The Daily Record has lumped Celtic fans in with the non-stop sectarian singing heard at Easter Road on Sunday as Hibs prepare to drastically reduce ticket allocations to away fans.
In the 24 hours that followed Sunday’s Scottish Cup tie there wasn’t a single mention or comment on the songbook from the away fans as mainstream outlets celebrated a significant win for Philippe Clement’s side.
Social media had a very different take on almost two hours of anti-Catholic and anti-Irish hatred which peaked with a song dedicated to Martin Boyle as doctors from both clubs attended to the Hibs player who was taken to hospital after the match was held up for seven minutes.
Viaplay Sports and BBC Scotland broadcast the match in full with their commentary teams indulging in small talk during the break in play.
Incredibly the Radio Scotland commentator said ‘In fairness to the fans at Easter Road they are still generating a good atmosphere during this lull’ as the song to Boyle was being chanted.
There was no correction or apology from the state broadcaster during the half-time break that followed.
A 5.30pm kick-off added to the intensity of hatred from the Ibrox fans, following the match Hibs fans swamped their club with demands that they are never subjected to a repeat.
Rather than name the club responsible for the songs of hate Hibs weakly issued a statement about Scottish fans- taking that a few steps further the Daily Record opted to shoe-horn Celtic fans into the story they were afraid to touch for more than 24 hours.
Tonight the Daily Record claimed:
Hibs will start slashing away allocations handed out to the Old Firm immediately – and will continue to cut numbers further should misbehaviour persist.
Easter Road chiefs confirmed on Monday they would be reducing away tickets in a statement slamming “abhorrent behaviour and chanting” from some supporters in Scotland. Rangers are likely to be the first to feel the affects if the Easter Road club secure a top six spot with the league leaders having only travelled to Leith once this season.
Record Sport understands the Hibees hierarchy have yet to decide on how low they will go from the regular 3500 allocation handed to Rangers and Celtic – but are working on the basis of reducing numbers on an incremental basis. That means should the problems of sectarian chanting, pyro and missiles continue then the tickets would be cut further.
The Record are long term media partners of Celtic, given special access to players and managers to give them content to prop up titles that are selling barely 50,000 print copies a day with their online editions treated with contempt by clued up fans.
While the Record is the main culprit here Celtic do nothing to disassociate themselves with the 2012 Tribute Act formed by Charles Green.
The club continues to renew their trademark on the toxic O** F*** brand, in 2022 Michael Nicholson signed up for the Sydney Super Cup to export the poison to a new audience, fortunately that idea was soon killed off.
At the end of January Kellogs announced almost identical sponsorship deals with the two Glasgow clubs.
Helen Potter of Kellogs told the Celtic website:
It’s been our great privilege to be on the breakfast tables of people in Scotland for more than one hundred years, so it’s only right we should be joining up with the Scottish Champions. Both Kellogg’s and Celtic are brands at the heart of their communities and this is the start of a great partnership.
Two days earlier she told the Ibrox club website:
It’s been our great privilege to be on the breakfast tables of people in Scotland for more than one hundred years, so it’s only right we should be joining up with another important Scottish institution. Both Kellogg’s and Rangers are brands at the heart of their communities and this is the start of a great partnership.
Celtic have played twice in the SPFL at Easter Road this season, they aren’t expected to be back until the autumn of next season.
In 2019 UEFA twice closed sections of Ibrox due to racist songs and chants, no action has ever been taken by the Scottish football authorities. All of the away fans at Easter Road on Sunday were Ibrox Season Ticket holders.
CLICK HERE for Scotsman reporters incredible Willie Collum comparison with John Beaton.
