It’s rather sad that Charlie Nicholas doesn’t feel welcome at Celtic Park, but as they say, you reap what you sow…
Charlie Nicholas recently talked about how he feels unwelcome at Celtic Park and any visit he pays to Paradise is low key.
It’s sad really as Charlie served the club well over two spells and was a very talented player. Indeed he is one of the best young players to come through the Celtic youth system in the last fifty years. However he has no one but himself to blame for believing that he is now effectively shunned.
Nicholas was outspoken as a pundit
Charlie carved a decent career for himself as a pundit upon retiring from the game, and was a regular face on Sky Sports flagship soccer Saturday programme, as well as working on the channels coverage of Scottish football.
He also gave his thoughts through a newspaper column and wasn’t shy in sticking the boot in, often towards the club who gave him his chance as a footballer.
He consistently criticised Celtic
It was quite clear to many, including myself, that Charlie had a gripe with the club he professes to love, and he consistently criticised Celtic, whether that was from the boardroom to the playing side of things or the supporters.
No one expects to be giving a free ride from pundits just because they played for or support the club, but Charlie’s criticism went much deeper than that. For some reason or another he seemed to have a personal vendetta against everything to do with the club, hence the reason he feels shunned at Celtic Park today.
As a young player at Celtic Charlie was extra special
Anyone who watched Charlie play for Celtic in his first spell at the club will know that perhaps outside of Kenny Dalglish but alongside Paul McStay, Charlie was extra special. He left for more money, joining Arsenal instead of opting to follow King Kenny to Anfield. That was his big mistake, he could have stayed at Celtic for a little longer then left for a club of his choosing, or he could have gone straight to Anfield where the football was better than at Highbury.
He could have come back to Celtic but instead opted for Aberdeen, Celtic had to wait for a second spell from a player now a shadow of the bright young talent that lit up Scottish football.
An unfulfilled genius
Charlie had all the talent you could dream of, he was living the dream at Celtic and could have done the same at Liverpool. What followed after his 1983 exit may well be the cause of the way Charlie is. An unfulfilled genius with no-one to blame but himself.
Charlie is not a Celtic legend in my eyes and in many of you reading this, he is a former player. As such he would not have any problem going to games at Celtic or indeed any of his former clubs including Aberdeen. That’s another story worth re-telling another day.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
I can remember him starting out in the media. He clearly decided to show he would have no qualms about having a go at Celtic just to prove himself, his problem was he overdone it, in my opinion.
It is a bit of a shame he feels like that, but it is down to himself for it.
He has said he never went to Liverpool because he did not think he was good enough to get in the team ?. but he knew he was good enough to get in the Arsenal team, makes sense.
He also said he never wanted to go in 83, he was happy at Celtic, and he thought it was a bit soon for him to go. Charlie was offerd a new contract, for less money, I can believe that, the club wanted the money which was massive at that time, 650k or 750k ? big fee anyway, so the club made it look like he wanted the move, when in reality it was the club, according to Charlie.
He was some player, great talent.
Again the club for all….. Isn’t! The older I get the more I realize that Celtic is no better than the zombie neighbours! While the ranjurz all beat their partners and we all see the bruises Celtic just emotionally torments their partners behind closed doors…. Still abuse and that’s how Im starting to see the club for everyone! Wind ya necks in. The rainbow brigade and it’s band of merry sympathizers need to cop on.
Soup taker
Charlie Nicholas; ALLY’S GIFT OF THE GRAB. Publication: Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland) Date: Apr 6, 1998
“Ally McCoist is quite simply the best finisher of my lifetime.
Sure, people might look back on this Rangers legend’s career and not regard him as the greatest player, or the most skilful.
But that becomes irrelevant when you consider Coisty’s goal record.
Scoring goals is the whole point of him being on the park – and yesterday, yet again, he showed us all he’s an absolute master at his trade.
I believe his clinical second-half header has pulled him level with Celtic great Jimmy McGrory for the all-time Old Firm scoring record.
I’d love to see him go ahead of McGrory – and that means scoring again in next week’s massive league game at Ibrox.
It will be Coisty’s last chance – but the scene is now perfectly set for him.”
CASE CLOSED.