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Just when people expected more changes at Celtic, their arch-rivals Linfield stole the limelight, ending two-and-a-half weeks of speculation about their own club's future.
In the wake of William McCoubrey's resignation from his post as chairman at Windsor Park, many names popped up in local and national media, who were clueless as to the identity of the "outsider" ready to take over, as McCoubrey had hinted at upon his retirement from the game.
Imagine the shock when Jonathan Bartley presented himself as Linfield's new top dog. The ILCA hotshot, chief negotiator responsible for the latest, major, TV contract, had found himself a new club after his enforced departure from Carrick Rangers. It was a club that would enable him to take on his nemesis Mark Frost and Belfast Celtic on pretty much equal footing. If Belfast and conflict weren't synonimous already, they would be before long!
04-04-2004, 09:56 PM
When the Belfast Celts sing again... Part III - Back in Belfast Post #262
Wednesday 20 March 2013, Premier Division, Saint Patrick's Athletic v Belfast Celtic, Richmond Park
The appointment of Bartley added yet another dimension to an already over-heating title race. Now, neither Celtic nor Linfield could afford not to win the League, the propaganda blow would be too big. As always, the media loved it.
That midweek, Celtic suffered a blow to their title hopes. Instead of taking top spot with five games to go, they slumped to their fifth away defeat of the campaign, at Richmond Park.
Robbie White's early goal ultimately proved decisive, as a powerless Celtic failed to create anything noteworthy. A long-range drive by Glen Keddy was the closed they came to testing Robbie Hannon in the St. Pat's goal. Even worse for Celtic, their conquerors of that night were now level on 59 points with them, with Linfield still one ahead. In terms of Champions' League football, second place might still be enough for another crack at Europe's main competition, depending on how this season's results would affect UEFA allocations, but third would most definitely not suffice.
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