As Celtic Eats Itself who do you think is benefitting?

Since 2013 the persistence, whilst up against great resistance, of a group of Celtic shareholders, attempting to hold the Celtic Board to account, has been admirable in its tenacious perseverance.

Last week in an article entitled ‘Time to heal or Celtic will eat itself – Resolution 11 Olive Branch for Lawwell and Celtic PLC Board’ we looked at Resolution 11 in this year’s AGM and how it appeared there was hope of reconciliation in that particular stand-off.

Little did we know that the Celtic support was about to get a taste of the disdain the requisitioners had experienced at the hands of this Celtic board and that the fear of CELTIC EATING ITSELF was not on its way, it had well and truly arrived.

When you consider Resolution 12, five-way agreements, complicity in a continuation myth, an unwillingness to affect reform in Scottish football governance, the granting of UEFA licences and a disinclination to challenge it, Celtic fans being called racists being met by stony silence, and much more besides, it would point to a board who couldn’t punch their way out a wet paper bag when it came to fighting Celtic’s corner. Yet when it comes to their own support, it seems they don’t mind landing a blow or two below the belt, if they feel their own position is under threat.

Using the ‘Thugs and Thieves’ publication to accuse Celtic fans of being brutish in their behaviour – perhaps via a third party of course so they could later deny culpability – has indicated a chasm opening between the board and the support.

To now be putting a message out there that neither Desmond, Lawwell nor anyone at Celtic called the support entitled seems somewhat disingenuous. If they did not, we look forward to the Daily Record being left off the invite list for access to press conferences or future interviews, for putting words into the mouths of the Celtic board, much like the Cynics are now denied access to the same for not toeing the party line.

Abusing the support and then telling them a few days later that we’re the ones who misunderstood is simply gaslighting us all. And that abusive and sleekit approach is something those requisitioners no doubt saw very much for themselves first hand. Now we’re all getting a taste of how that feels. It is not only far from pleasant it is unacceptable in a season where the Celtic support put their hands in their pocket more than most clubs support did across Europe.

And whilst this is being played out across mainstream media, socials and fans sites, we are opening up opportunities for others to go unchecked. As CELTIC EATS ITSELF who do we think is benefitting?

Well, our rivals are eleven points clear in the league, they have now been given a free run to their first ever trophy by our Ross County capitulation and are into the last 32 of the Europa League. Celtic meanwhile have exited three tournaments before Christmas and face a mountain to climb to get back into Ten-in-a-Row contention. There’s money to be made when Celtic stop paying attention and it’s at our expense. We are now giving the financial kiss of like to our rivals.

To get back in contention most fans believe that Celtic require a change in management but the board are even gaslighting us with that.

Sadly, we know now that Neil Lennon cannot get a consistently performing side together, yet for weeks now our concerns have been ignored. Subsequently, after Ross County, when the deed should have been done by the custodians of the club, the board decided again to pause, offer more time and allow our opponents another march on us, and tell us we’re the ones who misunderstand, we’re the ones overreacting and that they are doing what is best for us, dare I say in the company’s best interests, a phrase those requisitioners have become well accustomed to.

The relationship between fans and the guardians of the club has become toxic verging on abusive, and as theRangers steal a march, and while we take up the headlines with our civil war, our rivals are cashing in.

Their recent accounts were a shambles. The numbers smacked of a company that looks like it is trading while insolvent, and yet the scrutiny is nowhere to be seen in the media. Despite it being clear from their accounts that they are ‘all in’ or bust on this season our board sits on its hands when it comes to making the moves necessary to attempt to challenge them, and at the same time, if successful, end them again.

And in the favoured way of burying a story, while eyes are averted elsewhere, former Ibrox Chairman Dave King has decided to sell his shares to their support under the guise of fan ownership.

With a loan to repay to their former chairman and his shares to be bought, theRangers board, already struggling under a mountain of debts, were simply in no way able to do that. Yet Dave King who wants out and his money back, once again under no scrutiny anywhere, is fleecing their support yet again, selling his shareholding to their fans group Club 1872 at 20p a share. He is managing to do this while at the same time telling them it’s an altruistic act, that their true value is a ludicrous 50p a share.

In reality the constant dilution and production of share confetti would likely result in a truer value of less than 10p. Dave King is getting out of there and recovering as much of his money signed and sealed, as he knows this season is one almighty gamble for those he’s leaving behind. Glib and shameless he may have been called; stupid he is not.

Dave King rinsed theRangers support when he was chairman and reduced their share percentage by close on 50%, and now they are paying for his exit strategy. Club 1872 are letting King leave with his cash and interest despite presiding over a company on the very edge of collapse.

Yet we’re giving them oxygen this season when we could be suffocating them. It will take Neil Lennon leaving Celtic to have any chance of going head-to-head in a title race, but our board’s hesitancy is meaning that window of opportunity is diminishing.

If Celtic fail this season it is likely theRangers have an opportunity next season to head for the Champions League and the riches that come with it. Beating us once in ten seasons will put them on an even keel financially, as any financial advantage we have is likely to be diminished by the effects of Covid-19 on our finances.

Next season Celtic and theRangers could be going head-to-head back on an almost level playing field. If that occurs what is in the Company’s interests will need to be looked at closely.

Hesitancy now in replacing a manager cannot be in the company’s interests. Indeed, if we fail from such a position of strength and allow the financial injection to our rivals, you’d have to question if the company’s best interests are served by this board at all. It will certainly attract examination from the Celtic support, given it would amount to gross mismanagement.

When the requisitioners put their supplementary questions to the board at  the 14 December AGM, and as their Resolution 11 is debated, that phrase of ‘the company’s best interests’ may need to be examined beyond the scope of the resolution itself.

The media manipulation and demonization of the support this week , all the while sitting on their hands when action is required, is allowing money to be made from Celtic’s misery. Is that what the board also believe to be in the company’s interest?

Perhaps we should open up that debate as getting to grips with exactly what that means might mean we can find a consensus, because for now this club has gone off the rails and is heading for the buffers.

As this board’s actions continues to see CELTIC EAT ITSELF, others are closing the gap. It won’t take much from there to move ahead. I fail to see how any of that is in the company’s interest.

Niall J