With an understatement of historic proportions, Scottish Government minister Annabelle Ewing said should would “respect the will of [the Scottish]parliament” and set in motion the process to repeal the discredited Offensive Behaviour at Football Act. This is a new approach from a government which has ignored the will of the Scottish Parliament on each occasion on this very issue – despite acting like wounded fawns when others do the same.
The Act was the brainchild of Alex Salmond, who exploited a Celtic-Rangers match which saw two Rangers players ordered off and a brief but angry shouting match between Neil Lennon and Ally McCoist. The game, however, was remarkably free from crowd trouble.
For years Rangers fans were being arrested for offenses of a sectarian nature. Celtic fans had rid themselves of ‘offensive chanting’ but things changed when SNP Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill sat through a Celtic-Rangers cup final deafened by chanting of ‘The Billy Boys’, he congratulated spectators on their behaviour. This saw the return of political chanting from the Celtic support.
SNP minister Christine Grahame made clear the intentions of Salmond’s Bill when she told Justice Committee meeting this Act would allow police to “equalise” arrest figures between Celtic fans and Rangers fans.
It was an appalling piece of governance and sectarian in nature.
61 SNP MSPs voted to retain the act yesterday, as Holyrood heard the most ridiculous nonsense in attempts to justify its place, citing sectarian comments made well away from the football environment. The SNP seem to know there is a sectarian problem, but are blind to any of their own shortcomings.
Credit for this reversal goes in considerable volume to the Fans Against Criminalisation action group, and to James Kelly MSP (Lab), who sponsored yesterday’s vote. Ordinary men and women defeated a wilfully blind, Peronist, government.
We can only be grateful that government does not enjoy a majority in parliament. Its authoritarian tendencies are clear, they did not look at the evidence and reverse their view, they simply didn’t have the votes necessary to continue to ignore all the evidence.
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bigbhoy on 26th January 2018 2:02 pm
Celtic have made it clear that they have no interest in “Old Firm”.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
When was this?
Geez
Is that thon EUROCHAMPS guy back? Place was nice and quiet for a bit there:-)
Welcome back A.
EC67- HH
HEN1RIK on 26TH JANUARY 2018 12:28 PM
From parcelorogues twitter.
find it odd that no one has mentioned that Docherty’s family were key in setting up Rangers First, now Club 1872 – the 2nd biggest shareholder in Rangers. Is it newsworthy? https://twitter.com/BBCSportScot/status/956652373434347533
*actually I did when the question of who was paying docco’s fee was raised, I mentioned sevco first as his da was instrumental in setting them up or the pair fae on the buses who also have shares in their home town team.
Clinco
I will be in the Blane Valley tomorrow at 12.00 ish
dapper gent,blazer,cravat,cigarette holder,accompanied by a mysterious blonde femme fatale type ( who may or may not be a russian cultural attache)
Eurochamps
Fantastic news, make sure you are at Celtic Park an hour before as parking fills up early
Clunks
Unfortunately I won’t be in BV this evening, oldtim had mentioned he would be but hasn’t posted so doesn’t look likely..
TOHG
Medals are on display inside Celtic Park
( including replica EC medal)
MrKelly also,IMO stole big Jocks knighthood so he got a bigger gong than the medal ☘️☘️
Wits
Now you never told me the boss was coming over, had I known that I would have changed my plans. :-))
BT
Afraid not..Thats just me being Walter Mitty
She will be over with me at Easter though,hopefully meet up then
STAIRHEEDRAMMY on 26TH JANUARY 2018 1:49 PM
“Memories” of the shame game. Diouff throwing his shirt in the referees face at the end and the referee completely blanking it. Diouff then ran to the away support and having whipped them into a frenzy he threw his shirt to them which signalled a number of broken chair parts being lobbed onto the park by the angry mob. The senior police officers who stood next to Diouff did exactly the same as the referee. All Scottish media since have used the 3 second clip of NL responding to the gardener as representative of shame- in a game in which only one side lost it.
___________________
Wasn’t that the game that Diouff clashed with the Celtic physio? He was also the third rangers player to be sent off, after the final whistle.
Wits
I may even bring Mrs BT out of hibernation for that☘️☘️
And as KevJ alluded to , Celtic like bad bhoys went to the grandmaster office and bent over
For once spellcheck is correct
Not Headmaster
Diouff.
Now there Is an argument for keeping the OBAF .
SNP missed trick there, paying his wages for the “Fabric of the nation”, would surely be cheaper than funding FOCUS (on the Tims) ?
Happy Birthday Mr Rodgers, may you celebrate with a Hibskelpin’ the morra!!
WHAT IS THE STARS on 26TH JANUARY 2018 3:10 PM
Clinco
I will be in the Blane Valley tomorrow at 12.00 ish
dapper gent,blazer,cravat,cigarette holder,accompanied by a mysterious blonde femme fatale type ( who may or may not be a russian cultural attache)
And a dog eared copy of the Racing Post under your left arm…;)
Give the man his medal back…..
WITS,
Any whispers for Dundalk tonight?
Thanks
HH
in ither news…………….
Summit I’d wish on every, single, sleekit, wee, hun………..
” a Colorado Medical…..”
:)
HHH.
BLANTYRETIM IS PRAYING FOR THE KNOX FAMILY ,sorry to read about your dads meda.l sincerely hope he gets it back.hh.
Back to football then. Is there any mileage in us attempting to get Vincent Company on loan from Man City.
Feasible?????
KINGLuBO
BT
That is an awful story about your dad John Fallon, absolutely terrible he must have been so upset and with a fake replacement given to him. Words defeat me.
Re OBAFA – Well done to all the Bhoys and Ghirls of the various ordinary greengrass-roots supporter organisations that made this happen.
HH.
I think there was only 12 original medals cast and the twelfth was for the sub.
No worries on our part my dad at least has decent health compared to some of the bhoys
Yogihughes
I am sickened after yesterdays con job at Gowran…
The following have been mentioned in passing and I am trying to ignore but here goes
Pat Smullen flew back from Meydan to ride at Dundalk tonight…could be worth watching his rides.
Lizard Point in the 5.30 is a well bred horse that has been “held” recently and has attracted a bit of support today
Clear Skies should win the 6.00 ( short price fav for Joseph O’Brien who also runs Zaofu in the race,we had word for Zaofu last week but it flopped,tonight its 16/1 outsider )
Fastidious in the 8.30 is fancied and has been backed
I am going to the Cinema with my beloved so I am not touching any of them so all will win !!!!!!
This is of course my sober thoughts on the matter,
When I clock back in later after alcohol has been consumed my thought may require moderation ⚽️⚽️⚽️
WITS,
We go to the trouble of opening the pubs on Good Friday and you head out of town for the weekend.
Hardly see the point of repealing the law now!
Team sheet latest…………………..Dembele
Thomthethim
Invited to a wedding in Bonny Scotland that weekend so taking in the Ross County match Easter Saturday and maybe even A spin up the Highlands Sunday/Monday ( never been)
Scratch to reveal Moussa’s rejected bid?
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 26TH JANUARY 2018 4:03 PM
Team sheet latest…………………..Dembele
Can see us playing three at the back and Dembele and Griffiths up front.
Among all the stories and surmises being shared on CQN in recent days, the one irrefutable FACT seems to be that a father and son are shareholders in 2 SPFL clubs which have just been involved in a major transfer. Said father and son seem to be likely to be at least part-funding said transfer. Could the selling club be losing out in invaluable income? I think the SFA or the investigative msm should be telling us. Somehow, I doubt they will.
Thank God, the notorious OBAF act looks like it is to be repealed. Our SNP Government has tried to support it since they drove it through Parliament. This morning, their representative on Radio Scotland was calling for discussion on how it can be improved. Why did Salmond not invite discussion from the other Parties rather than summon Celtic , along with the deid team, who were totally at fault in the shame game, and then, instead of implementing the existing legislation, drafted the OBAF? Shameful.
Damn decent gesture for ole Peter to give his space to EuroChamps67.
WITS,
Thanks. I’ll have a go as usual. I’m having a bad week. I hope I don’t jinx them.
HH
Celtic Football Club @CelticFC
FIXTURE CONFIRMATION
Celtic v Partick Thistle ScottishCup 10/02/18 KO 12:15pm
WHAT IS THE STARS on 26TH JANUARY 2018 4:04 PM
Thomthethim
Invited to a wedding in Bonny Scotland that weekend so taking in the Ross County match Easter Saturday and maybe even A spin up the Highlands Sunday/Monday ( never been)
*****
Ah, the ol’ wedding summons, which must be obeyed.
I’m heading over in May. Don’t think I’ll catch a game. Will be staying one night in Glasgow and a few with the weans in Edinburgh.
Gary
Tried it before didn’t really work but must be due another spin. BR is on record as saying he was
‘trialling’ how to get both in the same line up, but he’s a stickler for the dynamic of his team.
Whateverthatmeans CSC
Well done again to all those who were instrumental in supporting the repeal of the… OBaF. Good luck with the next phase HT et al.
Odd one from Neil McCann today. Regarding our bid for Jack Hendry…
“But clearly they were told it wasn’t enough and that will be the message if it continues in that vein.
“There’s been a bid, a low bid, very low, but nothing since.
Now, Celtic made a bid for Jack Hendry at the beginning of the transfer window. It was reported on 01/01/2018 that we’d bid £500K.
It was rejected. Now if NMcC is saying, “nothing since”, why is he bringing it up now, 4 weeks later, is he wishing he’d said yes!?
Hail Hail
PCS
In my opinion some people were trying to make a career leap by drafting and implementing this law, even to the point of funding a Police Unit to impose it.