Almost two weeks on from being denied a goal against Hibs for reasons unknown Celtic have refused to make any comment beyond Brendan Rodgers’ media duties.

Alan Muir has been left out of VAR appointments for three successive rounds of fixtures.

While they will never be able to take the title of Statement FC from their city rivals Celtic have issued statements on successive days about supporter behaviour.

It is hard to pick fault with the first one, there are plenty of backers for Pyro but while it is illegal to use without authorisation the club is always going to be at the mercy of the SFA, SPFL and Police Scotland over the use of Pyro inside football stadiums.

The second statement, issued on Thursday is almost a non-statement, more notable for what it avoids with no ownership claimed.

Most people will assume that the banners causing upset were viewed at the Bayern Munich matches and aimed at Israel. There was also a banner paying tribute to Bik McFarlane before the SPFL match against Aberdeen, McFarlane had similar political views to many of Celtic’s founders.

But, not only is the source of the upset not announced, the club is hiding behind ‘ the concerns communicated by our own supporters’ rather than being proactive with their own views.

The language used is about as non-committal as it is possible to find, leaving their media partners to apply whatever context they wish.

Typically no-one at the club is quoted, the CEO and Chairman haven’t put their name to it which is typical of their levels of leadership.

If Michael Nicholson or Peter Lawwell are so concerned by the banners why won’t they put their thoughts onto the statement?

Just before 5.30pm on Thursday, shortly before another football match kicked off the Celtic website carried the following statement:

Celtic Football Club shares the concerns communicated by our own supporters regarding the use of banners at recent matches.  

Celtic is an inclusive football club open to all, with no political agenda, as is clear from the Club’s Social Charter and Social Mission Statement, and no group of supporters, or any other organisation, speaks on behalf of Celtic.   

Everyone associated with Celtic recognises the important part that Celtic supporters play in inspiring the team and contributing to the Celtic spirit. 

Fan displays should support the team, or otherwise celebrate Celtic, and be consistent with the terms of the Celtic Social Charter, Social Mission Statement and other terms that apply to all supporters’ enjoyment of Celtic.

That is why the Club developed a protocol regarding the use of banners and organised displays at Celtic Park, or any other stadia where Celtic plays, requiring the pre-approval of fan displays.

Although there have been many occasions on which the Club’s protocol has been followed with great success and support for the team and for Celtic, unfortunately, there have been instances in the past weeks where the protocol has not been followed, with unauthorised banners, which had not been submitted for pre-approval in line with the protocol, displayed at Celtic Park.  

The Club is reviewing these events and relevant processes.  

We have enjoyed a good season so far, and we want to achieve, together with our supporters, as much as we possibly can as we approach the latter part of the season. 

We thank our fans for their continuing support and collective understanding that Club protocols, and safety and competition regulations, must be adhered to in order to protect the Club and our fans, so that all Celtic supporters feel able to attend Celtic Park and all matches involving Celtic.

Green Brigade tribute to Óglach Bik McFarlane tonight.

They said he was a rebel then, he’s a hero now, Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam 🇮🇪 #CelticFC pic.twitter.com/1zKLYzJloh

— Piarais Mac Alastair (@piarais91) February 25, 2025

The statement hasn’t been carried on Celtic’s social media accounts which misses a great opportunity to spread their concerns.

On X/Twitter is is business as usual, there was an Instagram Q and A with Arne Engels when the statement was released, this morning there are ticket details for the pre-season friendly away to Cork City.

Celtic’s increased interest in the behaviour of customers inside their stadium has another aspect to it. On March 16 over 2,000 away fans will attend the Glasgow Derby, that fixture should test the club and their concerns about Unacceptable Behaviour.

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Daily Record dives headlong into Ibrox fan media to taunt Celtic supporters

The Daily Record is stepping up its race to merge with Ibrox fan media as they chase a digital audience to stay afloat.

With print sales hovering at just over 40,000 a day the management at the Record has virtually given up on that market with the paper edition an afterthought from the previous days online content.

Savvy Celtic fans have steered well clear of the Glasgow based publisher for years, it is a guilty pleasure for many as they take in the spin from fakeovers through to super stadiums, hover pitches and a variety of other moonbeams.

Sometimes it is full on but this morning the more subtle approach is taken as they wrap up a number of fantasies aimed at grabbing a share of the online market.

The Seville Calculator is a favoured phrase among online bears as they mock the number of Celtic fans who travelled to the 2003 UEFA Cup Final.

The internet was still in its earliest days, most fans had to book up through traditional travel agents, finding a direct from from Scotland to Spain was almost impossible a week after the semi-final victory over Boavista.

From the last 16 victory over Stuttgart many fans booked up a weeks holiday in Spain for May, just in case. Buses left Benidorm, Alicante and other Costa hotspots for six hour journeys and more, others were happy to soak up the atmosphere in a friendly holiday resort.

In total 21,000 fans flew ‘directly’ from Scotland to the match, those flights went  to Seville, Faro and Malaga, the majority of fans had to make alternative arrangement with additional flights put on from Manchester and London to cope with the demand.

The Record reported:

Alan Brazil admits he COULD see Jose Mourinho managing Rangers.

The Fenerbahce boss was asked directly about managing Gers – or bitter rivals Celtic – by Record Sport in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Europa League last 16 first leg clash against Barry Ferguson’s men in Istanbul. The Special One said not right now, but in the future, why not? As he praised the passion of Scottish football, admitting it has the “fire” he looks for in a league.

And while talkSport host Brazil jokingly told Mourinho to stay away from Ibrox, he did admit that with the fresh investment about to pour into Rangers from 49ers Enterprises as they close in on a deal to buy the club, that he wouldn’t completely dismiss Mourinho becoming the new gaffer in Govan at some stage. But only after giving Gabby Agbonlahor a brief history lesson on Celtic vs Mourinho’s Porto in the 2003 UEFA Cup Final.

One sobering thought for the management of the Record is that there were twice as many Celtic fans in Seville compared to the number buying the Record today.

There is more chance of circulation of the Record soaring to 49,000 than of the San Francisco 49ers taking control of the 2012 Ibrox Tribute Act and bankrolling a spending splurge as the Record reported 15 days

Every newspaper produced a supplement or pull-out, they all jumped on board because they knew that there was huge demand and interest in the match.

BBC Scotland and STV sent out teams of reporters to base themselves in Seville with the tea-time news magazines full of content from supporters enjoying the 30 degrees plus temperatures in the most sophisticated of Spanish cities. The Record even sent out a ‘Battle Bus’ to Seville, not all fans were pleased with that reminder from home.

The support that went to Seville in 2003 was real, awards followed from UEFA and FIFA, it was the biggest ever movement of Scottish fans outside of the UK.

No arrests were made, you’ll barely find a mention of Manchester 2008 on the pages of the ailing Glasgow tabloid.