Fans Join Celtic Chiefs Clean Up Call

Brian Quinn's appeal for fans to behave on their travels has been welcomed by
Celtic's three main supporters' groups.
The Hoops chairman has urged supporters not to sing ``songs and chants that
are offensive to the great majority'' on the eve of their latest Champions
League campaign.
And the Celtic Supporters' Association, the Affiliation of Registered CSCs and
the Association of Irish Celtic Supporters' Clubs have all issued statements of
support.
The Celtic Supporters' Association said: ``Unfortunately not everything is
perfect and some supporters, mainly away from Celtic Park, persist in singing
offensive songs and chants that are unacceptable to their fellow supporters.
``Decent Celtic supporters have to make their voices heard above that
minority.''
UEFA have threatened clubs with disciplinary action as they clamp down on
racism, bigotry and sectarianism.
That prompted Rangers to step up their fight against these problems and now
Celtic have followed suit with supporters concerned about the behaviour of
others at away grounds.
The Bank of Scotland Premier League champions travel to Old Trafford next week to face Manchester United in the Group F opener and that has prompted a tough
message from the club.
Quinn said: ``We mustn't throw away our chances of success through the
misbehaviour of a small number of people who may follow our team but cannot
really be called supporters if they continue to jeopardise our progress in
Europe by singing songs and chants that are offensive to the great majority of
our supporters.
``Do they really want to see Celtic penalised by the football authorities,
with the possibility of having points deducted or even European games having to
be played away from Celtic Park? I think the answer is obvious.
``I have received many letters on this matter. The great majority fully
support the stance taken by the club. A very few have argued that we are
interfering with their right to free speech or that they do not need lectures
from the likes of me on how to behave.
``Both these comments are wide of the mark. The right of free speech has to be
balanced against the rights of others, especially in this case those who find
the songs and chants in question unacceptable and damaging to Celtic's good
name.
``I don't do lectures. As my recent letter shows, I do appeals to supporters'
sense of good behaviour.
``I repeat that appeal: please do not jeopardise our prospects in Europe but instead act in such a way as to maintain the reputation of our fans for
passionate support and decent behaviour.
``Finally, this is not a message intended only for European games. It applies
equally to domestic matches, home and away. Let's create an atmosphere that all
Celtic supporters can enjoy as we follow and support our great club.''
The Affiliation of Registered CSCs said: ``Brian Quinn has our full backing in
what we believe to be in the best interest of Celtic Football Club and their
supporters worldwide.''
And a statement from the Association of Irish Celtic Supporters' Clubs read:
``As supporters, we will be aiming to live up to the values of decency, respect
and tolerance that won us the FIFA and UEFA Fair Play awards following the
memorable 2003 campaign and, indeed, which are a central part of being a Celtic supporter.''

 

Totally agree with Quinn on this, there are loads of cracking celtic songs which the fans can sing without the bigotry.





P.S. Bruce Lee whipped yo *

 

No chance of this happening.

I'll be at Pittoddrie on Saturday, and I guarantee that the songs will be sung in full voice, as ever. The atmosphere is completely decimated at Celtic Park, where it has been reduced to a good chorus of YNWA on Euro nights and the odd sprinkling of Athenry or Hail Hail.

Whilst I also agree that the pro IRA songs must go, especially in todays environment, it seems the Celtic support is incapable of singing anything else with such passion and fervour.

This is a problem that will take years to address (I don't mean 2 or 3), but it is one that has to be, before UEFA get involved, and take retribution, which they have only tested the water on with Rangers.

 

If it takes years then so be it. You can't change habits overnight. Eventually a generation of young celts will be going to games who don't know the pro-ira stuff.

 

Sorry but what biggoted songs do we actually sing? The only thing i can think off is random IRA shouts flung into songs like wullie maley or fields of athenry i cant think of actual songs?

Also with regards to what some1 is saying about the atmosphere at Celtic Park, i totally agree. And imo this is due to season ticket holders who take up 90% of the stadium and go week in and week out so for them there isnt much emotion especially when its normal SPL games

 

Nothing gets sung at CP these days, as I've said before the club has tried to sanitise the atmos as part of their campaign against sectarianism. They are quite happy to see everyone sitting on their hands. At away grounds all the old favourites get wheeled out.

 

To true mate...the way things are going you'll have even less atomosphere at away games then you do at Parkhead..prwan sandwich anyone

 

Oi SLIPPY!...Slippy was my old user name on "COTH" whats your game?!

 

Like i said on the JungleBhoys forum, an Old Firm game with easy chants, perfect family day out, tourists, no swearing or one with passion flowing immensely through every supporters veins, a life or death situation belting out songs such as The Fields. I know where I'd rather be.

 

Where is this all anti freedom of speech (Or is it Anti irish Scot) approach going, personally, I would like someone to educate me as to the actual definition of what is Bigoted and what is sectarianism. What it is all about, is the fact that it is not acceptable in the eyes of the majority of the population in Scotland (Non Catholic Scots) that Irish Scots are still proud of their Irish heritage. I am proud to be Scottish and have experienced Scots in diffferent countries in the world celebrating their Scottish heritage; I did the same! but what is good for the Goose should be good for the Gander, unless you are a bigoted Scot of for example, the presbyterian type. Who is actually being offended here, is it the powers that be in Scotland that have turned a blind eye to the discrimination that has been openly practiced on Catholics for the last 150 years? What is happening I think is very clever, for they are succeeding in turning us against each other with so called Celtic supporters denying their own heritage. Maybe you guys could sing baa baa black sheep! oh I forgot that could be constued as bigoted! Sorry if this all sounds a bit fragmented but its too early in the morning to think straight and I'm off to Jury service!!!

 

SAY NO TO CENSORSHIP IN ANY FORM.

 

100% agree, we could sing Irish songs loud and proud !

 

I also agree with the latter posts i think football is played at a fast tough tense pace i dont see why the fans cant join in with some passionate edge of your seat blood circulating CELTIC chants!!!

 

Wouldn't you say there is a difference between irish songs and pro-ira chants.

 

Let the people sing!

This is such a loada *....We should be proud of the history of this club and the communities it comes from and represents. Glasgow Celtic's alot more than a football club and it's certainly more than advertising space to be tidied up and made palatable for Nike & Coca * Cola! And we shouldny be confused about it - that's what this is about - Celtic and UEFA both just want a family freindly, uncontroversial product to sell at prime time....is this really what we want for our club? This PC sanitisation not only sucks the atmosphere out of the ground but the character of the club and what makes it a special one in the first place, IMO.

 

Thats why I said Irish songs not pro-ira songs

 

If people wanna sing political songs then what right does anyone have to stop them? I'm against SECTERIAN or BIGOTED songs, but I can't think of a single one which Celtic supporters sing, can you? Fans shouldny be using abusive terms like 'Orange *' or '*' or whatever but they have every right to sing songs about the history of the communities the club is founded upon.

 

I actually agree its a free country

 

I'm with you on this one but if we end up with points deducted then we would not be happy. I think its bang out of order and they have us over a barrel on this one. No point in risking sanctions.

 

Rebel Songs and/or Irish Songs about the wars, political opinion and the troubles dont have any place being sung in a soccer ground. Our fight for freedom and all the problems in Ireland have nothing to do with Celtic FC's history. Anyone that sing these songs shouldnt be allowed a ticket to any Celtic matches.