Celtic Diary Friday May 27: You’d Better Hurry

Oh no !

TIME is running out for supporters to secure their seats for the 2016/17 season with a deadline of 5pm today (Friday, May 27) to renew for the season ahead.

The 2016/17 season promises to be an exciting time with Brendan Rodgers having taken charge of the Bhoys and fans have been flocking to Paradise all week to renew their Season Tickets ahead of the deadline.

Join them and make sure you don’t lose your seat for next season by renewing today.

There are a number of easy ways to secure your 2016/17 Season Ticket:

• ONLINE – go to www.celticseasontickets.co.uk
• IN PERSON – visit the Ticket Office at Celtic Park, open from 9.30am until the deadline at 5pm today.
• BY PHONE – call the sales line on 0871 226 1888*

Supporting Celtic isn’t a choice, it’s a commitment. It’s part of your past, your present and your future, so join Brendan and the Bhoys in Paradise for 2016/17 and continue to be Forever Celtic!

*Calls cost 13p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge. Booking fees apply online and via the booking line.  

Do you think they’ll have to extend it ?

Uptake has been high, as the queues at the ticket office have shown, and it would make sense to add another week or two to continue the buzz that is surrounding Celtic Football Club just now.

And this is before the new boss actually does anything.

Though we haven’t been short of speculation about what he is going to do when he gets started.

There are endless lists, put together by lazy journalists and bloggers as to which players  may leave, something which os not going to do teir confidence any good. Put simply, the boss has said he’ll look at what he has got, and go from there.

Personally, I would just get rid of the ones who want to go at this stage, and give the rest a chance to prove they can grow into the jersey.

As for new signings, thats even easier for those filling column inches. Just link any player who is out of contract, based in England and preferably having worked with Rodgers before.

Thats right, they haven’t got a clue.

One story, in the Daily Mail, mentions Danny Graham of Sunderland, available on a free and wanted by both Celtic and “rangers “

Graham has worked with Rodgers at Watford and Swansea, so he’s an obvious candidate for speculation.

At least we at etims are more imaginative in our potential new signings…

What is important is the sense of anticipation among the support. The old enthusiasm is back, and we can look forward to the UCL qualifiers, if not with confidence, at least with genuine optimism.

In fairness to Rodgers, he’s not been idle. It seems he has persuded the English FA to release Patrick Roberts from his obligations at English under 19 international level, allowing him to be considered for the UCL games.

Which pleases the player;

“I’ve always wanted to get into the Champions League and play.

“It’s a big ambition of mine and Celtic haven’t been there for the last couple of years. To get back there would be great for the club and unbelievable for me.”

This, in itself, is a sign the manager is working methodically, and dealing with the most relevant issues, rather than merely seeking feelgood headlines.

Theres been a lot of talk that Celtic may face Dundee in a league game at the Lincoln financial field, over in Philadelphia, which would certainly put strain on our own tarrier carrier driver, as we’d have to start earlier than usual to get to the game, and he’s concerned about how much drink the Lennon CSC would get through on that particular trip…

However, it is just talk;

( Dundee )Courier Sport understands there has been zero dialogue between Dundee and the SPFL regarding the club’s potential “home” league match in the US with Celtic next season.

It has been reported that the game is close to being a done deal with the Lincoln Financial Stadium in Philadelphia already booked, travel arrangements made and legal documents drawn up between the parties involved.

However, Dundee would need permission from the SPFL to play abroad – something which has not yet been requested.

SPFL rules state: “Clubs shall be entitled with the consent of the Board to participate in such international football competitions as may be approved by UEFA and/or FIFA and any Club proposing to play in any other football match outwith Scotland during the Season must before doing so obtain the consent of the Board.”

All a little silly, but it keeps the profile of the league quite high, if nothing else.

also keeping the profile of the league quite high, but no doubt raising doubts on their sanity , are those connected with new club “rangers 2 as they attempt to deflect from the crises within the Ibrox walls.

You’ll note their is no comment on how well their season books are selling, although we did ask their manager what he thought;

As the Dundee Evening Telegraph shows;

A historic deal to take Dundee’s home match with Celtic to the United States next season is almost done, the Tele can exclusively reveal.

Negotiations to stage the Dark Blues’ 2016/17 clash with the Old Firm giants on foreign soil are said to be 85% complete.

Sources close to the deal have confirmed the stadium has been booked, date set, travel plans put in place, tax implications ironed out and contracts drawn up by legal parties from across the pond, Parkhead and Dens Park.

A split of the match revenue and merchandising has been agreed, with Dundee, the drivers of this project, set to land a significant sum, much higher than if the game were to take place, as previously scheduled, at Dens.

A US travel company has also been employed to set up packages for fans, from both teams, to travel and support their club.

Despite considering staging the ground-breaking encounter for world football at a number of venues across the Eastern seaboard, including Chicago, New York, Boston, Seattle and Portland, as well as the likes of Dallas, Texas, and St Louis, Missouri, the location for the match, barring any last-minute hitches, is set to be Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The 69,000 capacity Lincoln Financial Field, home of the National Football League’s Philadelphia Eagles, will be converted to house the clash between Brendan Rodgers and Paul Hartley’s men.

And the date, although not yet revealed, will fall just before the Scottish Premiership split, thought to be around the end of March, beginning of April.

It’s understood Dundee would travel over the States, along with the Hoops squad, a week prior to the match to acclimatise and also take part in promotion events in the city.

One of the major barriers placed in front of any staging of the game outside of Scotland has been the idea that Fifa and Uefa would need to give this the green light.

An insider on negotiations has told the Tele that this is not the case.

They state Fifa place the sanctioning of this decision firmly on the table of Uefa and CONCACAF — the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football.

Uefa are said to have deferred that to the national governing body – the SFA – and it must also be signed off by the league – SPFL.

It is believed they have both given this the OK, leaving just agreement to be reached with the MLS and also CONCACAF.

Talks with the MLS are said to have gone well, and it is understood the match has already been pencilled in to coincide with a weekend free of US matches, therefore not affecting their own TV audience and gate revenues.

The weekend in question has also been selected as it is said not to clash with any other major sporting event from the basketball, ice hockey and American football world, in order to give the game total exposure in the American market.

Of course, given the unprecedented nature of this match, it is not known whether Fifa would deem this a “unique” case and reserve the right to block it, as they did with the English Premier League’s plans for a 39th game in 2008.  

I think the general feeling here is that it would be a great idea, give great publicity but isn’t going to happen, but its fun to talk about. 

And its always good to go to different places to watch football.

 And to see the sights…

All a little silly, if pleasing on the eye, but it does keep the profile of the league quite high, and in a pleasant , cheerful way.

However, others, seemingly hell bent on destruction, are also raising the profile, whilst simulataneously raising doubts abot their sanity.

 “rangers “, seeking to deflect from one or two crises in their own back garden, -no money, no talk of booming season book sales , and a manager who hasnt been seen for nearly a week-after he failed to show post cup final-

– have lifted the propaganda war with civilisation to dizzying heights.

From outwith the club- this statement from Club 72 is , er, bizarre…

1. Following the shameful scenes which occurred in the aftermath of last Saturday’s Scottish Cup Final, Club 1872 has spent the past few days gathering witness accounts and information from supporters who were present. We have liaised closely with Rangers to pass on the information we have received.
2. In the first instance, we call on the Scottish FA to request the immediate resignation of Hibernian Chairman and SFA Vice President, Rod Petrie from the SFA board. His comments immediately following the game, and since, have been an absolute disgrace. How can Mr Petrie justify describing the violent acts of his supporters as “exuberance”? How can he justify the lack of any apology to Rangers for the attacks on our players? We welcome the announcement by the SFA of an independent enquiry but Mr Petrie’s comments are entirely at odds with their approach.
3. Had it not been for the match officials and Rangers own security staff, the assaults on our players could have been considerably worse and they have our heartfelt thanks for their actions.
4. Having taken time to consider all the facts, our anger over the treatment of our players and supporters has, if anything, increased. We are in receipt of a large number of accounts from supporters with young children, disabled supporters and others who witnessed our players being assaulted, fellow supporters being threatened, spat on and abused and widespread disorder yards from where they were seated. It is absolutely clear from these accounts that many Rangers supporters feared that Hibernian fans were going to enter the Rangers sections of the stands. The narrative being constructed by some – that hundreds of Hibernian fans who charged straight to the Rangers end of Hampden were intent on doing anything other than violently confronting Rangers supporters – is absolutely absurd.
5. It is clear that for several minutes there was a breakdown of security procedures in the stadium. We are keen to assist Police Scotland and the SFA’s independent enquiry in any way we can to discover why that was and will forward all relevant information to them. It is very important that they understand how the events of Saturday unfolded from the perspective of our supporters.
6. At the full time whistle, mounted police charged through Rangers supporters leaving the stadium peacefully from the rear of the South and West Stands. Clearly they were attempting to reach the stadium as quickly as possible but why did they do so with what appeared to be little regard for the safety of our supporters, in a confined space and in such an aggressive manner?
7. From timings taken from those leaving and those who were still in the stadium it then took the mounted police around 5-6 minutes to actually enter the field of play to deal with the chaos caused by Hibernian fans. When they did so, they approached the Hibernian fans, who were engaging in widespread disorder, assault and vandalism, in a much more controlled and respectful manner than was shown to law abiding Rangers supporters outside the ground. We will be seeking a meeting with Police Scotland to understand why this was the case and to ensure there is no repeat.
8. Club 1872 fully supports the Rangers statements on this matter and commends the restraint shown by our supporters in the face of extreme provocation. This is not the only time recently that Rangers supporters have been subjected to this type of behaviour from rival fans. We still await a proper conclusion to the SPFL investigation into similar scenes from Motherwell fans last year at Fir Park.
9. A climate is being created within Scottish football, and Scotland as a whole, where Rangers supporters, staff and anyone connected with the club are seen as fair game by an unpleasant and active minority who attach themselves to several Scottish football clubs. The bile generated by these people, which has its root in social media but has moved into areas of the mainstream media and politics, is now translating into acts of violence. Not only were Rangers players assaulted on the field of play but Rangers supporters were attacked as far away as Edinburgh after the game.
10. The bile, hatred and resulting violence shown towards Rangers needs to stop before someone is more seriously hurt. The Scottish Government, politicians, media, the football authorities and other Scottish clubs all have a responsibility in this regard. It is a responsibility in which they are collectively failing.
11. Only by standing together can Rangers supporters hope to redress the balance of how we are currently treated. Club 1872 will give our supporters the platform to do exactly that and we ask for the support of each and every Rangers fan in those efforts. The dehumanisation of the Rangers support must stop now.
12. Issued by Supporters Voice Limited, a Club 1872 company.

to within it, as one director proudly tells us… according to lapdog loyalist Matthew Lindsay in the Herald

STEWART Robertson, the Rangers managing director, last night insisted singing The Billy Boys was preferable to becoming involved in the unrest at the end of the William Hill Scottish Cup final.

The Ibrox club’s supporters have been widely criticised for belting out a rendition of the banned song as thousands of Hibs fans invaded the pitch at Hampden on Saturday evening.  

Er, they were singing it well before the Hibs fans got a wee bit carried away in their celebrations…but facts are an alien concept to Lindsay, especially when he is more concerned about the NHS finding a bed for him , as he awaits the operation to have his head removed from this ibrox directors arse

Several Rangers players and members of staff were assaulted and spat on by followers of the Easter Road club as they attempted to make their way off the field after being beaten 3-2. 

No they weren’t.

Robertson condemned the airing of a sectarian chant which is illegal under the controversial Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012. 

And no doubt will take action, perhaps even tracking down and banning those responsible…

However, the Rangers director expressed the view that it was a far lesser offence than storming onto the playing surface and engaging in acts of violence against the Hibs support.

“If I recall correctly, the Billy Boys was sung after the Hibs fans came on to the pitch,” he said. 

It wasn’t, and he knows it wasn’t. Not exclusively, anyway.

“We don’t condone that kind of behaviour. However, if I had a choice between the fans singing a song or piling over the wall into a pitched battle with the Hibs fans, I know what I would choose. 

“That doesn’t make it right, but you have to put it into context. I’d rather have that than two or three thousand piling over the wall and we have a riot on our hands.” 

Both are equally unacceptable, which is what i’m sure he meant.

Meanwhile, Robertson has revealed Rangers have received an email from Hibs acknowledging the role their fans played in the ugly scenes which shamed Scottish football at the weekend.

He has also confirmed that Rangers will take action against any supporters of the Ibrox club who are charged by police during investigations into the disgraceful events. 

Discounted season books, presumably.

As you note from the article, Lindsay courageously shied away fromactually asking any qy=uestions, or pointing out inconsistencies.

For which, i would normally call him a big girl.

but neither he, nor many, many others in the SMSM , have the balls of one particular girl, Jane hamilton, who published the article yesterday which accused “rangers 2 fans of attacking and intimidating the police.

she suffered abuse and threats on twitter, which forced her to abandon her account, and almost certainly will be give=ing her sleepless night.

But we should all get down a=on our hands and knees and praise her, for she alone at least stood up to what is now promising to be a force that thinks it can do what it wants.

She has alerted us to their disrespect of the law, and indeed decent society, and yet she must be worrried about her own safety, for merely dog her job with a little bit of honesty and courage.

Take a bow, Jane, you showed the men that the set of danglers they were born with is clearly just for decoration.

and we at Etims echo the words of Owen, on twitter.

Hard to argue with that.

Anyway, it’s Friday, and that means its time for

and there are some serious contenders this week.

Nearly every journalist, Neil Cameron and Graham Speirs apart, for their work on the TJN report, Stewart Regan for his apology to the “rangers ” for the pitch invasion, Jim Traynor for -well, being Jim Traynor….

but no-one can surpass Keith Jackson, of the Daily Record.

His story that eleven players were attacked by hibs fans is another landmark in Scottish Sports coverage.

He’ll never return to the glory days of “Off the radar wealth “, but fuck me, he gave oit a real good go this week.

So, Keith, congatulations, you are this weeks Etims…

The big Etims night out looks fairly certain to be on the 23rd of july, so now we need to establish how many…then we can sort out a venue, or several venues….

Buffy wins yesterdays caption competition, with “so, Mrs Warburton, there’s still no sign of your husband ? “

And today, ….here’s Dave Cunningham King,

what will he be saying to his pal…?