In the build-up to the Champions League match against Lazio at Celtic Park this evening the club have confirmed to The Celtic Star that they have been hit with yet another fine from UEFA, this time for €23,000 and this relates to the pyrotechnics set off by the travelling Celtic support at the De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam on match day one.
This is an ongoing concern for Celtic who have been subjected to numerous fines from UEFA over the past decade or so and are once again hoping that this can be resolved through dialogue and agreement to the satisfaction of all with the best interest of Celtic at heart.
Of course there are many fans who will say that pyros and colour to the occasion and emphasis the support that is given to the team, while others see no merit in the club having fine and fine to pay with no sign of a resolution in sight.
Whatever your own thoughts are on the pyrotechnics issue it is clear that Celtic will continue to be fined and indeed if there are pyros set off tonight that is almost certain to happen. It also gives the media fuel to have a kick at Celtic with their take on the volumes of fines that always seen to come our way.
Could we not at least agree not to use them at UEFA matches? There’s going to be a debate about this one way or another as Celtic plan to issue an appeal to the supporters to bring an end to this situation where UEFA fines are a constant and the club are expected try UEFA to do something about it.
Anyone who was at the Rapid Vienna game in 1984 will know how these things can go badly wrong when UEFA are involved and patience it seems is wearing thin. We can’t say that we haven’t been warned.
Celtic statement on this matter is as follows:
“Clearly, we are concerned that, despite repeated requests and safety warnings, a small minority continue to use pyrotechnics at Celtic’s matches.
“The use of pyrotechnics represents a serious risk to the safety of our supporters. Celtic has been hit with another significant sanction by UEFA due to this behaviour. Again, the club requests that this conduct stops.”
Celtic fines over the past 10 years total more than £250,000, mostly related to pyrotechnic charges.
PyroTECHNICSI are a HEALTH HAZARD.
The Green Brigade have been asked quietly and nicely to stop using them and to stop their inappropriate banners which annoy UEFA. All they are doing is harming Celtic and wasting the hard earned cash that fans have put into the club. Unfortunately, the GB have a superiority complex similar to that of the hordes at Mordor and they cannot be trusted.