Pat Nevin has gone unusually quiet on an issue that got him into a highly excited state covering Celtic’s title win over Hearts.
The former Motherwell CEO had the largest radio audience for the match as BBC 5 Live provided full coverage across the UK and on World Service.
Others in the media described scuffles and clashes which didn’t happen.
Living up to his self styled radical caricature Nevin had to take things further. As a former Celtic fan Nevin has long been big on self loathing.
Back in the eighties he was a tredy leftie. A footballer that read the Guardian, had two O Grades and liked musicians that had never appeared on Top of the Pops.
Hipster Nevin loved a single from Half Man Half Biscuit. ‘All I want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Strip’ defined him.
And of course he was a Labour voting Celtic fan. When David Murray and Margaret Thatcher summed up the ethos of a generation Nevin was the counter-balance to the Loadsamoney era.
As his playing days declined Nevin realised that the media was his next income stream.
Being a lefty might be tolerated in and around London but supporting Celtic isn’t going to help your ambitions with BBC Scotland.
NEVIN AND HIS CELTIC SUPPORTING U-TURN
Nevin quietly disassociated from Celtic. He gave some half baked excuses for his reasoning. He has no qualms, whatever viewpoint can increase his income is what he will happily to go along with.
Which brings us to the SPFL Premiership decider on May 16 at Celtic Park.
Conor McNamara and Nevin were sent to cover the match for BBC 5 Live. Nevin knows that he is despised and detested by Celtic fans. The feeling is mutual.
As Callum Osmand sealed the title with Celtic’s third goal Nevin was in deep pain.
He knew that many of his relatives and former school pals were celebrating.
Having made the economic decision to stop supporting Celtic he decided to put the boot in in the most ridiculous manner.
Nevin fabricated scenes at Celtic Park to BBC listeners. Things that didn’t happen. No-one punched Lawrence Shankland. Nevin said that two or three did.
No-one at the BBC has apologised for misleading listeners.
BBC 5 LIVE! TRANSCRIPT FROM CELTIC PARK
At 2 hours O’Connor described the Hearts free kick that led to Osmand’s goal. Nevin soon chimed in with what is clearly not the truth. Delusions or wishful thinking?
It’s a brilliant, brilliant moment but some Celtic fans are attacking Lawrence Shankland. Two or three have punched him. It’s a dreadful thing that has happened just now. These are absolutely unacceptable scenes.
What a brilliant, fabulous great moment for Celtic Football Club and this is awful, absolutely dreadful.
Very serious claims, not backed up by McNamara, a proper broadcaster that deals with facts and reality. Things he has witnessed, not wished he had witnessed.
Nevin had the chance to tone down his claims. Air time returned to the former Chelsea intellectual, he could have defused things. He could have apologised or diluted his initial comments. He decided not to.
2 hours, 2 minutes
The vast majority of fans were absolutely brilliant today, all the way through the game. And yes it was excitement, and for the third time this season I’ve seen Celtic fans come on the pitch.
But there was hundreds of them this time, even that you can get, the tension but attacking Hearts players when they are on there. It’s just not on, it is totally and utterly, sickening unacceptable.
And don’t make excuses for it. Well done Celtic, great. Delighted for you winning the league but that was a horrible thing there at the end.
What is totally and utterly sickening and unacceptable is that the BBC have issued no apology for one of their paid pundits getting carried away on a personal vendetta.
The BBC did apologise for the crass remarks of Tom English following the death of Shane Warren. Again a broadcaster allowed their dislike of Celtic to cross a boundary.
BBC- THE BOYS CLUB NETWORK
Being such an upright citizen and all round good egg it would be reasonable to assume that Nevin provided Police Scotland with a witness statement. Police Scotland have announced that no assaults took place.
Shankland has ‘recovered’ sufficiently to undertake a full club medical and take flights to Portugal and the USA since the incidents that Nevin witnessed in such great detail.
Nevin is now preparing for a World Cup jolly, paid for by BBC licence payers.
Nothing that he says can be trusted. True, Celtic won’t be involved but can anyone trust what they hear from Nevin.
Unfortunately yet predictably Celtic are quite comfortable with Nevin and the BBC. Inaccurately reporting on assaults by Celtic fans is fine with Michael Nicholson.
Back in November Nicholson suspended the Season Tickets of 250 Celtic fans with no real evidence. Apparently two fans are facing breach of the peace charges. No convictions have been made.
False reporting of Celtic fans is fine.
You won’t hear Nevin or anyone at the BBC discuss the multiple failings of corporate Celtic. From Nicholson to Dermot Desmond and the other minions draining a salary.
Since being called out on his Shankland claims Nevin has closed down his Twitter account. An action typical of his type.
