Charlie Saiz asks the question….
I throw this out there to all Celtic Fans wherever they may be?
Several yeas ago I happened upon an article about German International footballer Lukas Podolski and how FC Köln managed to raise funds to bring him back to his former Club.
The idea was they had a Pixel Picture of Podolski and each 8×8 pixel square would cost you €25 your name/company name would then be highlighted on each square purchased.
The entire Picture once filled would then generate €1m which would then allow the club to afford his €10m price tag.
http://www.t-online.de/computer/id_17521030/1-fc-koeln-verkauft-pixel-fuer-transfer-von-lukas-podolski.html
This was successful as fans bought into it.(Formula One driver and Köln supporter Michael Schumacher bought several pixels for €875)
This then got me thinking about our Global Fanbase which at the time of correspondence was estimated at around 9million.
Which then led me to an idea of perhaps we should set up some form of Marquee Player Fund designed to enable Celtic to purchase higher quality players at absolutely no risk to the Clubs Finances whatsoever.
The idea was if each fan who could afford to donated say a Fiver then there was a potential for generating around £45m if every single Supporter out there took up the idea?
That’s £45m EVERY YEAR indefinitely in the perfect scenario.
However in the real world only a percentage would possibly take up such an idea?
The potential I argued could be massive considering our limited resources and Financial constraints within our own environment in Scotland?
M Lawwell was kind enough to respond by letter stating the Club were embarking on a new strategy (which has been fairly successful financially it has to be said) and he would bear mine in mind.
I have sat back and looked on as attendances have fallen,Europe has become harder to attain -well CL anyway and I can’t help but think some genuine quality on the Park might just be the extra boost we need to get things properly back on track?
If say for arguments sake an Initial 1 million take up the idea..this would generate £5m.
It is my belief that momentum would be created and those sceptical of such an idea may well be swayed to participate once they see a genuine figure rise on a daily basis?
Pehaps a dedicated section of the Club site where your name/Business etc would be permanently fixed year to year as you Donate to the cause so to speak?
I think the extra quality on the Park will start to fill the ground again and perhaps incease the likelihood of future success in Europes Elite Competition whilst of course benefitting the Club directly through increased revenues?
As far as I can see it’s a win win for all concerned.that is Club,Support,wider support,investors etc.
We all want to see a successful Celtic ,we all want to see quality players in the Hoops and a Fiver nowadays is not a big miss?
A fitting slogan could also be ..
For Every Fiver Celtic spend…
I would like to see this idea put out there to all Tims so if you read this please do feel fee to have your say.
I would be willing to put £50 to get it rolling what say you?
Good idea, Charlie, as £5M would not have got us a Podolski but would have got us a Hooper back or indeed, the fabled Finnbogsidian or whatever. The Germans though don’t have to sell their children and put their wife on the game to afford a season ticket so I’d imagine they are more willing to stump up money to the club as they are not being ripped off. If the idea takes off I will certainly back it as would a lot of other Celtic mad punters. I imagine Lawell wouldn’t like it as, if it were a success, the fans might get the idea to buy shares and push for a fan owned club. Good shout, though Charles.
Cheers I think a fan CONTROLLED Club is further down the line bud regardless as I can see the likes of PL and DD selling up to retire in the not too distant future.
That aside I see no down side to this idea if fans like yourself are willing to part with a Fiver in order to improve the quality on the Park.
Koln don’t have anywhere near our fanbase I think this could be a very attainable way of increasing our buying potential.
No brainer for me.
I’ve been thinking about something like this for a while!, couldn’t we just start a crowd funder and somehow give directly to Celtic?
Fans would only pay into a trusted source Chris.
I mean you could set up a facility through a Legal Institute like a Bank or Trusted Legal Firm.
But then your into legal issues with the Club who may not take to kindly to an unknown entity taking potential funds away from them.
Much better to approach the Club once you have genuine proof that there is a possibility Fans and Supporters would willingly put into it in substantial numbers.
It could be done provided the Club sanctioned it and approved it.
On first read I like it, as you would know that your cash is going to the team directly. but it makes me think if we the fans were up for doing this perhaps dermot should match from his pocket as well as it is a lot deeper.
That could be another side to this?
That of course would be down to the man himself.
A packet of fags will set you over £7 today I don’t think most would miss a fiver.
The idea is for a fund to generate EXTRA cash for QUALITY/MARQUEE signings bud the normal ins and out would continue to carry on as usual.
The Club/PL would agree to this before it kicks off of course.
Something has to happen – man for man the team today is nearly enough to make me puke my guts up looking at it.
My god have we fallen.
It’s just not acceptable
Not sure if it would work but hey ho it’s only a fiver. If it didn’t take off we could donate the money raised to the Celtic Foundation.
I should have mentioned this in the original article I sent to Ralph an agreed percentage could go direct to the Foundation.
10% say?
That way they also have scope to do yet more work in the Community and beyond?
There are possibilities to generate yet more positivity through giving.
Great idea lets stop all the talk and get it organised every week home and away b4 games ,let’s get meetings together on how it will work Charlie you have the audience with blog anyone with a genuine desire on this mail me at rober90work@gmail.com HH time 4 change bhoys
It would have to be the Club that runs this bud.
To get that to happen fans would have to generate the momentum and pressure to get it off the ground.
I think word of mouth /through the web would be the quickest way to generate the momentum needed.
Post this link onto your Forums elsewhere ask the question.
Spread the word.
i have thought about this in the past too. live in san francisco, as a club we have a diaspora who would love to help. We live abroad, we may earn a little more and can’t really attend games. There is a big opportunity abroad if the club could publicise the creation of a players fund.We have the largest untapped resource of any club in the world……..our foreign fans…
No I am sorry m8 but this cannot go through the club at 1st for them to say it can’t be done due red tape just by talking to a few m8s I could easily rub a couple of grand together in the VERY near future there will be a fundraising page set up possibly in the next week ,however much it raises will be put in the right hands minus a generous donation to the foundation no 1 with Celtic at heart will get in the way of this info on how to donate will be available soon enough through all social media outlets .We refuse for our summer transfer highlights to be on a par with the 3rd tier in England time to put our money where are mouths are
This is exactly the wrong thing to do we would end up like the plumbs over the River with about umpteen different sources springing up and no doubt a few charlatans thrown in for good measure.
You need to cool yer jets and spread the word Zeb
There will be Legal shit to sort out for anything like this and I’m sure Celtic would want it ALL ACCOUNTABLE and above board.
It may provide a one-off transfer fee but the club would need to be able to support the ongoing wages. That said, any way of generating extra funds is a good one and i would certainly support it.
£10.6m buys you an £8m signing on 50k a week.
That’s based on a 1 year contract, over 3 years that’s another £8.6m once you add national insurance on top of the transfer fee not to mention agents fees and signing on bonuses that could easily add another £1m+. Your are talking an overall cost of £15-20m.
I wouldn’t be against the idea but would rather it was used to bring in a promising youngster from abroad (maybe that the contributors had a vote on targets). Bring in 17-19 year old promising players in the £1-2m bracket and they COULD become stars of the future while being able to contribute to the team as they develop.
Nord,
The model your talking about is the one currently in place….it isn’t working!
We are currently deploying that model bud and to a certain extent it is working ..well off the field anyway.
On it however we are not competitive enough against the top sides as it not conducive to building a side and progression if you keep buying to sell.
The whole point of this excercise is to raise the Capital to bring in a higher calibre of good to go players proven at the next level.
For every quality signing you make that’s 3 less diddies being brought in and being fed and watered for 3 years?
Let’s use Finnbogason as an example here eh?
We looked and baulked at the asking price then went off and bought Boerrigter,Pukki and Balde.
Now how much in real terms have those 3 deals cost us?
I’m guessing more than the 3 years wages we have to find for Finnbogason.
That’s under the current system ok.
Now had we had a fund with say £10m sat in it.
We could have bought him for cash (at no expense to Celtic and no impact on the books)paid his wages with the money blown on the 3 stooges.
This Fund could operate alongside the current System no problem in fact once we have acquires say 2/3 of these signings over 1/2 seasons then we could start to slim the rather large squad down a bit.
Keep the core players and sprinkle with the youth as and when required.
Meanwhile pick up yer Wanyamas,Bitton and Ki’s using the Club System.
All it would take is large numbers of tims putting in a small amount (or large amounts if they wish)to enable this to happen.
Imagine our famous fans got involved guys like the Big Yin ,Rod Stewart etc if they were to chuck a few grand in?
It could really take off especially if a percentage went to the Foundation.
Sounds good, count me and my son in.
Great idea… I’m loving it purely evidences football without the fans is nothing. Also could catch on at other Scottish clubs and improve the quality of the game. Also allows those that are priced out of attending games to contribute. Hail Hail
Could be doing with a Marquee striker today. We must have had about 90% possession. We should be about 3 up just now. Good to see Cifci get a goal all the same.
Once again you have to ask, do they practice shooting at Lennoxtown or do they train them to try and walk the ball into the net?
go ahead with it, here in Poland Celtic fans are fed up with all this poor stuff on the pitch, the sight of half-empty stadium is also damn awful. If there is proof of payments and others would see the momentum gather, it would prove successful, im sure. Some guys have to launch it anyway
Charlie, if we put in £7 each, going by your estimates, then we would have enough to fund a fan takeover of the club.
Indeed Doc Dermot did say he would only sell to someone who had the means to move us forward?
The fans certainly have the means in numbers as well as the comitment and dedication to make it happen.
Perhaps if we all put a fiver into both we could look at entertaining both ideas simultaneously?
Charlie Saiz. A brilliant idea but we would have to make sure the suits don’t hijack the money or use it to offset other ‘expenses.’ I’m on a basic state pension but I would give what I could every year. For me, I could easily go from £5-£100 per year, provided the fund was only to buy marquee players and not pay the lighting bill. How could we ‘protect’ this money from the ‘suits’? Anyway, count me in. Maybe, to save time and money, we could use some existing way to invest the money and maybe it could draw interest? The Cologne club was a brilliant idea.
The game today was pretty dire. What use is it to get 70% possession and then hoof and squander. Crap crosses, crap shooting. (crap refereeing) Brown and Rogic did some of the worst passing I’ve ever seen. Why do we give the ball away so cheaply? We won. I’ll take the 3 points. We’re on top now but playing like we did today we might even have to fear Ross County, Aberdee, Hearts and a few others. I’m nervous.
A marquee striker would have given us a few more goals.
Charlie great concept,but I hope the sevco mob are not online.
I would be up for a fiver a month or at on to start with,even more.
Cheers SG I think a great many would chuck in way more than a £5 if this could be jacked up.
I’m not too worried about the Sevvies they will lucky to be in business by May the way things are going.
Too little way too late.
We won’t pay anyone 50k a week regardless of how much is raised.It would break the wage structure and everyone playing as good as the big signing would be wanting 50k a week,then dermot would be wanting some stroke meds. A nice idea but would never work, we already have the money to spend and won’t spend it. There’s just no need to be giving them more when we won’t spend what we have. I’d be all for it if I thought it would change a thing but it won’t. The money would be spent as it is now, on younger players to develop and sell on. The board would happily use the money raised to buy as we have been and would then make excuses to keep the other money. Also what would happen if the marquee signing wanting to move on after one season, which is likely. If we sold him would that be seen as a betrayal by the board?if we made a profit on him, would that have to be all invested back into players, do you really think it would be? Our board will never change, they’d just find a ‘clever’ way to save the money. The bottom line for me is, we have the money currently to bring in a £5m striker but we haven’t. Whether the board won’t sanction a big spend or whether it’s another issue (the league we’re in, wage structure, poor scouting) I don’t know but for sure we have the money so why raise more when we won’t spend what we have already?
I think you may be missing the concept a bit here bud?
This fund is an entirely separate pot from the Club operated one.
It would be set up with written assurances the Board would only use this pot for “Marquee” Players.
That is players who are normally out of reach financially for us as a Club.
1 maybe 2 big signings who ae brought in to up the overall standard we have on offer.
As for player wages what one player is earning has absolutely fuck all to do with another player.
They would be under no illusion these guys have been brought in to generate more cash and excitement among the Support.
I used 50k a week as an example I personally would not want to be paying that for any player.
An example brought up above was Finnbogason.
Herenveen wanted €8m for him when we approached them.
At that time he was on a eported £12.5k a week with them.
So in effect with this fund that Tansfer would have been easily achievable as we could afford to double his wage to 25k and pay the asking price.
This in effect would have negated the need to sign Pukki,Balde and Boerrigter.
3 duds who have most probably cost us in excess of £5m in dead money.
A marquee fund could be used to bring in a playmaker in the mould of Lubo or Naka ie a player in his twighlight years given the stage to entertain produce some magic and fire whet the appetite of the fan who loves a quality player.
Someone who can with one swing of the boot change a game in Europe with a piece of brilliance.
The alternative is do nothing and expect more of the same?
Well that approach has us with dwindling crowds and fans feeling indifferent to what they are watching.
For less than the price of a pack of fags you I they could change that in a fairly short space of time.
The Board would not knock back the chance to strengthen FOR FREE.
Bear in mind the upside to signing 1-1 Marquee Players every year or so..
The sell on price is bigger
The profit is 100% would be the Clubs minus the tax of course.
What Investor is not going to want that?
Charlie whereas I am for this, I would worry our board might start underspending in our transfers knowing the fans are coming in with c£8m. Any ideas how that could be monitored?
The Accounts would show any deviation from the current spending patterns Jim.
I would suggest they continue to stay on the current path and keep buying affordable talent with a view to sell on for profit.
Meanwhile we continue to invest in youth and bolster the squad with 1 maybe 2 genuine quality players from the fund.
Target those key areas that need strengthening is players and I think the result would be an increase in attendance and chances of reaching the Champions League.
All positives.
So long as the money raised was used for the purpose set then I don’t think fans will be too bothered if we do a bit of trimming and cutting of dead wood?
I’m not missing the point, the point is really clear. I’m making the point I don’t think it would work with our current board and I don’t really see the need for it. We make enough money as it is, the money is available, we won’t spend it so why supplement further. I don’t trust our board one iota and don’t think we’d be given any of these assurances you mention. Also what one player earns does affect other players, that’s quite a simple well known fact about how dressing rooms work and function. Who makes the decision on who to sign with the money btw? What if the manager doesn’t agree with the bringing a player in the twilight of his career? Who defines what a marquee signing is? What if the manager signs someone he thinks is a marquee signing but half the fans don’t believe him to be so? There are a mountain of problems with this approach although the idea comes from a good place. For example our policy of buying young and cheap, intead of selling one player every season the board would try to move on two or three and pocket the money. What if no one is available that a manager fancies, do we panic buy someone to appease the people who put their money in? Is this player then guaranteed a spot regardless of effort and attitude behind the scenes because he belongs to the fans? Would he be treated as special? How would the rest of the players feel about this if some guy is swanning about picking up 30-50k a week but putting in no effort? There are too many problems that would arise from it. I think the only way it would work if the money is given with no guarantees but who would wanna do that with our board? Any other way could destabalise the dressing room and challenge the managers authority.Would we end up with mercenaries in the hoops? Also are the numbers realistic? I did a rough approximation on the finnbogason deal you mentioned using the figures you quoted. It would require 1.46m fans to donate a fiver. Have you done any research to say this number is possible? Who pays his wages then in year two, does that come out of the next years donation? It brings no guarantees of success either, look at finboggason since he left the dutch league, a league in which sammy was prolific. If we have poor scouts, the money will just be wasted and we’ll still have more of the same. We can only entice a player of a certain wage bracket and quality due to the league we’re in.These players we can afford easily, the board just choose not to. It’s all about the board and their policies. If what we have on offer isn’t good enough therein lies the problem. Throwing money we already have and won’t spend at it won’t solve a thing. The idea is a non starter for me for the reasons listed above and one thousand more but this reply is already way too long and all over the place. HH
p.s aren’t you usually happy with the football on offer and the job being done by liewell?
(apologies if this post appears twice, had an error so resending)
The choosing of who and for how much would obviously be down to the Club and coach bud.
That would not change and neither should it.
I doubt very much Deila would target a lazy player pal regardless of how much he cost he would want the same level of input as the rest.
I am happy on the Domestic level but if we are serious about playing in the CL then we do need to up the quality.
If not then expect more of the same bud.
You rnot interested in the idea of improving the level of quality that’s fine your choice.
the £50 I would fire in covers your missing fiver.
I’d happily do it and more if I thought it’d work. Just not sure it would but if everyone did just a fiver to begin with and we were screwed over by the board somehow then no ones gonna miss a fiver. Warming to the idea on that basis. The next big question would be how many people would realistically do it, ie how many supporters do we have worldwide that would pay. No idea how to gauge or research that. A start would be getting in touch with the club maybe and see if they could give some statistics on how many unique purchases we have per year. Unique purchases being how many different buyers though i’ve no idea if the club would have a record of such things.
Count me in for a £20
Charlie Saiz,
Am I right in saying you ran this idea by Peter Lawwell?
Did you get a response from him?
I did indeed Monti.
A written reply of Official Headed paper.
He was warm to the concept and assured me it would be kept in mind but that there was a plan afoot to generate new income steams.
I think he was referring to the new approach to scouting and player sales that has generated the money in recent seasons.
Had he had the balls to do both I don’t think we would have struggled as much in Europe in recent times.
I also think Lenny would probably still be here content with the added quality coming in as well as the profit through sales selling on?
Yes about 3/4 year ago bud.
He responded via a letter through the Club.
What did Lawwell say about your suggestion?
What did he say in his letter Charlie?
He said they had something in the pipeline (the new approach to buying to sell for profit I think)and whilst he liked the idea they would be cracking on with theirs.
He assured me things finacially were going to improve our chances of strengthening.
To certain extent he was right but I don’t think it’s without it’s flaws mate.
Wee question.
How exactly do you define and value a ‘Marquee’ player.
Any such scheme would have to be watertight against the confusion and eventually ongoing bitterness generated by a previous Celtic share issue where buying better quality players was confused with putting money into the football department.
A Marquee signing would be a player out of normal reach financially.
ie we won’t sign anyone over £5m under the current set up.
The current financial approach could continue to be deployed this would be a seperate fund used to acquire a target(s) the Manager actually wants rather than what the Board say we can afford.
Peter Lawwell stated a while back we would spend £6m on a player if that was required?
Well 3 years down the line still no sign of one.
The reality is they simply won’t sanctioned such a move it’s too risky in the current climate.
I would think most fans would be united in the concept of actually adding quality to the side and building a side worth watching rather than buying to sell to balance the books as is the current approach?
Would you pay a fiver a year into such a scheme Tom?
Probably.
Assuming such a player was value for money, when he moved on, would proceeds go back into fund?
That could be split 3 ways.
1 The Fund
2 The Club
3 The Foundation
Though the priority would be to keep these players unless of course a stupid figure was tabled by someone.
Why would you split it potentially 3 ways? Surely ALL of that money should be used for the next marquee signing/signings?
Further to your point regarding the confusion between putting money in to Player Acquisition being confused with putting money into player the Footballing Department on whole?
There would be no confusion regarding this funding avenue it is being set up SOLELY for the purpose of bringing in better quality.
There would be no ambiguity it is us fans saying “right we know you can’t afford Player A because he’s out of Financial reach but we are giving you this cash to go get him at no expense to the Club.”
A fairly straightforward concept.
Speaking for all fans abroad, we deserve and would fully support a club backed players fund. I have no doubt,so easy now to process payments online. It would make us feel more involved and improve the club……Win , win……
Exactly and I believe a great many would feel satisfied they helped put that new signing on the park directly wee b.
Ask out there wherever you are pal get some feed back if you can?
Great idea Charlie. M
Anyone who has spent hard earned cash on a season book already will know we need more bums on seats. This would give the club the financial clout to spend money on a player which in turn would generate more bums on seats which would generate revenue.
I would happily be up for putting some money to this. If it ever takes off be sure to let me know.
This was my thinking Ross if we had a couple of Lubos or Nakas on the Park I believe they would come.
The next problem might be disagreement among us who is a ‘marquee signing.’ Who would decide? How would that decision be reached? Who would spend our money?
Manager
Nothing changes the Manager and Coaching staff target them as normal.
Only difference is the level of quality improves.
Bummer eh?
Can’t see how one marquee signing once a year would make much of a difference to the current squad, might make a difference in Scotland but in Europe we would have to invest in better players for every position, which would take more than a fiver. And Celtic just wont spend the money for us to compete for the £20 million in the champions league .
Mr.Greene,
I disagree that we would need a higher standard of player in ” every position “, 3 players in my opinion is all Celtic need to start mixing it again, a quality Lb, Creative midfielder and a prolific goalscorer.
Put those 3 in with what we already have and we will be close to where we want to be. HH
Agree.
Spot on Monti that could be attainable in a short space of time if the fans backed itas I suspect they might.
We can’t hope to compete if we keep selling our best on EVERY season.
Exactly Charlie and this is what fuels my ire with the board, I don’t want the club to spend wrecklessly and bring trouble on ourselves, but surely we can bring in better players than the likes of Ambrose, Boerrigter, Pukki, Balde, Rasmussen etc?
The scouts have got to do better, I understand every transfer isn’t guaranteed to be a success, but I think we are making more bad than good moves now. HH
With this team and the calibre of player we are now signing we wont make it into the group stages of the champions league, it will take major investment . This is the level we are now at .
I know this pal hence why I am suggesting a radical approach to altering that situation.
Or alternatively do nothing and watch the number decrease through lack of funds and ultimately lack of interest.
Mr.Greene,
I agree we need better players, but only in select areas mate.
There is a lot of good players at Celtic, still developing.
I already pay the most expensive season ticket in the country to watch one of the poorest sides I have witnessed in my forty years watching Celtic .It would take more than a fiver to improve the present lot
If 9 million Tims each gave a Fiver then that would mean £45m improving the present lot Wufti.
Very behind the idea of fans donations for top players but the £5M raised…that would have to include wages aswell? Top players need top wages and I don’t think the board is willing to shell out £40k/£50k a week on top players if we were to spend all of it on a transfer fee.
Thing is we don’t actually know the full potential of this Stephen the Club stated a good while back there was an estimated 9m Celtic minded folk globally.
Now whether that figure is right or wrong remains to be seen but if even half that figure decided to put a Fiver into a Fund for Marquee signings you are looking at over £20m bud MINIMUM.
I said I could easily find £50.
Others have stated they could and would also if it transpired it could be done.
Put it this way we have fans of our Club who are minted mate guys like Billy Connolly and Rod Stewart who could lose a grand down the sofa and not blink.
Imagine those types buying into this too?
The sky as they say could be the limit?
I also happen to think once the momentum gathered and those fans who may be sceptical of the whole idea would quickly realise this is a possibility with our numbers.
It’s already been talked about by some but there are a great many who follow Celtic that cannot get to gamesbe that a Financial issue or a logistics issue through living further afield?
These Bhoys and Ghirls are most likely restricted to buying CTV and a few tops to contribute to Celtics needs?
Now with this idea those fans could have an immediate and positive effect on the Park simply by putting in a Fiver through PayPal or some other means?
There is also the aspect of a small percentage going to the Celtic Foundation too?
I think fans who may not normally give too charity would be happy in the knowledge that not only would they be helping the Club move forward but also those less fortunate as well.
I don’t see any negatives in any of this because at the end of the day we as fans and Supporters want too see the best side we can put out there go out and give it their best shot.
I am fairly confident a large cash injection of this sort would certainly make Ronny Deilas job that much easier if he had a better quality player(s) hitting his selection year on year.
I think the general idea is excellent and the detail needs a fair bit of research. This is clear from conflicting points in the above comments, as is to be expected on major new initiatives like this.
HMRC would pounce on ‘new money’, given the chance, so research into charitable status would, IMHO, be worthwhile. I also strongly believe that it should be kept completely seperate from the PLC but run alongside with control and decision-making being permanently in the hands of the ones who donate. (Maybe being given a non-refundable special type of voting share equal to each donation, to be kept in perpetuity by our families.) Whit a legacy !
So, YES. Go for it. I’d happily stick in my 1st fiver to fund a feasibility study, hopefully carried out at minimum cost by (experienced and talented) lovers of our great Club.
Of course, I would in future continue to fund such a venture to the best of my financial ability.
So, I’ll pledge and guarantee my 1st £5 now (for feasibility) and pledge a minimum of £10 a year for life.
My dream ? A charitable, top-class, international Celtic FC,
winning titles and cups against decent Scottish opposition and with CL qualification almost guaranteed annually due to our increasing quality. It must be run by those who own and love it. THE FANS. (NOT Tory suits)
HH
COYBIG
TOTL (in spite of Muir’s best efforts)
I know I run the risk of being pilloried for this, but until the current custodians of our club either change or stop treating Celtic supporters as Celtic customers I wouldn’t be interested in giving them a penny more than I already do.
The contempt for which we are held by mssrs lawwell and Desmond is shameful and until they start treating supporters as supporters and not their cash cow and adopt the German philosophy there is no way this initiative wouldn’t be abused somewhere else along the line.
They are now negotiating contracts with kit makers on the basis they are allowed to release 3 kits every season! They then market those kids at over inflated prices by tugging at the heart strings of an emotive support with the line ‘every penny goes into the club’ despite the middle man selling the same product, at a healthy profit margin for 20% less than Celtics despite the theory indicating it should be the other way around.
Treat people as customers they will act like them.
As I have said before great idea. The fans could even choose what player to sign via a poll or something like that.
Decent idea, but needs somebody who starts the whole undertaking, the sooner the better, i think the more guys get involved, the greater numbers will also pick it up. Once it gathers momentum and some kinda evidence is shown how many are involved, it would only get better. Have a go guys, count me in on 20 pounds
I would invite the owners of other Celtic Forums to ask the question?
If it can be proved that there is an appetite for such a thing then I don’t think the Club/MrLawwell would be too slow in picking it up and putting it out there for rational discussion ?
I think this could well be OUR way of giving OUR CLUB the chance it needs to step up a Level because without added income we simply cannot afford to risk the Finances chasing a maybe.
This idea of a Marquee Fund has ZERO RISK for Celtic Fc.
It’s free donations given happily by fans and Supporters the World over so we can at least have a go at being competitive against the big boys.
We will never match them of course financially but we can sue as hell match them for dedication and passion on and off the Park.
I would Put £50 in no problem.
The Fund would have to be run and controlled by Celtic.
That way every penny would be accounted for and the Club answerable to the Support if anything was to go amiss.
I personally don’t think that would ever be the case because it is a gift that will keep giving if it is run as it should be.
It has the potential to be massive if the figures of Fan Worldwide is anywhere near the numbers talked about previously.
But, whats important how people would know that all the cash amassed would be put into the fund and not taken away by the third party?
I would put myself forward as the spokesman to speak to the Club if this transpired?
I have already had contact with Mr Lawwell several years ago regarding this very subject.
I believed then as I do now most if not all Celtic fans want the very best for the Club.
In that I mean the best team we can put out there so we can at least up the odds in our favour when it comes to Europe.
But what we do need is for all the Forum owners to get behind the concept and ask their Members for feedback?
Once momentum gathers and word spreads we are looking at pushing this across the table I think folk will respond positively.
Every year we stand still the Champions League jump get’s bigger something radical /out of the box thinking has to happen to change this.
Now is that time before it get’s too big.
I would definitely support this.