Septic 0 Milan 3

[ian1964 10,416]

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell vows to ban fan rebels as latest UEFA charge looms

28 Nov 2013 07:16

 

THE Celtic chief executive is again at loggerheads with the Green Brigade fan group after European football's governing body again opened proceedings against the club.

 

PETER LAWWELL last night lost the rag with rebel fans and said they will be banned for dragging Celtic into the gutter.

 

UEFA have opened another disciplinary case against the club after a renegade group of supporters unfurled a controversial group of banners before the Champions League match against AC Milan.

 

Fans in the section of the stadium that houses the Green Brigade displayed banners featuring William Wallace and IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands alongside a set of lyrics.

 

They read: “The terrorist or the dreamer, the savage or the brave? Depends whose vote you’re trying to catch or whose face you’re trying to save.”

 

It is widely believed to be an attack on the SNP and leader Alex Salmond over the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act, which has been condemned by fans of many clubs across Scotland.

 

UEFA frown severely on political banners being displayed in their games and have opened proceedings against Celtic under article 16.2.

 

It forbids “the use of gestures, words, objects or any other means to transmit any message not fit for a sports event, particularly messages of a political, ideological, religious, offensive or provocative nature.”

 

The case will be dealt with by the UEFA control and disciplinary body meeting on December 11.

 

Celtic claim the banners were taken into the ground without permission by fans who had promised only to fly flags relating to the Parkhead club.

 

It is the second time in a week they have courted controversy after displaying a flag during the game against Aberdeen in support of IRA prisoners who were once held in “H” Block of the Maze prison in Belfast.

 

Lawwell said: “Last night was clear disrespect for the club and our fans who now face another UEFA charge.

 

“There have now been a number of UEFA charges against the club during the last three years, relating to behaviour, displays and pyrotechnics – it cannot go on any further.

 

“Following the actions of a small minority, these charges are made against the club. It is the reputation of Celtic, our great club and fans which is damaged while others carry on indulging in such behaviour.

 

“Our supporters do not want this any more. We are a non-political organisation.

 

“Regardless of the political views people hold, football stadia, whether it is Celtic Park or anywhere else, should not be used to promote these.

 

“The club don’t want it, our fans don’t want it and the football authorities don’t want it – it has to stop.”

 

Celtic were fined £4200 by UEFA earlier this season after their supporters set off fireworks in a Champions League qualifier against Cliftonville. They were also fined £21,000 18 months ago after fans unfurled a banner before a Europa League tie at Udinese that read: “F*** UEFA.”

 

It came shortly after Celtic were found guilty by UEFA of “illicit chanting” by their fans during the Europa League match at home to Rennes and fined £12,700.

 

Celtic have run out of patience with the bad boys among their support who were condemned in a statement on the club website.

 

It read: “Any individual or group identified as being involved in a political display at a Celtic match will be banned from attending matches involving the club.

 

“With regard to last night, the club made it abundantly clear to the group in question only football-related displays would be permitted and a political display would lead to a UEFA charge.

 

“We were assured all displays would be 100 per cent relevant to Celtic. Therefore the actions of this group are very disappointing. We have been inundated with complaints from Celtic fans regarding the display.”

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/celtic-chief-executive-peter-lawwell-2859940

[Doc 280]

Green Brigade's response ...

 

 

 

They didn't get it ... and do not want to get it either.

 

BTW, does anyone read the word sectarian anywhere?

 

Spot on DB. The Green Brigade are flouting the law in the full expectation that Celtic will do nothing to stop them. They are an embarrassment to Celtic and the image that the Celtic board and their friends in the oh-so-compliant Scottish media want to portray for the club. They remind us all that at the heart of Celtic's support are a core of nasty, hard core republican bigots and no amount of plastic paddy whitewash and jolly craicstering will hide it. Unless Celtic get serious, go beyond Peter Lawell's platitiudes and ban these clowns wholesale they will just keep doing it. They have no regard for anyone else bar themselves. Where are all the so-called "decent" Celtic supporters who apparently object to these displays and what are they doing about it? Sweet FA it would appear.

[MikeN63 0]

a reasonably sized minority to get these banners in and to hold them up. The main point, as it is with our own core of bigoted song singers, what has it got to do with football? Nothing, then leave it at home and just go and support your football team, end of.

[ian1964 10,416]

The Scottish Professional Football League has confirmed it has begun initial enquiries into a banner display during Celtic's home victory over Aberdeen last Saturday.

 

The news comes just 24 hours after UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Celtic on Wednesday over an 'illicit banner' on display during the 3-0 defeat to AC Milan which included images of hunger striker Bobby Sands and Scottish Nationalist William Wallace.

 

Above and below the banners were displayed the words 'The terrorirst or the dreamer, the savage or the brave, depends whose vote you're trying to catch, or whose face you're trying to save'.

 

The game's European governing body has a zero tolerance on 'political banners' and Celtic released a statement on Wednesday condemning the Green Brigade, a vocal section of the Parkhead support, for putting on the display having previously been warned against the consequences for the club.

 

In the statement on Celtic's official website, chief executive Peter Lawwell reminded the group of their obligations and warned anyone involved in further displays, which were in 'no way football-related', would be banned from the ground.

 

And now the SPFL are considering further action in relation to the display against Aberdeen which showed a large 'H', believed to represent the block in the Maze Prison where 10 Irish Republicans died on hunger strike in 1981, with the words 'They fought and died for their wee bit hill and glen', a line from Flower of Scotland.

 

SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster told STV: "We are looking at that and as

 

soon as we are in a position to comment further then we will do so."

 

However, the Green Brigade has hit back at Lawwell insisting their displays are in protest at the Scottish Government's Offensive Behaviour at Football Act and Police Scotland's implementation of the legislation, which they claim has criminalised expressions of Irish politics.

 

The fans' response read: "The club's statement claims we assured them our display would be purely football related but that in fact it had nothing to do with football.

 

"In reality however what was assured to them was that our plans were

 

completely relative to Celtic and indeed football.

 

"Given that it is Celtic fans who are filling up prison cells and court rooms because of the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act, and the manner in which it criminalises legitimate expression of political opinion, this display could not have been more relevant in the current context.

 

"The fans are the lifeblood of any football club and to deem fan issues as irrelevant is frankly disgraceful."

[RANGERRAB 3,258]

You have to laugh at the SPFL.They would have done nothing if it weren't for the fact UEFA Took action then they had to do likewise

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

You have to laugh at the SPFL.They would have done nothing if it weren't for the fact UEFA Took action then they had to do likewise

Haha so true.

[ian1964 10,416]

[ian1964 10,416]

If Lieswell or the police want to find a face in the crowd then they could use this

 

http://www.gigapixel.com/mobile/?id=79995

 

Put your cursor in the centre of the crowd,double click a couple of times and see how clear the faces are!,big brother eh!

 

 

[barca72 440]

Wow ! They have no excuse now for not identifying each and everyone of them.

[barca72 440]

What do you think Lenny, always cheated never defeated, eh? It just has to be someone else's fault, never Celtic's. Why would you expect anything different, you are one of them?

Of course what you are saying is correct, but I suspect it is too late to expect UEFA to back off this time.

 

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/445938/Neil-Lennon-tells-Celtic-s-Green-Brigade-Stop-this-Bhoys

 

Neil Lennon tells Celtic's Green Brigade: Stop this, Bhoys

NEIL LENNON last night slammed the Green Brigade and urged them to stop damaging Celtic’s reputation.

By: Michael Baillie Published: Fri, November 29, 2013

Neil Lennon has urged the fans to stop damaging his club's reputation

The Hoops are in the dock once again after UEFA announced they were opening disciplinary proceedings over controversial banner displays before Tuesday’s Champions League loss to AC Milan.

Celtic boss Lennon admitted he slumped when he saw the banners, which had images of William Wallace and former IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands with the message, “The terrorist or the dreamer, the savage or the brave, depends whose vote you’re trying to catch or whose face you’re trying to save”.

Lennon feels let down by the controversial Green Brigade.

He said: “When I saw it, my heart sank. I think it affected the atmosphere in the stadium.

“I understand they have maybe legitimate reasons to complain about things or make statements, but Tuesday night was not the time or the place. We don’t know the next time we will be in the Champions League so those games should have been a celebration rather than a political protest. It was totally unnecessary.

“The club are quite sympathetic at times to their points of view but they assured us there wouldn’t be any political connotations on the banners and that proved not to be the case.

“I feel let down because it has tarnished the reputation of the club.

“It’s not just costing us money in terms of fines, it’s damaging the reputation of the club, and I don’t like it.

“We were given assurances the banners would be Celtic related. They feel they are Celtic related but I think the majority of people – the board and everyone else – would say, ‘Sorry, that’s not the case, you’ve taken liberties here’.”

Celtic have warned the Green Brigade before, when they were fined £21,000 by UEFA for an offensive banner against Udinese in 2011 and given a £4,200 penalty for letting off fireworks against Cliftonville in July.

The Hoops have warned the fans responsible for the banner that they will be banned.

And, while Lennon would not want the Green Brigade disbanded, he insists Celtic Park is not the place for political statements.

You could feel it, sense it around the stadium. There was definitely an air of a lot of fans being subdued

Asked if he’d be sorry to see them outlawed, Lennon replied: “I would. But Celtic Park is not a place to be making political statements. There are many places you can do that. We are here for the football. The fans were there on Tuesday night for the football.

“There were a lot of people from all over the world there. A lot had travelled a long way and were probably confused by the whole thing as I certainly was. I just didn’t expect to see that.”

Lennon presented the SPL trophy to the Green Brigade as a thank you for their support following his first title success, but insists the fans have now gone too far with their actions.

He said: “That was for all the support they had given me and for the atmosphere they brought to the ground.

“But since then they have taken things into their own hands. They don’t represent the vast majority of the Celtic fans’ voices.

“They should have regrets about Tuesday. This was the Champions League. I walked out to hear the music and take in the atmosphere.

“But then I end up standing looking at that banner asking, ‘Why?’

“You could feel it, sense it around the stadium. There was definitely an air of a lot of fans being subdued. They were trying to work it out, and they were fed-up with it.

“They really showed a case of self-indulgence.”