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Celtic Diary Saturday July 26: Another Suitcase in Another Hall

Celtic are in Hamburg today to face St. Pauli in another friendly as Ronny Deila continues his mission of introducing a new work ethic to the players. St. Pauli , are one of those clubs that Celtic fans are supposed to support, have at least a genuine claim to be our second team, as opposed to the usual Barca-Man U-Liverpool-Feyenoord or any other we’re all bestest buddies nonsense that crops up from time to time.

Actually, perhaps its not a bad idea. Maybe theres a smaller club closer to home we could help out, maybe even get a celebrity to endorse it.

Split shirts , split scarves a a relatively new addition to supporters merchandise, and as you may have guessed, not of any particular interest to me. You pick your club, you support it, and to hell with everyone else.

But St. Pauli are perhaps different. There does seem to be a genuine inter club affection.

Celtic, of course, were formed to feed the poor by a deeply religious and caring man,

walfrid statue

 

( not by Irish Republican sympathisers, as the Telegraph reported the other day ) and St. Pauli have an interesting and commendable raison d’etre as well. ( Look it up if you can’t speak French )

Theirs, however, took until the 1980s to identify itself; ( Wikipedia )

It was in the mid-1980s that St. Pauli’s transition from a traditional club into a “Kult” club began. The club was also able to turn the location of its ground in the dock area part of town, near Hamburg’s famous Reeperbahn — centre of the city’s night life and its red-light district — to its advantage. An alternative fan scene emerged, built around left-leaning politics, social activism and the event and party atmosphere of the club’s matches. Supporters adopted the skull and crossbones as their own unofficial emblem. St. Pauli became the first team in Germany to officially ban right-wing nationalist activities and displays in its stadium in an era when fascist-inspired football hooliganism threatened the game across Europe.[5] In 1981, the team was averaging crowds of only 1,600 spectators: by the late 1990s they were frequently selling out their entire 20,000-capacity ground.[citation needed]

The Skull and Crossbones symbol had always been associated with St Pauli in one way or another. Hamburg fostered the most famous pirate of Germany Klaus Störtebeker and the symbol had been used by the house occupants at Hafenstrasse, but the one who should be credited with finally bringing the symbol to the terraces is probably Doc Mabuse, the singer of a Hamburg punk band. As the legend tells, he first grabbed the flag from a stall while passing drunk through the Dom on his way to the Millerntor-Stadion.[6]

In the early 1990s, the media in Germany recognized the Kult-image of the club, focusing on the punk part of the fan-base in TV broadcasts of the matches. By this time, the media also started to establish nicknames like “Freibeuter der Liga” (“Buccaneers of the League””) as well as “das Freudenhaus der Liga” (“Brothel of the League”, literally “House of Joy”).

St. Pauli moved in and out of the Bundesliga over the course of the next dozen years: The club were narrowly relegated to the Oberliga in the 1984–85 season, but won the 1985–86 championship and returned to 2. Bundesliga. Two increasingly strong years followed, resulting in promotion and three seasons in 1. Bundesliga, during 1988–91. Four seasons followed in 2. Bundesliga, and then another two in 1. Bundesliga 1995–97, before returning to 2. Bundesliga. 

The club has also been active in terms of charity and in 2005 the club, the team and the fans initiated the Viva con Agua de Sankt Pauli campaign, which collects money for water-dispensers for schools in Cuba, for clean water in Rwanda et cetera.

 Effectively, they, like us, are the good guys. And they have an official  set of principles as well, including these;

St. Pauli were the first club in Germany to integrate a set of Fundamental Principles (Leitlinien) to dictate how the club is run. The Fundamental Principles were passed by an overwhelming majority at the St Pauli Congress in 2009 and they go beyond solely football.

The first five Principles states that:

– “In its totality, consisting of members, staff, fans and honorary officers, St. Pauli FC is a part of the society by which it is surrounded and so is affected both directly and indirectly by social changes in the political, cultural and social spheres.”

– “St. Pauli FC is conscious of the social responsibility this implies, and represents the interests of its members, staff, fans and honorary officers in matters not just restricted to the sphere of sport.”

– “St. Pauli FC is the club of a particular city district, and it is to this that it owes its identity. This gives it a social and political responsibility in relation to the district and the people who live there.”

– “St. Pauli FC aims to put across a certain feeling for life and symbolises sporting authenticity. This makes it possible for people to identify with the club independently of any sporting successes it may achieve. Essential features of the club that encourage this sense of identification are to be honoured, promoted and preserved.”

– “Tolerance and respect in mutual human relations are important pillars of the St. Pauli philosophy.[19]

But its the supporters who seem to have the common ground with our own support;

St. Pauli enjoys a certain fame for the left-leaning character of its supporters: most of the team’s fans regard themselves as anti-racist, anti-fascist, anti-homophobic and anti-sexist, and this has on occasion brought them into conflict with neo-Nazisand hooligans at away games. The organisation has adopted an outspoken stance against racism, fascism, sexism, and homophobia and has embodied this position in its constitution. Team supporters traditionally participate in demonstrations in the Hamburg district of St. Pauli, including those over squatting or low-income housing, such as the Hafenstraße andBambule. The centre of fan activity is the Fanladen St. Pauli. St Pauli fans currently have a strong relationship with Ternanafans, Hapoel Tel Aviv fans and Bohemians 1905 fans. Ultrá Sankt Pauli also has a friendship with the ultras scene of Bayern Munich, the Schickeria München.[7] At times the banner of Schickeria München is displayed at the Millerntor Stadion.

The club prides itself on having the largest number of female fans in all of German football.[8] In 2002, advertisements for the men’s magazine Maxim were removed from the team’s stadium, in response to fans’ protests over the adverts’ allegedly sexist depictions of women. 

 Which, of course , would have generated publicity beyond their wildest dreams for the magazine… still, you have to admire their principles, and theres not too many these days who have any at all. In fact, if anyone has any of these books lying around, send them to me and I’ll dispose of them for you.

Eventually.

 Back to the game, and the team , probably by now discussing how best to use the Air Miles they’ve clocked up recently for this years Christmas Piss Up, enjoyed the presence of American rapper and car insurance advertisement star Snoop Dog, who met them at the airport yesterday

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Thankfully,  this time he hasn’t offered to buy the club or lead the team out. And , as with all tv stars, a couple of the players were surprised how different he looks in real life from his expensively cultivated media persona;

 

But its one thing having fun and meeting superstars, one guy arrived at the airport before everyone else, and looks very serious about his new job.

Embedded image permalink

 

Craig Gordon impressed during his run out last week, and is starting to look like he doesn’t intend to let a second shot at the game slip away, and thats worried Lukasz Zaluska, who sounds like he’s fed up of being at the club. He’s been number two to Fraser Forster for what seems like an eternity, and whilst a capable keeper, he’s never really convinced a lot of the support.

With Forster likely to be the subject of enticing offers to move down south over the next few weeks, Zaluska is ready to step up to the plate. Well, sort of;

“In the two games against Reykjavik, I was on the bench while Fraser was playing. 

But maybe he’ll change clubs. Southampton sent an offer, supposedly £7.5million, but our bosses rejected it.

If Fraser leaves, I’d be fighting for the place with Craig Gordon. But the club may bring in another goalkeeper.” 

 You cannot help but feel the swearing was left out of that last sentence.

Celtics supporters liason officer John Paul Taylor sent out a couple of interesting tweets last night…

Advice from Legia SLO: Flags and Banners on Wed are best to be kept to support for Celtic only

Advice from Legia SLO: fans travelling on Wed should stick to Celtic only colours as these are respected

 What are they expecting from us over there ? Or is it more a case of what should we expect from them ?

Advice from me: Look after any banner you take. They’ll jump at a chance to steal some, dont make it easy for them!

An extract from a later JPT tweet to another fan hinted that it could be an , er, interesting trip…

many have extreme views, will be a very different experience from most matches at this stage

 Domestically,  couple of league games have been moved to accommodate Sky Tv. Theres a surprise:

Saturday 13 September, Celtic v Aberdeen – Live on Sky Sports, 12.45pm

Saturday 27 September, 2014 St Mirren v Celtic – Live on Sky 12:45

 Well, at least it’s a Saturday. So, todays supplementary question is when do we get our first Saturday 3pm kick off this season ? And will it interfere with our Christmas shopping ?

Actually, this season might be interesting to say the least. With the Premier League downgraded in status to the second best in the country, the hype around the new Scottish Super League, formerly the old first division, soared yesterday when the Evening Times paraded the biggest signing in Scottish football for many. many years…

Ally McCoist hails Rangers

comeback star Lewis Macleod

Hail, Hail, said the Ibrox boss. Diary photo, not the paper. They went with some other idiot-

lindsay

 

RANGERS boss Ally McCoist has admitted having Lewis Macleod available again has been like signing a new player. 

 Sorry, my mistake. It’s like the biggest signing in Scottish football for many, many a year. But it isn’t actually a signing. 

Macleod capped a fine display against Ottawa Fury when he set up the only goal of the game for team-mate Nicky Law. The Scotland Under-21 star was sidelined for the second half of last season due to a debilitating virus that affected the muscles around his heart.

But he is now back in blue for the Ibrox side and McCoist said: “His confidence is rising and it’s like having a new player in many ways.”

Mark Hateley would be so proud. 

The midfielder has gone from strength to strength since the SPFL League One champions returned to training at Auchenhowie last month.

He was poorly, he got better.

The fine performance against Ottawa – when the teenager played for 79 minutes before being replaced by Dean Shiels – had been coming.

He scored a superb goal in a closed-doors game against Fulham at Murray Park shortly before the Glasgow club jetted across the Atlantic.

 Reports that  reporter Matthew Lindsay, the author of this piece , crept into the players hospital room while he was asleep  during his recovery, are as yet unconfirmed. But it probably explains the dozen red roses the player has received every day for the last six months..Some when he wasn’t actually ill.

And since then he has impressed watching Gers supporters in the overseas matches against both Ventura County Fusion and Sacramento Republic.

fairground

 Incidentally, its unlikely any “Gers ” fans were watching any of the games over there. Apparently several were arrested after rioting broke out over a damaged “I speak your weight machine ” 

McCoist has only added four new players to his squad this summer – Kris Boyd, Darren McGregor, Kenny Miller and Marius Zaliukas.

Simultaneously raising the average age of Glasgow residents by ten years..

But the Light Blues gaffer has been delighted with the rapid progress Macleod has made since being given the go-ahead by club medical staff to return to action.

However, he stressed he will not rush the player back into action and risk setting back his recovery from the illness that ruled him out last season.

And he’s to wear a jacket if he goes outside, eat all his veg-they don’t call them greens over there-and eat five fruits a day. Four of which must be oranges. Sports science at Ibrox is firmly in the same time period as most of its fans.

But he has told the talented youngster that he will feature for his team in the second tier if he maintains his high performance levels in the weeks ahead.

Speaking to the official club website, McCoist said: “Lewis has had a tough time of it this year with the medical condition he had.

“That was very, very difficult for him and seeing the boys coming in to train each day, especially for a young lad, is soul destroying.

Probably not as soul destroying as watching a procession of second rate journeymen players and Allys old pals take their places in the team, which were promised to them if they joined the new club when the old one died…

“Lewis handled the situation very well and he has come back looking very strong and he has worked hard in pre-season.

“Without wanting to put any pressure on him at all, if he plays anything like he did for the rest of the season the way he did against Ottawa we’ll be happy.

“I wouldn’t like to start singling people out because we’ve had some good, solid performances from a lot of the boys, but Lewis has been bright, as we expect him to be.”

And if Ally says it, you have to believe him. 

The reason they are over in the States playing at what appear to be public parks and “county fairs “, as they are called over there, is because Ibrox , too, is being used for the Commonwealth Games. The cash strapped club have been given a hefty wad of cash for use of the old place, essential for them as the board plan their summer breaks. 

You wouldn’t know that from reading the press in Scotland, though. Paul Larkin did a wee write up on it this week, which is worth a look.

Is this the reason Sevco are in California?

That was Simon Lynch, former Celt , pictured in yesterdays Diary, enjoying a new career in the popular music industry. Several other Celts have undertaken complete career changes, probably the most eyebrow raising ones being Harald Brattbakk , who became a pilot, and Andy Walker, who became an arsehole.

 Tommy Gemmell entered another industry after football. Which ?

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Brad
9 years ago

insurance for TG ?

keddaw
9 years ago

RFC doesn’t own Ibrox.

Was the deal re-negotiated when Sevco Scotland Ltd. bought the stadium? Are the same terms in effect? The Rangers would not get anything like the same revenue for friendlies as RFC did, was this taken into account, or are Glasgow council using more council taxpayers’ money than is necessary?

pensionerbhoy
9 years ago

Ralph

“The Big Hoose is falling down, falling down, falling down. The Big Hoose is falling down but GCC will fix it.” Another day, another fix. I bet the pits were safer than that place now. At least it will be ready for the Govan rugby team that takes it over next year. I guess the USA is not a bad place to check out as America has always been a favourite destination for those in resettlement programmes.

I have to say your photo-fit was a bit near the bone even though it emphasised your point on small clubs. Mind you, it is probably no worse than the fawning intimacy of “journalist” Lindsay. And they said Barbara Cartland wrote a load of “mush”. At least it could be called writing.

Big Tam became an insurance salesman. I know that because a relation was a customer. He also dipped his feet in management after he retired from playing and was not the worst at Dundee. Legend, on and off the field.

H H

Doc
9 years ago

Do we have a similar agreement? Might be worth a FOI request after the games to find out how much was paid.

Celtic125
9 years ago

It’s a strange thing ex players. For me, Davie Provan set the standard that by and large the rest have replicated to some degree. So, like Rzlph’s Andy Walker comparison I have on many occasions vented my spleen at the curly headed one. Then I listened to Celtic Undergrounds podcast interviewing him and I was transported back to my childhood and fell in love wae one of the greatest wingers I’ve ever seen. It’s a funny old game! Davie, if you’re reading, you’re still an arsehole.x

fredcdobbs
9 years ago

i am so fed up seeing images of jim’ll finger it

Bhoris
9 years ago

Any chance i can read a celtic thing one day and it not mention rangers? Really cant see the attraction of them anymore whether be dead or alive

Charlie Saiz
9 years ago

Don’t get the St Pauli thing never have never will.
Then I again I have never got the Ultra/Uberfan pish or the casual/Wanker pish before that.
Celtic is my team through good times and bad.
End of story.

Ps Rangers died..fuck them.

9 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

necrophilliac?
rangers (rip) & their zombie followers are the source of so much mirth amongst the rest of Scottish football(not just Celtic fans)that it would be a real shame not to mention them in the diary.

Charlie Saiz
9 years ago
Reply to  Andy Docherty

Their fans are fair game Andy not so sure you can actually fuck a Football Club though Craig Whyte and David Murray managed it I do believe through other means.

fredcdobbs
9 years ago
Reply to  Andy Docherty

why do we have to endure thier ugly mugs on a celtic site. And the king of peados in hoops

Devoy45
9 years ago

How about a policy of “no friendlies” after our competitive season begins? After our first qualifier, there should be no more risk of injury in matches that mean nothing.
Watt is away. So much promise and potential.

Maybe I move in funny circles but I know nobody who is voting NO in the Referendum. My background is Labour Socialist but no Unionist Party can save us from UKIP, the Bedroom Tax and the right-wing slide of the English Electorate. Once we get our own nation, then we can work towards the equality that Labour will never bring as long as we are outnumbered by the rest of the UK 10-1.
No more nuclear warheads,illegal wars, UKIP, bedroom and poll taxes. Vote YES (please!) and C’mon ra Celtic!

Devoy45
9 years ago

What’s the craic on Legia Warsaw? Are we nervous, confident, edgy? I always think three up front can weaken the midfield, where most games are won or lost, yet we haven’t looked bad at the back—yet.

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