Peter Lawwell

Very similar to the Joseph Geoballs quote 'If you've got nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear'...

 

I'm trying to find Where I have said we should ban anyone who disagrees with the board...

I see what you're point is though and I appreciate it. I'm not pro british and I'm not a republican (I don't believe it's a relevant debate anymore) If people want to be either of those then that's up to them, however if either of those embarrasses the club regularly like has been happening I don't want to just ignore it.

I think everyone has the right to an opinion, but when that opinion is portrayed as a representation of the wider support and the people involved expect you to support then because you share a football club, then That is frustrating to see. We have IRA sign at the linfield game and you're thinking going to cause controversy but not surprising get on with it. Then we have fans on top of that singing about the murder of lee rigby. It paints me as a celtic supporter in a very bad light even though I agree with nothing these people are saying.

You then have the same fans trying to pick fights with the board of the football club, witch is just self destructive.. based on seeing all this I'm surprised that you are surprised about people not exactly being supportive of the group involved.

 

I personally think a member of our board voting to cut child tax credits while representing a football club based in one of the poorest areas in Glasgow with life expectancy a few years ago lower than in Felluja, Iraq more embarrassing than a tongue & cheek banner and a few * idiots singing distasteful songs half cut but each to their own.

 

The political votes of someone else is none of my concern. He doesn't involve it in celtic football club so he can vote for who he likes. A few idiots in the street representing me singing a song you would expect to hear in felluja in iraq is something witch does concern me.

 

Not taken seriously, your reply is a peach.

 

PL if he can get Paddy over the line then he's a hero if not he can gtf!

Sent from my HTC Desire 530 using Tapatalk

 

PL has undoubtedly done a good job overall on the side of fiscal prudence but he isn't without his flaws. The previous 3-man panel of Park, Lawell & Manager which decided on signings was a throwback to the Kelly days and a sign of an arrogant, over-reaching CEO.

I have my doubts that we would have pushed the boat out for Rodgers had the decision been down to PL, for one it was a big financial outlay which he has shown an unwillingness to do in the past and secondly he would not take the post under the conditions that predecessors had.

Our recent success is not coincidental now he's taken a backseat on that front, the loosening of the purse strings last summer will see the club earn that outlay many times over with CL qualification last year (and hopefully this) and the inevitable huge fee we'll get for Dembele.

 

Always extremely dangerous thinking that.

 

Kinda thinking that leads to an Orwellian world, everything you do being recorded, everybody presumed guilty and treated like a criminal. After all, you shouldn't worry if you've got nothing to hide...

 

You sure you're on the right forum?

 

Meaning what?

 

"Oppressed"

"plastic rebels"

Sort of * you read on hun forums. You must be so proud.

 

Didnt Glasgow East just vote in a tory councillor?

I do struggle with this sort of thinking. Celtic are a global brand plc. Its strips are made by chinese peasants, they are backed by alcohol companies in an area of the world known for alcohol, they punt credit cards and gambling firms, and they charge their own fans 2.50 for a cup of tea!

They do all of this to make money to spend millions of pounds to pay rich players to play for them and hopefully achieve success. The board is paid to ensure this hapens.

That is the state of play and sadly if you want celtic to play at a certain level then this is just what modern football is. By all means object to all this stuff if you really see celtic as some sort of community, local values, club, but I think the fact that some of our board are tories is pretty low on the list of things wrong with celtic from a 'social good' perspective.

 

I'm not anti-Lawwell, I think he does an excellent job on the financial side and I even think he comes out of those published minutes quite well TBH.

Having said that, I don't want him and the rest of the board trying to decide for us what politics is and isn't acceptable at Celtic (and make no mistake, that is exactly what this is) for pretty much exactly the same reason that I wouldn't want to put the GB in charge of our finances. Even with the flares (where I do have some sympathy with the board's stance), I can't support their heavy handed, authoritarian way of going about it.

That's the crux of the matter really, they (and a surprising number of people) think that because they run the business, they run the whole of Celtic. Tell that to the previous board.
The board should decide how we run the business and the fans should decide what politics is acceptable* and where these two aspects of the club affect each other, there should be dialogue and compromise. It really is the only solution IMO. That runs both ways: when Celtic fans have a display that hurts the business, there needs to be dialogue and compromise; when the board harm the club by refusing to pay a living wage or buying strips made with sweatshop labour, there needs to be dialogue and compromise.

* And it's pretty clear what it is the fans will and will not accept BTW. It is abundantly clear that the GB's brand of politics (while definitely not shared by a lot of Celtic fans) is perfectly acceptable at Celtic. It is equally clear (for all that I am proud that on average we are more left wing than most clubs) that Conservative politics is also not going to see you hounded out of Celtic Park. By contrast the hatred for John Reid and the fact that that army thing had to happen behind closed doors speaks volumes about how acceptable it is to glorify imperial wars (both legal and illegal) at Celtic and imagine the reaction if that nutter had ever turned up at Celtic Park with his UDA (I think it was) paraphernalia or Di Canio had tried one of his fascist salutes while he was a player here.

 

Hi, Sween, great to see you involved in this debate. I don't disagree with any of your post; but I actually think you just strengthened Mickey95's argument rather than weaken it, mate.

 

Fantastic balanced post as always RR.

Get yer * back from China and put yourself forward as a mediator between the two sides.

 

The problem is, in Europe it is UEFA that decides what politics is acceptable. So it really comes down to whether you believe it is acceptable to invite punishment on celtic by celebrating the IRA. Coupled with the flares it doesnt feel like we are too far away from a much more serious punishment than a token fine. And from a board perspective of course they have to condemn any behavior that risks stand closures, etc. From a fan perspective, it just confuses many (including myself) that some would put their want to promote politics or light flares over the well being of celtic.

Where we probably do agree is regarding the broader "no politics unless it is officially sanctioned politics" position of the board. It is an absolute nonsense to come out one week and say no politics is welcome at celtic park, and the next week have British soliders jumping off the roof for an army charity. Or to condemn Bobby Sands banners but then celebrate Mandela banners. Their "no politics" is far more about a PR image than about anything else and it is frankly bollocks.

So I guess what is really needed in my opinion is a bit of common sense. Fans should cut out almost deliberately trying to get celtic in trouble in Europe. The board should cut out preaching about politics whilst promoting politics at the same time. It isnt really about the merits of republicanism or anything else. It is about doing what is best for the club.