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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Astonishing that Dundalk have put out Bate Borisov 3-0 (agg 3-1). Thta was the team I least wanted if/when we beat Astana. Now there is a 20% chance it could be Dundalk.
Fantastic result last night for Dundalk.
I expect CLOGHERCELT will be getting excited at the prospect of his local team playing his favourite team!
15-16 degrees and rainy forecast for tonight.
Brendan is reported to have said that Leigh Griffiths would be worth £15m if he has a Latino sounding name. I guess that Leigh will be the center of dressing room jokes for a while. He can score under any name he wants tonight (football sense only implied).
My bet tonight; Lustig 1st goal and 2-0. 70/1
And in the African DR :))
http://africanfootball.com//news/635423/Kolo-Toure-could-make-first-Celtic-start-tonight
Morning all from a dreich South Ayrshire coast.
Firstly, a very well done to the Young Hoops on an excellent performance, and result, last night against the Annan agriculturalists.
Secondly, looking forward to the game tonight against the goat/sheep slaughterers – disciplined performance required, and I remain quietly confident that Celtic will do the business and send the moaning Kazakhs back to Asia.
…and finally, but by no means least, a belated happy birthday to JAMESGANG!
HH!!
And in the real world :))
http://readceltic.com/2016/08/03/rodgers-wary-of-starting-summer-signing/
Hot smoked and Burnley 78
I was up getting my tickets yesterday. Guy showed me the stadium seat map to choose as I’d missed the deadline for sb seat (abroad). Entire bottom tier sold out except some left at ends of front main stand. Odd single seats dotted around top tiers, perhaps 100 to 200 but last 2 or 3 back rows plenty available. That was at 3 yesterday. Looks to me like minimum 55k tonight. Highest crowd in Europe, again. And while I’m at it, the msm never tire of telling us of half empty Parkhead, top tier closed etc. You won’t hear one positive word from them about a club from poor wee football backwater Scotland posting the two highest attendances in CL qualifying rounds, figures which won’t be beaten in 90% of the glamour group stage matches. I’ve said it many times before, give us the stage and the opposition and we’ll compete with anyone in world football for attendances.
BM winklepickers
Albuferia is fantastic; weathers great, so are the grandkids.
I think it helps that there’s an abundance of Irish and great Irish & Celtic pubs.
I went to the infamous jinky’s but sadly haven’t seen any pubs that will be showing the game tonight.
For me, it’ll be a night in the apartment streaming the game.
Hail hail!
Green team on tour!
Given that our U20 beat Annan 5-1
and the Govan Gallacticos beat them 2-0 last week
has anyone from MSM asked ANNAN players who were better team.
I know irrelevant you know irrelevant but how irrelevant would it be if
it was other way around.
PS wait til U20 get Kieran PAtrick Mussa and Oconnell in team
High praise indeed.
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/celtic/scott-brown-has-surprised-me-says-celtic-manager-1-4192613
Hope it’s just that a rumour
Celtic Underground @celticrumours 3m3 minutes ago
Lustig injured?
Looking forward to my first game of the season, missed Red Imps an Leicester games.
Think it will be tight and nervy but expecting a 2-1 win
I would take a chance on Toure’s fitness,, less of a risk than playing Ambrose, would also play Rogic in midfield as he is more of a goal threat than the others who have been playing there.
4-4-2 out of possession, 3-5-2 in possession
Gordon
Lustig Toure O’Connell Tierney
Roberts Brown McGregor Rogic
Griffiths Dembele
He’s a bad Bhoy :))
http://videocelts.com/2016/08/blogs/latest-news/rodgers-i-love-working-with-bad-boys-like-suarez-and-griffiths/
Watched the u20 game. Ralston will be a first team regular soon. Great defender built like a brick. can’t believe he’s only 17.team work rate was excellent. Others impressed, McCart, Nesbitt and Miller especially.
Well of course he didn’t say this as the headline makes out he singled the player, he said ….like many players…… I’m kinda watching this blog on its posting, it’s kinda acting like an SNP Liberel, level 5 thingie, can’t grasp it yet, I’v a funny feeling it will out itself, sooner or later they all do.
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/08/03/celtic-boss-rodgers-makes-scott-brown-admission/
TOMMIE20
Glad yer aw havin’ a rerr terr!
No-one seems sure if the game is being shown live at all,bud. Fingers crossed for you.
I’ll miss it anyway as I do a 250-mile cross-country trip. Bloody murder,wish I was there!!!
Not gonny happen Tom, and you know it isn’t.
https://justbhoy.wordpress.com/2016/08/02/having-your-smsm-cake-and-eating-it/
ziggydoc1
I thought Ralston looked like a player with all the tools in his locker
A pleasure to see that game see our bhoys and the Annan players get more than usual exposure.
very good commentary – was it Michael Stewart ?
tonydonnelly67 on 3rd August 2016 9:18 am
Well of course he didn’t say this as the headline makes out he singled the player, he said ….like many players…… I’m kinda watching this blog on its posting, it’s kinda acting like an SNP Liberel, level 5 thingie, can’t grasp it yet, I’v a funny feeling it will out itself, sooner or later they all do.
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/08/03/celtic-boss-rodgers-makes-scott-brown-admission/
It’s all clickbait
A bunch of non-stories that are given leading headlines so you will open the page up and they get a hit. I just ignore it.
Nothing interested has ever come out of HITC, Talking Baws, The Football Insider etc.
*nothing interesting
Anyone got a link to the consultation paper for the OBAF Act?
Ray Winstone’s Big Disembodied Eyeson 3rd August 2016 9:57 am
Anyone got a link to the consultation paper for the OBAF Act?
_________________________________________________________________
Click the article above. The link to the paper is on the first page. :>)
Morning Bhoys I really enjoyed last nights under 20 game 5-1 against Annan the type of team the first eleven have struggled against in the past.I think there is a chance of a few of these Bhoys becoming first team regulars.Well tonight is a huge game for us and I expect Astana to niggle and foul and constantly try to break up play we will need a good referee I believe we may well have to be patient and the goals may come late in the game Come on you Bhoys in Green. H.H.
Bit of talk lately on the 5 hour time difference between Glasgow and Astana, with reference to how the Astana players will feel as the game nears the end at 2.30am Astana time.
I think the more relevant aspect is how much sleep they got last night.
As our boys were waking up to their 7am alarm this morning, the Astana boys’ body clocks had woken them up at 2am. Some of them will have been awake for 24 hours by the time the match ends.
Anyway, Brendan’s got a few headaches in defence tonight, Sviatchenko’s concussion being the least of it.
He’s surprised us a few times already with selections and shapes, and I sense another surprise tonight.
Astana were the stronger team in the first leg, and the Celtic players will need to perform collectively if we are to progress.
Bring your finger nails tonight. You’re going to need them I think.
Looking forward to the game tonight, my first this season, the usual mix of excitement and nerves will build as the day goes on……..COYBIG
HH
RAYWINSTONESBIGDISEMBODIEDHEID
I reposted this from Minx1888 yesterday. Hope it helps.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Repost from yesterday..
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MINX1888 PRAYING TO WEE OSCAR on 1ST AUGUST 2016 1:30 PM
Campaign News
01/08/16 First step in the process to repeal the Offensive Behaviour Act announced today!
Proposals to repeal the Offensive Behaviour Act have been lodged today by James Kelly MSP. This is the first step in the process to get rid of the expensive, anti-democratic mess that this ill-thought-out and badly worded legislation has created. There will be a public consultation on the Act, the details of which are on the Parliament website and also can be linked to from here http://www.scraptheact.com , which will run from today till 23rd October 2016. It is imperative that everyone who has concerns about this Act: its impact on, particularly, young people; its cost; its illiberal nature and the effect it has had on the relations between the Police Service of Scotland and young, law-abiding citizens who happen to be football fans, should respond to the consultation. We will update on the responses as we move through the next twelve weeks. Please make sure you fill in the consultation survey and if you have any problems please let us know so we can sort them out. Please also contact your MSP to find out if they will be supporting this move and encourage them to do so.
We understand that the responses will be analysed and that a Bill will go before Parliament early in 2017 which will call for the repeal of the Act. We will keep you informed of all developments over that period.
We are in the final stages of our five year battle against the Act and victory is now within our sights. Please make sure you spread the word on a daily basis and let the Scottish Government know that the Offensive Behaviour Act must go!
Tommie 20
It’s been a week while since I was in the Algarve, but I was able to watch Celtic at a sports bar just of the strip. It showed several at the same time and shared with various other supporters.
It might be worth checking out if you are out for a stroll. As you go down the hill, after the crossroads, turn left at the Chineese restaurant and go for a couple of blocks crossing another main road.its on the right hand side after an English meat and 2 veg place and before the spa hotel (formally the Dom Pancho).
Across the road, was another closed place called The Drunken Scotsman – the noise from Thos was like hell on earth, you could tell who it was by this.
Good luck and hope your team wins
THB
Just had a look at the available tickets for tonight. Didn’t count the dots but I reckon less than 2000 available. So with the away section being fairly empty I would reckon easily in excess of 55,000.
BRENDAN Rodgers believes Leigh Griffiths would be worth £15million if he had a more exotic-sounding name
So perhaps a name change to Leigh O’Nell – though could get ‘messy’ :-)
PETROLHEAD
That’s not good news,mate-my sister’s trying to get a ticket!
* wee while – predictive text
Ps There used to be a old Rangers bar on the strip with a faded crest. This was referred to as the Sad Cafe by my wee bhoys. Did it survive?
How about Leighinio Grffaldo
TOWNHEADBHOY
The facades crumbled(!)
What about Le Griffiths?
I’m confident of a result tonight, each game we have played since Gib. We have raised the bar in many parts of our game, tonight’s team? Well someone has that job so I’ll leave that to him, but of course what ever the choice is? He won’t be pleasing everybody that’s for sure, the stRting 11 and the subs will get my backing from the start to the finish, of course there will be a few…awe nawww, awe ffs, wut Yi dain, hit it, pass it, and hopefully a couple of……goaaaaaaaalllllllll ya f….. Beautyyyyyyyy :))
the game is on celtic tv tonight so whoever was asking about seeing it in the algarve then go to jinkys. they showed celtic tv games when i was there
tonights official attendance* 52,106
FACT
* at celtic park, not in jinkys
Bobby,
I’ve made inquiries about getting my ticket to the pools office if yer sis still wants one?
HH