Will we sell all of our season tickets.... If not, what can be done to save it....!

Lets not turn this into a petty squabble guys, just want to know what some folk's thoughts are on this, as i know for an absolute fact, that there is a large percentage of the Celtic support frustrated like myself, and struggling to justify renewing my book.....!

There is a meeting at the Hibs within the next week or so, and I heard the same about the Greenock Celtic (not sure about that though) regarding the buses for next season, as the may be cutting 1 or 2 buses, and bringing the size of them down.

I know guys who have been going to Celtic park for 50 + years, like myself, 20 + years who have went through the good and bad times, who are considering giving up the books next year too.

I was just wondering, what can be done to save it, as it stands, I am seriously struggling to justify buying my book again, due to prices, family life, quality on the pitch in comparison to the prices, and the board penny pinching!

It looks as though Lenny might be front runner for the job by a long way, and as much as I love Lenny, I will not be happy with that appointment. For me, Lenny has done nothing to prove he is ready for the position, he had 1 trophy to play for and we were embarrassingly knocked our by RC.

And it will be a more than evident that the board would be appointing a yes man in lennon, as his lack of experience will never allow him to argue with the board regarding funds etc...

With clubs who have ran buses since the beginning, Greenock Celtic, Port Hibs/Celtic, now cutting buses, this is a real problem, not just with me on this forum, there is obvioulsy a real issue that the board will need to face up to.

Any thoughts guys.... ???

 

Renew...........................let your heart do the thinking

1/ i am in the same boat as you but will not turn my back on the club, the good times will return
2/ we have to look to the future and forget what has happend in the past my man.
as for Lenny, he is no miricle worker but there is a change in the team and we can see it,give the lad a chance,who's knows he might do wonders, 5 wins in a row this season,surley that is a step forward from Mugga

keep the heed

 

Il be honest bud

Its not this season at all, even at the end of MON's reign, I started to struggle to justify renewing my book mate. Ive been through far far worse times than this with Celtic, so thats not even a thought.

For me its more the quality on the pitch, and the price of the books. i simply cannot see it getting any better. We are being charged EPL prices bud, but watching English League 2 football.

Ive let my heart run my head for years bud, but this whole thing about the "Celtic family" is a complete fallacy, we are a business, being run as a business.

What also Gauls me, and Im not sure if many would agree, is that as we are so loyal to the club, the board have taken advantage of this over the past few years, kept the ticket prices rising while the quality of the player on the pitch diminishes..... But for me, the club took advantage of this, thinking the fans will buy books no matter what.

But for me, theres a point when you have to make a stand..... !!!

there are some people out there, who would blindly buy books, even if the prices kept rising, and the quality got even worse, for me thats either madness, or having to much cash..... I am neither, I am a hard working class guy, who has additional costs with training etc.... But have always kept my book.

I have no doubt we will be successful again bud, but the fact of the matter is, I cant pay more to watch even worse.

I struggle to justify paying £100+ more a season to watch the likes of Samaras, compared to the prices When we were gifted with guys like Larsson, Lubo, Sutty etc....

 

understand,it's not just celtic, the standard of the spl has dropped, we know that
a ticket in my opinion should be at least a tenner a match,but its not the club have accepted higher prices for years and if it changed anytime soon we would be worse off
the players on show are down to the managers that pick them,Samaras looked good when he was on loan,he was a £6mill man for Man city so it did not turn out the way
it should have done.i am not defending him, he is * in my books mate and know where your coming from look at the Huns they have Smith who can get the best out
of ordinary players, we need that same mentality in our ranks.

the board do take us for granted but * i think they have learnt a lesson this season, if we all think like you we would be upshit creek even more.i respect your views

 

sorry this is way off subject but just heard that the scum are 100+139 mill in duebt (loan+intrest) and could in admin by the end of july if so they will be relegated to the first divison and start the season with -10 points hope this is true and have there spl title removed

 

Mate, I hope you are right when you say this season the board should have learned their lesson.

But for me, if they do not go out and appoint an experienced manager, who has been in the game and round the block, who has a multitude of contacts, and whom can attract a level of player from Down South for example, who will come up and more than adapt to the physical aspect of what we need to challenge Rangers, the il be very dissapointed.

By appointing Lennon, they will be doing it for no other reason than financial, and will know that he will not be in making demands etc... due to his lack of experience. Again, by doing that, the board will be taking us for a ride mate.

But again, hope you are right when you say the board would have learned lessons, but thats what Im asking mate, when you say taht, what will they need to do, and what lessons have they learned.

Cheers mate....

 

Mate, no offence, respect your opinions, but we are in a bad enough state right now without having Rangers in the league, could be disastrous for us.

Right now wee need them mate, for competition at least.

 

Season ticket prices have been frozen for a few seasons now and I expect them to be frozen again this year. Yes they are still too high but they aren't going up. We could afford the players of Sutton, Hartson, Henrik etc because TV revenues were much higher, there wasn't as big a difference between wages in England and Scotland and going into serious debt, therefore I don't decide whether or not I'm going to buy a ticket based on who is in the team because at the end of the day players come and go but Celtic will always be my team.

I decide on whether or not I'll renew based on firstly if I can afford it and the related travelling expenses and secondly if I still enjoy going to the games. For me the answer to both is still yes so I'm going to renew.

I hate the fact we are not winning, even more so the lack of effort we have shown this season particularly, however, I still enjoy going to the games so a run of poor results and/or a "poorer" quality of player in the team is not enough reason for me to not renew.

I think a lot of people won't renew because of the results we've had and/or because they simply can't afford it anymore, that's their choice.

 

There has to be a line though Danni!

You say the prices have been frozen, and yes they have, but we are still paying more than we were when the quality was so high, Larsson Sutton etc....

Freezing the prices are simply not good enough for what is being served up. Prices should and must be lowered.... Cant see it happening though....!

Celtic are my team too, I have been there with arguably worse sides.


For me, winning most of the time was a bonus, we were there when Rangers where so strong for 10 15 years, and we hard dark dark times.

But you say that Celtic are your team, and you would go no matter what.... You cannot be overly enjoying watching that side, and what if the quality lowered further, to the quality of maybe Hearts, motherwell etc.... and the prices stay as high as they would.

Would you still have that opinion.... !!!

Where does the line get drawn.... ???

 

where did you here this mate

 

This isn't a thread for discussing rangers, keep threads on topic.

 

It was a different financial landscape when we had the players of Sutton, Henrik, BBJ etc so you aren't comparing like with like by saying you won't renew now because we don't have that same calibre of player.

I've already stated that I think the prices are too high, however, I'm still willing to pay the current price to see Celtic play, everyone has to make their own mind up how much they are willing to pay, neither you or I have the right to influence them either way.

I'm not enjoying the watching the current team, but I still enjoy going to see Celtic as long as I still enjoy seeing Celtic and I can afford to then I'll continue to go. That's not just blindly throwing my money away, that's me making an informed decision on what I want to spend my money on, I want to spend my money going to see Celtic and therefore will continue to do so. I suffer the same disappointment as any other fan when we drop points or when we show no effort but for me going to see Celtic is about a lot more than the 11 players that pull on the hoops.

Maybe because I couldn't afford to travel to the games for a few seasons when we were at our best means that I just appreciate being able to go and cheer them on now, even if they aren't doing as well as I would like, but it's less to do with the result and more to do with being there when I can for me.

 

There's only really one factor involved when I'm deciding to renew or not and that's if I can afford it.

The quality of the player is going to continue dropping, therefore the quality on the pitch may continue dropping - this is something we have to get used too. So, quality of players isn't really something I take into consideration. Yes, we can still improve the quality on the pitch but this takes time and the correct management.

Large numbers of people not renewing, leads to further financial downfall and this leads to even lower quality on display. So if that's the reason someone isn't renewing, then they're contributing to their own downfall, in my opinion.

If I can afford it and I'm enjoying myself (not just when we're winning), then I'll renew.

 

Even if the prices were lowered by about 15-20% would make a huge difference to people staying or giving it up. Prices are far to expensive for the pish on show and has been been for the last few years. Next season will not be anywhere near 40+ thousand season ticket holders, maybe 30,000 as people will be able to pick and choose what games they wnat to go to. I am still undecided, may even have to split one with ma brother due to work and practice, no point paying £900 for 2 when only one will get used. Plus I just plain love my seat, been there 12 years now and was the first in that seat, kinda a part of ma erse now so it would be a wrench to give it up. But it is £520 then uv got europe (fingers crossed) making it £600. Just too much money.

 

Regarding the bold bit! what you have seen and been through, most of the older generation like me have seen and experienced it too.
i take it you have got back on side after a dismal season or two in the past, whats the diffs now? i beleive money was tight then as it is now

Mate,you have told me why you dont want to go back or pay for a season ticket,do you have any positives that would make you think otherwise?

 

Great post mate, cheers.....

Dude, I was there for the 9 in a row season and stuff, so things have been much worse in terms of winning trophies etc...

Then, there was always a chance for Celtic and Rangers to attract very decent players to the club, just look at the Rangers side of that time, then a few years later, we had McCann, Larsson then MON.... those times, we could attract the quality of staff....

But even then, and I think MON could see it too, the Scottish leagie was taking 2 steps back, while English football was taking 3 steps forward, and year on year the gulf has got wider and wider.....

I have no doubt at all, and will be putting my usual bet on Celtic to win the league next year, that success will come to Celtic soon. But while we are paying the current prices, and watching the quality on the pitch, it isnt as attractive as it once was.

I trully think Scottish football is dieing, and unsavable, again, I can see success coming very soon to Celtic domestically, but cannot see the quality on the pitch improving, as who woud want to play in the spl, against that type of opposition, on the pitches, the crowds etc....

And as a fan and now a customer, people will need to draw a line on what they feel is acceptable for what they are paying to what they are being served up.

I mean, if Celtic quality continues to diminish, and we are on a par with other spl clubs, like st mirren etc.... Will people still be willing to pay the prices to watch that guff.... ???

Again, as much a Celtic man as anyone on this board, have loyally supported Celtic financially for 20 odd years, while sacraficing many many things, but as I say, a line has to be drawn, and we as celtic supporters, and now the current regimes customers, need some gauruntees beofre people continue to commit.

The board has taken our support for Celtic for granted for far to long now....

 

2 years ago when we won 3 in a row eveyone renewed there books and the blue noses,this season more than any the fans have shown the board how * off they are and touch wood the board will have learnt from there mistakes.but guys we cant expect a large no of fans to not renew books and board to spend money that we have not got and end up like 95 nearly going to wall.we are celtic supporters for life and we must take the good with the bad.the club needs us more than ever before and we are all in it together,lets look to the future we have practically no debt,stadium built and training ground built,and i beleive a good board who are trying there best for us under difficult times.do we all want the blue noses winning every year and ramming it down our throats no.and when we do start winning we will enjoy it more

 

The only reason I wouldn't be able to renew is if i couldn't afford it and i'm struggling big time at the moment but i'm going to do it anyway.

All I can say to the people who are saying they may not renew is wait till the summer and see what happens money wise, I was thinking of not renewing myself earlier in the season but i've decided to just go along and do it.


Celtic to me for all of my life has been one of the most important things to me i've realised that as long as it's financially viable for me I will renew because it's celtic and I want to see us win, I don't care about entertainment value or calibre of player as long as we are winning it's dosen't matter and I am confident the board will invest this summer and the league will be back at celtic park next season, That's all i'm interested in.

I'm not a customer i'm a fan.

 

Im both a fan and a customer, as are we all, and thats a fact, there is no getting away from that while you pay for a season book, merchandise etc.....

There has to be a balance, People come on here saying they would pay the price no matter what, no matter how bad we are etc.... I tend to differ.

The game over the past few years has been ripped away from the working class man, and anyone who was there from the 70's/80's early 90's will agree, with the way the crowd is now in comparison to then.

The club is now being run as a business, another fact that you cannot get away from, being run by money men with absolutely no affiliation to Celtic. Some people on here tend to think that the board will invest in the summer, and are confident of this.... where does this confidence come from.... ???

Fan, Customer, Consumer.... Call it what you like, I like many many others have been there from the good to the bad to the good times.... but i feel with the current regime, they have taken the loyalty of the Celtic support for granted over the past few years, with minimal investment, while books went up then froze.

For example.... (example)..... Would you pay £600+ to watch a Celtic side who are on par with St Mirren etc.... ?

Because id say, the rest arent catching up, its the old firm who are getting progressively worse, year on year, while paying the massivly inflated prices compared to the other clubs.

Il say it again, We are paying EPL and La Liga prices, while watching football comparable to the English 2nd/3rd divisions.

Something isnt right there guys..... !!!!!

 

Viper it's your right to not want to continue to pay, if that's your decision I'm not going to criticise it, however, the constant remarks about things not being right, people need to see sense and draw a line gets no-one anywhere, just as you have a right to say I'm not paying for that anymore others have the right to continue paying if they decide to without being barraged at every opportunity to provide an explanation why.

Just as you have given your reasons for not wanting to pay, others have given their reasons why we will continue to pay while we can afford it, can't you just accept that it is our choice without the constant request for us to explain our decisions - even although in the numerous threads on the matter it has been explained?