SFA Corruption, Is It Really A Surprise?
By · CommentsNowhere To Turn.
The latest revelations to come out from the @CharlotteFakes source details a letter sent by Craig Whytes solicitors to the SFA regarding the googly eyed hero’s involvement in Scottish Football.
It cites a private dinner to discuss Oldco Rangers’ financial difficulties attended by, wait for it, Craigie Bhoy, Stewart Regan, Campbell Ogilvie and Ali Russell, where the two SFA men assured Craigie his previous disqualification as a director would not be a problem as far as his involvement in the Oldco Rangers was concerned! (fit and proper?)
The four page letter opens up a whole can of worms for Regan and Ogilvie.
For a start, Regan had publicly stated that Campbell Ogilvie had distanced himself from anything to do with Oldco. This is clearly a lie. But not a surprise, as he has ‘previous’ with his shareholding in Oldco while he was a director at Hearts. Add to that his EBT, then I think we can see a clear path of corruption and collusion here.
In every situation there is a ‘tipping point’. A point where all starts to crumble and now I think we are seeing it happen with the SFA.
The secrecy that surrounds Scottish Football is what’s killing the game. It’s criminal. Five way agreements, internal investigations, personal vendettas, you name the SFA are culpable in the lot.
But don’t take my word for it, get on twitter and follow @CharlotteFakes you’ll be able to see it first hand there.
How many can you name?
May 21st, A Date with Mixed Emotions….
By · CommentsGreat Nights In Celtic Folklore!
Today’s date will be fondly remembered by most of the younger Celtic generation because of the clubs magnificent journey in the 2003 UEFA Cup, all the way to the final in the Spanish city of Seville.
More than 80,000 of the faithful took part in a worldwide exodus to see the famous green and white hoops play in our first European final for 33 years. The spectacle that unfolded as a whole city was transformed by the arrival of the biggest overseas invasion since the second world war. Only this time it was a friendly one!
Celtic, as manager Martin O’Neill had often said, punched above their weight to get to the final.
We got there the hard way, disposing Blackburn, Liverpool, Celta Vigo and Stuttgart among others, along the way.
Our opponents were from Portugal, FC Porto, adversaries only a year previously in the Champions League.
Spoils were shared with a win apiece then, so this was a ‘winner takes all’ kind of situation.
Unfortunately for the Bhoys that roasting evening, a rookie referee and a best man falls performance from the opposition meant the Hoops would leave Seville empty handed. Trophy wise.
Don’t get me wrong, Porto were a good team but their gamesmanship took the shine off their win, although I doubt if that matter much to them.
That was May 21st 2003.
For us older Tims, the date May 21st 1979 has a happier ending, a much happier ending.
The occasion this time was a much more familiar Premier League championship game. Not an ordinary game though, a game that Celtic needed to win or the Oldco Rangers would win the league. That’s how high the stakes were.
Unlike Seville, the game was played on a Monday night, there was NO television coverage due to some technicians strike and public transport was at a standstill due to another dispute!
Could it get any worse? You bet it could! Celtic were 1-0 down when just after half-time we were reduced to 10 men after Johnny Doyle was sent-off for kicking Alex McDonald. If truth be told we all feared the worst. Although we were playing well,winning the game would take a monumentous effort from the ten.
The Bhoys took the game by the scruff of the neck and forced an equaliser through through Roy Aitken. Not content with that the Bear had a hand in the second goal, a shot from George McCluskey that put the Hoops 2-1 up. Enough to clinch the title.
But these game can be cruel. Soon after we went ahead the Govan mob scored again to make it 2-2.
There was only five minutes left when a cross from McCluskey was knocked into his own net by Rangers’ Colin Jackson to make it 3-2 Celtic. What would Billy McNell’s men do now? Time was running down when Murdo McLeod unleashed a shot two Peter McCloy’s wouldn’t have saved to make it Celtic 4 Rangers 2. Ten men won the league!
The two games had very different endings but ultimately the same conclusion.
Celtic never gave up on either occasion, they just kept playing football the right way.
Years on, that hasn’t changed.
Four Goal Celts Terrorise The Arabs….
By · CommentsWatch Out Hibs….We’re Coming To Get You!
An emphatic 4-0 win against Dundee United will surely serve as a warning to next weeks Scottish Cup Final opponents Hibs.
Although the Edinburgh side are on a winning run themselves, the Bhoys just seem to have stepped up a gear in the last two weeks, scoring eight goals without reply.
On the scoresheet for Celtic at Tannadice were the CSA Player of the Year Kris Commons, Mr Reliable Super Joe Ledley, the Greek Gazelle Georgios Samaras and Irishman Anthony Stokes.
Today’s result also put to bed the indifferent form shown away from Paradise by the Hoops, scoring three before half-time.
The result also allowed Lenny the luxury of introducing young Bahrudin Atajic for his first competitive debut.
All that’s needed now is a clean bill of health for next Sunday as Celtic go on to complete the domestic double.
Unsung Heroes Make Events A Success….
By · CommentsTime To Give Recognition!
Last night, along with Mrs Fanzone, I had the privilege of attending the 65th Celtic Supporters Association Rally in the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park.
The guest of honour was Celtic legend John Hartson and the Player of the Year was Kris Commons.
Phil Comparing The CSA Rally
Along with manager Neil Lennon, the Bhoys gave great speeches, thanking everyone involved and reiterating their commitment to the club. Also in attendance were current players James Forrest, Rami Gershon, Dylan McGeouch, Tom Rogic, young Bahrudin Atajic and of course Chief Executive Peter Lawwell.
Patron and former club captain Tom Boyd handed out the prizes in the raffle, some rather dubious I might add Mr Brennan!
During the evening several thousand pounds were raided for the beneficiary for the night, a worth cause, The John Hartson Foundation.
Now to my point.
I appreciate the effort the President Joe O’Rourke and Secretary John Andrews do for the association and they were thanked accordingly, but the man who keeps the evening flowing and makes sure everything is done is my good friend Phil Agnew.
Phil was at Celtic Park from 4.30pm yesterday afternoon to make sure what was needing done, was done.
Last year when the Thai Tims were here, it as the very same.
Phil gives his all to make these and other events go well. I think it’s about time he was given the recognition he deserves for all the hard work he does. Because in all honesty, it wouldn’t work without him.
While the two men previously mentioned were thanked from the stage, Phil was missed out. That was poor.
Even if they don’t appreciate the work you do, those around you do. Well done Phil.
Return of The Internet Bampots…
By · CommentsFriday Night In Blantyre!
That’s right fholks, the three wise men of the Internet,
- journalist and author of the best seller ‘Downfall-How Rangers FC Self Destructed’, Phil MacGhiollabhain,
- Celtic Quick News’ main man Mr Paul Brennan and
- legal eagle Paul McConville will all be guests at the Columba Club in Blantyre this Friday evening.
The night will be compared by Celtic Fanzones top man Phil Agnew and starts at 7.30pm.
Tickets cost £5.00 and some are still available from the club via Lisbon Lion John Fallon.
With all the speculation going on across the city as we await the second demise, it’s sure to be a great night.
If you want the inside track, get yourself along on Friday night. It’s sure to be a cracker…
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