Something Better Change

[D'Artagnan 173]

Sad to say, the only media person who might actually oppose such behaviour would be Graham Spiers, but he would be unlikely to risk his special pet status amongst the hooped fanbase to actually have the courage of his convictions and speak out. We shall see, I suppose.

 

Dont hold your breath.

[bluebear54 0]

I was in Manchester too, and equally, I was pretty embarrassed.

However, I personally don't think this thread should divert itself into a Manchester navel scratching exercise.

The current point of the matter is that, after the loutish drunken hooliganism on display by Celtic fans in Amsterdam last night, and given that international news agencies have been running this for 24 hours, Scotland's reputation has now been dragged through the gutter once again.

The volume of complaints and correspondence following Manchester was absolutely staggering, ultimately forcing the Scottish Government to act accordingly.

Perhaps we as a support don't see the point in complaining to the Scottish Government, other authorities or the media.

I really don't see any difference in scale between the loutishness in Manchester or the loutishness in Amsterdam last night. Perhaps, there were a lot less Celtic fans present last night, and, from reports, there were a lot more Police officers injured.

That fact alone, in my book, should ensure that all the relevant authorities in Scotland act accordingly.

That fact alone should also ensure that the media should damn this latest episode of Scotland shaming itself once more on the international stage.

[barca72 440]

I was in Manchester too, and equally, I was pretty embarrassed.

However, I personally don't think this thread should divert itself into a Manchester navel scratching exercise.

The current point of the matter is that, after the loutish drunken hooliganism on display by Celtic fans in Amsterdam last night, and given that international news agencies have been running this for 24 hours, Scotland's reputation has now been dragged through the gutter once again.

The volume of complaints and correspondence following Manchester was absolutely staggering, ultimately forcing the Scottish Government to act accordingly.

Perhaps we as a support don't see the point in complaining to the Scottish Government, other authorities or the media.

I really don't see any difference in scale between the loutishness in Manchester or the loutishness in Amsterdam last night. Perhaps, there were a lot less Celtic fans present last night, and, from reports, there were a lot more Police officers injured.

That fact alone, in my book, should ensure that all the relevant authorities in Scotland act accordingly.

That fact alone should also ensure that the media should damn this latest episode of Scotland shaming itself once more on the international stage.

 

Do you mean running a story with quotes like this guy's? ...

 

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11095/9013617/

[bluebear54 0]

Not at all barca.

This is virtually quoted from Celtic's media release on the event - although the Dutch police might be interested in seeing it as its a load of tosh.

Dutch TV and SKY TV have another take on it - with footage.

I was comparing the two events - Manchester and Amsterdam.

Both shameful - but one in particular bringing shame on Scots on the international stage.

The comparison is simple. The level of letters of complaints that the Scottish Government, MSPs and MPs received regarding Manchester was staggering.

That is why they took the action they did.

The media centred on the injured policeman - human interest blah de blah. Is our media not interested in the health of the Dutch police officers?

Any similar level of complaint to the Scottish Government, MSPs and MPs about Amsterdam and bringing into question bias, would put all and sundry in an interesting position.

[andy steel 0]

I was in Manchester too, and equally, I was pretty embarrassed.

However, I personally don't think this thread should divert itself into a Manchester navel scratching exercise.

 

Fair point.

[barca72 440]

I agree with you bluebear, I was just being facetious. More out of frustration I think, at the level of deflection displayed by the media.

[amms 0]

Great piece Andy.

 

I read a book recently written by an ex-undercover policeman who spent two years with Millwall's hooligan 'firm'. It's a rubbish book, poorly written and violence glorifying however one amusing bit was on a trip to Liverpool where the undercover policemen was lifted without having done anything wrong, given a kicking by the Liverpool polis who were unaware of his real identity then slung in cell. They were a little embarrassed when they found out. Indeed the one grain of value in the book was the treatment of football fans by various police forces throughout England and how it exacerbated situations.

 

Still the reaction of Celtic to this hasn't been a surprise. 8 coppers were hospitalised, good luck claiming self-defence with that.

[54andcounting 0]

Just wondering...have any 'fans' from other European countries ever trashed a Scottish city when over for the game?

[Chibmark 15]

My bro-in-law got married to a young Polish beaut in 2011 and our flight to the wedding in Krakow coincided with a Polish side playing DU at Tannadice.

 

The Polish lads all looked a bit worse for wear, cuts and bruises and I was on BBC606 at the time and the DU fans said that the Polish fans were running amok in Dundee City centre.

 

In fact, when Ajax were over a few weeks ago, I was at Crown Point road sports complex and the Dutch lads were running riot judging by the sirens and police vehicles.

 

I think the difference is that the Scots travel in big numbers and we have a hysterical media who blow minor life incidents into holocaust-esque human tradegys.

 

Going by the football violence which is commonplace in Europe and beyond, the UK fans are meek by comparison.

[Juancornetto 1]

Just wondering...have any 'fans' from other European countries ever trashed a Scottish city when over for the game?

 

I was at Rangers v Feyenoord a few years back in the UEFA Cup and they were naughty, Glasgow was full of small mobs of 10-12 or so and they were punching and kicking anybody that looked at them. It was the game where they rushed the police/steward barrier between sets of fans and attacked us, an old guy about 3 seats to my left got a sore face. Pretty tame by comparison but pretty intimidating none the less.