GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - NOVEMBER 27: Celtic's Team Picture during a UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 match between Celtic and Club Brugge at Celtic Park, on November 27, 2024, in Glasgow, Scotland. Back Row: Nicolas Kuhn, Auston Trusty, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Arne Engels, Alistair Johnston, Kasper Schmeichel Front Row: Kyogo Furuhashi, Greg Taylor, Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate, Daizen Maeda (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
The Daily Record has ventured back into their Parallel Universe to provide comforting copy for their declining Army of Readers.
At the weekend they were fed the yarn of how Phil Clement is on the verge of stunning victories over Spurs and Celtic that will leave Ange Postecoglou on the brink of being sacked while Phil Clement lays a near fatal blow on the dominance of Brendan Rodgers.
Today’s tall tales reveals how the persistence of Campbell Ogilvie created the Champions League which is about to bank roll Celtic to the tune of £40-50m from this season’s participation.
Like Dave Murray, Ogilvie was a revered media figure of the nineties, every word that he uttered was truly inspirational as he reshaped the football landscape with his wisdom and brilliance.
According to the Record switching the European Cup from a straight knock-out competition into groups was driven solely by Ogilvie, a man who failed to stop the wreckage inflicted on his beloved club by Dave Murray before the inevitable conclusion in 2012. Yes, that Campbell Ogilvie.
Sitting at his desk inside Ibrox he drew up the revolutionary plan of two groups of four teams playing home and away with the winner of each group meeting in the final of the rebranded trophy, the Champions League.
There would be no semi-finals with two rounds of knock-out matches needed to decide the last eight who would carve up the money with clubs not allowed to show any branding for their kit manufacturer.
Explaining how one man changed the face of European football the Record reports:
It may be more than four decades since a Scottish club last lifted European silverware, but Rangers‘ role in shaping the Champions League leaves a lasting impression.
Europe’s premier club competition was radically overhauled for this season, with the previous 32 club eight group tournament axed in favour of a new 36 team single league format – where clubs are guaranteed at least eight games, rather than the previous six. However it was former Rangers secretary Campbell Ogilvie who first mooted the idea of a league system, as he looked for ways for the Ibrox?club to maximise the number of European games they played after a barren few seasons in the knock-out format of the European Cup.
Initially the former Scottish Football League secretary saw his plans thrown out by UEFA top brass – twice. Before they eventually endorsed his push for a group stage format, leading to the formation of the tournament that would go on to become the most sought-after – and richest – in club football. Figures have shown that more than 400 million people watch the Champions League Final worldwide and the current TV deal is worth more than £1.5bn.
Yeah, and all thanks to Campbell who signed off on the contracts given to Tore Andre Flo, Ronald de Boer and others that were in complete conflict with the SFA rules.
All details of player contracts had to be registered with the SFA and SPL Â but Ogilvie kept quiet in order to keep Dave Murray sweet, retain his blazer and brogues and ensure that a serious challenge was mounted to Celtic who declared full payments and made sure that Her Majesty received Income Tax and National Insurance payments in full.
Stewart Regan later described SFA President  Ogilvie as being heavily conflicted, that is like saying John Beaton has a personal interest in the outcome of Sunday’s League Cup Final.
The second edition of The Trinity Tims podcast is now out, I’m joined by Eric Knott and James Forrest to discuss the issues that matter.
As well as the win over Hibs and looking at tonight’s match against Dinamo Zagreb we also discuss the failings of Celtic’s Youth Development, the ridiculous decision to put Beaton in charge of the League Cup Final and the likely outcome for the use of Pyro at Scottish football matches.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but was Ogilvie not one of the first recipients of an EBT ? Who actually helped implement it.
Edit: Yes, he told Chick Young that it would only pay for a good night out ho ho ho. Just £60,000 recorded for nice guy Ogilvie.
Lol all that is missing from that article is sevco should always have an automatic place in the Champions league format as it was one of their own that thought it up.
Just how much shite can the Scottish mugs in the press produce and get it out there,all these positives about sevco.
I reckon there is definitely some SERIOUS BROWN STUFF coming down the pipe about them,and the press are trying to get as much good publicity out on them just as fast as they can before it all hits the fan,pardon the pun.
Most definitely a Midori in the post for the scum fuckers.
They’re going baw deep on their hope of the deed club beating Postecoglou huh
Ah the Daily Rainjurz in full on battle-fever mode is truly something to behold.
Sigmund Freud however would tell you all this bravado was because they are properly 5h1tt1ng themselves that by Monday they will be the laughing stock of European football….. time will tell of course, but god and luck are usually on the side of the big battalions, honest mistakes notwithstanding.
Surname Surname’s are never good un’s and never to be trusted !
Just another ‘Dirty Campbell’ and the Rancid only an arsewipe.
Let’s concentrate on Celtic and our next 2 games. Just hope we perform as we did vs Leipzig tonight in which case I’d fancy an away win and in great place going forward. Sunday’s final again, if we ‘turn up’ we win.
COME ON YOU BHOYS IN GREEN!