Tom English has a bee in his bonnet tonight because a Celtic fan, at the Celtic AGM, asked the club a question about the club across the city. Specifically, he asked what year that club was founded.
Some people in our own support rolled their eyes.
Many think this is a tiresome debate. But it isn’t a tiresome debate at all.
This is a critical issue.
What does it have to do with English that a Celtic shareholder asked his directors, on the one chance he gets to do so in a calendar year, a question which he believes has a material impact on our club?
He has a right to ask that question, and English’s arsey attitude is rooted in his own gutless failure to ask the same one in the grander context of the game here. Which, by the way, is his job.
My only disagreement with the guy is that he obviously hasn’t listened to the club on this.
Celtic’s position on this is crystal clear and it has been for a long time.
Our club’s position on this is not in the slightest doubt.
We have addressed it in so many ways. We did so publicly and fulsomely and without equivocation in 2012. We have done it on several occasions since in official statements and communiques. And the oblique references to it are so numerous that to chart them would take more than an article, it would take a book.
Our tagline, “One Club Since 1888” is an undisguised statement on it.
My problem here with English is that he is attacking the question as if it was some kind of utter irrelevance.
He still wants to paint this as some sort of fringe belief.
But that’s not the case at all.
Our club are amongst the only people in the country who have maintained a consistent position on this and have not shifted from it one iota. Celtic considers them a new club, found in 2012, and the only way we could make that clearer would be to project it onto the walls.
I have said before that Celtic should make a definitive, up to date, statement on this.
But the truth is, in all the ways that matter we already do.
The very public and prominent way in which we went about promoting the Australia tour and told the organisers, and Ibrox, that “Old Firm” branding was unacceptable – which, in turn, led to their club’s stroppy withdrawal and their pitiful PR stunt for our last visit there – offers a clear demonstration of what our view is.
I have no issue with the guy asking that question though and nor should anyone else.
It never hurts for our club to make it plain where it stands on this, even if we do it repeatedly in various ways. I do mind English and others sneering at it, because what it shows to me is their own basic moral failure on the matter.
As far as many of us are concerned, much of Scottish football is engaged in lying to itself.
I really don’t care that Ibrox lies to itself and that some in the press are happy for them to do so.
But don’t ask us to participate in the charade.
If you are a hack who knows the truth of this – and they all do, whether they want to admit that or not – then you can maintain your gutless silence as long as it suits you; when you start taking shots at those of us who are willing to call it a fiction … well, you better come to the debate with your guns loaded and your facts in hand.
I know what English’s answer to that would be; why do we care?
I am continuously appalled at having to explain this. Appalled.
When did it become a radical proposition to demand that our national sport be viewed through the prism of truth instead of fiction?
When did it become wrong to insist that our press and football authorities deal in facts instead of continuing to push an obvious and thoroughly discredited fraud?
Let me spell it out to English and anyone else who still needs this explaining; we have two choices here. We either call this out for what it is, every chance we get – as Celtic does, in many different ways – or we allow the game here to be dominated by a lie, and that in turn will allow other lies to proliferate and take hold.
Anyone who thinks that has nothing to do with us is howling at the moon.
I realise that a lot of people are more interested in an easy life than in confronting that lie, and that others simply lack the capacity for understanding why that matters … but I know who is on the right side of this, and I know that people like English are on the wrong one.
For a layperson that would be bad enough.
But he works for the national broadcaster and that makes his position on it unconscionable.
We can as a Club deny the OF monicker, that’s fine and dandy, but, and this is the big but, until our Board, our Club states categorically that Sevco/retitled The Rangers are only a new Club and are not 1872/3 depending on what “Historic”or Hysterical narrative you accept, then this question will be forever unanswered.
Excellent question, worthy of a truthful answer.
Uncle Tom English has previous with the infamous e-mail widely viewed
Years from.now when.all the hacks that were employed at the time of the BIG LIE retire and no longer need to disgrace their proffesion to keep their jobs ,tell the truth about the dead club
Will they feel they can tell the truth about the dead club .
The very fact that they all to a man maintain the fiction that ragers 1872 never died ,points to an across the board decision to create a fiction .
Also the hounding out of the profession of the meerest dissenting voice is a warning to the rest to keep their head down ,is as obvious as it is appalling.
Not a seeker of truth among them
Agree partly
Totally agree James how long has this lie been allowed to happen without challenging the lie you say Celtic call it out when the absent landlord st the time said they had great history Celtic are compromised because of our board’s need for greed they don’t care for us as a support Scottish football is corrupt to the core our club is spineless cowards who endorse the lie
I totally agree JC as I have been saying for a very long time that our board don’t care a damn about our fantastic support and as a pools agent 35 years they never take the time to meet any of us who work all year round and I would happily replace them with proper CELTIC fans
The FILTH died 2012 re-incarnated as the FILTH in 2012! SCUM THEN SCUM FOREVER!!
Mate.. I’m always happy to stick the boot in.. but it happened to us in th 90s.. McCann saved us. Were no longer 1888, if u want to compare the facts. Sad bur true. So be careful how you approach ut. Dint mention us lol
What are you babbling about.
It didn’t happen to us in the 90’s.
Yes we were close but McCann paid off the outstanding debt to the Bank BEFORE
the deadline the Bank had set. If he hadn’t met that deadline and the bank had passed it to
their lawyers, then and only then would Celtic have been facing the Administration process,
a procedure that would still have allowed Celtic to pay of the Debt and stave off Liquidation which is
FINAL.
The Old Rangers were placed in Administration when Murray couldn’t or wouldnt pay back the loans from his Bank. Whilst in Administration the Court appointed Administrators tried to raise funds and valued Rangers’s assets to see what could be sold to pay off debts. The Administrators are also tasked with investigating whether the business can continue to trade which in most cases is the Priority. Rangers problem was that, apart from the Bank , they owed money to a stream of creditors notably HMRC.
The business plan that the Administrators came up with, to keep Rangers going, was an offer to the creditors of paying back pennies in the poubelle of what was owed. This offer relied on all creditors agreeing. Unfortunately for Rangers they had pissed off HMRC with their hidden EBT tax avoidance schemes and their obstruction and outright lies over several years to the extent that HMRC refused the Administrators offer. At that point Rangers were placed in Liquidation.
Celtic never even came close to that point.
Bad enough that we have to put up with the Survival / Continuity Myth garbage that the SMSM publish but when our own fans don’t understand that what happened to Celtic was completely different to Rangers fate then trying to get them to understand why the difference is SO important.
As James pointed out, if SEVCO want to lie to themselves and their fans then let them get on with it, But don’t expect or try to force, which is what the Media ( Print & Broadcasters) others to believe the fiction.
If you accommodate one lie it makes it easier for them to lie again and about other important issues.
You only have to look at the State Broadcaster’s Scotland Branch Office to see the news that they broadcast about Celtic and the SNP Government belongs in a different universe to the one we inhabit.
No Old Firm. No 55 titles. No 150 years of history. Sevco is a tribute act.
Can you remember what Alex Thompson said about Keevins et al in the Clyde studio,he was absolutely scathing about what i surmised was their cowardice to report anything about What Rangers were up to.My thoughts are still the same Rangers but started cheating when they couldn’t keep up With Celtic turnover wise CHEATS CHEATS CHEATS.They paid the price because Celtic hoovered up a load of trophies and they still cant keep up with Celtic moneywise.
Excellent article, English needs removed from the BBC. Everyone knows they’re a new club but when the leading journalist at the state broadcaster won’t state that as fact you know that you have an uphill battle regards objectivity. All we can do is rise above them all.
Sorry.. to stop carnage ALL over this small country (Scotland) 1st rule, do not annoy the mass.. the lie was created out of fear to the lesser, it was never against Celtic it was to prevent costs to different councils.
Always keep your enemy close, do not annoy them.
Celtic have to agree or carnage will rise.
This is not a football situation it’s a political decision that we agreed to out of subconscious voting.
Can supports BUY a t-shirt saying ” 1 club since 1888″ love to wear that in Parkhead. (I live here)
We know it’s a new club, they know it’s a new club.they know that we know it’s a new club.
Never let them forget, that’s why I love it’s the main question English focused on, Idiot keeping it relevant and in the news.
A Thief Who Breaks Into Several Banks And Steals 100s Of £Thousands Over The Years He Is Caught And Sent Down!! When Released Is He Handed Back The Stolen Money!!! NO
So Technically The Question: What’s The Difference Why Were The rangers Who Stole Money & Trophies Allowed To Keep These Stolen Trophies. Same Difference If You Were An Athlete And Took Sport Enhanced Drugs!! You Are Heavily Put Down Afterwards Given Back Drugs! NO. “JUSTICE ” SHOULD BE FAIR ACROSS ALL FIELDS.
HAIL ?? HAIL
From his logic, I can only assume that T English agrees with “the Big Steal” and that Trump did win the US Presidential Election!! Unfortunately, investigative journalism died a long time ago and journalists no only peddle misinformation that has no basis in fact.
Remember Glasgow city chambers hosted a 150 year celebration for the new club, and its BBC SCOTLAND RANGERS SPORTSCENE/SOUND.
Only in Scotland.
Oh Dear….That vexed question as to whether Sevco Flegg-Sheggers (2012)….
Are a Brand-New-Entity, with NO HISTORY AT ALL….!!!!
Or some kinda Zombie-Continuity The R?nkers FC (Liquidated in the year of Our Lord, 2012)
Clearly, this is a suitable case for referral to the new UK Supreme Court….Brainchild of Sir Tony Blair….
This could provide a more balanced view of the issues involved in the case, including investigation of any outstanding tax HMRC, and the probity of individuals involved in the case..
Cabinet Minister, Teresa Coffe happens to be a fervent Celtic Supporter (Who-couldn’t-afford-the-bus-fare), and could raise the issue in Parliament….
She would have the support of Home-Secretary Sue-Ellen Braverman, who has a soft spot for the Bhoys….and has a picture of Big Billy raising the Cup in Lisbon, on her bedroom wall…
If ah hid ma druthers. we could assemble a Dream Team of Experts, to help them with the case :-
Baron Auldheid, of Cave#67, Happy Valley, Andalusia..
Sheik Ibn’ Canamalar, of Dubai & Partick..
Special-Agent Ernie Lynch c/o George Galloway Corner Shop Ltd (Croydon)
Lord Reid of Cayman Islands PLC….
The Ghost of Paul McBride QC
Ally McQuoist’s African Grey Parrot…
Not forgetting KevJ-49….
( With Sir Bournesouprecipe providing Tea & Sandwiches )
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THE END
Imposters, on and off field, who choose humiliation rather than humility.
John S,
That’s the best summation of the Sevconians I’ve ever heard.
Choosing humiliation over humility.
How low can one get. Such lack of self esteem that it’s preferable to accept ridicule rather than deal with reality.
Not just one individual but many thousands of them.
Until uefa publicly deny they are the same sadly this charade will continue, and I don’t mean the fake letter I mean when making the champions league draw they are referred to as the sane club .
Prominent PLC board member, revisionist Celtic historian and liquidation denier, Brian Wilson most certainly agrees that the Huns did not die in 2012. His chum, Blue Peter, did everything in his power to make sure that a club was playing out of Ibrox, post-liquidation. Lawwell cost the club untold millions over the years, in lost CL money. Future Celtic historians will look none too favourably upon these Quislings.
Hail Hail.
Interestingly the Cheif Executive also confirmed the existence of the 5 way agreement and all but admitted that he was aware of its contents.