Last week I was in Belfast for the first time in 20 years. The city centre was flooded with tourists, adding a cosmopolitan flavour. It’s clean and without litter or graffiti. I also didn’t see a single football top on the street in two days, which has to be exceptional for any European city. It was a proper tourist destination.
The whole city is small and just a few minutes’ walk from the centre are demarcation zones where normal rules of law and order, or even planning permission, do not apply. There are places where inappropriate bravado would be punished without appropriate limit.
Many people live in besieged areas. Bombay St is pretty and well-kept, but the residents, are not even protected by a roof-high peace line (below). Their gardens are now completely caged in, a necessary step to protect life and property.
One phrase you will have heard all your life about Belfast in July is “tensions run high”. Communities spend months preparing enormous bonfires, while ancient observances are carried out.
It is not possible for Celtic to play against Linfield under normal conditions without jeopardising the welfare of our travelling support. Too many people would be vulnerable in too many places. We should decline tickets for the away game and politely inform Linfield they should do likewise – don’t think for a second it would be only Linfield fans who would pitch up at Celtic Park for the return game. Their presence would be a beacon for all that we don’t want to see or listen to for 90 minutes.
Belfast has so much to teach Glasgow, from tourism, to reconciliation, but conflict remains part of its infrastructure. This is a tie to get out of the way without cost to life or limb.
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Come on the hoops
And again
3 in a row
Very slow lads
Ok I will now read the article for the 2nd time
Paul67
Should that have a question mark at the end?
Agree, protect the fans, and they cant charge inflated prices for away tickets, which they undoubtedly will do
http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/irish-international-convinced-of-celtic-move-within-30-seconds-by-brendan-rodgers-794202.html
I agree 100% with Paul67 – declining tickets is the only option.
Paul67
Very noble Paul
But Celtic don’t even decline tickets for Ibrox, they snap them up and dish them out.
Business is business, and this board only knows £££££££££££
The home leg is a freebie and this Celtic board doesn’t do fan protection.
And what about us? More than enough folks over here who could (and do) safely get there and back without having to mill around the city centre….
Too many people would be vulnerable in too many places.
================
Not totally comfortable with giving in to bigots and not being there to support the team, which can give us an advantage, but on the other hand in relation to the above sentence this is very true – even in Glasgow, Celtic fans often wander into areas of the city best avoided, unaware of the hatred towards them and danger they are in.
HH
Id say the main question is who will be looking to televise the game – how much will it cost them and would they allow say a lunctime kickoff on the 11th – not sure how much that would help folk on the lisburn road or if the police would like that for that reason – but the 11th night wouldn’t be any better than the 12th itself
At the moment,who has the biggest wages payroll,
Glasgow City Council,or Sevco?.
DBBIA
Not one of wee Maureen’s better flicks
SCANIEL on 19TH JUNE 2017 3:08 PM
If we have to play thems take the game to Dublin, Cork or Donegal – kick off 12 o’clock, noon or midnight, preferably midnight. Return leg should still be at Paradise with the minimum amount of away tickets allowed under UEFA rules dished out to these lowlifes.
Ruined a good day hearing that draw, but hey ho the thought of putting them in their place is beginning to compensate now that I’m on my 4th Efes.
Early KO.Straight from the game to man the barricades at Drumcree.
May as well take in a bit of culture as well as the game.
Should they sell the tickets through AICSC / irish supporters clubs who go over?
I’d say itd be risky/impossible for anyone to come over via ferry/bus and difficult with plane given they are likely long booked up that week / not likely to be neutrally occupied
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 19TH JUNE 2017 3:21 PM
Paul67
Very noble Paul
But Celtic don’t even decline tickets for Ibrox, they snap them up and dish them out.
Business is business, and this board only knows £££££££££££
The home leg is a freebie and this Celtic board doesn’t do fan protection.
How do Celtic make money out of the “Away tickets”?.
Or just sell our allocation to Irish based supporters clubs?
I travel to Windsor Pk for Cliftonville games against linfield with no problems.
Now on my 5th Efes and agree with Paul. Take none and give none.
Panda Hands not on the 12th you don’t ;o) – but it could be done with some organisation – as someone already said – gather in andytown – down stockmans – along boucher – job done
Belfastbhoyo
Exactly. Andytown, Stockmans then Boucher Rd. No issues or potential flash points. Would be a pity to have no support at Windsor if this suggestion is a goer
oh, and not buying this – its the only way to keep them out on the return fixture either – we’d never have another away section ever on that logic
When the draw was made today the lead story on the BBC sport website was celtic’s opponents in the champions league.
Bbc scotland lead with rangers in the Europa league.
Anyone for independence?
Panda, could even restrict other trains to not stop at Finaghy and Boucher train halts – the Devenish would be a pretty good staging point too
There will be loads of Celtic fans at both games.
And quite right as well.
Since when did the PLC care about the safety of Celtic Supporters?
Is this a new thing?
Since they didnt seem too bothered about Celtic fans violently attacked in the Gallowgate by the Ajax bigots.
HH
TURKEYBHOY on 19TH JUNE 2017 3:02 PM
Luxembourg deserves to be trashed by the hordes for giving the world the worst radio service the world has ever heard.Sunday nights,in the 60s,trying valiantly to listen to the “Top 20″from Radio Luxembourg,half a song,the rest static.Desperate for it to work ,then horror,Number 1 announced,and it worked perfectly to my horror,”I Remember You,by Frank Ifield”
*memories of Pat Boone and Moody River OMG putrid is the only word for that and I bought Speedy Gonzalez by the same singer. Used tae hurry hame on a Sunday night to listen to “Live from the Cavern”, just before the top 20.
In any discussions with the representatives of Linfield, Celtic must remember that hospitality must include cheese and pineapple on a stick.
https://youtu.be/qEsFtiruIok
The problem with stating we should take no tickets is that we have many fans with an unbroken record of attendance at Euro away ties and will be going regardless of the risk.
I think we should forget about a boycott. Our fans have been to hostile places before and know how they should behave- they don’t need admonitions from any old Bankier.
SFTB
Spot on.
Try stopping Celtic fans watching the bhoys.
Not happening.
I wouldnt mind the jaunt myself:)
HH
Paul67,
Supporters know the risks. As for Parkhead, will the “traveling ” support be any worse than Ajax.?
HH.
Belfastbhoyo
Devenish, PD, Felons etc would be buzzing that day.
The Swedish fans based themselves in Devenish for their visit to Windsor recently.
TGM,
Sorry, you have already said that.
Linfield should not be allowed to sell tickets to Scottish addresses for CP game…
Turkey
Don’t think I said that we made money from away tickets?
If you think my post inferred we did, it wasn’t meant to.
I reckon Celtic will control and distribute tickets as per normal but thats just a guess on the basis that we never want tickets falling into the wrong hands and invite a situation where some of our fans would be made even more vulnerable.
Greenpinata
Whats your point?
Have you imposed a limit on what i want to post?
Do i need your permission?
Greenpinata
Thats me being polite