For Celtic fans, 3 March will always be a date that will be remembered as the one where Fergus McCann saved the club from going out of business.
McCann stepped in at the eleventh hour to stop the Hoops going into extinction and the rest is history,
But how did it come about and why should Celtic fans forever remain in debt to McCann?
What was Fergus McCann’s biggest achievement in his time at Celtic?
Fergus McCann saved Celtic with eight minutes to spare
The club owed around £7m after going above their maximum overdraft and seemingly with nowhere else to go.
Scottish-Canadian businessman McCann had tried and failed multiple times to buy the Hoops but, in knowledge of the situation facing the club, flew into Glasgow and offered to personally invest 70 per cent of his own fortune with a £9.4m deal.
Although the announcement was officially made on 4 March, the call was made the day before and the Hoops were to be saved. McCann promised to bring back the good times, and that he certainly did.
The first thing I would do if I was on the Celtic board is – – – –
Fergus McCann departed as a Celtic hero in 1999
With a tasklist as long as his arm, McCann didn’t just invest, he changed the whole mood around Celtic.
As well as the redevelopment of Parkhead, turning it in to a 60,000-seater stadium, a team capable of challenging for titles again with the likes of Henrik Larsson in the squad.
Most importantly, though, he left Celtic debt free, which is something the club can still proudly claim today.
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