Congratulations to Scotland’s Player of the Year, Stefan Johansen, and Young Player of the Year, Jason Denayer. It’s fair to say Stefan had an underwhelming first eight months in Scotland, but the turnaround since October has been stark.
It was during our home defeat to Hamilton Accies that month that I noticed a change in his game. He took on more responsibility and pressed incessantly for the equaliser. The next game, away to Ross County, was a Johansen virtuoso performance and he’s never looked back.
There was a similar ‘So what?’ reaction to Jason’s early season performances. Performances were far more like Efe Ambrose than Virgil van Dijk, but he grew increasingly assured as the season progressed. His international debut two months ago was merited.
Manchester City want him back for next season, where he’ll be second reserve for central defence. On the upside, he’ll get six games, some of which will be in the cups against lower league opponents. If City and the player want to map a route to the first team, this is a step in the process, but it’s not without its risks to the player.
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One of football’s modern greats.
http://jrnl.ie/2083970
Lisbon Lion @tirnaog09 2h2 hours ago
The laughter of our children, Sands, Celtic and Political expression in sport http://tirnaog09.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/the-laughter-of-our-children-my-twitter.html …
This blog reflects my own views on Celtic, Celtic fans……………dare i say it songs
South Of Tunis,
A quick look at Wiki links to a biography that says “Capone showed promise as a student, but had trouble with the rules at his strict parochial Catholic school. He dropped out of school at the age of 14, after being expelled for hitting a female teacher in the face”
Looks like he started young
GP @ 08:01
I don’t have any problems with anyone bringing up my previous occupation. It’s not if in 30 years I spent doing it I never heard any of the guff before from Fenian Bassa to Orange Bassa and everything in between. Most of the time I just retorted with you forgot to add Dirty Big whatever. To me an anonymous posters throwing out insults on a blog equate to the times I spent working at the fitba where some brave anonymous wee soul would clear his throat and deposit it on yer back just to impress his other wee brave comrades. Never was there a brave wee soul bold enough to deposit his phlegm on you face to face
As for the term soup taker that some on here are keen to throw about confetti let me assure that now100% of the time my family and their welfare will come before any faith or football team.
As for the blog itself it has now become a lesson in paranoia with a lot of posters constantly looking over their shoulder to see what the Huns are up to or what Hunnish plot lies in store for us. I am suprised that some posters feel safe enought to cross over the threshold of their door in the morning due to the ills that are likely to befall them being a catholic Celtic supporter in the west of Scotland
As I have said before for me this blog is not about social inclusion it’s a form of entertainment to while away the slack hours when I have nothing more productive to do or it’s too bloody wet for the golf course
If you don’t like what I post scroll on by as they say in cybertimdom
Ps as you probably gathered from the length of my post it’s pissing doon ootside
So, ole Boabio-The-Clique-Meister
…who’s a masterly-exponent-of-nitpickerry
…shall ‘not’ be nitpicked…back at…I repeat
…shall ‘not’ be nitpicked…back at…under
…any circumstances…aye…that’ll be flukin right…
…oot tae the real world….
eyes wide open-a pal is close to the Magners sponsorship deal,this is the final year of it,in his opinion ,a lot of work to be done if it is to be renewed,so the new jersey could be out of date in a years time.If i hear any more i will update.
eyes wide open
More than likely just for the one season. Warrior (New Balance owned) have changed all Liverpool kits after one season………number two sons’ 2nd team :(
HH
thomthethim @ 10 13 .
I once saw Buffon outside the Limited Edition Prada store in Milan. He had one of those very small , very hard and super bouncy balls .. Bouncing the ball with his right hand and catching it with his left . I watched him doing it for @ 10 minutes and then his woman emerged weighed down with purchases from Prada . .They then walked down the street -she carried the bags and he kept bouncing the ball ( and catching it )
Gordon J .
Interesting .
An Italian Mafia biography web site claims it was a non _denom school. His parents were born in a hell hole Mafia town called Angri and moved to Napoli and then New York .The equally lovely Frank Nitti’s origins are in Angri.
Bobby Murdoch – cheers for the reply
I have the retro centenary home strip with the celtic cross on it. I bought it as I had it as a kid as well!
south of tunis
The other day you mentioned Myrtle berries………reminded me of a couple of Holidays in Sardinia……and Milan for the WGS last 16 CL game.
Q. Mirto Rosso or Mirto Bianco?
HH
Is there any soccer comment in today’s ‘The National’ newspaper?
After yesterday’s magnum opus fro Hannah, be interesting to see what they follow it up with.
mickbhoy1888
10:24 on 5 May, 2015
GP @ 08:01
I don’t have any problems with anyone bringing up my previous occupation. It’s not if in 30 years I spent doing it I never heard any of the guff before from Fenian Bassa to Orange Bassa and everything in between. Most of the time I just retorted with you forgot to add Dirty Big whatever. To me an anonymous posters throwing out insults on a blog equate to the times I spent working at the fitba where some brave anonymous wee soul would clear his throat and deposit it on yer back just to impress his other wee brave comrades. Never was there a brave wee soul bold enough to deposit his phlegm on you face to face
As for the term soup taker that some on here are keen to throw about confetti let me assure that now100% of the time my family and their welfare will come before any faith or football team.
As for the blog itself it has now become a lesson in paranoia with a lot of posters constantly looking over their shoulder to see what the Huns are up to or what Hunnish plot lies in store for us. I am suprised that some posters feel safe enought to cross over the threshold of their door in the morning due to the ills that are likely to befall them being a catholic Celtic supporter in the west of Scotland
As I have said before for me this blog is not about social inclusion it’s a form of entertainment to while away the slack hours when I have nothing more productive to do or it’s too bloody wet for the golf course
If you don’t like what I post scroll on by as they say in cybertimdom
Ps as you probably gathered from the length of my post it’s pissing doon ootside
₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩
Mick old son it’s a blog to be sure, to serious at times a bit personal also. I don’t necessarily agree with what I read from you or others, but I do respect the views held.
But there is a lot of hatred towards Celtic and Catholics, I’ve seen it myself and heard it.
You keep golfing away get that handicap doon, my form went 3 20 1 in the space of a week, that play station on a rainy day is hellish with my chores. Allotment bound now got weeding to do HH
Ayrshire is Green and White
thomthethim for oscar ok
09:38 on 5 May, 2015
Totally agree, I don’t think some actually appreciate how good a footballer our captain is, like a lot of things he will be more appreciated when he has left (which I hope isn’t for many, many seasons)
gerryfaethebrig
10:52 on 5 May, 2015
thomthethim for oscar ok
09:38 on 5 May, 2015
Totally agree, I don’t think some actually appreciate how good a footballer our captain is, like a lot of things he will be more appreciated when he has left (which I hope isn’t for many, many seasons)
₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩₩
I really don’t see Scott Brown leaving Celtic ever….
Ayrshire is Green and White
Never got on with you mickbhoy, probably never will. However thought the personal baiting of you last night was wrong and thought you handled it with dignity.
I think all of us are the same in as much as our family comes first, so I have no problem at all with that.
However as you have admitted yourself, you do deliberately indulge in winding up fellow fans on the site, accordingly if you do that you can expect flak back. I dip in and out of here, at times I post a lot in a short period at other times not so much. There are plenty of things I disagree with, however there is an intrinsic decency and generosity attaching to most posters on the blog. People do help and care about each other and rally to help deserving causes.
Its a good place and accordingly I overlook some of the silliness that surfaces from time to time. There are of course a few pricks on here and my general rule is to just ignore them.
Sometimes I break my rule but not often.
micktt
10:53 on 5 May, 2015
Certainly hope so, as Thom had posted “he gets us”
Stringer Bell
I won’t post the link – just the headline which is quite enough.
“Brown says Celtic deserved title despite Aberdeen pressurer”
Yes ‘pressurer’ is what Aberdeen applied.
It’s an Aberdeen turn of phrase apparently.
HH
lymmbhoy @ 10 43 .
Don’t like the liquore ——-red or white . Mrs S of T does like the red ..
I really like Granita made with mirto rosso.( but will make do with bianco) I am very partial to Granita . I try to rationalise it with a- least it’s not ice cream
Fair play to frank mcgarvey
!!Bada Bing!!
Must check up on that, a friend of mine has friend fairly close to the MD of Magners.
Although sponsorships usually change mid term so I cant see that being the reason for changing a strip – its possibly more likely a case of what lymmbhoy has said – Celtic have negotiated a deal based on the fans being fleeced and having to spend more of their own money.
eyes wide open-seems Magners sales have dropped dramatically in the UK.HH
south of tunis
Not to be served with jelly I believe :)
HH
Some nice pics from yesterday’s kit launch
@NBFootball: Check out all the photos from the first New Balance @celticfc home kit reveal yesterday at http://t.co/TnexWQlxIk http://t.co/p6L0lq9461
HH
Corkcelt
Yes I indulge in wind ups just like when I am down in the pub. I don’t neccesarily believe or standby everything that I post and I quite enjoy the flak it receives some of the time. A blog would fall flat on its face if it was full of wee nodding dugs that want to agree with everybody
I am sure a lot of you are really decent chaps but I prefer to keep the blog as it is for me a place to while away some slack hours and a bit of entertainment
Let me assure you half the stuff that I post wouldn’t be mentioned within earshot of a Hun
As for accusations of an anti Celtic agenda,I am not in the habit of looking or logging in to their blogs but I have yet to hear any one inform me that they have been reproduced on any of their sites being held up as a Tim with an anti Celtic agenda,so I don’t hold the widely held view that this blog is infiltrated by dark forces on a regular basis
Just as a parting shot and to prove I am not going all soft with regards to the SMSM past present and future Celtic players will be in their employ
I don’t believe any of them have any anti Celtic agenda although others will tell you otherwise
Ginger,
What’s Frank McGarvey done, or said?
Eyes Wide Open
If Celtic failed to take advantage of merchandising opportunities to earn money they would be in the wrong and naive.
If fans do not want to buy the NB top then they shouldn’t buy it.
For many fans buying the new top (whenever one comes out) is as important a thing as they come. Having all the tops over the years is a matter of pride to some fans. Others take pride in buying and wearing a retro top, some (like me) with no sponsor.
Celtic have a lucrative deal with NB apparently, and new tops are part of life, for fans and clubs.
If Celtic change the top then fans can choose to buy or not.
Your last sentence “Celtic have negotiated a deal based on the fans being fleeced and having to spend more of their own money.” is such a curious statement.
Celtic did a deal to fleece the fans?
Whose money would the fans be spending if it wasn’t their own?
The fans don’t HAVE to spend anything at all.
Just saying because I don’t subscribe to the notion that fans have no choice. The empty seats tell us they know they have a choice.
HH
gordon_j
Frank McGarvey said he’s going Auction off his 1985 Scottish Cup Winning shirt to aid Foodbanks.
HH
Emeraldbee..,
I wish,
that was all the work of chairbhoy and what excellent work it is too.
Good day CHAMPIONS
Celtic Champions 2015
Celtic Champions for the fourth year in a row.
earned and worked for,
bought and paid for,
Congrats to Ronny and his team
they are us and we are them
Celtic
Champions.
Hail hail one and all
Champions
lymmbhoy,
Thanks, hadn’t seed that.
100 years since we last won the league in a year ending in a 5.
Weirdfacts csc
HH
New petition campaign at fansagainstcriminalisation.com
Please check it out.
MickTT
10:53 on 5 May, 2015
__________________
If………the huns are back in the same league as Celtic next season….Scott Brown will show the football world what he’s – really – like.
He’ll…imho…willingly bite all the bait that’s dangled in front of him coz….when the ‘heat’ is really on….Broony makes sure that – it’s – all about him and, tae fluk wi how it impacts on the team and fans.
He blew…Celtic’s chances in last years CL with his cheap-corner-bhoy antics in trying..repeatedley to stick the boot into a player who would roll aboot the floor as though he’d been shoot…like Lovenkrands did wi Thommo…that Barca player was – Neymar – any ‘savvy’ Celtic manager…which Neil Lennon certainly wasnt would have had it drilled-into-the-team-dont-go-near-Neymar….but, el,capitano couldny help himself and…to demonstrate how lacking in structure Celtic FC really is…Neil tried to defend Broony….?
Unbelievable would be the word but, no…not wi Broony who has a penchant for taking cheap-hunlike-swipes….he widny be oot of place on this blog…he is condoned by the ‘weak-management-structures’….that are so evident at Celtic Park.
The new strip is pish as well and, they get pisher as the years go by…….
Celtic without rebellion are pishy-punchbags-of-the-establishment.
Back of the bus forever…….CSC
….oot.
not been on since last week
a worthy repost imo :-)
LiviBhoy 00:44 on 2 May, 2015
Tonight was wonderful.
I was working down south yesterday and today. It was a late call. The team needed somebody to go. Nobody was willing. I volunteered. This was on wednesday. In fairness to my boss he pulled me aside after the meeting and said I owe you big time for that if you hadn’t went I had to and I am not able to really leave my wife at the minute. It’s a brownie point but in another way it made me think about our gaffers speech. It made me feel like a good man, I took one for the team helped my gaffer out and also gained a few brownie points up the chain. Will it do me any good? Haha. Probably not BUT it made me feel like I had done something worthwhile.
So sitting in deepest Essex last night in a plastic Oneills and I sip a lovely cold Guinness on my Todd reading CQN ramblings. Now there are people on here a lot smarter and more eloquent than myself but I enjoy the banter and the serious posts in equal measure. BRTH has made some very educational posts this week. Very thought provoking.
Usually I would be talking to the locals but I was drained. Mentally and physically shattered. I have my holiday on Sunday and I could have done without the trip but it felt the right thing to do and I go with my gut feeling. Today I was first in the office. Well rested and a good breakfast in me and off I went. I knew I was getting a cab at 1pm anyway so I was wanting to be done early. Meeting at 11am and all is fine and dandy and we are good. Project is bang on plaudits all round and a general thank you very much. More can you ask for? A Celtic victory would round it off. Ah your a Celtic man said the man. sure am. This fella at work follows West Ham but Celtic are his team up here. One hour of Celtic chat. The guy said to me don’t take this the wrong way but you are in the wrong job young man! How so? You should be in a job where you are talking to people. I have never been to a Celtic game in my life but I am sure as hell going by to get to a game next season because the enthusiasm for your club is contagious. I explained that it was not something I had a choice in, we are born into it. The club is in our DNA. It is our identity. He said well it’s not mine I liked Celtic but in the last hour you have explained to me indirectly why I should love them. He watches the European games and being a West Ham fan he is green with envy but utterly impressed by the passion, the colours and the noise. Of course I enthused for an hour to him and explained that the TV can’t replace being there. It’s a feeling that can’t be described. This is CELTIC. We have no idea the impact our club has on the world. We are the best advert for it. We go round the world working and travelling on holidays and we take our hearts and our hearts are Celtic. We gush like love struck teenagers about our club. It is infectious, anyone who knows football knows Celtic. They are intrigued about this football club in so many ways. Billy McNeill often says there is a romance about Celtic and he is right. The romance is displayed by the fans, we carry that romance with us wherever we go and if people are willing to listen we open our hearts and let them in to our special world of football, songs, stories, heart break, wins, goals, great players and wonderful moments. It is we the fans who are the best advert for Celtic and clubs can’t buy that. No other supporters of any club I have ever met can enthuse and show love for their football club like supporters of Glasgow Celtic.
I got in my cab to head to the airport after a solid day and a half work with a spring in my step. Spoke more football to my taxi driver, passed through security and passed a JD sports. They had a selection of football Tshirts. Just round neck Tshirts all the same sort of design with club crest on the front and club nickname. Barcelona, arsenal, Man Utd, Spurs, Ac Milan, etc. There right at the front of them all, all these great clubs was Celtic. Prime position and on display to every single traveller passing through that departure lounge. I felt like punching the air and bursting into song. No matter what the SFA do, no matter what any politician does, no matter what any club does in this country, no matter what any referee does. They can never take that away from us. We need to keep talking about Celtic. I never mentioned the name Rangers once today. I said the other day that we must talk Celtic. We are sometimes bigger than we realise. We are a giant of the game. We must remember that. Forget what people say in the media up here. Stop listening to radio Clyde phone ins and remember what we all know. There’s gonna be a show and the GLASGOW CELTIC will be there. They will never ever take it from us. We have to keep talking positively about our club because it is wonderful and we the fans are part of what makes it wonderful. I think at times we can get bogged down in some of the gutter press headlines and not remember that. The club is there to make us happy and most of the time it does.
Flight was delayed. Few beers. Managed to get home to tuck my Bhoy into bed and settle down to watch the Hoops. What a wonderful performance. Played like champions, looked like champions and the support got behind the champions. It’s wonderful to be alive to watch football like that and see goals like that and remember what is good about this great football club. I watched the montage at the end of the stadium and the fans, the goals and of course our gaffer and thought wow I hope the ground is bursting next season because this team are going places and they deserve it. Whoever goes will go others will replace them. The constant is the fans and with them behind the team they play some great football.
This place is a sounding board and I love to ramble as much as the next man. Each of us had our own thoughts and our own agendas but think on this. Our club will not get much praise in the media. We need to make sure that we get it from us the fans because nobody outside the Celtic support is going to get it if it appears we don’t.
You will be spared me for a week while I enjoy my wife’s birthday in Spain a long over due break for us which is our first abroad since our honeymoon but I am a very happy man watching that tonight.
It’s amazing what a game of football can do to raise your spirits and give you a boost. Tonight was as good as I have seen football wise since Tommy Burns Celtic team and the Bitton strike reminded me of a certain Cadette goal in another 5-0 victory on a midweek night.
Ronny Deila gets it. People are now getting Ronny. He is ahead of schedule. I am bursting with joy.
I am pleased for every soul who made it along there tonight. Play like that every week and they will need to build a bigger stadium.
Very long ramble tonight but not many things in life can make you feel better than Celtic putting on the style.
Hail Hail
LB
Celtic.
Celtic.
one for breathin in,one for breathing out :-)
great post mate
Hail hail
herbo
https://www.change.org/p/the-scottish-government-repeal-the-offensive-behaviour-at-football-threatening-communications-scotland-act-2012?just_created=true
HH
an Tearmann,
Totally agree re LiviBhoy’s post.
One of the best I have had the pleasure to read on here.
HH.
FAC link
http://fansagainstcriminalisation.com/campaign-news/
FAC launches petition to the Scottish Government calling for repeal of the Act
As we head towards the August deadline for the review of the Act, Fans against Criminalisation has today launched a petition calling on the Scottish Government to repeal the Offensive Behaviour Act once and for all. Here is your opportunity to make your views knowns and to let the lawmakers know that this is a bad law and one which discriminates against football fans; criminalises Hamilton fans for saying ‘Fuck yer well’ (two 18 years olds got 3 nights in Greenock prison for that one); criminalises Motherwell fans (kettled men, women and children at St Mirren Park; criminalised Aberdeen fans and fans of every other club; not to mention harassing and criminalising Celtic fans for expressing their political views. The Act was introduced against the advice of every part of civil society and every MSP other than those of the governing party.
Whatever your views regarding the chants and songs of football fans, the use of the law in this way is wrong and has created a poisonous atmosphere between supporters and police. That is in no-one’s interest. We call on all citizens to sign the petition and support the repeal of this unjust, unworkable and dangerous piece of legislation.
https://www.change.org/p/the-scottish-government-repeal-the-offensive-behaviour-at-football-threatening-communications-scotland-act-2012?just_created=true
Now is the time, now is the hour!
There is only a very short time now to ensure that the review of the Offensive Behaviour Act delivers the correct outcome ie repeal of the Act. The review has to be before Parliament by August and given the recess period that might mean June. FAC has asked for meetings with representatives of all parties and one of these has already taken place, with Patrick Harvie, of the Scottish Greens. FAC continues to press on all sides for a full and thorough review of the Act and we have also written to the Justice Committee Convenor, Christine Grahame MSP, to ask her what plans the Committee has to take evidence in relation to the review. We have, as yet, received no response, but will be chasing it up soon.
Meanwhile the assault on the lives and civil liberties of young football fans continues apace. A recent Appeal Court judgement in an OB case, based on false evidence from a police officer, seems to leave no room whatsoever for Sheriffs to make sensible decisions based on the facts before them. This will, we hope, be subject to a further appeal beyond Scotland where we expect it to have a fair hearing. A complaint has been made to the Procurator Fiscal regarding the evidence given by the officer. Dawn raids on the homes of young people also continue and lives , employment and studies are disrupted.
So what does this mean for you?
Well, it means that now more than ever it is important for everyone, no matter what team you support or if you don’t support any team at all but just care about the rights of people to go about their lawful business without unwarranted interference from the police, to step up to the penalty spot.
It is absolutely vital that you contact your MSP – no matter what party – and ask them to ensure that there is a full and thorough review and that football fans are allowed to directly convey their experience of the Act to politicians before any vote.
Please keep an eye out for a public event which will take place between now and the end of the season. The Celtic fixtures have not been particularly helpful in this regard, given that Celtic fans have been the most vociferous in opposition to the Act, but a date and time for a large, public event will be decided soon. It is absolutely crucial that there is a big turnout at any such event to show the Scottish Government that the public expect a full and thorough examination of this Act.
If we do not seize this opportunity to get rid of the Act then we may be saddled with it for some time to come with many more young people criminalised for their identity or for their support for their team.
We know that this Act is not just used against Celtic fans, or indeed fans of the Rangers, and representatives from FAC have been supporting fans of other clubs too. However, the Law Lords who delivered the Appeal Court Judgement made clear something which politicians have been very reluctant to admit but which FAC and its constituent organisations have long known:
The main, but not exclusive, focus is on the behaviour of certain Celtic and Rangers fans with their long standing attachment to opposing factions involved in the politics of Ireland, and Ulster in particular.
There you have it! The Act was created to stop anyone here having a political view, and expressing it, on the politics of the land from which many of us came and to which many of us hold a continuing attachment. It is decision time and the decision is to actively oppose this Act now or live with the consequences for some time to come.
A ‘review’ of the Offensive Behaviour Act: coming to a Scottish Parliament near you soon!
When the Offensive Behaviour Act was voted on to the statute books you will recall that the SNP government, having said that they ‘wanted consensus’ were humiliatingly left to force through the Act using their 7 vote majority. They could not convince a single other member of the Scottish Parliament to vote with them. However, the opponents of the Act were able to get a review clause built in which meant that the Act must be reviewed within two year of operation. Most of us believed, not unreasonably, that given the Act was introduced in March 2012 that this would have been done in March 2014. No, it was then interpreted to mean two full football seasons so they counted that as 2012-13 and 2013-14 and then added another year on for good measure! However, they now must have the review no later than August 2015. We were aware that the government had commissioned some research from the University of Stirling which we understood would be used to inform the review. We also assumed that the review would consist of discussions directly with those affected by the Act ie football supporters. In this regard, we believed (and still believe) that FAC had a particular role to play given the amount of data and information that we are able to bring to the attention of MSPs. However, it would appear that our evidence as the only group which has consistently since 2011 campaigned on this issue and has, from the outset, declared its intention to provide quantitative and qualitative data to MSPs at the appropriate time is not relevant or important. Quite incredibly it would appear that the Stirling research is the review! We are not aware of any other example of a piece of academic research being used in this way and we are aware that the researchers themselves were not aware that their research would be used in this way.
So, as things stand, as far as we are aware, the research team’s judgement in terms of how they collected and presented the data they collected will be all that MSPs will be presented with – in fact there is no certainty that there will even be a parliamentary debate on the matter! We have asked what the format of the review will be and there appears to be no form of public consultation or evidence gathering beyond what the Stirling team choose to present (see below)
FAC was not invited to take part in this research as an organisation until February of this year when the interim report had already been submitted to the Scottish Government. This fact was met with some surprise by the Scottish Human Rights Commission when we met with them last year at a point when we had had no contact with the research team and none was arranged. Nevertheless, we met with the team in February in a hastily arranged meeting and had some discussions with them. However, this is clearly not the same as presenting our evidence directly to Parliament. Having our views merged in a report which necessarily must be compiled using the judgement of the academics involved (ie weighted by them in advance) is not the same as having our evidence assessed by politicians. To be fair to the academics, they are clear about this and did not themselves understand that their work was to be used in this way.
We have written to Michael Mathieson, the Justice Secretary and received a reply from a civil servant. We reprint it in full below:
Question 1: Is the Stirling research simply going to be sent to MSPs to be followed by a debate in chamber?
The University of Stirling report, which covers Section 1 of the Act, will be carefully considered by Scottish Ministers along with the evaluation of Section 6 on the threatening communications offence. The Scottish Government will respond to both reports. The decision on whether there will be a debate in the Scottish Parliament is a matter for the Parliamentary Bureau which is responsible for proposing a programme of business to the Parliament. Information about the functions of the Parliamentary Bureau is available on the Scottish Parliament’s website at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/parliamentary-bureau.aspx
Question 2: Is there going to be any opportunity for citizens or organisations to make submissions on this issue?
There have already been a number of opportunities for citizens and organisations to make submissions in relation to the review of the Act and all of these will be fully considered as part of the review process. There were two online surveys carried out in the summers of 2013 and 2014 to assess supporters experience of attending football matches since the introduction of the Act. Each survey attracted in the region of 2,000 replies and supporters of all 42 SPFL clubs have participated.
In addition to those surveys, supporters from a number of clubs have participated in a range of focus groups. If you, or any other representative from Fans Against Criminalisation, feel you have any additional points you wish to make which were not covered during your session with the research team, you may wish to get in touch with them directly setting out any further points you wish to make in writing.
Question 3: Is our organisation, Fans Against Criminalisation, the only body set up to oppose this Act, going to be able to provide our evidence to Parliament or one of its committees?
This falls within the responsibilities of the Scottish Parliament. You may wish to consider writing directly to the Convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee on this point as they have taken the lead in scrutinising the Act from a parliamentary perspective. You can do so by writing to: Christine Grahame MSP, Convener, Justice Committee, The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh. EH99 1SP.
So there you have it, a piece of legislation, poorly drafted, hastily introduced, horrendously implemented, and now undemocratically reviewed! It really does tick all the boxes.
However, the fight is not over yet. Please visit your MSP and ask her or him if the following:
Do you support the abolition of the Act?
Will you and/or your party ask for a full parliamentary debate on this issue by August?
Will you and/or your party insist that the Justice Committee hear our evidence?
In addition, keep an eye out for a series of planned action by FAC over the next lot of months. If you do not pull out all the stops now we will be saddled with this abomination of an Act for an indefinite period to come. It is up to you.
The curious case of the Police Service of Scotland email that never was..
Early last year the FAC committee decided (for the umpteenth time) that they would organise a fund-raising social. The date was picked and the venue was selected…..and that was as far as it got: no band booked, no advertising, nothing. As it drew nearer to the chosen date it was obvious that the event was not going ahead. However, early in July the venue was approached by a police constable from the Licensing Division at London Road to say that he was aware that a ‘Green Brigade’ function was due to take place and implied that this was a problem and that they would like staff to keep the informed – all secret squirrel like. On hearing this one of the committee, Jeanette Findlay, called London Road to ask what the issue was. She was told ‘There was no issue’ and if there had been, she would have been ‘pulled in’ (!), that this was ‘routine’ and that the Police Service of Scotland Licensing division routinely collect information about social events such as 18th and 21st Birthday parties taking place in their area. Leaving aside his manner and whether anyone would believe this story, Jeanette asked how he knew about the event. She was asked, in turn , ‘What is the problem with us knowing about it?’. She replied ‘There is no problem at all with you knowing about it but how did you know about it?’. She was told that it came in the form of ‘an email from a senior/superior officer. She asked for this officer’s name and was told that he was not going to tell her anything as he ‘didn’t know who she was’. She offered to come down to London Road to introduce herself but he instead said he would speak to his supervisor and get back to her. He duly did, later that day, and repeated the line that this was normal behaviour and that the information had come from a ‘third party’. Jeanette asked if this was a third party external to the PSoS or internal to it. The PC declined to answer and seemed decidely anxious and shifty at that point.
Following discussions in the FAC committee, Jeanette submitted an FoI request to PSoS asking for the email, any notes of any phone call or any notes of any meeting which related to the event of which she had been one of the organisers. The response, given in August 2014, was that she was not entitled to a copy of the email. Having taken further advice from the Scottish Information Commissioner she asked for the decision to be reviewed and clarified that she did not need a copy of the actual email but simply who it was from, who it was sent to, and what it contained. The review, completed in September 2014 confirmed the original decision so we referred it to the Scottish Information Commissioner for a decision in terms of 47(1) of FOISA. That decision notice has now been issued (Decision 025/2015 18 February 2015) which should be available shortly at;
http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/ApplicationsandDecisions/Decisions/Decisions.php
The Decision upholds the complaint and finds that the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Scotland failed to comply with Part 1 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 in responding to the informaton request made by Jeanette Findlay.
However, that is not the interesting part dear readers! The lengthy communications (‘several’) between PSoS and the SIC’s office (September 2014 to February 2014) culminated in them ‘eventually’ confirming that ‘they held no recorded information that fell within the terms of (the) request: indeed it transpires ‘there had never been any email concerning the event she had organised’.
The Decision Notice, indicates ‘The Commissioner cannot comment on why Ms Findlay was informed that the source of the information about her event was an email, when this turns out not to be the case’.
So there we have it. Yet again, and in line with Stephen House’s shenanigans around Stop and Search statistics, we find that someone within PSoS is lying. So the following questions remain:
Did the PC lie when he said he’d had an email from another officer?
Did PSoS lie when they said there was no email?
How did PSoS come to find out about the event that never was?
…and having found out, why did they seek to interfere with it and mislead the venue staff as to who was organising it?
I think another complaint to PSoS will be arriving soon.
Call for information re Roll of Honour Cases
As many of you will know, FAC has been trying to keep track of all the cases which are taken under the Offensive Behaviour Act as a way of monitoring its implementation. However, we don’t always get told about all the cases so we are trying to do a sweep to get basic detail of cases we don’t already know about. At this point, we are particularly interested in cases involving the song The Roll of Honour for reason which will become clear in due course.
If you have been charged under the Act for singing this song and whether or not the case is concluded and even if you think we already know about your case, please email us, DM us or use the contact form on this site to give us the basic details. It would be most helpful if you were to use the special form on the page entitled ‘Been arrested?’. Your information is completely secure on this site and your details will not be used by us in anything other than a completely anonymised form without your express permission. Please spread the word to anyone you know who has been charged with singing Roll of Honour. Thanks.
Police Service of Scotland uphold complaint from FAC protesters
In news just in (30/1/15) we hear that the complaint from the small group of FAC protesters who went to protest at the SNP Spring conference in Aberdeen last April and who were issued with a Section 12 Notice under the Public Order Act (all 19 of them including the 7 year old wean and the pensioners!) has now been partially upheld. Those of you who followed the FAC wordpress blog will remember that the complaint was initially rejected and was then referred to the Police Investigations Review Committee (PIRC) for consideration. Thereafter, the complainant was asked if she would consider allowing the Police Service of Scotland to look at it again as they felt they hadn’t addressed all the issues in their original response. Being a reasonable person, she duly gave her permission and after waiting a considerable time her patience has been rewarded. Two of the 4 complaints have been upheld, including the most important one which relates to the issuing of the Section 12 Notice. We will cover this in more detail shortly but the significance of this cannot be underplayed and is yet more evidence that FAC will not stand by while our civil and political rights are stamped underfoot by House’s army. Politicians again please take note!
The last man standing from the Gallowgate goes to trial – and walks away victorious!
Yesterday at Glasgow Sheriff Court a young man who refused to accept a fixed penalty (which leaves you with no criminal record) of £150 for alleged Breach of the Peace during the kettling incident in the Gallowgate in March 2013 was found Not Guilty. He had earlier insisted on being tried on the grounds that ‘he hadn’t done anything’ and the Sheriff agreed with him. In a quite incredible display, a Chief Inspector and a Sergeant from Police Scotland were exposed time after time as liars in the court. Sadly it appears that they will face no penalty for this as the Sheriff declined to suggest it. More importantly, however, this young man’s courage and integrity was rewarded and this brings all of the criminal proceedings to an end – with Police Scotland now completely exposed as having no justification for their disgraceful behaviour on that day. It is now up to politicians to hold them, and their imperious leader, Stephen House, to account for their behaviour and for the lies they told MSPs and the public in the subsequent cover-up. We look forward to hearing what they plan to do about it. In the meantime an addendum will be added to the Gallowgate Report to cover this really quite astonishing case. Congratulations to the bold bhoy, his family and his friends on a brave decision and a well-deserved result.
(ps if there are any theatre groups out there that want to turn this trial into a comedy sketch, one of our observers has a full set of notes and it is pure comedy gold!)
John Mason & Co support Free Speech
Without a trace of irony John Mason (who thinks Yes banners and Free Palestine t-shirts at football games should lead to prosecution) has tabled the following very commendable motion:
Motion S4M-12020: John Mason, Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 08/01/2015
Freedom of Speech
That the Parliament notes with great sadness the deaths at the French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo; considers that, while hatred of any group in society should be opposed, freedom of speech must be supported and protected; strongly believes that in a healthy society it should be possible for politicians and religions to be ridiculed and satirised however uncomfortable that might be for those who are the subject matter, and considers all deities and prophets well able to handle criticism and ridicule without human intervention.
Supported by: Joan McAlpine, Christine Grahame, Stuart McMillan, Kenneth Gibson, Adam Ingram, David Torrance, Bill Kidd, Roderick Campbell, Mike MacKenzie, Margaret McCulloch, Jean Urquhart, Murdo Fraser
FAC encourages all opponents of the Offensive Behaviour Act who are constituents of any of the above MSPs to congratulate them on this finely worded motion and ask when they plan to put it into effect in Scotland.
New media coverage for FAC from STV
A month after the launch of the Gallowgate Report, Peter Smith of STV has released his short piece which covered events of March 2013 and the efforts by FAC to seek answer from the Police Service of Scotland as to their conduct that day. The piece shows FAC members discussing both the Offensive Behaviour Act and the corteo on the Gallowgate as well as following the small delegation which took the report to Holyrood to present to MSPs in December. It would be fair to say that we feel that the issues we were trying to raise go beyond the Green Brigade or any other constituent part of FAC – indeed it goes beyond just the Celtic support – but what the video does demonstrate is our continued commitment to fight this act; the actions of the police in enforcing it and the criminalisation of football supporters in general. Let us know what you think of it!
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Sorry to anyone reading on a phone…….but it’s pretty important that this is seen by as many people as possible
HH