It feels like we’ve been back in the pre-Rodgers era this week after we safely navigated through to the next round of Champions League qualification.
Instead of celebrating and looking forward to the next game against Rosenborg, the Celtic fans are embroiled in a massive debate about the GB’s use of banners.
The Celtic family is huge, and the people in it come from all walks of life so you’re never going to get an overwhelming consensus to anything that happens at the club but this particular issue seems to evoke the most primitive emotions and sees Celtic fans turning on each other at both ends of the scale.
So who’s right and who’s wrong? In our opinion, there is no black and white in this case. It also depends on what question is being asked.
In all honesty, when I saw the display, I thought nothing of it. It wasn’t till I logged on to twitter the next morning that I saw the amount of attention it had received. Attention from quarters that usually shy away from condemning anything and turn a blind eye to bigger issues in our game. Maybe, the fact it didn’t flash on my radar is naivety on my part and opportunism on others for noticing.
Nonetheless, it opened a can of worms and seen Celtic charged by UEFA not just for the ‘illicit banners’ but other tedious reasons.
That’s when we ask the question, what was gained by the GB throwing up this banner?
Very little is the answer.
Liberate your mind and give your soul expression bellows out at Celtic Park every other week and we pride ourselves as a fanbase who are more open minded than some in the West of Scotland. We praise the GB for their atmosphere, ‘most’ of their banners and their dedication to the club – which is fantastic. They are well organised, intelligent and noisy.
The faux outrage from the usual suspects has exacerbated this situation; we even got a line from the Orange order who were ‘disgusted’ by the banner – my irony meter is now on the blink.
Forget them though. Ignore anyone outside the club who you feel, rightly or wrongly are criticising this banner and look within.
While I salute the GB for their commitment and their cleverness at times, they must not have been naive as myself and would have known they were putting Celtic straight in the firing line with UEFA. I have no doubt that if the GB were allowed to defend themselves in front of UEFA, they would deliver a robust and well thought out retort to the charge levied against them, I’m afraid UEFA just does not care. It’s a binary system; you’re guilty or not guilty, it’s black and white with no room for shades of grey. In that format, Celtic are guilty and we will have to deal with whatever comes our way.
This is where the GB need to box clever.
Celtic are at the mercy of UEFA which is very strict on clubs of a certain level. Even the fine handed out to The Rangers last week seemed bogus to me. But it’s their house, and while we live in their house, we have to abide by their rules.
Maybe one day, their obtuse approach to many fan related issues will improve, but right now we are under the microscope and stand to lose much more than we gain from banners like Wednesday night.
Whether you agree with the banner or not, the UEFA charge puts it into sharp focus and as I asked before – what was gained from holding it aloft?
The banners of last season like ‘go all in’ was so spectacular and well put, this seemed like a hastily put together jab at the opposing support who we should have just laughed at rather than engage in any ‘Republican retort.’
Some say if we want all the good things that the GB bring we must support them on issues like this; I wholeheartedly disagree. Celtic fans and the GB must grow, learn and perhaps be a little less stubborn in their approach to what they do.
Wholeheartedly agree.You can’t beat City Hall so let’s have some maturity from TGB.We as a club could not be in a better place but as far as relations with UEFA.go The Green Brigade are continu ally provoking trouble for us.I think if there is one thing that will sicken Brendan Rogers into leaving it will be denied the Opportunity to compete in Europe.
Will the GB never learn? UEFA don’t care, they will continue to punish us, the club will continue to pay fines that could be used for a better purpose. I can honestly see UEFA closing this section of the stadium for the next game(s). They have already lined it up by closing a section of the stadium at the next Linfield game… is this what the GB want?
I completely agree, we’re hitting our heads against a brick wall as far as taking on UEFA is concerned.
Idiotic banner. Goading a nothing team from Belfast? Embarrassing. Remember how the Griffiths punishment was a shock last week? We might be in for another nastier shock for this one.
The GB continue to let themselves down and shame the rest of the great Celtic support with these idiotic banners. We cannot in one hand complain that certain supporters of other clubs are living in the dark ages whilst we continue to allow the GB to display paramilitary banners such as those flown on Wednesday. Time to grow up and look to the future.
Agree and definitely couldn’t have said it any better. Of course the GB should rightly get the deserved praise for the fabulous thoughtful displays, of which are many, they produce. Why oh why do they keep coming up with nonsense which to others, aligns us with THEM , damaging the club’s image and causing splits among the fans.
I have been a Celtic supporter for over 50 years. I would never do or say anything that would harm my club. Do the GB actually believe that they have more loyalty to Celtic than me? They are prepared to harm my club. They are at times the best of support and at times the worst of support. I hope they will grow up and realise that they are watching a football game. Football has rules for players and for fans. Play by the rules. Do not harm my club ever again.
Sorry but this issue will continue to happen, history repeats itself because nobody was listening the first time around. Far too many people still more concerned with their own agenda than the interests of the reputation of the club. Having said that, were the Scottish press not to have plastered their pages with the “paramilitary” headlines UEFA probably wouldn’t have even known.
Still no excuse but so long as the punishments are fines, the people responsible will continue to do what they want.
Pyro. “FUCK UEFA” banners and political banners = constant fines. Sooner or later it’ll be all home European games played behind closed doors. All because a few lads want to use our club to deliver their political beliefs to the world. What gives them the right to use Celtic achievements to do this? I used to say “ah sure it’s not often nor too bad” now it seems like it’s at least 3/4 times a season we get hit eith fines from someone over a banner or pyro.
To me it is obvious. It only happens on European nights. It is when the Green Brigade put it’s reputation before Celtic’s. They want to be seen by the rest of European Ultras as the fans who don’t give a toss about the Establishment (UEFA). Can we be the first to get our Stadium closed? The answer is simple, don’t give them tickets for European games. No point in asking for a second chance because they don’t listen and don’t care. If Celtic don’t ban them from European games then UEFA will make that decision for them and the rest of us. I would rather watch my team with no atmosphere than not at all.
Good balanced article. When all is said and done however I side with freedom of expression and the GB
Unfortunately Kevin UEFA have rules which Clubs must obey to take part in their competitions.
It is NOT a junior debating society nor open to freedom of expression, to the extent that the definition of the offence is vague.
Like it or lump it, it’s their rules, their competition and they will end up sanctioning CELTIC, not TGB.
If they can’t or won’t obey the rules for Euro nights they shoud stay away or be banned.
These guys are a law unto themselves. The club pandered to them and their egos when the ground was only half full and now they’re paying the price. They think they’re bigger than Celtic.
Just to be clear, I am Irish and proud to be so, but what has that got to do with Celtic Football Club? It was formed in 1888, not 1916 and not 1972. “The Fields Of Athenry “is a fitting recognition of the circumstances which led to the formation of Celtic. “The Soldier’s Song” is a fine acknowledgement of Celtic’s Irish roots. “Grace” is a beautiful and poignant ballad about a moment in history that has nothing to do with Celtic. The only purpose I can see in singing it at Celtic Park is to imply that you can only be a proper Celtic fan if you are an Irish Republican. The idiotic display on Wednesday night didn’t just imply this, it shouted it from the rooftops. They are The Glaswegian People’s Front. Their display was a calculated attempt to provoke the away fans and the worst thing about it was that they dragged Brendan Rodgers into their petty plan.
As a non_Irish Celtic.He supporter may I thank you for your sensible and articulate summary.Approx.5 years ago we as a club had world wide respect and goodwill from every corner of the globe.Nowadays The Green Brigade have fragmented this by their political nonsense.People who were with us no longer are.If you want to play politics join a political party and GTF.out of our club…
Well said Yogi?
Fantastic mate. Totally agree. Hail! Hail!
Well said John Smith, they don’t care. They think they are above all other Celtic supporters. It’s not that the rules don’t apply to them, it’s that they want to be seen to be breaking them. I am sick fed up of them and their apologists who say there is no atmosphere without them. Celtic have been around since 1888 – the GB wasn’t even around in the 20th century. Was there really no atmosphere before 2006?
Well the club have taken control of the matter, no doubt in a preemptive strike designer to minimise the UEFA punishment, as well as to say this needs to stop NOW!
This is the only effective way, albeit a bit draconian, to make these people change their ways.
Totally agree with all the comments except the freedom of expression comment by Kevin.
If the GB want to express their political views then go and join a political party and attend the meetings, say what you feel in that environment not at Celtic park when the world is watching.
The few are going to wreck it for the majority.
No more silly fine please we can spend it on better things, please learn GB Boys we all love the Tic
the away games on tv are getting embarrassing the bile they sing ffs , theres a hundred and one songs they can sing but its the usual from wee neds covering there face with celtic ultras scarfs , these are they guys are getting the away tickets so they know who they are if celtic didn’t shut a section down then uefa would have so you know what maybes a blessing .
As soon as I saw the banners from my seat in the Jock Stein upper I said to the guy beside me ‘another UEFA Sanction’
As a Club, a Family. and for many of us, a way of life, Celtic promote a sense of inclusion to all, a sense of fairness and fair play We like to be thought of as the ‘good guys’, and rightly so, but banners such as those displayed on Wednesday night do the name of the Club nor the supporters any good at all All it does is tarnish iur name and our perceived attitude
I know that the Club’s traditions are immersed in Irish background and traditions but those banners had no place in Celtic Park Yes they were tongue in cheek but in UEFA we are dealing with an animal who is concerned solely with football and does not tolerate this kind of sniping at it’s rules and regulations, of which there are many
I really enjoy the atmosphere created by TGB both verbally and visually but there is no entity bigger or more important than the Club itself
I’ve followed Celtic for over 50 years through good times and bad and at present I feel it’s as good as it’s ever been 50 years on from our greatest ever achievement we are now bettering a domestic level of dominance that we had back even then and who’s to say how far we can go on other platforms namely Champion’s League or Europa League? but TGB are putting any hopes and aspirations that we have for our Club in severe jeopardy
I’ve come to the conclusion that there are elements within TGB who are full of self importance and are seeking acknowledgment and kudos for being clever and cannot help but try to get one over on the opposition, and our greatest rivals and anything connected with them in particular
We saw a week past Friday missiles raining down on Leigh Griffiths and any decent minded being would have been abhorred by the treatment he was receiving and the Club and it’s support held the moral high ground but that was lost on Wednesday night unfortunately
All those banners achieved was to supply ammunition to our detractors and those wishing to see our Club suffer
So, come on GB let’s do our talking on the pitch Let’s leave petty issues, squabbling and archaic ideas to those who really don’t know any better
We as a Club and support have so much to look forward to so why jeopardise it?
Let those who have nothing to look forward to, who are hurting so badly, who have only their shameful traditions to celebrate get on with what they do Let’s rise above them and be all we can be
We have a manager who is capable of leading us to glory, prestige and recognition Let him get on with the tremendous work he’s doing
If we’re no better than a bunch of bigotted, cheating, boorish, dim witted, weak minded scum who are we better than?
I agree wholeheartedly with everything you say. Show all the fantastic CELTIC banners and all the great songs created over the last year or two and some of the old ones. Show a bit of commonsense and if you can’t then just stay away. It should be all about the team and not personal agendas.
totally agree with comments except KEVIN,coming home on supporters bus after weds game banter was great listening radio Brendan ,hearing my 11yr old great grandson singing to himself players songs ask who do want on new strips ,thinking changed his mind , Leigh Griffiths , Leigh pass it on to your young fans .
The Green brigade response”we will never allow our style or our politics to be diluted” is a resignation letter. No one has asked them to dilute their politics simply keep it away from Celtic Park. It’s a place for football , not politics. Their style is the problem. Choosing to punish Celtic. Choosing to risk fire and smoke inhalation . Choosing to take a socialist moral high ground and deem others to be inferior. Choosing to risk our club being fines, or expelled.
You have a right to be a Celtic player, fan or Board member if you are good enough. All faiths are welcome , all beliefs are welcome. So what if we have a Board member who is a Conservative.Lord. Change the word ‘Tory” to ‘Jew” or ‘Black’ and you will see how totalitarian they are.
Celtic’s response should be to extend the ban for another two games.
One question…HOW MANY FINES DID WE GET BEFORE THE GREEN BRIGADE ATTACHED THEMSELVES TO OUR CLUB ???.
I stopped renewing my season ticket 3 years ago for two reasons.
Firstly because the board have bottled out of informing UEFA that the SFA/SPFL have thrown their own rule book in the bin to aid sevco rangers stay in Scottish football.
Secondly and you can check back.For at least 3 years I have been saying that the green brigade would destroy Celtic with their political agenda.What did Celtic do about it ??.
They ringed off area 111 to be used only by the green brigade if you went to the ticket office or online area 111 was unavailable.They then erected standing area’s for the green brigade as they would stand and bounce aboout at every home game which could have had a detremental effect on our saftey certificate.
So until these two issues are resolved I will not be back to Paradise…I am a 74 year old who has supported Celtic all my life but I have had enough of the people who organise Scottish football or should that be disorganise Scottish football.
People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, Celtic supporters have sung Irish rebel songs since as long as I can remember this attack on the gb is an attack on all our civil liberties, all brought on by the smsm. I dont know one Celtic fan who does not own a rebel CD. I for one along with the family and friends ive spoke to will be backing the Green Brigade if it comes to a boycott so be it . The lyon game minus the gb had absolutely no atmosphere and it will be the same tomorrow night when we need it most so all the pseudo Celtic fans having a go at the gb remember what I said at the beginning people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones