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‘Why mention penalty soup boy?’ ‘you must be gutted Tom’ ‘Sore loser rugger boy’ Celtic fans slaughter Tom English’s Dens Park joy

Fans 3 hours ago
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If Celtic drop points or have any kind of set-back you can be sure that Tom English will be on the case, using his favourite medium of Twitter.

The Chief Sports Writer at BBC Scotland reacts like an excited teenager at anything resembling bad news for Celtic, two years ago he couldn’t resist criticising the club for expressing their condolences following the sudden death of Shane Warne.

That shameful episode forced the BBC to apologise for the actions of their egg-chasing expert, English continues to play with fire with any kind of repeat of the Warne incident likely to result in disciplinary action.

Last night’s 3-3 draw at Dundee led to the inevitable dog-whistle tweet from English, when you have never got close to a decent story in your career Twitter offers the attention that you crave.

After driving circulation at Scotland on Sunday off a cliff, English was standing by Craig Whyte long after the Daily Record had given up on their favourite billionaire, there was a warm welcome waiting at BBC Scotland.

Alongside Kenny Macintyre, Alasdair Lamont, Steven Thompson and Jonathan Sutherland the arrival of English ticked the diversity box for the state broadcaster.

An Irish accent that disliked Celtic and Neil Lennon was the perfect appointment, almost instantly he was affectionately known as House Paddy by his colleagues. Apparently he also knows about rugby but since no-one in Scotland cares for that sport anyone can pass them self of as an expert with little prospect of being caught out.

One season of light in among almost a decade of Celtic success has almost broken the big man from Limerick, he has backed every Revolution! Out of Ibrox and quickly made to look foolish as reality returns.

After placing his faith in Micky Beale in early 2023 English failed to learn any lessons when he scrambled on board the Clement Express.

Previewing the Moral Victory on April 7 English almost had his pom-poms out as he told the BBC website:

Under Philippe Clement, Rangers have dropped only eight points in 22 games. Expecting them to drop five or six in what would be six remaining games is a bit of a stretch.

Not really Tom, they took two points from their next three and finished the season eight points behind the champions.

Clement has won 19 of 22 league games since becoming manager in October. A victory on Sunday would mean that, in the entire history of the Ibrox club, only Bill Struth (21) and David White (22) will have won 20 league games in fewer matches.

They’re seven points better off in 2024 than Celtic. In Clement, we are seeing the kind of sure touch that has been, for so long, the exclusive preserve of the manager from across town.

In his short time, Clement has shown the restorative powers of Ange Postecoglou when he took over after the 10-in-a-row-that-never-was and the feelgood energy of Rodgers in his first coming, after the flatlining of Ronny Deila’s final season.

The Belgian has brought hope when it was previously thin on the ground. He has revived players who were looking tired and added vitality with some astute new signings.

We all know how that hope turned into a living nightmare, nine months on Clement is further away than ever from Celtic, much like English and his first worthwhile news story.

The astute new signings were Oscar Cortes, Fabio Silva and Mohamed Diomande.

Without doubt it is the hope that kills them, penning his tribute to Brendan Rodgers for winning Celtic’s 55th title in the springtime will be an especially painful piece for English as was Celtic’s League Cup Final win in December, surpassing the tally of the self declared Most Successful Club in the World.

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The incredible act of sabotage from the Union Bears that leaves their club second best, at best

Union Bears, Clement, Rangers, UEFA

A decade on, Andy Halliday’s deluded views on the Union Bears has put a spotlight on the issues at Ibrox that has the 2012 Tribute Act almost certainly condemned to live forever in the shadow of Celtic, Scotland’s most successful club.

Sustainability seems to be gaining popularity among Ibrox fans, they probably don’t know what it looks like or means but compared to their current miseries almost anything else would be acceptable. Much like a Player Trading Model.

Soon after formation, once Charles Green had been eased aside sustainability was the plan, the excesses of the first 18 months under Green were over with Ally McCoist’s wings clipped. There wouldn’t be any more stays at Trump Turnberry to prepare for facing Stranraer. No more league postponements because Fraser Aird was in the Canada u-23 squad.

Mike Ashley was the man, a successful and very wealthy English businessman who owned Newcastle United but his sustainable management of that club meant that they’d never be able to truly compete with Chelsea and Manchester City. Even Arsenal and Manchester United struggled to compete with the new money pouring into Stamford Bridge and the Etihad Stadium.

At Ibrox Ashley was one of the Founding Fathers, an initial shareholder who provided the new club with a kit deal that provided instant access to the biggest High Street chain in the UK. What a deal for a start-up.

Having been used to the excesses of Dave Murray that led to administration and liquidation Ibrox fans expected more of the same from their new club, even knowing the likely consequences.

The only purpose to a club from Ibrox is to trample over Celtic, whatever it takes. Whether it is from the overly generous Bank of Scotland loans or by cheating HMRC with a disguised remuneration scheme that attracted players that they couldn’t afford through legal means.

Ashley was going to change that, Derek Lambias was installed as Chairman in December 2014 just as McCoist was going on gardening leave with his salary doubled during his notice period.

Five players arrived on loan from Newcastle to help the side but the environment created by McCoist and the bloated wages of Lee McCulloch, Ian Black and Lee Wallace left the team doomed.

When details emerged of the retail deal it just became too much for angry fans unaccustomed to a club spending what they could afford.

The Union Bears were heavily involved in the protests, as was Craig Houston and the Sons of Struth. A number of fan organisations including The Rangers Trust came together as Club 1872 to do the leg work while Douglas Park and Dave King worked on buying shares. Paul Murray and his mate provided a running commentary for Daily Record readers.

Soon the loyal bears had a crusade to get on board with, almost all still believe that a dark plot was launched through HMRC to put their club out of business when the real architects were Murray and the nodding dogs on the Board of Directors such as Alistair Johnstone, King and Paul Murray.

Bears were convinced that Ashley was a wrong ‘un, apparently he wasn’t a true blue nose, he didn’t have the good of the club at heart.

The Sports Direct tycoon has some undesirable business methods but he does deliver success, he knows the High Street and has taken successful brands online to maximise profits. He is self-made, a British success story.

His only interest in the 2012 Ibrox club was to do the same, make them successful and deliver profits.

In England Newcastle were competing with six or more wealthy clubs with traditions of success, he could have blown £100m on transfers to win a League Cup or a one season visit to the Champions League but what was the point of that?

In Scotland there could be only one rival to a competent, well run club from Ibrox, with good management there was reason to expect a trophy split with Celtic and equal access to the lucrative Champions League.

Leigh Griffiths, Union

Ashley viewed all that and was chased out of town. Militant fans and the media demonised him, campaigns against shop staff on Minimum Wage deals were fawningly covered, if big bad Mike could be ousted and ownership returned to Real Rinjurz men all would be well again in the world.

That was the theory, a decade later an Ashley type figure is exactly what new CEO Paddy Stewart is looking for but the reality of sustainability is alien to fans that have watched Celtic trash the myth of The World’s Most Successful Club. Next season Celtic will be heavy favourites to win their 56th title.

The Ashley/Sports Direct moment has been lost.

When Llambias was bringing reality to Ibrox Celtic were managed by Ronny Deila. No harm, lovely guy, adores the club and all that but he wasn’t much more than a Stromsgodest level manager.

Previously Peter Lawwell had appointed Tony Mowbray and Neil Lennon as managers, the English Championship was as good as it got for both men in their subsequent careers.

Even with 10,000 additional seats Celtic were vulnerable. The laziness and arrogance of Lawwell was stamped all over the club.

Twenty months after beating Barcelona in the Champions League the summer transfer window had brought in Jo-Inge Berget, Dedryck Boyata, Alexander Tonev, John Guidetti and Mubarek Wakaso all on loan. Stefan Scepovic was eventually, reluctantly signed on a permanent basis.

Whether that was downsizing or managed decline is open to debate.

It wasn’t until the arrival of Brendan Rodgers in May 2016 that Celtic got back on the front foot, made ambitious signings, acted professionally in terms of preparations, training, tactics. The lot. They even treated Champions League qualification seriously after being outsmarted by Malmo and Maribor, once Rodgers was ousted it was the turn of Cluj and Ferencvaros to expose Celtic’s failings.

In Deila’s last few months the home crowds were dwindling on a game by game basis, the advantage of 10,000 additional seats was covered up by embarrassing banners.

When Sports Direct/Ashley/Llambias were in charge at Ibrox there was the prospect of sustainability, self financing, player trading and all the other aspects of the Wish List.

The Union Bears chased that dangerous thinking out of town, now they are campaigning and chanting for the removal of the Park’s influence. Graeme is a Director with Douglas owning more than 10% of the club shares, second only to King in the size of his stake in the club.

If someone can repay the £10m interest bearing loan and buy out his shareholding I suspect that Douglas would happily step aside, he tried his best, stopped Celtic’s second attempt on 10-in-a-row but has played his part is laying the foundations for a third attempt on it.

Halliday thinks that the Union Bears got it right with Ashley, maybe he should spend more time offering his skills to Motherwell rather than promoting more dangerous thinking among the Gullible & Deluded at Ibrox.

What terrible deeds was Ashley planning to hand out? A decade of winning three trophies or watching Celtic become the World’s Most Successful Club on the back of 20 out of 25 trophy wins while Halliday watched on at Ibrox, Tynecastle and Fir Park.

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