Anthony Stokes has disgraced Celtic

[Zappa 0]

I saw it reported somewhere the other week (I am pretty sure that Lennon tweeted to the Green Brigade) that he offered them to come into Parkhead to chat about why they felt they were being victimised and to see if he (Lennon) could do anything to help them.

 

Right, well it's no surprise. We all know that the club's official party line tries to appear as squeaky clean as possible while the truth is that they fully support the terrorist supporting elements of their fanbase. Tom English knows that as well, but he doesn't have the balls to put his name to saying it in print because he's shit scared of them.

[Ergatrude 0]

The sun yesterday had an article about how stokes received death threats from Rangers fans & the uvf. I suppose that's one way to deflect the attention from the real story.

[calscot 0]

So Stokes had death "threats" for attending a fundraiser to pay for real killings? Who is the bad guy there?

[tango 0]

The sun yesterday had an article about how stokes received death threats from Rangers fans & the uvf. I suppose that's one way to deflect the attention from the real story.

 

As usual when they get bad press they play the victim card

[der Berliner 3,366]

So Stokes had death "threats" for attending a fundraiser to pay for real killings? Who is the bad guy there?

 

As a rule, I never underestimate the stupidity of idiots. And there are quite a few on the loose these days ...

[calscot 0]

Not sure what you're getting at but I am sure that the death threat to death ratio is incredibly high.

[Guest Dummiesoot]

I am sure he never received any death threats easy to claim... Harder to prove. The old turn the tables and play victim card.

[ian1964 10,514]

ANTHONY STOKES has been hauled over the coals by Celtic for attending the memorial party for a murdered Real IRA chief.

Boss Neil Lennon believes Stokes tarnished the club’s reputation by going to the organised bash in Dublin.

 

The 24-year-old Republic of Ireland striker was pictured at the benefit, which was in honour of Alan ‘The Model’ Ryan.

 

Celtic reacted furiously with Stokes disciplined by the club.

 

Lennon insists the controversy does NOT spell the end of his Hoops career — but has revealed he warned him about his future conduct.

 

He said: “We spoke to him internally. I am not going to moralise to him but you cannot damage the reputation of the club. He is aware of that now.

 

“It has been dealt with internally.”

 

Asked if he did damage the club’s reputation, Lennon added: “Yeah.”

 

But despite that the Hoops boss insists Stokes can put the controversy behind him and resume his Celts career.

 

He faces another month out with an injury but Lennon reckons the striker can bolster the club’s title defence in the new year.

 

Lennon added: “He has been out for the best part of four to six months.

 

“He wants to get back playing and we want him to get back playing because over the last two seasons he has been a very important player for us in terms of goals.”

 

Meanwhile, Lennon is now hoping skipper Scott Brown could play until the end of the season without requiring surgery on his hip injury.

 

He added: “We thought it would deteriorate rather than improve.

 

“We’re not saying he’s over the worst but he’s had this since August and at times has played fantastically well.

 

“He has moved a lot more freely since his last injection and he keeps on going.

 

“Surgery is the last resort and is not 100 per cent guaranteed to remedy the problem.

 

“If we can avoid it then great, we’ll shut him down at the end of the season and give him enough rest to recuperate fully.”

 

Lennon, meanwhile, hopes to attend the draw for the last 16 of the Champions League in Nyon on December 20.

 

He added: “I will speak to Peter Lawwell.

 

“There will be a delegation from the club and if the opportunity is there I’d take it.”

[Darthter 542]

DR article:

CELTIC have disciplined Anthony Stokes for attending a party honouring a murdered Real IRA boss.

 

Manager Neil Lennon yesterday said the injured striker “damaged the reputation of the club” by turning up at the Dublin benefit in memory of Alan “The Model” Ryan.

 

The terrorist leader – killed in a street execution in September – is believed to have been a friend of Stokes’s family through his association with a bar owned by dad John.

 

But the 24-year-old’s presence at the party, exposed by the Record two weeks ago, infuriated the Parkhead hierarchy. He was pictured with an arm draped around a woman at the do.

 

Lennon said: “I am not going to moralise to him but you cannot damage the reputation of the club. He is aware of that now. It has been dealt with internally.

 

“And he has taken it on board, absolutely.

 

“It is maybe make or break time for him in terms of football. He has been out for the best part of six months so he wants to get back playing.

 

“And we want him back playing because over the last two seasons he has been a very important player for us in terms of goals.”

 

Stokes’s agent Gerry Carlile refused to comment.

 

Police in Dublin said leading republican dissidents were at the party, including a number suspected of involvement in the murder of Northern Ireland prison officer David Black.

 

Ryan, 32, was the leader of the Dublin brigade of the Real IRA – a breakaway group opposed to the peace process.

 

The DR runs with a full front & back page splash about nothing, then lucky if Stokes gets a 1/4 page article on Pg6, with a small mention on the front page.

Nice to see some "balanced" reporting again...