Millions served
I was scratching my brain for today’s topic when the following fact fell into my lap via Twitter.
This weekend Celtic Football Club shall break the one million fans barrier for the season along with only five other clubs in Europe.
Each of us will have our own thoughts on that impressive statistic but here’s some of mine.
For starters numbers like these confirm the club as a giant, one of the biggest. I never said footballing giant, though the trophy room polishing crew might disagree, but as an establishment and institution.
The facts speak for themselves.
Especially when we are the only one of those lucky clubs outside of the Big 5 European leagues,,we are truly able to look those who consider themselves ‘Big Boys’ in the eye and rightfully state ‘same number as you Sir!
Next, I like to believe this fact helped establish the club as a voice to be listened to behind the scenes, hence the heavy involvement in FSR.
I certainly believe stats like these can sway a player into signing on or not. There’s manys a big club outside the big 5 leagues,, Ajax, Feyenoord, Galatasaray, Red Star Belgrade, etc etc yet none of these other massive outliers currently attract equivalent masses.
Turnstile wise we are clearly the biggest ‘other’ club outwith the big 5 leagues and these huge attendance numbers will have helped convince UEFA to award Scotland that empty Champions League slot. This fact could easily be the clincher in signing players,,one can just imagine the agent and explayers sounded out explaining ‘its a huge club with incredible support, AND you’re playing in the Champions League!’
Sounds like most players dream to me.
The million number itself tells me the Club itself is doing something right, it’s clearly attracting many match day attendees from far and wide, as 16 Roads reported tickets for the Aberdeen match are at an unprecedented demand in Belfast. The sheer volume of supporters through the turnstiles alongside those who wished to attend helps give the PLC a position from which to state their strategy and custodianship is successful if ‘bums-on-seats’ is the measurement.
The Big Million convinces me that football runs through the nation’s veins, the national sport is truly part of the social fabric.
It’s ingrained,and while it’s pleasant to have a common pastime, love of your team or just the sport itself has seen folk being taken advantage of, the habit of attending being taken for granted. From a Celtic supporters point of view the closed top tiers during Ronnie’s last season laid down a great marker against board complacency.
So if you’re one of the lucky ones who have attended Paradise this season then I’ve good news for you,,,you’re one in a million!
By Mahe
sentinelcelts@gmail.com
Impressive figures.
90% are the same folk, week in week out.
Faithful through and through. Only 10% are transient supporters.
Harnessing the interest of millions worldwide is the challenge.
We currently have an open door to the Japanese and Korean markets.
I assume our commercial execs are pursuing every avenue.
Can’t recall who posted it but I read somewhere that the SPFL website was getting over 100,000 hits from Japan for its highlights package.
Converting even half of that into ppv would be hugely significant.
This one’s dedicated to big Red Magill – the voice of the people:
https://youtu.be/Qf_HoB6RRKI
HH. 🍀😎🎸
From my post yesterday:
I’ve been watching for weeks now to bag a ticket for Hibs game on 18 March. I noticed they went on sale yesterday and checked in. The game sold out in minutes so I missed the bus. As usual I bet the attendance on the day is about 2,000 under capacity. As it’s St Patrick’s Day on the 17th the hangover count may reduce the numbers even further. 😡😡
============
If we allowed season tickets to be recycled we would’ve reached the million mark sooner.
Some posters on here have mentioned that other clubs do it. Apparently including that new team that plays at Ibrox.
CFC – Thousands are sailing.
If ye reside anywhere on the island of Ireland – you’ll easily be able to obtain a ticket for Old Trafford,Anfield etcetera, etcetera.
You’ll easily get a flight to Manchester,or Liverpool at a reasonable price.
Try getting a ticket for a home game @ Celtic Park – you’ve got a major problem on your hands – then try to get travel to Glesga.
It’s off the scale
Gold dust.
My wee cousin is committee of the local CSC – Yogi Hughes – Aberdeen game? Snowball’s chance in hell – what about Hibs? 62 seats/tickets available – 185 looking tickets already – bear in mind that game is nearly 5 weeks away.
Phenomenal it is.
The Ange Postecoglou effect, perhaps?
HH.🍀
Increase stadium capacity to 70k minimum.
Old/main stand marvelous place, has to be replaced sorry to say
10k waiting list for Season tickets.
No brainer.
Invest, invest, invest.
Giant of world football.
Think about the future – one of the premier stadium in all of Europe – council also need to contribute, infrastructure ways – nightmare to get to the actual ground.
Amazing Celtic, amazing.
HH.🍀
“The Scottish Senior Football Referees’ Association is pushing the SFA to take action against Celtic over a banner at Saturday’s Scottish Cup tie against St Mirren.”
Didn’t even know this association existed, anyway none starter as there is nothing in the rules to insigate any action.
However if they want to introduce reform and change things then it works both ways. How about action taken against officials who can’t do their job properly, like the course of action recently in England, would make our officials accountable
16 roads
I think it’s fantastic that so many make the huge effort in time and cost to attend.
That’s real commitment.
I wonder what level of guaranteed income from season book sales would entice the Board to increase capacity and at same time upgrade the main stand.
An extra 7,000 season ticket holders ( 60,000) on an enlarged capacity say, 70,000 would allow
10,000 for away teams and walk ups.
Enough to mortgage a significant upgrade? With a guarantee from our majority shareholder?
MAHE
There’s no denying how impressive those figures are. Over a million,and on track for about 1.3m by the end of the season. It certainly vindicates the decision by Fergus to build a stadium that everyone told him we would never fill.
So,may I take this opportunity please to say to Keevins and all those other “experts”…
GIRUY!
Good morning, friends.
Yes, quite a phenomenal achievement Mahe and one that should be recognised.
The argument for increasing our stadiums capacity further is a tricky one. It’s the ole ‘supply and demand’ argument. We have over 50,000 season ticket holders in a 60,000 stadium and as a consequence, if you’re not a season ticket holder it’s very difficult getting a ticket for the bigger games. Raising the capacity to 70,000 would work IF this meant we had another 5,000 season tickets sold. Every season. On the other hand, a 70000 seater would rarely sell out, domestically at least. So if it would be easy to pick and choose which games to attend would season book numbers actually drop from their current levels? They probably wouldn’t but it’s a possibility.
Slightly related to this and a point that really annoys me is how observers often refer to the number of empty seats rather than the numbers in attendance. Celtic Park can have 9,000 empty seats dotted around the stadium, often in cup games. Our actual crowd might be higher than the other lot but their stadium tends to look more sold out than ours. If you see what I’m clumsily getting at….
16ROADS
It’s bad enough that you can’t get a ticket for the match-I’m sure that between us on here,we could track one down,maybe knowing of someone who can’t be there on the day-but to not even be able to travel? That is just crazy.
Hibs game in a month is sold out too.
JOBO
Yes,supply and demand is a difficult one. As is the question of where to put the decamped ST holders. Plus the TV cameras and press.
The last one is the one I keep returning to. That raising the main stand to similar heights of the others will impact on the wind and sunlight into the stadium. No point in a massive stadium playing host to a dustbowl.
Nicola Sturgeon resigns
SteveNaive
Wonder who they will pick down the lodge to replace her?
Just on Calmac ( again). To be clear, I was positing that St. Mirren have worked out a strategy of sorts to try to nullify Celtic playing it out. No necessarily by closing down the centre backs ( although teams will and do target Starfelt as his second and third touches are less secure) but shut down options in the next line. This targets and includes Calmac as his role is crucial in there.
Was speaking to a StMirren youth player once, a right back, and asked him who was a difficult opponent, really good. Without hesitation he replied McGregor ( an outside left then). Said his speed, speed of thought meant he couldn’t get get near him.
He points because others speed of thought isn’t like his.
Hides ? Nope, never.
Sturgeon resigning. My vote is down south,so not my concern. Not my party of choice either. But the succession battle should be interesting.
SteveNaive, your story about the player rating Cal the toughest opponent he faced, is not surprising to me in the slightest. Technically brilliant …rarely wastes a pass …and highly rated by every manager we’ve had in his time.
If you asked any Notts County fan what they thought of him as a teen, you would hear nothing but high praise. In fact, was he not more highly rated than £100m man Grealish? Again, because of his high technical ability, that is not a surprise to me.
I’d also imagine many managers have tried to prise him away from Parkhead, only to be told he is where he wants to be. Don’t know about others, but I think it’s a shame he won’t get the same praise for loyalty as someone like McStay has gotten …I don’t see the difference.
My admiration for him has only grown over time. HH
Sturgeon away. Keith Jackson exclusively reveals that Ange is the hot favourite to take over.
Our astonishing invincible treble season.
https://youtu.be/z9sLk41vPC0
Football as part of the national fabric points to a limited / unsophisticated society with a strange set of priorities.
I need to put my hand up as I am part of it — but it is a boast that hides a few skeletons.
We only have to look down south — weakest major Euro economy with the most valuable league.
Post industrialisation made flesh or bread and circuses to keep the plebs from the barricades?
The NU situation would suggest that football fans are easily led / manipulated.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
16ROADS
Hibs game in a month is sold out too.
Thanks for letting me know.
Prestonpans Bhoy… Senior Referees misunderstanding the depth of feeling by ordinary punters against both MIB and sitting Tory MPs and MSPs. The banner against Ross was much more about politics than it was about fitba! When did any support ever produce a banner specific to a linesman!
As always the referees have called it wrong, shoulda referred to VAR for a decision! 🤔
CMcG — my thoughts and a few ramblings …
He is a squad player for the team I think we are / should be / aim for.
His strengths are as an attacking / left sided MF’er who is mobile and has a step.
Good shot and was good for one goal every four games — one in three would be my target.
Fell out of games too much — MIA / just disappeared from the commentary.
However great to see him coming through the ranks.
Plus putting the effort in to build his career.
So to me he has always been a limited player — valuable due to his versatility but not a standout.
However he has been a bit of a slow burner — developing his game season after season which is still continuing..
Which would point to him being a thinker — learning the game / studying the game not just physically maturing.
He has stepped up when required and now he does a lot of the heavy lifting in the squad as captain.
However he is not a pivot / defensive MF’er — for one he is sheep dog and not a tackler which is a huge limitation.
He does not demand the ball and bring it out from the back.
Fair enough the modern / AP style is to let the CB’s start things but we drift to the wings all too easily.
We need more of the play to come through the middle and CMcG is nowhere near active enough.
Hopefully he can add some of this to his game but he still has a part time attitude.
Missing for long periods of play instead of driving us forward from the centre.
As noted in the past this is a minority viewpoint but honestly held.
Our MF has a lot of talent / ability but the mix is wrong.
RH is the key to all this — we need two others who will support his style.
We currently do not have this — hopefully we will have made progress for next season.
Incoming …
16R @ 6.57
We are on the right side of history — Max Boyce was right / people want to be there.
With current spending patterns our tickets are affordable — look at the BS @ M/Field debacle with dynamic pricing pushing the tickets up to £400.
That is the reason why there is now the inflation were are currently experiencing — too much cash chasing to little output.
We really need to look at how to make the most of AP and his — football — growth agenda?
Rebuilding the Main Stand should only be the start.
Or actually Phase 2 as we have the £10mill compo money that we should use to get things moving today.
What would be the best use of this money to develop the club?
Fan . Yesterday 2.28 .
Post any criticism you like, even of Cal Mac , if you feel the need , and being honest, your criticism never involves personal abuse, so your criticism is fine , just that I disagree wholeheartedly with it .
In my very limited inside knowledge of any ongoing within Lennoxtown , or Celtic Park, there’s a theme that continues.
Cal Macs professionalism , commitment, fitness, and ability are all lauded. Ange has confirmed as much recently.
I don’t have much time to go into detail, but one of your observations was that Cal Mac often returns a pass back towards the central defenders.
I can gaurantee that prior to receiving the ball he wasn’t stationary, and promise that after he returned the pass he wasn’t standing still.
We keep the ball moving. The players keep moving.
Patience is also a virtue, especially when in possession.
If I can ask you one favour . The next time you attend a game, watch Cal Mac, as much as is possible, rather than follow the ball . It might change your opinion, as to appreciate ( or criticise ) Cal Mac , watch the ground he covers , his positioning, his availability, his first touch , the whole package. Give it a try.
As for who I played for….. no one gave me anything in my pocket for playing the game other than expenses , but I have played against a few International players and with some seasoned pros , after or before their careers .
I wish I had a fraction of Cal Macs talent.
Ange appreciates it , trust him. We all should. HH
MM…here’s your incoming! Forget whether he’s a centre mid, a left mid or a defensive mid for a minute and think about how Ange wants us to play. Calamc is the captain for a reason, I agree with you he’s a slow burner and is improving and learning as he goes. He’s respected by the management and his team. They know what he is and he might no be the pivot you think we need but he’s pivotal to Ange’s system, it works for the guys making the decisions.
Here’s a wee stat for you – Calmac was out injured for 7 League games in October/November time, we lost 9 goals without him in the team.
In the other 18 games we’ve played we’ve lost 9 goals. 2 and a half times the games the same number of goals conceded!
In the same games we scored an average of 3.29 goals in the 7 games and 3.06 goals in the 18 games with Calmac, not too much of a discernible difference!
As someone might not have once said “There’s lies, damned lies and statistics!”
McCaff
Or as someone else once may have said about statistics –
Like a drunk hanging on to a lamppost- more for support than illumination. 👍🏻
CFC…I resemble that remark! 😁
“ missing from long periods of play “ !!!
Mitch .
How often do you go for a slash , at the games ?
Or for a pie ?
Or do you smoke on a regular basis and nip down to the toilets for a fag ?
Your Cal Mac analysis is similar to the dudes on CQN back in the day that said wee Jamsie is a coward and isn’t fit for the jersey .
What did they see , what were they watching ?
The same wee Jamsie that was taking cortisone injections against medical advice, to enable him to be fit as the manager was desperate for him to play.
I can only say that if you were employed as a scout, that maybe Xavi ,or Iniesta , might have been a midfielder who you rated ????
Everyone to their own but dear Doctor , that’s not an assessment of Cal Mac , it’s an assassination.
Ps
In Ange we trust. Enjoy him & his captain while they’re here .
Quite happy to Crowdfund any fine we get for the Douglas Ross banner,any excess give it to the GB Foodbank cause.
if Ange was asked who he considers the most important player in the squad, who do you imagine would be the first name he would say? I wish I could get a bet on it.
McCaff
😀some would say the same of me.
McC @ 12.40
Your numbers vs CMcG — causal vs coincident — discuss?
I would suggest coincident — repeat coincident / schoolboy howler alert / will I ever live this down? — other issues to take onboard …
Slow start to the season — only good performance was at home against TFOD2.1.
Even the DU massacre was tough going until 40 minutes.
The influence of MoJ in the team with CS being injured.
The influence of the CL games — took a lot emotionally and physically out the team as they progressed.
The influence of the upcoming WC and how some of our players got caught up in the highs and the lows.
Fully appreciate the influence of CMcG on the squad / team / training ground — just a case that he is not a DM / Pivot and for next season I would hope that we improve the balance of the M/F to help take us to the next level.
Nick Walsh for the cup final.
Beaton VAR
Add Clancy and Gollum ,i ,think there’s only 4 referees in Scotland
Bada
Nothing will happen we don’t have strict liability therefore no vehicle to pursue a fine or whatever. Here’s what I said on cqn earlier.
……..what angers me is that VAR’s introduction in this country has been shambolic without any impact on those causing the chaos.
Whether it’s complete incompetence, bias or both not a peep from the SFA or the invisible Crawford Allan. We have examples of them applying the wrong rule; handball inconsistencies; red card inconsistencies etc. These officials act with complete impunity however a four letter word and they are up in arms.
We had a discussion about official expenses on SC recently. Ref £850 others £450 plus misc expenses like 45p per mile for car mileage. This mob are a expensive protected species.
Afternoon all,
Time for a Spreadsheet on CalMac’ s stats. !!!!
Now I wonder who we could ask ?!?
🤔🤔🤔
AG @ 12.58
So where is “Wee” JF now — did he ever reach the heights that his talent offered?
I was always a fan of his — just a case that he never really grew up / developed as a player.
AMcG vs JF — JF was faster / more talented / better finisher.
However AMcG had a level of desire / drive / determination which JF could not match.
JF and his stress fracture shames NL / SB / the club in equal measure.
Playing on someone’s loyalty and team spirit to the point that they injure themselves is never a good look.
I think that we can add KT to the charge sheet.
The physical condition he was in when he left the club was a disgrace.
PB- Allan is quite happy to hide under his desk,telling us VAR is working perfectly, it is for 1 Klub, meanwhile he fires out his flunkies,Dougal, Clark,Young etc,to defend any decision against Celtic…….if you ever see these clowns,getting wheeled out to back up any decision against Sevco,please let me know HH
MadMentalMitch…as I alluded to the stats can be whatever you want them to be but it seems that if you don’t appreciate McGregor nothing I say will change that. All the stats do for me is offer a comparable record of players against other players, of course other factors can be introduced but as a snapshot of a League in progress Calmac’s worth to the team is laid out in numbers. You cite the World Cup, Champions League etc but the domestic business still goes on. So the stats show what is going on in the domestic scene irrespective of or despite external factors.
As Angel Gabriel says though…you’re seeing stuff a helluva lot of people aren’t seeing or not seeing stuff a helluva lot of people are! 🤯
McC @ 1.46
Lets see what happens over the rest of the season?
I have nailed my opinion to the mast and that is based what I see on the park.
Obviously you have your own views.
I just want the team to improve and at the moment the M/F balance is our biggest issue — to me anyway.
So lets see what the future brings …
CMcG vs Not Jacinda — never trust what the majority thinks / make your own mind up.
MM…what are you hoping for over the rest of the season? Calmac is a first pick and the captain and that won’t change. We’ve played 25 of 38, two thirds through, 9 points clear, superb goal difference stats, not lost a Cup Tie yet!
We all want the team to improve, you’re not alone in that. Yip, I’d like a better balance in the midfield, too. Euro progress for me is the real mark of progress but it’ll be next season before that happens, so the rest of the season is moot unless Iwata is put in the team as a permanent replacement for Calmac. You and I know that ain’t gonna happen unless Calmac gets a serious injury!
MM/MCCAFF
Put simply,there are three positions available in midfield. Our options are
CalMac,Mooy,Turnbull,O’Riley,Hatate,Iwata and Haksabanovic. There are others too!
All of them can play in various positions,various roles. It’s a good problem to have. I can easily remember times when a missing midfielder led to us having to drop a forward in there,or a defender. This problem is better!
McC @ 2.19’ish
Rest of the season — what am I looking out for?
Our performance levels — how well do we play and what does it tell us about the squad?
Specifically our MF performance levels — how do the players perform and how do they contribute?
My thoughts are that CMcG — as captain — will start every game.
Lots of opportunities to watch him in action in a lot of important games to see how he performs.
Very happy if he is our standout player — hopefully that means we are winning stuff.
We can then compare and contrast our views and dream of next season.
Thanks to everyone for the considered responses earlier, re increased stadium capacity.
Only thing I can add is that if increased to 70k we are under no obligation to fill the stadium for every home fixture – the extra 10k season ticket sales pay for the stadium upgrade, regardless.
FC Barcelona plays at the iconic Camp Nou that has a full capacity of 99,354. People from all corners of the world travel to Spain to witness one of the most popular football clubs in Europe. The La Liga giants enjoyed an average capacity of 71,564 in 2022, the second highest in the world.
HH.🍀
AFTERNOON ALL AND JIM can i add a few points to the callum McGregor debate between madmitch and the bhoy from govan cant remember his name🤩 that stint at notts county done callum a world of good, he came back a better player, he is someone id have in my team every week, howevah he does have a habit of going left then right then back to Joe, he should have a gander at some lions videos they were called half backs then, john clark and bobby murdoch always went forward never back or side to side,,but hey im an old fart only been watching celtic since 1964🤩🤩 another true story.LOL JIM if your lurking miss you on here buddy,,and that is a true story
Jobo Baldie
Good morning, friends.
Yes, quite a phenomenal achievement Mahe and one that should be recognised.
The argument for increasing our stadiums capacity further is a tricky one. It’s the ole ‘supply and demand’ argument. We have over 50,000 season ticket holders in a 60,000 stadium and as a consequence, if you’re not a season ticket holder it’s very difficult getting a ticket for the bigger games. Raising the capacity to 70,000 would work IF this meant we had another 5,000 season tickets sold. Every season. On the other hand, a 70000 seater would rarely sell out, domestically at least. So if it would be easy to pick and choose which games to attend would season book numbers actually drop from their current levels? They probably wouldn’t but it’s a possibility.
Slightly related to this and a point that really annoys me is how observers often refer to the number of empty seats rather than the numbers in attendance. Celtic Park can have 9,000 empty seats dotted around the stadium, often in cup games. Our actual crowd might be higher than the other lot but their stadium tends to look more sold out than ours. If you see what I’m clumsily getting at….
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Cracking post jobo. Great food for thought there. It’s all very well thinking we could redevelop the main stand and go to 70/80k but I think you have explained why this won’t happen. Just now at 60k and a successful team a season ticket is gold dust and spares are hard to come by. The board can budget around this. I am all for speculate to accumulate normally but you’ve really made me think differently about this one.
OK, i get it, I posted a quiz last night because the blog was quiet just harmless fun ,then the posts disappeared, think it was inquitisiv who said is the blog broke,,now i posted about calmac the blog has gone silent, yes i can take a hint,,goodbye and god bless all of you, another true story.hh
I’d like to see the list of teams who’ve inquired about Callum’s availability over his career.
I think we might get a shock at some of the teams on that list.
BP, any news on Jim?
Evening all,
Madmitch,
I’m sure Bletchley Park would struggle with some of your posts !!!
You must be murder playing Scrabble 😜😜😜
HH 🍀🍀🍀
BP,
Wheesht man. A few people answered your quiz last night despite it being set in a time when most of us were not born. Today you posted about Calmac and No one replied. Know what? It happens. People post all the time and get no replies or few. They don’t go in the huff and say they won’t be back. You need to stop this, it’s tiresome. People are busy working, maybe making dinner or generally not in the mood to post. It’s not personal.