Standing up for your views, San Siro

Another day another Uefa fine for crowd-related transgressions, the umpteenth in recent years.  When we went to Seville we knew you could take tens of thousands of Celtic fans anywhere, secure in the knowledge they would make friends with police and locals alike.  That reputation’s gone, the Fifa and Uefa awards, relics.

The world appears to have its share of Pussy Rebels.  Someone who will tarnish another’s reputation (in this case Celtic) but not have sufficient courage in their convictions (in this case their right to break Uefa rules) that they will do so in their own name, accepting consequences accordingly.

The internet is full of them too, keyboard hard men who will carry a campaign to the ends of the earth, as long as it doesn’t leave a trace of identifying information.  If their name gets out, they will run 100m in the opposite direction of their declared stance, faster than Usain Bolt at am Olympic final.  Pussy Rebels, every one of them.  Lots of people have crazy/offensive/just plain wrong views, but manage to put their names to them – nutcases, but Tiger Rebels.

If you have a view, or way you like to enjoy a game of football, stand up for it.

The incidents in Zagreb pale into insignificance compared to the mini-bus attack which left a child injured before the League Cup semi-final.  That wasn’t a rule transgression, it was proper violence.

A few days after the incident I wrote I was concerned there had been no arrest.  Despite the overwhelming outrage among Celtic fans and others, and the damage done to the victim, the reward money is still unclaimed.  Do the proper thing, report the crime and claim your reward.  We have a reputation worth putting your name to.

Not sure how things will go (on the field) tomorrow night.  Celtic have an incredible record in the San Siro over 90 minutes, four draws and I think only a couple of defeats?  A win would see us into the last 16, it’s a huge ask, but don’t bet against Ronny.

Farewell James Easdale, we’ve loved your work.

My thanks to Andy Coyle.  Don’t know him from Adam, but he called me out of the blue, met outside Celtic Park, and put £100 in my hand for our Mary’s Meals appeal.  God bless the Celtic support.

On the subject of which, you know you’re dealing with someone special when you learn Lisa Hague, Kris Commons partner, bought a ticket for CQN11 St Patrick’s Dinner.  She’ll be helping out too, more on that later.  After the dinner we have Packy Bonnar, Joe Miller, Tommy Coyne and the one-and-only Tom Boyd, with Archie Macpherson speaking about Jock Stein and Patricia Ferns on song.

Let me know if you still need a ticket, celticquicknews@gmail.com