You will note the most right-winged, left-wing government in history was yesterday resisting attempts to repeal the Offensive Behaviour Act. The Act was sheer populist electioneering by Alex Salmond, who decided after watching several Rangers players dismissed at the end of a game at Celtic Park that something should be done about the 60,000 spectators who attended the game, and its aftermath, left the stadium in an orderly manner.
Football was well covered by policing and the existing legal framework, but Christine Graham MSP hoped to “equalise” non-criminal behaviour at football, specifically by Celtic fans, with criminal behaviour. It was the most uber-right-winged, thought-police, actual-police-backed policy on these shores in decades. Political capital was poured into policing this law, as was significant financial capital.
All other political parties in the Scottish Parliament oppose the Act, due to its fundamental flaws, so on the face of it, yesterday’s initiative by James Kelly MSP, to repeal the Act has a chance, but no more than that.
The Scottish Greens, who have historically opposed the Act, are prevaricating. They are in a position to vote through SNP policy, so hold leverage over the government.
Meanwhile, police numbers in Scotland have dropped to their lowest levels since 2010 and Police Scotland can no longer afford to man traffic signals when tens of thousands of fans leave football grounds. In 2016, we can’t afford a police officer to oversee traffic signals to allow vast volumes of traffic to proceed in the same direction. In Scotland!
We must be the only country in the developed world who can’t afford traffic-signal policing for major events (if you hear someone yelling this on London Road post-game it’ll probably be me, I’ve been known to go on about it).
You are being taken for granted. Don’t be. You can participate in the Proposed Football Act (Repeal) (Scotland) Bill by letting your views be known here.
Scott Brown did well to acknowledge that Aberdeen and Hearts are our most likely challengers this season. The notion that a newly promoted team will come close to Celtic next season is a fantasy.
The Telegraph today run an article on pressure from Spain and Italy to revamp the Champions League. There is a real danger that the already wealthy large leagues will look to further secure their positions by tipping Europe’s top competition in their numerical favour. We should be OK while the current TV deal is in place but all bets are off next time.
The root cause of the demand for change is the pre-eminence of the English and Welsh Premier League cartel, which is slowly colonising not just Scotland, but Spain, Italy and elsewhere too.
The football model is broken pretty much everywhere. Change will happen; let’s hope it’s benign when it comes, as it threatens to finish the game outside of the “top five leagues”. Your clubs will be impoverished and irrelevant, your infrastructure will be denied investment, even the trickle-down of resources to kids football will mean your children are disadvantaged.
Bear that in mind when you cheer Barca and Real Madrid.
I think we’re going to have fun with this Shitov character tomorrow, who thinks there’s nothing new to see about Celtic Park, but needs to dry his eyes because Leigh DIDN’T punch him!
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4STB @ 10.25
Call me a traditionalist but I want to have all our home games in the East End.
A dedicated youth stadium close to CP would be a great way of increasing the profile of the U20’s.
Hopefully we can develop a settled team that delivers on the park.
I am old enough to remember when the reserves were almost household names.
We have lost a lot of this familiarity with the move to bloated squads and youth team harvesting when we can dump dozens every close season.
We have had some lean times since 2010.
However I was impressed by the effort and ability on show tonight.
Looking forward to their next CC game.
WITS: Yes, mad in a good way.
If we qualify tomorrow night I would be wary of Dundalk. They have huge self belief, justifiably so after tonight. They would be no push over.
PRAECEPTA
Ah! Can’t beat the Good Old Days and Last 16.
The good new days might!
Optimist csc
See if the same birds sat/nested in the old tree and then sat/nested in the new tree then it’s the same tree. It’s probably going for 55 branches.
The biggest con for me ,is to pay for a landline ,which in my eyes ,has been well bought and paid for,I ditched Sky after been a customer for over 25 yrs,one of the reasons was the quality of the telephone service,very poor,but the biggest fault I had with them was the blatent, support for a dead team ie,Sevco,Sky my mind is run by Sevco Supporters,
TWISTS N TURNS on 2ND AUGUST 2016 10:34 PM
thats very sad and will make the match on Thursday difficult for their team mates and supporters
ACGR
Goals from the U 20’s Tonight
First 3
https://twitter.com/celticgoals/status/760561043701690368
4th. https://twitter.com/celticgoals/status/760569832899223553
No.5.
https://twitter.com/celticgoals/status/760572658572529664
HH
Billybear
That’s why the Basques are able to look the world in the eye. Your lot never will you know, it will haunt you forever.
Astana have scored a total of 2 goals in their last 8 European away games.
One thing to remember is that the skullduggery will be starting soon.
The old Huns NEVER played by the rules, and the tribute act will be the same , if not worse.
We must be ready for this, (especially Pete and co.) and show that mob no mercy.
Sweatin’ in Sorrento. Just headin’ out to the balcony with a Peroni, doppio malto 6.6
Way down south…(always wanted to say that)
Just want to say a huge thank you to all you fine Tims who wished me a happy birthday. And hello to ACGR who didnae!!!
;-)
I’m not really into my birthday. But I agreed to my dad’s request that we go for dinner as I sensed he was thinking about my mum today on the anniversary of the arrival of her Wee Bhoy on God’s earth.
So that made it poignant.
And all your good wishes on here made it sweet.
I’ve saved my big present for tomorrow.
A nice big home win.
COYBIG
HH jamesgang
JAMESGANG
Missed you earlier – Happy Birthday big Mhan!
Billybear, you seem like a reasonable hun. Do you have a season book for Ibrox and do you regard the team you watch now as the same rangers that were liquidated?
Hail Hail ya hun
I’m with the genius ACGR in not wishing Jamesgang felicitations …..get over it
no one celebrates birthdays at your age.
Have a nice day anyways hh.
let me be the first to wish JAMESGANG a happy birthday tomorrow.
ACGR
Don’t disappear – got an Annabellesque number for you!
JIMMYBELL1690
BILLYBEAR on 2ND AUGUST 2016 10:41 PM
See if the same birds sat/nested in the old tree and then sat/nested in the new tree then it’s the same tree. It’s probably going for 55 branches.
And the same old sh*t
A CEILER GONOF RUST on 2ND AUGUST 2016 10:52 PM
Billybear, you seem like a reasonable hun…
———————————————————————
Master of the oxymoron, mate. :-)))
ACGR
You need to watch the video – this is right up your street.
https://youtu.be/m2ou-WIxfLY
Stevie Ray Vaughn and your kind of woman – been saving it.
Enjoy!
BOURNESOUPRECIPE on 2ND AUGUST 2016 10:49 PM
Astana have scored a total of 2 goals in their last 8 European away games.
They HAVE to score tomorrow which might make a difference. I’ll only relax once we’re two up because I don’t see them scoring more than one, given that statistic.
Anyway, I don’t do predictions. Name’s Glendalystonsils, it’s no Nostradamus’ tonsils!
Hoopy birthday to Jamesgang. The goodest of good guys.
http://youtu.be/E4AJGa5mPGk
Jamesgang
Hope you enjoyed your birthday
I sent a present to Glasgow for you
I sent it to Jamesgang C/O Paddy Roberts CFC ……..,he will deliver it tomorrow night
ACGR, I don’t class Rangers of today as the same club, and I don’t have a season ticket.
lymmbhoy, thanks for posting the goals. Some good young talent in our ranks. Hopefully BR will bring some of them through to full team glory.
Is than no the team that pumped the huns 3-2 during “the journey” maybe they were missing the big guy that works at B&Q in Dumfries the night………………..:_)
I have said it before and I’ll say it again, Billybear is never a Hun.
He is clever, humorous & polite and has hit on this idea to masquerade as a Hun.
He is a Tim & possibly has a couple of usernames.
I’m outa here probably until Saturday , a few days Hols in the sweet little town they call Belfast, and whilst Mrs Corkcelt is a most understanding soul, she has one rule, No CQN when we are on Hols.
Hopefully by my next post, we will be in the qualifying round of Champions League & have at least 2 new signings,
Good Night & God Bless All.
Great result for Dundalk and Irish football .. Hopefully another one to come with cork playing genk .
Young mceleney who played for Dundalk tonight, Derry lad so he is. Just left us to move to Dundalk sadly at start of season, great talent but always lacking that extra motivation needed to move to next level, hopefully this will help him.
He played at Sunderland and was highly rated but left due to home sickness when he was young, also heard stories of Kevin Ball treating him badly, didn’t like the Irish lads by all accounts.
Billybear on 2nd August 2016 10:41 pm
Surely going from an old dead tree to a brand new tree must mean its a different tree then, just the rabble of delusional birds have moved on?
Class analogy that completely backfires in yer face :-)
Ever heard of a daft bird?
HH
CRC
BILLYBEAR on 2ND AUGUST 2016 11:07 PM
ACGR, I don’t class Rangers of today as the same club, and I don’t have a season ticket.
Tut, tut! Call yersel a hun…?
;-) to you all!!!
VP I’m not even sure you really exist!
keyser soze In a fast black…..heard so much about you, never (yet) met the legend…
HH jamesgang
Catch the Daily Record tomorrow whipping up the bigots of Scotland
A newspaper that should be banned sine due.
Due = Die……..iPhone
Why can’t Barrowfield be upgraded ,add a couple of stands,let the Celtic support watch the development squad,if we have to pay a couple of quid,that’s fine with me,so its something Celtic Football Club need to think of,also would be a good idea to let us know were the young Colts are playing,through all the Celtic Blog’s
Right foot. Header. Left foot.
Perfect hat trick for Aiden.
A hun with a braincell!!!. Whatever next. Thanks billybear, I retract my hun statement but retain the right to use it at a later date.
Jamesgang, not on here much these days. Didnay realise you were an older bastart than you were yesterday.
It’s not birthday wishes from me you need pal, you needier knat king. Not to be confused with yer knatknow nat know wit a mean n nat?
Anyway, I’ll get you a pint tomorrow.
VP, HH
JG, VP definitely exists. He can often be found abusing law abiding Tims as they go about their lawful business in some of Glasgow’s seedier hotels in Hope Street, fun city.
As luck would have it some of are staying in one tomorrow…..Hope the VP is on duty:_)
THUNDER ROAD
GOT THAT LINK TA
H H