First the Police Report and now Eye Witness Account contradicts Jim from Drumchapel’s story

The problem with a lot of fake news around Celtic of late is that you start to question everything. Now who am I to question the validity or authenticity of reporting, especially in a newspaper like the Scottish Sun?

In normal circumstances I’d stay quiet but seeing as I was in the vicinity of the alleged incidents on Sunday I thought I’d add my tuppence worth to the debate.

The newspaper and its friends at The Daily Record are reporting that a ‘Rangers’ fan was knocked unconscious after being hit by a coin following his side’s 2-1 win over Celtic at Parkhead.

The fan Jim Smith, 65, was sitting amongst the 800 away fans at Celtic Park. He has seemingly awoken from his three day coma to reveal he struggled with his eyesight after the initial hit.

Jim, who hails from Drumchapel, was as reported left covered in blood and had to be bandaged up by paramedics following the incident. Speaking to The Scottish Sun, Jim said: “It happened right at the final whistle. I turned around and then was on the deck.

“I couldn’t see out one eye for a moment, I was panicking at first. The paramedics then took me to the first aid station. I got a fright more than anything else. I’m 65, I don’t go to games to scream and shout and bawl. It could’ve taken my eye out.

“It’s been nine years since our last win at Celtic Park, and I didn’t get a chance to celebrate right away. My son’s phoned me. They were upset and worried. My grandchildren were upset too, they wanted to make sure I was okay.

“It does make me reluctant to take my grandsons to games – they come with me, but that makes me wary now. It’s my grandchildren I think about. The coin could’ve hit them or they could have seen me lying on the ground covered in blood.”

Jim believes the atmosphere within Scottish football has got worse in recent years and called for change before someone gets badly hurt.

He insists missiles were being aimed at away fans from before the game and claimed Scottish football is now ‘poisonous’.

“Without a shadow of a doubt it’s getting worse, the hatred in Scottish football is as poisonous as it’s ever been. I don’t know why it’s the case, the hatred at football grounds is palpable.

“Celtic fans were launching stuff at us from 11.30am onwards on Sunday. Missiles came reigning (sic) in when we scored our second goal.”

Is it just me or does this not quite ring seem an entirely factual version of events?

Firstly the three days from incident to report seems a bit excessive but I have to accept the standard of Scottish journalism is at an all-time low, circulation is poor, staffing has been decimated and as such it could well be that it took three days to track ‘Jim’ down to Drumchapel and get his story to paper. Between Christmas time and New Year is after all a horrendously difficult time to travel between Glasgow City and centre and Drumchapel through snowfall and downed phone lines due to inclement weather to get a hold of a story like this. So yes I can fully understand that the timescale from incident to print can be excused.

The debatable recollection is further complicated by his long term memory being open to immediate scrutiny. As such surely the short term version may at least be open to interpretation.

Jim states it was the first time in nine years he’d seen his team win at Celtic Park. Given his club’s a mere seven years old your honour I’d once again question the veracity of our ‘Jim’s’ events.

His following series of answers also piqued my interest.

“My son’s phoned me. They were upset and worried.

“My grandchildren were upset too, they wanted to make sure I was okay.

“It does make me reluctant to take my grandsons to games – they come with me, but that makes me wary now.

“It’s my grandchildren I think about. The coin could’ve hit them or they could have seen me lying on the ground covered in blood.”

So his sons phoned him and his Grandkids were upset. Were they at the game?

So Jim clarifies that a little saying it’s his grandsons that come to games with him and of course like any respectable Grandfather his concern was of course that it could have been them.

So 800 tickets for Celtic Park and Jim has managed out of what 45,000 plus season ticket holders, to get not only himself a ticket but his grandsons- plural?

So a minimum of two on top of his own and possibly his son’s tickets on top. Wow Jim is like his very own supporters club there, either that or he just got damn lucky in the ballot. I hope he bought a lottery ticket the man’s luck is well in.

It is of course possible his sons didn’t attend the game but instead saw the incident on You Tube or post-match analysis and called him as soon as they did to find out he was OK, unless of course they just called when they heard a reporter was in his living room, I have no idea.

Except there are no pictures of Jim and his bandaged napper anywhere, just a ‘social media’ picture of a plaster on a head, almost like an old boy might get banging his head on his garden shed-possibly.

In fact the article itself is accredited to no-one. There isn’t even a journalist willing to put his name to this scoop at The Record, at least the Sun had the decency to put a name to theirs.

I smell Craigy White it must be the cat’s litter tray. Excuse me just a moment.

Anyway back to Jim’s ordeal. He has some more to get off his chest and I don’t blame him. I’d be furious myself.

He insists missiles were being aimed at away fans from before the game and claimed Scottish football is now ‘poisonous’.

“Without a shadow of a doubt it’s getting worse, the hatred in Scottish football is as poisonous as it’s ever been.

“I don’t know why it’s the case, the hatred at football grounds is palpable.

OK I know it would be too easy but this article can’t go on all day, so I’ll leave you all to call the hotline or e-mail the Sportsdesk for your own reasoning as to why ‘hatred is palpable’ or the poisonous atmosphere is getting worse.

Suffice to say there was a four year oasis of calm not that long ago but the common denominator in that equation escapes me. I’ll leave that to others to fill the gaps. It’s New Year’s Day the head is cloudy.

And so on to the last quote of the article. Poor Jim was under the cosh from 11.30. The missiles were reigning in allegedly. I assume from the Celtic support and not the Police.

I’d had a chat with two of them as they stood beside my turnstile en route to my entry to Celtic Park. I mentioned in passing ‘rather you than me’ as to their afternoon shift. They did mention our Southside rivals had been somewhat misbehaved but they made no mention of any violence. Still that was two coppers from a police force of hundreds that wouldn’t be a fair scientific analysis so I move on. Back to ‘Jim’

“Celtic fans were launching stuff at us from 11.30am onwards on Sunday.

“Missiles came reigning in when we scored our second goal.”

Okay so for the benefit of honesty I must admit I had a short delay before entering the stadium and taking up my seat. I visited the toilet and bought an overpriced and underwhelming coffee but I was I’m certainly in my seat, within ‘throwing’ distance of the away support may I add by roughly 11.40.

As such I must excuse our ‘Jim’ here it could be there was a maddening exchange of coins and bottles between 11.30 and 11-40 while I was in the stadium concourse marvelling at the PlayStation graphics and some wee lad that had Celtic 3-0 up at half time against ‘the Rangers’ with an Edouard hat-trick. My last thought as I walked up the stairs was ‘I’ll take that’.

Strange though by the time I arrived the away support seemed happy. They were beautifully exuding their choir like voices and angelic costumes and flags through what I assumed was a series of Govan Christmas carols. Having attended my own son’s nativity a few days before I can’t say I entirely saw the resemblance but I can also say I didn’t feel any intimidation.

In fact I must admit from the moment I entered the stadium right up until Celtic got their penalty I thought this is the quietest and most sedate derby I’ve been to, possibly ever. I stayed in my spot at half time too, again there was little bar a questionable songbook to cause concern and if the foot soldiers were exchanging more physical exchanges it isn’t something I witnessed.

There were no missiles in either direction. Even when ‘the’ rangers scored to make it 2-1 I wasn’t aware of any exchange. I did hear a bottle fall behind me but that was someone dropping their own winter warmer. The looks exchanged were not of concern-more of amusement at being noticed.

As the game ended I hung around to watch the players and their lap of honour. If there was anything violent in the exchanges at that stage other than the mood of one tool behind me who felt his need to leave the stadium beforethe rest of us was more urgent than anyone else. S bar that gentleman’s tilet emergency, I either missed it entirely or once again it must have happened as I entered the concourse and exited the Lisbon Lions stand. If ‘Jim’ did get hit I am sorry to hear it but from my own experience and the version of events reported over the two newspapers in question don’t match up. And as such I doubt the legitimacy of any of it.

Could be I missed it all with cups of tea pre-match and leaving when I did. Could be ‘Jim’ has been misquoted. It could well be that my attention span is poor. It could be any of these things. It’s all too hard to judge such media reports when there is so much questionable reporting flying around.

The problem with such reporting, when you’ve witnessed something entirely different yourself is that it lacks credibility.

Oh and the Police report states that the cut on his head came from him falling rather than anything hitting him from the home support.

Niall J

About Author

The Celtic Star founder and editor, who has edited numerous Celtic books over the past decade or so including several from Lisbon Lions, Willie Wallace, Tommy Gemmell and Jim Craig. Earliest Celtic memories include a win over East Fife at Celtic Park and the 4-1 League Cup loss to Partick Thistle as a 6 year old. Best game? Easy 4-2, 1979 when Ten Men Won the League. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk

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