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Celtic contradict Salmond over European threat to fans

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Green Brigade Celtic newsAlex Salmond has claimed that European football authorities are ready to hammer ‘Scottish football’ unless his new legislation is introduced.

The Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill has been roundly condemned from all sides of the political spectrum with Celtic’s Green Brigade highlighting the issue during last Saturday’s win over Inverness Caley Thistle.

Ever since the so-called shame game in February when three Rangers players were sent off against Celtic Salmond and his cronies have been on a cruscade to be seen to be doing something.

Rangers have been punished three times by UEFA for offensive behavior but in a desperate bid to regain some support for his ill thought out legislation Salmond claimed that Scottish football could be wiped out if his bill isn’t implemented.

Under questioning from Tory leader Annabel Goldie the first minister claimed: “Unless we face down what has happened in our football grounds, we won’t have a football game in Scotland. We have European authorities who will take action against sectarianism if we don’t.”

Applying legislation that across the country when UEFA have only sanctioned one club seems a heavy handed approach to an isolated problem with Celtic concerned by the approach that Salmond is taking.

Alex Salmond sectarianism newsAccording to the Herald a Celtic spokesman had ‘no knowledge of any European authority which intends taking action against Celtic for ‘sectarianism’, adding the club would be ‘surprised if this was the case’.

He said: “We consider the existing legal framework, with the more consistent and comprehensive approach to football banning orders and the new Football Policing Unit proposed by the Joint Action Group, should first be applied and the effectiveness of those measures then reviewed, before additional legislation is considered.

“Clearly we do recognise this is a very complex issue. However, it is also important that all society’s ills are not laid at the door of football.”

CLICK HERE for Neil Lennon and players praise the Green Brigade

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0 comments

  • I nearly crashed my car this mornin’ when I heard Salmonds quote. There is a fine line between politicians and idiots and he breaches it.

    What chance have you got when those who make the decision succomb to the lazy generalisations.

    The ONLY informed debate you get on this matter is on Celtic sites.

  • Willie Aitkenhead says:

    I thought the Europeans were already taking action against sectarian singing, so let them continue the fine work…certainly doing a better job than those closer to home.

  • Mac says:

    Damned if he does,damned if he doesn’t ..

    As an SNP supporter myself,I think the legislation should be binned. For the first time ever, idiots on both sides of the divide are being hammered for their bigoted views, be it on-line, in stadiums or on the streets.

    Labour ran Councils in Strathclyde who continually give orange parades the green light, are the real culprits and reason hatred of Catholics will be impossible to eradicate in SW Scotland.

    Displays of british protestant ascendancy helps any unionist party’s cause.

  • TJ Hooper says:

    Salmond’s claim that “We have European authorities who will take action against sectarianism if we don’t” really brings home the hypocracy to me.

    If a blind eye hadn’t been turned for so long to the racist and sectarian singing that goes on in the blue half of Glasgow by the police and SFA alike then it wouldn’t be an issue. They didn’t do it simply as they couldn’t do anything against Celtic to be seen to be even handed. We are not the same and don’t need to be treated the same. UEFA taking action against sectarianism (and those who allow it to happen) sounds good to me as an alternative to his ridiculous law. Hopefully at least they won’t persecute those who have done nothing wrong.

  • bhoylondon67 says:

    What a joke this man is, desperation to drag Celtic into it. Let’s hear directly from Europes top brass, i think the 5 times they’ve charged a particular club with sectarian singing pretty much shows us what their stance is.

    Salmond might want to seek some clarification here, the moron doesn’t understand that it’s pretty easy for some Celtic supporters group to get a reply to this comment stating what utter crap it is, break european law by singing sectarian, bigotted, homophobic, racist. sexist, etc chants and you will be punished as has always been the case. UEFA have already done this, the SFA and scottish authorities have not! Why not?

    Why make new laws up when you have not even began to use the existing laws? What a joke Scotland is, i hope uefa come out and put these muppets to shame because i get the impression this is Salmond putting a feeler out to see what reaction he gets from europe, this could be very important.

    • Ciaran says:

      Bang on bhoylondon. The SNP are terrified to implement the current laws. The current laws are broken regularly by certain un-named clubs. One of which Salmond is a supporter.

      This reluctance to punish the guilty is a crime. Thus the new bill.

      It’s like the SFA’s super duper new video review thingy. The next player to get charged by this will not be a Rangers player. They have had one done. Now on to Timmy.

      Watch yourselves Bhoys, on and off the park. They’re out to even up the numbers.

  • Gerry D says:

    Alex Salmond is like a drunk man staggering from one lamp post to the next on this issue! So desperate is he to get his way he’s now claiming that a big boy is making him do it.

    Salmond is a coward and an opportunist, he must have skint knees from climbing on so many bandwagons!

    At least he’s come out from under his invisibilty blanket, after the horlicks of the Wilsons trial, Cunninghams ‘agressively blessimg’ yourself crime and Mckaskills praise of the vile singing at Hampden in the league cup final.

    Properly apportioning blame & taking appropriate action is a vote loser.
    He doesn’t have the backbone or will to do the right thing.

    Or the foresight to see the damage he’s doing!

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