Celtic fans will be banned from taking flags or banners to Thursday’s match at St Johnstone.
Not content with videoing virtually every movement of supporters Police Scotland have now decided to prevent supporters taking flags into McDiarmaid Park.
The latest move to sanitise the ‘matchday experience’ is bound to be greeted with dismay by supporters who are being increasingly persecuted on various fronts.
What dangers a flag or banner presents is unclear, offensive banners are clearly a separate matter but denying fans the opportunity to wave a flag related to their teams colours or nationality seems unnecessarily heavy handed.
News of the flag ban is contained in an article in the Perth Courier where match commander Superintendent Kevin Lynch explained: “The police and both clubs expect everyone to enjoy the occasion in the right way and abide by the law, as well as the ground regulations.
“We will be on hand to assist them where required and, where necessary, to deal effectively with anyone who is involved in disorder or other criminal behaviour.
“Those attending the game, as well as the local community, can rest assured that we will deal effectively with any incidents and put offenders before the courts.”
Outwith the quotes it is claimed that flags and banners won’t be permitted after discussions between both clubs.
Lynch added: “We look forward to an entertaining afternoon and hope that everyone who attends enjoys the contest between the sides in a good-natured and enthusiastic way, where everyone is safe and remembers the game for all the right reasons.
We welcome both sets of supporters for what we are sure will be an excellent sporting event.”
The St Johnstone match will be shown live on Sky Sports.
CLICK HERE for original article
Do these rules only apply to Celtic fans or is this going to be implemented with all teams
What the fuck is going on in Scottish football
If this is true then it is just another nail in the coffin of Scottish football. If as the article suggests it has been agreed by both teams it is also probably another nail in Celtic’s coffin. Soon there will be no supporters left.
Boycott the game, sorted
Totally agree.
I would agree on the boycotting the match but you would imagine most of the away tickets would have already have been allocated and paid for. Any benifit from a boycott would have in making away clubs becoming involved in adressing the over the top actions of the policing of policies would have to be the witholding of funds.
So perhaps an action to be considered in the future should any other club/police forces choose to go down the same road.
If the terms and conditions on the ticket has change a refund should be due.
Buying a ticket your entering a contract so they’ve changed so refund.
Certainly an over-reaction to previous banners displayed by a certain section of the Celtic “support”. Their repeated stupidity provided the hammer for the authorities to drive the nails into the coffin!
If Sevco is dead they power that be.What Celtic to go to it has nothing to do with an section of Celtic supporters This just a reason to get rid of Glasgow Celtic by attacking them. The Celtic board just sit there and let the power that be ride over the supporters home or away and do nothing about it.
Wait till Celtic park is half empty the board better wake up before they have no support at all .No supporters no money JMJ
What!!!!
This is MSM class journalism. No quotes about the flags.
There is a much larger issue in Scottish football that you bloggers are ignoring.
The lack of home-grown Scots being given a chance at Scotland’s top club.
We have learned nothing since Rangers(IL) ruined our game in the 80s with foreign imports. For every Moravcik there have been 100 Novos and Celtic continue to buy Daryll Murphys and Timo Pukkis over giving a kid a chance at a career.
Part of the Tayside Police statement:
As part of the planning process between the police, St Johnstone FC, Celtic FC and other agencies, a decision has been taken that FLAGS and banners will not be permitted inside McDiarmid Park stadium for this game. Fans are asked to be considerate of this requirement in the interest of their own safety and the safety of others.
Joe,Excellent article.
As always your informative and humorous
pieces are always on the ball.
All the best for the festivities.
Michael,I hope you are not comparing Joe
to the MSM ?
If so,you do not read his blogs.
Tri-colours will soon be outlawed.This
will suit the board and our fans who are
in the PC brigade.
Next will be the 1916 trii-colour given to
us by De Valera,this will be taken down.
Far-fetched ? Just a matter of time.
Michael,our club’s fabric and what makes
us unique in world football is at stake.
CELTIC- A CLUB LIKE NO OTHER ( when
it suts the board )
First up on tannoy yesterday, Let.the
People Sing. Controversial ? Not for us.
But contravenes Offensive Behaviour Act, if a fan sings it in the stands.
THE LAW IS AN ASS !
FANS AGAINST CRIMINALISATION !!
SUPPORTING YOUR TEAM IS NOT A CRIME !!!
With a name like Kevin lynch how the hell did he get to the level of commander ,like to know how you swung that.
He rolled his trouser leg up!
Police Scotland can seriously f-off this is nothing but victimisation of a subset of public who happen to like the Fitba. Has this shower of Masonic scum got nothing better to do with their time!?
my comment was firmly in my tongue when I made that remark,he is the token tim which keeps them onside legally.Apart from cultivating their own nest from industry to private business,then no they don’t have anything better to do. Anyway don’t let them grind you down because they see that they cant and this pisses them off big time. merry xmas my friend.
Don’t go to the games.
Simple.
It’s now better craic in a Celtic bar than watching at Celtic Park.
Fk them, leave them to the pizza munchers n happy clappers… Now after 3 sing alonga with the tannoy…. ” if yer happy and yer stupid clap yer hands, “
Don’t go to games, are you a troll? No respect for the Celtic faithfull.We’re not there for
Peter Lawell, we’re there for the famous Glasgow Celtic. Stay in the pub u ain’t a Tim in my book.
Time to boycott the game.
Where does it mention flags have been banned?
Tayside Police (part of the statement):
As part of the planning process between the police, St Johnstone FC, Celtic FC and other agencies, a decision has been taken that flags and banners will not be permitted inside McDiarmid Park stadium for this game. Fans are asked to be considerate of this requirement in the interest of their own safety and the safety of others.
This is an absolute disgrace .scottish football is in decline as it is . Without the fans football is NOTHING. Get a grip whoever is in charge of this tripe
Sell all the players and ban all the fans….
Is this the new strategy for success?
Celtic 2 Barca 1…best result since the 6-2….brilliant stadium display from the Green Brigade….great goals from Wanyama and Watt
Next season we sell or ban the lot
As a Celtic supporter i am asking all Celtic supporters to boycott the match against st Johnston next Thursday, in protest against the banning of Flags and banners.
Disgrace.
I feel Lawwell had a very big hand in this, don’t understand our board’s policy of trying to alienate the support, they WILL vote with their feet and there’ll be no club to preside over.
Lawwell, you’re a feckin disgrace.
Don’t go near mc dermott park, let them loose out on the money, they can afford it (not) its about time the celtic fans looked after themselves because no one else gives a fuck about them, also the gb have to be allowed back in a celtic park but they MUST not be seen to keep breaking the rules, even a meeting 2 times a month with celtic to go over banners ,displays they r going to do , to keep things ticking over , also to lodge complaints about the police which I’m sure there would be plenty,
I’m taken my 2 grandsons, will we be allowed in with scarfs… cause if you wave a scarf and it blows in the wind could it look like a flag its another kick in the teeth to us.
Afraid we must start fighting for our rights
Think our Supprters Reps met our board, scot gov, police, we have reached the state of the old Soviet Union, China, Nr Korea, no freedom of speech, also since Rangers went bust (and Sevco soon to follow follow) they have looked at ways to destroy us, keep going we will be sine die soon we will be stopped going to mass, this board and country is hell bent to kill us off
Get real it’s only a banner or flag how many take them into a game and how many times have you shouted to some tit that’s waving a flag about to get it down so that you can watch the game, as that’s what you go to games for not to see pretty little flags flutter in the air.
And as for boycott the game tickets were bought and paid for 2 weeks ago.
Everything was rosy at start of season people saying brilliant stuff we have x amount of money in bank while the manky mob are in the gutter but saying that we should have got a centre forward went and paid the money to get a decent one but I blame neil Lennon for that not the board cause how many forwards has he bought and he has always got the money for them what is it 15-20 million for duds.
I think there is mischief makers trying to turn the fans against each other and it seems to be working we should be that far ahead of others in Scotland that no one would catch us for next 10-15 years but no everything seems to be stalled.
Can’t understand this living wage thing as we’ll not once have heard or seen anyone saying they are speaking on behalf of the workers or any worker moaning about the wages they have I know we all want more money but I wouldn’t want someone to start talking for me when the place they work the workers there haven’t got this wage.
And as for the board they seem to have drawn the bridge in and don’t want to communicate with the paying customer.