Celtic fans don’t often get a free hit when it comes to sending a message to the board of directors at our club. But next Sunday at Celtic Park, we do have an opportunity to do just that. Hibs, who we just soundly beat yesterday, come to Paradise in an attempt to knock us out of the League Cup.
To say that we are overwhelming favourites is an understatement. But what our team is going to look like by then is anyone’s guess. We may have lost O’Riley, Kyogo could be out with an injury, and we might not even have a recognized striker. We might have to start the game with Mikey Johnston—if Mikey Johnston is fit, that is. There are a lot of variables here.
The chances of a Celtic victory are pretty high, though, and most of us expect a comfortable one, considering the state Hibs are in and the way we’re playing football right now. In different times and circumstances, we’d be able to field a slightly weakened team, but I don’t think Rodgers is going to do that. Rodgers needs to keep the momentum going, and I think any resting or rotation just won’t be tolerated at the moment.
The real drama might happen off the pitch.
No one really knows how many fans are on the Home Cup Ticket Scheme. Those fans are pretty much locked in, and they’ve already paid for their tickets, whether they attend the game or not. But if fans truly want to make a stand against this board, a near-empty house for a League Cup match would send a clearer message than just about anything else supporters could do.
Everyone wants to win every trophy at this club. Everyone wants to see Celtic smash the competition and win another treble. And that’s especially true this year, because if we win the Cup, that will put us ahead of the Survival Lie tally, and that’s important.
That’s why the team will give it everything, and that’s why a lot of people will be reluctant to boycott the game, even if they’re unhappy with the board.
But nothing will send a clearer message to the people running our club that tolerance has limits than a nearly empty stadium would.
And, you know, eventually that’s what it’s going to take.
It’s going to take the directors closing tiers of stands; it’s going to take another seismic shock to the system to make them understand that the fans have a breaking point and that they are pushing us dangerously close to it.
It’s not going to take an entirely empty stadium. It’s not going to take everyone not showing up. But if they look around that ground next Sunday and attendance is 20,000–25,000 down, perhaps then they’ll get the message loud and clear.
Again, no one likes to talk like this.
No one wants to have a discussion about potential boycotts and fan protests. For a lot of our fans, the very idea that we’re discussing this—or should be discussing this—is ridiculous. But you cannot be blind to what is going on. You cannot be blind to the fact that this transfer window, at this moment in time, is heading towards a disastrous ending.
Even the signing of Adam Idah wouldn’t, at this point, make us any stronger. The team will be the same one that finished last season, minus our backup striker in Oh. Even if we sign a replacement for Oh, we will be exactly where we were when last season ended. And some project player from another club at left-back, or some uninspiring Matt O’Riley replacement, won’t do anything to change the mood in the stands.
The simple truth is that the manager has been making the same requests of these people for the last 16 or 17 months, and he’s getting nowhere.
They’re not listening to him.
They’re paying no attention to what Rodgers needs and wants.
This is not just a failure to deliver; this is a snub. It’s them telling him to get stuffed. And the only way we’re going to keep a guy like Rodgers—or hire someone as good as Rodgers if he decides to leave at the end of his three-year deal—is by standing up for this guy at some point, forcing these people to have a change of heart.
I’ve got news for you: if they aren’t listening to Rodgers, they’re not going to listen to people like me. They’re not going to listen to the voices in the media who are calling them out. The only people who can really speak up and whose voices might be heard—the only people who can back the manager at this critical moment before the window shuts—are the fans themselves.
Sunday is not included in the season ticket. Sunday is more money out of your pockets and into that overflowing bank account.
Whether you want to spend that money or not, you decide.
Is backing the manager in the ground a better move than backing the manager by missing one game?
It should not have to come to this.
But this is where we are, and whatever your decision, understand that you didn’t put us in this position; they did.
James, I have to work a lot of weekends so I was never able to have a season ticket meaning getting tickets for games has become difficult. I therefore take every opportunity to see the team when I can. This weekend I would prefer to see 60 000 people giving it out big time to the board rather than an empty stadium. I will support the club long after Lawwell, Nicholson and Desmond are gone.
Lawwell doesn’t want Rodgers at the club. He had a good thing going with his conveyor belt of punts.
The more you read about the club, the more you realise it’s a tinpot smalltime operation run by rank amateurs, with the biggest amateur at the head of the club. The man who’se built the club in his own image over the last 20 years.
We desperately need new blood and new thinking injected into the club. Sadly, it’s nowhere on the horizon.
Brendan by all accounts has a good relationship with DD, is he using that to move the Lawell/Nicholson blocker?
It was the perfect result for Brendan at the weekend if it takes player action to spell out our deficiencies. Main striker off, his back up concussion injury soon after.
I speculated a while back Luke McCowan could do a great job for us. We should have paid for Miovski also. Both dynamic and Brendan type players.
Brendan is either being too laid back or he is waiting for our bubble to burst and we hit some bad luck/form. All together far too late, terrible tactic.
I have already bought the home and away kits but you can rest assured i will not be buying the tbird kit until something is done about these impostors who are running our club lawwell coming back to celtic was a disaster for the fans
So you are advocating a boycott. You are an absolute clown. If you think that the board will take any notice of what the supporters do or say. They are not interested in European success only the money it brings in. Boycotting games only affect the team. We are signing no one until O”Rielly is out the door, and even then it will only be enough to make sure we are the best in Scotland.
What’s your point? You recognise that the club doesn’t give a fuck, but I’m a clown for advocating some form of action?
I’ll give you a clue who sounds like the bigger clown, you dickhead.
I’m working this Sunday, James. I wouldn’t be going anyway. I’ve had a few emails reminding me I’m not on the HCT scheme. I’ve ignored them. I won’t spend any more cash on Celtic than I have to to guarantee my season ticket. As for Europe, when the board start taking it seriously, then I will.
Totally pissed off with the boards ineptitude. As for Paul 67 at CQN……
If I might complete that thought on Paul The Pharisee 67. He is great at beating his chest advocating for his master Lawwell whilst looking down his nose and sneering at anyone who criticises the parsimonious numpties on the board.
His behaviour is hun like, as someone else alluded to previously.
Bed wetters? I’d rather be a bedwetter than an arse licker.
Just checked, there are plenty tickets available. In another kick in the teeth to season ticket holders who bought or are on HCTS the price is the same £25. No discount, they really don’t seem to care. I’m getting angrier by the day. Make no mistake this is Lawell and his place men showing Rogers they are in charge. Our absentee shareholder must be happy collecting his dividends, because he would have removed these people in any of his own businesses the minute their ego’s became to large.
Be careful what you wish for James. If we were to go down that road it could be the beginning of the end for this season when it starts to affect the the team on the pitch. Maybe we could wait and see how things actually turn out. We just might be pleasantly surprised
I quite happily buy children’s gear from a factory line in China for whatever liverpool/man utd etc kit the cool kids in the class decide they support this year, but all their celtic gear comes from the official shop at £50 a go more. Not to mention taking them to games from Ireland at a colossal expense, even though the only ones I can take them all to are half empty early round cup games against modest opposition. Wouldn’t class myself as an apologist but was certainly more patient than most regarding transfer business so far this window but it is now getting ridiculous, so if they can hoard the money I’m going to start doing the same myself
Bought the season ticket what power do you have
There is still a helluva lot of Sonny’s “punts” hanging around draining a fair wedge of wages that Brendan clearly doesn’t see as starters…
I can’t see them being in any hurry to go…
Mind you – Sevco have their own colony of these type as well…
We are edging perilously close to the middle of August and still the heels are dragging along the ground !
The drama queen WTF. For a start, how do you know empty seats are anything to do with board disappointment LOL… Everyone knows the game will have slightly less fans, so you are trying to lay ground work to say “this is why”. … When in reality, it’s not connected in 90% of fans mind. What you are doing is the Straw Man Fallacy. We have enough at Celtic to complain about, creating scenarios in your head is not needed
Thanks for your input.
Not only will you be sending a message to the board but distracting the players you will have them wondering what is going on instead of their concentration being on the game. Is this blog affiliated to the Daily Ranger?
What a shite article to produce. Oh, we are not happy so let’s incite a protest attitude. Shocking statement to put out, regardless of your personal feelings towards biard members. To use your position as a podcaster to attempt to promote an action of no support towards our team and club is what I would expect from some charlatan across the city.
Nobody forces you to read this blog.
You can piss off.