Ideas, Anyone?
Morning,all.
MAHE covered Saturday’s game in yesterday’s article,and tomorrow he will preview the Wednesday night game in Aberdeen. A few of us discussed yesterday whether that was our best ever first half,with some fine old memories being dredged up. Kinda leaves me with nowhere to go for today’s article,huh?
Except for something that I’ve mentioned before. Much as we are generally agreed that we could do without three international breaks in autumn, they do provide us with some breathing space. A chance to take stock and relax, or to recharge the batteries. Maybe even do something entirely different for the weekend, a là the old programme on BBC1 back in the day. (Not that anyone was ever inspired to actually do anything different, we just switched the telly off and went out for a game of football!)
The alternative is relentless twice a week football, and much as we love it, it can play merry hell with relationships and the wallet. Especially at this time of year when both of those have to be taken into consideration even more than usual. Not everyone is fortunate enough to be in a relationship with somebody as Celtic-daft as themselves, and not everyone can afford the constant hammering that the wallet gets. Especially when Christmas is just around the corner, and has to be paid for.
Between the first game back last month, and the end of this run of twice a week games at the start of February, Celtic will play a ridiculous twenty fixtures in ten weeks, with only one midweek free the week before Christmas. It is a crazy system, caused in part by those international breaks (which cost us up to three matchdays each) and the league split which dictates that all games must be played before that (meaning that some post-Christmas midweeks are left empty for potential postponed games to be completed). And there doesn’t seem to be any way round it, either.
As a result, and particularly during this twenty game stretch when time and money are both tight and the bills have dropped through the letterbox, decisions have to be made. Which games are theoretically the least attractive? These are the ones that are easiest to avoid, even at the risk of missing a spectacular performance-like Saturday, for instance. I mean, we moan about there not being enough kick-offs at the traditional time of 3pm on a Saturday, then reward such an occasion with a meagre turnout? Tut tut, yet I can’t blame anyone who took that decision. Ross County or getting the Christmas shopping out of the way? Stupid question, really.
I know that almost all in attendance for our home games have already paid for their seat via the season ticket, but there are other costs to be taken into consideration. Travel and pre/post-match hospitality highest amongst them, with merchandise being another. It’s not really a case of not wanting to be there, or having too much football. It’s the simple economics of having too much football all at once, and just at the wrong time too.
I suppose that until someone comes up with a better plan, we are stuck with it. After all, 20% of those twenty games are in The Champions League, and dumping them from the calendar isn’t even worth thinking about! One is the League Cup Final, but we would be playing a league game that weekend if we had already been knocked out. And as I said,some midweeks later in the season have to be left available for previously postponed games.
So the upshot of the article is that I wasn’t in the least surprised by the empty seats on Saturday, and there will probably be more of the same this weekend against Hibs. But I’d be interested to read alternatives, which is why I’m turning the question over to the Brains Trust that we know you all to be. Any ideas?
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Above article by BMCUWP
As you will all know,the site finally nominated a charity to be the recipient of the generosity and largesse of yourselves,and I think you all deserve huge applause for raising just short of £2k.
⭐️👏☘️👍🍾
That period has passed,and a new charity has been chosen to take us through to the end of the year. A landslide vote in favour of
Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust.
Once again,CHALMERSBHOY has done the spadework via JustGiving.
Here is the link for the Lanarkshire Cancer Care Trust,our new charity which we will support.
https://www.justgiving.com/page/sentinel-celts-1722588284471?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fsentinel-celts-1722588284471&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share
This drive has already raised approaching another £2000,so join in. The more,the merrier.
Default payment method seems to be ApplePay,which won’t suit everyone. There is an option on the page to change that to your preferred option.
POTY Competition
sencelpoty@gmail.com
BMCUWP
Good lead article, as per. Despite your blatantly insincere flattery in your last sentence 🤣😅😅, I can’t come up with a brilliant solution to the dilemma of too many games versus too few dates. It’s like pouring a quart into a pint pot. The best I think we can do is to further extend the course that Brendan has already embarked on. Namely, to have a sufficiently large pool of players of sufficiently high calibre that they can be interchanged freely without a drop in performance standards while mitigating against burnout and resultant injuries.
Augmenting our striker, winger, midfield and fullback positions would be a start. Some difficult decisions would ensue, but that’s why we pay Brendan the big bucks!🤣
Leftclicktic and Prestonpansbhoys.
Just read back on last post. Thanks for posting the Cup draw!👍
HH
Iniquitous IV😊
I live in Leeds so leave my season tickets with a cousin to spread around the family if I can’t get up but even so some weeks our seat/seats are empty, we need a ticket exchange or to be able to donate tickets to Celtic Foundation rather than leaving them empty when we’ve a closed ticket waiting list.
CHARLIENIC
Good thinking. I clearly have more faith in the imagination and nous of my fellow fans than that world-weary cynical INIQUITOUS IV fella!
A ticket exchange scheme is certainly worth looking into. It shouldn’t be too difficult to operate online either. Give,say,two weeks notice online and the club can put it up for grabs at face value. Split 60% to holder,20% for admin costs and 20% for The Celtic Foundation and I think most people would find that acceptable.
BMCUW
Any ideas?
Summer fitbaw.
Good Morning Sentinels – Grand Day To Be A Tim…
big packy @ 2:43 pm,
How’s, things!?
My thoughts and prayers are with Joan and yourself…
You are quite right…
As you are aware us Airdrie Tims are well known for our forlock tugging;)
I’ve been telt…
“Give it up please”
So, no more dialogue, no more talk of forgiveness.
Auldheid, I’m giving it up – the monologue is all yours…
Have A Great Day Fholk
Hail Hail
I’m sure this has been posted on here before
https://www.arsenal.com/ticketexchange
I agree there needs to be some sort of official club run system.
On a sidenote re our blinding start to the season and the need for rotation during such a busy run of fixtures, (and without wishing to be a jinx), when was the last time we have had such a fully fit squad to choose from for such an extended period. Has something changed in the sports science or the way we train or have we just been lucky? We had the earlier CCV injuries and lost Greg for 3 or 4 games but that’s been it. Long may it continue.
AULDHEID
Sane problem. People go on holiday-some more than others!-and that too has to be paid for.
Ideas?
Scrap the league cup?
H3
Our rotation system was my Plan B article,even though it required some scoffing of generous portions of humble pie,given my earlier criticism of too many changes. I still think that the point was valid,too many players being introduced who were unfamiliar with each other,but I overlooked the (obvious) benefit that they would be more familiar with each other in the future.
BR has earned our trust,and sometimes I forget how he did that. Like knowing more about the game than me,for starters!
MAGS
I would gladly have seen the back of it in the last quarter of the 20th Century.
Good morning, friends.
The number of fixtures we play isn’t going to change any time soon. Neither are the required international breaks. So the real issue to address is fans having to fit in other real life things and, as others have already said, a ticket exchange scheme is long overdue.
Surely if the financial basket case can operate this – and they have done for several seasons now – then Celtic can??
I don’t know the fine detail but I think its along these lines…
> theres an upcoming game that I cant attend
> I go onto the site and put my own seat as being available
> Non season ticket holders can go onto the site to see what seats are available to buy for that game
> If someone picks my seat, my own season ticket card is automatically deactivated and they get sent a paper ticket, or something to print at home
> I get a £10 credit to spend on Celtic shops, Celtic get another seat sold for, say £30
> But if my ticket isn’t taken up by anyone else by, say, 48 hours before kick off it gets reactivated, giving me the option to just offer it to someone for free?
Or something along those lines?
A ticket exchange scheme makes sense.
If the Huns can operate one, surely our best in class executive can come up with a solution.
50% credit back to ST holder, 50% to club including a specified Foundation %.
The added benefit, one assumes, is that the one off attendees are likely spend on merchandise/ services at the ground as part of the experience – thereby bolstering revenues.
I’ve been batting on about a ticket exchange for years. I know Leeds and Man U fans down here and even a Hearts fan who is often in Tenerife. They are season ticket holders and use exchange schemes.
I’m fed up trying to get a ticket, being told the game is sold out then seeing an attendance figure around 58,500 😡😡
I did think we were starting an exchange this season but believe it didn’t work.
For a club that guards every penny they are missing out on ££££££ every home game.
I don’t get it.
I can understand the empty seats. It’s the half empty stadium , when the final whistle goes, that’s becoming embarrassing.
St Tams@9:21
I was having a chat with a bhoy in the association recently about the 80th minute exodus.
He explained it was due to the cycle lines on London Road. The two lanes are down to one and he’s stuck for ages if he didn’t leave early.
Personally I would get the train 🙃
I don’t leave the game early, ever, but I have a bit of sympathy for those who do. Whether to hit the motorway before the serious traffic builds or whatever their reasons it is a nightmare trying to get away from Parkheid. After last week’s Brugge game I got back to Renfrew at 11.45, nearly two hours after the game had finished. It’s an 8 mile journey that can be done in 15 minutes in normal traffic!
And St Tam’s…wi’ aw the moaning you do I thought you’d be a prime candidate for sneakin’ oot early! 😉😂😂😂
I suggested buying the Emirates Arena,as it’s rarely used,the Club could extend hospitality, supporters buses could fill sports bars ,cafes, .I think we would also need to be creative to have it used out with a match day,I think they have a gym which could be offered to ST holders at reduced rates,possibly try to use it for a food/drink / DJ type venue to coincide with large concerts at the Hydro/ SEC….meeting rooms,business facilities possibly, and build the much touted hotel behind the Emirates, if the need is still there.I don’t think expanding the capacity is feasible.
St tams
December 3, 2024 9:21 am
I can understand the empty seats. It’s the half empty stadium , when the final whistle goes, that’s becoming embarrassing.
———
Leggy, Benny the Ball’s got a lot to answer for 🤣🤣
Chairbhoy
Last word.
The purpose of forgiveness is to heal.
I’ll say no more.
Jobo
If a seat is not taken up say 24hrs before KO could it be put to the Foundation to dispose of to one of the local services to find an occupier or the Kano Foundation?
Additional emails been sent out for Cup Final tickets, if successful, available online from 2pm
I used to park at Tollcross and walk there to drive back to Uddingston after matches. 15-20 mins brisk stroll then home in about 10mins. Catching a luckily timed 240 was always good on a Saturday after a beer for quick route home as was taking the bike. I never left early, but I think those going southside have issues.
Scrap the winter break . Fans are being punished with expense before christmas with all the games etc on top of the obvious christmas expenses. Even with the cup games early in January a couple of league games could be squeezed in.
For a long time leaving on the supporters bus from Jock Stein stand car park was a nightmare.sometimes 30mins just to exit . Someone must have crossed palms recently as now its relatively quick and Strathclydes finest stop traffic to assist the amount of buses. Now takes normally 15 minutes to reach M8 going South. Last week a diversion caused by an incident closed off the route and buses went down through town. Took almost 2 hours to Ayr arrived at 10 past midnight. Chaos is the only way to describe it. Diversion after diversion all the way to Mearns. On top of that -5 in Ayr . Windscreens frozen over.
The things we do to follow Celtic midweek …….
What about, scrap the football !!!
Anyone for Cricket ? 🏏🏏🏏
😂😂😂
Aberdeen GK out for 6 weeks,2nd place a problem now
Frodshambhoy,
Stop slagging Benny the Ball.
Faster than a speeding bullet the way he gets us back to EK after the game 😁😁
St Tams,
Yes we do leave a couple of minutes early.Any later we’re stuck in traffic.
The EK Shamrock Supporters Bus arrives 90 minutes after us in the pub.
That a fair few jars 🍺🍺🍺
Ps
Don’t tell Mrs L, she thinks I get the bus 😀😀😀
Leggy
December 3, 2024 1:41 pm
Frodshambhoy,
Stop slagging Benny the Ball.
Faster than a speeding bullet the way he gets us back to EK after the game 😁😁
—-
Not to mention the valuable drinking time he saves 🍺🍺🍺👏👏
Cantwell front and centre on Sevco 2025 calendar……
I’m hearing Toronto FC are one of several MLS clubs interested in Luis Palma. Would love to see him sign but TFC first have to deal with finding a new coach (old one quit last week over the drone spying scandal) and the contracts of Bernardeschi and Insigne
AFRENOON ALL AND JIM AND MAGUA ,CHAIRBHOY from this morning, we are fine, thanks for asking👍 ye can take the bhoy out of airdrie bit ye canny take airdrie oot the bhoy,,another true story😎❤ talking about leaving parkhead, when I used to be a member of the muirhead celtic supporters club, our bus left parkhead at 5 and I was back home in glenboig at 5-30, another true story.LOL 😂 ❤
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS
December 3, 2024 7:11 am
CHARLIENIC
Good thinking. I clearly have more faith in the imagination and nous of my fellow fans than that world-weary cynical INIQUITOUS IV fella!
————————————
Hi Bobby:
My bad. I was reading the blog late at night, and completely misconstrued the issue you were asking us to address. I incorrectly assumed you wanted a solution to the congested calendar. Here’s the question I thought you wanted the Brains Trust to answer:
“It’s the simple economics of having too much football all at once, and just at the wrong time too.
I suppose that until someone comes up with a better plan, we are stuck with it.”
So I effed up, and not for the first time.😱. I can be cynical, but I share your faith in the imagination and nous of our fellow fans ( well, with the possible exception of Leggy abd Frodshams Bhoy.🤣😂😅 )
Keep on keeping on.
HH
Iniquitous IV😊
Leggy
December 3, 2024 1:35 pm
What about, scrap the football !!!
Anyone for Cricket ? 🏏🏏🏏
😂😂😂
I’ll give you a game if cricket but only if I can use my own cue 😃
Dont attract attention to virtual supporters as you never know what the PLC might come up with.
MIT- Palma linked with MLS teams in the rags today here
Good to hear we will be trying to strengthen again in January, and hopefully get a few out as well.
MAGUA has been asking me about games I remember, one was 1968 against Dunfermline title decider, we went in my dad’s hillman minx ,what a car had 4 gears 3 forward and 1 reverse😎😎😎anyway had to park about 3 miles away from east end park,,,when we got to the ground I realised why, supporters on the roof of the stand and on the floodlights, my god you had to have been there to witness it, tims from all over scotland and Ireland,thats something ill take to my grave👍
If the huns are that hard up,they could stream the AGM on Netflix…..
Big Packy,
re East End Park, that would be the night Big Jock marched across the pitch and ordered the supporters off the roof. I was there and remember it well….☘️🤔
The addition of Michael Beale to El Attifaq’s dream team management, led by Slippy G, didnt do much as they crashed to another defeat this weekend, this time 4-0 to Al-Ittihad.
How has Slippy G not been sacked yet?
If I was him, I’d quit soon …. if his record gets much worse, even the zombies wont want him!
Bhoyfromsky hi pal someone else as nearly as old as me 👍👍❤️😎
Seems the guy the huns wanted as Chairman has chased them…
This is funny 😅🤣😂
“Malcolm Offord’s move to Rangers to take over as club chairman has STALLED.
The 60-year-old was widely tipped to replace John Bennett in the role at Ibrox but it is reported that detailed talks over the last couple of days have failed to see an agreement reached between the club and Conservative Party donor. It’s believed it’s unlikely he will now take up the position.”
Big Packy, yep probably even older🤣🤣 I always found Dunfermline and East End Park a pleasant friendly venue, we were always treated well. That night we were behind the goal in the home end and had no problem.Also getting tickets was not usually a problem, staff would just remind us to behave ourselves..And big Jim Leishman was a true gentleman ☘️☘️
Getting away from CP is an absolute nightmare. There’s no getting away from that. It’s probably got worse over the last few years as a lot of waste ground has been developed on plus the Hoy arena being built.
However, I hope all those complaining aren’t the same ones who hounded out the old board in 94. These guys emptied their piggy banks to secure agreement for a brand new stadium with excellent rail and motorway links, car parking facilities to rival Disney’s Magic Kingdom, with no doubt future enhances like a helicopter pad and airport for DD to jet in. (OK – I’ve taken that too far!🙄).
But no, you hounded these guys out – and now we’re reduced to parking at the Forge or, in my case, a mile or so away up at Alexandra Parade!
Hang your heads in disgrace! Hingin’s too good fur ye!
How long til the zombies announce that Nils Kloppen will now be Director of Recruitment/Technical Director/Chairman?
BMCUW
Good lead article, and some excellent comments. On the subject of summer football, I have but one question. How in the name of the wee man, are we going to cram a whole season’s league programme into a 3 week period? 😁
Big Packy
I’m reading a David Potter book at the minute. The subject? Celtic legend Jimmy McMenemy aka Napoleon. A quite brilliant tribute to one of our most long-served players. As for East End Park? Dunfermline was always a smashing day out. Hope you are well. Best wishes to Joan.
Hail Hail.
cheers magua 👍❤ bhoyfromsky 👍❤