Celtic have issued a detailed and forceful statement on Tuesday evening as tensions between the club and the Green Brigade continue to escalate.
The club addressed the suspended three match ban that was activated earlier this month, while stressing that the situation has now moved into the hands of the Safety Advisory Group for Glasgow City Council.
The flashpoint remains the incident at the Falkirk match on October 29. Celtic allege a steward and two police officers were hurt during a confrontation involving around one hundred members of the group.
The club insists this is part of an ongoing investigation. They also took aim at the Green Brigade’s description of the altercation as “extremely minor”, pointing to footage released last week as clear evidence that this characterisation is inaccurate.
The statement then linked the Halloween week incident to broader safety concerns that date back to the final home game of last season.
That match saw the group carry out a large pyrotechnic display and, according to Celtic, gain unauthorised access to other parts of the stadium.
The club say that despite the ban coming into effect on November 7, members of the group ignored the sanctions. This non compliance appears to have pushed the situation into more serious territory.
As a result, Celtic say the Safety Advisory Group has called a special meeting for Thursday November 20. The group is made up of public authorities and emergency services and advises Glasgow City Council on safety certificates for stadiums across the city.
Celtic stressed that this meeting has not been requested by the club and is not connected to ongoing fan protests. It is a mandatory process for any organisation whose safety certificate responsibilities come under review.
The Green Brigade had asked to be represented at that meeting. Celtic made it clear they cannot dictate participants, but have passed on the request.
They also underlined their legal obligations regarding safety at Celtic Park and warned that further measures could be required depending on the outcome of the discussions with the Safety Advisory Group.
The club’s reference to wider fan protests is significant. Over the past eight weeks Celtic have faced organised demonstrations and growing frustration from supporters over a range of issues.
Critics of the board have accused the hierarchy of using the Green Brigade situation to distract from those protests and punish. Celtic categorically rejected that claim tonight, calling it “misleading and disingenuous”.
That line will fuel debate among the support, many of whom believe the relationship between the club and sections of the fanbase has deteriorated to its lowest point in years.
The Green Brigade ban, the Celtic Fans Collective demonstrations and the wider disconnect around the direction of the club have all collided at once. Tonight’s statement makes clear the club sees these matters on separate tracks.
What is clear is that Thursday’s Safety Advisory Group meeting carries serious consequences. Any implications for Celtic Park’s safety certificate would have a major impact on matchday operations.
Celtic closed by insisting they want a solution that allows all supporters to return under safe conditions. They confirmed that they will communicate any further measures that arise from the Safety Advisory Group process as early as possible.
Right now the gap between club and ultras feels wider than ever. Tonight’s message suggests that before any reconciliation can happen, GCC safety authorities will have their say first.
U dont get it its the anurchists that edging you om then rmyhey sneat a palastineein flag in to picture it has made us look like anti Israerli young intenational was forced out of a club and city he loved media made it look like abti usraeli but it was there blockade of the food and medacation but Scottish media new what they were doing the anuruchists to them it was them that left the small plastic bags on seats supporters didnt bring them there only protest was the board mow we can not call our club for all since 1888 they duped us and they have to go the damage they have brought a club for all its a disgrace they have done this in five minutes what sfa have been trying to decades you.see one of those flags tell them not insude the staduim if the try it agai n report dont go to violence thats what they want and the board has to let the fans know the reputation there bringing us they have the have to go from misdle base in vaselane to Celtic park for the media
GCC have the right to close the standing section if club cannot control the behaviour or numbers of the fans gathering there.
I’m astonished they have allowed this hooliganism and thuggery to continue for so long.
The GB and their groupies thought they were oh so clever defying their ban, but they have only succeeded in bringing the days of the standing section to an end.
If Celtic refuse to take the health and safety of the majority of their fans seriously, they can’t complain if the City Council step in.
Assaulting stewards home & away and also police, should have resulted in a complete GB ban but the board, as usual, do nothing.
B#llocks, divide and conquer and idiots like you back the tories up non stop
You appear to be the idiot my friend.
Can you not read?
I’m no supporter of the board.
They have, and continue to be, imcompetent in so many ways, particularly in the way they have indulged the GB for so long.
Incidentally, if you are referring to the board as Tories, perhaps you are ignorant of the fact that ex-Labour cabinet minister Brian Wilson has been on the board for many years, although in fairness, there is little, or no difference between Labour & the Tories these days.
Maybe GCC can do what the Board has failed to do for so long. The anarchist Red Brigade will not be missed.
Istill think the green brigade where duped by thes anurchists who have attacht themselves through the young nieve ulttras into palastinein plastic bags they thought they were protesting against thae blockade stopping food and water medical aids hamas are in charge of gazza and no way they were going to let people get aid before there soldiers thats why it was stpped to stop more killing but with these plasitc sheets to look like flags made us look like hamas supporters and scottish media where right on it that was the plan a tear ago when some flags appeared that forced a you Israeli international no we cant say we are a club for all the sxottish media and the anurchists have duped us i doubt Celtuc fanc have notice they are to busyshowing there banner sack the board with palastineni flag not far a mway but ub shot salong as these two are seen in one shot people will think green brigade are supporting them geeen brigade has to come out and si how there protesting against the board or the Israelsi who we have had some great players ir are you going to allow these anurchists hate a nation that we have had some great players these anurchists only want our great medaua following camras at all gane abd as long as the hold there flags near sack the board banner with green brigade banney along the front they can hide that banner bring iymt iut the right time one phoyo and thats the one punters will see need to police catch these one with banners then tell them stop or go cause its turning a lot people
No doubt the Celtic Board contacted GCC to get them to shut the standing section.
It could backfire in dramatic fashion if GCC took the decision to close the whole stand at that end, making them more unpopular
( if possible ) than they currently are.
Sack the Board.
It looks like there are no depths to which this Board won’t sink – they are as out of control as some of the GB.
Banning all the GB in collective punishment, before any thorough investigation was carried out to identify actual wrongdoers, smacks of simple revenge to try to silence the protests against the Board.
Along with the abject failure in the transfer window; DD’s /Lawwell’s unprecedented and publicly embarrassing rant against the ex-manager; and now calling in the GCC, only serves to demonstrate how much control DD & Desmond have over the club, with the other Board members obviously having little or no say and a CEO who is little more than a useless puppet.
The fans collective will see through the utter stupidity and obvious dictatorship being orchestrated within the Board – it seems that DD and Lawwell are doing more damage to the club’s reputation with each passing day and causing even more division within the fans.