The Daily Record won credit for scooping the off-field story of the week, multiple investigations into singing by Celtic fans, but others are beginning to ask who gave the newspaper details of a police investigation.
The stories broke in an unusual manner, with SFA referee and policeman, Eddie Smith, named as the person who reported Celtic fans to Uefa and the SPL. The officer made what looks like an inexplicable decision after some confrontations inside Celtic Park, without mentioning a word of his concerns to the Celtic security people during the game – the normal procedure for such incidents.
Smith, who has Celtic supporting credentials, was named, providing the perfect foil to deflect accusations that this was some sort of Masonic conspiracy, which it was not. The entire episode is a classic internecine dispute among Celtic supporters, but with the comments made to Uefa, the story was parcelled up for the Record by a Strathclyde Police spokesman.
The Daily Record reported, “A spokesman for Strathclyde Police said: “For Eddie [Smith] to speak to the delegate after the match is nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, it is standard practice””. This is completely irrelevant.
Celtic’s retort in the same article got to the heart of the issue – why the police are speaking to Uefa and the media but not speaking to the club: “This is quite unprecedented as no issues were raised to the club during the match and the police didn’t inform us directly about their concerns.”
Control over media communications from Strathclyde Police falls to Director of Communications, Rob Shorthouse, (pictured on the left). Shorthouse, whose own favourite team have taken a reputational battering from Uefa in recent seasons, despite silence from the police, should be concerned that the force have given newspapers material for three days of screaming headlines instead of addressing the key concern about departure from established procedure. This has only inflamed a volatile situation between Celtic fans and officers on the ground. Shorthouse, who held a similar position at the SFA until two years ago, will be familiar with the sensitivities of football issues.
Perhaps a Freedom of Information request will reveal who leaked a story that laid out details which reflected so badly on Celtic. All we want is equal treatment, as a former chairman once commented.
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The Green Brigade youth spent longer in custody than the the Hearts fan who pled guilty in the case described above.
Someone once said,
“If this is justice than I am a banana.”
(Ian Hislop, I know)
Now I am not aware of the wording or the content of the charge libelled against the 17 year old,mentioned in the GB statement yesterday, and presently incarcerated in YOI Polmont,however if I was his legal representation I would be seizing on the decision of the sheriff at Dunfermline sheriff court with regards to the Hearts fan and I would be immediately be seeking a meeting with the Lord Advocate to complain regarding my clients incarceration for an offence allegedly committed in front of 40,000 Celtic fans
Kayal33 says:
17 November, 2011 at 09:04
I agree with you. A published minute of this meeting would have be very interesting and get things laid out and on the record.
Not meeting Corrigan will also be twisted against us by our wonderful media,
Anyway, I really think it’s time we let this rest on this blog and start to concentrate on gubbing ICT on Saturday and celebrating in a manner where they can do absolutely nothing to us.
It makes me laugh when i hear Alex Salmond going on about independence.
The Brave New World of Sectarian Scotland.
John Knox would have loved it.
HH
Is it only in Dunfermline that these decisions are made;
That’s a Hearts fan & the Honey from earlier (Dryburgh or summit)
Shirley no……..
Has Corrigan / Smith no influence in Fifeshire……….
Paddy T
Good morning guys,
Just getting back to football matters.
I read that Southampton are trying to get Hooiveld on a permanant deal and are talking to Celtic about a fee. In a time when our central defence looks weak, have we made a mistake with regards to this guy. Has he been given a fair crack at Celtic. Southampton are top of the Championship, possibly going into the premier League next season and they must rate him. I must admit ive not seem him play at Southampton, nor at Celtic due to being injured or out of favour. Is he worth another look.
Another beautiful morning here in North Ayrshire.
David Peter Deans says:
17 November, 2011 at 09:36
————–
Good morning to you David Peter.
IMHO …… NAW
Paul67 – you are fast becoming the real voice of honesty and integrity – Great article
In Glasgow we will see this made up story for what it is – an attempt to drag Celtic down to their level
However we need to be careful not to provide them the ammunition (no reason IMO to sing anything to do with the IRA)
MORE IMPORTANTLY
It is likely that UEFA will see through this – and in turn – refocus on THEM and see THEM for what they are
So the Director of Communications for Strathclyde Police may just have communicated to UEFA that its not just THEM that are bigots but those in charge of policing the bigots are also bigots
Oh Dear
67ECW
From the STV site on the SPL and Behaviours etc.
Is there a list of songs/chants?
No, and if offensive singing if the type of disorderly conduct reported, it doesn’t have to be specified. The match delegates report can just make reference to songs of a certain nature without detailing the song or any offensive lines or words used.
BigSwee says: So in effect all it takes is for someone with an agenda to simply state that certain songs were sung without saying what it was? How do clubs deal with the issue when these buffoons can’t even tell them what it is????? Honestly. This must have been written by a 5 year old…… or a politician
So who is responsible for making sure the rules aren’t broken?
There is a police presence at all SPL matches but, as far as the governing body is concerned, the home club is deemed responsible for preventing unacceptable conduct and dealing with any incidents.
That means not only does the club need to ensure security but that it also has to take steps to discourage and prevent offensive singing etc and assist the police and stewards when they deal with incidents directly.
And here is the rub. How do the club deal with these incidents when they have not been flagged to them in the first instance but instead it’s pressed onto a delegate and then leaked into the public domain by an unfriendly media………
David Peter Deans,
Hooivelt has had rave reviews for his performances at Southamption. I’ve not seen him either but I hope that someone from the club has been watching.
We should think long and hard before selling him.
For the record, I have no need to hear Provo songs at any Celtic match as there are plenty of places to go an listen to them elsewhere if people feel the need.
When I go to watch the Bhoys in Green I do so as it’s football I want to see and the club I hold so dear. We have so many beautiful and celebratory songs we could be in the ground for 2 hours and not go through them all.
With that said, I will not be dictated to by some bampot tinpot dictatorship who have done nothing to root out the real cancer at the heart of Scottish society. Scotlands Shame indeed. Inaction, collusion and corruption
Hail Hail
David Peter Deans and Gordon_J
There is a big difference between performing well in front of a Southampton crowd who do not have such high expectations as our perfection- demanding support.
JJ
from last night:
Legal Defence Fund launched
Published on Wednesday 16th November, 2011 by Celtic Trust
Many of you will be aware of the case of the young boy from Section 111 who was held in prison from Friday of last week till late last night when he was released, on the orders of the Lord Advocate, from Polmont Prison. All this for the terrible crime of singing a song at a football match two weeks previously. This case highlights the fear that many of us have around both the introduction of the Offensive Behaviour at Football Bill and the zealous nature of the policing of football in the run-up to it.
Many of us are clear that if we cannot defeat this Bill then we will need to be ready to defend Celtic fans on a case by case basis and some of the existing supporters’ organisations have committed themselves to this. However, there have been a number of calls for a Defence Fund to be set up and this has now been done.
The FAC Legal Defence Fund has now been launched. A bank account is being set up which will have as its main signatories Alex Mosson, the former Lord Provost of Glasgow and a member of the Board of the Celtic Trust; John Andrews, the President of the Celtic Supporters’ Association and Alan Horne, the President of the Affiliation of Registered Celtic Supporters Clubs. In the meantime, you will be able donate via Paypal on those sites belonging to the member organisations of FAC who have this facility ie the Celtic Trust, the CSA, the Affiliation, the Irish Association and the Green Brigade.
If you are donating to the Fund in this way, please remember to indicate that the donation is for the FAC LDF. If you forget to do this on Paypal then a simple email with the details to the relevant organisation should suffice.
The Celtic Trust paypal button can be found at the bottom of the home page and is marked Donate.
Big Swee….
Well said mate, on all fronts.
HH
Jungle Jim,
Fair point – but a centre half playing well at any level must be worth at least considering
hamiltontim says:
17 November, 2011 at 00:23
I have never met you – but your words touched me
Hail Hail
67ECW
Jungle Jim says:
17 November, 2011 at 09:49
I haven’t seen much championship football, how does it compare to the SPL, can’t be much difference??
Hx2
Regarding Hoiveld….
I know nowt about fitba or evaluating players, ( as evidenced by my output and commentary, obviously) but what little I saw of Hoiveld, I thought he had something there that might be able to be worked on…….
As we are in the position where we can’t agfford to invest in the finished product type player currently, shouldn’t the Club be putting additional effort into players that might need that bit more coaching, after-all we did scout him in the first palce.
It would be a shame if another club were to benefit from our groundwork.
HH
Mick says:
17 November, 2011 at 09:49
from last night:
Legal Defence Fund launched
Published on Wednesday 16th November, 2011 by Celtic Trust
Let’s be clear about this do you instruct Paypal to the FAC [ACRONYM] Legal Defence Fund or the Fans Against Criminalisation Legal Defence Fund?
.
Songs Debate Ehhh..
I’ll Gie Ye Songs Debate..
How Many Beatles Songs Had..Woman..In the Title..?
Summa ft LoveLoveMeDooCSC
Gordon
He was , apparently, playing very well in Sweden!
StarryPlough,
Possibly not but the pressure at Southampton would be less than it is at Celtic.
Also, of course, in England, Joos can attempt to win the ball without being penalised by the MIB everytime.
JJ
Big Nan
I think FAC legal defence fund would be ok,but don’t take my word for it.
Need to head out with check back later
…..I thought the same about Big Cillian as well, and the wee winger that went upto The Dons (can’t remember his name).
AssetManagement CSC
Jungle Jim.
All good points. I’m not saying we should bring him back – just that we should consider it carefully rather than simply taking the money,
Jungle Jim says:
17 November, 2011 at 10:00
Cheers Mate, I guess the player will want to move now anyway for the sake of his own career, Scottish Football is dying a slow ugly death…
Mick says:
17 November, 2011 at 10:01
Big Nan
I think FAC legal defence fund would be ok,but don’t take my word for it.
Need to head out with check back later
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
Please do accuracy is everything when signing cheques.
How can a sheriff tell if there are no catholics or Irish whom could be called fenians,are stood within earshot of a bigot singing?
Do they know the details of everybody in a stadium now?
Thanks for the feedback guys. I do beleive the Championship is much stronger than the SPL. I just hope we dont sell this player on the cheap, for him to be valued at several million a couple of years down the line. The support at Celtic is very demanding as we know, and Hooiveld did have a bad game at Ultrecth last season which more or less finished him at Celtic. But what player did play well in that game and how many mistakes have the other central defenders made since then. He could be in the premier league in England next year the way Southampton are going at present.
I would rather have Joos than Dan ,Dan the 2000 man! Off out now.
JJ
|PS We did our bit to get us back on to football!
Mick @ 10:01
Is The group known as FAC an exclusive organisation set up on behalf of Celtic Supporters
NEW ARTICLE:: Celtic considering the position of the Green Brigade http://www.scotzine.com/2011/04/celtic-considering-the-position-of-the-green-brigade/
From *hitter this morning.
cabbageandbacon says:
17 November, 2011 at 10:13
News Just In.
Titanic sinks.
Local man feared drowned.
Morning , on Joos he always talked a good game but never quite showed it playing for the bhoys, maybe he needed more time to settle.
Heard a Southhampton fan on 5 live describing him as ‘world class’ and wondering how he couldn’t get a game for Celtic. Wanted hime signed up pronto, if he is that good can we have £5mil please.
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon says:
17 November, 2011 at 09:52
Can you just amend that slightly to “playing at a decent level”.
pedantCSC#1
bankiebhoy
Jamie Smith?
ernie lynch says:
17 November, 2011 at 10:16
**************************
The Titanic sank? When did this happen, and why was i not told?
CAB,
That article is from APRIL, 7 months ago!!
SFFS