MAKES you wonder doesn’t it? A partial closure of a stadium announced late on a Monday night and less than two days before an AGM where the board is very likely to face some serious questions over the way it has defended the honour of the club.
Smoke and mirrors comes to mind and this time the smoke isn’t from the Green Brigade.
The Celtic Board know they’ll be accused by a vocal and questioning element, accusing them of leading a seemingly compliant Celtic FC alongside the continuation of a myth that Celtic and a resurrected ‘Rangers’ are required to maintain a vibrant television broadcasting market and as such don’t rock the boat, even in the face of our Club being wronged and shareholders losing out.
So much so that they’ve encouraged shareholders to vote against a motion raised by the supporters themselves as Resolution 12 rears its head again much to the chagrin of our board. On Wednesday that question will be aired and with it whatever the outcome will come a lot of public coverage. This is the board’s chance to explain why they appear to be ignoring clear evidence of cheating, and railing against their own shareholders and fans. They will be asked those questions.
Why TV deals and a continuation myth is more important than sporting integrity, highlighting a fraud and demanding answers with more resolve than the wishy washy request to the SFA, that the evidence of time shows was lip service paid to the Resolution 12 protagonists. And then sitting on the whole thing in the hope that time will see the issue die of boredom.
On Wednesday the board are about to find out that old father time hasn’t done its job and there is a hunger and desire among many supporters for justice to be sought. Questions need to be answered as to why it looks suspiciously like Celtic are very much complicit in assisting a governing body to allow their rivals to escape without scrutiny, all in the need to justify their own thirst for corporate deals . Those questions are about to make this Celtic Board look rather weak when it comes to defending the supporters and the club. If only there was a way to counter that.
What better way to deflect from those questions by announcing they are defending fans from fireworks, offensive chants and banners and overcrowding. We now know that is the narrative they intend to follow.
This board know the fans are split on the issue of Pyrotechnics and they sense an opportunity to be seen to act, while choosing a time to raise the issue to force Resolution 12 complaints further down the agenda. Political chanting aside the Pyro debate is simply one we cannot win. There is no way our club can defend that. But the timing is suspicious to say the least. Surely it’s not an intervention motivated to deflect from what is happening on Wednesday?
Celtic haven’t stated they are pre-empting a UEFA ban because there is little evidence they would be. Bans for political chanting and so called offensive banners like that of Mussolini at the Lazio home game isn’t done. Racism yes-Anti Fascism? Really? No I don’t think so either.
And why blame one small section of the stadium for that when the whole crowd were equally responsive for the so called illicit singing? That smacks of a divide and conquer approach.
I get the fireworks the so called ‘No Pyro no party’ approach needs to be addressed but the timing is strange is it not?
No not strange, what’s the word I’m looking for? Convenient, yes that’s it.
To me this looks like an engineered opportunity to deflect away from what could be a very hot atmosphere at the AGM on Wednesday. A way of being able to defend accusations of not looking after supporters by saying-We took action against The Green Brigade.
You’d almost think the Board might be scared of just what those banners might read on Thursday night when the board vote down the Resolution 12 motion. Any concerns the targets might be a bit close to home?
Resolution 12 hasn’t gone away and deflection tactics are unlikely to work either. Most fans will see through the timing of all of this. It is likely to strengthen resolve rather than weaken it.
Many supporters will see these as the tactics of a Board increasingly out of touch on the issues surrounding Resolution 12 and now turning against its own support. It could well be a decision they come to regret.
When you try and divide, be certain you can conquer.
That’s No Flare – No Natural Justice as Celtic Partially close Standing Section ‘following safety issues’
You can read our Editor’s own comments on this Partial Stadium Ban HERE.
And send in your thoughts, whether you agree or disagree with the Board’s action and tell us why you’ve reached that conclusion. Email editor@thecelticstar.co.uk asap and we’ll feature your comments on the site in the morning.
Niall J
