Yesterday was AGM day, a time when those of us who care about the club get a chance to put our views across to those who don’t.
And don’t give me any of that nonsense about how they are all Celtic fans , and they have our best interests at heart.
Or any of that crap about how they are in it for the club.
Yesterday they proved that they weren’t, and they proved, in what can only be described as a Gerald Ratner moment, that they don’t give a toss about the fans either.
We are being taken for granted.
Celtic, as expected, said they were not going to sign up to the Living Wage Standard, despite paying a living wage to all the full time staff. This is because some of the contractors don’t pay it, and although i agree that its not for the club, or company, to tell others what they should pay, this is one of the factors they should take into consideration when awarding these contracts.
Not entirely unexpected, but a shift from what the club stands for.
And to me, what the club stands for is one of the resons that it’s had fifty years of support from me.
Emotional, practical and financial.
Then Iain Bankier took to the stage in defence of his colleague Lord Livingston, claiming he had been
subject to a torrent of utterly base personal abuse conducted over social media over recent weeks’.
‘The messages posted, in quite a few cases are criminally racist and in all cases the vocabulary chosen is base and highly abusive.
‘And what sickens me to the core is that the campaign is conducted in the name of (Celtic founder) Brother Walfrid.
‘Ian Livingston is a consummately able business executive. We are grateful that he is prepared to devote his time and considerable talents to the affairs of this club.
The fact that he also happens to be a member of the House of Lords creates no conflict of interest with the business of Celtic.
‘We are a football club. We play football – and we are good at it. Our fans come from every quarter of society and share the common bond of supporting the team.
‘We are not a conduit for political statements and campaigns. No fan or section of fans has the right to set up a stall that proclaims political intolerance in the name of what they invariably cite as their club.
‘Our club is not available to anyone for that purpose.
‘I condemn this activity and appeal to you to see it for what it is because intolerance soon leads to hatred and hatred leads to a lot worse as we well know.’
None of the racist and abusive “messages ” were offered as evidence.
No charges or complaints were made at the time.
All we have here is someone adopting the Conservative party policy of deflection and , er, lies.
Later, he issued a statement to try to play down his words,
‘I have not branded our supporters racist and it is outrageous to suggest that I would ever do that,’ it read.
‘I was only referring to a small number of specific comments which have been made on social media, which I believe are unacceptable, and I know Celtic supporters would agree with me.’
Accusing someone of racism , or anti semitism, is the default position of right wing governments all over the world. A connection i made that saddens me where Celtic are concerned.
And as for us making unacceptable comments ?
Well, he got that wrong. As far as i can see there’s only one person making unacceptable comments.
Bankier.
I don’t agree with him, and several others don’t either.
And I do not want my club represented in any way, shape or form by someone who bandies such accusations about, especially with no evidence.
For me , Celtic is a club like no other.
In recent weeks it has become just like all the rest.
The support remains magnificent, as the foodbank collection at todays game will show.
Why Peter Lawwell allowed Bankier to make such claims is a mystery, and I’m not going to pontificate on any behind the scenes politics.
Because, this morning, I realised I don’t care.
We’ve lords voting for tax credit cuts for the poor, and when he’s criticised the chairman comes out and calls us racist ?
Think about it for a minute.
This is Celtic.
We’re supposed to be the good guys.
I’m done.
Until that lot have gone, I’m not stepping foot inside Celtic Park again.
I’m not spending another thin dime on any merchandise, and I’m going to try not to bother with results.
The last one will be difficult, it’s hard to break a habit.
But fuck ’em.
They don’t give a toss about us, so why should I give a toss about them ?
I hear that Lawwell, on behalf of the board, has asked the Green Brigade to give part of today’s food bank collection to the club to be distributed among the working poor on Celtic’s payroll. “The poor will always be with us” he reportedly said, “if I have anything to do with it.”
I tweeted Celtic last night saying that Bankier had just alienated the lifeblood of the club. He was out of touch and out of time. His accusations cut deep into what I and a vast number of Celtic fans and supporters stand for.
We understand what it is to be Celtic, we know it is not only a football club. The men running our club fill our heads with how great we are, we are the best in the world whilst taking high six figure salaries and share options as they refuse to put £100K on the wage bill to pay the living wage.
When Freddy Shepherd’s sons were caught berating Newcastle fans it spelled the end for them, I feel this is a similar occurrence in as much as this is a watershed moment for many of our fans and indeed for the current board.
No longer will I be swayed with false praise from a bunch of self-serving businessmen whose only real care is their targets and profit margins. Yes the club has been run well to a point but the quality of the playing squad has suffered however they have seemingly not.
Bankier’s position is untenable, Livingston’s position is untenable. Both have gone against what it means to be Celtic however Bankier has branded fans racist which has given a lot of people ammunition. I could not care less about that but to defame our fans is unforgivable and that he backtracked with no mention of an apology shows the measure of him… he’s been weighed and found wanting. Bankier out.
I won’t put a penny into the commercial side of the club and will try to use the funds towards more charitable things which surround our club and our ethos.
I love my club and this hurts, it feels like the Kelly, Whyte and Grants all over again just with guys who actually have business acumen… Sometimes that’s not enough.
Well, see you then.
This student politics is getting tiresome, and just encourages the posturing idiots with problems regarding the national symbols of commemoration.
We have a Celtic fan who has achieved much but chooses to give something to the club and gets nothing but abuse. Unbelievable.
He gets paid highly for what he does for Celtic, doesn’t do it for the love of it
Hi Ian
The board are correct, we don’t need politics at a football match.
Celtic supporters come from all walks of life and surprise surprise some uf us are consertatives and fully back the government. In their inir
Tiative to drive down a culture of benefits.
why should the taxpayer subsidise companies who don’t pay a decent living wage.
Concentrate on supporting the team and write to your M.P about your policy issues, thats what they are there for.
Can you remember the 1980’s, you disgust me. HUN
yes i do remember the 1980′, how can anyone possibly forget how Maggie sorted out the unions and re-instated an environment that has benefited everyone since.
Take it you are scarred by that era, the end of picket lines and bully boy socialists.
if this forum had it’s way every supporter would have to declare which political persuattion they supported.
Only socialist, communists and SNP members welcome.
Fly the red flag over parkhead.
Thankfully the Celtic board are only interested in genuine supporters of Celtic and football.
More swine.
Fuck off.
i resent your sorting the unions out comment, unions are far more representitve than any goverment, i myself was one of the strikers of that period where as a firefighter in glasgow, i would have been better of on income support, we took action,and rightly so, nine weeks its no fun on a picket line, your defence of thatcher sickens me, her disdain for all things scottish no votes there, apart from yours and certain board members,the poll tax, the attack on the miners , the attack on the irish, in occupied ireland , a spiteful anti working class group of finacial facists, short memory sun reader
I had a bowl of Ice cream and Jelly when Thatcher died.
Ding Dong the witch is dead!
Fun.
So Endemic of Scots working class at that time, theory that everyone owes them….change their terms & conditions and everyone shouts strike….
thankfully we have moved on from that as the Grangemouth showdown last year proved, job or no job, the decision was easy even for the stubborn union.
Job’s are created by entrepreneurs….how many jobs have you created in your lifetime…correct none.
If people invest their money, create jobs then everyone’s a winner.
The people that invest deserve their profit’s.
Everyone has a choice in life , if you don’t like your employers wages or terms and conditions ten move!!!
Obviously it sounds as though you will stick with the progressive (regressive) politics of the SNP and Labour.
Justin Time-you aren’t fooling anyone…you are a HUN on the windup!
haha…fire-fighter equals sitting on your arse all day playing dominoes and planning the next @excercised@ thatcher has your card marked. Lazy fuckers you deserve less than income support.
FredCDobbs
I hope your house burns to the ground.
fred c DOB not sure what youre agenda is,re fire fighters, could you not get in feel bitter, i use that as that was my job at the time, and being a firefighter at that period was a highly dangerous job, my point applies to,other groups of workers,if that makesit a bit more bearable, your comments are those of a simpleton, you should team up with justin
Thatcher and scargil were both cunts. Nothing in it for me
endemic of scots working class, what a strange thing to say, how the fuck do you see yourself
Bankier has crossed a line and there’s no going back from it.
If he doesn’t resign over this egregious misconduct then it will poison relations between the club and supporters for the forseeable future.
Since the OB Act was introduced I have had a strong suspicion that our board had a hand in it.
Their submission to the Justice Committee was simply tokenism and their excuse that they hadn’t been given enough time to do the subject justice was false. At that time (late Aug/Sept 2011) they had been involved with the OB Bill in their JAG meetings which followed hard on the heels of the so-called shame game in March 2011.
The minutes of the JAG meetings do not give verbatim or detailed comment on who proposed what or who opposed or amended motions etc. but what they do make clear is that the intelligence gathering football police force was suggested by the football members, that is Old Firm + SFA etc.
So we know Celtic were behind FoCUS but can’t prove they were in favour of OB Act because there are no minutes. Now just think about that. One of the most controversial laws, and the formation of a new (for the first time National) police force and not a word of it minuted.
I tried under FOI legislation to get minutes but the government were clear. There were no minutes.
Just think about that I can get minutes from my council about who said what at a local committee on dog-fouling but can’t get any on the most radical matters that the Scottish Parliament has dealt with!
My suspicions on this matter are not confined to the JAG meetings but extend to the attitude and behaviour of our board and the police in the days, weeks, months and years following the introduction of the OB Act. “Behave yourselves” Bankier in particular has shown open contempt and at times loathing for our support. Particularly the younger ones.
His outburst yesterday is but the latest in a series of anti-fan rhetoric. Does he ever say anything good about us?
Something needs to change at Celtic Park or the board will lose the fans.
H.H.
Evening Tom,
Great post and say hello to big Kevin for me HH
Hi Ralph, don’t let these bastards drive you out. It’s our club not there’s.
How dare anyone support or work at Celtic who has a different political view from the blowhards on this forum (most definitely including our author), do the think they’re living in a democracy or involved in a club ‘open to all’…..
People are allowed their opinions Jim however Bankier made a broad accusation at Livingston’s detractors calling us racist… that isn’t an opinion that is an accusation. Meanwhile Lord Livingston voted with the government, as is his right, but how does taking £1300 a year away from low income families work in tandem with Celtic’s ethos? They simply don’t fit, yet they are happy to let Google, Boots and other crony institutions pay very little tax after the banking institutions were saved from their own greed for profit.
Livingston’s vote in the Lords does not affect me but that isn’t the point. How can a member of our board be in part responsible for taken food from the table of Celtic fans, let alone the millions who will be affected?
The club is open to all however those running it are not in touch with the fans which is clear to a great number of people. I will be 100 percent behind the team, just as I have been for 40 years, but I won’t needlessly line the pockets of executives seemingly unwilling to meet the needs of the low paid or cry racist without backing it up then backtrack without so much of an apology.
Jim,
Do you think the poorest people in society should be forced into deeper poverty?
Livingston does!
Of course he does M.
The I’m alright jack brigade just can’t help themselves.
I agree with you entirely..Thus isn’t the Celtic we all love..As I’ve said on numerous occasions were not a Football club now to these people..Were a business for making these people money..THATS ALL..Can you Imagin Jick Stein being manager today..He’d have that board by the balls for selling scream from underneath him..And that’s why we’re poor..The only reason Lennon left was because he wouldn’t accept a team he was trying to build being sold..And that was the reason they couldn’t get another manager to take the Job and that’s why Delia will get more time cause he’s toeing the party line..Buy and sell..I haven’t been to a game since Lennon left and I won’t be going to many more after watching the pish were being dished up now..The only place to hit these bastards is in the pocket..They’ve got the hoops fans for mugs and it won’t change till there’s no one in that Park..Only the board and they know the fans won’t do that..And that’s why things will never change..Were aw mugs and they no it..HAIL HAIL
Until the people running the club take on board what the majority of supporters are calling for we should follow their lead:-
1) Buy merchandise from the cheapest source – even if that means Ashley.
2) Support charities like Crisis directly rather than contributing to their foundation where part of our charitable donations are diverted to pay their organiser’s wages and where they claim the credit for OUR donations.
3) Boycott the Paradise Windfall.Let the BUSINESS pay for youth development – they take all the benefits when the players are sold on.
Let’s not pretend we are a “club like no other”. In Desmond’s empire we are “a business like any other”. Nothing more.
Great post John and hope you are well.
Gerry,
The greatest thing for me following Celtic is seeing those hooped shirts emerging from the tunnel…..it is in my blood!
Fuck the board!
Need to revert to the tactics of 1994 and get them out.
i left the agm yesterday feeling degraded with
the venom spouted by this clown of a chairman.
i have supported celtic for 60plus yrs and now
feel because of the likes of bankier i dont want
to go back.
i like most of the shareholders at the agm purchased
shares back when fergus needed our help to build
our club back to the top of scottish football.
we scrimped saved and borrowed to do this for the love
of the club yet we have the likes of bankier talking
to us as if we are nothing.
i also question desmonds attitude towards the
shareholders when he cant take the time to turn up
for an agm yet he manages to go along to the dunhill
golf every year
he is another who treats us as mugs
Holy feck we ve some pious fans, calm doon and get aff the moral highhorse. Its a fitba team
Kris,
No it fucking isn’t, it is EVERYTHING!
Not to everyone it would seem
Chessie,
There seems to be a few supporters about these days who accept any old shite that is thrown at them.
Very odd.
I note the points made, but agree with Ralph, Bankiers points were beyond the pail.
The arrogance of this board begins to imitate the old days where the board treated the fans like cattle, think back to the pre Fergus days.
We really need the wee man to clar this dross from the board.
I will continue to support the team from afar, but there will not be a penny spent for my grandchildren, and I will no b taking my grandson to any games.
I cannot believe the idiots who are trying to excuse Bankiwrs behaviour, as for Livingstone, he is a joke, he does not understand the roots of Celtic as a few others on the he board
MJS they are not fans they are business men, and like the kudos of being involved with a fantastic club.
JT Thankfully most of us hate the tories and their policies.
The man branded fans racist for having an opinion he didn’t like, sounds like you would get on well with him JT!
Bankier and Livingston should go before they do the club more harm.
Yes, most us may indeed hate the Tories. Some of us hate SNP, possibly many as much as I do. Isn’t the point that we are a family and have to tolerate, frankly, crap from one another? And the leftie student politicking is frankly beginning to crack things up. It doesn’t matter if eighty per cent agree with the leftie nonsense – and they certainly don’t – to impose those views is to behave like a mob.
MJS
Your right wing fascist rhetoric s neither needed nor wanted.
Shouldn’t you be at the Sevo match son.
You are right that we as fans all have an equal say, and should except that fact. But the only reason this club exists was to put food into the mouths of the hungry. To have a board member who actively wants to take the food away, goes against the very soul of the club, and he is supported by another who rates the lifeblood of this family as racists. Thanks to policies of the tories, slab, snp a football ground is one of the last places we can actually protest without coming under attack!! I want them gone.
You can’t have it both ways, Ralph. Can’t moan about Celtic fans being accused of this shite yet still let comments calling the board Shylocks through moderation. We don’t help ourselves at all. I’ve been following this blog for years but never commented before today and I felt I had to because the casual use of that term must be called out. Some of the worst anti Jewish hate I ever heard was by a plumber in Glasgow, so bad I had to ask him to leave my home so let’s not pretend it doesn’t happen and let’s not allow the term Shylock to slip into ok use on this blog please.
Melbourne Celt
please read yesterdays diary posts, for reply to your post on this subject .
How can you seriously regard shylock as a racist comment. I used the term as a description of the board and the money they happily relieve us of. I understand Shylock was a fictional character (money lender) in the Merchant of Venice who happened to be Jewish, I simply used the term to describe a thief with absolutely no intention to offend anyone (apart from the board of directors) and certainly not as an anti- semitic jibe.
Andybhoy, I didn’t say I did. I said we shouldn’t let terms like that through moderation. No matter what context you used it in the term is synonymous with anti Jewish sentiment (not saying you used it in that way and I’m sure you didn’t) and if I was a pish poor and lazy “journalist” trawling Celtic blogs for “proof” of the accusations made against the support I would take your post and use it out of context.
It just gives them fuel so why help them?
That is all I was saying and why I felt so strongly about it getting past moderation.
Language is powerful so we need to be careful in our word choices.
I understand what you are saying MB, but I really couldn’t give a dam about the media in this sad little country. They have absolutely no credibility whatsoever. We saw how they behaved in the run up to the referendum last year and the continuing goings on at poundland, simply confirm how corrupt and warped they really are.
Does this not refer to Shylock, as in pound of flesh, in Merchant of Venice?
Bankier was right to defend Livingston , I would be disappointed if board members did not stand up for each other .
I obviously don’t know the contents of every submission to Celtic Football club regarding Livingston’s continuing membership of the board . I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if some were foul mouthed and racist in contents .
I thought Celtic were a club for all and hence there should be room for people with different political views . Surely rather than chase these people away we should try to change them from their selfish views. Would that not be what Bro. Walfrid would do?
Although the Celtic board have worked their whole career to become part of the ‘old boy’s network’, I can see them having no positive influence on Celtic future. The world has moved on and we need a young dynamic board who understand the nuances of the modern world, that will stand up to the SPFL/SFA and say I’m not signing no TV deal that will bring a detriment to my club. It’s time for them ALL to go and I see the stars aligning on DEC 2. P.s. Where the fans ‘duped’ into buying share that would have NO influence or had a lower value compared to the BOARDS. HH
Is that another post banned, you need a seat on the board.
Don’t let them drive you out Ralph. Don’t let them disillusion you towards the Club you clearly love. Keep the faith hail hail
Ralph,dont,people like you are the heartbeat of our great club if the heartbeat stops the club as we know it dies,i can tell your pissed off but we need to stand shoulder to shoulder to enable our voice to be heard loud and clear from the stands,lets have no talk of not going back to support the club we love that is not the answer,we the fans have the power,we the fjns can change things but we need to do it together.
Well do it together,like Ralph and I are doing…no more season ticket renewal until our club is back in the hands of people who understand what Celtic FC stand for .HAIL HAIL.
Listening to the shit our board came out with yesterday, it is making it harder to laugh at the GASL and their board. Are we the new gullible fans? I mean, we piss ourselves at the Loan Rangers hordes putting up with the shenanigans of their people but we appear to be on course to do the same. The accusation of racism is a disgrace and he should go to the Polis if he has any evidence but I won’t hold my breath on that one. I hope our wonderful supporters show the same attitude as Ralph and stop giving money to make up the millionaire Lawells’ wages. Oh, and how about getting one of our famous fans on the board like Rod the Mod who, I’m sure, would take exception to being referred to as a racist. Until we are properly represented on that board we will be treated the same as Sevco fans.
Whoriskey,
Great post mate, something is wrong inside Celtic Park, I feel it in my bones.
Justin time… I’m alright, so fuck the rest of yies. Totally missing the whole concept of our club.
No a government shouldn’t have to top up wages. Yes companies should pay a fair wage. But who can tell the difference between government and corporation these days? 2 sides of the same corrupt coin. The government subsidises corporations with massive tax breaks while shafting the many. Your politics are reprehensible, immoral and corrupt. We are not open to this. Don’t ask for equality whilst supporting elitism. Your a hypocrite and very definitely at the wrong club.
Spot on Garry.
Well said Gary.
I live in Ireland and only get over for about 4 games a season. Was looking forward to introducing my 2 young grandsons to Celtic Park soon but not a chance in hell will I give this lot another penny of my hard earned. Our club is a vehicle for the greed of some and our values are meaningless to them. Good luck GB today with food bank collection, real Celtic values.
I apologize for the previous slur on you good name. HH
So the jews have become a race in the past week?
Must have missed that.
Based on that statement, I’d bet it’s not the only thing that you’ve missed.
Ban this snake guy please
Please enlighten me as to when the jew ceased being a tribe and now are known as a race?
For in order to be labelled a Racist, first you must insult a race.
Moderator,
I don’t want to impugn this guy personally, but he is saying and asking things which, objectively, are anti-Semitic.
For the record, referring to ‘the Jew” in this context is dodgy. Plus many Jews self-define as a race,and that should be enough for most civilised people. Not prepared to discuss ‘the tribe’ reference.
This guy may not understand the language he is using; but he needs to be informed.
Up to you/your forum.
Put a sock in it and educate yourself.
You utter cretin.
Is that the peoples front of Judea or the Judean people’s front?
Another boring sack the Board article,the problem with Internet bampots is that they think that their opinion counts,it doesnt.I am the same re Deillia I think that he is a poor choice of Manager,the Motherwell managerial vacancy attracted 75 applicants, ours probably attracted hundreds,but we will never know,why.because we dont know the true facts and we will never know unless we become Board members.This Board has been praised by many quarters, we should be proud of that,you just have to look across the city to see the Shite that reigns there.H.H.
Pish
I feel desperately sad that Ralph has got to this stage.
Jim,
Ralph will feel sad he has reached this point, can you blame him?
Anyway, get the Rebels on m8
Ralph. take a day or two to calm down and reflect, we need guys like you, please don’t be to hasty HH Keep the faith
Just noticed the etims tweets from the game. Is Ralph at the game?
No.
Ralph
Can you check out what this Snake with eyes whatever guy is saying above. You have someone with problematic views posting here. Anti-semitism is racism, obviously, but not sure he agrees.
You disgust me.
I belong to a large extended Irish heritage family, most of whom still live in and around Glasgow. At our Celtic supporting peak we had dads, uncles, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, cousins all go to CP regularly. The only member of my extended family at today’s match is my brother. My youngest son gave up his season ticket and is probably watching it on the internet before heading to his local to watch El Clasico.
Lawwell and the rest of the board are not only losing Ralph, they are losing entire families.
Fuck off Ronny
0-0 at home to Kilmarnock…I was working today so I better not comment, as working and not going to the game means I don’t have as much as a say as someone who went to the game…:)
Fuck sake.
Desmond, Bankier, Lawwell, Livingston, Deila, Collins, Ambrose..
TAXI!
Monti, you swore!!!!
Fuck it 🙂
Pathetic, and there was Ronny saying how well rested and ready to “rock n roll” after the break. I note on twitter that someone said Forrest was Man of the Match, well he must have had a storming first half(which I didn’t see) as second half whilst on the right he beat has man easily, but then hit every crooss straight to a Kille player or shot 12 yards wide, Ronny in his fine judgement decided to move him out left, where the outcome was the right back had him in his pocket!!Too narrow second half, but Killie were happy for Forrwest to get the ball wide as there was no end product. Also the defence have been slaughtered on these pages many times, it’s time the forward line was getting it’s share of criticism as there is absolutely zilch movement up front, with our best chances falling to a defender and midfielder.
Yet again you single out Forrest,but movement and positioning of other players in advanced positions leave a lot to be desired. Then again, is it not simply the guy who holds the reigns is simply a duffer.
Ralph far be it for me to defend b/m/w/ankier.he seems to be labouring under a misapprehension like a lot of our fellow fans about racism.the last time I looked Livingston is from white Anglo Saxon heritage like the majority of our support.he just happens to be of the Jewish faith.probably not the only one of that ilkwho follow Celtic.if you malign him for his faith then ditto for every other one that pays his money to watch our team(difficult as that is to stomach at the present).i’m not accusing you personally but if anyone has done this they should immediately apologise.scots,Irish,welsh and the english are all classed as Caucasian and you can’t racially vilify a person of the same race as yourself.
John,
Many Jews regard themselves as belonging to a particular race; plus the UN has defined anti-Semitism as a form of racism. That needs to be the end of the matter and we should all move on before we embarrass ourselves and the wider support.
The jews are not a race. Educate yourself ignoramus.
The Jews are not a race.
Judaism is a religion.
Sectarianism maybe, racism definitely not.
Wankier should get his facts straight.
Yeah, so the many Jews who define themselves in that way are just wrong are they? So anti-Semites are just sectarian rather than racist?
Btw suggest you google the UN view on whether anti-Semitism is racism. If that is good enough for you, then we move on.
Yes they are.
The Semites; they are a race … Arabs of all sorts are classed as Semites including many Jews.
Many Jews are not Semites.
” I only said Jehovah ” 🙂
MJS.
Seems to have ht a nerve there. Perhaps my last comment was a little too close to the truth for your liking.
The words Anti-Semitic are the last refuge of a scoundrel, as i have already pointed out the true Semites in the Arab world are the Palestinians and 5% of the jews that inhabit Palestinian lands.
A cursory search of Google and you, yourself would have found out this information. Perhaps it doesn’t suit your agenda does it?
But, let me enlighten you son, for as the good book points out, There are none so blind as those that will not see.
Top Israeli scientist says Ashkenazi Jews came from Khazaria, not Palestine.
https://www.darkmoon.me/2013/top-israeli-scientist-says-ashkenazi-jews-came-from-khazaria-not-palestine/
Read it and weep, creep.
The Palestinians are the true Semites in the Middle East. The rest are Khazari / Edomites / Ashkenazi.
Not just a troll, but an anti-Semitic and racist troll.
Donegal,
Seriously, this sort of analysis doesn’t work. Anti-Semitism as a word predates that sort of stuff – it means prejudice towards Jews and nothing more. This whole area is a minefield and suggest we leave it.
Back to Celtic, eh?
Justin I take it you didn’t grow up in the 80s with no money like most of us, I did mate my dad spent years with no job because your pal maggie shut down the industry he worked in , I like many others had to endure years of those scum bags destroying everything we had and now I have to endure them destroying my club. You my friend take your Tory loving politics and shove them , you have no place here
I was born at 1034 London Road about 100 yds from Celtic Park. Since the age of six when I got lifted over the turnstiles to collect beer bottles to feed my habit for macaroon bars and spearmint chewing gum, I have loved and supported Celtic and followed them all over the world. One of the highlights of my life was to be able to buy shares when Fergus came to the rescue but alas I feel so disconnected to what Celtic has become that I’m going to get rid of the shares and give the Grand-weans a special Christmas. I have fought this temptation to give up on them but bit by bit I have become a bit alienated from what the club has become. I have always felt in some ways a sense of disloyalty when the thoughts have crossed my mind in the passed but this Board is the last straw. I have now a round trip of 250 miles for a home game and for what is on offer this is now too far. I’m gone!
Bertie I share your sentiments exactly and it sums up perfectly how a great, great many feel. We used to say ‘keep the faith’, that sadly has been eroded and virtually destroyed by a crowd of self centered charlatans. Loyalty as they say, is a two way street.
Notice a lot of comments from folk who never commented on here before. I’m with Ralph, I know what I am against,but don’t have a team to support anymore. Watched El Classico tonight and thought to myself there is no point competing which such excellence UNLESS you’re in it for the greater good. QUITE OBVIOUSLY celtic football club is not in it to help the poor which was the Only reason for its existence in 1888. Charity wasn’t a percentage of profit in thosr days.
Nobody is driving anyone out. If people decide to stop following Celtic because of politics then that’s sad, but it’s no-one else’s decision but theirs, lets no pretend otherwise.
Ralph I was already fucked off and depressed after Connors latest master class when I started reading the comments and things went further downhill. How is it in anyway acceptable to refer to “the new” Livingstone regardless of how strongly many of us feel that he is in the wrong. What the fuck is going on?
Dear Ralph.
I have just returned home after a few sherries in the club after the game. I have read your diary again and it disappoints me that you have decided to take such an extreme position regarding the AGM.
To say that we care and ‘they’ don’t is a cheap shot and quite untrue in my experience. I have met Peter Lawwell, Ian Livingston, Michael Nicholson and Brian Wilson and I am convinced that they care about Celtic as much as I ( we) do. I have never met Mr Bankier so I can only take their word that the Board is very focussed on the ongoing success of our Club and maintaining our values.
Your next point was regarding the Living Wage and I personally would want our club paying a very fair wage to all employees regardless of what the Government or other social bodies (Living Wage) dictate. However your point regarding Contractors is again unfair in my opinion. I assume Celtic put contracts out to tender and choose the one who meets our needs. I don’t think it is reasonable for us to dictate to these Companies what they should pay their employees.
I was very disappointed about Mr Bankier’s comments. Actually I am not surprised that there were a few comments made about Mr Livingstone which were of a vulgar and/or racist nature but our AGM is most certainly NOT the place to express these views.
I think I am probably more that 15 years older that you ! and I can see that over my time Celtic have become even greater than when I first started supporting them. We are most certainly more plural and as each generation of our families grow we will see wider spectrum of views on religion and politics in particular. When I started almost all of us were Catholic and Socialists. Today we are a broader church(?) but hopefully we have the same core values that established Celtic. Perhaps we need to accept that some will express that in different ways.
Keep the faith.
HH
Hugh, you say “Celtic have become even greater than when I first started supporting them.” How so? We have a poor team dominating a poor league with a forever decreasing impact in European competitions.
“We are most certainly more plural and as each generation of our families grow we will see wider spectrum of views on religion and politics in particular.” Perhas in the stands but in the boardroom? Really?
Hugh, an An AGM is exactly the right place to hold Board members accountable for their actions as those actions reflect on Celtic FC. The shareholders own the club. The Board are appointed by the shareholders to guide the club on behalf of the shareholders. Shareholders have every right to propose that Board members should be sacked, rewarded or censured in accordance with the governance appropriate to the type of entity we are. Two members of our Board in my shareholding opinion, have acted in ways which I think are in sharp contrast to the ethos and purpose of our club. One a consequence of the other. His grace of Parkhead trying to make excuses about voting on a bill that made the least well off in our society less well off. I think if he said I believe in this Bill and I support removing these tax credits and cited accordingly I’d have more respect. That said it seems very much against the charitable ethos of our club. Secondly when people pointed this out and shareholders raised it as an issue, instead of a resisted debate we were treated to an angry rant from a grumpy old man who clearly thinks that we are simply an annoyance and apparently criminal and racist. That cannot stand! A full apology is in order. Even if that happens it did open a window into how intolerant Mr. Bankier is off opinions other than his own even from other owners of the club who own shares. Lastly when Celtic put work to tender to outside companies we can simply specify that to apply for this tender you must be paying the living wage to your workers. Then those companies who all are can apply for the work. I think out of all of this Bankier came off very badly and was shown to be contemptuous of other shareholders and his customers because of his personal relationship with His Grace, Lord of Parkhead. This is not student politics as another post called it. It is about the heart and soul of Celtic FC and what we stand for and how we conduct ourselves. It’s a very adult world and more shareholders and supporters need to make their views known.
Well said!
I agree with Ralph let’s refrain from using words like “Shylock” which has clear negative connotations and indulging in pointless sophism on religion or race. Simply let’s hold true to our non racist, non sectarian and welcoming ethos
I don’t know what age you are Hugh but I find your comment on Celtic being greater is a bit strange. Are you suggesting that our club is better without Catholics and socialists? Glasgow Celtic Foootball Club has since it’s inception been open to all. When I was growing up in Leith I experienced sectarian abuse directed at me and though my father was a Hearts supporter I found no welcome from them or indeed from Hibs supporters. To me in that period Celtic offered the comfort of feeling a belonging to a club with my ideals, i.e. Not being called a Fenian bastard when going to a match. Supporting the Tic provided me with something I had never had before, my recognition of Irish and Catholic roots of which I am so proud of. If our club ever strays from it’s roots then it’s time to call it a day. Then Hugh we will be left with nothing.
HH
Man , depressing read however it because we care. Ralph ah feel yer pain, I’m many miles away from Celtic park, don’t see them often enough, I imagine your love of Celtic and what they stood for (past tense intended) helped define you as a person – a good person no doubt. There’s a famous political quote from years ago in Australia: “DONT LET THE BASTARDS GET YOU DOWN”.
Maybe it’s just because I’m new posting on here that my posts are still under moderation. I’ve only made 2 and none are contentious, so I’m not quite sure what the issue is?
Looking at some of the stuff that has made it on to this thread, well I’m at a bit of a loss to be honest- it’s clear there is at least one, probably a couple of hundercover posters and some of the stuff being allowed is, well surprising.
0-0 with Kilmarnock
Looking forward to the Ajax game?
Print your tickets at home…..
FFS
Celtic first and Celtic last and Celtic overall!
RALPH I thought you were a rational guy but not going to support Celtic because of stupid comments by our chairman is irrational….get behind the team we have come along way and the journey is incomplete. I too have been 50+ years standing on the steps and was one of the few still there at the end of the 3 nil humping by the team known as ” the rangers” at the 1963 final replay. Nothing or nobody will stop me supporting the Hoops….by being at the game…please stay with it. Always support the Hoops…..walking away is not the answer…Stay and be a positive voice. For in your goal a spirit stands….
A good friend of my mine was in about the big whigs of Parkhead for a game with Wilson,Lawlell etc.In a disgusted tone he confided ” they’re worse than the masons,jobs and deals for their clan”! The game was just a side show to them!