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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Chairbhoy, I did use a word that could be deemed offensive, but many others also have done. It’s a matter of getting a complaint.
And blanket moderation is impossible, so my complaints are rather tongue in cheek, but I did read Corrie’s and find that deletion strange. No offensive words or controversial opinion.
The Donald on 19th June 2017 11:02 pm
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Hello..! Hello..!
We are the Timalloys
Mats Nilloc is an anagram of Tam Collins
GUYFAWKESAFOREVERHERO on 19TH JUNE 2017 10:19 PM
I don’t think Celtic fans should give any consideration to the consequences of authority embarrassments.
Remember, Legia had a stand closed, then a Euro home game played behind closed doors (v R Madrid). Well done them making last 32. We didn’t.
Good luck to Legia against the Finns.
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You missed out the part why Legia were banned and had to play behind closed door.
I’ll help you.
Their support is full of filthy nazi racist scum.
Chairbhoy
Good post, might be something in that.
Might explain why the regular posters get censored, and the trolls dont.
HH
THE DONALD on 19TH JUNE 2017 11:02 PM
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Hello..! Hello..!
=============================
Where have you been ?
We are the boys in emerald green
Through rain and muck
We`ll fight …….
…..with pluck
To keep the green flag flying high .
TGM
Aye, smart tv’s arny called smart tv’s for no reason, a friend of the wife’s works for Facebook, she is on the cutting edge so to speak and she was telling us the other week that some of the new breed of tv’s can hear what you are talking about and this is how they will target advertising, they are working on viewing you as well as hearing you, so yer man was spot on :-)
HH
Used to be you got a reason posted by a moderator if you had a post removed.
HT
I’ve got my tax out ready for Sat and your 3pm KO.
On other matters, I was stood at almost the exact spot around the same time on Saturday waiting to jump on one of Paris’s tour buses for a wee bit of sight seeing on wheels, as that which the attack happened today.
Hopping off and on I was saddened to see the security around the cities main monuments. Monuments at one time not so long ago you could just wander around. Takes some of the beauty out of an amazing city. But a necessary evil for tourists sadly.
MWD
TET
Butting in –
The Anthony Burgess novel -1985-features a character making the claim that 1984 was originally 1948.
I remember an expert on Radio 4 making the claim that the original title was 1980.
If I was Jonny and given the opportunity at that age. WOW.
Brendan knows he is going to get even better perfomances than he Putin for Aiberdeen.
Wee Jamesie better not slack off at all… or he won’t play. Simples.
We have an incredible Manager and he is young.
Just read the lindield representative at the draw. He already thinks they are through, mon La Fiorita!
Linfield should give the Sammarinese their due.
Per capita they’ve provided more European Cup winning players than any other country!
SoT
Any info on it is good, I am going to have to find out about this, the grey cells are calling on me to help them, google will take a battering the morra, thanks.
HH
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Sleep well Timland, up in a few hours, things to do and no enough time to do them, take care and God bless.
HH
TET
Corporate media…Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Samsung, Apple,Amazon etc
These companies are matching the GNP of European countries now….and, that’s probably an underestimate.
They pay very little tax…..why would that be:)
The things google are doing, you wouldnt believe it.
HH
SOT
Read 1985….so long ago, ive forgotten it.
I also remember an ‘Enderby Trilogy’?
HH
Obviously Paddy is skilled to the max. James Forrest is dangerous and direct, that pace frightens defenders.
I’d hazard a guess that Brendan would ideally like a player that is direct and goes for it.
Brilliant Management nonetheless.
Invincible Treble Winners.
The Maestro
Doc @ 8.28
“Not often I disagree with you so not going to now.
We know how to behave when visiting someone’s else’s home city.
Is Bankier still in post? Really?”
Sorry for late reply- I am fairly sure that Bankier left Celtic, unlamented, sometime in the recent past. I was using his name as an example of the kind of unsolicited scaremongering we have had to put up with re Celtic fan behaviour. Lots of people had behaved like Bankiers (Cockney rhyming slang intended) about this. Classically, we get lots of hand wringing about the potential for trouble, followed by an impecccable display of behaviour and no apology from the scare mongers.
Now, I am as aware as most of you about the dangers of being isolated amongst hostile support, and about the dangers of being around at all when the Loyalists are partying but I fully expect this one to pass with minimal problems from our support.
We do have a problem with flares and banners but Amsterdam apart, where the police behaviour inflamed a situation where our support were being attacked, there has been little in the way of violence from Celtic fans. In the return leg, our police failed to adequately protect our fans from the same group that harmed us in Amsterdam.
Me, I hope Linfield sign Kyle Lafferty in time for the tie.
Sionnach Abu on 19th June 2017 11:06PM
I was speaking to the derisable consequences of the reported failings of Legia fans.
Your contribution adds nothing.
Having taken a punch to my kidneys as the white shirted mob advanced from behind me down Haymarket, I’ve no incentive to beatify them.
I like Legia. Good luck to them against the Finns.
Doc & TGM,
As I didn’t see Doc’s post the sweary content remains unknown to me…
Suffice to say some quite uncouth language often goes unpunished.
If it is, as you say due to Moderators receiving complaints, rather than a blanket “enforcement” it could explain a lot.
Like, why did Corkcelts post disappear? A little while back he brought to Posters attention posts been deleted as quickly as they appeared, ACGR, myself and a few others… Basically taking to task some controversial and Racist posts.
An anti-Muslim (and possibly illegal) post stayed, while our posts were removed. Very odd.
I had a post deleted the other day with no explanation – I asked if a complaint had been received (I suspect it had) and didn’t receive a reply.
There are a few wiley operators on this site, if they are using the “system” to complain and get counter arguments deleted then they are the smart guys and we are being played.
It’s kinda like the Footballer who dives at a tackle, rolls around in agony and on the whistle immediately recovers, jumps up and is in the refs face demanding a Red Card.
It’s a poooor Referee who falls for that one…
Hail Hail
With the burgeoning South American complement at Ibrox, there might be some initial language and recognition problems.
We could see some adverse reactions when asked for ID at Auchenhowie or the Crumble Dome.
https://youtu.be/XT8hE7_8BCY
Celtic PLC should turn down the opportunity to make a pile of bigot bucks in Belfast?? Not happening!
Mags
The Wishaw Brigade are up for it
Love
The best ever Referee,, portly too, he took refuge under the big Tree at Strathaven.
I said he had had, I was under the same tree to stay out of the Danny McGrain, the best ever performance…I’d seen, given the circumstances It was excellent. He says “are you taking the piss”. I wasn’t.
He was a good one despite having a few extra pounds. Never seen again.
Working class referees and Scotland will Flourish.
An empirical rule of thumb regarding CQN that I have discovered.
If there is a perception in the moderators mind that it may be anti-catholic then el choppo. Over and above the personal insults and the 4 Catholic sweary words of course
SOAL
I’m sure they are
SFTB’s
If Bankier left who is now Chair, missed that appointment.
Liked the ole Cockney slang, hope you don’t get banned:-)
ChairBhoy, if you imagine my usual post Talking **** then you get the Point
Matts Nilloc, again, can you explain your point, “other than football reasons” Celtic supporters would attend a game played by Celtic?
I will repeat the question, just to be clear.
CR
To Get Ther
Doc
Mr Benn will be in the changing room of that wee shop, changing into a Spaceman:)
And i didnt even call him a **** this time
HH
Mags McGill…
Believe you are right… The Board is, in general of a Right Wing Catholic bent…
The moderation seems to follow that line.
…there’s more than one type of Troll my Friend…
Hail Hail
Just Believe.
Please.
for petec sake.
Brendan
Doc
My mistake- I must have dreamed that he was leaving- he’s probably just keeping a low progile because, when he’s on the move, his feet seem to find their way into his speaking orifice.
That St. Aloysius school seems to have produced a few prime examples of that kind.
respect Kit and Ben
After the next World Cup the best referee in Scotland will be the 4 man committee in the video room
SFTB’s dreaming or hoping?
Sorry but that is not an inspiring chairman!
A leader!
But, we seem to have been taken over by a higher power, Mr Lawell wasn’t the issue in the lack of leadership in my opinion.
Being a St Modans Bhoy I couldn’t comment!
St. Aloysius Being foreign to me:-)