NEIL LENNON spoke out against the Banger who threw the Banger at the Simple Digital Arena last night that almost saw the home team walk off the park. Very few Celtic Supporters will have ANY sympathy for this small group of supporters who insist through firecrackers and flares onto the park despite the damage that it is doing to Celtic.
Who they hell do they think that they are?
Unless there is a public statement saying that these unnecessary additions to match days is over there needs to be a complete re-think in how the tickets for away games are distributed.
That is where Celtic need to go and they will have the vast majority of the support behind them in this matter. I was at the game last night, standing in the back row where Ryan Christie celebrated his goal. The banger went off just next to the goal-post and it was loud, very loud.
It certainly startled the St Mirren goalkeeper and brought a fierce condemnation from the Celtic manager.
“It serves no purpose in a football ground,” Neil Lennon stated.
“I don’t see the motivation for anyone to bring a flash-bang or pyrotechnic into a stadium.
“The health and safety of the players and officials is paramount. It didn’t just spook the St Mirren keeper but some of our players too.
“Ryan was also spooked and the goalie might have burst an ear drum.
“It delays the game when we have scored a goal and want to get going again. It serves no purpose whatsoever.
“The club have made a real stand in condemning it at times. I don’t understand why people want to do that. There is no logic in it.
“Why does an individual want to bring that to a game? It doesn’t impress anyone, it doesn’t add anything.
“It just damages people – and it could have damaged a player. It damages the reputation of the good fans we have and we just don’t want it.
“It’s just totally uncalled-for at a time when we should be enjoying football and hopefully having a big celebration in a week or two.”
The St Mirren manager Oran Kearney confirmed that he considered taking his players off the park as a direct result of the banger going off near his keeper and indeed the Celtic players finishing their goal celebrations.
Kearney had already used his three substitutions and was faced with the prospect of playing with ten men and having to put an outfield player in goals due to this idiot’s behaviour.
“It is crazy to think we might have had to use an outfield player in goal,” the Saints boss stated.
“It is mad to think of how that possibly could have ended up. You are tempted to walk your team off the pitch.
“We have been beat tonight – the easiest thing for me to do is make a massive meal out of that and deflect away, but it is a huge deal.
“I had a brief chat with (Hladky) but had to rush out to do media stuff. We are hopeful that thankfully it hasn’t ended up more sinister than it could have.
“I am standing 50 or 60 yards away and it made me jump. So if he is a yard away or however close, I dread to think the sound that came off.”
Meanwhile, here is Neil Lennon’s Post Match interview with Celtic TV…
And with the BBC…
"Health and safety of the players is paramount. And I don't think it's a necessity that anyone needs in the stadium."
Neil Lennon has criticised Celtic fans for throwing a smoke bomb on to the pitch in Wednesday's 2-0 win over St Mirren. pic.twitter.com/YSrRHqcOVu
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) April 4, 2019
