Late last week Celtic’s interim chairman Brian Wilson finally spoke out following the attacks on Celtic players, staff and fans at Ibrox. Four days too late.
He condemned none of those attacks.
“Let’s look at the evidence before we create a false narrative,” the former New Labour minister said.
It wasn’t quite the response Celtic fans were hoping for.
Wilson deferred to the upcoming SFA inquiry into events surrounding the Scottish Cup tie. A classic delaying tactic from politicians.
You don’t need an enquiry to tell you a flare was thrown into a stand packed with Celtic fans.
You don’t need the SFA to tell you a member of the Celtic coaching staff was wrestled to the ground by a fan of The Rangers.
There is video evidence that a Celtic fan was kicked unconscious on Helen Street by fans of The Rangers. Three men have been charged.
All of these incidents could have been condemned by Wilson without the need for further evidence, but he chose not to.
CELTIC BOARD AT ODDS WITH FANS AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY
This is entirely in keeping with a board who this season have only issued negative, derogatory comments about Celtic fans.
We have regularly been accused of violent assaults and intimidation without any proof whatsoever.
But when attacks on Celtic supporters and staff happen live on TV – silence.
And so with that abdication out of the way the interim chairman turned his attention to the Green Brigade.
According to Wilson, the club now want the group to return to Celtic Park.
But at a recent meeting with Glasgow City Council’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG), Police Scotland objected to the ultras returning and that position was subsequently adopted by the SAG.
WILSON MANIPULATES
Wilson claims there are two reasons behind Police Scotland position.
“One, was that members of the Green Brigade had continued to attend most games in defiance of the suspensions so in that respect nothing had really changed.
But also that behaviours had not changed and in particular behaviours towards the police and stewarding.”
Wilson went on to say ‘there is also strong concern from the police about anti-police activities, photographing police, Pig Watch campaigns and so on within the ground’.
Which explains Ross Desmond’s famous “anti-establishment” rant.
So it now appears that the ban on the Green Brigade which was initiated by Mark Hargreaves has now been passed on to his (former) colleagues at Police Scotland.
The reasons for the groups ban have shifted considerably over the course of the season.
It started off as a suspended ban for actions in previous seasons then became an alleged incident at the Falkirk cup match, then it was the refusal to accept collective liability for the alleged incident followed by alleged intimidation of Mark Hargreaves at the AGM.
During this period Michael Nicholson claimed without evidence that Celtic staff were assaulted at Celtic Park and “newspapers” ran stories about primary schools being used to intimidate board members.
Not to mention the famous bladed weapon at Tannadice.
No update from the boys in blue on that investigation.
GREEN BRIGADE U-TURN?
All of these attacks on Celtic fans came from the board and the executives before Hargreaves handed the baton over to his (former) colleagues at Police Scotland at the recent SAG meeting.
Given all of the mud the club has thrown at Celtic fans in general, and the Green Brigade in particular, jaws must have hit the floor at that SAG meeting if the club did indeed ask for the Green Brigade’s return.
And yet as things stand the fans of The Rangers who attacked Celtic fans and staff at Ibrox are on course to be welcomed back to Celtic Park for the post-split derby match.
This ridiculous situation is entirely down to Mark Hargreaves’ who’s brief tenure at Celtic has been an unmitigated disaster – he cannot continue in his role.
CEO Nicholson has been paid approximately £17,000 of Celtic fans money since the cup tie at Ibrox.
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2 Comments
by Dan
When will the day come that one of you bloggers actually write something factual and constructive. The daily load of 💩you have published is a pile of cut and paste paragraphs from other sites. And if you actually listen to Brian Wilson the answers to your headline question is there to hear.
The Green Brigade have been given guidelines to agree with and until they do they wont return. Its simple
by Editor
Early start for you today Dan- still no progress with your Real Celtic Fans Truth & Justice website to partner with CQN?
Once the final Director that was at the club in July 2012 is removed I will join you and the Happy Clappers in having a club not on its knees to the SFA and their beloved O** F*** business partnership.
Looking forward to your site arriving, this one is gaining a lot of traffic and followers because it has no interest in attending pressers as part of big Peter’s Groovy Gang of messengers.