Last night, someone asked if I’d seen an article on my least favourite website in the whole world: Football Insider. They kindly included a link, thinking I might be interested.
And, to my surprise, I was—because although I would never have gone searching for that story, I was somewhat glad it had been brought to my attention. It clarified a point I’ve made before, but evidently need to make again.
The people running that site are a disgrace to the blogosphere. It is the absolute pits. Reading it is the mental equivalent of licking a toilet seat—deep down, you know it’s not going to end well, but it’s always a gamble as to which particular illness you’ll come down with afterwards.
I’m exaggerating—but not by much.
There are things that make me want to take a shower immediately after experiencing them, and reading that website is definitely one of them.
So, when I read the piece, it felt like vindication for every negative thing I’ve ever said—not just about the site, its publishers, but its writers as well. This particular article quoted Frank McAvennie. Now, regular readers will know how I feel about him—a low-IQ joker who, just because he once played for Celtic, acts as if he has some inside track on our club.
But that’s Football Insider’s schtick, isn’t it?
They parade ex-players or people with the thinnest of connections to the club or league in question, pretending that this lends them some authority. I’m sure it’s equally abysmal when they write about other clubs, but I’m not interested in those. I care about what they say about us—and almost all of it is utter garbage. McAvennie is one of the worst offenders when it comes to spreading ignorance, dishing out nonsense as though it’s insider knowledge.
The piece I was sent last night had McAvennie alleging some sort of rift between Greg Taylor and the manager, hinting at a conspiracy to lie to the fans by pretending Taylor’s injured, when in fact, they’ve had a falling out.
He offers no proof. No sources. He just tosses this shocking rumour into the air and lets it blow wherever it may, regardless of the harm it might cause.
Now, don’t get me wrong—I don’t think this will cause any actual harm because McAvennie is a halfwit and everyone inside Celtic knows that.
The website is a joke, and anyone who knows anything about football media or the blogosphere understands that too. But this is the sort of trash they perpetuate, and McAvennie has been at it far too long. This isn’t the first time he’s thrown out an unsubstantiated rumour, and Football Insider is only too happy to publish it.
Through all of this, he still pretends that he cares about the club, that he somehow speaks for it. He doesn’t. He never has. If he cared about Celtic, he wouldn’t spread garbage like this.
His behaviour is entirely self-serving. Stories like this do not benefit Celtic in the slightest, and the fact that he either doesn’t care or doesn’t understand that is shocking. But it gets his name into the public sphere, which is what he wants.
There’s a reason people inside Celtic don’t trust him, don’t like him, and don’t want him around. The idea that he has a single source at Celtic Park is wild—who would talk to him? Who would trust him with any information, knowing where it would end up?
To be perfectly clear, I don’t believe a word of this story. I have no idea where this clown got it from; I haven’t heard it anywhere else. It sounds to me like a wild fabrication, something he concocted in his own head and then convinced himself there’s some truth to it. It’s ridiculous.
Normally, I’d say he should be ashamed, but if he were capable of shame, he wouldn’t be indulging in gossip like this for an outlet like Football Insider.
No Celtic fan should give that website the time of day. Not one moment. It has gone beyond clickbait rubbish and is now actively spreading rumours and lies. That site is a scourge that should be wiped from news aggregators and, preferably, from the internet as a whole.
I’ve never heard of this publication until now…
I’ll certainly never read it for sure –
Had a Sevco fan on the mobi to me regarding this ‘roumour’
Clearly that’s where he got it…
Another Sevco fan they’ve made a mug of !
Greg’s obviously fallen out with Steve Clarke as well as he’s not playing him either! Or maybe he is just injured.
I can’t stand McAvennie although he was a good player, he’s as thick as and his only interest is money and he would sell his granny, just like Charlie Nicholas no friend of Celtic.
Indeed Dennis – The difference between ex Celtic players in The Scummy Scottish Football Media and ex Sevco and ex ‘Rangers’ (deceased c.2012) is as stark as it is tragic…
Even in the utter midden that they’re in at Liebrox they’re always positive about Sevco no matter what and I see it reported through The Celtic Blog as I don’t purchase online or in shops obviously !
Taylor withheld that he had an injury and tried to play through it – there is substance to this.
G fureat player ,but now should be known as Frank Mc Afanny
With respect James. Whoever sent you the story needs to have a look at himself or herself. The idea about giving enough value to Football insider to read one of their stories is bizarre in the extreme. Anyone with a brain knows they are a bogus blog and to be ignored completely. If you are daft enough to read their articles then more the fool you.
Great I think. My tablet is knackered
F.McAvennie is just a milton wanker who’s head is fill of wee motors the guy would sell his soul for money i hate him and that rat mo johnstone and Charlie Nic they are all turncoats scum bastards im surprised that they have not been battered yet honest they should be on the billy boys channel bbc eh cos they’re always slagging celtic who have won every title and cups without cheating but you dont hear the scum bbc telling what really happened to oldco ranjurs cheated for years using ebt sideletters eh its all quite about the liebrox cheats ..SCUM CLUBS SCUM FANS…
McAvennie is a clown but what about Taylor’s contract? Rodgers said ages ago he’d been offered one. He’s obviously not signed it. I don’t believe there’s a rift but the contract situation is a bit strange
I grew up in the Milton, just like Macca did and we both profess to support Celtic. That’s where it ends: I wasn’t good enough to play for anyone, let alone Celtic. Frank lived my dream. And then Frank fucked off. Tadger. Case closed.
James
Not sure why you are giving McAvennie the publicity he craves.
I met McAvennie at a convention in Windsor Ontario in 2006. A drunk trying to live down to his reputation and embarrass the club. A complete idiot
Yes an absolute tosser joke figure of a man now – personally jealous simple as , he’s not got a pot to piss in + this is what they do
Looks like Mcavennie is still sniffing the gear no one at Celtic would give him the time of day.
He needs to stick to facts instead of shooting shit.
HH ???
Anytime I see an alleged story, then see it’s Football Insider, I stop an think, that’s total pish !!
I heard this rumour the other day, regurgitated like it was fact. I didn’t know the source but I suspected it would be something like Football Insider. I obviously didn’t believe a word of it.
I am not a huge fan of McAvennie myself. He makes out he is some sort of source of knowledge on Celtic yet I don’t belioeve for a minute he has any great love for the club.