When it comes to pre-emptive common sense, the Celtic Board really cannot be condemned in taking action to close the standing section at Celtic Park and relocate supporters to other areas of the stadium for Sunday’s Scottish Cup tie with Raith Rovers – they have little choice.
After all it stops direct action being taken on health and safety grounds by Glasgow City Council, who themselves no doubt felt they would have to intervene, without the club stepping in, whether they wanted to or not, given the worldwide broadcasting of the Green Brigades pyrotechnic display prior to the Derby victory over theRangers, and the no doubt numerous complaints the Council would have received upon which they would have to act and feedback on.
The thing is when it comes to pyrotechnics, flares and all the rest at football games, the genie is out the bottle, there really is no going back on this now. It doesn’t matter what country it is; the rise of the Ultra fan movement is everywhere and it’s here to stay, and with it as part of that culture comes the pyrotechnics and the use of flares – has any country or club been able to stop this?
Celtic have previously closed that section of the north curve for a variety of reasons and most of the other issues for closure can be discussed and common ground found, yet on the subject of the flares and fireworks there appears to be an impasse.
But there can be common ground sought and solutions found, however it takes both sides to realise that discussion can be had, it takes changes in the use of what flares and pyrotechnics the Green Brigade use, and it takes the Club and Glasgow City to join with the Green Brigade and find safer solutions within the stadium.
This issue was raised in 2019 when that section of the ground was closed for the Europa League game with Rennes. On the Celtic Star we raised work being carried out by the A-League and by Orlando City FC in the United States –
“Football Federation Australia is assisting active supporter groups using pyrotechnics at A-League games and is set to permit “safe” smoke-emitting devices in stadiums next season. In what is understood to be a world first, a national federation could help supply fans with smoke-emitting devices and encourage use of legal pyrotechnics with the FFA determined to rejuvenate active support in the A-League.
“The FFA has not wavered from its firm stance against the lighting of flares inside venues, which is illegal in Australia due to the extreme heat released and potential to cause serious burns. However, in helping fan groups use devices that release volumes of coloured smoke for approximately 90 seconds with limited or no heat, the FFA believes it can find a legal and safe alternative to flares”.
I don’t know if the Green Brigade have looked into such alternatives and I don’t know if the club has looked at such options, or indeed if Glasgow City Council can consider them as viable alternatives, but it is an indication that technology is moving on enough already to make the flares and fireworks safer. Add this to finding areas of stadium that can be allocated to sections of supporters who wish to be there and understand the risks, and if that’s possible and it can be done safely, is it worth starting those discussions now?
Greg O’Rourke explained who was head of the A-League in 2019 was quoted as saying,
“Safe smoke is not the panacea but it will just be one part of the picture to enhance the match-day colour. It’s clear that we have to do some relationship building between the clubs, the fans and the FFA and we’re looking to engage on that with any of those fan groups that wish to do so.”
Apparently O’Rouke found some answers by looking to the USA and a club who had a designated area set aside in their ground for the use of Pyrotechnics and exclusively for a group of supporters who chose to be in that area of the stadium.
Orlando City FC seem to have been the trailblazers on this occasion. It might then be a port of call for the Green Brigade to bring evidence of how it can be done safely or the board to broach the subject and still have the colour and vibrancy that The Green Brigade bring to Celtic Park.
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Celtic have of course taken the correct pre-emptive action after the Derby light and smoke show, they had little other course of action, but ultimately it takes us no further forward to finding a solution. Instead, it merely kicks the can down the road and we return to it again later on. And we will, because football culture moves on, and it appears, as you can see right across Europe, the use of pyrotechnics is not a fad or a fashion, it is now engrained in the matchday experience across the world whether we like it, agree with it, or despise it.
If other clubs, other countries, and other Ultra movements can discuss this and attempt to find solutions, then perhaps so too can those involved in this impasse, because it seems two and a half years after the previous temporary closure we are back where we started.
Niall J
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They just shouldn’t b used . They r a health ( there r lots of ppl with breathing complaints) and safety (burning) risk . While it looks good it’s dangerous. H H
Agree with John Paul, stupid thing to be doing in a stadium. Whole “ultras” nonsense is an embarrasment to the club! Just a bunch of Neds who for some reaon think they know/care more about Celtic than anyone else, why can’t they just come watch the football, sing and shout like the rest of us and just enjoy it? The political stuff is nonsense too, half of them probably couldn’t point to palestine on a map….. just neds who get away with far too much and are a constant embarrasment to the club and the rest of the support, I say get them all to F! And take their pyros with them.