Celtic will face Trabzonspor in the Antalya ( pictured above ) Winter Cup on January 9. The winners will progress to a final against Galatasaray or Ajax, and the losers will drop to a third place game against Galatasaray or Ajax. It will no doubt be described as a vital training camp for the players;
and hopefully their wives will believe them.
Supporters who had already paid to attend the now postponed game against Kilmarnock are waiting to hear if the PLC will exchange their ticket, travel and accommodation costs for a similar trip to Turkey.
So, not only will the players be “working ” through their hard earned break, any fan who wants to watch them will have to travel to the most hostile country on Uefas list, and theres a chance of facing the only club whose fans have had running street battles with Celtic fans in the last hundred years or so.
Peter Lawwell needs to take his head out of his arse and have a look at himself. Then he can see what the rest of us see, and it sure ain’t pretty.
On the fifth of December this year, Nelson Mandela died during the London Premier of a film about his life. Today, Ronnie Biggs, the Great Train Robber has passed away just before a documentary about him is aired.
I’m looking for backers for my new movie, called the Peter Lawwell Years. Until then, I’ll be watching the Miranda Hart Call the Midwife Christmas special with more enthusiasm than is usual.
With supporters already feeling discontent at the attitude of those running the club, it looks like the man in the sharp suit has yet again stood splay legged over the fans and emptied his bowels.
Still , he must have been thinking of us when he chose to take part in the tournament. Turkish fans have a habit of stabbing opposition supporters, and Ajax fans will get a chance to show their banner again.
The missing words are not “record player ”
Meanwhile , the BBC have noticed another serious issue that courts will have to deal with;
Seven members of the Green Brigade group of Celtic fans are to stand trial next year for allegedly singing a song in support of the IRA.
They are alleged to have behaved in a way that “is likely or would be likely to incite public disorder” by singing the Roll of Honour at Celtic Park.
The singing is said to have taken place at various home games at Celtic Park in July and August.
All of the men pleaded not guilty when they appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
Paul Duke, 37, and Ross Gallagher, 29, from East Kilbride, Christopher Bateman, 28, from Irvine, David Gallacher, 22, from Glasgow, Sean Cowden, 21, from Rutherglen and Kieran Duffy, 18, from Coatbridge, are accused of singing the song at the Champions League qualifier match against Elfsborg on 31 July.
Mr Gallagher, Mr Bateman and Greg Robertson, 28, from Glasgow, are accused of singing the song on 3 August at a league game against Ross County.
Mr Robertson faces a further charge, with Mr Gallacher, of singing at a home game on 24 August against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
The men deny all the charges against them. A trial was set for next June. ”
Mr. Robertson and Mr. Gallacher face a further charge of “singing at a home game ” , which is a damning indictment of the atmosphere at Celtic Park these days. Thats to go with their other offence of “walking on the cracks in the pavement ” on the way home. No wonder we are paranoid.
Good luck to all of them.
The crossbar challenge, a half time entertainment designed originally by Charles Green to fleece Second Rangers fans, was spectacularly met by a Celtic fan who, presumably bored at half time and and refused payment terms for a pie, had a go from the Jock Stein Upper;
celtic fan hits crossbar from the Jock Stein Upper
Meanwhile, the official website has a plug for the Celtic View, still being published and still being read, just not by many people.
” THIS week´s Celtic View is a special Christmas issue and it´s packed full of great features, interviews and competitions, with fantastic prizes up for grabs.
It´s on sale from tomorrow, Wednesday, December 18, and there´s a FREE giant A2 poster celebrating Celtic´s successes during 2013, and a FREE 32-page 2014 Year Planner.
It´s also competition time in the Christmas View, with the chance to win, amongst other things, matchday hospitality for four people in the Number 7 Restaurant at an SPFL game, the new Olly Murs album and a £360 Honda lawnmower. ”
A lawnmower and an Olly Murs album. In fairness, I suppose the noise of the mower would drown out the racket from the record. It continues;
” We´ve also caught up with many of the first-team squad. Virgil van Dijk answers supporters´ questions, while there are exclusive interviews with Teemu Pukki and Tom Rogic.
” A host of players, including Joe Ledley, Adam Matthews, Derk Boerrigter, Anthony Stokes, Emilio Izaguirre and Fraser Forster reveal some of their favourite childhood Christmas moments.
And we´ve also persuaded a few of the players to give us photographs from yesteryear. See if you can spot the boys who have become Bhoys. ”
Well, you won’t be spotting any of them down at the food banks or shelters this Christmas, using their high profile to publicise the good work being done by the Green Brigade, or the Celtic Trust in helping people who have fallen on hard times, nor will you be seeing the club actually give any money towards these causes that hasn’t actually come from supporters donations.
Thats because Celtic are a PLC now, which stands for Pound Leeching -do you know, I’m struggling for a word beginning with “c” to describe the current stewards of the club.
Meanwhile, here is a picture of the unfortunately named Play School presenter Brian Cant.
Elsewhere, Japan Today has this from its London correspondent, which will annoy nationalists everywhere;
LONDON —
Japan attacking midfielder Hiroki Yamada is training with Celtic this week, the Scottish champions revealed on their website on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old, who plays for Jubilo Iwata in Japan, has won two international caps this year and Celtic manager Neil Lennon has expressed admiration for him.
“We’re looking to bring him over to take a look at him,” Lennon told Scottish newspaper the Daily Record earlier this month.
“(Head scout) John Park has watched him a couple of times and we’ve seen some footage. However, it’s always good to see him up against the rest of the players and how he copes with it.
“He can play left side or off the striker. He looks OK, but we’ll not have a real idea until we’ve seen him over here. I don’t think there would be any money involved—he’s a free (transfer).”
No money involved-the more things change the more they stay the same.
The Sun has Celtic in for Huddersfield midfielder Oliver Norwood as the MSM continues to try to explain the managers jaunt to northern England, whilst desperately trying to avoid using the words “Jordan” and ” Rhodes “.
Oliver is a specialist in scoring goals when no-one else is playing.
Ghanasoccernet has us in for another striker;
Ghanaian striker Mawuli Osei has claimed Celtic want to bolster their contingent of recruits from Israeli football by signing him next month.
During his tenure, Neil Lennon has brought Efe Ambrose, Biram Kayal and Nir Biton to Glasgow and 24-year-old Osei, who plays for Hapoel Ashkelon, could be next.
Osei is the top scorer in the Israeli top flight, with 13 goals in just 11 games for Ashkelon, and both the player and his agent claim there is interest.
Osei said: “There are clubs interested in me. Glasgow Celtic is one, for example. I’d like to try European football.”
His agent, Michael Adje, confirmed the Scottish champions are monitoring his progress. He said: “Celtic are interested in him, along with other sides in Israel. We will see what happens when the transfer market window opens again in January.”
Osei has been the most talked about player in Israel ”
Lets hope they its not in the same way that we used to talk about Mo Bangura.
Over at Ibrox its the day before the AGM, and whilst it will be a major surprise if it actually goes ahead, as the spivs usually dump a company before they have to explain what they’ve done with the money, its worth remembering that theres a transfer window around the corner, meaning there is still a few quid to scrape from the corpse of the club, so they might hang around for a while yet.
Charlotte Fakeovers has the results of the voting already, and put them out on twitter;
“The votes are in. Paul Murray is set for a place on the Rangers board just in time to fight Craig Whyte’s legal claim. #AGM #Irony
“Brain Stockbridge will make way after a Stock Exchange announcement at 7am on Friday. His seat on the board will be taken by Paul Murray.
“Craig Whyte has won his Ticketus appeal. He is now ready to fund his legal claim over Rangers assets.
“I see someone has tried to suspend my account already.”
Isn’t Paul Murray banned ?
But, the Record says that Whyte has actually lost his appeal;
FORMER Rangers owner Craig Whyte has lost the latest round of a High Court fight with ticket-buying firm Ticketus.
Whyte appealed after being ordered to pay more than £17 million to the company earlier this year.
He asked Deputy High Court Judge David Halpern QC to overturn the ruling, made by a more junior judge, at a hearing in London.
But Judge Halpern dismissed his appeal.
So the saga rumbles on, but happily its the pantomime season, and this one looks to be a hit.
The picture yesterday was the stadium planned to replace Celtic Park by the old Kelly board, which didn’t materialise. It was just one of a number of ideas that lot came up with for the good of the club, though none matched their eventual decision to bail out and leave Fergus McCann in charge.
The bold bunnet may have been faced with this image when he went into someones office of a morning. Why ?
Was he looking at a picture of Lou Macari in his house in Stoke as I don’t think he was actually at Celtic Park during the week!
That would be Luigi hiding behing his copy whike listening to the 0870 racing line chat premium number on speaker phone
Luigi, you’ll not be getting one thin dime!
Lou Macari
Ian Black
Liking the subtle,stealth like way that was slipped in Monti.
meeeaaaooowwww 😉
skip to it lou, the bunnet said, or words to that effect.
when Mr McCann took over, the club or was it the company he took over?
That Brian Cant could have been seperated at birth from will ferrel. Remarkable.
HA HA. Oliver is a specialist in scoring goals when no-one else is playing. LOVE IT.
Pantomime season indeed. Keep up the good work.
Just more evidence that the SNP,S law was aimed almost entirely at celtic fans ,how 30,000 zombies be up to their knees in peoples blood every second week yet no arrests made
Its the Police who make arrests….arrests are nothing to do with the Government…its up to the Police to arrest people…try directing your anger at the right people.
Desimond,
Peter Lawwell & the plc board supported the ACT that is now criminalizing the Celtic fans.
Anger should be directed at the Government,Police AND the Celtic board! HH!
Your anti-board rhetoric is becoming very boring. Despite Irish roots I have always loved the fact that my club has always been welcome to all. You seem very keen to support the small minority who would push their own political agenda no matter the consequences for the club. I also find it hard to understand why you attempt to divide the support with calls for boycotts of games or merchandise. Perhaps you would be better suited to a new club on the south side.
Fud.
I love reading the Celtic Diary every day and share many of your views. But I have to agree with PeteCon. This anti-board agenda is soul destroying. This club of ours is not on a downward spiral, as you would have us believe. It might be that some sections of our support are under pressure to follow the same rules the rest of us supporters adhere to game after game. The board are not trying to victimise or divide our support. They are trying to enforce the laws of the land.
As far as I’m led to believe, our club is in a strong position both on and off the park. Can we not just support people who are doing well in their jobs and put any anti-plc agendas to bed?
So the club is ‘open to all’ as long as you don’t have an opinion of the board, team, manager or fans. Just pay your money and STFU. Sound about right to you, aye right.
I pay my money to go to games and support my team. Don’t get me wrong, I love the heated debate after a game, win lose or draw. But when it comes to the running of the club. I leave that to those more informed and qualified than me. Faithfull through and through.
Joe, any comment on the “go back to Ireland ” claim?
I know it’s not been confirmed yet,but if it were to be true, what would be your thoughts?
Comments like that are totally unacceptable and any incident like this must be thoroughly investigated.
Is it true that some match day stewards are not directly employed by Celtic?
PeterCon, Im sure Ralph will be allow soon enough to defend The Diary but think on whats said above…The PLC piss all over the fans by rescheduling a game over the holiday period at the last minute..then it appears we have a convenient Turkey tournament against a club no-one is liking at the moment. Even John Paul taylor was dismissive of the boards actions on this one and that was before the Tourney news.
At worse, Ralph can prompt you to remark and debate, at best, the same. Either way its all good, better that than just repetition of a manipulated media after all.
Petecon,
FUD!
I have to agree with PeteCon and Joe. Celtic are a plc and the primary role of a plc’s Board is to protect the interests and return on invstment of the shareholders. Whether you like that or not it’s a fact and we have to grow up an bit and move on. I loved the GB….until this season when they have become more militant and malicious and introduced elements to matches that most fans don’t want. They were warned time after time and they promised to behave – no non football banners for instanced, so they’ve got what was coming to them.
Celebrate our culture and heritage by all means but there is no room at Parkhead for glorifying the RA. The hardliners in Northern Ireland have moved on but it seems a few neds at Celtic can’t do the same.
Agree with your views re- GB going too far.Sands banner was making a valid point ,but was like a sledgehammer to most onlookers. Sometimes clever subtlety works better.
As for the Board, they talked at the AGM of “world brand” and “being at the forefront of world football”. All that talk seems fanciful in light of our CL debacle.
They should know that the only thing re- Celtic that’s been at the forefront of world football in recent years is the supporters (voted 3rd best in world) We don’t have the 3rd best plc board in the world or, for that matter the 3rd best team.
As someone living outside Scotland I can tell you that the only thing “Celtic” that outsiders rave about is the supporters. We’re the “worldwide brand” part of Celtic, not the shareholders: the board would do well to realize this.
Sean,
I would tend to agree with you re the RA chants. I will defend anybody’s right to sing songs, but the question I would ask to some individuals is “WHY do you want to sing these songs mentioning whatever faction of the IRA?”, and no, “It’s wur kulchur” is not an acceptable answer. You only sound like the fleg protesters from overby. I was brought up with these tunes and love the tunes as much as anyone but I can differentiate between what belongs at a FOOTBALL match involving our beloved Celtic FOOTBALL club and what maybe should stay in the home/pub/club. I do know a few of the wee dings who belt these tunes out and, believe me, they ain’t really got the first scooby of what they are singing about. I find it really disrespectful to anyone who has been involved in Ireland’s bloody history to be reduced to the status of a chant at a FOOTBALL game. As you say Sean, let’s move on like the majority of folk in Ireland have done.
Like I say, I am not questioning people’s right to sing Republican songs I am merely asking folk to think about what they are doing for a wee second. Oh, and I think the courts are wasting their time and taxpayers money by trying to prosecute those Tims for singing them. What kind of culture can prosecute someone for singing a song?!?
I’m no accountant or financial whizz kid, but I know where my heart is,within Celtic!
Dermot Desmond is a billionaire, yet we won’t push the boat out more than is prudent,I fail to see how Celtic can progress with the current transfer policy.
Signing Wanyama for £925,000 & selling him on for £12.5m is great stuff,but can we expect Biton or Rogic to replace the presence of Wanyama?
Celtic didn’t budge when Norwich wanted Hooper & we held out for £5m,fair enough some might say, but we contradict ourselves when Heerenveen hold out for £5m & we don’t pay it? I don’t understand this mentality.
Dermot needs to help the manager with some serious funds, we must get a goal machine signed in January & I would also like to see Mcgeady back at Celtic, I would get rid of Kayal,Samaras & Balde to fund moves for better players.
Ryan Gauld is emerging into a real player.
Celtic should make their move now!
Are you after big, bad baldy Peter Houston’s new job a CP Monti?
The fans sing 10 in a row well I think we won’t get near that with the in fighting amongst the fans, the board is there to make money for the club we would be up in arms if they didn’t and for them not spending money on players well count how much we have spent on duds for centre forward we say we should this and that player for 5-6-7 million but do they want to come like it or not England is the land of wealth where players that are mediocre can earn 30-60 grand a week.
And we as fans have to live by the law of the land same as celtic fc has to, te board and supporters associations need together and talk and to come to agreement want you con & cannot do.
The We Are The Poor across the city are down and we should be that far ahead of them we shouldn’t worry about them but if we keep up all this in fighting we will just get dragged down alongside.
Ps would you trust Neil to pick a 7 million pound player with all the dross he has come up with.
The problem is we’re so far ahead in the spl and out of Europe why would Lawwell splash the cash and sign a super striker. The signing of balde and Puuki was a poor bit of business when for the combined fee we could have got someone half decent.
That said, now they’re here let’s give them a chance and encourage them rather than slag them off. With Puuki it seems to be a confidence thing and he seems a shy lad. When he get a few goals hopefully the confidence will come through and he’ll turn out a decent player. Then we can tell Keevins to get it right up ye!
There is a lot of negatively around at the moment. Which is prob to do with getting knocked out of the UCL and the GB stuff. But we.re not in too bad a positn. Hail Hail!
Anyone gagging for Turkey?
https://twitter.com/gmcv67thebhoy/status/412493275409682432/photo/1
Desi
I love a man who sticks to his promises.
“Arthur, you know if it was up to me, none of your comments would get through :-)”
I am emailing a blog entitled ““Celtic fan (bampot( attacks Pensioner” :), :), 🙂
H H
am no board apologist but ffs half that article could have been on FF. Gies a brek.
HAIL HAIL.
what the PLC seem to be missing is that the kids / youth are the lifeblood of our support / team. The old ones like me have been brought up to never miss a game at CP if at all possible. My teenage children, both ST holders, miss games for a number of reasons that I would never consider more important than going to the game.
When I was growing up we didn’t have any real alternatives to the football on a Saturday afternoon – pubs closed at 2.30 and then you went to the game. Nowadays, my children have lots of alternatives and don’t have a massive issue with preferring them to the football. I reckon they’ve missed more Saturdays already than I have missed in my whole life – I started going to the games regularly from about 1966 (maybe that team caused the addiction).
The PLC appear to want a sanitised CP with the kids / youth behaving themselves – sitting throughout the game (in your own seat)and only singing the official club songs. The kids / youth don’t want this, so if the PLC keep up the harassment, the kids / youth will go away and not come back. Then the crowds will dwindle year after year as us old yins die off or get too infirm to attend.
The PLC need to find a compromise – they need to find a way of keeping the kids / youth going and also in attracting others to join them. Hoopy the hound and face painting won’t do it.
The PLC need to ensure an income stream in the future, that means they need to ensure that they have a product that entices the customers in 10, 20, 30, 40 years so that they have replacements for the current customers (us) for when we are no longer going. Does anyone honestly think they are doing all they can to attract new customers?
If things carry on the way they are going just now our crowds will be down to 30,000 next season, then 25,000 the following season.
I don’t know about anyone else on this board, but I know at least 3 diehards who have given up their ST books in the last couple of years, ST;s that they have had since CP re-opened. I know a few others who are debating doing it at the end of this season. I have debated this myself – if my 2 children decide they have other things to do, the impetus might leave me as well.
It’s time for the PLC to take a good look at their long term plan and make serious commitment to enticing the kids / youth to stay / come along, otherwise, we are heading down the road to self destruction.
Great points and agree the board need to communicate with fans. Unfortunately we are stuck in a piss poor league with little sponshorship and TV money. I have just cancelled my Setanta subscription because they have swapped coverage of Celtic games for the Championship. With limited revenue streams I can see the appeal of games in Turkey though the club could have been more up front about the reasons. The only change I can see is to get out of the SPFHell but the negative publicity from the Motherwell game etc makes that less and less likely. Have a look at other clubs forums and you will see we are much less welcome than a decade ago. So I agree the board need to liaise with fans but we also have a responsibility to speak out at those who would damage the reputation of our great club.
I have no problem with arresting / ejecting anyone intent in causing damage, but that’s not the reason the kids / youth are being harassed.
We need to look at ways of giving the kids / youth what they want (within reason & within the law) and not what the PR of the PLC thinks the kids / youth want.
Safe standing areas behind both goals would be a step in the right direction.
Stewards / police who realise that the fans are the customers and should be treated with respect – the PLC need to drive this.
The PLC need to start to listening to fans grievances about the special treatment that sevco got and then actually taking these grievances forward.
The LNS decision was appalling and should have been challenged by the SPL – similarly the fact that oldco got a European license against the rules – why no challenge, it cost us money, which the PLC seem to think is king.
Questioning UEFA on the ludicrous fines we got – why are we the only club to be fined for the f@@@ UEFA banner when just about every ultra group has done the same? – the evidence is there on youtube. Illicit chanting – I reckon every team in Europe could be up on that charge (if there is such a charge).
I think we are at a crossroads – if the PLC take the wrong road, we will die a slow and painful death. If the PLC take the right road and stop being so righteous and start taking the fans seriously, we will have a long and happy future.
It’s in the PLC’s hands.
Agree they need to work with the fans. Difficult to get the balance without taking on UEFA, a contest we will always lose. For all his faults Celtic have far more clout with Lawwell than without.
Without doubt the most depressing response to a diary entry ever. On the point of no politics please we’re British well, what can I say? On the subject of we’re just a plc and the Board are doing a good job, how do you square the bit about the manky mob stealing trophies and money from us and us saying zilch, doing zilch?
The conclusion today then is we don’t want any young guys in the stadium unless they sit and sing what they’re told. And we don’t want anyone turning up who has a wider interest in the club than the football on the park.
Jesus wept. We’re f**ked right enuff.
stay away fae turkey F.F.S. ayre a buncha wackos’em turkeys, and don’t forget to bhoycott all the away gemmes PRONTO YA BUNCH WANKAS