THE 1980s was a desperate decade for Kilmarnock. The glory days of the 1960s and early 1970s were a distant memory; the club had gone part-time with only Walter McCrae as a reminder of better times. Something had to change, and I still say I could pinpoint the moment they did.
Having been relegated to the third tier in Scottish Fitba, at that time as low as you could go in the senior game, Killie were struggling to beat what was, in-truth, a glorified Junior team, in front of less than 1000 bored out of their tits die hards inside Rugby Park.
The second half torpor was broken, however, when one of the Killie players went down injured in front of the old “Heyshed”. Hugh Allen was taking a wee while to get the injured player back to his feet, when one of the punters in the enclosure in front of the main stand turned round and fired a volley of abuse at the Directors.
Emboldened by the reaction he got from those around him, he came back with a second volley, this time earning applause from the scattering of fans in the stand. Then, one of the stand punters got in on the act, standing up and launching a tirade of abuse, emphasised by finger-pointing at the Board. Thiss got most of the rest of the standites excited. Then, Walter stood up and glared at the conductor of this uprising. Now, usually, a hard glare from Walter was enough to bring the fans to heel – not this time, a fuse had been lit.
Fortunately, Hughie Allen saved the day, he got the injured player back on his feet and into the game, which re-started. However, at the end of the game, a large congregation of fans gathered in front of the main door, chanting: “Sack the Board.” Again, the default position in the face of such disloyalty, sending Walter out to chase them off, failed and we in the press box knew – change was coming.
In what seemed like no time at all, Bobby Fleeting was Chairman, Brother Jim was Manager and while it hasn't all been plain sailing, the club has never looked back.
Bobby Fleeting's first act was to demolish the old toilets behind the main stand, it was an inspired move, pulling down a stinking edifice which reflected where the club had been.
Of course, what worked for Kilmarnock, and, there have been similar popular uprisings elsewhere among Scotland's provincial “diddy teams” might not necessarily work with The Big Two. Indeed, they have had their days of unrest and uproar, got over them and simply carried-on as normal.
However, it is worth speculating on what might happen, should a disgruntled fan sitting in the posh seats at Ibrox or Celtic Park suddenly unleash a verbal volley in the direction of the respective High Heid Yins. I dare say a speedy intervension from the Board's “Henchmen” and perhaps a slight accident, falling down the stairs on the way out, might quell the revolution at source.
It's almost impossible to see it happening, although legend tells us Celtic had to go to Albion Rovers and win to avoid relegation back in 1948, but I doubt if even a season at the foot of the Premiership for either club would bring about change. Sure, if the current Rangers malaise continues, we will see another patsy come in to replace Russell Martin, however, whoever gets possession of what is looking increasingly like a poisoned chalice, we will surely see the same-old, same-old, failing management model being implemented, with the same lack of success.
Sunday's Old Firm Game really should have been shown on Porn Hub rather than Sky, it was that offensive. The fitba was lower league Junior level.
We know this is arguably the worst Rangers' squad in living memory – but Celtic could not score against them – far less beat them. What does that say about Celtic? That they could not score past a defence which has repeatedly shown itself incapable of keeping hens oot o' a close is absolute condemnation of the ability of the team which tops our top league.
I have been saying for years, Scottish fitba is a disgrace, it needs to be shut down and not allowed to re-open until the whole ethos, organisation and business model has been overhauled. It is not fit for purpose and the clubs are taking money off the gullible fans for a product which, in reality, they could not give away.
But, does the willingness to change things for the better exist within our game? Stupid question, of course it doesn't. The truth is -
WE'RE DOOMED AH TELL YE!!
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