After a series of incidents when the country’s lowlifes threw objects at footballers (at least one was a Celtic fan) the media have presented you with a simple solution: strict liability. Strict liability punishes the club whenever its supporters misbehave. On occasion, the home club is punished, even when away fans misbehave, and on fewer occasions, the home club is punished when a completely unconnected ‘fan’ transgresses, as happened to Rangers during a European tie decades ago, when an apparent Celtic fan affixed himself to a post like a Leigh Griffiths scarf.
Coins and bottles being thrown is a depressing reality. As a consequence, anyone with half a brain will want action taken, but I have a problem with strict liability – it is action, for actions sake. It does not work.
Uefa impose strict liability on clubs in European competition. Celtic have routinely been fined hundreds of thousands of euros, without any inhibition on offending rates. No one seriously believes that would change with fines in domestic football.
Is anyone suggesting the outcome of a league title should be determined by points deducted because an idiot threw a coin? And if so, who would be the arbitrator of such a decision? How would you stop a Celtic fan again going to Ibrox to cause problems? You would incentivise this behaviour, which is lunacy of the highest order.
Scottish football resists strict liability because, like most simple solutions to complex problems, it does not work anywhere it is practiced.
We know lots about this behaviour. Many women and girls attend Scottish football, but throwing dangerous objects is a male-only practice. It is a manifestation of male violence, a consequence of many complex issues.
For an instant, the thrower of a coin is the alpha male, albeit a very pathetic one, but he gets a ‘hit’. If his act generates significant media coverage, the instant can become a week. If his club is fined, or the reputation of his fellow fans is tarnished, he does not care. He is a free rider.
Football-attending nutcases who are caught are all repentant in the dock, but object throwers are seldom caught, which is why we have a problem. It is a criminal act without personal consequences. All measures which do not connect the offender with the consequences will fail. The logical outcome to all of this will be greater video surveillance – this is what the police will suggest.
The real question is, what is society’s appetite for addressing indiscriminate male violence? If we want to outsource the problem to football clubs, I suggest its’ not very great.
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Beyonce
Hail hail bhoys
Pray for Rodgers.
Anybody that sleeps alone and naked in an oxygen tent is worth the watching CSC
A very good read Paul. And I for one would not trust the SFA machinery to administer strict liability even-handedly.
Meanwhile… https://theclumpany.wordpress.com/2019/03/02/long-live-the-king/
BSR
I didn’t think you could see me!
I must remember to close the curtains.
HH jg
Paul 67,
This article and it’s content matter is long overdue, It deserves a frank and honest debate. Our history achieving 10 in a row could even be thwarted by events off the park.
However the physical logistical make up of males and females suggest that coin ( object ) throwing is more applicable to males does not hide the fact that young females can be equally to blame for unsavoury behaviour.
There were six arrests at Aberdoom yesterday. Five males and a female. Percentage wise probably about pro rata.
HH.
JAMESGANG
touché ?
No doubt this coin/bottle/battery throwing has to be stamped out. Problem is a few years back in the era of self policing you could give a ned throwing stuff a clip in the ear and that would be the end of it. However in today’s world you try that and you could get a blade in the ribs.
It is a Society rather than a Football issue but unfortunately they have made it a Football problem.
People who live in glass houses shouldn’t have orgies
BOURNESOUPRECIPE
I can see right through your argument.
Fanatic
ball park figure touching base
Keith Flint RIP
There were more songs about the IRA in Aberdeen yesterday than there were at Easter Rd the day before.
How bizarre CSC
The stand where the bottle came from on Saturday, was empty, stewards,polis,CCTV….
The Alpha male that launches a missile is usually drunk , but the other factor is Cocaine .
Cheap as chips theses days and part of the landscape.
If you haven’t noticed, you’ve not been looking.
A pal in Valencia tried to offer advice to some of the young team about their choice of song .
The subject was a guy currently in a hospice suffering from the same condition that killed one of our greats.
My pal was told where to go. A short while later one of the same group launched a bottle at the Spanish police ( the dodgy ones with battons ) and mayhem ensued.
Can strict liability stop or cure an epidemic of cheap Cocaine addiction, or it’s consequences ?
Naw , didnae think so . HH
Paul67,
After the Motherwell incident…. I wouldnae be so sure about the passion for CELTIC from the fairer sex. A young lass just along from me was going radio rental like me at the Blatant cheating.
BADA BING
The clip that showed the bottle flying past SS had a fair amount of stewards and polis witnessing it.
What was telling was the lack of response by any of them.
The polis reacted like they do when an orange walk goes past a chapel and the fat stewards looked like glaikit’s in jaikits.
Tv showed it was a fairly empty stand so arresting the dick who threw it should have been easy.
Corkcelt
I remember ma da and me ducking fae bottles thrown by Hibs fans when we beat them 6-1 in 1972.
Same as it ever Was.
David Byrne Dumbarton Harp CSC
Celtic in 2019
Played 11 Won 11 Goals for 30 Goals against 2
Just think what we could achieve if we were a well run club?
LetsGetCynical CSC
KRIS COMMONS says Leigh Griffiths is set to boost Celtic’s Treble bid by returning for end of season run-in.
The striker has been on special leave since December to deal with some off-field problems.Search
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OLD PALS Celtic boss Lennon has spoken to Griffiths more than Rodgers did during past two months, claims Commons
Former Hoops star Commons also says Griff is on the verge of boosting Celtic’s Treble bid by returning from special leave
By David Fowler
4th March 2019, 8:53 am
Updated: 4th March 2019, 9:15 am
KRIS COMMONS says Leigh Griffiths is set to boost Celtic’s Treble bid by returning for end of season run-in.
The striker has been on special leave since December to deal with some off-field problems.
Neil Lennon signed Leigh Griffiths for Celtic in 2014 from WolvesREUTERS
2
Neil Lennon signed Leigh Griffiths for Celtic in 2014 from Wolves
Griffiths hasn’t kicked a ball since December 8KENNY RAMSAY – THE SUN GLASGOW
2
Griffiths hasn’t kicked a ball since December 8
Griffiths has a close bond with interim boss Neil Lennon – who brought him to Parkhead from Wolves five years ago.
And Commons claims Lennon has spoken to Griff more times in the past week than Brendan Rodgers did over the last 12 weeks.
He wrote in his Daily Mail column: “Don’t be surprised if Leigh Griffiths fights his way back and plays a key part in Celtic’s run-in towards the end of the season.
“It’s my understanding that Griffiths is close to making his return following some off-field personal difficulties.
How did Motherwell get on last season with their investigation into the Scott Brown missiles?
Mind you they weren’t aided by SMSM csc
ANGELGABRIEL
Since the world’s bestest striker seems fueled by it the appetite to curtail it’s use won’t be in evidence in the best wee country.
Have the SFA/SPL ever proposed drug testing?
Bada Bing
Devastated. Saw The Prodigy and Keith Flint RIP in Spain 2 years ago. Blew my mind at 2 in the morning. Glad I bought The Day is my Enemy fox t shirt.
Amazing front man.
Hearing suicide.
Garry – One day at a Time sweet Jesus.
The Prodigy rocked. Need to have a session again to talk aboot that INCREDIBLE band.
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 4TH MARCH 2019 12:10 PM
Anybody that sleeps alone and naked in an oxygen tent is worth the watching CSC
Surely anyone who watches naked people sleeping in oxygen tents is also worth watching.
DD- very sad
Fan-a-tic, see:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35776618
We could do without the Fraudgers/Leicester sidelines on here….
Music for a Jilted Generation is the CD i use to scrape the ice aff ma car.
The Event 1 @ Ingliston was Monumental.
H A R D C O R E.
Headlined it but showed Mega Balls what they did.
Marco Rose 5/1 from 33s……
In much the same way that African Americans were held o higher and harsher standards than their white counterparts during their fights for freedom in the 60s, so too are Celtic supporters’ behaviours judged quicker and more harshly than others.
It will be used to try to stop the 9 and 10…..and the 8 if they can fire it through quickly enough.
HH jg
Keith flint RIP.
Breathe The Prodigy
Keith Flint RIP
I doubt strict liability will happen. It’s introduction gives politicians nowhere to hide. The issues of anti-Catholic bigotry and anti-Irish racism are now being aired in public and in the MSM. Many are trying to limit it to football and sectarianism. The grown ups recognise it isn’t limited to football and it isn’t sectarianism. We need to stop allowing them to discuss sectarianism and start the dialogue on anti-Catholic bigotry and anti-Irish racism.
Strict liability is like lifting the rock: when the truth scurries out and confronts the media and politicians and announces it is a problem with society they won’t like it. Therefore I don’t see them lifting the rock.
I often disagreed with Neganon but he has been spot on with the racism aspects of his arguments.
KTF
Totally agree F. You and Neganon are a pair of wise Drumchapel Bhoys.
YNWA
Throw this one out there for a quiet Monday,would Lenny take assistant manager to Marco Rose?