In 1990, the then Rangers head of security, Alistair Hood jokingly suggested that Ibrox Stadium should have seatbelts installed to stop fans doing The Bouncy. How Many Times Has Man City Won Against Liverpool. Blog: Why Celtic fans were right to fly the Palestine flag As a football visionary, Harry Swan was head and shoulders above his associates in Scotland and England. Even the name, 'Celtic', was chosen to showcase the club's Irish and Scottish heritage. Answer (1 of 4): Most Celtic fans do not hence why you will never see a saltire at Parkhead they are an Irish club that just happen to be based in Scotland. In particular three events made a noticeable impact on public opinion Rangers supporters rioting in Barcelona at the end of the 1971-72 European Cup Winners Cup Final in Barcelona which brought attention of their supporters behaviour to the awareness of all Europe and led to the club being barred from European competition for two years (later reduced to one), Rangers supporters rioting at the start of the 1972-73 season Drybrough Cup and the disturbances between Hibernian and Celtic supporters at the Drybrough Cup Final. Jacob Judah explains: Whatever you feel, it is your choice. On account of its associations through founders and supporters with Ireland the Celtic club from the beginning had flown over the stand at Parkhead the old Irish flag of a golden harp on a green background. CelticBhoyDavid said: . Celtic continues to honour this heritage in a variety of ways. Wherever there is oppression in the world, football, by its very nature, can provide a vehicle for expressing pride in a national cause. Celtic met Rangers at Celtic Park on New Years Day 1952 and by all accounts had played poorly, losing 4-1. The Club flies the Irish Tricolour on Match Days to mark our Irish heritage. On the same site, I came across a letter written in 2004 by the Celtic View Editor. 2 Does Celtic support Ireland? If it was supposedly to dampen down troubles in recent Celtic v Rangers games, then how exactly was the removal of a flag to do this? While the Alt key is pressed, and symbols. Muhammad Ali was more than just a boxer. The state and its attendant offices have never been comfortable when large groups of mainly working-class men gather together in a common purpose. Required fields are marked *. This flag has nothing to do with the trouble. In time the SFA realised the absurdity of threatening to suspend Celtic from the game over the issue particularly as they found it impossible to demonstrate any rule the club had broken. Bottles were thrown, eleven spectators were arrested, two men were sent too prison and others were fined for their part in a number of incidents that took place in and around Celtic Park. As each team must play 34 games in the German Bundesliga, the achievement of a player scoring the equivalent of a goal every game is always seen as an impressive feat. Without Celtics great history of success on the field, the club may never have become as popular as it is today. This summer during an Elton John concert they melted out surprisingly. Their y. Every time Celtic won a game their suffering was eased a little. How can you divorce football from the reality of people? Football is Connor's main passion. It is not there to be waved in the face of the opposition as an attempt to upset and annoy others. Rangers objected to the question from one of the magistrates as to why they had failed to sign a Catholic employee. So around 100 Celtic fans in a crowd of 60,000 waved Palestinian flags at the game in a show of solidarity with the Palestinians. Since that first day, long in the planning, when his mother or father decided finally to inaugurate him into the sacred mysteries he has been condemned to be viewed with suspicion, fear and loathing by the government, civic authorities and the men who actually run the game. Our many Irish fans show that our Irishness is not just something from the past. Celtic wasnt even the first Scottish club with an Irish identity, that title goes to Hibernian. Within 24 hours Celtic fans had passed their initial target of 40,000 ($52,700): at time of writing the sum stood at $125,000. Celtic are proud of our Irish roots. The Old Firm rivalry cuts deep in Scottish football and, arguably, each team needs the other. They are unpredictable and are driven by strange currents and deep emotions that a politician will never understand. During the fascist regime of General Franco in Spain, to display the Catalan flag was to risk death or imprisonment. Celtic are likely to be fined for allowing their fans to wave Palestinian flags at a Champions League game. Rangers sectarian policies were being swept under the carpet and the flag issue was being used as a diversion technique. Yes socts support Celtic. 24 hours Celtic fans had passed their initial target of 40,000 ($52,700), Belgian city of Liege cuts ties with Israel over apartheid, Palestinians hit out at EU leader for claiming Israel made 'desert bloom', Celtic fans raise thousands for Palestine in protest at UEFA charges, UEFA investigating Celtic after its fans flew Palestine flag. One such display of turbulence occurred on 1st January 1952. The Bouncy was first performed in 1984 as a terrace song at Rangers home ground Ibrox Stadium. The first sod of turf laid at Celtics new home had been imported from Donegal in Ireland. More than 20% of Liverpools population was Irish by 1851. Right now Celtic are in Beersheva, which is 20 miles from Gaza, which the Israeli military has bombed this week. adopted "You'll Never Walk Alone" as its official motto on its coat of arms as the song became their football anthem. The Club flies the Irish Tricolour on Match Days to mark our Irish heritage. Of course flags can still annoy or even antagonise some. There is national prestige, free foreign travel with first-class accommodation and the opportunity to take a wee clip now and then when success causes its light to shine upon them all. Now you must raise our child with dignity. M any people would struggle to name the six Celtic nations in the world: Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, and Brittany. This vague statement was construed as a reference to the flag of Eire which flew over one end of the covered enclosure, and some football officials undoubtedly with a history of bias against Celtic chose to use this recommendation as an excuse to threaten the club. Scottish club's followers have always shown solidarity towards the dispossessed and oppressed, Football and flags: Why Celtic fans back the Palestinian cause. We believe this term is now redundant following the liquidation of Rangers (1872). The dispossession and hunger during the famine - which left more than one million dead - and the devastation on the land and psyche of the survivors forced a diaspora of Irish people all over the globe. Supporters have been showing solidarity with the people of Palestine for as long as I can remember: first it was badges, then it was kaffiyehs and now it's flags. Desmond White (Celtic Chairman in 70s) on then SFA secretary George Graham, Daily Record, Thursday 5 September 1940 Do Celtic fans consider themselves Irish? At the time of writing they are comfortably past the 200k mark and will be approaching 500k by the time of the Uefa hearing on 22 September. It was in 1952 when a malevolent Referees Committee of the SFA ambushed Celtic FC with what is now known as the Flag flutter. He makes some engrossing points after a crowd disturbance at a Celtic v Rangers match somehow drew the Irish flag into the aftermath of a debate held by Scottish Football rulers. Celtics figure coming in slightly lower at 94.56%. Some groups of Celtic supporters also sing or chant Irish folk and rebel songs, which express support for the IRA. Correspondingly, among some in the British community in Northern Ireland, support for Celtics arch rivals Rangers has become an expression of their Britishness. However, that criticism is unfair. How do I prepare for a Solutions Architect interview? It consists of two interlaced triskelions. St John began by thanking Glasgow for looking after the famine victims, and then began to sing Fields of Athenry, accompanied by thousands of fans. Why Are Celtic Linked to Ireland? The entire events illustrate the crude attempts by the authorities to use their own ignorance and bigotry to challenge and blacken the name of our club to mask their own deficiencies. Almost two years ago, a survey in Ireland confirmed what we already knew that Manchester United dominates the football landscape. Its not unusual for some to make their feelings known about Celtic supporters continuing display of the Irish tricolour but for most it has become empty rhetoric. However, despite this historic connection to Ireland, Dundee Uniteds Irish past is much less known than its rivals. The Irish Flag Controversy On New Year's Day 1952, fan disorder between Celtic and Rangers led to renewed attention on football violence. It would seem that an official of long standing in the SFA was the prime agitator for its removal. Importantly, this came in the wake of the demise of Belfast Celtic who were forced to closedown in 1949 following a vicious riot that led to the vicious attack on their players which led to the serious injury of one of them. The acting chairman of the Referee Committee, who had instructed Celtic to take down the flag, proposed that his decree be suspended until the outcome of a meeting between the Scottish League and the SFA for the purpose of reconsidering the matter. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); What is a "Downed" Opponent? . Celtic fans wave Palestinian flags at Champions League game Yet, often, football and its mass participation is an ideal place for angry young men and women to gather around and express solidarity. Our articles in November last year on legendary Hibs chairman Harry Swan provoked response from Rob Boag. It was never only ever about football. The massive influx into the city of poor Irish people, fleeing due to dispossession of land, poverty or general necessity, was a huge burden on the residents. The sad irony is that Hibernian (a forerunner of senior football for the Irish community in Scotland) were one of the clubs behind the attempt to suppress Irish symbolism at a fellow club. The press of 1952 may have screeched, They are still flying the Eire flag!Its flying there still and that isnt likely to change either, nor should it. In their fantasy world, football success and the prestige that comes with it can be achieved without having to share it with the scum punters. History has shown that Celtic fans and Palestinians have few friends in the media. Yours faithfully The Editor, Celtic View. It is done to remind the people of Palestine, wherever in the world they may be, that they are not alone and that they are not forgotten. Not only does Scotland possess adequate stadiums to cover internationals, the huge sums spent on the stadium could have rejuvenated the game had it been invested in facilities and coaches for the development of young players. Its not just Irish players who shone brightly at Celtic Park, there is a rich history of managers hailing from Ireland too. The Referee Committee had based their high-handed action on Article of Association 114, which runs: Each club in its membership shall be responsible for the conduct of its spectators on any ground and misbehaviour by supporters during or at close of matches shall render a member liable to fine or closure of ground, or suspension, or all of the penalties., Mr Robert Kelly, the Celtic chairman, opposed the decision on the basis that nothing in the rules of football gave the SFA the authority to impose such a penalty., The chapter added: In supporting Mr Kelly in his assertion that the Eire flag was not the cause for the disturbance (in the 1st January 1952 game) Mr JF Wilson, chairman of Rangers, told the council that the emblem had never been of any annoyance to Rangers. Why do Celtic fans sing the Fields of Athenry? A prime example is the NBA franchise the Boston Celtics, which was founded in 1911. The flags . Celtics links to Ireland go right back to the clubs creation. It didnt take long for Celtic to taste success and the Glasgow club claimed its first league title in 1893. Its also taking things too far when some say it was Hibs revenge against Celtic for supposedly bringing them down in the 19th Century (the latter being complete balderdash from Hibernian fans when you look at the facts). In retrospect, the matter may now seem to many as if it were a storm in a teacup, to be recalled for amusement, but at the time it was anything but that (especially in light of events surrounding Belfast Celtic). A famous 1967 victory over Inter Milan in Benfica is a fond memory for many Celtic fans, even if most were not alive to witness it first-hand. CatholicWhile the majority of Celtic fans are Catholic, some of the key figures in the clubs history (Jock Stein, Kenny Dalglish, and Danny McGrain amongst others) have come from a Protestant background. The attempt to tackle hooliganism was piecemeal and full of the tokenism regularly seen from those in power. Celtic and Rangers should not meet on New Years Day again due to increased drunkenness at that time of year.Matches between them should be all ticket with a crowd limit set by the Police.Celtic should in the interests of safety number passageways at Celtic Park.The two clubs should avoid displaying flags which might incite feelings among the spectators. Celtics connection to Ireland isnt unique, and there are a couple of other Scottish football teams with Irish links; Hibernian and Dundee United. Its home is Glasgow, so people from Glasgow support the club. Eventually it became a beacon of hope and source of pride to dispossessed people. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. The proportion of Celts is only slightly higher in Scotland, at 73 per cent. Irish Flags | TalkCeltic - The Ultimate Celtic FC Forum Games, along with military adventures and royal fecundity, have remained the favoured way of keeping the minds and bodies of the punters occupied while they are being cheated and exploited. However, the council voted to ignore Celtics plea and the battle-lines were drawn. Celtic were having none of it and Bob Kelly, a stubborn man of principle in the McCann mould dug in his heels knowing that Celtic had not broken any rules of the SFA. And yet, among the elder statesmen of Celtic supporters, there was always caution a benefit of the doubt, when Harry Swans name was mentioned in the Flag affair. In this, they stated their aim of raising 75k to match any Uefa fine and then distribute it to the two nominated charities. The autonomous region of Galicia, Spain, is the seventh Celtic Nation and the least known of the group. of Sectarianism). Sports Clubs / Ultras: Liverpool Urchins Their past history of success has led to many fans supporting the Reds who play at Anfield. The Fields of Anfield Road is a football song sung by supporters of Liverpool Football Club. Celtic is more than just a football club. Has Scotland Ever Had A Natural Disaster? The two have dominated Scottish football's history; between them, they have won the Scottish league championship 104 times since its inception in 1890 - all other clubs combined have won 19 championships. This will probably end in a fine approaching six figures as there have been several previous instances of unwarranted political behaviour by Celtic fans. During season 1951/52, whilst Celtic were floundering on the field, the club became involved in an increasingly tense contretemps with the SFA. If it did, there might have been more scrutiny of the way in which it operated as a global mafia, helping itself to the fruits of ordinary supporters love for football. Celtic supporters know this too. They do not appear on a printed message. There may be a tradition of Protestant or Catholic people following a particular club but thats all it is, tradition. Which Player Has Scored The Most Goals At Anfield? Traditionally, Rangers supporters are Protestant while Celtic fans support the Catholic Church.