News that Celtic have now taken action against the Green Brigade will not really come as a surprise to many Celtic supporters who have been following events of recent weeks. It’s sadly had an inevitability about it.
Now after further incidents at Easter Road on Saturday afternoon, where several Hibs stewards were allegedly assaulted by members of the Ultras group, Celtic have taken action to suspend, pending a review, the Green Brigade from Celtic Park with just over 200 season ticket holders affected.
A Celtic spokesperson told The Celtic Star this afternoon:
“To avoid any misunderstanding, the progressive steps taken by the Club over a period of time are as a result of an increasingly serious escalation in unacceptable behaviours and non-compliance with applicable regulations, at matches at Celtic Park and away grounds over a period of time, which are creating serious safety concerns and other issues”.
And we can confirm that Celtic sent this message to their main contact at The Green Brigade earlier today which provides all the detail on the club’s decision to suspend the season tickets of Green Brigade members with immediate effect.
This official Celtic FC communique reads as follows:
“Ahead of our match versus St. Mirren at Celtic Park tomorrow night, the Club wanted to update you regarding the Rail Seating Section at Celtic Park.
“You may already be aware of the recent actions that the Club has taken in respect of the Green Brigade, relating to access at home matches and access to away tickets and the Club’s review of unacceptable conduct concerning the group. Following that review, and further serious issues with the behaviour of Green Brigade members at the last two matches, the Club deems it necessary to take further action in respect of the group.
“In light of the behaviour of group members, including numerous examples of non-compliance with the Ground Regulations, the Rail Seating Safety Code of Conduct, and Club communications, over a period stretching back to September, the Club has determined that it requires to suspend the season tickets of all season ticket holders who have registered with the Ticket Office as being part of the ‘Green Brigade’ supporters club. This is pending further review and communication with the group and/or the supporters in question regarding compliance with the Ground Regulations, the Rail Seating Safety Code of Conduct, and Club communications, moving forward.
“The safe operation of the section relies on compliance with the Ground Regulations and the Rail Seating Section Safety Code of Conduct. The Rail Seating Section Safety Code of Conduct states that “the safe operation of the Rail Seating Section at Celtic Park requires effective communication and engagement with the supporters in that area.”. For this reason, the Club considers that it is necessary to communicate directly with all spectators in the Rail Seating Section to give you honest and transparent detail on the matter.
“Formal communications with the group representatives have given specific examples of the behaviours which have led the Club to take these progressive actions but these have included the following:
“The widespread and unsafe use of pyrotechnics in Feyenoord on 19 September, which resulted in a fine for the Club from UEFA and safety issues for, and complaints from, other Celtic supporters;
“The unsafe behaviour at Fir Park on 30 September, including rushing turnstiles and forcing open fire exits to permit access to individuals without tickets and pitch incursions;
“Illegally gained access to Celtic Park in advance of the match against Lazio on 4 October to bring in an unauthorised banner, including deliberate circumvention of safety and security rules and protocols, and intimidating and threatening behaviour towards staff;
“Abuse of matchday access at Celtic Park in advance of the match against Kilmarnock on 7 October and another unauthorised display, breaching the restrictions previously communicated, and intimidating and threatening behaviour towards staff;
“Abuse of matchday access at Celtic Park in advance of the match against Atletico Madrid on 25 October and another unauthorised display, breaching the restrictions previously communicated, including circumvention of safety and security procedures and the migration of many members of the group (some of whom were wearing face coverings) out of the Rail Seating Section across the North Stand prior to kick off; and
“Unsafe behaviour at Easter Road on 28 October, including violent and intimidating behaviour towards stewards.
“Further, it was also clearly explained to the group to that, as a result of unacceptable behaviours during Season 2022/23, the Club was required to submit a report to the Safety Advisory Group of Glasgow City Council, following every home game in an attempt to address the SAG’s “concerns regarding the conduct of certain spectators located within the north-east curve area”.
“Regrettably however, this season we have experienced the accumulation of behaviours noted above, and it is as a result of the increasingly serious escalation in these unacceptable behaviours and non compliance with applicable regulations that the progressive steps are being taken by the Club.
“The Club should also note that it has been advised of a number of banners and flags used by the Green Brigade which relate to or are connected with terrorist organisations involved in the conflict in the Middle East. This is completely unacceptable at Celtic Park and any match involving Celtic Football Club. The Club is continuing to investigate these and other unacceptable instances of the groups actions.
“To be clear, the Club values engagement with any and all supporters and supporter groups who wish to positively support Celtic. Indeed, we have many excellent ongoing relationships across the Rail Seating Section and beyond but these are built upon a foundation of trust, respect for the rules and regulations relating to safety and mutual cooperation. We ask that those remaining supporters in the Rail Seating Section work with us in following the rules that apply to all supporters who attend Celtic Park, and those specifically created to ensure safety in your section.
“Should you wish to contact the Club on this or any other matter related to the Rail Seating Section, we would ask that you direct your correspondence in the first instance to railseating@celticfc.co.uk.
Best wishes,
Celtic Football Club”
Separate Communication from the club to the affected season ticket holders has been shared on social media this afternoon and reads as follows:
“We are writing to advise that due to repeated incidents of unacceptable conduct involving the Green Brigade group, the Club has suspended the season tickets of all season ticket holders who have registered with the Ticket Office as being part of this group, pending further review and communication with the group and/or the supporters in question regarding compliance with the Ground Regulations, the Rail Seating Safety Code of Conduct, and Club communications, moving forward.
“Therefore, your ticket is not eligible for use tomorrow night for our match against St. Mirren and will remain suspended until further notice.
“Access to away tickets for supporters registered as being part of the group will also remain suspended. The safety of all supporters at Celtic Park is of paramount importance and amid these serious safety concerns, this immediate action whilst regrettable, is considered by the Club to be necessary.
“We have separately emailed the representative of the group with further detail (shown above), following on from a number of formal written communications dating back to September and ongoing dialogue since the summer.
“Should you wish to contact the Club on this or any other matter related to the Rail Seating Section, we would ask that you direct your correspondence in the first instance to railseating@celticfc.co.uk.”
Celtic’s concern is over behaviour and the club believes that this has increasingly deteriorated this season and that the safety concerns are such that the action to deny away tickets to the group and now to suspend season tickets for Celtic Park pending a review, was the only viable option open to the club.
We understand that the club’s decision was NOT reached as a result of the Palestine flag protest at the Champions League match against Atletico Madrid and can also confirm that as of yet Celtic have NOT had any indication from UEFA that the club will be sanctioned for the flag display which had participants all over Celtic Park. That may change is the flags mentioned above are deemed to be worthy of another hefty fine for the club.
Celtic have concerns about the treatment towards stewards and also Police at matches – including the ‘Pig Watch’ situation and claim that the Green Brigade have stormed turnstiles and attempted to force open fire exits in order to allow ticketless supporters into the grounds.
The violent incidents at Easter Road at the weekend has been the final straw and the club has notified the season ticket holders affected of the decision. Celtic note that the incidents at Celtic Park are mounting – including breaking into the stadium ahead of the Lazio game – and that these threaten the renewal of the ground’s safety certificate.
The Celtic Star understands that the relationship between the club and the Green Brigade has deteriorated significantly in recent seasons and until there is a commitment to staying within the rules and regulations that are in place for valid reasons for all season ticket holders, the situation is not going to be resolved.
It’s a sad situation and one that needs the two parties to sit down and sort out the issues for the benefit of Celtic, as a whole.
What an absolute hypocritical shower of cowards or Tory Board are,everywhere people and countries are taking a stance against atrocities being committed by Israel on Palestine,and the board use any excuse to ban gb.personally I will not be attending the game tomorrow night and would love to see our support doing something to show this board that we got rid of one lot freeloaders we can certainly do it again
You are in the minority. The Green Brigade are nothing but neds with a scotvec in Marxism.
Celtic don’t need them, the fans don’t need them, scottish football doesn’t need them.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
This so-called hypocritical board you refer to have given this bunch of idiots chance after chance, year after year. The club have been the ones suffering each and every time. The issue is created by a bunch of uneducated, self-entitled, spoiled babies who are not there to support the club, but there to use Celtic as a platform for their protests! Their protests that are Palestine today, LGBQT tomorrow, something else the next day, as long as they have something to bitch about, regardless of them knowing nothing of the facts or the history of the backgrounds of the things they protest about!
Are they any different to those clowns who insist on conducting their Orange Walks every July? Not a single bit! Yet they stand against them! They’d be just as well standing beside them! After all, its a protest, isn’t it? They don’t know anything about that either, do they?
Crowds at football grounds should be there to watch the game and follow their team, or just enjoy the game!
Not show how uneducated they are, or how uneducated their parents were!
We are a football club, not a political group
Long overdue as over the years the GB have morphed from a supporters group into a hooligan group.
Hooray! I hope that the Green Brigade and its members never get to enter Celtic Park again. There is no point in negotiating with them; I’m not aware of their having honoured any undertakings they’ve given. The Green Brigade IS NOT “a supporters’ group”: it is an organised faction that has exploited Celtic and its fans for many years, much to Celtic’s dishonour and detriment. The directors have acted purely in the interests of the club and of decent supporters, and it’s wrong to malign them for that.
The green brigade have caused nothing but disorder. Thankyou Celtic for banning them . There are plenty true Celtic supporters waiting for tickets.
I’ve long backed the GB while accepting some of their actions are selfish,they bring so much to the matchday experience.But attacking stewards and endangering safety of fellow supporters is surely unacceptable to everyone.
Tories out of Celtic now!
Good News
No longer a BRIGADE now reduced to a SQUAD
HAIL HAIL
Jerry Woods
At last long overdue. They haven’t learned from instances in the past..Glad the club is making a stand not before time…Sell the tickets to fans on the waiting list.
Fckn unbelievable, I thought they banned G.B. from Easter Rd ??? How did they cause trouble ? SET UP! ..and gullible Celtic supporters believe them !
Did they ask what happened at Easter Rd in the words of the people caught in it ? I am not a supporter of the G.B and find many aspects of them detestable, but this is just too co-incidental and is a set up of the G.B, by the ruling class, to stop anti- Nazi Israel protests about the holocaust they are committing right this minute. The moron who owns Celtic has as much blood on his hands as Adolf Netanyahu ! Vile human beings. This has nothing to do with fan behaviours and was a set up both at Fir Park and Easter Rd to discredit them, thus preventing world wide publicity about the atrocities Celtic are steeped in ! As a life long Celtic supporter of over 60years I am sick to the pit of my stomach right now, but foresaw all of this and have talked about its evolution for many years. A side show to hide a holocaust. The Nazis never left us, they just went under protection, to the U.S. and have been in our midst since. Britain is a vile imperialist country and sadly so are many Irish who have supported them through thick and thin ! “Crumbs from the masters table !” Karma is painful and I for one won’t feel it when it hits the current custodians and their followers. Schitland will be a better country with the demise of both Celtic and Sevco.
Long winded trash, Celtic are a football club, we are not a political entity.
So why the Ukraine stuff ya fckn hypocrite ? bury yer head, ye can get yer uniform ready to march in order to the state, when yer sent to fight their war !!
Naw, I just have my head out of the ground. trot on with the heard Malcolm and typically, capitalise on someone else’s misfortune like the vulture you are. But, you wont be here when the club, which is not actually yours, but you seek kudos and self- affirmation from, goes through bad times and it also means ye can leave early when yer missus tells you to as you have to go Christmas shopping, or you have to get home on time. puppet…also you can drown with the Celtic board and the rest, in the blood of people you’re masters are capitalising on. Karma will come your way, but you probably wont recognise that day due to lack of intelligence and head deep in the ground. Trot on…the crocs are waiting !
Great news, I’ve been on the season ticket waiting list for a few years now and this will hopefully mean I’m closer to getting a ticket.
Whatever medication Sean McGinley is on, clearly isn’t working. This GB group do not represent the Celtic I know and love and they seriously tarnish the reputation of our club.
Au revoir and goodbye
Naw, I just have my head out of the ground. trot on with the heard Malcolm and typically, capitalise on someone else’s misfortune like the vulture you are. But, you wont be here when the club, which is not actually yours, but you seek kudos and self- affirmation from, goes through bad times and it also means ye can leave early when yer missus tells you to as you have to go Christmas shopping, or you have to get home on time. puppet…also you can drown with the Celtic board and the rest, in the blood of people you’re masters are capitalising on. Karma will come your way, but you probably wont recognise that day due to lack of intelligence and head deep in the ground. Trot on…the crocs are waiting !