The recent fallout from Celtic’s pre-season trip to Como has sparked a wave of commentary. Among them, the response from Roger Mitchell— a Scottish businessman based in the region and former chief executive of the Scottish Premier League—stood out for its tone and content.
Mitchell, a self-professed Celtic supporter, publicly criticised some the club’s fans for bringing politics into football, describing their conduct as disruptive and unwelcome. His remarks, especially those referencing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, have provoked both endorsement and outrage.
But this incident warrants more than a knee-jerk reaction. It raises deeper questions about public discourse, positional privilege, and the shifting relationship between football, identity, and political expression.
During Thursday’s friendly match between Celtic and Ajax, some Celtic supporters displayed pro-Palestinian flags, in keeping with a long-standing tradition of political expression among sections of the fanbase. Tensions between fans of both clubs escalated, resulting in minor clashes and subsequent interventions by Italian authorities. Some fans received DASPO bans—orders barring them from attending football matches—and the spotlight quickly turned to the political symbolism on display.
In response, the Italian Celts CSC, a long-established supporters’ group of Celtic fans living in Italy, released a statement on social media –
“We are Celtic fans born or resident in Italy. We came to Como for the love of our club and were disheartened by the hostility and over-policing we encountered. Political symbolism has always been part of our identity and connection to Celtic’s roots. To be criminalised for expressing solidarity is painful, especially when done peacefully.”
Official statement from the Italian Celts regarding the Celtic-Ajax incident.#CelticFC pic.twitter.com/WMU2UNejcG
— The Italian Celts CSC (@ItalianCeltsCSC) July 26, 2025
Mitchell reacted publicly, sharing his disapproval on social media:
“What a total mess my club has got itself into. Some of us (not many) did try to warn them to leave politics alone… They come here, and make headlines for getting banned from stadia. And cry ‘unfair’. In truth, they are becoming an unwelcome guest. Just play football.”
He followed this with a more explicitly political statement:
“When Iran and its vassals like Hamas recognise the right of Israel to exist, we can have a grown-up discussion on politics.”
What a total mess my club has got itself into.
Some of us (not many) did try to warn them to leave politics alone. They come here, and make headlines for getting banned from stadia (DASPO). And cry “unfair”.
In truth, they are becoming an unwelcome guest. Just play football. https://t.co/OmJhwXvHOP
— Roger Mitchell (@RPMComo) July 26, 2025
Mitchell’s latest remarks are not without precedent. He has previously taken issue with Celtic’s politically engaged support, particularly the Green Brigade. His characterisation of fan activism as immature, dated, or disruptive perhaps reflects disdain for some of the support’s political leanings. Notably absent from his latest critique was any acknowledgment of Ajax’s own checkered history with far-right and racist fan elements—raising questions about where and how Mitchell chooses to apply his outrage.
This selectivity matters. When a public figure focuses their condemnation on their own club’s support while ignoring similar or worse conduct from others, it raises the possibility that something deeper is at play.
Some critics argue that Mitchell embodies a deep-rooted discomfort or embarrassment with Celtic’s working-class and politically engaged identity. Now living in Italy and operating as an entrepreneur, Mitchell appears eager to align himself with a more sanitised, apolitical image, perhaps in pursuit of elite respectability abroad.
His language arguably masks a more personal discomfort—less the tough love of a loyal fan, more a distancing approach. The passion and protest that define Celtic’s grassroots culture are, in Mitchell’s telling, liabilities rather than values. In his framing, fan expression becomes a threat to order, to image, to reputation.
This isn’t simply a matter of disagreement. It’s arguably a rejection of a legacy. By reducing Celtic’s politically conscious support to a public nuisance, Mitchell disowns the spirit of resistance and solidarity that has long defined the club. His focus on optics and respectability seems less about constructive criticism and more about self-preservation—an attempt to rise above a culture he perhaps no longer wants to be seen as part of. If you are looking for a deeper dive on that, James Forrest on The Celtic Blog does just that.
To be clear, some Celtic fans were not perfect in Como. Any instances of aggression or escalation—regardless of political motive—deserve scrutiny. But that should not come at the cost of flattening the broader context.
Most fans acted peacefully. Most came not to antagonise, but to support their team while honouring causes they believe in. That kind of expression is not unique to Celtic. It is embedded in the DNA of clubs across the world that see football as more than entertainment.
Calls to ‘just play football’ ignore this reality. Worse, they suggest that political engagement—especially when it challenges mainstream or comfortable narratives—has no place in modern sport.
What this incident lays bare is the persistent myth of apolitical football. Whether through commercial branding, anti-racism campaigns, or expressions of solidarity with global causes, football has always been a platform for wider social meaning. The difference lies in whose politics are deemed acceptable.
Mitchell’s response, in this light, feels less like a defence of neutrality and more like a selective disapproval—one that fails to reckon with the complexities of identity, history, and belonging in modern football.
Roger Mitchell’s criticism of some Celtic fans reflects more than concern about conduct—it reflects a broader unease with the club’s political soul. While his desire for order or image control may be understandable in a business context, it is ultimately out of step with what Celtic represents to not all, but many of its supporters.
Fans can and should be held accountable when they overstep. But equally, public figures—especially those who claim to love the club—should be honest about what they’re distancing themselves from, and why.
In the end, the tension isn’t just about what belongs in the stadium. It’s about who gets to define the soul of a club, and whether that soul is something to be celebrated—or something to be managed, sanitised, and pushed to the margins.
That’s a debate worth having. But it starts with listening—not lecturing.
Niall J
Read this – The backstory to Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter
Thank you to everyone who has already pre-ordered the late David Potter’s last ever Celtic book, Celtic in the Eighties, which will be published on the fifth day of September by Celtic Star Books. The link to pre-order your copy is below…
With our MP’s going to ask Westminster to support a Palastinian state, France and other coutries now doing the same I was surprised to read that Mitchell stays in that part of the world. As everyone in Europe and around the world where the press is free can see Israel is holding back aid and starving inocent women and kids.
For Mitchell not to see this, I thought he must be living in Outer Mongolia with no access to world affairs in the news for him to show his ignorance at the plight of the Palastinian people.
Anyone depending on Mitchell for a living, now he is a businessman, should hope he is better in business than he was in politics and the SPL
His characterisation of fan activism as immature, dated, or disruptive perhaps reflects disdain for some of the support’s political leanings. …. this is obviously nonsense n9 celtic and hopefully majority don’t back stupid statements like this. Thicko kids waving flags thinking they are the anti establishment sex pistols … gaus for Palestine jokers. You are thicko keyboard warriors. It’s not immature to call out bull… supports political leanings… celtic aren’t a political movement. You can’t dictate to fans your workie comm are hating views
Try and catch up.
Read the news headlines.
Its world news you stupid thick fuckwit
What does ‘workie comm’ even mean?
I can’t get my head around why a thick cunt like yourself would come on here to make
a comment and can’t even spell properly!
If Mitchell stays in that part of the world then he’ll know the reality a damn sight better than idiots believing everything they read from tainted biased sources online. Hamas are the ones responsible for this war. People need to wake the f- up to that fact and stop unquestionably regurgitating the anti-Semitic propaganda they read on social media. Too many Celtic supporters just perceive oppression and it’s immediately “They’re just like what the Irish were” and that’s all the thought that goes into it. Idiots.
Islam is the true enemy of world peace. It isn’t Jews that crash cars into Christmas markets. It isn’t Jews that hijack planes and fly them into buildings full of innocent people. It isn’t Jews that form paedophile rape gangs. It isn’t Jews coming to our lands and demanding we upend our laws to suit them and allow their deviant behaviours. Pull your heads out of your backsides, put down the Pally flags, stop virtue-signalling and put a bit of reasoned thought into things ffs.
By your assertion that ‘Hamas started this war’ can you explain how that is possible? Hamas we’re not around in ‘48 or ‘67! Oct 7 was NOT the start of this, anyone saying as much or even implying so is either hasbara or woefully uneducated! Being a proxy state for the US and UK affords no right to anything and projecting onto the establsished countries and culture in the area YOU decided to invade to further the aims of TGIP is not only evil but transparently stupid and childlike!
Occupiers are not innocent by standers, they have a responsibility to the occupied, this was established so never again, without any success as the current events demonstrate, however, I am assuming you know all this yet look at things through a particular Zionist lens, which is sad
Mitchell allies himself to those in power like the absolute coward he is.
Many did this exact same thing during the Nazi era in both Italy and Germany.
Right wing politics is now back in vogue as it empowers and protects those at the top of the system, and the Mitchells of this world want to join them. He has no thought for those in Palestine.
He is an abject failure of a human being and now trying to utilise a new identity and adhere himself to those in power.
The statement he made, basically when you agree with me then we can have a discussion, shows the arrogance and superiority mindset most of these people supporting TGIP proudly display! The fact he is an odious little cretin means he ticks all the boxes really.
I know we don’t get to choose who supports Celtic but he is so far removed from the majority I’ve known my whole life it does make me wonder???
Seppington
You have always been an absolute prick.
Your racist views are pathetic.
Explain how it’s racist,. If anything it’d be classed as sectarian, and trust me I don’t like that that’s how I feel about this but I won’t deny reality just because it doesn’t jibe with the groupthink du jour.
Seppington
You keep spouting your warped views anywhere you can.
You plead for people to agree with you.
The only thing people agree with as regards to yourself is that you are a total fanny.
I don’t “keep spouting” my perfectly legitimate views anywhere I can, I barely comment anywhere these days but I’m so sick of this crap from virtue-signalling clowns. I couldn’t care less if you don’t agree with me. It’s not my fault that the majority of my fellow fans are more interested in appearing “right-on” that facing reality. I can’t help but notice than neither you or the cretin before you have made any statement that disproves a word I wrote. “Straight to the insult” is the first resort of the moron.
Not saying another word on this. If you all want to sleepwalk to your doom then good luck to you.
Group think du jour ?
Really you categorise this as a fashionable label or a let’s all jump on the band wagon protest
You seem to have plenty to say for someone that doesn’t care about not being agreed with
Which moron said virtue signalling clowns
My oh my Seppington or should that be Sceptic Tongue