Celtic after the takeover: The second half (1997-1999) – 'I have only my dreams'

Click HERE to read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4 of this five-part series.

In the two years after the 1995 Scottish Cup win, fans were hugely excited by Tommy Burns’ team’s brand of football, but disappointed as nothing else was added to the trophy cabinet. By 1997, the McCann/Burns relationship was at a low point, and this resulted in another change of manager. This time, Dutchman Wim Jansen took charge.

By all accounts, from the very start, the two men had a troubled relationship. It was not helped by the presence of a third figure, Jock Brown. The former journalist had been appointed by Celtic as General Manager and never got on with Jansen, the two men arguing over all aspects of the team and other issues.

Despite this, season 1997-98 turned out to be Celtic’s most successful one of the 1990s. After losing the opening two league (thanks to a misplaced pass from new signing Henrik Larsson), things soon turned around. The Bhoys first claimed the League Cup, beating Dundee United at Ibrox. And then things got even better by winning the league on the last day of the season.

Delirium was evident around Celtic Park and elsewhere, including a huge impromptu street party in the Garngad. But, once again, happiness did not reign for long. At the start of the 1998-99 season, it was time to unfurl the League flag. Captain Tom Boyd was joined by McCann, and boos rang out around the stadium. The fans were furious at League-winning boss Jansen having left owing to fights with Brown and McCann.

Jansen’s replacement was certainly underwhelming. ‘Dr Who?’ read the headlines as former Aston Villa boss Jozef Venglos took over at Parkhead. His would be an ultimately short stay, although before he left, Brown was out too. The unpopular General Manager was dismissed, much to Celtic fans’ delight.

This proved to be one of the only cheers the supporters had this season. Although there was a momentous 5-1 win versus Rangers in November 1998, ultimately the Bhoys failed to win anything, at the same time watching their Ibrox rivals claim a treble. Venglos was gone by the end of the season, eventually replaced by a John Barnes/Kenny Dalglish partnership.

In a reputational sense, 1998 was perhaps the low point of McCann’s time at Celtic. As well as being jeered when unfurling the League flag, media coverage of him reached hyperbolic levels. Lou Macari’s legal action against Celtic reached court, and it led to a judge describing McCann as “devious, dictatorial and arrogant.” The Daily Record then infamously had a front page which likened the Celtic owner to Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

When 1999 came, Fergus McCann kept to his word and departed Celtic, although even this came with complaints. As promised, he sold his shares, in turn making a huge profit (around four times his initial investment). Many complained that this money was being taken out of the club, but it was McCann who risked his money and described exactly the actions he would take.

There is little doubts that McCann can be a very difficult man with which to deal. An uncompromising individual with a very clear plan, this clearly comes at the expense of many social niceties. It is surely the case that many problems he faced could have been dealt with in a manner which less trashed his reputation.

In retrospect, it is remarkable how the Croy man’s reputation has altered so often. He was celebrated on his arrival; one of my abiding memories from the St Johnstone game the day after the takeover was a homemade bedsheet banner reading ‘Fergus is God’. However he then became seen as an enemy, notably evidenced with the league flag booing in 1998.

And yet now, his status as ‘saviour of Celtic’ seems to be the entrenched view. The collapse of Rangers in 2012 – and Celtic’s 21st century dominance – have focused minds on what the Scots-Canadian tried to achieve, and how his approach was proven to be the most effective. He did not pursue easy spending and headlines, when others pressured him to do so.

Arguably his most significant contribution was the stadium. As well as building an arena which matches Celtic’s stature, he also gave the club a longer term present. The 60,000 capacity makes it easily the biggest football stadium in Scotland, with space for around 10,000 more fans than Ibrox. This equates to a major annual financial bonus for Celtic compared with the southside team.

As an amusing aside, Michael Kelly’s 1994 book ‘Paradise Lost’ tells the takeover story from the Board’s perspective. As might be expected, it is hugely dismissive of McCann, not least his stadium plans. At one point, a bold claim is made, that “having studied the physical and financial challenges in this, I am prepared to state categorically [Celtic Park] will never be finished.” Indeed…

Interestingly, it is instructive to compare McCann to his rival, David Murray. In the 1990s, both men had very different public reputations; Murray lauded for his spending, McCann criticised as miserly. Indeed discussing the Celtic man’s long-term reputation, Murray himself once noted that “Only time will tell when they look back on [McCann’s] at Celtic.”
History has judged him, and judged him well. In 2014, he was invited back to again unveil a league flag; this time there was nothing but cheers, acclaim and celebrations. Fans now appreciate that his approach – though often highly unpopular – was the foundation on which Celtic’s recent successes were built.

And all from a series of tumultuous events in the early-1990s. Even when the football isn’t great, Celtic’s history is never anything but hugely exciting.

Matthew Marr