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Celtic Diary Tuesday December 10

As expected , Celtic have released a statement after the bother at Fir Park;

” fuck off  the lot of you. ”

Alright, I’m paraphrasing.

But you get the gist.

The wordy statement, for those who want to read it, is here;

” FOLLOWING events on Friday evening at Fir Park Stadium, Celtic Football Club today announced that it has issued precautionary suspensions against 128 individuals preventing them attending matches involving Celtic, pending further investigation. These suspensions will cover matches at Celtic Park and away matches.

In addition, the Club will be relocating around 250 season book holders in Section 111 to other areas within the stadium, or offering refunds covering the remainder of the season to those who do not wish to be relocated.

Events such as those on Friday night do not represent the Celtic support or the Club. These events were an embarrassment to our great football club and are absolutely indefensible.

It is clear that there is an element which has no hesitation in bringing Celtic’s name into disrepute. This is something the Club will not tolerate and we therefore have no other option but to take this action. We will not allow the great name of Celtic to be damaged in this way any more – our supporters deserve more than this.

While recent events are very regrettable, we would like to thank our many thousands of fans for the wonderful, positive backing which they continue to give to Celtic. We are sure these supporters will understand the position which the Club is in and we are also sure they will unite with the Club as we move forward.

Celtic Football Club is in excellent shape on and off the field. The Club is in a very safe and strong position and we have a young, exciting team working hard to deliver quality football and success for our supporters, as they did on Friday evening with a magnificent performance. This is what we want to be talking about and this is what we want to celebrate.

Celtic has a proud 125-year history and fundamental to that history have been our fans. Our supporters enjoy a wonderful reputation earned across many years, many families and many generations. This is something we must protect vigorously. ”

Now, whilst it is easy to step back and say thats that then, there are actually two statements within that one.

First, the trouble at Motherwell, where flares were thrown on to the pitch, and seats were damaged.

Second, the relocation of the Green Brigade-not to Copland Road, as some had feared-but to other parts of Celtic Park. Or they can have a refund.

See, if you and your pals don’t behave, you’ll not be able to sit together. Like at school, really.

The problems at Fir Park, and the suspensions will be interesting. Are those banned the ones who actually caused the trouble, or are they the ones allocated the seats where the bother occured?

This is very important, as it is obvious from just the replies to the diary that a lot of supporters could not even get near their seats on Friday night, and the stewards, who ought to be carpeted for their lack of supervision, have a lot to answer for allowing that situation to develop.

Simply because they should have dealt with the overcrowding the minute it became apparent it was happening. Now, this is in no way absolving the supporters from any blame. They misbehaved, and thats that. But supposing a serious injury took place, and someone had to have a few months off work ?

Who is liable ?

Motherwell, obviously. Thats why the stewards are there. They are paid to ensure the safety and well being of patrons.

And they didn’t. So they have to be called to account. If people involved in ensuring safety do not do their jobs properly, the results can be tragic.

This didn’t happen, fortunately, and in no way can be used as an excuse for errant behaviour from Celtic supporters. But it can be used as a defence if innocent fans find themselves banned, as will probably happen.

It will be interesting if no innocent fans are banned, because that will mean that someone has had his eye on this group of supporters for a while, and has been waiting for a chance to get them. Which doesn’t excuse their behaviour, but  will fuel the paranoia already present.

The relocation of the GB, whilst not entirely separate from the Fir Park trouble, was always going to happen after the Milan game, and its worth noting that in the statement, it says “in addition “, which implies that the 128 are different people from the 250…

Theres no mention of any crossover.

Most fans are annoyed that it has come to this, there should have been a happy medium, where we could all co-exist and get along.

Last word on it for now goes to my wife;

” See, your fans are just like everyone elses, and you don’t like it ”

Yup. Thats about right.

Thats because it gives idiots like the parasitical journalist Hugh Keevins a chance to run with stories like this;

Genuine Celtic fans must stand up to the yobs and win back the soul of the club, says former Parkhead star Lou Macari

MACARI played against Stirling Albion in 1972 when an irate Jock Stein confronted fans chanting their support for the IRA – but he reckons even Neil Lennon would struggle to get the message across now.

It means that the bitter old fool can mention the IRA -which is always a good fall back for those who want to have a pop at us, those who are jealous of the reputation built up over the years at home and abroad that the support has enjoyed.

Its worth mentioning that Macari never actually said anything about standing up to the bad fans, and thats just Keevins trying to get us to fight amongst ourselves.

And he’d love that.

 

Now is the time for Celtic fans to remember what we are good for, a time to assess the damage to our reputation, and a time to begin the healing process. Instead of turning on ourselves and worsening the fracture, put a plastercast on it , protect it, and help it to heal.

Theres countless other comments in the media, which is to be expected, let them have their moment, and then lets put it right ourselves. Quietly.

Then the press can just concentrate on telling us that we are about to lose all our top players, and pinch everyone elses, thus continuing to destroy an already crippled Scottish football.

Ewing Graham wins todays Charles Dickens award for Fiction with this in the Record;

” CARDIFF CITY are using their Celtic connections to try to lure midfielder Joe Ledley back to his hometown club.

Manager Malky Mackay, a former Celtic defender, sent the Premier League club’s chief scout Tommy Johnson – who played under six different managers at Parkhead – to run the rule over the Wales ace during Friday’s 5-0 win at Motherwell.

Ledley was one of Neil Lennon’s first signings in 2010, joining from Cardiff on a Bosman after losing out to Blackpool in the Premier League play-off final.

But with his old club finally winning promotion to the top flight last season, a return to the Cardiff City Stadium would hold more appeal for the 26-year-old.

Ledley is out of contract at the end of the season and has yet to agree terms on a new deal.

Cardiff are also monitoring the progress of Dundee United teenagers Ryan Gauld and John Souttar and Johnson also took in their 4-1 win over Hearts on Saturday.

Georgios Samaras is another Celtic star in demand, with the 28-year-old Greek on big-spending MLS side Toronto FC’s wanted list.

Lennon wants to tie up the striker on a new deal as soon as possible.

But according to reports in North America he has been named as one of the Canadian side’s main summer transfer targets along with Tottenham’s Jermain Defoe and Brazilian Gilberto Oliveira.

Samaras would be free to discuss terms with MLS club Toronto from the start of next month. ”

At least at Etims we are honest about our bullshit. Ewing Graham, who put together that collection of random words-notice, not a single quote from anyone- makes a living from it.

We do it for fun. And we actually believe what we say, because at the time we hear it, it is usually from a decent source. However drunk he happens to be, or how wrong he turns out to be.

But there is some praise for the hoops, hidden away in the Evening Times;

Celtic Europe form behind Scotland’s rise in rankings

 

Granted, this headline won’t win any awards for clarity, but the story, when deciphered, is actually another sign that armageddon hasn’t happened, and things are improving in the European rankings, which has to be the benchmark. The rankings determine how many qualifiers have to be played, and more importantly, who they have to be played against;

” From a lofty ninth place just 11 years ago, Scotland slipped to 24th spot last season. ”

Which was the low spot. The article continues;

” In real terms, that has meant the Scottish champions have gone from shooting straight into the Group Stage – with the guaranteed £16million that goes with it – to having to negotiate three rounds before they can get into the draw with the big boys of Europe.

At the same time, Scotland has lost the second qualification spot which went to the runners-up in the SPL.

Just four years ago, those two places were still available as Scotland were in 13th position in the rankings, having spent the previous six years between ninth and 11th spot.

However, such has been the drop off in results from Scottish participants in European competition, a dramatic and damaging fall from a high of 33.375 ranking points to just 15.191 last year has occurred.

Uefa base their co-efficient rankings on the previous five years’ results, with points awarded for wins and draws plus bonuses for reaching the Group Stage and further rounds.

Now, thanks to Celtic getting to the last 16 of the Champions League last season, and qualifying again for this season’s competition proper, Scotland’s alarming drop has finally been reversed and 23rd spot will be our new position. ”

It doesn’t seem like much, but it is a start. It will take a while, but the removal of the tumour that was eating into the integrity of the domestic game will lead to the patient getting better. He just needs time, and a little encouragement from his friends.

It will take a series of high points-gathering seasons to restore Scotland’s second spot in the qualifying rounds for the Champions League, reserved for the top-15 ranked nations.

And more of a contribution has to be made by the other clubs who join the Premiership champions in Europe because all points earned are divided by the number of clubs who enter the two competitions from that country. ”

And we could stop calling it the bloody Premiership, because sooner or later the original Premiership will want to defend its brand name. Theres a lot of money down there, and all it will take is for them to think that Scottish football is trading on their name, and it really will be armageddon.

But I’m sure those at the SPFL had already considered this possibility…. although their record on allowing entities to use someone elses name does seem to hint that its an aspect of business law they don’t fully understand.

The team have toddled off to Barcelona for tomorrow nights Champions League game, just in case you had forgotten , and I’m off to the bookies to bet on Scott Brown being ordered off.

Not because he tends to do that sort of thing, but because it looks like we’ve drawn the short straw with the referee again.

Sergei Karasev is the man in the middle in the Nou Camp tomorrow

This is Sergei Kasarov, and you might know him from the Scotland -Macedonia game, when he was let down by a call from one of his assistants as Nikolce Noveski gave the visitors an offside opener in the 1-1 draw.

Or you might remember him from the time he upset Valery Karpin during a Moscow derby so much that Aiden McGeadys pal and boss had to be held back by security.

Is Hugh Dallas picking the refs for our games ? I cannot find where he is working just now. Though I’m fairly sure he is involved in passing on his knowledge and experience to other referees.

Such as here, where he explains the red hand of ulster salute to a UEFA referees convention.

Right, dig out the old cassette player and have a listen to this. We like to cover all the arts on this site, and so if you like a tune to listen to on the way to work, you might fancy this one.

paoloadelmo

Its a tribute to the number seven jersey, by regular reader Paolo Rossi, and is best listened to with the volume up. Well, most records are, or you wouldn’t be able to hear them.

English fans are delighted to hear about the economic troubles in Italy, and are hoping they are docked ten points in next years World Cup if an insolvency event takes place.

And with the match fixing scandal going on in England, Second Rangers midfielder Ian Black has moved swiftly to deny he has any involvement. Black was caught up in a betting scandal earlier this season, and has said he is not involved in any match fixing at all, and will be available for this Saturdays 4-1 win at Stenhousemuir.

Gerard Butler was the man in the picture fulfilling his dream of playing at Celtic Park, albeit in a charity match against Man Utd . But he played like it was a cup final, despite his physique being not of the standard required for top level sport.

 

  

Apart from providing a bot of dig, this guy, shown here after scoring against Barcelona, , did something unique for Celtic. Who is he, and what did he do ?

 

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PR
10 years ago

That’s Barry Robson – think he scored a goal with his first touch as a Celtic player.

BONGO
10 years ago

Barry Robson. scored on debut with first kick of the ball(free kick) v Aberdeen.

greenmaestro
10 years ago

Robson, scored on debut with first touch of ball. A Free kick against aberdeen.

jas
10 years ago

What did he do? in a certain historic game against a now defunct team, he telt Sammi to feck aff as HE was taking the penalty that clinched a 3-2 win ensuring the title was coming home.

Who gives a monkey’s about scoring v the sheep,ffs they got a 9-0 doing recently

Honest Hoops
10 years ago

Ralph,
On the subject of CL rankings…. if it is based on the last 5 years of results…was there not a certain scottish club (name eludes me just now) that kept getting knocked out of the CL qualifying stages???!!??….Oh I see… they forgot to mention that in the article…I rest my case!!

10 years ago

Barry Robson…didnt he make Christian Dailly shite himself on the field of play?

As for Motherwell…anyone remember Rangers fans getting upset at Pittodrie and jumping up and charging akong the touchline to assault Aberdeen fans..the result….Aberdeen fined for poor stewarding.

The GB…hoisted by own petard or played like a fiddle. The naughty step must be cold and lonely thats for sure. Now they’re deemed out in the cold and the establishment has got almost everyone on its side against them. Sounds like the mob they used to sing about.

Will the Vacuum at Celtic Park return while the board smile and enjoy another brandy…sad but interesting times indeed,

schoosh71
10 years ago

The questions that sticks with me is, whose idea was it to give the GB their own section at an away stadium especially on a Friday night? Was this the first time this was allowed and why no FOCUS presence recording the vandalism as it was happening? Anyway, they well and truly hung themselves on King Peter of Parkhead imaginary rope

Da Do Ron Ron
10 years ago

Last word on it for now goes to my wife;

” See, your fans are just like everyone elses, and you don’t like it ”

The same can be said about the Club.

Brian53
10 years ago

Re the breakup of section 111 will that include the seats?

It is now up to all the other fans in the stadium to bring back ‘the thunder’ and I am sure they will.

Frank McGaaaaarvey
10 years ago

Probably the biggest thing the GB were guilty of was the open invite to ‘one and all’ to come join them. It was naive (though perhaps well intentioned) in the extreme to think they could keep a tight rein on all the wee fannies who like to get mega wasted before a game and then proceed to bounce all over the place singing their party tunes and then leave the ground probably asking “Whit wis the score there by the way?”. I had a brief talk with one of these wee phuds on Saturday night (who also happened to have his picture in the paper on Sunday I have been told) and he was extremely proud of the carnage caused on the Friday! Seriously, there is no getting through to folk as thick as that even though I told him what I thought of ‘fans’ like him and what they are doing to Celtic. The sort of eejit who shouts about IRA this ans Sinn Fein that despite never ever having set foot in Ireland in their life! There is no way the GB can realistically control that element but they will be blamed for it regardless.
Hopefully the team can carry on the performances of the last 2 games and we won’t need any cheerleaders to muster up an atmosphere at games. Let’s put this sh*te behind us and get on with the small trivial matter of supporting the team.

gerrybhoy
10 years ago

I drink in a pub where some of the GB meet before games they were their before last Friday game only about 20 of them and to be honest I don’t know if they are official GB or just hangers on but they do like to proclaim themselves as GB most if not all are intelligent articulate guys about late teens early 20s with a couple of older guys late 30s early 40s but one thing they all have in common is they are arrogant opinionated and full of the worst psycho intellectual B/S you are every likely to hear outside of a meeting of the SCP
On Friday before we all made our way from pub to bus for the game I predicted that they would be trouble at game from the same group as they seemed more hyped up than usual

10 years ago

“The sort of eejit who shouts about IRA this ans Sinn Fein that despite never ever having set foot in Ireland in their life”
I’ve never been to Palestine but am happy to campaign against the treatment the Palestinians are given – do I need to set foot there to understand? Wonder if Mandela would have told all the protestors against Apartheid the same?
Sorry, FMCG that was a very stupid statement to make – one that the sun / DR would be proud to print.

The stewarding at Fir Park has to take some of the blame. The section the GB were in became badly overcrowded due to all the young neds rushing down there to be near the GB. The first damage was accidental due to fans surging forward at the goal. Thereafter, the wee neds just went on the rampage.
Had the stewarding been carried out properly, fans would have been in their own seats, there would have been no overcrowding of the section and a good chance that no damage would have resulted. Seems now even the PLC are questioning the stewarding.
And why weren’t any of the offenders arrested – what were the police doing?

Doc
10 years ago
Reply to  andy docherty

The polis will probably make arrests. dawn raids, maybe. Maybe after a Manchester style CCTV ID parade in the record. Maybe they’ll have a story interviewing someone with a contentious link to scottish fitba who knows of someone dying due to a flare and how the GB have risked the lives of all fitba fans everwhere, ever.

Frank McGaaaaarvey
10 years ago
Reply to  andy docherty

Andy, what has it all got to do with Celtic Football Club though? The sort of phuds I am describing aren’t singing these tunes out of some humanitarian concern! Do you sing about the Palestinian travesty whilst wearing the Hoops? I fail to see the link. Have you been to Ireland? Are we going to sing about every injustice occurring in the world?

10 years ago

What has Nelson Mandela got to do with football, yet UEFA are having displays / a minutes applause at every CL game?
Why no mention on the Indy Bhoys politics at CP?
Why do UEFA not charge Barca with singing the political Basque Hymn?
Your statement was crass -this nonsense about not being able to sing about something because you had never been to that country.
Your comments were straight from the DR/ Sun / Follow Follow.

Frank McGaaaaarvey
10 years ago
Reply to  andy docherty

Nelson Mandela is a figure who transcends everything, and he was an actual elected leader of a country. He is being remembered at football grounds everywhere. This is not a political statement. People are simply paying respect to a great man.
Who are the Indy Bhoys? I have genuinely never heard nor seen them at Celtic Park or elsewhere.
Maybe Barca fans have never been charged because they are actually singing about an issue which affects them directly and is concerned with the very land and ground in which they stand on and live in?
Your (twice said) accusation of saying something that belongs in a tabloid paper or FF(!) is crass in the extreme and very insulting. I am more than clued up on all things to do with Irish Republicanism believe me. And because I happen to express an opinion that ill-informed folk shouldn’t really be betraying the memory of good people by singing these tunes in an aggressive manner at a FOOTBALL game I am some kind of hun? That’s GB all over for you. We’re all for free speech until you disagree with us, then you are a hun.

10 years ago
Reply to  andy docherty

I’m not GB – far from it.
Nelson Mandela was a great figure – 20 years ago he was seen as a terrorist in the West – Thatcher called the ANC a terrorist organisation.
The whole point of the banner was one man’s terrorist, another man’s freedom fighter – you seem to be deliberately trying to avoid this point. Maybe if the banner had Mandela instead of Bruce you might have understood.
Flower of Scotland, Loch Lomond, Scotland the Brave = battle hymns. They are no different in sentiment than Boys of the Old Brigade or Roll of Honour. This is the point the GB were trying to make with the display – you either issued that or are acting ignorantly about it.
I am not an Irish Republican either (I have visited Norn Ireland many times though, so imagine using your logic, able to sing about it).
The Nelson Mandela display is political – he was a politician.
The Basque Hymn is political it is all about a Catalan province (like Norn Ireland?).
What you are missing is that UEFA / the authorities are being completely hypocritical in their views – that is the point the GB have been trying to make – what’s so difficult to understand?
Your comment about the wee eejits not being clued up enough about Norn Ireland to allow them to sing these songs because they had never set foot on the island was crass and straight from the DR / Sun / FF.

10 years ago
Reply to  andy docherty

“issued” should read “missed”

Charlie Saiz
10 years ago

Manchester City with a side that cost over £200m to build finished bottom of their Group with 3 Points last year.
This is the scale of the task we face as a Club every Season we qualify for.
Some years it will come off for us and like last year we will exceed all expectation and other years we will go out with a whimper with nothing to show but a bulging Bank Balance and a little bit wiser for the experience.
That’s Football there are no guarantees in Football only increased chances but even then as City proved even after blowing vast sum’s on Quality even then nothing is nailed on.
I look forward to next Seasons qualifiers in the HOPE we do better than this time round.

Ps. Roaming in the gloaming regardless……

gerrybhoy
10 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Totally agree Charlie last season we exceed all expectation and it was down to our experience the year before when the team learned a hard lesson in Europe so hopefully next year we can once again do Scotland proud and maybe just maybe other teams will start to carry there weight in Europe thought that St Johnston where going to be the ones to do their bit but it was not to be

10 years ago

Regarding Keevins,When you see what he writes against Celtic,if’s incredible to think that his parents or grandparents were born within 10 miles of Ballymote(my bithplace/hometown)the home of Bro Walfrid,who knows? he may even have been in the chapel grounds to view the monument to Bro Walfrid. I’d bet he was in mufti,and may even been incommunicado. Hail!! Hail!

Dodge
10 years ago

I usually think you talk a lot of sense, Ralph, but I hear echoes of the old rangers in your argument that “we misbehaved, but the stewards/police should have stopped us from doing so”. I don’t think that’s much of a defence for anyone who is found to have ripped up a seat or contributed to the overcrowding.

ralph malph
10 years ago
Reply to  Dodge

Not quite. But they should have nipped it in the bud when the overcroding started.

CarlJungleBhoy
10 years ago

Huge Keech is only interested in one thing – Huge Keech

10 years ago

I’ve been a follower of your blog for about a year. And in general agree with most you say. But U R dead wrong on the Motherwell situation. The fault lies directly on the people who did the damage/flares etc. NO one else is to blame. There is NO place in football for incendiaries and damage to stadiums. Let alone the possible injuries to innocent people. You can not justify in any way the political or wanton damage done by these people (I use the term people in their case very loosely). These types of antics have no place at a football match. Nor do the political statements made by the same lot.

elcormaco@gmail.com
10 years ago

Late to get to read this today. Its all getting a bit spicy!
You have to acknowledge some times wives speak sense, and this is once of those times.
Much as we like to think we are a class apart as a support, and mostly we are, Celtic too has its morons. Stupid is as stupid does, and as someone born and raised in northern Ireland I really don’t need my history lessons from the GB or any other wannabe republican who has not lived it. I go to Celtic park for football, and yes to expires my identity, but for me that should be celebratory and not glorifying the act of murder. For the record I am a nationalist but no one should die on my behalf, thanks.
Whoever it was wrecking seats at Fir park, GB, wannabe GB, whoever, it was wrong and embarrassed the decent folk who follow the club. The same as it was wrong when Ajax fans did it in Celtic park (as an aside, Celtic have to pay for that & the Fir park damage. No wonder lawell is raging)
So find the guilty, not just based on seat no destroyed and ban them.
Its sad the GB will be broken up, I’ll never forget their tifo before barca last year, but they took on a fight with the club, the rights or wrongs of which are open to debate, and could never win.
Tomorrow is our last cl game, id much rather talk about that than worry about some wee Ned thinking shouting up the ra and ripping up a seat is him doing his bit for the cause.
Sorry, I usually keep my counsel on this but am tired of people who think they know taking on my fight when I don’t want our needed them to

Frank McGaaaaarvey
10 years ago

Elcomarco, some great points made there. Some folk aren’t known as the ‘Buckfast Provos’ for no reason. It’s very easy to pick your causes from afar without having lived through or been brought up with the things they sing of.

10 years ago

Once again like Palestine / South Africa – never been there so don’t mention it?
Nelson Mandela made a point of thanking the Scottish people for their support – I doubt any / many would have visited S.A.
I doubt any have been to Palestine.
Does this just go for football matches or life in general?
UEFA are championing Nelson Mandela at all the CL games – he was a terrorist 20 years ago, now he’s a freedom fighter. That was the point of the display against Milan – sadly the point obviously missed you.

Iain McAllister
10 years ago

Will there be a Nelson Mandela banner at the Nou/Parkheid games? After all the tories and the yanks deemed him as a terrorist 30 years ago!Now to be buried as the Republic of South Africa’s savior.There is a wee clue as to how to vote next year-seeing we are all going political.
He had a dream and it was a long walk.

10 years ago

I wonder if Barcelona will still play the Basque Hymn at the end of the game tomorrow night – a very political song – why are Basque (Barca) politics not open to scrutiny, just Irish (Celtic) ones?

Doc
10 years ago
Reply to  andy docherty

I think it’s because barca don’t have a hoarde of bitter huns watching their every move, editing some stock email to UEFA they found on the bears den, so it fits in with whatever song/banner/obvious display of Irishness or Catholicism that has offended them this week.

seanodonnel
10 years ago

basque???

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