Back in 2013, Celtic introduced the Family Stand , described at the time as an innovative way to enhance the young tims matchday experience. Not exactly in those words, but with these ones;
Located within the Lisbon Lions stand lower, sections 115 – 117 will be home to the stunning new area decorated with an array of youthful and colourful Celtic images and artwork.
The new Family Stand will be host to regular live entertainment, children’s activities and giveaways for our young supporters on a matchday in Paradise.
It’s another measure made in response to the Season Ticket holders’ survey earlier in the year. The feedback received then is shaping the way the club is now developing the matchday experience and in this instance, we’re delighted to be providing improvements that will enhance young families’ experiences on each visit to Celtic Park.
The upgraded facility will ensure Celtic’s youngest supporters and their guardians will be able to enjoy a range of entertainment on matchdays here at Celtic Park. Magicians, caricaturists, musicians, balloon artists, jugglers and much more will feature in an area dedicated to providing the very best pre-match entertainment.
Hoopy of course will also be in attendance to meet with young fans and members of the Young Hoops Club, while players from the first-team squad will occasionally drop in to say hello to the club’s newest fans.
It was also the last time anyone involved with Celtic used the word “guardian “without flying into a rage-no, we haven’t forgotten, you bastards.
All very good, and something had to be done to stop the kids getting bored before the game. Especially as there were-and still aren’t-any toilet facilities outside for the young fans who have travelled a distance on a bus or in a car without that luxury. That meant -and I’ve been there-taking the kids in maybe an hour or more before kick off and still trying to explain to them that this is fun.
As usual, when something is working, some clown at the club has to interfere.
THE BT Sport Family Stand at Celtic Park offers a great variety of pre-match entertainment and treats for the kids on arrival ahead of every home match with a great selection of seats still available for the 2016/17 season.
From face-painting and fairground attractions in the concourse, to visits from first-team players and official club mascot, Hoopy the Huddle Hound – there’s always plenty of fun to be had during the build-up to kick-off!
There are some fantastic seats available to buy for the 2016/17 Season in the BT Sport Family Stand at Celtic Park (Areas 115-116 Lisbon Lions Lower), perfect for families looking to take in matchdays together throughout the season.*
The greatest squad ever to wear the hoops rightfully had a section of the ground named in their honour. something that will stand for eternity, and mean that their achievements, and some today do not appreciate just how monumental their win in Lisbon was, have been sold out for a few coins.
As I get older I become more convinced that there is, in the employ of Celtic football club, at least one person solely employed to think up ways to piss me off.
And he’s surpassed himself with this one.
We have sold advertising on nearly every available space in and around the ground. On the front of the shirts, on the back of the shirts. In the match programme, all around the stadium concourse.
For fucks sake, you go for a pee these days and theres a picture of a man in his pants offering advice on erectile dysfunction, which has affected me permanently ever since I went for a pee and saw a picture of a man in his pants.
Some things need to be left alone, and for me, and doubtless for many other supporters, the Lisbon Lion and Jock Stein stands are sacred.
In fact, all of the stands, and the ground itself are sacred.
There’s two stands still to be named, and one wonders if this is a trial run before we find that Mr. I’m going to annoy that guy from Etims in the boardroom already has plans to name the rest of the ground after a bookies, an airline or a bloody clothes company.
Judging from the sneaky way that its slipped in almost unnoticed, it wouldn’t surprise me.
In no uncertain terms, the club needs to know exactly what we , as a support, think of this.
Or is it just me ?
I really hope not.
Anyway, on to more positive things, well, sort of positive.
Which player, who lifted an English league winners medal last season, could be on his way to Celtic ?
Nathan Dyer, of Swansea, according to this report. but, but, Swansea didn’t win the English league, you say, and not just because they are Welsh….
Ah, but you see….
Dyer was shipped out on loan to Leicester City last season and little did anyone know at the time that he would go on to pick up a Barclays Premier League winners medal. The winger made 13 appearances for the Foxes, but a permanent deal looks unlikely at this stage and he will return to the Liberty Stadium with his future very much in the balance. Former Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers is said to be keeping an eye on the situation and reports claim he will make a move for the speedy winger. Dyer has just 12 months remaining on his current deal and Celtic sense a bargain as Swansea could look to cash in before he falls out of contract. It remains to be seen if Dyer can be tempted north to Scotland, but the fact that Rodgers is at Parkhead will weigh heavily in Celtic’s favour.
But we don’t take any notice of these newspaper or magazine pieces, do we ?
No , we go by what we see, and what we hear, and we did see and hear something yesterday, when one of our own overheard something of interest…
Ever been to B&Q ?
Its one of those shops, usually about the size of a football field where the wife takes you so you can buy things to mend the house that will take up weeks before she finally decides you’ve made things worse and calls in an expert. Who then goes off to B&Q, buys exactly the same thing, but puts in in the right way up, before relieving you of most of your income.
I’m actually barred from our local branch, as it was the only time i got exasperated enough to really upset the chap who was trying to help us.
In my defence, it was the day that the Inverness away game had been called off, and we didn’t find out until we got to the Kilmarnock turn off on the M74, which meant i could turn around and get home for around noon, or something like that, which meant i could go shopping so as “not to waste the day ”
Anyway, the fellow helping us said something my tired mind interpretated as more stupid than usual, prompting me to point out that “there is no way you can be that fucking stupid “, though for the life of me I can’t remember why, though i do remember the effect it had on my marriage, and its probably why we have never had any more children.
Right, I’m rambling, which is exactly what our man heard someone else doing in the Parkhead Forge branch of the chainstore, and the words he heard were..
“at a certain age its all about winning things…”
Now, he wasn’t opening one of those scratchcards these places do, or is that just McDonalds, where you can win ten per cent of your next purchase, he was talking to a couple of gentlemen about football, as he is, in fact a footballer…
A footballer who is taller than you think, apparently, and he doesn’t live or work in Glasgow, so what can it all mean ?
Was he at the ground for signing talks, and then roped into popping out for a tin of paint to spruce the place up a bit ?
Or was he just visiting relatives ? And popping out for a tin of paint to spruce their place up a bit ?
Can we read anything into this picture, not taken at B&Q , and not taken when he was asked if he was finally signing for Celtic ?
Ordinarily, it would be nothing, but the comment about winning things means he knows he would earn less at Celtic, but it shows what he’s thinking of , and what his priorities may be…
His contract with Hull runs out in June 2017. He joined them for around £6m in 2014, and would be one of the few affordable players that Celtic could realistically sign who can offer something the team needs, in that he’s a genuine tim who would play for the jersey.
Okay, he’s no Joey Barton, but then again, who is ?
Apart from Joey Barton, that is.
Vasily Grossman, the Russian writer and journalist who was with the Red Army and documented such events as Stalingrad and the march west into Berlin, said that something happened to the Russian soldier when he crossed the Russian border-something that seems oddly topical with events in France this week- and those tales of barbarism are fairly well known. He thought it was not just about revenge, but more something ingrained in the Russian psyche , a bit of a generalisation, as its like saying all “rangers ” fans are stupid, but he may have a point. ( Yeah, I do read intelligent and thought provoking stuff as well, you know. )
Something similar happens to Celtic players, although Tom Boyd seems to be immune, when they leave the club and enter the real world.
Frank McGarvey is the latest one to receive the statutory thirty pieces of silver, as the media continue to pummel Ronny Deila , even though he’s gone now and they can’t hurt him any more.
“A big name like Brendan Rodgers should have been appointed years ago,”
“I don’t blame Ronny Deila for the state of Celtic last season and the poor football that was being played – he was the cheap option and did as well as he could. I blame people higher up at the club.
“Celtic showed disrespect to their fans who pay a lot of money to watch the team and disrespect to the rest of Scottish football by appointing the cheapest option possible.
In actual fact, Celtic did try to get other managers in, but instead went for a man who had ideas and a vision. It turned out that he didn’t have the experience and willpower to put them in place, but it was worth a try.
“What they should have been doing is chasing European football and the money that comes from that so that when Rangers came back up, they would be in a much stronger position.
Rangers are coming back up ?
“I don’t understand the mentality shown by Celtic over the last few years. This is Celtic we’re talking about, doing just enough to get by should never have even be considered.
We didn’t, but we did register a fifth consecutive title.
“Make no mistake, Rangers won’t be coming up to the Premiership to play second fiddle to Celtic. They have 50,000 supporters at their home games and they are every bit as demanding as the Celtic fans.
He’s right , “rangers ” won’t be playing second fiddle to Celtic. Or third, or fourth. They’ll be lucky to finish in the top six.
“They might not be in a position at the minute where their squad is good enough to challenge for the league title, but the fact that Brendan Rodgers is scrambling about now trying to get players in and move players on means that Celtic are in a much weaker position than they should have been.
I think he needs to see someone, as he clearly needs help. A check up from the neck up.
“I’m not saying that Rangers or anyone else but Celtic will win the league next season, but it’s far from the sure thing that it should be.
The bookies may differ..
