AFC Celtic

Celtic FC have been forced into a position of having to respond to this. Celtic are wearing the poppy this week as are every other SPL club. Celtic didn't initiate the wearing of the poppy, they are simply going along with this in lne with the otehr SPL clubs.

I think Celtic's Irish heritage is something to be proud of and we should look to promote this at all times. But remember, we are a Scottish club, in a Scottish League. There are huge amounts of Scottish Celtic supporters that will feel it is only right we wear the poppy.

A number of Celtic players were killed in World War One. Should we not honour them with the wearing of the poppy?

Our greatest ever manager was a proud Scot. I struggle to believe he'd support the views of the GB and I suspect he'd be appalled at the capacity some fans have to bring shame on our club.

 

This subject raises it's head every year at this time. It is normally a non story. The GB have made it into a story by their over exhuberance and miscalculation of support for their politics. I urge the GB to have a rethink about their stance and decide whether they are a supporters group or a political group. Please don't simply say that you are both.
This season the GB have gained a lot of support from fans around the ground, but please don't misinterpret this. The majority applaud and support your singing and general addition to the atmosphere at Celtic Park, not your politics. You are in danger of becoming alienated by the fans who are there for the football.

 

Exellent post

 

Its a difficuly topic but celtic could have opted out, as i said before my grandfathers fought in ww1 & 2 but they refused to wear their poppies for the war crimes the ba committed here in ireland. They ended up throwing their ba medals away. I do respect the ww1 2 dead and respect the rights of others to wear there poppy. But dont force it on me as the problem is the poppy is promoting current conflicts which i and many many other celtic fans have been victims off.

 

war criminals and huns in charge,get a grip,cheap political statements,nonsense,eradicating irishness!!!!!!* * we all belt out let the people sing and fields of athenrye,but we play in scotland,the GB dont represent the celtic support,they represent a small section,and are led by politicos with their own agenda,war criminals,honestly,a war criminal is someone who commts a crime during wartime,if parliament approves a war it is not a criminal war.i suspect you are a republcan supporter,correct me if im wrong,is it not a war crime to blow up children in mainland uk,or bomb a remembrance day parade,as much as it is to shoot 13 civilians dead,a crime is a crime,stop spouting cheap crap,stop and think,you dont represent the views of the mainstream celtic support either

 

This has been blown out of proportion. They won't start a new team like FCUM because the cases are totally different.

I don't always agree with the GB, but coming from an ultra background myself (Switzerland got ultra scenes too like in Italy), I feel very sorry for the GB.

Most people just don't realize or are capable of understanding what they are about. also the envy and bitterness from fellow celtic fans is shocking. Sure, the current ecconomy ain't in a good state, but why do some people need to be grumpy and moody all the time? on this board and at CP? Others are just living in the past - they reject everything that is different or modern. Go with the time lads, it ain't 1910 anymore.

No matter what the CB does, it will always be the wrong thing in the eyes of some bitter guys. but their bitterness ain't only towards the GB, also the players need to hear what * they spout day in day out. Samaras the long haired poof ain't worth * etc. instead of supporting, they do the opposite: they insult, they judge, they are just a very negative element among Celtic supporters. Never ever they would support the team, they just there to slag each and everybody off because their own life is so miserable.

I'm sorry guys, this is offtopic, but the current state is *. a few guys try to create a good atmosphere and they get slagged off because they post political stuff once in a while. haven't you guys been like them at their age? if I have to read a sign with free tibet or whatever but can enjoy a good atmosphere in return, so what.

I'm wondering what exactly do the anti-GB guys offer? do you sing? or just sit there and insult our own players and fellow celtic supporters?

pathetic.

 

Have to totally disagree Marco, many people have stated that the GB should stick to what they do best which is creating a good atmosphere so they aren't just running them down over everything.

Unfortunately the GB appear to think they are better supporters than others and they seem to think they speak for the entire support on political matters, in a crown of ver 50,000 people never mind the worldwide support it is impossible for one group to represent the political views of everyone and as such they should even try as to do so is just sheer arrogance.

Of course there are some people wh think the GB can do no right and will criticise them constantly, equally there are thse who think they can do no wrong a bit of perspective is required by both grups I'd say.

I've stated it before and I'll state it again to the GB, continue with the great support for the team but don't try and speak on my behalf when it comes to politics, we all have a mind of our own when it comes to such issues.

As for starting another club don't think it would ever happen but if it did it would suggest their loyalty is more to their politics than supporting Celtic.

 

To be fair Marco I don't think the majority of folk who weren't happy with the banner dispute that the GB bring great colour and atmosphere to the ground.

The problem most have - and I doubt the majority of folk who are opposed have a problem or dislike for the GB out this incident - is that anyone could tell you that this whole poppy situation divides opinion thus having a sign saying 'Off our Hoops' is going to alienate the fans who are for the poppy and possibly even the ones apathetic towards it.

My own personal view is that they A) Shouldn't have demonstrated inside the stadium during and B) Offered and alternative.

Even something like 'White for Peace instead of Red for Blood' would have at least given a sense that they were willing to compromise over it and thus please everyone as opposed to just themselves. My stance is that the players should simply just be given a choice, if they want to wear a top with a poppy or if they don't.

Just watching the news last night you could see how upset certain Celtic fans who lost family/friends in the army were by the whole event.

 

Like I said, I don't like their political part either, but they come with the whole package. atmosphere and their political part, like so many other ultra groups too. we, as "other" celtic can't just pick the atmosphere.

I don't know them personally, but the word you chose, appear, is very dangerous. based on other ultras groups, the banners they create is their statement, they don't speak for everybody, they speak for themselves. I think that has nothing to do with arrogance, more with a misunderstanding.

that's right. from personal experience however I have to stay, there are a lot of misunderstandings between them and other celtic supporters. most people in britain just don't know anything about ultras and what they stand for. some imply and assume things that ain't true or reject anything that is new.

 

it's really boring and sad to see that we go through the same stuff every year again. it really divides a lot of Celtic fans and I hate to see that. Especially now, when it's more or less proven, that the SFA and refs are our enemy with their corruption and acts of cheating. we should be united to face our enemy.

it should never have come that far and I blame the Celtic board for that. not only they knew what was gonna happen - same trouble, different year - also their deicision, to bring the poppy back, breaks their own rule: no politics policy. supporters are asked to leave politics out of CP, but yet they use CP and Celtic for a sentimental political act.

 

I agree that this should have been sorted months ago, there should have been more meeting between the GB and the Celtic board so we could avoid this whole situation. My main problem with the board is that if the GB are telling the truth then they messed them about in the few meetings they had which obviously resulted in this mess.

 

By using the words "our hoops" then it certainly looked as though they were trying to speak on behalf of the whole Celtic support when clearly it's impossible to do that and to me that is a very arrogant thing to do.

They didn't give a second thought to other Celtic fans or the best interests of the club.

The club could have helped the situation by simply saying it will be the players choice if they decide to wear a poppy or not so they aren't blameless but it doesn't get away from the fact that the GB protest was inappropriate and obviously offensive to some.

 

I don't agree with you Danni mate. I don't see anything wrong with our hoops. I would agree with you if they said my hoops. they just talked about our team, our hoops. Like I said, I don't know them personally. I don't know if they are that arrogant or if people just (perhaps wrongly) imply it. All I can say is how it is over here with ultra groups and those groups only speak for themselves and express their opinion.

You are right by saying they didn't give a second thought to other Celtic fans. That's the way ultras are.

fully agree with the rest, hope we ain't gonna see anything like that next year again.

PS: the wee one just got up, have to leave now. have a good day everybody.

 

Best comment i have read and couldn't agree more.

Celtic was there before the GB and will still be there after the GB. This 'we are the only real fans' * is quite embarassing.

 

Some of the GB will get banned but not all of them. They'll just make examples out of a dozen or two of them and that will be it.

 

if they get banned its a * joke only people who actually make parkhead good these days instead of a bunch of twats sitting in silence or to moan at sammy * *

 

why should celtic have to meet a small minority of the support on any issue.the gb dont represent me and I have to say that apart from on here I have not heard one single supporter agree with the gb stance

 

I don't think they should but there should be discussions to at least try and find some common ground to find some understanding. I have no problem with the poppy on the shirt.

 

The board no fine well what the general stance on the subject is, they have chosen to ignore it though.

 

So the GB have an opinion, fair enough, they dont want the poppy on the shirt, thats there view.
But what happens if another section of fans decide to view there opinion and say they are happy to have the poppy on our hoops? whos right and whos wrong?
We all have different views, just because the GB have there own section and group and are able to express there views doesn't mean they speak for everyone.
I for one have never wore a poppy but it doesn't bother me in the slightest that it is on our top. I'm sure there are other fans at other clubs who don't like the poppy either but I don't see any of them bringing unwanted attention on the club.
We have our Irish roots and its important to uphold these, but we are a Scottish club not Irish. The modern world is for ever changing and everyone needs to move with the times and stop living in the past. Celtic have nothing to do with the irish troubles, the IRA/UVF or whatever but there are many who don't understand this. They sing the rebel songs in the stadium, therefore bringing politics to the game, and for many years. So I dont buy the crap that the GB are only responding to the club introducing politics. Poppy or no poppy who cares.