Strict liability

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Strict liability: if football fans misbehave in a stadium, their club is held liable.

This is the Uefa way and is how most European national associations conduct their business.  Not in Scotland.  In Scotland there is a belief that some problems are so entrenched, it would be unfair to penalise clubs, who do whatever they can to discourage fans from, for example, setting off flares.  Here, a club which does everything it can to stop an errant act is not held liable.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say some clubs fear strict liability.  Celtic cannot stop people setting off flares, they take steps to discourage it, so, the argument goes, why fine or otherwise punish Celtic?

It’s a cop out.  I’d hate to see points deducted, leagues decided, because a club was proxy for a strict liability offender, but everything else is on the table.  Clubs are poor at policing their own, there are in-built inhibitors which make doing so difficult.  Strict liability takes the issue out of their hands.  Stands will be shut, ticket allocations withdrawn, but almost certainly only once.

Flare carriers are the most difficult to police as they are the act of a small number of individuals, who are able to protect themselves [although not their club]by hiding in a crowd, but strict liability would end offensive chanting by thousands overnight.

For that, it’s worth it.

Only caught last night’s Motherwell game in highlights.  Newco looked like the Rangers I remember from the early 80s.  Despite being a mid-table mediocre outfit, Rangers were, and played like, a big team back then.  They attacked with all they had, but John Greig was often out-thought by the manager of a small club, who could organise a defence and break with purpose.

Football tactic students will be captivated by the second leg.  Do Newco go on the attack, and risk the same outcome, or do they learn to live within their limitations, hoping to tempt Motherwell beyond theirs?  The team which gets it wrong could lose by three goals.  It’s a good job Newco didn’t screw around with the ticket allocation, they’ll need that away end packed and energetic.

Thanks for all the feedback on the new issue of CQN Magazine, lots of great reading.

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2,246 Comments

  1. jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/ on

    j b

     

     

    Pulled up Griff instead of playing advantage. Creep of a man!! ps Booked Brown for a hard tackle on thug Black

  2. Nye Bevans' rebel soldier on

    KevJungle

     

    13:56 on

     

    31 May, 2015

     

     

    We lost 3-1 that day, should have got a pen, while our

     

    player’s run after Mr Gordon the hun went up the park

     

    and scored,cue mayhem in the Celtic end, I seem to

     

    remember big Jock rounded on Richard Park of radio

     

    snyde after the game.

  3. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    JORGES BARNET

     

     

    That was only because even he realised he widnae get away with it again.

  4. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas on

    Kevj, David Low may be a very astute guy in business but I’m not impressed with him.

     

     

    As well as chatting through Sean Fallon’s speech , a few years later my pals and I were through at Easter Road for a game.

     

     

    We stayed in Edinburgh for a few hours after the game. When we were on the train home, Matt McGlone and David Low sat across the aisle from us.

     

     

    We knew Matt through drinking in Heraghty’s.

     

     

    Low had a sneer on his coupon as Matt was talking to us about the game then just sat looking out the window rather than joining in the conversation.

     

     

    We were not impressed with David Low’s demeanour towards us.

  5. Nye Bevans’ rebel soldier

     

     

    14:05 on 31 May, 2015

     

    ____________________

     

    Hail Hail Oh Ghreat Whan :)

     

    Yeah, that was a dark day.

     

    Celtic players were gonnae walk off the pitch at one point.

     

    During one of the break-ins at the Celtic end…Mr Stein put his hand on a young KJ’s shoulder and ushered me back over the wall, onto the terracing(hivny washed that shoulder since:)

     

    He did the same in April that year as well when, Mike MacDonald the Hibs GK put his boot into Tom McAdam…mib waved play on…then all the bottles were thrown and, ontot he pitch came the Celtic fans…Mike Conroy mae his debut that day and, I think he scored as we lost 1-4…battles outside the stadium as well…Celtic fans v’ the polis and, Hibee fans.

     

    HH

  6. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    TOM McLAUGHLIN

     

     

    Wee subtle difference between starting a debate and talking attention seeking pish.

  7. Dallas Dallas where the heck is Dallas

     

     

    14:07 on 31 May, 2015

     

    ___________________

     

    Yeah….somethin no right about him.

     

    That’s saying something…coming from me.

     

    HH

  8. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    The suggestion that the ref on Thursday got every decision right is arrant nonsense

  9. jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/

     

     

    14:17 on 31 May, 2015

     

     

    K J

     

     

    Any links re that game??

     

    _____________________

     

    I dont know?

     

    There might be?

     

    I canny do links thingy’s:(

     

    Sorry

     

    Hail Hail

  10. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    KEVJ

     

     

    I was at both games. Your recall is excellent.

     

     

    McDonald booted McAdam square in the baws,summed up our season.

     

     

    As did the fact that a player signed from Port Glasgow Juniors on Monday was our best player on the Saturday.

     

     

    Losing KD that season was a big loss. Our injuries were a bigger loss.

  11. jude2005 is Neil Lennon \o/

     

    ______________________

     

    I should have pointed out that, the game yer asking about

     

    was at Easter Road.

     

    Sorry for the confusion:(

     

    Hail Hail

  12. Nye Bevans' rebel soldier on

    Kevj……….we got pumped 4-1 that day at Easter Rd,it was

     

    a dreadful season just as bad as anything we had in the 90’s,

     

    god bless all who watched Celtic during 77/78,hope you and

     

    your’s are doing well pal.

  13. Ellboy - I am Neil Lennon, YNWA. on

    Hope I’m wrong but like many I’m expecting a vintage performance from the officials today. As the only way that shower can win is through “Honest Mistakes”.

     

     

    Every Motherwell challenge will be a foul, while der Hun will be waved play on & if things are still looking a bit ropey, there’s always a red card penalty up Thompsons sleeve. Oh and even then, if none of that works, there’s always league reconstruction.

  14. prestonpans bhoys on

    Kevij,

     

     

    Sure we played Hibs twice that week 0-0 then that 4-1 humping….

  15. prestonpans bhoys

     

     

    14:24 on 31 May, 2015

     

    ___________________

     

    We did, 0-0 in midweek and there was lot of trouble outside the ground then, the same on the Saturday was at both games on the John Fallon CSC from Blantyre.

     

    HH

  16. Nye Bevans' rebel soldier on

    prestonpans bhoys…………was at the 1-4 , can’t recall the 0-0,

     

    anyways not great day’s Jimmy,enjoy the summer and I’ll see

     

    you in 112 next season.

  17. ....PFayr supports WeeOscar on

    TOM

     

     

    ” his do you cheat if you give the right decision everytime “…

  18. prestonpans bhoys on

    Nye bevan,

     

     

    I was stupid enough to go to ever game that season, more money than sense in those days.

     

     

    See you next season……….

  19. G’day Celts que pasa?

     

     

    Re Sevco, I don’t think they’ll go up, as crap as M’well have been this season they are streets ahead of Scotland’s youngest pro fitba team.

     

     

    Even with the corruption of the Sfa and the help from the “Lodge in Blacks” they just aren’t good enough for the top tier of Scottish fitba. My money is on a draw today (thumbs up)

     

    Ps happy birthday Bernie bhoy ✊

     

    V