letters 116

talking hypothetically

Dear NTV,

Your excellent mag was made all the more enjoyable by the inclusion of the letter from Grant Lamb of Fife regarding Rangers FC's long and shameful history. (ntv 115) This touched a nerve with me as I too happen to share a lot of the sentiments contained in Mr. Lamb's letter.

I like to think I am a fair minded individual and I have many friends who are not died in the wool football fans but, if pressed, will opt for the, 'Well I like to see Rangers doing well... it's a more Scottish club, isn't it', line.

When confronted with this, I give them this hypothetical to ponder. Invariably they change their mind: Let's just say, hypothetically of course, that there was a football team somewhere in the world and for over 100 years that football team would not employ black people. Not only that, they never tried to disguise their racist policies and would publicly ensure no employees of the club would have any connection with black people. They would publicly practice overt racism at every given opportunity.

Now let's imagine how this hypothetical club would be viewed by the media. Quite rightly, that football team would be ostracised worldwide. They would be banned from competing in any organised league and the world's press and TV would treat them with utter contempt with relentless campaigns to have them change their ways or disband. This hypothetical football club would be an example of racism at its very worst and would, in all probability, be hounded out of its very existence .

Now as we all know, this isn't hypothetical, it has happened, and to the eternal shame of our press and TV they not only offered no criticism, they supported this racism and bigotry. However, it appears this whole century of shame has ben swept under the carpet. This is quite probably Scotland's darkest hour in its recent history.

Even as recently as last year when Rangers launched the despicable orange top, this was greeted by no more than a whimper from our esteemed radio stations, newspapers and TV channels. Every week their sectarian tunes are blasted from the official stadium PA and still our media sit on their hands, (or tap their feet). It's a disgrace of the highest order.

There is a story to be told here. A story that needs to be told. We have all stood by and witnessed this and done nothing. I would call on individuals much cleverer and more capable than me to bring this story to the public. Someone out there should blow the lid off the whole rotten place and make them publicly apologise for one of the worst cases of discrimination in the history of world sport. This happened right in our city right on our doorstep. I can just see Chic Young sharpening his pencil as we speak... Or maybe not.

Keep the faith, there can be only one.

JOE KANE
by e-mail

something for the weekend

Dear NTV, What a weekend the 18th/19th October 2003 was for the Huns and Half Baked Huns. Our beloved Hooped Heroes go nap against Hearts at the Stade de Paradise and a day later Rangers fail to win at lowly Motherwell.

Wasn't it fun to put BBC teletext page 327 (1 of 6) on hold to see the strengthened Celtic position at the top of the league and to note as well that the third force in Scottish football were actually fourth in the table. If the Sons of William continue this poor vein of form then they will secure zero points out of six from Man United and the Cross Dressers of William must have been well pissed off harking back to the grand old days when Celtic/Celtic reserves used to thrash their first team home and away in League/League Cup type fixtures.

Maybe I'm being a little harsh on the Hearts fans. Some of them may have left Celtic Park at full time on the 18th October quite subdued and mellow and simply went out and enjoyed (another) couple of Millers down the boozer. Maybe not. A laid back Jambo? More chance of a citizen of Dunfermline talking sense at the Sutton enquiry.

Up The Celts (but no graffiti on the wall please)

ALAN McBEATH
by e-mail

opportunity knocks

Dear NTV,

As a shareholder and devoted follower I have major concerns over the intentions of our majority shareholders, not the small-time investors. I feel there is an opportunity to move on from our recent achievements, purchase high quality players who want to play in a tremendous side and not just for the money (maybe just a pipedream- I know). We look to be letting this opportunity pass us by. Why?

Are the board trying to make Celtic look like a good investment simply in order to increase the share price? I appreciate the staff at Celtic are under pressure but feel a greater level of honesty is required. To benefit from the market open to Celtic PLC, investment is essential.

Yours in the Hoops,

A FLYNN
Edinburgh

refusal offends

Dear NTV,

My name is Peter Taylor and I am a representative of a company called Clydebuilt-Collectibles. We recently submitted some artwork to Celtic's merchandise department for approval/ license. After a few days we were turned down by the merchandise dept manager Kevin Crawley and also threatened with litigation if we tried to market the products ourselves. So we re-submitted the works to try and obtain a licence and once again were treated as pariahs.

As lifelong supporters and shareholders of the club we love we were shocked at their draconian response to our offer, and have decided after much soul searching to stand up and be counted and not be bullied by this man. I enclose a web address for you so you can see the artwork for yourselves and also to let you see what you and other Celtic supporters are being denied. We would also like to point out that this is not about us wanting to benefit from Celtic but about offering fellow fans the choice to see the work of devoted Celtic fans in an artistic capacity. These works of art are three years old and not something we came up with recently to try and jump on a financial bandwagon. They are under the products bas-stars and Ltd Edition prints within the website.

We hope you like them and see for yourselves what we and our future fellow fans are being denied. The Address is: S77559456.oneandoneshop.co.uk

Yours etc.

PETER TAYLOR
by e-mail

bursting issue

Dear NTV,

Could Not The View not start a campaign to get toilets built or portaloos in place near to the coach park on match days. If you were to get a form printed or one to print off on the website, then I am quite sure that with your help Celtic would listen. It's a hell of a nightmare when you've travelled from Ireland or England or Northern Scotland and can't even visit the club shop because you have to go into the ground an hour before kick off just to have a slash. Please try on the fans behalf.

WILLIE BURSTING
Leek
Staffordshire.

english celts

Dear NTV,

Here's a subject I feel should be discussed among all Celtic fans. I am a Celtic supporter living in England with mates who are also fans and who are English. We are just as passionate about the club as any fans anywhere in the world. Yet time and again we are questioned as to why we support Celtic. We have even been told that 'You can't be English and support Celtic.'

I have got mates who spend 15 hours travelling to see Celtic, and that's just for home games! They are guys who have season tickets, who have followed the club for years and that includes Europe and pre-season games, yet they still get questions about why they support Celtic. Surely this goes against all the principles on which our great club was founded, i.e. to fight against prejudice and bigotry, where anybody can support Celtic.

Hail Hail,

PADDY MOORE,
Thringstone Bhoys CSC

share issue

Dear NTV,

With regard to Celtic shares, I bought 500 of them when Fergus's stock came up for grabs and until recently I didn't realise that I had never been sent a certificate or anything regarding my purchase. I sent a letter to Celtic who then wrote to Computershare who sent me a letter saying that I would have to send a cheque for £47.00 before one would be sent out to me!

Meanwhile, I hear that some £4 million is going to be spent tarting up the executive suites and lounges with no money going to OFM. Where is this lot coming from? The last share issue?

Yours etc.

DEREK KNOX
Longhorsley

panto sketch

Dear NTV,

I feel obliged to reveal a recent story from my most reliable mole inside Old Trafford. Somewhere deep inside the bowels of the Theatre of Dreams the following conversation is alleged to have taken place during a meeting between Sir Alex Ferguson and Chairman Martin Edwards:

ME: Good morning Alex, how are you today?

AF: Fine Mista Edwards, you is jist the man ah wis waantin tae see.

ME: Really? And what can I do for you?

AF: Can ah huv next Sataday aff?

ME: Next Saturday off? Oh, I don't know about that. Whatever for?

AF: Ah'm goin tae a waddin.

ME: That's nice. Where's the reception being held?

AF: Thur's nae weception.

ME: There's no recpteion? That's odd. Where's it to be held then?

AF: The King's Theata.

ME: The King's Theatre? That must be frightfully expensive?

AF: Naw, no weawy. It wiz fifteen pounds fuh Jack an the Beanstalk, but ownwy a tenna fuh Awaddin an his Magic Lamp.

ME: ?

Yours Sincerely,

GERRY McNEESUPMOTHERBROWN
Carstairs

dodgy penalties

Dear NTV,

Big Eck was on Sky Sports 'Goals on Sunday' on October 12th. They were discussing a dodgy penalty in the Derby v Wigan game. Rob McCaffrey turns to big Eck and says that if you are a manager you never seem to get soft penalties like that one. Big Eck shuffles nervously on his seat and replies, 'I'm pleading the Fifth Ammendment.'

Couldn't have put it better myself.

HUGH BONKLE
Dallas