Let me prefix this opinion with a bit of context. In 1994 I was in my early 20’s and attended Celtic games both home and away on a regular basis. I had done so for a number of years, so was well placed to witness the effects of under investment and lack of an any clear vision or plan in the team (or the club as a whole) by the then board.
“The lean years” had lasted longer than any of us cared to remember and, it was clear that unless real change happened at the very top of our club then things were headed in a direction that was simply unthinkable.
I witnessed the “sack the board” protests and, was more than happy to lend my voice to those demands for change! Thankfully The Bunnet answered our call and the rest, as they say, is history……So I am well aware of the power we have as fans to force change.
So, while I get the recent frustrations and failings of the current regime, I simply do not agree or see the point in throwing objects onto the pitch during a game! By all means, sing the songs of frustration and hold aloft the banners of discontent! Hold peaceful demonstrations outside the stadium before and after a game or don’t buy the merch’. I get it, I really do!
But disrupting the game really isn’t helping the team. A team who are already struggling for form and consistency and need our backing during the 90 odd minutes during a game.
We have seven games in 21 days and the team needs our backing more than ever. We are often described as “the twelfth man” and with good reason, our ability to lift the performance of the team to achieve great things, often against the odds. We pride ourselves on our vociferous and fanatical backing of the team, so let’s do what we’re good at.
I’m not suggesting we don’t make our feelings known with regard to the current issues with the people in charge (and I acknowledge the need for engagement and change), but just not in a way that is going to negatively impact the team during a match.
Change is needed and we are right to demand it happens, but not through actions that negatively affect the team during a game, such as stopping the game by throwing balls on the park. Who knows if that made any difference to the outcome of the game on Sunday, but it’s certainly not helping the guys on the pitch who are not the intended target of the protests.
We need to strike a better balance between forcing change and being united behind the team.
I accept that there are more problems with the team than our fans throwing balls and I understand this is a personal opinion that might prove unpopular to some of my fellow Celtic supporters. But I would ask the fans to consider the negative impact their actions may be having on the team and ask, “gonnae no dae that? Just, gonnae no”!
Paul Maguire
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Ball protest very CHILDISH BY WEANS
Didn’t get to see it all, but didn’t at any point see the fans not supporting the players?, and unless I missed a fair bit of the game I didn’t see it getting stopped at any point, except at the very beginning before the game had got underway. If they are throwing those balls at 10 mins, or 30 mins, 40 mins, 50 mins, 60 mins, ,70 mins or even 80 minutes, again I would totally agree with you, but the only balls thrown during the game were single balls from arseholes and out with the actual protest.
Jim agree – but majority of time added on in first half was when Dundee scored 2nd OG
Very well put I agree .this protest is causing too much negativity among each other by a handful