The sold out signs were up for last Saturday’s game between Celtic and Blackburn. We need to now have a conversation about Celtic Face Value Ticket Resale. Celtic Park was not full against Blackburn yet some Celtic fans who wanted to attend had no option but to watch on TV. It could be the same this weekend when Norwich visit Paradise.
This raises the question of how we can get a system in place for Celtic season ticket holders to resell. Sold out games could see season ticket holders resell tickets at face value if unable to attend.
More people inside the stadium means more match day sales for Celtic. With so much technology at our finger tips it should not be too hard to develop. An easy to use App could be available for ticket re-sales after Celtic have sold out the stadium.
Not everyone can afford a season ticket. Pre-season friendlies are a great opportunity for a family day out and to introduce young Celtic fans to the match day experience. There was Anger and frustration expressed on social media last Saturday. Empty seats when fans wanted to attend makes little sense!
Celtic Face Value Ticket Resale could also work if fans want to offer their tickets at a discounted price or free to those less well off.
Timing is Everything it would seem for Celtic CEO and SPFL board member Michael Nicholson. He always seemed to be the quiet man on the Celtic board. In the shadow of Peter Lawell and out of limelight.
If he had he been appointed to the Celtic CEO role straight after Peter Lawell, it would not have been viewed as a positive appointment among large sections of the Celtic support.
When Peter Lawell stood down as Celtic CEO after the collapse of the Celtic team in pursuit of the 10IAR. Lawell enjoyed plenty of success at Celtic. He was also richly rewarded for that success. That last season was a disaster. It happened on his watch and he had to go.
Along with major shareholder Dermot Desmond, Peter appointed Neil Lennon as manager and Nick Hammond head of football. manager. The season just went from bad to worse.
Dominic McKay we were told was headhunted to be Celtic CEO. He arrived from Scottish Rugby at a difficult time at the club. After so much success we were suffering last Summer. The Eddie Howe saga did not help matters.
The reign of Dom was short. He stepped down after just two months in the job. Dom seemed a decent fellow when he addressed Celtic fan media with Ange Postecoglou. His reasons for resigning were personal.
Nicholson who was serving as director of legal and football affairs at Celtic was parachuted into the CEO role. Firstly on an interim basis before being made permanent.
Success on the field of play since the appointment of Ange Postecoglou as Celtic manager has meant that the new CEO had a smooth first season in charge. Apart from rumours of an appointment of security chief, Bernard Higgins did ruffle more than a few feathers in the Celtic support. Thankfully sense prevailed after a long silence from Michael and the Celtic board.
Michael Nicholson has been elected onto the SPFL for the forthcoming season at the leagues AGM. He will serve with Ron Gordon (Hibernian), James MacDonald (Ross County) Les Gray (Hamilton Academical), Graeme Mathie (Ayr United), Alastair Donald (Forfar Athletic) and Paul Hetherington (Airdrieonians).
Elected members will serve on the 2022/23 SPFL Board, with chief executive Neil Doncaster, chairman Murdoch MacLennan and independent non-executive director Karyn McCluskey.
Was Michael Nicholson, the right man at the right time in the right place?
Celtic are back in action tonight v Legia Warsaw in a pre-season friendly to celebrate the career of former Hoops goalie, Artur Boruc. The former Celtic number one, Artur Boruc The Holy Goalie enjoyed many memorable moments at Celtic making over 200 appearances.
David Potter, Celtic historian and author looks back at his time at Celtic.
Artur Boruc was with Celtic from 2005 to 2010. He very soon became a Glasgow character. Involving himself in certain other aspects of Glasgow life which weren’t always wise. But there was little real doubt about his goalkeeping ability. He made his mistakes – but then again the goalkeeper who has not made a mistake has yet to be born.
He so often rescued Celtic with a particular ability on a difficult day when the team were winning 1-0. Artur could produce a great save at the end and to preserve the three points.
His first game was against Artmedia Bratislava at Parkhead, and the team won 4-0. It was a pity that they had lost the first leg 5-0! But then again had Boruc been playing in that first leg, it might have been a different story.
Like most good goalkeepers – Charlie Shaw, Joe Kennaway and Ronnie Simpson spring to mind – Artur had the ability to inspire other defenders and to bring out the best in them. They knew that even if they did make a mistake, Artur was behind them. There was even a bit of arrogance about Artur – never in a bad, unpleasant sense, but a feeling that you won’t beat me!
There is a certain truth in that. Of the five seasons that Boruc was with Celtic, Celtic won the League three times, with one near miss. The other season was the Tony Mowbray season, of which the less said the better. Poor Tony simply did not have the temperament or ability to cope with the awesome demands of Celtic – and one feels that he could not cope with Artur either.
Gordon Strachan did. Boruc took to Celtic, rejoicing in the name of “The Holy Goalie”. He wasn’t all that pious, it has to be said. There were a few failings with drink, and with the fair sex, we are told, but he was not far short of divine status himself in the eyes of the support.
Of the three years that Celtic won the League with Strachan. It would have to be said that the players were not necessarily the best that have ever worn the green and white. But they were well managed, and they had a great goalkeeper in Artur Boruc. He played a large part in keeping wins as wins through inspired goalkeeping. He was often the unsung hero.
Except of course, he wasn’t really “unsung” and Artur made sure that he wasn’t. There was for example the time when he performed his religious observances at Ibrox. Those who couldn’t cope with religious diversity behind that goal couldn’t handle it. I can’t remember whether it was said that the Huns became Bears, or that the Bears became Huns, but it showed them for what they are.
Now, there is not a shadow of a doubt in anyone’s mind that Boruc was aware of the reaction that he would get. But it also proved the point that Scotland is the only country in the world, except perhaps Northern Ireland, where anyone knows or cares what a football player’s religion is! And how the bigots fell for it, leading to some crazy politicians and clerics claiming, breathtakingly, that what Boruc did was “a breach of the peace”!
There was also a T-shirt that he wore now and again asking for the Almighty to bless a world religious leader. Not everyone could cope with that in the west end of Glasgow either. Manager Gordon Strachan, not a religious man as far as I’m aware, stated quite blandly that it was not a “bad” T-shirt. “If it had been Myra Hindley on the T-shirt, it might have been a different matter” said Mr Strachan!
But all this must not disguise the truth about how good a goalkeeper he was. As well as three League titles. Artur Boruc The Holy Goalie also won one Scottish Cup medal in 2007, and two Scottish League Cup medals in 2006 and 2009.
He won 65 caps for Poland, but surely his greatest moment at Celtic Park came in the game against Spartak Moscow in 2007. Artur saved Celtic in the penalty shoot out to allow Celtic to qualify for the group stages. It was one of the few nights in recent decades where one can honestly say that “Celtic Park erupted” in a European context.
Artur also played for Legia Warsaw, Fiorentina, Southampton and Bournemouth – great teams all, but he will always be known as nothing other than “Artur Boruc of Celtic”.
It is of course folly to try to draw up a League table of goalkeepers, and Celtic have had many – McArthur, Adams, Shaw, Thomson, Kennaway, Miller, Simpson, Bonner, Forster, Hart and many others. It would be invidious to use terms like “better than” or “worse than”. Let’s just say that Artur Boruc The Holy Goalie is well worth his place as one of the greats!
The Kano World Golf day is being backed by Lurgan No. 1 CSC. The date is Friday September 02 at Maze Golf Club. A 4 Ball costs £200 includes a meal and a variety of prizes to be won on the day .
Any Business or CSC who like to sponsor a hole for £50 will have their logo or CSC club crest displayed on the day. The event organisers also welcome donations for the event.
See poster attached for contact numbers and more information
Celtic Soul Tees Back In Stock . All Celtic Soul Tees & Merchandise ordered over the weekend now dispatched. Thanks very much for the continued support.
Lisbon 67, One Star, Rude Bhoys, Celtic Soul & More than 90 Minutes all back in stock to have you looking sharp during the hot weather.
The Ange Factor this season has certainly added to the anticipation ahead of the new season. Last year we were entering unchartered waters but this pre-season we seem to be swimming with the Dolphins.
When Martin O’Neill arrived on the steps of Celtic Park we all felt that change was coming and a treble winning season followed and a few years later the European run to Seville.
Brendan Rodgers arrival at Celtic FC saw a packed main stand welcome him. He told us he would get the fans back. For a few seasons the Lisbon Lion Upper was empty with some fans staying away during the Ronnie Delia era.
Rangers died and so did demand for season books at Celtic by a section of our support. Sad but true. When the Rangers returned to the SPFL along with Brendan so too did demand for tickets.
Back then we felt something special could happen and it did as Rodgers Celtic team demolition of the Newco, 4 trebles followed and a return to Champions League nights at Celtic Park.
Now we feel the same, Ange delivered 2 trophies in his first season without a proper pre-season or time to get his team together but he chartered those choppy waters just like Wim Jansen did when he stopped the 10 and delivered the League Cup.
Ange built on the League Cup success and brought in quality from Japan and an unknown from MKD called Matt O’Riley during the January transfer window.
The League was delivered back to Paradise and automatic qualification to the Champions League brought calmness to pre-season and settling in on new recruits.
The Sold Out signs will be up for those Champions League nights just like it was for the Season Books. Pre-Season friendlies with Blackburn and Norwich are sold out. Flag Day v Aberdeen has also seen the SOLD OUT signs up.
The signs are good and confidence is high.
Prepare to see Sold Out signs throughout the season as Ange builds on last years success.
There are a limited number of hospitality options available for the upcoming fixtures, for more details and to book matchdayhospitality@celticfc.co.uk
Don’t miss the chance to secure a seat for any upcoming games with all the latest ticketing information available online, visit celticfc.com/tickets
Glasgow Poet, Erin Boyle chats to Celtic FC Manager, Ange Postecoglou on the Tommy Burns Story, the late great Bertie Auld, his own values and beliefs and the culture at Celtic Football Club on Celtic Fanzine TV.
Celtic return to action at Celtic Park for the first time since the SPFL trophy was lifted in the sunshine back in May. Old Uefa Cup opponents Blackburn Rovers who now find themselves in the English Championship will be the first visitors to Paradise and it will give their fans a taste of a foreign travel and an away day in Scotland.
One of our favourite Celtic Podcasts here at More than 90 Minutes Celtic Fanzine is The Celtic Exchange and after their pre-season break the Bhoys are back. Tino Miff & James discuss Celtic’s Transfer Ins & Outs, the evolution of Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic and give their thoughts on the teams pre-season preparations so far!
At this time of year the main focus is on what other players will be signing up to be part of the Ange Postecoglou Revolution, as the manager fine tunes his squad to defend the league title and to take their place amongst Europe’s elite in the UEFA Champions League.
Alexandro Bernebei and Benjamin Siegrist have joined Jota and Carter-Vickers in committing to the club, with Ange stating that he wants a couple of more additions ahead of the new season. Speculation and rumours will rage on about who that will be and we’ll look to bring you any news once confirmed.
Meantime some other players have now moved on – either on a permanent basis or on loan deals – with the likes of Karamoke Dembele, Vasilis Barkas and Ismaila Soro deciding to ply their trade elsewhere, at least for the season ahead.
The pre-season friendlies are already underway with some fringe players getting their chances, but expect the big hitters to return over the next few games as the squad prepare for that all important league opener against Aberdeen at Celtic Park on Sunday 31st July.
The Celtic Exchange is available across all pod platforms and on YouTube. Best of luck to the Bhoys for the season and continued success with the pod.
A full house is expected at Celtic Park for Flag Day for the opening game of the new season after season tickets sold out a few weeks back. Celtic have just put a limited number of tickets on sale for the game.
Kick-off v Aberdeen is 4:30pm, Sunday July 31. Match tickets are on general sale so if your planning on going grab your ticket. The only way to secure a place in Paradise is online now at eticketing.co.uk/celtic.
priced from:
Adult – from £35
Under 16/65+ – from £22
Under 13 – from £14
The game will also be shown live on Sky Sports and Celtic TV (for those outside Ire & UK)
