Gary67
Well-known member
Matt McGlone's fanzine was (still is?) Once A Tim, Always A Tim.This time in our history brings back so many memories for me.
If i was on mastermind it would be my specialised subject. I was only in my early teens, but Celtic was my life then, it was a torrid time to be a tim, but just going every week was a buzz.
You are correct, there were many pivotal figures in the whole saga, from the guys who set up Celts for Change. Matt McGlone was the public speaking figure, he had a fan magazine i think it was called Not the View and it was sold monthly before games. It was superbly well written and thought out, very funny. I used to love it when there was a new issue, cos i had something to read on the bus home instead of listening to that fucking phone in, which if you think is anti-Celtic now, was a hun love in then with Jim White et al.
Celts for change was a movement the fans got behind. I mind they advertised their first meeting and thousands turned up, thousands more than they thought. These guys started the boycotts etc, starved the old board of income and brought things to a head. Despite being part of the old board, there were a few guys (Jimmy Farrell/Tom Grant/Jack McGinn) i think who walked out the door with their heads held high. In fact I think wee Fergus retained them, Grant was Stadium director, McGinn was maybe chairman for a while.
They were the guys who really wanted what was best for Celtic, but it was the Kellys/Whites who held the most shares. Apparently wee Fergus had done a deal with the Kelly/White block to buy their shares and when the bank gave the club 24 hours to deposit money, he told them to go and take a good feck, i'll pay the money to the bank only if you sign them over.
Dempsey put up a million and walked through the door with Fergus. He had money but was the mouth for them while Fergus preferred to do his work in the background.
They had disagreements on the way forward. Dempsey was a supporter first and i think he wanted to take on the huns right away. Wee Fergus had a plan and never deviated from that plan for any reason.
My pal bought tickets for a game and was charged for one too many.
His refund was a £13 cheque and it was signed by Wee Fergus.
Only one person cpuld sign cheques at Celtic, so every penny that went out the door had to go through him first. He never cashed it, he got it framed.
Not The View was Gerry Dunbar I think.
It was John Keane who put up the £1m to buy time for Fergus's money to clear the debt a few days later. Fergus's money took a few days to transfer from the USA. I don't think Brian Dempsey invested at all in the end.
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