After years of looking the other way Celtic supporters are expecting action from their board of directors over the continuing slurs of Jock Stein. Yesterday at Ibrox was more than crossing a line in the sand.
For over a decade the lowlifes of Larkhall, Bearsden and Kilwinning, and many points in-between that golden triangle, have been given freedom to spread their poison. Presumably the view was not to draw attention to the issue.
At Ibrox yesterday an ambush was prepared for Celtic supporters with the image of Scottish football’s greatest ever manager having his reputation trashed by the lowest of the low. For many Celtic supporters a lead must now be taken from the directors of the club.
They took the name of Jock Stein in vain once too often today.
To the board @CelticFC … It’s up to you now!!!!
You can bottle it like you did over resolution 12 or you can help Rodgers to recruit the next level of player.
Time to crush the head of the snake !!!!
— Celtic Nation (@CelticNation67) December 29, 2018
Absolutely no chance. The PLC are complicit in the survival myth.
— pmcc13 (@pmcc1313) December 30, 2018
Dream on, in it up to their necks.
— CG44 (@Ticketustastic) December 29, 2018
The board were completely complicit in this. They do not give a damn about Celtic. All they care about is the money a bigoted duopoly raises and their bonuses. Lawell, King, Bankier..all raising glasses and chuckling away.
— Henry Duluth (@HenryDuluth) December 30, 2018
We respected the minute silence while they degraded a man who help the dead and injured , that should be the GB banner in the next game at parkhead
— Peter Foley (@peterfoley881) December 30, 2018
I guarantee you now that @CelticFC – will say nothing, as usual. Celtic Football Club representatives, board members, do not care what is said or done about the club. As long as get their bonuses…
— Arrpuu21 (@arrpuu21) December 30, 2018
The Board Are Weak , Old Men Some Torys Who Only Want MONEY ! They Say Nothing And Will Do Nothing ! Weak
— Police State Scotland (@hoop1888) December 30, 2018
Defaming a dead person is not an offence in law.
But that doesn’t mean that Celtic should just meekly accept this vile filth.
They need to challenge Sevco AND the footballing authorities on this.
Just because it isn’t illegal doesn’t mean it belongs in a football stadium.
— Metafizical Amorfus ???????????????????????????? ????????????45%? (@jakeybhoy58) December 30, 2018
With two days notice Celtic were informed of a minute’s silence for 66 fans that died at a match in January 1971. Previous accidents including fatalities had been ignored before a whitewash of an inquest kicked the issue into touch. Billy, Stuarty, Gordy and Craigy lost their life at a football match and no one was to blame. No wonder the old Ibrox club tried to forget the 66 deaths on their hands.
The tenth anniversary went completely unmarked. In 1991, before a match with Celtic Dave Murray decided to hold a minute’s silence. Later on, for reasons entirely unknown, a statue of John Greig was erected as a memorial.
Yesterday Peter Lawwell and Ian Bankier joined around 50 fans at a pre-match memorial service, with the Celtic chairman laying a wreath at the feet of a statue to the guy standing next to him. Also taking part in the ceremony was EBT architect Andrew Dickson, managing director Stewart Robertson and director Graeme Park.
After taking part in that ceremony the Celtic delegation took their seats in the Directors Box. Over at the far corner of the Sandy Jardine Stand banners were unfurled relating to Jock Stein. Just before Celtic supporters were expected to take part in a minute of silence for fans of a club who washed their hands of fatalities at their own stadium. Stein stayed behind after the match to assist the injured.
The Celtic board has let their supporters down on many issues over the years. From their stand-off attitude to a decade of cheating endorsed by the SFA and SPL through to allowing the Orange Order to dictate when Champions League qualifiers can take place. This season one set of supporters was put out to accommodate three others in the Betfred Cup semi-finals.
Celtic fans expect action over Saturday’s banners, almost certainly produced, displayed and co-ordinated by Ibrox season ticket holders. Stein’s memory and family deserves no less.
Clearly Lawwell and Bankier are on friendly terms with their opposite numbers at Ibrox. Things are so friendly that Celtic endorse and provide free advertising to a travel firm owned by the vice-chairman of the Ibrox company.
Statements are easy to make, especially of the ‘surprised and disappointed’ variety. If Douglas Park and his boardroom colleagues don’t want to tackle the issue, investigate, publicise and ban the season ticket holders involved then Celtic must take action, visible action, public action.
If nothing is heard from the Celtic board it can be assumed that the banners and songs of poison after the silence are acceptable to Lawwell, Bankier and the rest. By taking no action the Celtic board will be giving the green light for further slurs and abuse of the greatest manager in our clubs history, and the man largely responsible for the first class treatment that Celtic directors enjoy worldwide.
