You will not need me to remind you of an SNP government minister’s desire to “equalise” political chanting in status with criminal acts was one of, if not the primary, motivation for the Offensive Behaviour at Football’ Act.
The Act has been justified at every turn by an insistence that it exists to keep sectarianism and hate away from football games, despite sectarianism and hate chanting being well covered by existing legislation. Yesterday, this presumably shield against hate crime, was used against Hamilton Accies and Celtic fans, holding banners proclaiming “Repeal the Offensive Behaviour Act”. Among other prohibited banner slogans were “Fans not criminals” and “Supporting your team is not a crime”.
I have been appalled at this Act, from the early concepts of the Bill, to its ineffective passage through courts, to this highly Offensive manner it trampled on the Human Rights of Celtic and Hamilton fans to silence political dissent.
You are living in a land where “Accies against the Act” is a prohibited phrase, where both sets of fans, acting in unison, offending no one apart from those in power, are hassled by the police.
Thanks to everyone who donated to my Celtic Foundation fundraising page (still open) for yesterday’s Great Scottish Run, it is enormously appreciated. Well done to the thousands who lined the streets offering support, and on occasion, peeled oranges. Society, a concept we were told was dead in the 80s, is alive and well in Glasgow.
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Hail Hail
He shoots
COYBIG
off the post!
PHILBHOY
Reply sent. That should piss off some on here…
Congrats Dharma Bam
the Bill itself is offensive
That’s jut not fair!!! I was posting on the last article when Paul did his new one! Mind you top 3 is not bad I suppose.
https://johnjamessite.wordpress.com/2015/10/05/the-cash-crisis/#sthash.H1GVIVuN.dpuf
Thank you CelticRollerCoaster, I can only attribute it to years of being in the wrong place at the right time meaning I had to get my chance at some point.
Saw a 3 minute video on Newsnow of a Man Utd kid that Celtic are interested in for a loan period,even if if it’s just for a six month period it would be worthwhile he’s great at scoring goals,James Martin is his name.
PAUL67
I’ve said from Day One that the Act is not admissible under European laws. I’m not even convinced that it stands up under our own laws.
The sooner it is but a bad memory,the better.
BMCUW
Thanks buddy!
See you Saturday!
Dundee United after tommy wright for the managers job.
What’s soutar like ?
Don’t see point of us signing cole.. We are very short on talented strikers, but cole isn’t that talented to me. Plus we have ciftci and stokes who don’t get a sniff so forget about cole.
Maybe pick up a striker in January
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on 5th October 2015 12:24 pm
I suspect that in order to save face the act won’t be repealed. They’ll just slowly stop arresting people under it’s laws and go back to the one’s from before that were totally fit for purpose.
Would be fascinating (for me) if someone were to take the Scottish Government to court for implementing an Act that goes against the Human Rights Act. Is that feasible?
Why are people surprised when they have voted in a Nationalist party, then said Nationalists impose police controlled state surveillance/’justice’ with heavily armed and camera equipped police?
Nationalism never ends well.
One of the grounds re being given Refugee status is having proof that your country of origin prohibits and legislates against behaviour criticizing Government legislation and policy.
We need a republic Scotland.
No sovereignty.
All real jocks, none of this plastic, kid on stuff we have now, the SNP are just playing at being a slightly leftish group of nats.
Get in there wi the boots, one flag one country one people.
Thing is! Who can lead us?
I nominate Peter Lawwell.
Oldtim67. The Bhoy Celtic want according to reports is called James Wilson not James Martin. H.H.
Nicola Sturgeon has claimed that she first learned of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012 when she read about it on CQN today, prior to that she was not aware of its existence.
Would you get away with a ‘Down With This Sort Of Thing’ banner at the fitba’ in 2015 Scotland?
It would be funny were it not so serious.
Extending their intolerance of dissent within their own Party to the general public who attend football matches.
And they have the Sevco-like neck to cry ‘Freedom’.
https://twitter.com/CollectCelticFC/status/650950994629672960
Oldtim
get James Martin to pitch in at you next BBQ
Wilson signed a new contract last week with Man U,and they said he wouldn’t be going out on loan anywhere.
THUNDERBIRDS ARE GONE on 5TH OCTOBER 2015 1:00 PM
Been reading back since Saturday afternoon trying to catch up, but great posts and great views, so couldn’t scroll past.
SALTIRES
Thoughts are with you and your family at this difficult time. I lost both of my parents in the last 3 years, but they are with me yet, and for always, the memory will never die, your Dad will always be with you, in your heart and soul.
THE GAME
⚽️ PROS
We won
3 points gained and 3 points closer to The Sheep.
We came from behind to win – A new team, which we are, needs episodes like yesterday to build trust, understanding and cameraderie. They can draw on yesterday as a positive, when they go behind in the future.
Nobody was seriously injured, on a seriously bad surface.
The Griff. I had serious reservations that both his ability, and his behaviour, we’re not up to Celtic standards when he signed. I am happy to be proved wrong. He has really knuckled down, and is now a genuine predator. His goal was just fantastic. Many posters have said that only Seeler, or Muller, or Larsson could have scored with a header like that. I am not sure. Having watched it over about 20 times, I have to say, I think only Griffiths could have scored it. Watch it again, watch his casual glance to double check it was on target – unnecessary, he knew it was a goal the minute he got his head on to it. It was a high degree of difficulty, how did he hang in the air so long? Just majestic.
Brown, Biton and Izzy were up to standard.
Bhoyata (after his aberration), and Lustig and Armstrong, when they came on, just get pass marks
⚽️ CONS
Terrible defending throughout, not just for the goal. Apart from individual errors, which are in season, I think there is a problem with the set up. The full backs need to offer some cover for the centre backs. That’s two recent goals lost, (Fenerbahce and Hamilton) to simple route one balls, one of them a throw in, aimed at our centre backs. It’s too easy for the opposition. Play enough route one balls, and a mistake will come, and then the opposition are clean through on our goal. This possibility should be considered, and the full backs, if they are in the vicinity should be alert for any slip up, and be on the front foot, ready to react, to bail out the centre half.
Loss of form. Craig Gordon is a shadow of the Superman he was last season. With the centre halfs prone to allowing strikers a run on to him, his reluctance to leave his line is proving costly, both for one on ones with a striker, and for dead balls in to the 6 yard box. Joe Hanson – no further evidence required, he has been worse than a man short all season. These two have suffered the most obvious loss of form, but I also think Brown, Commons and GMS have struggled for their best form. To play the way RD wants to play, the whole team needs to be more dynamic, and I think this requires at least 7 or 8 players to be in top form, and that is not the case at present.
⚽️ MOVING FORWARD
We are still in 4 competitions. Two good performances, and results, against Molde should be enough to propel us to the knock out stage, and from there, everything is possible.
We have certainly not played anywhere near our full potential, and have yet to see what Jozo can bring to our team. But we are one point off of the league summit, we have progressed in the one round of domestic competition we have played, we are in an ok position to progress in Europe.
The Hoops look great, and we are the Famous Glasgow Celtic. Happy times.
All of the above is my personal opinion, and no offence to any other poster is intended ;-))) Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts. ;-)
Hunderbirds are Gone on 5th October 2015 1:18 pm
LG’s goal was all the better,as he had to react quickly to a deflection on the cross
HH
Joe Filippis Haircut.
I wrote James wilson on a pad I have beside my computer, I’m a mad on James Martins cooking programme on Saturday morning, there must have been an advert for his show at the week-end,that’s my excuse, hope you accept it, did you have a look at James Wilson, good player, when he steps up to the big team I think he’ll score goals for fun.
WDH.
Smart ass, But I wouldn’t mind him doing my BBQs.
I don’t know how they would have got on playing on the Hamilton plastic, along with the MIB’ s ignoring of the rules of the game with the resultant lack of protection from foul tackles, but Aguero, Silva and De Bruyne of Citeh, and Sanchez, Ozil and Cazorla of Arsenal produced football of the highest order at the weekend, with goals to match. Credit where it’s due.
I disagree that Craig Gordon is suffering from a loss of form.
Keepers like a settled defence in front of them, CG hasn’t had one since the end of last season.
Confidence plays a major part in a footballers makeup, without confidence in your defence.
I reckon when the defence is settled you will see the real CG again.
But what would I know
The useless Nats botched the whole thing up.
However, the corrupt Scottish Labour had decades to challenge the sectarian morons. Apart from playing the sectarian card themselves, they did hee haw for decades.
Another feature of yesterday’s game that is worthy of comment is Armstrong’s yellow card. I actually think that was the worse excuse for a booking I have ever witnessed. The “delay” caused by Armstrong picking the ball up, must have been a matter of seconds. I sometimes think Mibberry is an overused card by Celtic Supporters, but I now have no doubt McLean is bent. He got caught up in his own desire to give Accies the maximum chance to get the equaliser. His face had the Expression you would expect from an Accies supporter who had £100 on a 2-2 draw. His haste to get the ball off Armstrong was unnatural for a supposed neutral.
It is a great pity that yellow cards can not be appealed. The most dubious and sinister booking of the day.
Hunderbirds
It is especially awful given the tackle from behind on Janko as he burst forward, which was given as a foul only ,with no further sanction on the Hamilton defender. A clear yellow in the rules of the game. Automatic yellow in the EPL games I’ve watched. And we all know about the leniency afforded throughout the remainder of the game to the Hearts full-back last week following his yellow card.
At one point yesterday I thought Janko and Boyatta looked genuinely baffled by his failure to award clear fouls, never mind yellow cards. An “is this the same Sport I’m playing up here?” look.
Biton, Brown, Joe Hanson,Rogic, Scott Alan,Armstrong, McGregor, Commons,Christie, Henderson and now talking about Soutar, FFS how many midfielders do we need, meantime up front we have Griffiths, I know there is a lad named Ciftci as well but he is not too good and also a lad named Stokes but he is not picked. So lets get Soutar and make it eleven midfielders and one Striker. Holy God.
corkcelt on 5th October 2015 2:14 pm
Unless they’re planning ahead for Commons, Biton and Johanson (I pick the last two only as they’re rumoured to be for the off and Commons because he’s old now) being elsewhere.
Better than Lewandowski?
Aguero, 24 minutes, 9 touches, 5 goals.
Wouldn’t have scored The Griff header, right enough!
I said yesterday that I doubt there is a player on the planet presently that could have scored the goal the Griff did, and I stand by that.