Yesterday’s statement by Celtic was clear and unambiguous. The club are aware of reports of ill-treatment of supporters by police and have an established process in place to handle concerns, directed through the umbrella Fans Against Criminalisation Group (incorporating Association, GB, Affiliation, Irish Association and Trust). Two complaints have been received and actioned since December, which sounds like we have an under-reporting issue.
I am very pleased they have committed to form a Complaints Panel, with representatives from the support and the club. We are the one family so there is no need for the club to manage complaints, the support is more than qualified on this matter. This is important as it gives supporters oversight and ensures the club cannot act behind supporters’ backs on such an important issue, which should ensure that going forward matters are dealt with properly.
This is the response I wanted from Celtic.
Celtic also suggest accusations they have targeted supporters are “without foundation”, asking “What would be the Club’s motivation for being involved in activity which targets or victimises supporters? It is simply not true. It does not make sense.” It makes no sense, of course.
Statements from the Green Brigade on Saturday, and the Affiliation committee (who believe they were referred to in the Green Brigade’s statement) today, raise some real concerns.
If, as the Affiliation suggest, “In recent weeks have seen finger pointing, whispers, rumours and lies aimed at organisations and individuals within them from sections of our own support”, we have a poison in our midst.
These matters are important enough (to me, anyway) for all parties to require clarification. Get whoever said what to whom about whoever in a room together. You will soon find out who has the cojones to look everyone else in the eye, and you will find out who is damaging your football club.
Lest we forget, these matters are a result of First Fantasist Alex Salmond’s Offensive Behaviour at Football’ Bill. The consequences of which were predicted by Fans Against Criminalisation Group, as well as Celtic, who in their written submission to the Justice Committee (sic) said as much:
“The legislation potentially discriminates against the football supporter by reason of that person being a football supporter. It criminalises him or her for being a football supporter and not only because of the nature of his or her behaviour. In other words, exactly the same behaviour could be deemed illegal if performed by a football supporter, while not constituting an offence by anyone not participating in a football environment.
“An offence of “offensive behaviour“ and the test of the reasonable person, are introduced in section 1(2) (e). This test is extremely wide and creates considerable uncertainty over what is or is not acceptable.
“If this offence is to be introduced notwithstanding our comments above, clear guidelines should be published by the Lord Advocate to explain what sorts of conduct are considered as offensive or unacceptable. The potential for confusion in the absence of clear and consistent guidelines is potentially limitless and runs the risk of the law becoming unenforceable, or brought into disrepute.”
The Scottish Government passed sloppy legislation and put extraordinary funds into a policing project which only serves to make them look clueless.
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382 Comments- Pages:
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Off Topic
I just spent three minutes on the phone there cancelling my sky sports espn package.Was just wanting to see what they would offer i got half price sports for 6 months though i still got rid of espn never watch it. They even reinstated the money for this months espn which they would normally ever do , they would charge you a month in advance. Hope it saves a few of you a few sheckles
The saw doctors
Kikinthenakas
If I was you I would avoid all refereneces to “creme brulee”..though you are in the county town of perth so you will be alright for a wee cream tea!.HH
Dr. Venglos (thumbsup)
bigngreen
13:52 on 19 February, 2013
A St Johnstone fan told me that you pay at the gate for all four stands, or go to their ticket office and purchase a ticket until 5pm
Kickinthenakas
The last time I was at St Johnstone, it was the first game after Fergus had taken control.
I had gone to the Celtic Club in London Road to pick up tickets in the morning.
As we waited outside the ground a murmour became gradually louder as a limo approached.
It was Fergus McCann!
His car eventually stopped right in front of me and as the door opened, the crowd pressed forward and almost forced me into the car and I managed to shake his hand!
What a way to meet our saviour!
We won 1-0 and Byrne scored the goal in the second minute.
My memory tells me it was a poor game, however, the memory is precious.
God bless Fergus!
Dr Feelgood, the Doctors of Madness.
prestonpans bhoys Thanks……… need to be the pay at gate option dont finish till after 5……once again thanks for the info
Cavansam
Need to understand the two agenda’s here:
Agenda 1 SNP
Don’t like the historical data showing that Catholic’s are 8 times more likely to be victims of sectarian abuse than anyone else. That Catholics are identified by data as the main targets of sectarian abuse.
so
Time to re-write the data and present recently acquired data that shows Catholics are no more likely to be arrested or targeted than anyone else, proving that this isn’t the bigottest wee country in the world.
Such data is what is being assembled by Focus and ‘analysed’ by civil servants.
Agenda 2 – The Polis
The Polis argued strongly for this law to be brought in and to be given such wide ranging powers as to be in a position that many would describe as redolent of the old Eastern Europe.
They wish to maximise the idea that there is a strong connection between football and sectarian activity, that the poor fearty public must be protected against this and that they need oodles of cash in order to deliver on the SNP’s promise of this being the best wee country in the world, by rounding up said sectarian youths by the busload and delivering them to the court system in said buses.
They want to be the DEFINERS of what is and is not acceptable not just the enforcers.
Such an agenda in a police force is dangerous in the extreme.
These 2 agendas go together as well as mince and tatties or fish and chips.
HH
Philbhoy .
Ah —-Paul Byrne .
Scored an absolute peach against the Hun.
@Philvisreturns
“Most Celtic supporters don’t want Scotland to leave the United Kingdom. (thumbsup)”
—I don’t see how you can state that as a fact. You’re right tho, plenty do adopt that somewhat conflicted position.
@Parkheadcumsalford
“I am Scottish and happily so. But I have no desire to leave the UK while people who are anti-Catholic wield enormous influence here”
—I’m totally scoobied as to what you’re on about mate.
WGS
Why would you want to sell Efe Ambrose? When you take wages into account, finding a replacement as good as Efe and still have money to further strengthen would be extremely unlikely.
I really enjoy watching the current Celtic. I don`t want us weakened just because a “good” offer comes in.
JJ
bigngreen
Just curious. Where are you at the moment?
bigngreen
Checked their website to be sure
“Saints face Celtic at McDiarmid Park tomorrow evening and tickets remain on sale to both sets of supporters from the McDiarmid Park Ticket Office today and tomorrow between 9.30am and 5pm.
In addition, there will be ‘walk up’ turnstiles tomorrow evening: for Celtic fans these will be all turnstiles in the South (Ormond) Stand “
For those inclined to go to the match tonight but who haven’t got a ticket yet, St Johnstone confirm that there will be a pay at the gate turnstile open for visiting fans (that’s us).
See twitter @St_Johnstone_FC
Don’t want to respark the old SNP debate, but I have never understood what they hope to achieve by pandering to the huns.
Who will be POTY this time around? I would personally go for big Fra, but there are a few other good candidates around. Vic? Charlie? Kris? Hoops? Actually it is probably more open than for a wee while.
If big Sammy gets fit again, he may yet be another in with a shout. For sentimental reasons I’d love the big guy to win it.
Whatya think bhoys? Is Fra the main man this year? I know we are romping the SPL, but thinking he has still had some critical work to do, (Barca was special), and he has done it well. Sat pen save was at a critical point in the match as well.
Fra for me.
South of Tunis
It was a peach!
Paul could turn it on some days and some days……..well.
shhhhhhhhhhhh dont tell anybody else I might not get there ahead of the rush :-)
twists n turns
14:11 on
19 February, 2013
Big Fra………
Philvis
” I’ll have you know my replica Celtic shirt is a comfortable size M.”
-Goodness, you must have played front row back at the ole alma mater.
Day in day out I see these little bookish waifs, not one of them looking as if they’ve eaten for months, struggling up the road in their short trousers carrying oversized kit bags, up to the Jesuit school on the hill. Some days I just want to gather them all up and take them down to Greggs for a SwanBake and an Avocado CapriSun or some such.
CF 14:11
Agreed but for me, to paraphrase your statement……………”have never understood what they hope to achieve”…………. (in isolation)…………. just about sums them up (again, for me)…………
Regards & Hail Hail
TBM
musters – —I don’t see how you can state that as a fact. You’re right tho, plenty do adopt that somewhat conflicted position.
It is a fact though, if you believe polling data and historical voting patterns. Do you have any evidence to suggest a majority of Celtic supporters want Scotland to leave the United Kingdom?
Also, I don’t see it as a conflicted position, but a logical one. The argument of so-called “independence” in Europe, on the other hand, is based on emotion and wishful thinking. (thumbsup)
South of Tunis
Paul Bryne…. Got to know him in the 90s when I worked in the bar
at Hamilton Palace, he was never out the place
thought his career would be short lived when I bumped
into him in the Woodend on a Tuesday night and he was steaming….
but your right it was a great goal against them
brnobhoy
Twists-FF for me with Mick Lustig a close second.
Someone posted earlier, that if the the ran*ers win the fourth tier title they would get £47,000.
Is that before tax?
Brutish, Scottish National Party……….policy
pedrocaravanachio67
13:42 on 19 February, 2013
Kickinthenakas
Don’t break the law!!!!
Seems to have worked for me all these years.
_________________________
I think I can understand what you are saying.
Maybe if Rosa Parks had obeyed the laws of the State of Alabama, she would have saved herself a lot of hassle.
Then again……….
ROW Z – Let Celtic Flourish By The Cleansing Of The ‘Den!
I posted this last night on poor communication channels contributing to the confusion and division
” One of the problems Celtic have is that they meet different groups at different times and as I pointed out personally to them when looking at improved communications under the membership scheme, this can create unforeseen problems as issues and info can change from one meeting to the next and what was true at “A” might no longer be true at “B” which does not make what was said at “A”a lie.
I think a lot of problems could be avoided by having one regular meeting with all groups at the same time where all sides of the story would be heard and if I have an agenda (in response to the question on whichI was posting) it is to get broader understanding through better communication and information on which judgements can be made.
However not only do supporter groups want to retain identity and independence so too does nearly every supporter. All very wonderfully Celtic but a communication disaster in practice and the consequent fragmentation a cause imo of much of the division.”
So I’m glad to see Celtic set up a proper communication channel on this issue. They would do well to have more for other issues but “the nobody speaks for me” attitude is a hinderance.
The question why some folk were turned away is one that the Complaints Group should be looking at if/when a complaint is made to the group.
ROW Z, MORT
Thanks for that too.
Are they providing statistics on conviction rates?
A guy on KDS from The Affiliation confirming that they and the CSA were at the ‘alleged’ meeting with PL and Hawthorn where PL did indeed say ‘let them hang themselves’ and highlighting people who ‘had to go’. while showing a compilation DVD of lateral movement.
So…..how does PL look anyone in the eye after the lies on the official website and at the CSC meeting he attended last night?
So now we have to rubbish the GB and the Affiliation?
curiouser and curiouser….
Regards tonight’s game.
Plenty of CSC’s have spare tickets and will be selling them outside the ground prior to ko.
Buy them off them rather than pay at the gate otherwise these clubs will end up out of pocket.
JohnnyClash – I had the opposite problem – started shaving at 13 and was 6ft by the following year. Train conductors often refused to believe I was under the age of 16, despite the school uniform. On the other hand, I never had to befriend the boy who made fake ID’s on his dad’s laminating machine. (thumbsup)
Right, it’s been a tough
and emotional few days but hey, we’re back and ready to re-start the fight, as is (or has been) said sometimes…….
Good Night…………
Tomorrow or the next day!
Regards & Hail Hail
TBM
KK
Yer right….
Johann Murdoch
My favourite memory of our CL campaign will always be all of us singing “creme brûlée” great memory and a great night….need to organise something before the end of the season….
philbhoy – it’s just the beginning!
Great story….had the opportunity to meet and chat with Ferguson a few times….very funny and odd in a good way…..
Right bhoys heading off…..someone was asking about tickets….here is the TO number for Saints for tonight 01738 455000……think you can book them and pick up at least an hour before ko or use pay gate tonight.
0-4 HH
Kikinthenakas
monteblanco
Seems someone is telling porkies!
I wonder who?
mmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Ah! A page 4 Podium, and I didn’t even try!
I’d like to thank my mum and……………….
Get on wi’ yer work Phil!
Ed.
Celtic First @ 14 11 .
The notion of Scotland and the complexities of the what [and who ]. is Scottish question can be confusing for some .
I have a pal who does civil service things in Auld Reekie . She assures me that one big cheese Scots Nat was befuddled to learn that Bonnie Prince Charlie was buried in The Vatican.