Hotel plans leave Celtic in a league of their own
NEXT month just so happens to be the 25th anniversary of the then Celtic board unveiling mouth-watering and for many reasons barely believable plans to move to Cambuslang.
For supporters who were around at the time, the Celtic View’s front page of that week has become almost iconic. “Paradise Found” screamed the headline accompanied by a picture of Chairman Kevin Kelly standing on waste ground holding up his hands as he surrendered to what was actually going on.
I t was all going to happen. A new 52-000 seater stadium complete with not one but two railway stations, retail outlets, a museum, cinema, bowling alley and also a hotel. Because Cambuslang, especially an area which was rumoured to have toxic waste under it, is the sort of place anyone would want to stay.
And as that’s my hometown, I am allowed to say that.
It was going to cost £100m. The club would move from Celtic Park within two years. And then launch their own space station. That last bit is made up. Incredibly, the other two pronouncements were supposedly true.
What actually happened was that within two years, Fergus McCann rescued the club from bankruptcy and the only flitting done took place in the boardroom as the directors were told to step aside.
This was a good thing for Celtic. Not that former director Michael Kelly saw it that way and only a few years ago said this about Cambuslang.
“The people who eventually took over were opposed to the move as it would have sunk their plans to drive the price of the club down. They opposed it and they got the supporters to oppose it as well. Football fans do not wish to leave their traditional homes. It was, however, the correct option.”
Turns out Kelly and his crowd were visionaries. Years before their time. About a quarter of a century to be exact. If only they’d had the money…
Celtic yesterday announced plans for a hotel, shops and a museum. No confirmation yet as to whether Glasgow’s fascination for ten pin bowling will be catered for. It will be built beside the stadium. The Cambuslang dream is officially over.
A Celtic statement read: “It is important to emphasise that considerable work and investment over a number of years would be required to bring this project to fruition.
“Celtic aims to be a world-class football club in everything it does. We are pleased to have made significant investment in recent years to develop the stadium and public realm area for the benefit of our supporters.”
What this means for the east end of Glasgow club is that they are as far away from the rest of their rivals as the board from 1992 were in relation to reality. Great for Celtic, not so great for everyone else.
A penny for the thoughts of David Murray when he heard about this. Actually, make it a pound because that’s the price Craig Whyte had to pay for getting the keys to Ibrox.
How is anyone expected to challenge an already rich club that can build a posh hotel in the car park?
Meanwhile, Paddy McCourt, the former Celtic winger, has joined League of Ireland side Finn Harps. The 33-yearold has been without a club since leaving Glenavon in December, cutting short his one-year with the Northern Irish outfit.
McCourt, who won five major honours during five years at Parkhead, has already turned out for the Harps during a friendly against Cabinteely and is expected to line up for the Donegal side when their season kicks off on Friday night against Cork City.
The 18-times capped McCourt said: “I’m looking forward now to being part of the squad for the new season and I want to play my part in keeping Harps in the Premier Division.”