Celtic’s email to those who had their season tickets suspended yesterday, in the Green Brigade section, alleges a series of incidents, including “intimidating and threatening behaviour towards staff” on multiple occasions, “forcing open fire exits to permit access to individuals without tickets” at Fir Park, a list of pyrotechnic and banner violations and several other transgressions, which they hold the Green Brigade responsible for.
Consequences extend beyond staff wellbeing and Uefa fines. Last season, Glasgow City Council’s Safety Advisory Group, who licence the stadium to open for spectators, wrote with “concerns regarding the conduct of certain spectators located within the north-east curve area”. As a result, Celtic have to report to the Safety Advisory Group after every home game. Hoped for progress has not been made.
The Uefa fines mount up but alone were not going to move the dial. Behaviour towards staff, forcing open gates and the Council’s safety certifiers are absolutes. No one should be threatened at work without their employer taking appropriate action. Organised groups of people cannot try to open gates to allow additional number in. The Safety Certificate is non-negotiable. Inevitably, Celtic had to be prodded into action.
I witnessed none of this (apart from the pyro and banners, obviously) and it could be a different group of lads behind everything. Talks will inevitably take place to resolve the issue; we can hope.
St Mirren are third in the league and absolutely rocking. They got the St Johnstone manager the sack at the weekend and only went behind at Ibrox after a red card and a penalty kick. We are not short of big games but this could be a significant one come the end of the season. An early goal for the good guys tonight would be very welcome.
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How many fans in that section are from the Green Brigade ,if they are banned from entering Celtic Park ,well there is supposed to be a waiting list for fans wanting a season ticket ,
Timbhoy163
I’ll ask on the bus tonight, knowing my luck someone will say” I’m a Gourlay and you’ve been talking to me for years” 🫣
I’m not of this parish ended up here in 1992!
Glendalys
‘Bigged up’ by Brendan and faster than a speeding Daizen. Haven’t seen the last of James or Mikey, to such an extent the conspiracy theorists are saying it’s about sending subliminal messages.
Mon the Hoops
See some fans from the Green Brigade on another hun invested show Talksport hosted by Jim White another bluenose of the highest order ,why are they entertaining this guy.
I should have added The Green Brigade should be talking to the Celtic Board.
T163- correct
I am trying to walk a middle road on the GB issues.
I seriously doubt that anyone consciously brought a proscribed flag or slogan into CP (The Palestine flag is not proscribed anywhere). If anyone brought a Hamas flag, that was very ill advised, certainly if they knew it was a Hamas flag. Hamas, Hezbollah and ISIS support factions would give no quarter to a left wing rebel group like GB and their values. They, unlike the Fatah group and other Palestinian groups are not in any mood to promote peace or a 2 state future. They are nihilistic – seeking a worldwide fundamentalist Islamic state and nothing else enters their worldview.
There are online pics which purport to show Hamas flags , one with Arabic writing that has been translated as saying Celtic Ultras. Very ill conceived- a political own goal and definitely undermining the vast majority of Palestinian flags. The more conspiracy oriented will suspect that such obnoxious additions were brought in by pro-Board secret agents. I am totally unconvinced that the GB approved or condone these of minority Hamas flags so they cannot and should not be used as a banning reason.
However, there is a case to answer on the issue of mob behaviour, intimidation of stewards (home and away) and fellow fans (mostly away). There is evidence of the gate storming at away grounds, of gathering in seats not allocated to them and telling fellow fans to off off if they try and take their usurped seats, of lights being arranged at away fixtures or at Hampden, and of smuggled flares (home and away). Talk to any regular away fan and you’ll get this confirmed. They are also confirmed and evidenced in Eddie Murray’s article on The Celtic Star today. I’m not sure if these anti-social factors are confined to or even dominated by GB members but I suspect Celtic have this info. They do issue the away tickets to this group.
And it should not surprise us. We were warned about this at the beginning of the group’s activities. They want to be an Ultra Group like other Ultra Groups. That means spectacle and banners and non-stop support (but also flares and pyro). It means fetching your banners at away games and being able to defend them and it involves rivalry with other Ultra Groups. It means controlling your own section and not allowing it to be policed by stewards or police. Along with all the good stuffs and there is a lot of that, there is a fundamental sticking point that they do not kowtow to The Man- Celtic plc, Celtic FC, Police, Glasgow Council or Scottish Government. Like many of us, they reserve the right to know better than the law of the Land. But like the rest of us, they have to suffer the consequences when said Law of the Land says – “No – you can’t have your own fiefdom, separate from the rule of our law”.
My biggest surprise is that they did not pursue an interim ban on away tickets for the group. That would have been a more popular move as they are not the only group making noise at away grounds. We will till tonight to wait to see if they are the only noisemakers at CP.
The PFLP is not a terrorist organisation. The PFLP-CG is a proscribed organisation. You cannot be sanctioned for supporting the PFLP in the UK
SFTB above – terrific.
Respect.
Like you say I suspect many fans are trying (hard) to walk a middle road on the GB issue.
PS
Who are the Green Brigade?
Can I recommend the Homebhoys podcast from 27th October.
Joe and Jason’s passionate defense and explanation for Celtic supporters caring about the Palestinians is quite exceptional
Back to Basics
I actually registered as a Green Brigade member on their blog. I could read their public statements though I have rarely exercised that right and my membership has probably fallen through misuse, but I cannot read their own internal communications which are restricted to those with full membership.
I donate to the Food Banks and I defend their right to sing rebel songs even though I am personally bored by how repetitive the Rebs are. I would say that the song “The IRA will set you free” has only ever been heard when the score is 0:0 and the game is beyond the 30th minute. The Rebs are sung more regularly when we are drawing or losing- I find that telling.
Social media in the days of the jungle would have been some craic…..
Our supporters bus from the six counties had a fair proportion of terrorists/volunteers (delete as you wish)…
We carried our big, controversial starry ploughs into Celtic Park and chanted out the big letters at the top of our voice, every other saturday. Proscribed orgnisation. All terribly seditious.
Now we’re all older and more respectable. And a lot more conservative.
Social media has a lot to answer for.
HH
Bada ( I think ) from earlier.
Not very nice here but I would be surprised if the Dundee/Newco game was cancelled. Then again, Dens is 20 miles South of here and might be worse.
SAINT STIVS
This season I have been aware of questionable behaviour by ticketless supporters trying to force their way through turnstiles at Celtic Park, but this was at the Jock Stein stand entrances, so nothing to do with the Green Brigade.
Before the Lazio game I queued with maybe 40 or 50 supporters in front of me at a double-entry turnstile. After a few minutes I and others around me were discussing how slow the movement of the queue was. I could see activity at the turnstile with a few supporters being pushed away by stewards.
When I got to the front, only one of the two turnstiles was operating. A steward apologised and said the left turnstile had been broken by people trying to force it open.
Queuing at the same turnstiles before the Atletico game, the stewards were checking tickets and only those with valid tickets were allowed into the actual turnstile area. Immediately in front of me, two supporters were turned away because they didn’t have tickets and were clearly intent on attempting illegal entry.
One of the members on our bus scanned his ticket at the Scottish Cup semi v Rangers at Hampden last season. As he edged his way through the turnstile, a guy forcibly pushed himself in behind him using the same click. The member didn’t know the guy and had no part in what happened, but a policeman inside the turnstile grabbed him, confiscated his ticket and ejected him from the stadium while the illegal entrant legged it into the crowd.
I regard all of the above as a recent trend and from what I have witnessed, absolutely nothing to do with the Green Brigade. Ticketless supporters are generally more and more brazen in their efforts to gain access.
I am 100% against the GB ban and believe the board are using reports of bad behaviour as a smokescreen. This all started AFTER 7th October when the GB displayed support for Palestine. Coincidence? I think not.
BURNLEY78 asks why the club wouldn’t say so if it’s about flags. The answer is they are too embarrassed to admit it as it would leave them open to ridicule after allowing and even encoraging the flying of Ukraine flags previously.
I have decided to boycott tonight’s game in protest at the treatment of Celtic season ticket holders who have peacefully shown support for a people who are being massacred in their makeshift beds after being forced from their homes.
Of course the actions of Hamas on 7th October were despicable but two wrongs don’t make a right.
I won’t even watch the game on PPV.
Hail Hail
“BIG WAVY on 1ST NOVEMBER 2023 2:40 PM
Social media has a lot to answer for.”
Does Social Media create, reflect or reinforce?
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 1ST NOVEMBER 2023 2:47 PM
Fair play to ye.
HH
Right, time for me to depart.
Cheerio for now .
Big Wavy,
We tend to look at the Jungle through nostalgic eyes.
Loved it at the time, however that was then.
Mad cargos
Peeing in bottles or peeling beer cans
Gang fights on a regular basis
Square gos underneath
Was there even toilets, never mind hot water.?
But we were happy. I think.
HH. COYBIG.
TOM MCLAUGHLIN on 1ST NOVEMBER 2023 2:47 PM
What Big Wavy said.
The correct lyric to the song is “Irishmen will set them free” , not as sung by the GB .
The song was written in the, 1970s by Pat McGuigan (writer of the boys of the old brigade and a number of other great rebel songs) of the Barleycorn and was calling for the release and return of two female republican prisoners being held in Brixton Prison.
HOT SMOKED on 1ST NOVEMBER 2023 2:49 PM
“BIG WAVY on 1ST NOVEMBER 2023 2:40 PM
Social media has a lot to answer for.”
Does Social Media create, reflect or reinforce?
—
Think it amplifies and exaggerates.
I can’t see past the hypocrisy of it all a the moment. There’s a Celtic fan element that (and I showed last week) reflects all that is good into the world when we stood beside the Palestinian people. Our brand went sky high. This fan-led bit is monetised by our ‘club’ when it suits them.
I think the board are pissed with this. Can’t control it and see also both Palestine escalating and Poppy day looming. Timing is obvious and know a smattering of thuggish behaviour thrown into the charge sheet will help their cause.
Politics and society define us as more than a club. You can’t turn that on and off but the administrtors (and frankly that’s all they are) will do what they can to limit damage, with authorities who will laud Ukraine but not Palestine and go tonto on poppy porn on the coming weeks.
HH
Bada Bing
Have you seen how every Bundesliga club crams them in like sardines into the rail seating/standing areas?
It’s never a problem in the best organised league in Europe, and the atmosphere proves that. (The envy of all EPL clubs actually).
GP – Was there even toilets, never mind hot water.?
I can confirm they were. Spent the St Patrick’s day massacre game in there after skulling far too many Newcastle Brown Ales on the way over on the trip. Had to wade through a sea of pish at the entrance too.
I believe they filmed that scene from Trainspotting marked – worst toilet in Scotland….
Fun, and wild times indeed.
HH
GARYGILLESPIESHAMSTRING
Would that be the Price sisters?
Happy Birthday Belmont Brian see you in club Miami on Friday.
D :)
Good afternoon all from the Vicky Bar. You are an absolute shower. So there now.
Tom.
TA for the insights.
Tom McLaughlin
Well said and done
I wont post my 3 Palestinian flags symbols as they are deleted each time I do that
Offensive symbols to the moderator apparently.
God help the people of Gaza
will a poppy debate be allowed on here ?
“HOT SMOKED on 1ST NOVEMBER 2023 2:46 PM
Bada ( I think ) from earlier.
Not very nice here but I would be surprised if the Dundee/Newco game was cancelled. Then again, Dens is 20 miles South of here and might be worse.”
Me too.
I hail from Scotland’s sunniest city and can confirm that it’s not that bad (weather wise anyway).
QB
David66
It’s Club de France and Downtown Miami. Ffs hahahaha 😆 😂
If you entered someone’s house would you not except the rules of the owner,or leave peacefully not to upset your host.
Maybe a bit simplistic in the present circumstances but never the least relevant.
I don’t get to many games but some friends say they do not like the atmosphere at away games ,partly due to elements within the GB.
I support the Palestinian cause ,but won’t elaborate in case the Moderator is hovering nearby HH
SFTB…
There is your answer…
Moderator what makes you delete Palestinian flags…Are you afraid Mossad might get you
Let’s see now..
Israel is a terrorist state…Mass murder of civilian population in collective punishment…
That’s a war crime…according to the UN…which of course is an evil anti semitic organisation
When “The Troubles ” were at there height, UK was not at war with Ireland, ditto Palestine, but try tellIing Israel
that
Simple really. The Palestinians need our help, end of !!!!!
KINGLuBO
BIGRAILROADBLUES on 1ST NOVEMBER 2023 3:32 PM
…………..
Be careful with the DRINK auld yin, yer NOT used to hard liquor.
You might be pure steaming boats BEFORE the Kick Aff tonight.
LOL
HH
I’m hoping the police in England currently busying themselves removing the national flag of Palestine from lamp posts can make it over to Belfast to remove some UVF ones…
Torrential RAIN in The CALTON just now.
HH