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The Scotsman 05/03/1994
By Alan Dron
SURROUNDED by a scrum of well-wishers and journalists, Fergus McCann walked to the doors of Parkhead yesterday, posed for photographers, then disappeared inside to take over the reins of Celtic FC.
After months of acrimonious dispute with the club, the millionaire took control not through a head-on battle with the board he had tried to oust, but an invitation from its chairman, after the full scale of Celtic's indebtedness had been disclosed to directors by their bank. It is understood that Mr McCann will be co-opted on to the board with one other new director after the resignations of the vice-chairman, David Smith, the secretary, Chris White, and another director, Michael Kelly.
Having flown to Glasgow from Phoenix, Arizona, yesterday morning, he arrived at Celtic Park at lunchtime. Struggling from the car amid the crush of photographers – one of whom had already fallen in front of the vehicle's wheels – and blinking from the flash guns, he said: ''I can tell you the financial position of the club has been secured.''
Asked how he felt in his moment of triumph, he replied prosaically: ''I'm tired actually. I've been travelling for some time.''
To applause and cries of ''Fergus is the man'' he went aside to take his part in negotiations for signing over control of the club. He had been preceded two hours earlier by his colleague, Brian Dempsey, a Glasgow builder. Asked if he had been invited to Parkhead by the board, Mr Dempsey said: ''It's been suggested that I come along.'' He was not interested, he repeated, in becoming a director.
''I hope all of us, whatever side of the fence we are on, will put Celtic first, personal and legal gain second.''
There had never been a more crucial weekend in the club's history, he said.
Minutes before Mr McCann arrived, Matt McGlone, the leader of the Celts for Change supporters' pressure group, emerged from the stadium's front doors and quietly told his members: ''It's done, finished, they are just waiting for Fergus to come to sign the papers.
Brian Dempsey's grinning like a Cheshire cat.'' Turning to elated spectators, he said: ''We've done it, you've all done it.'' Fans were jubilant. One said: ''It's a day we all thought would never come.''
Another, in a reference to the boycott by supporters of Celtic's home games in protest against the behaviour of the board, said: ''The supporters will vote with their feet and be back through the turnstiles. You'll see at the first home game on 26 March with Motherwell; it will be a total sell-out.''
However, as the afternoon wore on, a promised press conference detailing the day's events was repeatedly delayed, as details of the deal were settled. It was believed last night that a six-man board would be formed, with Mr McCann as chief executive. Its other members would be the former club chairman Kevin Kelly, the directors Jack McGinn and Jimmy Farrell, the stadium director, Tom Grant, and a new recruit, Dominic Keane.
Charlie Nicholas, the player who has been most outspoken on events at Parkhead, said: ''I'm a personal friend of Brian Dempsey and there's no better man. If things go the way I hope, it will be the greatest day Celtic have had for a long time.''