The gloves are off, Operation Stop Celtic is in full swing

Well the gloves are well and truly off now. Operation Stop Celtic is in full swing.

Celtic’s Ryan Christies’ three match ban-two games for Christie being issued with a notice of complaint for violent conduct after Celtic’s 2-1 loss on 29 December and the third added due his sending off against Livingston – is probably no surprise to many Celtic fans.

Christie has received his ban for grabbing out at Morelos groin in the recent Derby match at Celtic Park. Given however it comes on the back of a similar incident at Ibrox December 2018 when Alfredo Morelos was the accused and Ryan Christie the victim, it’s almost but not quite a surprise to find there is no balance in the punishments handed down.

In those circumstances Morelos had no case to answer and no punishment was meted out. In fact Morelos got away scot free despite various assaults at Ibrox that afternoon. The same day match referee John Beaton was photographed in a ‘Rangers’ supporters watering hole, The Crown Bar Bellshill having a post-match re-fuel after his refereeing exertions a few hours previously. Only in Scotland.

The whole situation and fall out from it last year stank to the high heavens. Today’s judgment from the corridors of power has more than a strong whiff of bias yet again.

Thankfully Celtic had already argued in a statement last week they were “astonished” at the charge, which is deemed an “act of brutality”, stating they would defend it “vigorously”.

The fact Christie is already injured for reasons not quite 100% clear but certainly strongly rumoured, means it’s likely the ban that means Ryan will miss the Scottish Cup tie with Partick Thistle and Premiership games against Kilmarnock and Ross County will coincide with his recovery period. That shouldn’t be allowed to be passed off as a reason not to challenge the inequality in the punishment handed down.

While at it, it may be prudent for Celtic to request clarification how a member club has managed to make claims of racist abuse towards Morelos allegedly from the Celtic support and still to date we have seen no evidence of this at all and why two ‘Rangers’ players Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos have escaped any compliance officer scrutiny for murderous throat slitting and gun shooting gestures directed at the Celtic support.

Today’s punishment of Christie is clearly at odds with previous punishments for similar actions. The only difference between Christie and Morelos and the two incidents in question is the nature of the punishment and the colour of the shirt worn by the offender.

We have already seen evidence put forward this week by a very determined group of Celtic supporters and shareholders that the SFA and ‘the’ Rangers have worked hand in hand over the same club myth continuation. This hand in hand relationship has already cost Celtic some £20million in 2011-2012 season when a UEFA licence was approved despite the criteria for its award clearly not being met. That award now looks like it was fraudulent. That action cost Celtic their rightful place in European competition and our own custodians have done the square route of nothing at all about defending this club and its interests, not then and not now.

Celtic’s board has already decided to state this matter was not in Celtic’s interest. Well it is now coming home to roost. When you don’t defend yourself people continue to take advantage of you and this is exactly what is happening with Ryan Christie’s ban while ‘the’ Rangers players actions appears to have been conveniently ignored.

The time to stand up for Celtic, Mr Lawwell is long overdue. The sad thing is Celtic supporters now have little confidence in you to do so. You can still rectify at least some of that in-action now.

Celtic were defeated fairly and squarely on the park on 29 December. Since then the club has seen a series of incidents go against us and it smacks of a concerted effort to sully the reputation of the support and the professionalism of our players whilst ignoring very questionable behaviour from our opponents both on the pitch and at boardroom level. While our own board it appears remain ridiculously relaxed about it all.

Celtic have promised to defend Ryan Christie “vigorously” Let’s now see action behind those words Mr Lawwell. Over to you.

Celtic this evening released the following statement on the club’s official website: “Celtic Football Club and Ryan Christie are extremely disappointed at the outcome of the hearing today.

“Given the recent treatment of Celtic players and the lack of sanctions being imposed on those responsible, the fact that a sanction has been imposed on Ryan for the incident in question demonstrates a worrying lack of consistency in the Scottish FA fast track process.

“Naturally, we will be contacting the Scottish FA regarding our concerns. Scottish football deserves a disciplinary process which is fair, consistent and fit for purpose.”