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Rodgers makes appeal to Green Brigade

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Image for Rodgers makes appeal to Green Brigade

Brendan Rodgers has appealed to the Green Brigade to play by the rules and get behind his team.

The standing section at Celtic Park will be closed for the visits from Rosenborg and Hearts as the club tries to strike a peace deal with the fans group.

Celtic are facing further UEFA sanctions for the displays during the 4-0 win over Linfield with Rodgers appealing for the fans to get back in line.

He told the Celtic website: “It’s really disappointing that we are talking about stadium safety and paramilitary banners rather than our progress into the next round of Europe.

The fans have a responsibility to behave in the stadium and I would urge everyone involved to see the damage this is causing to the club. Hopefully this is a wake-up call.

The players thrive on the cauldron that the fans create at Celtic Park but there are clearly boundaries that you can’t step over. Everyone knows that pyrotechnics, unacceptable banners and ignoring stewards who are enforcing basic stadium safety measures are simply not on.

I really hope that the fans take this on board. It would be a real shame if they forced the club to take more permanent action to ensure safety and protect the Club’s standing in European football, which is what we should all be aiming to promote.”

Like Ronny Deila and Neil Lennon Rodgers quickly developed a rapport with the Green Brigade and makes a point of acknowledging their backing after every home match.

At the end of last season he shared a ‘TEN’ salute with the fans who have backed him to the hilt since he arrived at the club 14 months ago.

A manager’s remit rarely involves appealing to supporters to drop ‘paramilitary style’ displays it is a measure of the seriousness of the issue that Rodgers has spoken out about the issue.

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