Well done to the Daily Record for revealing that SFA referee, Eddie Smith, was the policeman who reported Celtic fans to Uefa for singing offensive songs against Rennes last month. Smith was one of the referees who declined to make his services available as referees went on strike last season while Celtic took-on the SFA amid accusations of lies, bullying, sectarian behaviour and cover-ups among referees at the association. He is no longer on the Grade 1 list.
Following the strike the SFA Head of Referee Administration was removed from his post and referee, Dougie MacDonald, who was accused of lying to Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, resigned, prompting then-Celtic chairman, Dr John Reid, to say the club felt vindicated in raising their concerns.
Vindicated, no doubt, but with more than a few feeling bitter towards the club.
While the Daily Record can reflect on some good work today, bizarrely, the Scotsman newspaper accused Celtic fans of sectarian chanting at the Rennes game, something even police-gossip, Eddie Smith, didn’t accuse them of.
Why stop at accusations of sectarian behaviour? If the Scotsman are going to be ridiculous, why not accused Celtic fans of genocide and treason? Better still, just say lots of them have funny names, go to strange schools but will never ascent to the British throne.
Celtic have 123-years of non-sectarian history, it is downright offensive to suggest otherwise.
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Podium
1st?
a first!!!!
steignreignedsupreme
Allegedly, Lawwell has requested fasn to stop singing about the IRA.
fasn – ‘fans’
Get in there
“Celtic have 123-years of non-sectarian history, it is downright offensive to suggest otherwise.”
Nail. Head.
Where’s Phyllis?
Dam !!!
Went to look @ twitter and missed my chance :-(
I notice on News Now that Matthews is being linked to Everton and Fulham for £5m. I would be happy with that if a good replacement was found but appears to be more unsettling stories about our players. When was the last time Fulham or Everton spent that kind of money?
Meanwhile at Snake Mountain they have two Indians on trial (when did India produce a decent player?). They are also ready to take Sone Aluko and a defender on trial from Nepal. I’m sure the press will hail these as wonder kids!
LB
steinreignedsupreme,
I agree that the press don’t want to write anything negative about Rangers that is why I am totally frustrated right now.
If the board had made the correct level of investment over the last few transfer windows we would not have given them the opportunity to talk about “Champions Rangers” or “our leaky defence” etc – so the board gave them opportunities.
and now the fans are doing the same.
We should follow your monikers guideline and jsut beat them to take that avenue away and the fans should do their bit too.
It’s time for the fans and the club to unite.
Seville67
Anything can be offensive to anyone.
So there are 3 options –
1. Ban everything.
2. Tell people to stop being so sensitive.
3. Kill the Fenian bassas!!!
Is that about right?
Seville67: 14 November, 2011 at 11:10
“If the fans stop singing chants that glorify the IRA then this would not be a story and the press would need to write about something else like the Rangers Tax Case.”
Don’t be ridiculous.
The Scottish media have had years to research the financial problems at Rangers – they are not interested in reporting catastrophic news for their favourite team.
Wouldn’t it be just marvellous if UEFA found Celtic fans not guilty on 8 December. I wonder where that would leave the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill?
Weirdly, Eddie Smith was always my favourite ref. I thought he was a big Celtic fan?
I think the refereeing fraternity along with the SFA should concentrate on the disgraceful treatment that they have meted out to Steven Craven.
They cannot sit in judgement of anyone even as a policeman
Hail Hail
Better still, just say lots of them have funny names, go to strange schools but will never ascent to the British throne.
***********
So it is the ‘Paady’ bit that is offensive :-)
Hail Hail to ya Paul
Steinreignedsupreme,
you said that already
Seville67
LiviBhoy says:
14 November, 2011 at 11:22
I’d be slightly wary of that attitude regarding new markets to be honest. How many great Honduran players are you aware of past and present?
PAUL67
Are you starting to get angry now?
Nice to have you onside.
well said Paul67; I find it quite astonishing that no one has questioned the motives of an ex ref, who no doubt has never acted in a similar manner when he was at games with actual sectarian chants. must have a nice wee promotion on the cards………
for whatever reason, the police have made it very clear that they have an agenda against the Green Brigade, thus by extension, the whole Celtic support; its an absolute disgrace the way we have been publicly smeared and I am getting ever more angry at our clubs cowardly attitude in seemingly taking all this flak without response.
I don’t condone or chant the ra stuff but it quite simply is not sectarian no matter how much the media tries to say it is.
jquinn67 says:
14 November, 2011 at 11:25
Wouldn’t it be just marvellous if UEFA found Celtic fans not guilty on 8 December. I wonder where that would leave the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill?
Is Eddie Smith doing us a favour then? Report it to UEFA and not the SFA?
This is very interesting developments. Who was the UEFA delegate and why didn’t they report it?
I suspect it will be thrown out.
LB
A long term project indeed……. Almost 10 years have passed….
Published on Monday 23 September 2002 01:00
THE Celtic chief executive, Ian McLeod, spoke last night of his “disappointment” that a midweek plea to fans to refrain from singing sectarian songs appears to have had little effect.
As many as 1,000 of the travelling supporters who attended yesterday’s 1-0 defeat of Dundee were clearly united in bellowing out anti-Protestant and pro-IRA anthems.
However, McLeod, who sent a letter last week to all of the club’s season ticket-holders to ask for an end to pro-IRA chanting at Celtic games, claimed he was not surprised to have been confronted by so many dissenting voices.
He also noted that because yesterday’s match was being televised live, and came so soon after the issuing of his plea, it was inevitable that those “entrenched in their views” would see the Dens Park clash as an ideal opportunity to get their point across.
“Some of the songs sung today were a bit disappointing, but it was predictable,” said McLeod. “When you have a minority who are entrenched in their views it is likely that they are going to make a demonstration at the first available opportunity.
“But this is a long-term programme; we cannot think we can change attitudes overnight. It is a marker in the ground in terms of where we want to take the club and in terms of how our fans behave. I am not trying to dictate to anyone what their political beliefs should be, but we must try to control the behaviour of anyone who is affiliated with the club.
“I would estimate around 20 per cent of the fans we had here were participating. If you look at that in context it is perhaps only one per cent of our total season ticket-holders – and you have to put this into context.
“The singing of overt political songs at Celtic Park has been eliminated, and I hope we can achieve the same for away matches. We are going to try and do this through consensus rather than conflict.”
Bring Back The Dancing Girls.
!!Bada Bing!! says:
14 November, 2011 at 11:17
Shameful?
Nail hit on the head Paul. I want the club to adopt the same bullish stance.
HH
Seville67 says:
14 November, 2011 at 10:55
you were doing well there until you wrote
We as a support are giving them the option to write about something other than the Rangers Tax Case – more fool us.
Who has written about the Rangers tax case ?
By the way they would make it up , fabricate, lie if they so desired. Dont forget that nobody attacked Neil Lennon because of who he was or what he represented. It was just a stranger walking by that got annoyed.
Hail Hail
Seville67: 14 November, 2011 at 11:23
Sorry, double post there from me.
It is worth noting that this ‘news’ has come about as we enter last day of the Tax Case.
Just a coincidence, I suppose.
Paul67……. standing up for you’re ain folk, thank you for this hard hitting Leader, maybe one day CFC will do similar.
united we stand CSC!
Vinny
HH
LiviBhoy says:
14 November, 2011 at 11:27
‘Is Eddie Smith doing us a favour then? Report it to UEFA and not the SFA?’
Are the press not saying that he also reported his concerns to the SPL/SFA delegate in SPL games?
What’s Dullas doing theses days?
Som mes que un club says:
14 November, 2011 at 11:27
Even as long ago as 2002, you’ll notice from your link that the word sectarian is only used by the media, in relation to pro IRA.
Plus ça change
bournesouprecipe says:
14 November, 2011 at 11:12
***********************
That brought back some erm ……… lovely…… memories :¬)
Can I nick that for my FB page please?
V
HH
Referee lies, bullying, sectarian behaviour? Watch your back, Celtic
Well done to the Daily Record for revealing that SFA referee, Eddie Smith, was the policeman who reported Celtic fans to Uefa for singing offensive songs against Rennes last month. Smith was one of the referees who declined to make his services available as referees went on strike last season while Celtic took-on the SFA amid accusations of lies, bullying, sectarian behaviour and cover-ups among referees at the association. He is no longer on the Grade 1 list.
Following the strike the SFA Head of Referee Administration was removed from his post and referee, Dougie MacDonald, who was accused of lying to Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, resigned, prompting then-Celtic chairman, Dr John Reid, to say the club felt vindicated in raising their concerns.
Vindicated, no doubt, but with more than a few feeling bitter towards the club.
While the Daily Record can reflect on some good work today, bizarrely, the Scotsman newspaper accused Celtic fans of sectarian chanting at the Rennes game, something even police-gossip, Eddie Smith, didn’t accuse them of.
Why stop at accusations of sectarian behaviour? If the Scotsman are going to be ridiculous, why not accused Celtic fans of genocide and treason? Better still, just say lots of them have funny names, go to strange schools but will never ascent to the British throne.
Celtic have 123-years of non-sectarian history, it is downright offensive to suggest otherwise.
………………………………………
2010 Never Again
YES!
And let’s not forget about Steven Craven who has been banned sine die by the establishment for having the temerity to tell the truth.
bournesouprecipe says:
14 November, 2011 at 11:30
+++++++++++++++
Erm?
Anti protestant?
weeminger says:
14 November, 2011 at 11:27
Honduras had qualified for the World Cup. I have been to India and watched their football first hand. It is woeful. You could watch a better match at a public park. I know Celtic have an academy there and we may be able to spot a youngster and get them over early but cricket is the number one sport in India by a long way.
The football ability of most Indians is worse than I have ever seen anywhere.
I would expect that Celtic would be better linking up with Kiberia Celtic in Kenya. Africa is the best place at the moment to recruit players with natural ability.
India is an emerging market and may reap benefits in years to come but I will be very surprised if the current players on trial at the Tax Dodgers get signed up.
LB
Paul67 –
Good summary.
A referee with an agenda against Celtic. That sounds familiar…
VP-You must have been dunking your Rich Tea in your coffee there,beating the prolific Philvis is a badge of honour.HH
Steinreignedsupreme,
that is exactly my point.
I am sure as Awe Naw says that the press would fabricate something , but having a UEFA charge makes it too easy for them.
Seville67