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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2-0 Dundalk
Dundalk 2-0 up on Bate Borisov – 2-1 aggregate
2-0
Dundalk
Off topic, but why is Lee Wallace a grass? Who did he grass on?
ET Ludogorets v A team worth 137 points at Scrabble—-
Is this the same Annan team that Panloaf Galacticos beat 2-0 in the league cup?
PJ Crossan makes it 5-1 to u20s v Annan
Bada Bing
That’s the local spelling for Red Star Belgrade
PJ Crossan should start tomorrow night.
JJ
Young Hoops 5-1
https://twitter.com/celticgoals/status/760572658572529664
HH
5-4 Ludogorets
Tommy Gemmell…..in my thoughts……get well soon
Jamesgang…..Hoopy Birthday ;-))…..Yer pressy is in the ether…..you should receive it tomorrow night….
Young guns…..up past their bedtime…..looking at some of them…..outclassing the Annaners…..great result ;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
Embramike -yes it is mate
Aberdeen’s Europa League opponents Maribor are mourning the deaths of two young players in the build-up to Thursday’s second leg of their third qualifying round tie.
Damjan Marjanovic, 20, and 21-year-old Zoran Baljak were killed in a road crash, the Slovenian club said.
A Maribor statement said the news has “shattered us deeply”.
“A cruel fate has intervened in its severest form and taken away two young members of our Violet family.”
Ludogorets 6-4 up
The young lhads playing Annan are very impressive (at least, judging by the goals). Is it a competitive match?
5:1 FT
Very good result and performance against a senior team.
I look forward to Regan Hendry’s future and see if Aiden Nesbitt can motor on from this MOTM performance after a disappointing loan spell at Partick.
This tournament is where our development team needs to play.
Good move and great finish by PJ !
Fess19 dunno but the answer will be interesting!
Fine performance from the young hoops,lots of purposeful passing and composure on the ball.Ralston has great potential.
=============
Hoopy birthday Jamesgang,many happy returns.
Well impressed with our Youngsters.
Organised/ plenty of movement/ neat & tidy/ and not too shabby in front of goal either – some good looking prospects at U20 level.
Serious question, would the 1st team have scored 5 tonight? I’m not sure.
It would appear they it is Annan’s senior team.
So by the logic of the smsm our u21 side would cuff the sevco senior team.
Actually, on this occasion use of smsm logic may prove correct if only because a broken clock is right twice a day.
I had an uncle who once played for Crvena Zvezda.
Billybrag csc
Tim reaper – they may not have been afforded the same space? Who knows?
Full time 5-1
Enjoyable game from the young colts coming back from a goal down with some smashing goals.
It dawned on me in the closing stages of the match how refreshing it has been watching a televised Celtic game with an unbiased and positive commentary team.
The sleekit, insidious digs from the likes of McCann et al were notable by their absence tonight.
CancelskyandtellthemwhyCSC
PCS,
It’s the Irn Bru Cup….the reformatted Perofa##y wan….;-))
FTSFA
H.H.
Looking out the window and seeing the weather being rather Novemberish I’m glad to be off to sunny Espana on Saturday. Just one problem-im going to have to play “hunt the game” on Sunday. Is there any CQN’rs in the Sitges-Torranova area could direct me in the right direction?
Res 12 t shirt will be making its European debut.
GEORDIE MUNRO on 2ND AUGUST 2016 9:43 PM
I had an uncle who once played for Crvena Zvezda.
Another vowel please, Carol!!
Fess19
Thanks for the idea.
It’s not about saving the subscription it’s about trying to get Sky to give Scottish Football a fair % of
the income they get from Scotland.
I don’t watch any EPL on Sky, bored with it be honest.
one minute plus injury time for Dundalk to hold on for what would be the greatest result ever for a League of Ireland team. Anyone fancy Celtic v Dundalk.
CATHEDRAL VIEW on 2ND AUGUST 2016 9:43 PM
It dawned on me in the closing stages of the match how refreshing it has been watching a televised Celtic game with an unbiased and positive commentary team.
I’ve said it before that Michael Stewart is the best commentator / pundit in Scotland – tells it as he sees it without an agenda. Usually even handed and level headed.
Dundalk score again,
Sevco fans at a restaurant:
“I’ll have the steak please”
“Sorry sir we’re out of steak”
“Didnt want it anyway”
“What?”
“The steaks pish”
3-0 Dundalk
Dundalk score in 90th minute to go 3-0 up on Bate Borisov – wow. Great draw for us – if we can get through :-)
EMBRAMIKE SAYS “THE HUNS ARE DEID”
Ludogorets are Bulgarian mate, Basel humped them down there a couple of years ago:)
Belgrade are Serbian..
Ooooooffffttt. Well done Dundalk!!!!