Colorchallenge - Thursday Green - Paradise??

For anyone who is not familiar with it, this is Celtic Park, home of Glasgow Celtic Football Club, more commonly known by those who follow the club as 'Paradise'.

In days gone by this nickname might have been a suitable one given that this is where the working men of the city once gathered to watch their 'heroes' playing the game that they loved and representing the famous green and white of Glasgow Celtic. The club itself was founded in 1888 by Brother Walfrid, a Marist Brother, after a decision made in November of the previous year to establish a football and athletic club as a means of tackling the poverty that was being endured by those in the east end of Glasgow at the time and in particular, by the immigrant Irish population who made up a big part of the local community there.

Since that time a lot has happened to the club and as with so many other football clubs around the world, the common man is losing his grip on that which his father and his fathers father had helped to build in their time by their support for their beloved football teams. Nowadays, the working man can find it very difficult to afford to support the team that previous generations of his family have.

Our local football teams are no longer there to support local communities or to alleviate the poverty that is so demonstrable in our societies. They have become businesses and corporations with shareholders and profits to be made. The supporter is now a customer and has no more connection with the players than they do with the Pope himself.

Once upon a time, the name Paradise might well have been fitting for such a place but now the only people for whom this place is paradise are the overpaid players and the owners and shareholders who profit from your eagerness to hand over your extremely hard earned money. You are not part of the club. You do not have a stake in it. What you want and what you think is best is of little consequence. Ultimately, whatever is good financially for the club and for those in control of it will be the road taken in future and the working man of today has had the legacy left by the working men of the past stolen from him.

When my son is old enough to take an interest in football I will be sure to take him to the park and watch the football there, with the everyday man enjoying the game that is supposed to be enjoyable, not profitable!