Six years on from our memorable Centenary celebrations Celtic found themselves in a footballing wilderness. The families that had been associated with Celtic since their inception still continued to control the destiny of the club. The difficulty our custodians faced was a modern version of the game we love was in full bloom. European club football had been revamped which had introduced the riches of Champions League football & Celtic weren't invited, worse than that we also had watch on as our city rivals spent big money on big names on their way to five league titles in a row.
March 1994 saw the culmination of a long grass roots battle to wrestle ownership of the club away from a family dynasty. Celts for Change, Gerald Weisfeld, Stadiums in Cambuslang & a certain Canadian business man. The story is well documented & there are some fascinating accounts out there in print format to enjoy.
“The war is over..........The rebels have won”.
Twenty five years on from those rousing words and the heated, passionate struggle for control of the boardroom at Celtic Park, fans of the club can look back with the confidence & knowledge that they took the necessary steps to breath life back into the then ageing footballing institution, but back then the club & fans would need more than rousing speeches to welcome Celtic into the new footballing world. Investment in stadium infrastructure was a necessity after the tragic events at Hillsborough & the output of the Taylor report. The squad & management structure also needed an overhaul, so any hope of a quick turnaround in fortunes on the pitch would need to be tempered against the stability & growth of the business.
“We have new people, a new plan, a new vision & the strength to go forward"
Success in terms of silverware in the immediate years after the takeover was scarce, performances on the pitch improved & fans returned in numbers not only to support the changes in & around the new stadium, but also on the stock exchange. The hugely marketable brand name of Celtic was now being shared as a global trademark.
McCann stayed for his agreed 5 year stint at the club, just enough time to build a 60000 seated arena, the envy of many clubs all over Europe at the time. He watched over an increase in turnover, profit, season ticket holders & perhaps most importantly to fans, witness our first league championship in 10 years. Leaving the club to return to Canada, he has delivered success to a starved fanbase & stability & structure to allow the club to continue to grow into the new millennium.
The traditional success of a Football Club is measured by fans with the results on the pitch; in the 25 years prior to the takeover at Celtic Park, Celtic had won 12 league titles, 11 Scottish Cups, 3 League Cups & appeared in a European final.
In the 25 years since the events in March 1994 our honours won are, 14 League titles, 9 Scottish Cups, 9 league cups & a European final.
A winning team has been delivered on the pitch thanks to a well oiled & disciplined business model first introduced under Fergus McCann this allows us to maintain our place as the leading club in Scotland & in the wider reaches of the global football economy.
“....I can tell you that we have every intention of reaching the objectives that you want, which is Celtic at the very top"
I along with many other fans see Fergus McCann as the man responsible for the birth of the modern day Celtic Football Club & although the argument still exists that he left with huge profits on his original investment, he never hid that was part of his plan. His plan allowed the bills to get paid, the lights to be kept on & ensured further generations of fans could enjoy being part of a club celebrating being 132 years young this year.
