Like almost all matters around Celtic there are very often two very opposite views taken by the supporters that unite in support of the team.
Fergus McCann is one such figure, buying out the old family dynasties when the club was on its knees in the early nineties then departing five years later, leaving behind a significantly different club as his legacy. All on a heavy profit, perhaps as the only person to have made significant money out of Scottish football.
John Boyle (Motherwell), Eddie Thompson (Dundee United) and a variety of other successful businessmen tried to import their methods into football only to have their fingers burnt with massive losses and fan resentment as their legacy.
There is now a generation of supporters that never experienced the old Celtic Park, a sweeping terrace that covered three sides of the stadium, regular crowds around 20,000 and Season Tickets being a novelty.
McCann changed all that, brought the club into the 20th century, prepared for the 21st with a new look corporate board that has the Balance Sheet at the centre of activity.
Ongoing events at Ibrox have highlighted the stability that McCann left at Celtic, underpinned by a stadium that draws in 10,000 more fans per match which equates to more than £200,000 per fixture.
There were of course issues during McCann’s time in charge. He went through four managers in five years, delivered one Scottish League title and brought divisive characters like Jock Brown into the club.
McCann’s time and legacy will be debated forever by supporters, those that were around when he brough change through to the 21st century fans curious over a decade that brought turmoil, laid some groundwork and delivered just THREE trophies.
How should Fergus McCann's contribution to Celtic be viewed?
Celtic legend, he saved the day at the darkest hour
Successful businessman, all about the bottom line
Both, Celtic legend and great for the Balance Sheet
Top 5 Celtic Myths (a series)
1. FERGUS MCCANN is a Celtic great and deserves a statue/stand named after him
Investor buys low, builds up and cashed out.
A business man isn’t a Celtic great, he did well for us and also for himself. Get off your knees— MB (@melbourne88) August 10, 2022
He still bought a football club at close to rock bottom, so, low
— MB (@melbourne88) August 11, 2022
He did well for us. It says it right there in the tweet
— MB (@melbourne88) August 11, 2022
We’re allowed to disagree. I praised him in the tweet but that’s as far as I’d go
— MB (@melbourne88) August 11, 2022
You forgot building the stadium using only his feet
— MB (@melbourne88) August 10, 2022
Wee Fergus was the right guy at the right time:
with a period of pain as the focus was on the stadium / sorting out the business.
It was only years after he actually left that I fully appreciated his contribution – because my opinion of Fergus had been tainted by the constant negativity about him in the SMSM – which I tended to believe in my youth!
A statue or stand name is certainly not required.
He got what he wanted: a very healthy return on his investment.
The club’s financial stability today is possibly a sustained legacy of Fergus’ time at Parkhead?
Businessman or not he prevented what others failed to do & that was to come up with the good’s in time of need when no one else did.
Love him or hate him we owe a gratitude of debt to the man otherwise we might have been a hell of a worse off.
Some of the things he done I certainly didn’t agree with but will never forget what he done for this great club.
Hail Hail Fergus
Fergus was a modern business visionary that dragged an ailing family flop, run for social kudos and personal aims into rhe real world. He did so with vigour and pace to ignite 60000 crowds as the norm.
The legacy backed by the most 25 successful years in club history speaks volumes, the fact he left with a substantial return on his investment completes my total admiration of his 5 year vision.
My moniker on here is abbreviated
(FSTB)
Fergusslayedtheblues
Enough said
It could be argued that he is the man who caused the death of the blues (and I don’t mean in a music sense) because it was trying to compete with his legacy in terms of financial muscle/advantage that drove them to destruction.
No one will ever convince me Fergus is a anying other than a legend, he saved us. Yes he made a profit but who cares about that. think how you would all be feeling now had he NOT saved our club.
I met him a few times during that time and he was a corrosive arrogant…..person but we needed that.
Our club is run properly and professionally I don’t care what goes on at any other club, we are and always have been Celtic Football Club, one club, one history and had it not been for Fergus we couldn’t say that
We pay our debts, we are Celtic and Fergus is one of our many Legends, ghod bless the bunnet