There is an unusually specific quote from Celtic’s interim chairman Brian Wilson when he spoke to Celtic TV recently to explain the ongoing ban on the Green Brigade.
It’s a matter for the SAG (Safety Advisory Group) and we cannot override the advice that they have given
The ban on the ultras group was originally imposed by the club.
But according to Interim Chairman Wilson the club had a recent change of heart before the recent SAG meeting and began lobbying for the Green Brigade to return.
But as luck would have it just as Mark Hargreaves was rocking up to the SAG meeting in his olive coloured hoodie and silk scarf to ask for the the ban to be lifted, the SAG refused his pleadings.
Miraculously SAG, prompted by Hargreaves’ (former) colleagues in Police Scotland, adopted the club’s previous position and decided the ban would continue.
Wilson then reported back to the Green Brigade on what conditions SAG had imposed on their return.
WILSON- EXCUSING THE GREEN BRIGADE BAN
Telling, Wilson said of the new conditions: “They are not unreasonable, they are not draconian conditions, they are conditions which apply to every other part of the stadium but it is really up to them.
“And it’s not unilateral as the Green Brigade like to claim that it’s a club decision whether we let them back in or not.
“It is not because it is a matter for the police, it’s a matter for the SAG and we cannot override the advice that they have given.
“It’s basically the terms and conditions of the season ticket which they do accept.”
But it has emerged recently that those terms and conditions include among other things a ban on travelling to away games and not filming or criticising Police Scotland.
It is ludicrous in the extreme to claim that a Celtic Season Ticket holder living in Dundee can’t attend a Celtic match in his home city.
And it is utterly farcical to claim that certain Celtic Season Ticket holders must forfeit their right to hold public servants such as Police Scotland to account.
These conditions seem all the more ridiculous when you consider that SAG’s were introduced as part of the Taylor Report into the Hillsborough disaster IN 1989.
The Taylor Report found that the main reason for the disaster which resulted in the death of 97 Liverpool fans was the failure of police control.
SAG- PRODUCT OF THE TAYLOR REPORT
The idea that any safety measures introduced by the Taylor report (such as the introduction of Safety Advisory Group’s) can be used to prevent fans from criticising the police is frankly disgusting.
And if these are indeed conditions “which apply to every other part of the stadium” I seriously doubt most Season Ticket holders were aware of such restrictions.
Fortunately GCC is committed to open government which they themselves describe as: “An open government is one that shares information, empowers people to hold their actions to account, and supports people to take part in the decisions over public services and policies affecting them.”
Preventing 250 Celtic Season Ticket holders from attending the recent home game against Motherwell certainly qualifies as an action that deserves to be scrutinised.
So all will become clear once the minutes of the SAG meeting are released.
Celtic365 has requested a copy of those minutes and will publish them in full once received.
And with season ticket renewals due out shortly it will be worth scouring the terms and conditions before committing to funding the current Celtic board’s wages for another year.
Not only will you be funding Michael Nicholson to mastermind a complete overhaul of the first team squad, you won’t be allowed to travel to any away games and you are accepting that Police Scotland are above reproach at all times.
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