I see that UEFA have at long last been encouraged to investigate Celtic for some of the songs that their fans have been singing whilst on their travels.
Apparently ‘several videos’ of Celtic fans singing their rubbish in Barcelona have been submitted to European Football’s governing body. A spokesman for UEFA said:
‘We have received some footage showing Celtic supporters singing some alleged anti-Queen and pro-IRA songs – sectarian songs.
‘If the investigation is conclusive, a disciplinary case would be opened.
‘We take care of all manifestations of sectarian singing.
‘The only condition is that it must be in the immediate surrounding area of the stadium. There was alleged sectarian singing inside the stadium.
‘It will depend on the easiness of having these songs understood and the quest of finding other evidence.’
These ‘allegations’ will not come as any surprise to those of us who regularly attend live football in this country. Although it appears that this sort of problem at Celtic home games has diminished greatly in the last decade or so (credit where it’s due), the behaviour of their travelling supporters (or a large percentage of them anyway) continues to be as bad as ever, and to be honest it really is a mystery how it’s taken so long for such an investigation to be undertaken.
Both Rangers and our own club Hearts have hit the headlines in recent seasons in relation to sectarianism, and although as Hearts fans we hate to be tarred with the same brush as the Bigot Brothers, we cannot deny the fact that we do have an element prone to this sort of behaviour, no matter how small it may be or how infrequently it occurs (it only tends to be matches against Celtic).
In my opinion it’s denial like this on the part of Celtic that has seen their travelling fans continue to act and get away with their pro-terrorism nonsense. I’m not really sure whether the sort of stuff they come out with can be technically classed as ‘sectarian’ (before anyone tries to play that card!), but regardless of the answer to that question, the bottom line is that these cretins are regularly coming out with stuff that’s equally as sickening as anything sung by those already sanctioned, and should therefore be dealt with accordingly. Merely turning around and saying that this sort of thing is ‘a Rangers problem’ or ‘but we’re no’ as bad as them’ simply isn’t good enough, and I hope that UEFA make a big example of them if this is the sort of opposition they hit here.
For the good of Scottish football we surely want to see the bigots disappearing from the game up here? For a country of such a small size to boast arguably one of the biggest rivalries in world football really should be something that we’re immensely proud of, but the fact that most of it still seems to be based on irrational hatred to do with things that happened hundreds of years ago, that the vast majority of their fans don’t even understand, is as sickening as it is embarrassing.
The only way to get this sorted once and for all is to hit the clubs involved in the pocket until they get their houses in order. I hope UEFA do their best to at least try to get this happening, but sadly I fear it’s most likely going to be a lost cause where some are concerned. Hopefully that’s not the case though.
Share this article
Related Articles
As always, the media lies have been exposed and this story is 100% unfounded. If you had any interest in europe, which of course you don’t, you would know that UEFA actually praised Celtic fans for their as always, exemplary behaviour whilst in Barcelona. But then why would you lot know anything? You never get out of Scotland and the bigoted papers.
about time
First of all Mr.H i think this article is vastly over biased. You are portraying Celtic as a guilty party despite the fact, it is merely an investigation in its primary stages. The allegations have yet to be deemed ?conclusive?. Yet at the same time, you try to belittle the vile hate spouted by the Tynecastle faithful, as simply a small element. If you are saying that the Celtic away support are in the majority when it comes to singing songs about the IRA then the same applies for the Hearts home support who like to chant about that famous blood, that nearly every football ground in Scotland appears to be up in their knees in. Again, its not a minority. I have clearly heard (both in previous seasons and this season) those words being chanted loud and clear by the MAJORITY in the stadium. Mr.H, not only is this article mis-informative, but you have tried to mislead as well. Your quotes from the original source are completely selective to fit your own agenda. The full quote from Uefa stated that ?The footage involves a small minority of supporters chanting? which clearly doesn’t comply with your theory that this is the ethic of the majority. Very disappointing.
Here we go again… haud yer wheesht. All clubs with a decent sized support have an unsavoury element. Hearts, Hibs, Rangers, Celtic, Barcelona, Milan, Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal… on and on. Nobody is suggesting that it is the majority. At Tynecastle, the majority may sing “Hello hello, we are the Gorgie boys”, but I’ve never heard anything relating to blood in there. The point is not who is the worst or of pointing fingers, but about ensuring that all clubs take steps to eradicate the unsavoury minority element from their support. That is all.
I’m with SJ here… Far too much finger wagging and people coming in and moaning that our fans are worse than there…. Give us a break and remember every club has a bunch of morons supporting them somewhere. Anyway my dad’s bigger than yours! My dad’s car is faster! Blah blah blah…
Exactly, and this was the point being made, but these guys just completely lose the plot whenever someone dares to point our their own club’s less-glorious side. RK I have no agenda here whatsoever – none…..I simply want bigotry out of Scottish football. Why would anyone have a problem with that? Because it might mean the death of the Old Firm by any chance?
I see weetim67 is stuck in his own wee world of where Celtic are all high and mighty. There is bigoted fans on both sides of the old firm (plus many more Scottish teams). Its idiots like weetim that are so blinded by it that give it a bad name.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear – as Robert Burns wrote – “O wad some Power the giftie gie us…… To see oursels as ithers see us ……
It wad frae mony a blunder free us” Before posting criticism on this story, could you perhaps just ponder on why someone who would never dream of shouting vile words of hatred in front of their family or workmates … would then behave in such a depraved way when “protected” by a few thousand others at a football match ?
Will it ever change though? It certainly won’t if people continue to deny the undeniable.
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11945_3369779,00.html
Case dropped.
That’s good news, but it still doesn’t mean a problem doesn’t exist and need dealt with.
people in glass houses and all that !!!
Wishaw Bhoy – at no time has any Jambos on here suggested that Hearts are completely free from bigotted nutters. The point of this article was that UEFA’s might be taking an interest in a club which regularly participates in their tournaments …. sadly Hearts do not fall into that category these days.