that observation, you may wish to recollect the official statements from Hearts in the Romanov era.
The ex-Soviet submariner was undoubtedly part of the entertainment business!
Of course, since they were created out of the body parts of Rangers (1872-2012), Sevco has been in a league of their own for delusional declarations on the club website.
Their reputation as “Statement FC” is well deserved.
It is very much a case of less is more for the well run outfit.
With that in mind, dear reader, look at the terse nature of the Celtic statement today.
“Without a guarantee that our supporters could attend Ibrox in January”.
One more time:
“Without a guarantee…”.
My own reporting on Coplandgate has been unequivocal from the start.
If the issue is “a delay in a materials shipment from Asia”, and that is the ONLY issue, then a completion date shouldn’t be a problem.
Regular readers may recall that I reported that THREE scenarios were apparently discussed with the appropriate people at Hampden.
They were:
(1) Playing there until October.
(2) To the end of 2024.
(3) For the entire season at the national stadium.
Once more, if the reason for the unavailability of Ibrox was “a delay in a materials shipment from Asia”, then why the uncertainty?
This is an unanswered question that should be the front and centre of editorial meetings in the local media.
Sadly, it is something that they have all agreed that they won’t go near.
Despite the Orwellian levels of information control currently being attempted at the building site John Brown used to play for, it would be naïve to think that Celtic aren’t aware of the situation there.
Consequently, the communication from the champions says a great deal in a few words.
Like the Parkhead outfit itself, it is economically efficient.
Keyword:
Guarantee.
That’s the story.
Captain Swing
Superb Sir.
The “Banter Years”, climbing through the leagues while making friends on the way.
2018, Dave King cutting Celtics allocation from 8,000 to 800, arguing the point of corruption at the SFA, dodgy refs and not partaking in the ‘Cinch’ sponsorship, now doing same to ‘William Hill’.
They may not have lost friends, testing folks patience and making difficulties for others where there is no need.
Just hope their sums do not add up with a knock-on effect that rebuilding cost funds go as compensation and Rangers do not return to Ibrox until next season, unless a run in the Europa brings riches.
Sword of ‘Damocles anyone…..
“….at the building site John Brown used to play for.”
Stop it Phil, too much. You should take this issue must more seriously. Aye, right!!!
Been waiting months for someone to write about this shambles ,so well done Phil on your post,not one writer on our media has ever questioned the state of play,i.e.where exactly are the materials,when expected to arrive,have they been paid ? Journalists talk of freedom speech,some simply don’t deserve that right Thanks Phil
I genuinely believe that we are seeing the “final chapter” of TRFC2012. The Rangers Executive (Monkeys round the table ) need an accountancy 101 class. There are things I (potentially we) don’t know, much has been stated about the “break even” number at Hampden to keep the square “wheels on the bus”… Please enlighten me (if possible) and will the SFA alllow a “squatter” to save future TV contracts ?
Some facts
Att v’s Kyiv : 39,000 (looked less, was this season tkts ?)
Average Att Ibrox 23/24: 48,900
Highest Att v St Mirren: 50,652
Hampden Capacity (official): 51,866
Celtic v TRFC att SCF 23/24: 48,556
The presence of rangers at Hampden and the absence of Queen’s Park – see their statement today – is reminiscent of the behaviour of the cuckoo.
What about Scenario 4) ?
Hampden becomes sevco’s permanent home ground?
As ridiculous as that sounds,
it was only 12 years ago that the SFA, SPL/SFL and all the other 41 clubs
(including our own), went to ridiculous lengths to ensure a “rangers”
remained in the senior game.
And nothing has changed in Scottish football since 2012.
You could be close to the mark with that one, although I do see problems in it. Any Cup Semi Final inal, or Final could NOT be played there. That would be a lot for the SFA to sacrifice, even for their favourite club, and if another Turnbull Hutton, god rest that Titan of a man, emerged, he might lead a major objection from every other team in the country
Also there might be an emotional kickback from the klan. The, “Big Hoose”, is their spiritual home. Many will stop renewing their ST’s. Since the new club was founded the sales of the ST has been crucial to their annual income. They do NOT HAVE the huge waiting list for season tickets that Celtic have.
I actually wonder if the consequences of such a scenario would be detrimental to us?
Would beating a Rangers playing out of Hampden give Celtic fans the same pleasure/buzz, as beating a Rangers playing out of Ibrox, thus having a knock on effect on our ST sales?
I said some time ago, but that our domination, was now such that the fans who don’t do walking away, would walk away in such droves, that in ten years they’d be playing in an empty stadium, and in a generation their weans and grandweans would be Celtic fans. I’m now not sure if that is a good or a bad thing, from our point of view!
Personally, I would rather Celtic fans never set foot in their crumbling shithole ever again and we never allow them back in Paradise. It doesn’t seem to affect us on the park.
They just disgrace themselves with their bottle throwing etc.
Personally, I would rather Celtic fans never set foot in their crumbling shithole ever again and we never allow them back in Paradise. It doesn’t seem to affect us on the park.
They just disgrace themselves with their bottle throwing etc.
Maybe all the safety netting required is in use already for the free fall Sevco seem to be in?
I wouldn’t be surprised after seeing the empty seats at Hampden for the Kiev match that rather than making money from European competition Rangers ran at a loss.
Big Phil’s comment- that he can’t put a gun to the head of players that he would wish to see plough their football furrow elsewhere- implies that at least 8 players, who pick up £10 million between them per year for the next two years, are in in no hurry to move on. The new arrivals, no doubt recruited on less generous terms, may be asking why two players-occasionally asked to exert themselves for some ‘B’ team action-are banking considerably more bachunkas
than they are and why a guy with a limp gets on the bench?
I think the late John Sullivan once wrote and sang a popular ditty which has become increasingly appropriate to their situation in recent years/decades…
‘No income tax, no VAT, no money back, no guarantee….’
And they said the banter years were over.
It seems that we can only speculate on what the underlying issue is, and the only thing that I have heard mentioned is asbestos.
Is it correct that the deal with the SFA to use Hampden ends on the 5th September? If so that is only three weeks away. That seems very late for an professional team to be securing a stadium to play their matches in.
The Rangers Board must be highly frustrated by the economic and reputational damage caused by a plan to increase capacity by approximately 1%.
I have written about the asbestos rumour-for that’s all it is-a rumour.
On the available evidence it seems highly unlikely.
The activity around the site is not constistent with the discovery of asbestos.
File under “things at Ibrox that Celtic fans WANT to be true”!
Fair enough. I suppose people just want an explanation that makes sense. Or is that too much to expect from Ibrox?
Is it possible this issue is meandering into an urgent need to fill Hampden Park every two weeks?
I’ll comfortably predict that they won’t play at Ibrox this season. If there really was a chance they’d have been shouting it from the rooftops. Maybe they are too feartie to climb up there though in case in collapses….
As much as I’d love for you to be right, they know what a PR shit show it’d be and they’ll garner all assistance possible to avoid it
“….at the building site John Brown used to play for.”
Stop it Phil, too much. You should take this issue must more seriously. Aye, right!!!
One might be inexorably drawn to the conclusion – Phil – that you are somewhat wallowing in the discomfiture of the current iteration of the Klan franchise playing at the building site that ‘Bomber’ Brown once played for? i couldn’t possibly comment,
For those on the Green Side of the segregated, the hope of a 7,500 return to Ibrox is wishful thinking. Does anybody really believe the Sevco leadership would pay for the damages at Parkhead of 7,500 of their ‘attendees’, broken toilets doors or broken anything for that matter.? There is more chance of safety netting turning up at a fit & ready for purpose Ibrox on time.