Apologies to all who, like me, tired of the circular ‘songs debate’ on CQN many years ago. Back in 2011, when Celtic had a similar action from Uefa to defend as they now face, I predicted a slow train wreck:
“The Debating societies will be exercised on the freedom of some to sing racially-hostile God Save the Queen, or the militaristic, Flower of Scotland, and wait for the reaction to what is euphemistically known as ‘the marching season’. In this vein I would encourage the Celtic delegation who meet Uefa next month read aloud a transcript of La Marseillaise, which becomes a logical target if Uefa prosecute our club.
“I predict Uefa and the SPL will reprimand Celtic with a cease and desist-type warning which will include specific instructions to remove and ban ‘offenders’. Efforts will be made to prosecute ‘offenders’, which I expect will fail, but not before a few individuals are brought before the court.
“Neil Lennon, Jock Stein and since Fergus McCann, the club, have asked fans not to sing political songs. Many agreed but some will not waver, so it would be an act of vanity for lesser mortals to suggest restraint. The slow train-wreck will happen.”
A few weeks later I wrote:
“Singing Flower of Scotland will (correctly) never be criminalised but you can expect charges to be brought for expressing similar sentiment. Legally, this sounds like a reach by the SNP government, but it’s likely to be a few young football fans who carry the responsibility of establishing how the judiciary view this matter.
“While Celtic will never condone IRA chanting (or, apparently, try to mitigate it as inconsequential, as others did before them with illegal and prejudicial chanting) they have a responsibility to ensure positive parts of our Irish tradition, including the national anthem, the flag and other symbols of the club’s rich and diverse culture are defended.”
Since then:
Uefa and the SPL have reprimanded Celtic.
Efforts have been made to prosecute ‘offenders’, which mostly fail.
Despite pleas from Neil Lennon, or earlier from Jock Stein, some insist on signing political songs. As Jock and Neil were ignored it remains an act of vanity for lesser mortals to try to convince others to desist.
Charges have been brought for expressing sentiment similar to that in Flower of Scotland.
Celtic have not, should not and cannot try to mitigate IRA chanting or banners as inconsequential. It is not inconsequential, Jock Stein knew it a long time before the SNP government. Fill your boots on debating why it has consequences below, it’s a huge intellectual topic, you’ll enjoy it, then you’ll get bored of it and move on.
If you want the opportunity to have a Debating Society on this, there is space on the comments section, knock yourself out. I’ve been through the songs debate often enough to know some of our community feel it is incumbent upon them to sing IRA songs at football games. Pointing out the words of Jock Stein, or the inevitable conclusion to this singing, or how things have developed in Ireland, will not change this perspective.
That’s the thing about slow train wrecks, nothing can stop them. It’s more productive to plan on how to deal with the aftermath.
Congratulations to the Bucketeers who raised over £26k for the costs of mounting an appropriate legal defence to the Dam Square five. This is a stunning amount of money raised, which demonstrates the strength of feeling among the support.
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CQN Annual, get it while it’s hot:
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weeminger @ 1241
Quite a few of the ultra groups here in Italy are highly politicised – ranging from the ‘ultra’ left to the ‘ultra’ right.
Some of them are also, quite openly, racist. Lazio for example, and Verona to give just two examples.
The football authorities here take a dim view of any overtly racist banners or chanting – often it is directed at the supporters of southern Italian clubs, Napoli eg, by fan groups of certain northern clubs. Juventus and Inter have both been ‘punished’ by having sections of their grounds closed recently for just such infringements.
There appears to be a somewhat different attitude to overtly political manifestations at matches, however, by the authorities.
HH!!
Awe Naw,
Nursing?
Definitely no – although I did work as a nursing assistant many moons ago, whiel I was at school (must have been following in my mother footsteps at the time, until my old boy knocked some sense into me – he knew I wasn’t cut out for that much hard work).
I’m a Subsea Engineer up here in Aberdeen. Well taken it a bit further than that but essentially that is what I do. Set up on my own here so growing a business as best I can. Decided to give it a go almost 3 years ago, the day my youngest was born I opened the doors and have some good guys working around me now to help me out.
I was talking about our mutual friend on Tuesday night, old Steve Pablophanque.
Me and the Fu99ie Dew were proudly looking at our Old timers CQN badges and speaking about Steve driving up to Aberdeen when looking for work. He brought badges with him for Myself and Curly I think. Got a pint with him and a bit of craic during his brief drive through the deen, and off he went.
Cork and Holland I think after that, before the worst happened.
Sorry, just thought I’d let you know as I know you became quite close to him as he travelled to meet up with as many of us CQNrs as he could.
Away back to work mucker, but feel free to drop me a mail. My username at gmail.com
Hope you and yours are keeping well anyway.
Mucker
OldTimer CQNr CSC
will BMCUWP continue his run of last Posts?!
Bmcup,
I’ve been nightshift of late yourself and your fellow moonhowlers keep me entertained and awake most nights.
Wish my team could on the park, we are not barca and with our budget we can’t expect to be.
The pitty patty sideway passing isn’t for me… I don’t meen pump the ball up the park either.
Find a middle ground and utilise with what quality we have, spend that bit extra for more quality…wee Ferguson helped finance our sixty thousand seater, it would be full on more than cl games if the board realise…football is a business in entertainment…not just a business.
Good to here from you and will make a point to get out and about for a few when your next up.HH
bobby Murdoch CUW repost of sandman post
was well worthy of a read
Glad to see that the GB have brought this issue to the fore and allowed fans to get their views across. In general it looks like there is a turning of opinion in favour of speaking up, possibly as a growing reaction to the clubs failure to speak out, the failure of the SFA to speak, the ongoing MSM disgrace that shames that shames this country far far far more than this banner could ever do
Generally speaking, many UK youngsters today couldn’t tell you the first thing about current affairs even though in UK there is high youth unemployment, pay as you go universities, work with wages below minimum level and so on. In previous generations the youth might have made their point a lot more fervour. In a world where our youngsters often know more about celebrity big brother than they do about George Orwell its good to see the GB voice some opinions and provoke some reaction and who knows maybe a few of the folks who rushed to condemn them may have altered their opinion. Who knows eh?
Masti.
Your comment on the 28th nov, couldn’t have put it betting myself son.
Big sean.
hands up who hates the mobile phone companies.
never having once went over a price plan, i got hit with a mega charge during the summer.
on looking at the itemised bill there was a serious of calls from turkey, via my nephews phone , which ran for nearly two days constant.
phoned up, and said, how can this happen,
well you must have called them and left the phone on.
for two days ? what about the other calls and text i made during the same time this call was meant to happening, well sir cant explain that but you ust have made the call.
i got charged, couldnt get out of the contract and vowed to leave this particular company soon as i could.
while away this week, mrs ss suprises me, ive orderd us new phones, same company, they called up , time for an upgrade, here you go, same-ish plan, looks good, me less than happy.
gets home called them today, i dont want an upgrade, not with you anyway, take it back,
em sorry sir, only your wife can cancel this contract, 20 mins of various press 1 press 2 options before i even got to speak to someone.
its not even the feckin phone i want.
sneaky bandits , they phoned the exact day I was out the country, and the day after i could change,
i hate them.
I asked this last night
Hopefully someone has some information for me
Maybe I have to start my own clique
————————————————————————
1) Who funds the GB?
2) Who elected them as the conscience of Celtic?
3) What makes them think that such an apparently small minority of ‘fans’ has the right to put ‘our’ club at risk of doing what we want it to do -play football at the highest level in front of a full stadium
Hadrians approach 3.00 Newbury
Lads, naps here please…
fleagle1888
CQN Saturday Naps Competition : Week 16 results & standings
Rockon Neil Lennon – simply sensational – 6th winning nap of the season so far (Sydney Paget @5/1).
Other winners : BULL67 (Gevrey Chambertin @6/1), BMCUWP & Valentine’s Day (More of that @3/1), and PF Ayr (Gregori @11/10).
+£23.00 Rockon Neil Lennon (6)
+£10.88 Som mes que un club (3)
+£ 7.00 Bada Bing (3)
+£ 2.50 fleagle1888 (3)
+£ 1.50 What is the Stars (2)
+£ 1.00 tommytwiststommyturns (1)
-£ 1.50 16 roads (2)
-£ 2.00 BULL67 (3)
-£ 3.00 valentinesday (3)
-£ 4.00 bonbhoy (2)
-£ 4.78 PF Ayr (4)
-£ 6.00 green T (2)
-£ 6.25 Che (2)
-£ 6.50 Kilbowie Kelt (2)
-£ 9.00 BMCUWP (2)
-£ 9.00 El Madrigal (1)
-£11.50 Cathal (1)
-£11.50 leftclicktic (1)
-£11.50 MHARK67 (1)
-£11.80 voguepunter (1)
-£12.50 twists n turns (1)
-£14.19 Burgas Hoops (1)
-£14.20 Sponsored by Cheetah (1)
-£16.00 petec
-£16.00 unionbearBhind
*No selection (wk 16) : petec
*Non-Runners :
Cheers, fleagle1888
Lads,
I’m reverting to divine intervention to try and find a winner…
My nap is Our Father in the Hennessy.
Good Luck y’all… fleagle1888
13:25 @ Fairyhouse – Musawama – NAP!
Good luck everybody.
Hadrian’s Approach 3.00 Newbury.
Good luck everyone.
POLARBROOK …13-30 BANGOR
Wolves 720 st ignatius. Good luck everyone
Morning all
Lord Windermere
Hennessy.
Good luck
Opening Batsman 3.00 Newbury.
VINTAGE STAR 2:40 Newcastle…..good luck everyone.
Cheers FLEAGLE
Today’s dunkey
BATONNIER
NEWBURY 13:50
Good luck all
14:50 Towcester – Quayside Court
Happy Punting
Glowing in the dark 1.15 tow
Highland Lodge in the Newbury 3:00.
T4
Good afternoon CQN
Ultimate 2-40 new
best of luck
HH
Our Father in the Hennessy at 3.00 Newbury
In for a penny in for a pound,going for
CLOUDY TOO 300NB
Think I’ll stick a shilling on it.
Anay Turge in the 3.35 at Newbury please, be lucky bhoys
OPERA OG….. 1.20 Newbury.
Fairy Rath 3:35 Newbury
Rocky Creek 3.00 Newbury
Invictus
Newbury 1535.
Arra best.
Master of the Game 1.50 Newbury
Going for a right punt in the 3:35 at Newbury. CONSIGLIERE.
Good luck guys.
Afternoon Fholks
Azure Fly 1.50 Newbury PLEEEEEEEEEEEEZE.
CQN Saturday Naps Competition : Week 17 results & standings
Rockon Neil Lennon – superb form – 7th winning nap so far (St.Ignatius @5/1).
Other winners : bonbhoy (Quayside Court @7/2)
+£28.00 Rockon Neil Lennon (7)
+£ 9.88 Som mes que un club (3)
+£ 6.00 Bada Bing (3)
+£ 1.50 fleagle1888 (3)
+£ 0.50 What is the Stars (2)
+£ 0.00 tommytwiststommyturns (1)
-£ 0.50 bonbhoy (3)
-£ 2.50 16 roads (2)
-£ 3.00 BULL67 (3)
-£ 4.00 valentinesday (3)
-£ 5.78 PF Ayr (4)
-£ 7.00 green T (2)
-£ 7.25 Che (2)
-£ 7.50 Kilbowie Kelt (2)
-£10.00 BMCUWP (2)
-£10.00 El Madrigal (1)
-£12.50 Cathal (1)
-£12.50 leftclicktic (1)
-£12.50 MHARK67 (1)
-£12.80 voguepunter (1)
-£13.50 twists n turns (1)
-£15.19 Burgas Hoops (1)
-£15.20 Sponsored by Cheetah (1)
-£17.00 petec
-£17.00 unionbearBhind
*No selection (wk 17) : petec
*Non-Runners :
Cheers, fleagle1888