'SMV' bigots are Celtic fans - Herald Scotland

In the last month, the Green Brigade's love/hate relationship with Celtic's hierarchy has become one of just hate. One of its politically charged banners landed the club with another fine from European football's governing body last week, and its association with the damage at Motherwell's Fir Park stadium caused by setting off pyrotechnic flares and the breaking of seats is likely to see the club's place in the experiment of Friday night football pulled.

As a result, more than 120 of the Green Brigade's members and associates are suspended from Celtic Park, and its notorious Section 111 within the ground has been broken up.

In the popular imagination, they have had their status as Scottish football's bête noir confirmed, shifting from a noisy, colourful, provocative and politically confrontational group to essentially hooligans with a fondness for Irish Republican paramilitaries.

Police Scotland, determined to make the contentious Offensive Behaviour at Football Act work, and whose officers have had regular brushes with the Green Brigade, could not have wished for better headlines.

It all seems a long way from their pivotal role in making nights like last season's win over Barcelona among the best in living memory.

"Celtic have done what the police couldn't do and that's put the game beyond repair for us," one member of the Green Brigade told the Sunday Herald.

"Will it end the group? Well, it could go either way, limping on and people could then chuck it. The moment might have gone. Lots of things are mounting up. The harassment from the cops and Celtic takes its toll.

"But when we got this thing going we were underground. We were raw. But we lost that. We went from one end of the spectrum to being in Rod Stewart's book. The kids have ripped it up in the last weeks. I think we all have."

The Green Brigade has a core of around 80 members, a decision-making inner circle of around 30 and a wider associated circle in its section within Celtic Park of around 350 people. Its successful underground merchandising operation would give the impression of a much larger group, however.

Police Scotland admits the group are not "casuals". It has dismissed links with illegal groups in Northern Ireland, but expressed concern about the group's use of pyrotechnics, the "vulnerability" of younger members and breaching the Offensive Behaviour Act via songs the force sees as falling foul of the legislation.

Since the introduction of the legislation, many of the Green Brigade's members and associates have been arrested and brought to court for a breach of the act.

The Green Brigade was formed by no more than half a dozen members of a previous singing section, the Jungle Bhoys, who became disillusioned with that group around 2005 and wanted something more political which spoke to the Ultras scene of clubs such as Germany's St Pauli or Livorno in Italy.

Soon they were active at anti-racism and STUC events, but still numbered only around a dozen marching behind their own banners. But when Celtic gave over a section of its ground to the burgeoning group, numbers started to snowball.

"By the time it's 2010, the group gets Section 111 and we realise we've a movement on our hands.

"How do you get in? Well, you've got to turn up for games for starters. Then there's paint nights, helping out with banners, setting up before big games in the ground. It's almost like having another job and a lot of work goes into it away.

"To get in - it's almost like an interview with people who are in your wider company. The group's looking for people with different opinions, but on the three main topics."

But controversy was never far away. A Remembrance Day banner demanding "No bloodstained poppy on our Hoops" brought widespread condemnation, and a Uefa fine for "illicit chanting"
following the singing of songs referring to the IRA during the team's Europa League run in 2011 was met with the notorious "F**k Uefa" banner at a subsequent game.

But for all his condemnation, Celtic's chief executive, Peter Lawwell, kept the group on board, an acknowledgement of its input to the atmosphere at an otherwise moribund Celtic Park. Manager Neil Lennon also made a point of singling them out for praise when presented with the League trophy.

The Green Brigade member the Sunday Herald spoke to stands by their banners, including the ones linking IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands to William Wallace. However, several members of the Green Brigade have faced criminal action for singing the anthem Roll Of Honour, which commemorates the hunger strikes through the line "England you're a monster". They argue that Flower Of Scotland carries the same sentiment. He said: "The group was becoming part of the Celtic Park experience, part of the day trip; the section isn't as hardcore as many think.

"But the banners over the last few years haven't been about pushing the boat out and trying to annoy the club. Every single one of the banners had a deeply held belief and a point behind it.

"Like the Bobby Sands and William Wallace banner. A lot of people were scratching their heads. Even other Celtic fans were asking what this was about. But we knew. Anyone affected by the Offensive Behaviour Act knew. And if your audience is based around people getting arrested at the football, what better audience to make your point in front of?

"Forums and fanzines have had their day. It gets to the point where things build up a head of steam. The Offensive Behaviour Act came in and while people had reservations how it would affect them, it was not until it came in that we knew just how.

"And that's not just the group. It's those who were in our wider area and wider social circle. Away games is where the arrests are. Cops picking up easy targets, daft drunk kids who don't realise the consequences of their actions and whose lives can be ruined for singing a song with their mates.

"And we get the label we do because people in Scotland aren't willing, even now, to accept Irish Republican views as an acceptable political ideology. Back in the days of the Jungle, no-one was really picking up on this, but the last few years have thrown up a generation of tut-tutters who sang much much worse [songs] than we do now."

If the knock-out blow was the Motherwell game, then the Green Brigade admit they "took their eye off the ball". The emergence of a group of affiliated young Turks in the last year, the Style Mile Vandals (SMV) brought the edge of drunkenness and hooliganism to Celtic away fixtures. So who are the SMV?

"Well, they're kind of the naughty wee brother who got kind of carried away. They've been on the go about a year, are younger kids and into graffiti and stuff. These are the guys out late at night putting up stickers and spray painting.

"The Union Bears [Rangers' 'ultras'] have something similar. But there's a huge difference between the SMV and the Green Brigade, even if there's an overlap of a few members.

"The Green Brigade kind of don't want the notoriety as individuals; the SMV want to be the big boys. They see themselves as a group within a group and the Green Brigade are annoyed they've been pursuing their notoriety.

"My view? The recent pyro stuff hasn't just been the SMV and the kids around the group. It's easy enough to find online and it's also cheap enough to find online and it's also cheap enough for anyone to buy. However, a lot people need a bogeyman to blame."

EXCLUSIVE by James Hamilton

Sunday 15 December 2013

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/club-gave-us-enough-rope-to-hang-ourselves.22958708?page=7

Heart of Midlothian complain about Celtic supporters behaviour

Sunday past - November 30th - was, of course, St Andrew’s day - a day when we should all be proud to be Scots!  Unfortunately, I was certainly not overly proud of some of the behaviour I witnessed and heard about both during and after the game.

The match was a disappointing football spectacle for both sets of supporters. However, as football supporters, we know that things will not always go our way on the pitch; we know that players will make mistakes; we know that referees will make calls that we do not all agree with. That is football! It does not justify bad behavior - on or off the field. 

At Hearts, poor on-field behaviour is scrutinised, disciplined and, where appropriate, punished. The same approach must apply off the field.

The police report confirms that one Hearts supporter was arrested at the match for sectarian abuse. That is unacceptable and dangerous. In line with my previous statement of zero tolerance, that individual will not be allowed back into the stadium.

The same police report confirms that five Celtic supporters were arrested for sectarian abuse, coin throwing and disorderly behaviour. I hope that Celtic will take appropriate action against those individuals who let them down. Certainly, at Hearts, we will do everything in our power to ensure they are never again allowed into Tynecastle.

I was appalled at the vandalism carried out by our visiting supporters on Sunday.  Having recently spent significant sums to replace broken seats in the Roseburn Stand, for the benefit, primarily, of our away supporters, I was hugely disappointed to witness the destruction of close to 100 seats. Similarly, the graffiti on walls, tiles, doors - basically all types of surfaces - was quite disgraceful and this is not to mention the damage to toilets.

I have discussed all of these matters with members of the Celtic Executive and we are working co-operatively to address the issues.  No club should be on the receiving end of such unacceptable behaviour and no club should be put in the position of having to defend such behaviour.

The most distressing emails/reports I have received are of intimidation both to fans and to staff from away fans. Everyone gets frustrated when officials and police appear to take little or no action. 

This is something I will discuss with the authorities but as many of us know, their response is very often influenced by a need not to further inflame a situation. The only real answer is to try to remove those people who cause the problems and who spoil the whole experience for so many others.

I was pleased to learn that approximately 20% of the Hearts supporters on Sunday were youths. This is fantastic evidence that we are appealing to the family. The not so good news is that I have received a number of emails/letters from parents stating that their children were terrified/had to be removed part way through the game/were traumatised - and as such would be unlikely ever to want to return to a game. This is appalling.

http://www.heartsfc.co.uk/news/4010

Celtic in hot water over vandalism

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2520273/Scottish-Professional-Football-League-reprimand-Celtic-crowds-vandalism-pyrotechnics-Motherwell.html

The Scottish Professional Football League could take action against Celtic when its match delegate's report lands at Hampden and reveals the extent of the vandalism and pyrotechnic displays which marred their win at Motherwell.

An estimated £10,000 worth of damage was caused to seating in the middle lower area of the South Stand at Fir Park, just above where a Green Brigade banner was displayed.

A flare was let off in the same area before the game while two green smoke bombs were thrown into the goalmouth, one of them landing yards from Hoops goalkeeper Fraser Forster.

A missile also flew from the Celtic support not far over the head of the England goalkeeper just after Kris Commons opened the scoring in Celtic's highly-impressive 5-0 Scottish Premiership triumph.

While Celtic are preparing to take on Barcelona in their final Champions League game of the season on Wednesday, the Nou Camp clash has, for now, been overshadowed by scenes Celtic described as 'appalling'.

Police Scotland is looking into the 'significant damage' caused to seats and it counted 18 smoke bombs, three fireworks and one flare were set off. No arrests were made inside Fir Park.

Celtic have launched their own investigation while the Green Brigade fans group has also condemned the vandalism and admitted it should have self-policed its section more effectively.

A Green Brigade statement read: 'Firstly we do not condone the breaking of seats nor do we welcome pyrotechnics being thrown on the park. We as a group are as disappointed as any about such indefensible behaviour and regret that it happened on our watch.

'Whilst it was not members of our group behaving in this manner, we accept the fact that these actions took place behind our banner in what was an unofficial "Green Brigade section" and furthermore that the fans within this area are associated to our group whether they are members or not.

'It is particularly disappointing given how hard we have worked as a member organisation of Fans Against Criminalisation and of our own accord to fight the criminalisation of football supporters as we realise the damage that the events of Friday night could have on our efforts to challenge the continued harassment of Celtic fans by Police Scotland.

'Ultimately, we should have had greater control of the bodies present within our block and our failure to do so has resulted in events which are unacceptable and we will strive to ensure that such scenes are not repeated.'

The main Celtic fans' group, the Affiliation of Registered Celtic Supporters Clubs, expressed frustration at the actions.

A statement read: 'We should be discussing another devastating Celtic performance on the pitch instead we are talking about disappointments off the field.

Let's make no mistake that incidents like (Friday) night at Fir Park and the publicity that this attracts makes any negotiations regarding ticket pricing, safe standing and policing at games more difficult.

'Any payment for damage and fines that are the responsibility of the club are ultimately paid by us. This is a measurable cost. The damage to our reputation as a support is unquantifiable.

'In a time when we are fighting to reduce ticket prices, fighting against the Offensive Behaviour Act and trying to make the game more attractive to the thousands who fans who have lost interest (Friday) night is nothing short of disheartening and does nothing to help.'

Ibrox ban on Celtic fans

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/ibrox-ban-on-celtic-fans-1.722638

Thursday 27 January 1994

CELTIC supporters have been banned indefinitely from Ibrox, which Rangers claim has been vandalised once too often.

Rangers say it has cost them more than £20,000 to repair damage caused by Celtic ticket holders at Old Firm matches played at Ibrox since March 1992.

Rangers add that several attempts have been made to persuade Celtic that they should accept responsibility for their supporters' behaviour.

''With reference to the most recent encounter, on October 30, 1993, we have been corresponding with Celtic on a regular basis,'' said Rangers' chairman David Murray, ''and it is perfectly clear from their letters that they accept no responsibility whatsoever for this vandalism. The cost following that match to repair damage was #7800 and we can no longer tolerate this type of destruction.''

Mr Murray added: ''The board of directors has taken the decision to withhold all ticketing allocations to Celtic Football Club in respect of our next scheduled league match at Ibrox on Saturday, April 30. Tickets will be available only to Rangers supporters.

''We regret the matter has reached this point. However, due to the intransigent attitude of Celtic Football Club and their lack of responsibility with regard to the behaviour of their supporters' behaviour, we believe no other course of action is now available to us.'' Rangers wrote to Celtic on Tuesday informing them of the ban.

Celtic chairman Kevin Kelly said: ''This matter was raised at the Scottish League management committee last week when it was agreed that clubs should be responsible only for their own grounds.

''We have suffered damage at Celtic Park but prefer to keep it quiet rather than draw attention to the kind of people who do these things. However, banning another club's fans is a dangerous action to take.''

Mr Murray says that the problem hit him suddenly while he was writing a cheque for #142,000 to be paid to Celtic for Rangers' ticket allocation at the last Old Firm match at Celtic Park on New Year's Day. It struck him that he was collecting for Celtic when in return their fans go to his ground and cause damage.

''They don't buy our programmes or eat our fast food. But they do smash our seats,'' he said.

Rangers also say that they have to pay an added #12,000 on their police bill when Celtic visit. Mr Murray does not fear a backlash with Celtic refusing to give tickets to Rangers' fans. He knows, of course, that Celtic, who are more than #5m in debt, cannot afford to go without the money generated by Rangers' supporters.

Mr Murray also knows he can sell out Ibrox when Celtic play even without their supporters.

There is no law in the game which states that clubs must give their opponents tickets and Mr Peter Donald, secretary of the Scottish League, said: ''It is most unfortunate and there is no doubt that part of football's attraction is the atmosphere which can be generated by supporters of opposing clubs.''

Mr Gerry Madden, general secretary of Celtic FC supporters' association, said he was surprised at the move. His group has spoken to the police seeking a solution to the vandalism and added: ''If someone would give us the sophisticated video evidence which Rangers say they have, perhaps we could do something.

''I hope there will be a change of heart because this is supposed to be the greatest club game in the world.''

Mr Peter Rafferty, chairman of the Affiliation of Registered Celtic Supporters' Clubs, said: ''We have to hope this is not an end to the matter and that there will be room for some kind of compromise.''

Ibrox ban on Celtic hits youth match

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/spl/aberdeen/ibrox-ban-on-celtic-hits-youth-match-1.711508

Tuesday 12 April 1994

THE dispute between the Old Firm, with Rangers refusing Celtic's supporters entry to Ibrox, has spilled over into a youth match which will be played at Ibrox this evening forcing Celtic to make the strongest possible protest to the Scottish Football Association.

Rangers, who claim Celtic's fans have been causing damage to their stadium over the past 10 years, are refusing to allow opposition supporters into seated areas during tonight's BP Scottish Youth Cup semi-final tie, a decision which has disappointed and angered the directors at Parkhead.

Rangers are demanding more than £7000 compensation from Celtic, claiming their fans caused damage to seating in the Broamloan Stand, and when the Old Firm meet at Ibrox on Saturday, April 30, there will be no Celtic fans in attendance.

However, Celtic's directors felt that the dispute would have been set aside this evening, when they say their supporters will be mainly family groups wishing to do no more than watch youngsters play in the under-18 cup competition. But despite negotiations, faxes, and approaches to the SFA, under whose auspices the BP cup is run, Celtic have been told they can use the east standing enclosure in front of the main stand.

Only if more fans than that area can accommodate -- 3462 -- turn up will Rangers allow part of the stand to be opened up to Celtic's fans.

Naturally, Celtic believe Rangers are extending the ban imposed for major games and came close to withdrawing from the tournament, but decided to play on because it would have been unfair on their own younger players, who will be trying to win a place in the final against Airdrie.

''However, we feel we must protest over the manner in which our supporters are to be treated at Ibrox for this match,'' said director Dominic Kean. ''After all, the youth cup is a time when we should be celebrating the good things in football, and should have nothing to do with the game's politics. People, families, want to go and watch their own playing a game.''

Jim Farry, chief executive of the SFA, said that, under the circumstances, there would be a degree of sympathy for Celtic within the association and added: ''Two heads need to be knocked together, one at Ibrox and the other at Celtic Park. Someone should be doing the knocking, and soon.''

Relations between the clubs could be improved at the weekend when Brian Dempsey returns from the US.

Bees chief sorry for Celtic hooligans 'bad behaviour'

http://www.hounslowchronicle.co.uk/west-london-sport/west-london-brentford-fc/2013/07/24/bees-chief-sorry-for-celtic-bad-behaviour-109642-33650072/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

BRENTFORD FC's chief executive has pledged to take action against hooligans who spoiled last weekend's friendly between Bees and Celtic.

Mark Devlin apologised to residents for the disruption before and after the game, and said he was saddened that the prospect of Brentford taking on Scotland’s league champions had turned sour.

The Chronicle reported how drunken Celtic fans repeatedly set off smoke bombs and invaded the pitch during the match on Saturday (20) which the Hoops won 2-1.

People living nearby also complained about noise, vandalism, and masses of litter left by the 6,000 travelling supporters who came to Griffin Park for the first time in 50 years.

Mr Devlin said: "Saturday’s match was a very good test for the First Team squad and one that will, I’m sure, stand them in good stead for the upcoming season. The Manager was very positive about the standard of opposition and a number of our players have said publically that the atmosphere was fantastic.

"Usually pre-season friendlies at Griffin Park are played in a relatively quiet stadium in front of a couple of thousand fans. This was nothing like that. The noise generated by the Celtic supporters was unlike any I have seen at a pre-season game. It was very disappointing, therefore, that the afternoon ended with a pitch invasion despite a very high police presence inside the ground.

“Fortunately, no damage was caused to the pitch or goalposts during the invasion. CCTV pictures were taken, and will be passed to the authorities and individuals who have invaded the pitch are being identified. Supporters were searched on entry and anyone found with flares or smoke bombs was denied entry.

"The use of flares and smoke bombs at football matches in England is dangerous and of growing concern to the football authorities. It was abundantly clear that some did get through and this will be discussed at the usual post-match briefing. We have been made aware of reports of several acts of anti-social behaviour caused by some Celtic fans arriving very early, having consumed a fair amount of alcohol.

“We would like to apologise to any local residents who may have suffered as a result of this behaviour. We were of the understanding that there would have been a police presence in the area of Griffin Park from early on Saturday morning, especially as some pubs were open earlier than normal. 

“As always, the Club will reflect on the match with our safety group, which includes representatives of Hounslow Council and the Metropolitan Police. This will take place soon.” 

Celtic fans with drugs, intent on trouble and repeated pro-IRA singing report Daily Mail

22 Jul 2013, Scottish Daily Mail
By BRIAN MARJORIBANKS

ON A clammy afternoon in London, Celtic’s pre- season friendly against Brentford turned into a heated mix of football to savour on the park and unsavoury fan behaviour off it.

A 2-1 win for Neil Lennon’s men at Griffin Park ended with a tense stand-off between rival fans as police and stewards did a great job of keeping the two sets of goading supporters apart.

That the incident did not develop into serious trouble was largely down to their sterling efforts, but while both clubs and the Metropolitan Police were keen to play down events afterwards — with the Met reporting just two Celtic fans arrested, one for possession of Class A drugs and the other for invading the pitch — this was not the kind of behaviour advisable of a club with a burning hunger to eventually widen its footballing horizons.

Bangers and flares were routinely sent off, while intruders ran on to the pitch at both Celtic goals, with another disrupting the game by entering the field of play to take a goal-kick for unsuspecting Parkhead keeper Lukasz Zaluska.

The afternoon was rounded off by a mass pitch invasion, with a malevolent minority intent on provoking trouble, which thankfully did not come to pass despite the Griffin Park groundsman’s vain attempt to dampen the desire for trouble by turning the sprinklers on the miscreants.

The most depressing aspect of the whole game, however, was the repeated pro-IRA singing and the goading of the home fans, although a portion of the London club’s fans fired back with chants of ‘ EDL’ (English Defence League), with one Brentford ‘supporter’ ejected by police for shaking a Union Flag in the direction of the visitors.

‘They were a bit over- exuberant,’ said Lennon, who was escorted off the park by security guards at fulltime in case troubled exploded. ‘Heat, a few beers — there was a carnival atmosphere, although I would like them to leave the flares out of it.’ When the smoke had cleared, literally, after a day of flares, it was almost lost in the chaotic scenes that this had been a decent performance by Lennon’s second string, augmented by top-team players Efe Ambrose and new signings Steven Mouyokolo and Amido Balde.

After flattering to deceive in Germany, £1.7 million striker Balde’s best Celtic performance yet yielded his first goal for the club, cancelling out Adam Forshaw’s opener for the League One side, and, full of confidence, he could have had another but hit the post when clean through on keeper Jack Bonham. Teenager Calum McGregor’s first- ever senior goal, meanwhile, was a piece of sublime finishing, while there were also decent cameo appearances from Bahrudin Atajic and young full-back Darnell Fisher.

And even if the majority have no chance of playing against Cliftonville in tomorrow’s dead-rubber Champions League second-round second-leg qualifier at Celtic Park, they will have benefited from the occasion, which was as far removed from a friendly atmosphere as possible. ‘We had to get off the park really quickly at the end, after the pitch invasion,’ said a wide eyed Fisher. ‘ You could tell on the way to the game it was going to be lively because there were fans out singing on the roads. ‘But I was just delighted to play. I’m from Reading and my family were at the game today, so that made it extra special. ‘My goal this season is to get as many minutes as possible for the first team. I take inspiration from people like James Forrest and Tony Watt, who have got into the first team at a young age. If you’re good enough at this club, then you’re old enough, and I want to be where they are now.

‘The manager has told me to keep working, keep my head down and keep pushing for the first team. I don’t know what his plans are for Cliftonville, but I’m here if he needs me. I feel ready and I’m confident in my own ability.’

Before joining Celtic, Fisher, 19, was playing for Reading-based youth football side Eldon Celtic, although they played in black and green stripes, not hoops. He still marvels at the way his big break came about and how he found himself rubbing shoulders with a Lisbon Lion.

‘I’ve been really lucky,’ he smiled. ‘A couple of years ago a mate called and asked me if I fancied a game for Eldon Celtic against the Jimmy Johnstone Academy at Eton College. I played, and the Academy invited me up to Scotland to play in a tournament, where we faced Rangers.

‘A guy at the Jimmy Johnstone Academy knew Bertie Auld and Bertie took an interest in me when I arrived. He showed me around Celtic Park and he helped me settle in.
‘Bertie’s a legend and people are in awe of him when they meet him, but he’s just a really down-to-earth guy.

2 Celtic fans arrested: Celtic fans backed by Lennon on Brentford trouble

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/celtic-fans-backed-by-lennon-on-brentford-trouble-1-3009224

CELTIC boss Neil Lennon has spoken out in support of the club’s fans in the wake of a pitch invasion at a pre-season friendly against Brentford on Saturday.

Flares were thrown onto the pitch during the game, which Celtic won 2-1. A number of fans had to be removed from the field by security, while some were seen trying to take down the goalposts

 Lennon, who was escorted from the field, spoke out in support of the fans. Talking to the Daily Telegraph, he described the supporters as “over-exuberant”.

“I would like them to maybe leave the flares out. But they were in good voice today and hopefully everyone’s gone home in a good mood.”

The Metropolitan Police said that two people were arrested at the game, for entering the pitch and alleged possession of Class A drugs respectively.

Celtic fans invade pitch and vandalise Brentford FC sprinkler system

Celtic fans turn on Drummer Lee Rigby with sick messages after English visit

Celtic fans clash with riot police at UEFA Champions League qualifier

Celtic fans trash American stars car

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-rangers-star-alejandro-bedoya-1260115#.UCoEWIG-PGQ.twitter

FORMER Rangers star Alejandro Bedoya last night vowed to dump Celtic out of the Champions League – as revenge for Hoops fans trashing his car.

The American midfielder has joined Helsingborgs on a short-term deal after quitting the Ibrox club.

But he’s guaranteed a swift return to Scotland after the Swedish champs drew Neil Lennon’s side in the play-off round for the Champions League. Celtic head to Sweden next week for the first leg before a return clash at Parkhead a week later.

And the 25-year-old plans to heap pain on the Hoops supporters who laid waste to his car last season.

Bedoya told a Swedish newspaper: “I was a sub in a derby at Parkhead so I can tell Helsingborgs about the atmosphere of hatred coming down from the stands.

“I had my car damaged by Celtic fans but these things happen. I will be extra ready and have promised my old pals at Rangers to do one last thing for them by knocking Celtic out.

“I got a lot of messages from Rangers friends. They told me: ‘Knock Celtic out of the Champions League.’”

Bedoya, who joined Gers from Swedish side Orebro last year, faces a fight to prove his fitness ahead of next Tuesday’s first leg.

And that game, which kicks off at 7.45pm, will be screened live on STV.