It was like a throwback to the darkest days of Scottish football back in 2011.
When a young football manager found himself hated and under attack from thugs across the country who couldn’t handle an Irish catholic presenting a challenge to the superiority complex that they clung to against all logic.
In Edinburgh he was attacked on the touchline guiding his team against Hearts, from Ayrshire others sent bombs and ‘viable devices’ through the post as he took Celtic to within a point of the championship on route to lifting the Scottish Cup.
Details emerged of how Neil Lennon and his family had to move house on police advise and had panic alarms fitted to their home.
Celtic Park became a safe house for Lennon but in his first season in the job the Irishman was exposed to the full gauntlet of hatred that success for his club generated.
Fearful that their manager would be forced to quit and sickened by the treatment he suffered from, the Celtic support rallied behind Lennon in the spring of 2011.
At the final home match of the season, at home to Motherwell, the bond between club, support and manager was illustrated when Lennon told the fans after the match that ‘this isn’t the end, it’s only the beginning.’
That statement has been proved correct on two levels. As Celtic cruise to a third consecutive title, remaining unbeaten, Lennon remains a target of hate as the events of Saturday illustrate when a bottle and coins were thrown at him by Aberdeen supporters.
Yesterday as Celtic beat St Mirren 1-0 the events of spring 2011 were revived as the 18th minute of the match arrived.
Starting from the corner of the ground that used to house the Green Brigade the cry of ‘There’s Only One Neil Lennon’ emerged and was quickly picked up by the rest of the stadium.
From the dug-out Lennon appeared, raised his right arm, waved to the crowd with his thumb raised.
 “Fantastic, I can’t thank them enough for that,” he said afterwards. “It’s something we don’t hear very often in games where we’re so much in control but I think the supporters felt today it meant a lot to me personally.”
After the match Lennon was quizzed in every media interview about the events of Tynecastle, explaining and reliving what he had gone through.
Hopefully Police Scotland will be forced into looking into the events of Saturday without the need for a complaint from Celtic or Lennon.
Hearing of dawn raids and the arrest of the culprits would send out a signal that abusing and attacking Lennon is no longer acceptable in Scottish football grounds.
Throwing stuff at a man with his back to you …. i am surprised the Dons fans want these cowards amongst them. It may only have been a few fans but those around them condone it by putting up with it.
thaiscot – yer bang on mate, they condone it in their silence.
Surely there has to be cctv coverage of this scum act. The wider football community should be disgusted that this sort of thing can still happen today. Find the culprits and deal with them severely.
Thai scot wit dae u expect they are experts fae behind ask the EWE hail hail
police scotland take action against these hooligans you must be joking as the green brigade were not involved and if they werent working they would be on the same side as the hooligans
Police Scotland and all the other bigots are all in bed together.If an off duty cop was assaulted while spending time at a social event his brothers and sisters would have turned the city upside down to find who was responsible.This is one big masonic Lodge masquerading as a modern day country.
Here here, you are correct with your comments. Hail hail the Celtic the Championeessss.
This is not about the green brigade . Its about the atrocious behavior of some drunken Aberdeen fans & about the celtic fans applauding neil lennon on the 18mins to show we are with him to support him x
Only a celt can stand up to bigots.there certainly is only one Neil Lennon.
Yes Joe,
How poignant Neil’s words were in 2011.
The beginning of unbroken success for him as our manager, and the demise of
the hate- filled club.
Today, we have the MSM making excuses,
saying it wasn’t sectarian.Neil also said this.
But he was being polite.The under current
is sectarian racism.Ask McGeady and McCarthy what they got at EVERY ground
in Scotland.
We now have the MSM,today,saying this could drive him out,and he should consider leaving.
Why?
For the MSM, is not Neil’s safety,they are
concerned about.They want rid of him,
because he is TOO SUCCESSFUL at our
club.
The laptop LOYAL are suffering,big time,
with their team out of the picture. They
say Neil has to move on,as there are no
more challenges. NONSENSE.
He is at a club he loves.Want’s to win a
treble.Break records and the Huns spirits.
Building teams,and the massive challenge
of the Champions League.
To create a dynasty at our club,and the
‘ Magicl 10 ‘ is definately the No.1 GOAL
for Neil.
Why go to England, where job security is
a very precarious business.He could be
out of a job in 6 months.
Neil is loved and respected,by ALL of the
Celtic Family.
IMO I can see Neil staying in Paradise for
a long long time.
We are all Neil Lennon’s !!
HAIL ! HAIL !
The MSM have their own agenda and they will not kid us on. We are not as stupid as some other fans. Neil is here with us for the long haul. He knows he has our support. As for the drunken Aberdeen louts, they are cowards in a crowd.
There is also some inherent problem within their own souls if they have this kind of hatred. An examining of conscience is required, but I feel it is beyond them as there are not sufficient neurons in their almost empty heads to carry out such a process. The police? Never there when really required. The law seems to suit the lawbreakers.
The stewards? What a joke! Momentary blindness, or is it cowardice? Aberdeen FC? – condemned by their silence on this matter. Other Aberdeen support round about? – similarly condemned by not acting to complain. What a consistent shame on our little country.
SF,you cant reason with ignorance,I agree with you.
Further to my earlier post, I see that Aberdeen FC have given a statement and so I say that I applaud this wholeheartedly and take back my earlier comment about them. The Aberdeen support in that area still are condemned by their lack of action in pointing out these people.
The statement can be read on Phil MacGiollabhain’s site, but I have reproduced it below:
Aberdeen FC statement:
Following the allegations of spitting and missiles being directed at Celtic manager Neil Lennon at Tynecastle this afternoon, an AFC spokesperson commented.
“The support we enjoyed at Tynecastle was absolutely fantastic and helped to create an incredible atmosphere that the manager and players acknowledged played a major part in what was wonderful day and occasion for Aberdeen Football Club.
“However, it would appear that a tiny minority within the Main Stand behaved in a manner that is completely unacceptable and has absolutely no place in football and we would urge anyone who has any information as to the identity of those responsible to get in touch with the Club in order that appropriate action can be taken.”
Good for the club. It is now up to their support to do the honourable thing.
Whether or not this latest incident was motivated by sectarianism, anti-Irish racism or just a plain old dislike of the man, Lenny REMAINS ‘fair game’ for every moron out there and make no mistake it is a DIRECT result of those bitter little prejudices going unchallenged and unpunished in any meaningful way that has allowed this vile treatment of Neil Lennon to continue.
The blame doesn’t solely lie with the bitter little bigots and morons on the terraces. The press for instance who never miss an opportunity to vilify the man themselves have once again trotted out some mealy-mouthed condemnation of those who targeted Lenny by saying it’s a disgrace, it’s shameful but then in the same breath are at pains to point out how Lenny is ‘a wind up merchant’ has a ‘touch of the street fighter about him’ or how he ‘seems to thrive on chaos and combat’ (see Keek Jackson’s column for those little insights into Lenny’s character) as a way of indirectly implying Lenny is in some way thuggish in his behaviour so in turn ‘kinda brings it all on himself.’ How people like Keek Jackson and his ilk portray Lenny in their rags and the language and innuendo they use when doing so has fanned the flames and contributed to the disgusting treatment Lenny has received over the years.
The police, who seem to be ever vigilant and waiting to pounce whenever any Celtic fan is involved in something untoward, for some strange reason don’t seem to be that interested in the behaviour of football fans all of a sudden. No, they are all now staring at their shoes mumbling under their breath about ‘not receiving any official complaint’ or some pathetic excuse along those lines, well that never stopped them jumping into action in the past did it. Their failure to act is as good as giving a green light to the bigots and morons to do what they like where Lenny is concerned.
Ffs! Even those who HAVE been jailed for direct attacks on Lenny in the past have been convicted on lesser charges than what they should have been convicted of, so that tells you enough about the judiciary’s will to punish this particular brand of dangerous bigot and racist.
All of the above have played their part in creating the perception that Neil Lennon is ‘fair game’. Whether it was what they wrote, what they said, what they failed to say, what action they took or failed to take or what laws they failed to uphold or justice they failed to deliver. They are to blame for this, they allowed and continue to allow bigots, racists and morons to make one man’s life a living hell because they fail to live up to the responsibilities that come with their positions. SHAME ON THEM!
Hail Hail and GBNL.
Andybhoy,
Well said,and you are spot on.
With regards to Keek blueboy Jackson,and the Daily Dump,do you remember,their
headline,
‘ Who is hated more at Ibrox,Neil Lennon
or the Tax Man ‘
They tried to palm it off,as a joke.But,the
sentiment was real,and they knew it would
go down well with the moronic bigots at
Ibrokes.
Neil is head and shoulders above every
other manager in this country,in successful terms.
On Saturday, he won’t need to give a team
talk,before the cup-tie.
His players will do the talking FOR HIM on
the PARK !!
HAIL ! HAIL !
Peter,
I remember that headline and your spot on it was a shameful display of the twisted brand of humour that goes down a treat with the bigots.
It was a prime example of the way sections of the press in this country seem to think it’s ok to trivialise and even make light of a hatred based on religious and racial prejudice. Any responsible journalist with a hint of decency should be using their opinion columns to take a stand against and challenge such hatred instead of making cheap jokes about it.
It’s that very attitude that has allowed sectarianism and anti-Irish sentiment to continue to this day and be treated like some form of harmless banter not worth worrying about. It’s time some people in the press accepted the fact their behaviour and attitudes have contributed to the disgraceful treatment of Neil Lennon.
Hail Hail.
I’ve lived in edinburgh all my years & have consistently met with anti Celtic , Catholic & Irish attitudes. The same people deny that this problem exists outside Glasgow & the west of Scotland. Anyone with half a brain cell knows this poison is endemic in this sad little country. They cannot bear that Celtic & Neil Francis Lennon will do 20 in a row. That is their punishment . GOD bless the Neil & all the Celtic family.
I can corroborate your sentiments forever green . I live in South Ayrshire and we have the exact same prejudices except with more venom.The best thing we can do is keep racking up the league flags and watching the comedy shows and side acts,yours in Celtic. HH.
When I first went to CP as a very young girl, I met an old man in the Jungle, he was at every home game with his son and grandson. He told me his grandfather had spoken to him of the hate that existed in scotland for Celtic and those associated with the club. Sadly he said it would never change, to this country’s eternal shame he got it exactly right. HH.
Aha but you and I don’t understand Scottish banter.This is the excuse trotted out time after time, sometimes I wish I were black,Asian or obviously non white,then again it is worse for them, at least the establishment helps protect them from any racial slurs.Is it education or the law we need to help or at least recognise that there is a problem, we need more than tokenism ?HH