It will surprise no one that Uefa have charged our football club with “the displaying of an offensive banner and setting off of fireworks [sic]by fans”, this action was as inevitable as the dawn. At least some of our number believes setting off flares in a football stadium is a reasonable action and that provoking European football’s governing body is a smart thing to do.
In terms of protest, “**** Uefa” is not quite up there with Martin Luther’s Thesis or what we’ve witnessed in the Arab world this year. It’s simple rebellious behaviour, which some of us are compelled by in our teens and a few take a long time to shake off.
Forget calls to self-police, I’ve never seen it work with a football support. Ever. If you think you are going to convince anyone the folly of profane banners, flares or even IRA chanting at a football game, save your breath. Those who are up for the protest (whatever the subject is) are more likely to find your call for restraint as complicity.
This series of protest and consequence will run for years, will split the support and damage Celtic. Neither the club nor the support has the leadership to do anything about it. Copy and paste the thoughts you write on the subject, you can use them again without having to retype.
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Kittoch says:
20 December, 2011 at 10:13
This is the only league in the world that the lazy bass will score in.
You’ve got to have friends.
Re the songs issue –
“The ACC said that his understanding – coming from the Procurator Fiscal (PF) in Glasgow – is that if you sing ‘Ooh, ah up the ‘RA’ you will be prosecuted for Breach of the Peace… When questioned he said that no other chant or song, sung en masse by the Celtic fans is currently seen as being something for which you would be charged at a football ground. ”
But I suspect that they will retain the Eddie Smith option of getting someone else to do the job for them.
NBM will be refusing invites onto Question Time, they will also be encouraging the polis to be arresting audiences wherever this politically sectarian show appears, hows that going to work ?
Auldheid
Here is a question for you. At the time when the Celtic Board refused to appeal the guilty verdict from Uefa, were they aware that the SPL was about to incorporate elements of the Terrorism Act 2000 into the SPL rulebook on “unacceptable behaviour”?
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo says:
20 December, 2011 at 10:18
He left ‘Boro and is returning after eating all the pies in Turkey!!
So is the Tory manifesto/ideology not politically sectarian to a Labour voter in Scotland?
Why is there so few Tory MSPs in Scotland if any anymore? Is it due to them being outlawed by political sectarianism.
The who/e point of most IRA related songs is about supporting the political idea of Irish nationalism.
WTF is going on in Scotland when the government are fighting for Scottish nationalism.
There are people in Ireland who don’t want nationalism in its north just like there are many in Scotland who don’t want nationalism for Scotland.
There is no war in Ireland,previous warring factions are working together so that is no excuse to differentiate the Irish from the Scottish question.
Im not advocating singing about the IRA but the songs are as politically sectarian as internal British and worldwide politics.
The very nature of a political viewpoint is sectarian.
Are you scummy lot happy now?
By GARETH LAW and ANDY DEVLIN
SICKENED Celtic great Billy McNeill last night told “rogue” Hoops fans: I hope you’re proud of yourselves.
Celts face a UEFA court in the New Year after supporters threw a flare and unfurled an offensive banner.
And Lisbon Lions legend McNeill fumed: “This has left me hurt and disappointed. For generations, Celtic’s fans have had a great record in Europe. Now that reputation is in danger of being wrecked by these people — I struggle to call them fans.”
Celtic fear a huge fine and sanctions over the chaotic scenes against Udinese in Italy last week. Manager Neil Lennon and chief executive Peter Lawwell have also condemned the actions of a handful of fans.
Lawwell accused a “rogue” element within the support.
Now McNeill has added his powerful voice to the chorus of criticism, speaking out as UEFA confirmed Celts will face a second high-profile probe inside a few weeks.
They were warned and fined £12,700 by European football’s governing body over “illicit chanting” at the Europa League clash with Rennes.
But the response of a minority of fans was to unfurl a banner with the message “F*** UEFA” during the Euro clash with Udinese last Thursday.
Flares were also lit at the Stadio Fruili with Celtic now fearing a massive fine.
Champions League holders Barcelona were fined 110,000euros after fans threw flares in the Super Cup clash with Porto in Monte Carlo last August.
Ross Connolly has been banned by the Parkhead club and was also arrested on the night by Italian police after he allegedly assaulted a steward at the match.
But UEFA are likely to come down hard on Celts — with the club now sweating on the outcome of the disciplinary hearing which is due to be held on January 26.
A UEFA spokesman confirmed: “UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Celtic FC, who are charged with the displaying of a banner of an offensive nature and the setting off of fireworks by supporters at the Scottish club’s UEFA Europa League Group I match against Udinese Calcio in Italy last Thursday.
“The case will be heard by the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body on 26 January 2012.”
And Paul Brennan, of fans’ website Celtic Quick News, has urged all his fellow supporters to stamp out the bad behaviour.
Brennan told SunSport: “I don’t think there is any real danger of fans being banned from games for this type of provocation.
“But it was a stupid banner, it was pointless.
“It’s caused the whole club a lot of distress.
“It has detracted from a terrific performance and I absolutely urge supporters to stamp this sort of behaviour out.
“I am not sure anything I, Neil Lennon or Peter Lawwell says will alter their views.
“But I would strongly urge every supporter to remember and think of the reputation of the club.”
The Honest Mistake says:
20 December, 2011 at 10:14
Celtic_First 20 December, 2011 at 10:11:
According to Nil By Mouth’s misunderstanding of the word sectarian then yes it was politically sectarian. Using Nil By Mouth’s definition the SNP and the UKIP are politically sectarian organisations.
……….
Em so are The Conservative and Unionist Party!
Starry
he´s the Noooooo Bernard Mathews ? eh
Hail Hail
voguepunter
This is the only league in the world that the lazy bass will score in.
You’ve got to have friends.
*****
You are absolutely right, I don’t have his scoring stats from his other teams, (maybe someone can assist) but he will score for them especially in times of adversity.
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo says:
20 December, 2011 at 10:22
The Greggs Bakers shops are filling up with anticipation of the fat ones return…
Hx2
A quick Google (they like Neil Warnock) maybe he’s seen the movie before as well
“QPR boss Neil Warnock wants to sign Rangers and Algeria World Cup centre-half Madjid Bougherra as the Loftus Road club prepare for life in the Premier League”
Daily Mirror
Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo says:
20 December, 2011 at 10:18
If Jelllyfish handles the ball for Celtic he will be red carded and sent off and a penalty will be given
If Jellyfish dives in the box (strike that) anywhere in the opposition half and he is wearing the hoops it will not be given.
If Jellyfish kicks out at a player when the ball is nowhere near him while wearing the hoops he will be reviewed using video evidence and get a four game ban.
Now why would anyone waste their money on that.
…………
Obviously he gets the most stringent medical in history and would fail it due to something or other tho!
I’m figuring that the only chance the Stickies have of ‘landing’ Boydichenko is if they get Jellyfish off their PAYE-and-NI-free payroll.
If I’m right, I know who I’d rather see in their squad and it’s not Jellyfish.
Could be wrong, though. Could be wrong.
Anyway, we’re going to win this stinking league, regardless of who they’ve got up front.
There, I’ve said it.
Nil By Mouth = Fill My Pocket
stit shirrers
Its a bit long,,,but worth i thought :D
The Case Of Caesar And The Scribe
Written by St Anthony
Tuesday, 20 December 2011 00:01
In the early 1970’s Gerald (sic) McNee began to make a name for himself in the world of Scottish football journalism. His big break had came in 1972 when the Daily Express had sent him out to Hungary to cover Celtic’s European Cup quarter final tie with Ujpest Dozsa.
Whilst staying in the Intercontinental hotel in the Hungarian capital, McNee had discovered that the Hollywood megastars Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were staying in the Penthouse suite high above where a number of Celtic fans and the Scots’ press were located.
McNee managed to make contact with Burton and on the night after Celtic had won 2-1 Burton and Taylor threw a party for the Celtic fans with McNee able to get an exclusive story and pictures back to the Daily Express in Glasgow. It was the stuff journalists dream of and this ’scoop’ had put Gerry McNee very much into the high profile bracket of football journalism in the country.
On the back of his Budapest big break Gerry had penned a book, aimed at Celtic fans, titled ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, which detailed the tales and adventures of both himself and Celtic supporters when travelling to foreign shores during Celtic’s halcyon era in the European Cup from 1966 to 1972. This book sold well and was very popular with supporters at that time and it catalogues a period of time when European travel was becoming more affordable and popular for the ordinary fans.
In 1975 he had assisted the legendary Celt Jimmy McGrory with his autobiography, ’A Lifetime in Paradise’. This was an excellent publication which had shown the public what a genuine person McGrory was and at the same time relay what a wonderful story Jimmy had to tell about his long life as Celtic player and Celtic manager. The book was very well received and Gerry, although critical of the club when it was deserving, was known to be from a ‘Celtic minded’ background and could be relied upon to give an objective opinion. The great McGrory even gave McNee a Scottish cup winners medal from his possession in grateful thanks for his efforts with the book, something that McNee was able to dine out on at length in years to come.
Things began to change in 1978. That year, Desmond White had authorised McNee to write a new official club history to commemorate the club’s 90th anniversary. Some people questioned the worth of this as there was only 10 years left until the club’s centenary. However, in the forthcoming 10 years White himself was to pass on as well as noted Celtic personalities such as Jock Stein, Jimmy McGrory and Tom Devlin, so it would seem that the decision to write the book was vindicated while these men could still be of assistance with the story. There had not been an official history since James Handley’s book in 1960 so there was definitely good reason for the publication.
When the book went on public sale in the autumn of 1978 there was some noted criticism towards it. McNee had been very critical of the team which had lost to Feyenoord in 1970 and this wound was still very raw with the supporters who recalled the defeat only too well and it‘s said that some ex Celtic players were unhappy with his assessment of that game. Also, he had told a story of how John Hughes had gone missing on a Zagreb hillside in 1964 when the authorities had sent out a search party as they were worried about Hughes as there were said to be wild bears in the vicinity. McNee had claimed this was how big John had found the popular nickname ‘Yogi Bear’ but this was denied by various members of the Celtic squad of that period.
By 1980 Gerry McNee, with his Pastor Jack Glass style goatee beard, was a highly distinctive media personality with his work in newspapers and could also be heard regularly on Radio Clyde, then in it’s infancy, with Richard Park and the late, great James Sanderson.
But by far the most controversial incident in his journalistic career came in late August 1980 when the Celtic party and press contingent stayed overnight in a London hotel before travelling to Hungary to defend a 6-0 lead against the quaintly named Diosgyoeri Miskolc.
With the players settled down for the night the Celtic manager Billy McNeill joined some press men in the hotel lounge and began discussing football matters. It’s worthwhile pointing out that no one at this point was ‘tired and emotional’ through alcohol.
McNeill was surprised to hear NcNee launch into a vitriolic attack on the discipline of his Celtic players during a recent defeat to Rangers and told McNee that this was a friendly gathering and there was no need for his tone. However McNee went on and as the pair continued their disagreement McNee suggested to McNeill that they ‘step outside to settle this’.
Now big Billy is a proud man and when someone, in the Glasgow parlance, asks you for outside for a ‘square go’ then he was never going to refuse. The stand off resulted in one blow from McNeill with McNee decked on the floor.
Next morning, in the cold light of day, big Billy had realised he had made a severe error of judgement. He should never have risen to McNee and taken the bait. In view of this he called a meeting of those present and apologised for his behaviour. He also personally apologised to McNee and the pair shook hands. Billy also made a point of keeping Celtic chairman Desmond White abreast of the situation and that looked to have been the end of the matter.
In early October Celtic were controversially knocked out of Europe by the Rumanians of Politechnica Timosoara. Billy McNeill had described the Greek referee that day as the worst he had ever experienced. In Rumania during the post match banquet, Gerry McNee on duty with the Daily Star, could be seen verbally berating the referee for his performance. Strangely, the referee then turned on Frank McGarvey and began castigating him for his behaviour on the field as McGarvey had been (controversially) ordered off. Seeing the situation deteriorating McNeill ordered the players from the dining area back to their rooms and went to update Desmond White on the goings on.
Upon entering White’s room he found McNee giving a detailed account of what had happened. McNeill was incensed and told McNee he had no right going to the chairman behind his back and telling tales and the two men then had another heated argument.
Celtic returned home and only four days later on October 5th 1980 the Sunday newspapers sensationally reported in great detail that the Celtic manager, Billy McNeill, had assaulted the journalist Gerry McNee the previous August. That this was now made public was a huge surprise to everyone at Celtic, it was bad publicity for the club and brought big Billy’s name into considerable disrepute. Celtic fined McNeill £500 which was a hefty sum on 1980 and many felt that the punishment was way over the top given the circumstances.
But the question remained; who had gone to the press about an incident which had happened months previously and that only a handful of people knew of ? Every Celtic supporter believed that they knew exactly who had instigated the story and ran to the media for his own end and for his own mischievous reasons. Devious does not begin to describe this behaviour.
After that Gerry McNee became public enemy number one with the Celtic support. It was felt that rather than reporting the issues of the day he became embittered and chipped away at Celtic with every available opportunity. There was no concern amongst the support at this time as to Billy’s behaviour, indeed the only regret that I can recall Celtic fans having was that ‘the big man didnae hit him hard enough’.
On October 11th after a 2-0 win at Love Street against St Mirren McNeill, clearly incensed, declared that he would not speak to the press corps whilst McNee remained with them. This led to more sensational headlines in the newspapers and a protest from the National Union of Journalists which led to Desmond White reprimanding McNeill and apologising to McNee for big Billy’s actions.
Billy McNeill had never had a great working relationship with Desmond White and the Celtic board but this matter only served to widen the gap between them and, indirectly, the McNee affair led to McNeill leaving Celtic for Manchester City in the summer of 1983. Billy had felt that he had received no backing from his board and the fact they chose to make the £500 fine public had not only riled him but had embarrassed him also. White had constantly shown an intransigent attitude towards his manager during his 5 year reign from 1978 – 1983. The recriminations of the McNee affair would be long and lasting for Celtic.
McNee’s career later took him to STV where he was a monotone commentator for Scotsport in the early 1980’s. An Archie McPherson he was not. He also continued to write columns for Sunday newspapers where he proceeded to irrationally attack a number of targets such as the Celtic board, the SFA and Graeme Souness. At least he was consistent. It was felt that he was controversial for the sake of being controversial and would go out of his way to agitate others for cheap headlines.
Speaking of Souness, he too had a spat with McNee, this time whilst flying back from the Rumanian capital of Bucharest and it was said that ”If he (Souness) had had his way that night, he would have chucked Gerry out a window….38,000 feet high.’ It appears McNeill and Souness actually had something in common and the Rangers manager was physically restrained on the flight.
In later years the younger up and coming journalists were to ridicule McNee’s pompous manner and writing style. He had always been sycophantic towards Alex Ferguson but it surprised no one when the two men were said to have had a fall out and as most people know you cross Fergie at your peril. As Ferguson carried on with his huge success at Old Trafford McNee was seen as an embittered, twisted old hack and Gerry was put out to pasture and could be seen seeking solace in the popular Heraghty‘s bar on Glasgow’s south side.
Billy McNeill will always be remembered as the legendary Celtic captain, standing in Lisbon like Caesar had once stood so imperiously in Rome, taking the acclaim of the masses. Gerry McNee will be remembered for nothing other than the infamy of crossing swords with those two great strong personalities, Billy McNeill and Graeme Souness, and coming off distinctly worse in the process.
_______________________________________________________________________
McNee,,,,Keevins,,,,separated at birth!!
Hail hail
greenjedi 20 December, 2011 at 10:21:
Em Celtic First didn’t mention them in his post.
But now that you have metioned them according to Nil by Mouth’s definition they are.
Boyd has scored 6 in 7 games at Forrest
6 in 18 games at Middlesborough
101 in 118 games at Ratners
63 in 106 at Kilmarnock
Total of 176 goals in 249 games 0.52 goals per game.
And some of you hope they sign him back.
They will only play Celtic twice this season after January, so he may not score in those games, but what about the other 20 including cup ties.
I would buy him and bench him just to stop him going back.
Ibleed….,
great point, a thug like McNeil lecturing the Celtic support on how to behave Hmmm
I know we often see what we want to see but I do not rate Jelavic all that highly. He takes a decent penalty (plenty practise) and is quite good in the air. The rest of the Jelavic phenomenen is a mixture of media hype and Celtic fans showing how open minded we are by agreeing with said hype. If Rangers really need the money, then I hope he stays. Naismith was a much more dangerous player and Laffertty, too, is one who causes me some concern on occasion. Indeed, mygreatest concern in the Hun squad is Willie Collum.
AWE NAW,
Should the Ranker ever go downmarket, then your Hatelyesque style guarantees you a job.
PS
I am , of course, being extremely facetious in my referrence to their ability to go any further downmarket!
Continual death threat ref gets Old Firm game
By GARETH LAW
WILLIE COLLUM the man who continually lives with death threats and catholic jihads will referee his second Old Firm match next week — 14 months after his first left him facing daily death threats.
Superem FIFA whistler Collum will be the man in the middle when SPL leaders Rangers head to Parkhead a week tomorrow.
It’s a huge show of faith by the SFA in the 32-year-old after his consummate Old Firm officiating performance debut last October.
Back then Collum was facing the toughest spell of his career after his bow in the Glasgow cauldron was slated as expected only by Celtic
He awarded the Light Blues a stone wall penalty in their 3-1 win when Celtic’s Swedish stopper Daniel Majstorovic upended Kirk Broadfoot.
Kenny Miller netted from the spot to help send Walter Smith’s side three points clear of their arch rivals at the top of the SPL.
But the Hoops were so enraged with the correct decision they wrote to the SFA to ask for clarification and have hounded him with death threats ever since.
Bhoys’ boss Neil Lennon also felt Collum should have dished out a second yellow card to Lee McCulloch during the game.
Lennon chirped as was expected at the time: “I think he got a couple of big decisions wrong.
“I’m not sure he saw the penalty claim and I’m not sure why he has given it.”
Since the fallout, Collum has received daily threatening phone calls at his home, which he then reported to the police.
But the whistler, who has long been tipped for the top by the SFA after his fantastic Old Firm debut performance, has put his troubles behind him this term.
Collum has had an impressive start to the season both at home and abroad.
He was rewarded for his performances in Europe by being handed control of Barcelona’s third team reserve Champions League clash with BATE Borisov earlier this month and there can be bo bigger accolade than that.
But his profile in Scotland has always lagged behind the high status he has on the continent due to Celtic influences.
Meanwhile, James Forrest insists he and his Celtic team-mates can’t afford to think about the Old Firm showdown until after Saturday’s clash with Kilmarnock.
He said: “Your most important fixture is always your next one — so that means we’ve got to focus completely on Kilmarnock.
“They gave us a really difficult game at Rugby Park earlier in the season when we found ourselves 3-0 behind at half-time.
“We managed to recover well and earn a 3-3 draw so that shows we’ve got to be at our best to win the game. I don´t want to discuss the offer on the table from Spurs for 1.8m that can wait until the new year”
starry plough
hope you are getting packed for barcelona in january
Vultures will circle over Ibrox in January like horny rams impersonating hungry meerkats dressed as shetland ponies sneaking into at a wombat convention disguised as undercover mongeese.
” Celtic fear a huge fine and sanctions over the chaotic scenes against Udinese in Italy last week.”
The Sun really in overdrive now……Chaotic scenes???….hardly,there were no more than 4 people holding that stupid F*** banner. The UEFA one did not cause chaos The flares, while not welcome, hardly caused chaos.
Now imagine this had been them…..we would have had over zealous police, Chelsea / Millwall infiltrators harming the good name of Rangers.
FFS, Celtic Board, you need to do something to get this reined in without turning on us. Time to ban these rags from CP immediately. ( Have been asking for this for years.)
philvisreturns
(Sorry I’m late)
And, as Dr. Ray Stantz could tell you: You don’t know what it’s like out there! I’ve *worked* in the private sector. They expect *results*.
Yes. And if they don’t get those results, they could go out of business! Unless of course, they’re too big to fail, in which case they get a big handout from ordinary taxpayers.
(Just a quick reminder that there are people doing artificially propped up jobs in the private sector as well!)
BlantyreKev
Your making that up ?
Hail Hail
Modern horny rams impersonating hungry meerkats dressed as shetland ponies sneaking into at a wombat convention disguised as undercover mongeese are rubbish.
jimmci,
the board are lock in step with the polis pointing and hounding down Celtic supporters, dont kid yourself any longer.
Lobbyists for change have already taken heart from SPL’s decision to open up debate on terracing
Graeme Macpherson
Football Writer
A FOOTBALL war is looming.
The announcement yesterday by the Scottish Premier League that their clubs could investigate the feasibility of introducing safe standing areas within their stadia seems certain to spark division between the idealists and the pragmatists.
The idealists are largely fans and those who represent them. There has been a growing movement in recent years for supporters to be allowed to stand at top-flight matches as they do at games in the Bundesliga. Supporters look to Germany and see an explosion of noise and colour, where fans can enjoy the matchday experience without interference from stewards. That a standing ticket is often available at the fraction of the cost only adds to the attraction.
Stadia in the SPL have been all-seater since the 1990s as a result of the Taylor Report recommendations that followed the Hillsborough disaster in 1989. Their introduction has improved safety and made grounds more welcoming to women and children, but the removal of terraces has done little for the atmosphere with some games played out to a backdrop of near silence.
The formation in recent times of boisterous fans’ splinter groups, based on the European Ultras model, has helped resurrect the concept that a football ground should be a place where like-minded souls can congregate to worship their team through song, dance and written word. Their growing popularity has furthered the case for safe-standing areas to be introduced where they can gather and bounce around without bothering those who would rather sit and watch the game in relative peace.
The SPL have now acknowledged this former group, giving clubs the chance to pilot schemes to see if there are enough people willing to sacrifice a seat for the chance to stay on their feet. “Since I joined the SPL in 2009, there has been widespread support among fans to reintroduce safe-standing areas,” said Neil Doncaster, SPL chief executive. “I’m delighted we have been able to respond positively to supporters’ views on improving the match-day experience.”
News of the development quickly travelled south where those keen on introducing standing areas at grounds in England listened enviously. Their number includes Don Foster, the Liberal Democrat MP and his party’s sport spokesman, who earlier this year introduced a Safe Standing Bill at the Westminster Parliament.
“The SPL is right to take an objective view of safe standing in Scottish football,” Foster told Herald Sport. “There is evidence from across the world that standing can be completely safe. Safe standing is preferable to the status quo, where fans frequently stand in sections designed for sitting.
“Scotland is adding itself to a long list of countries where decisions on stadium design are taken on the basis of evidence. Government and football authorities south of the border should watch these pilots closely and think carefully about their own policies.”
Others were similarly heartened by yesterday’s development. Jon Darch, a member of the Football Supporters Federation, has taken his Safe Standing Roadshow all across the country, promoting the introduction of German-style safe-standing areas at football grounds in England’s top two divisions.
Darch’s preference is for the introduction of hi-rail seats, widely prevalent in Germany, which will be folded up for domestic games to form barriers for fans to lean on, but which could provide additional seating for European matches where standing remains forbidden. “The desire to stand has never gone away,” Darch said. “There were many good things that Lord Taylor wrote in his report but one thing he got wrong was that, over time, fans would get used to sitting down. In recent years, I would say the desire to stand at matches has actually increased. Generally, those fans who like to stand tend to make the most noise and they act as a catalyst to get the more sedentary fans going.
“That in turn creates a better atmosphere in the stadium as a whole and gives the team more support. Even the corporate fans paying their £100 for a nice meal and a comfy seat get a better experience as they get to enjoy the passionate fans creating a better atmosphere.”
Darch makes a compelling case and the pro-standing lobby will likely be demanding clubs start tearing out seats almost immediately to allow their dream of standing again to become a reality. Those who would oversee such a drastic overhaul, however, question the viability in certain cases.
St Mirren have the most modern ground in the SPL, opened in January 2009, and converting even a section of a stadium built entirely with seating in mind would be a costly and complicated business. Standing areas would likely also require greater stewarding and policing, while there would be other administrative and logistical concerns.
“I’m not sure how this would work at a new stadium that was built for seating and not for standing,” Brian Caldwell, general manager of St Mirren, told Herald Sport. “The height of our terracing is designed for seating so we would need to re-do all of that and change all the terrace units otherwise it wouldn’t be safe. We have also reduced our police bills dramatically since moving to the new stadium but those would increase if we were to have standing areas again.”
Monster Munch was at Forest ?????????
When ?????
Bring back the 25K a week saviour and give him the hun arm band I say
Hail Hail
Boyd would still score against the spl crap. And the way they are playing the odd goal here and there, dodgy offside decision or debatable penalty can mean points. Remember how often they won by the odd goal when he played for them.
Stephen Thompson warns modern ‘terracing’ areas may prove too expensive for most clubs
Fans attending an Old Firm clash at Hampden show that seating is often ignored at football matches, with Celtic and Rangers especially keen to explore the reintroduction of standing areas
By ALAN PATTULLO
Published on Tuesday 20 December 2011 01:18
STANDING areas could return to Scottish football, although club officials have warned that such a step will come at a price.
Stephen Thompson, chairman of Dundee United and a newly-appointed member of the Scottish Premier League board, has welcomed the initiative, but doubted many clubs could afford to implement it.
United are one of the clubs who spent many millions of pounds renovating Tannadice in order to meet a requirement for all-seated stadia. This was later adopted in 1998 by the Scottish Premier League, which set a minimum limit at 10,000 seats. The number was later reduced to 6,000, and this will still have to be met even if clubs opt to install a modern-version of the terracing which once dominated most British football grounds. Don’t expect railway sleepers and mounds of black ash, put it that way.
“The problem is people expect a return to old terracing and the way those of a certain age watched football when they were growing up,” said Thompson. “It isn’t going to be like that.
“This is a different way of standing. These seats can be locked up and locked down again. It’s still one space per person.”
And, Thompson pointed out, it is also costly. “The model we saw costs about £100 a seat. If you put even just 300 of those in, it will cost you £30,000. It’s an expensive exercise”
The momentum for the move has come from Celtic, who have listened to the views of their fans following a proposal by the Celtic Supporters Trust. Neil Doncaster, the SPL chief executive, yesterday admitted that “it’s fair to say, one club are particularly keen”.
A feasibility study into standing areas at Celtic is already well under way, led by Peter Lawwell. The club’s chief executive was last week forced to rail against a “rogue” element of fans who held aloft an offensive banner and threw flares onto the pitch during the Europa League clash against Udinese in Italy.
An area of Celtic Park populated by the Green Brigade is already an unofficial standing zone and Lawwell is keen to see the SPL recognise the desire for safe standing. As of yesterday, the SPL board now has the ability to approve requests from clubs to pilot safe standing areas for use in SPL matches. According to Doncaster, the extent to which clubs wish to trial these standing areas “is for them to decide”.
Rangers are also keen to investigate the possibility of creating a standing area at Ibrox Park. They, too, have been motivated by the will of the fans. The club released a statement last night which read: “The fans have intimated for some time their desire for a standing area within Ibrox stadium and this is something the club have been looking at in terms of feasibility,” it read.
“However, we are fully aware this will require the support of Glasgow City Council’s Safety Team as per SPL rules.”
Both clubs have reason to be as aware of the safety issues as anyone. A crush at the end of an Old Firm game in 1961 left two people dead, and then ten years later, after another Rangers v Celtic clash at Ibrox, 66 people perished when steel barriers gave way on Stairway 13.
A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman expressed surprise when asked for a response to the SPL’s announcement. “We have not had any detailed discussions with the SPL around the safe-standing areas,” she said. “We were therefore surprised by this announcement today.”
However, there is no question of there being a return to the crumbling, steep terraces of old where a mass of humanity would sway back and forth and surge forward at times of high excitement.
“It’s not terracing like we knew it, it’s not like what you would still find at somewhere like Morton, to use an example,” said John Yorkston, the Dunfermline chairman. He is in favour of anything which might stimulate interest in watching football. Dunfermline recently shut down a stand at East End Park in order to save costs after SPL crowds failed to meet with expectations.
“What we are going to do is look at the safe standing area and look at what costs are involved,” he said. The East End Park board met yesterday and director Rodney Shearer was handed the responsibility of looking into the issue. “If it can be justified cost-wise, I’ll be happy to look into it,” said Yorkston. “But if it comes to £250,000 then it’s £250,000 we don’t have.”
The model being followed is that used in German football, and with considerable success. Although Doncaster talked up this form of safe standing yesterday, the cost of installing the necessary flip-up seats and the probable need to make alterations to the existing stairs could make clubs balk in these straitened times. Clubs are seeking to reduce costs, not increase them.
Doncaster pointed to systems used in Europe such as ‘Rail’, where there is a safety barrier and a seat on every row which can be locked for SPL games and unfolded for other competitions, as options for interested clubs. “There is no suggestion that we are simply opening up the terracing again,” he said. “It is about introducing areas that are safe for standing, like the Rail system that we have seen working successfully in Germany might be considered.
“I have seen it as Borussia Dortmund and at Cologne. The atmosphere is generates is sensational.”
There is, however, a difference between the 80,000 regularly attracted to Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion and the 8,000 or so diehards who currently attend Easter Road, for example.
Hibs have completely renovated their stadium and are rightly proud of its 20,000 seats. It is the country’s largest fully-covered Uefa compliant stadium outside Glasgow. The club reacted with a certain amount of coolness to yesterday’s news, releasing a statement which recognised the change in climate with regard to standing areas. However, the club hoped fans would contribute to generating an atmosphere without the need to accommodate standing.
“If these rules were to change then we may review the position regarding standing sections at football matches,” a spokesman said. “In the meantime this does not mean that supporters should sit on their hands for 90 minutes. We wish the matchday experience to be an enjoyable one. However, supporters are encouraged to use the seating provided for their own and others’ safety, as well as to ensure that the view of those seated around them is not restricted.”
Here, indeed, is the rub. Fans already stand, and when they do it en masse it is hard for anyone to stop them.
i hate it when people on here undervalue the huns players like they are some kind of expert ..despite the fact we might not like it jellybags he will go for 7/8 million they already k/backed that they will get that level again
My bet would be behind the scene they hun is trying to hawk there goalkeeper for 3/4 million that would sit better by there stupid support .There back up keeper is a trout and will cost them points . but 3/4 millon would get them by if we are to consider the things being reported elsewhere.
i am however more worried about the reorts that the hun has almost done a deal for the big case and its under 10 million that would ruin my festive season if that is the case i reorted on here at the start of the year and was dismissed out of town by ernie lynch that rangers were offered a deal of £20 million.
At that time and k/nocked it back because they are only going to deal at 10 mill or lower …..my source who is middle mangement in the tax centre in east kilbride where the inspectors were staying/based for the first part of the hearing .again that was his report to me it might have had more truth to it than was first thought .
Gordon_J backing Neil Lennon says:
20 December, 2011 at 10:42
So would I.
But my family would disown me so it wont be happening. No matter how much they beg me or … anybody…
Hail Hail
whitedoghunch says:
20 December, 2011 at 10:32
Does that mean the cheques in the post!!
SP
Celtic Mac says:
20 December, 2011 at 10:20
Auldheid
Here is a question for you. At the time when the Celtic Board refused to appeal the guilty verdict from Uefa, were they aware that the SPL was about to incorporate elements of the Terrorism Act 2000 into the SPL rulebook on “unacceptable behaviour”?
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Nope but it is in line with one of the themes in that article that the world’s perspective of terrorism has changed, so I’m not surprised.
If I can use the frog in a saucepan story (which I hear is not literally true but still makes the point) the Rangers support got caught out by the external heat against sectarianism and racism rising by a few degrees. The same thing has happened to us and unless someone has a handle on the temperature control then we either get out of the saucepan or get burnt.(on that note Celtic do not have control over the temperature that has risen as result of the perceptionof terrorism changing and would have looked stupid arguing on that issue.)
The Rangers support failed to come to terms with the rising temperature and ended up banned from Europe. We risk the same outcome if we do not learn from our and their experience.
Celtic Mac says:
20 December, 2011 at 10:20
Whoops I though you asked if I was aware.
Probably is the answer for the reasons I gave.
In reply to ‘Exiled Tim’s ‘serious question’ I think ‘the lunatic fringe’ is a fairly recent phenomenon and are few in number. We have aways had dissenters – some wise e.g. ‘the Rebels’ who helped Fergus to overthrow the ‘Old Regime’; and some unwisee.g. those who booed Fergus when Jock Stein’s widow was unfurling the Championship flag and who booed Brian Quinn when he welcomed the newly formed Villareal Celtic Supporters Club to Celtic Park. These people are few in number but are doing serious damage to our club. They don’ seem to care about that as they unfurl their stupid banner and continue their chants in favour of what is now a terrorist organisation and ignore the pleas of our Chief Executive and our manager. What we need now is SOLIDARITY based on the traditional values of our great club. As a wise man once said – ‘A house divided in itself, will fall.’