Fergus McCann, the entrepreneur who bought Celtic in 1994 as the club faced bankruptcy [as per The New York Times], addressed the Celtic Park faithful on Sunday during the Hoops’ 3-1 win over Kilmarnock.
The club’s official Twitter channel @CelticFC shared a clip of his words, which included an apparent slip of the tongue that drew huge cheers from the crowd.
Watch as Fergus McCann addressed the #CelticFC faithful at Paradise! #CELKIL pic.twitter.com/zW1Cjlafxo
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) September 23, 2019
In his speech, McCann said: “I’m with you as I look forward to nine more in a row“, even though Celtic’s sequence of consecutive Premiership titles currently stands at eight.
Ironically, he purchased the club at a time when Rangers were in the midst of a title-winning streak that spanned nine seasons until ending in 1998, a year before McCann sold his shares in Celtic.
McCann had been booed by some spectators on previous visits to Celtic Park, as noted by BBC, but his words on Sunday elicited loud cheers from many in attendance.
These Celtic fans on Twitter called on the club to honour their former owner with formal recognition at their stadium:
When are we going to get a statue for this man or name the north stand after him if it was not for this man celtic wouldn’t have been a club he saved us come on Celtic do the right thing
— Kevinbebbington (@Kevinbebbingto3) September 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/conzo1977/status/1176162747127685120
Honour this man in a fitting way pls Celtic we owe so much to him. A statue, a stand, make sure he unfurls 9 in a row flag or presents the trophy this guy set the platform for our great club with respect to where we are right now
— Omar Rafiq-Bolingoli (@OmarRafiq14) September 23, 2019
Very good @CelticFCwhat are you going to do to show respect to the man that saved the club?
— Graham boli keen ey oligoli (@keeneyg72) September 23, 2019
Name the North Stand after him while he can be around to enjoy it
— Michael McShane (@michaelmcshane) September 23, 2019
I think he was at Celtic Park giving the nod/go-ahead for his statue that’s goin to be on The Celtic Way I really hope so!
— Philip M Gallacher (@philip_mulvanny) September 23, 2019
What did you think of McCann’s comments on Sunday and his ownership of the club in the 1990s? Comment below with your views!
