Celtic fans reported after trouble at Celtic v Motherwell match

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/260188-14-teenagers-reported-after-at-celtic-v-motherwell-fan-trouble/

Fourteen teenagers have been referred to the Children’s Reporter after fan trouble broke out at a Celtic v Motherwell match in December.

The league game, which saw flares and fireworks set off and dozens of seats damaged at Motherwell’s Fir Park stadium, prompted a number of arrests.

The scenes, which took place at the fixture on December 6, also saw damage caused a green smoke bomb thrown into the Celtic penalty area.

A statement from police said: “Following a police operation in Lanarkshire over the weekend a further 14 people, all males aged between 14 and 16, are the subject of a report to the procurator fiscal.

“They have also been referred to the Children's Reporter in connection with alleged disorder following the Motherwell V Celtic match on Saturday December 6.”

A total of six 16-year-olds, five 15-year-olds and three 14-year-olds were reported to the procurator fiscal as a result of the latest operation.

It takes the total number of people reported to 25.

Celtic Football Club at the time condemned the fans who were responsible for the trouble.

In a statement released after the match, the Parkhead club accused the fans responsible of "tarnishing the great reputation of the club" and promised to keep supporters updated on the investigation into the incident.

A spokesman said: “Clearly we are appalled by the scenes from last night´s match and the actions of a small minority which have again tarnished the great reputation of the club and our supporters on a night when our team produced such a fantastic performance.”

A Police Scotland spokesman added: "During the course of the match, 18 smoke bombs, three fireworks, and one flare were set off. Significant damage was caused to seats within the ground and we are looking into this matter along with the club to establish the circumstances."

The match saw Celtic defeat Motherwell 5-0.

Celtic fans arrested over Motherwell riot

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-25718955?SThisFB

Police have arrested 14 teenagers in connection with crowd trouble at last month's SPFL game between Motherwell and Celtic at Fir Park.

Six 16 year olds, five 15 year olds and three 14 year olds - all from the Motherwell area - were held, bringing the total number of arrests to 25.

They will be reported to the procurator fiscal and children's reporter.

During the match, smoke bombs, flares and fireworks were set off. There was also trouble in Motherwell town centre.

A reported £10,000 of damage was caused to seats in a section of Fir Park housing Celtic fans.

Following the match, Celtic suspended 128 fans from their games and relocated 250 season-ticket holders.

The club said it was "appalled" by the disorder and issued precautionary suspensions preventing fans from attending home and away matches.

The 250 season-ticket holders relocated were seated in the Green Brigade's corner of Celtic Park.

Police confident of arresting Celtic supporters following Fir Park disorder

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25314595

Police expect to make "a number of arrests" in relation to the disorder at Motherwell's Fir Park during last Friday's match against Celtic. 

Celtic suspended 128 fans from their games and relocated 250 season-ticket holders following damage caused to seats. 

Smoke bombs and flares were also thrown during Celtic's 5-0 success. 

Superintendent Stephen McAllister said: "Clearly, Police Scotland are very concerned about the vandalism we saw." 

Assistant manager Johan Mjallby insists Celtic had to take firm action against the fans whose behaviour marred last Friday's win.
"I don't think it left the club with any other option but to suspend some fans," said Mjallby. 

The Scottish Professional Football League described the scenes at Fir Park as "shameful" and promised an investigation once it receives its match delegate's report. 

The precautionary suspensions imposed on fans will cover matches away from home as well as at Celtic Park. 

The club statement added: "These events were an embarrassment to our great football club and are absolutely indefensible." 

Talking on Celtic's departure for Barcelona on Champions League duty, Mjallby added: "It is very unfortunate what happened. 

"You don't want to have mayhem, you can't have this disruption inside sports grounds so we have to get together to support the club in the best way. 

"It is a distraction I don't like to see because I like to work with the players. 

"The club has reacted in the best way." 

Supt McAllister, of the Football Coordination Unit for Scotland, added: "We fully expect to make a number of arrests next week in relation to those individuals that were involved in that disorder and carried out acts of vandalism within Fir Park." 

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.'

Celtic fans putting "lives at risk"

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/hugh-keevins-must-stop-rogue-2904421

YOU couldn’t give a section of Celtic’s support a red neck with a blow torch, never mind the green flare they threw on to the pitch at Fir Park.

There they were with their banner asking that Nelson Mandela, the ultimate man of peace, be allowed 
to rest in peace.

And then they got on with the wanton damage that saw seats destroyed while Motherwell boss Stuart McCall was subjected to chants about being a “sad Orange b*****d”.

Some people just have no sense of irony. The team the misguided had paid to watch is currently in the best form it has enjoyed for a long time.

But the football is never enough for those who have taken a weird turn since Rangers went into liquidation.

The obsession with insisting that Gers died – and the current side has a history 18 months old – has come with an arrogance that was unpleasant to watch at Motherwell.

Lennon said his heart sank when he saw the banners depicting William Wallace and Bobby Sands which disfigured the Champions League game with Milan.

Now the manager and his chief executive, Peter Lawwell, have to speak out against supporters who are blemishing the club’s reputation.

Celtic have just updated and republished the book detailing their history over the last 125 years – and it is a story well worth the telling.

A team started for charitable purposes has always had what their greatest captain Billy McNeill described as a fairytale aspect attached to it.

Celtic’s appearance in the Nou Camp on Wednesday night vouches for their decent standing in Europe.

And the derision their efforts receive from the rival support at Ibrox is an irrelevance since that is based on the need for something to camouflage their current, lower-league status.

It is as unthinking as the damage that’s being done to Celtic’s good name by the unruly element who will now make their club the object of the SPFL’s attention.

But all of that unwanted attention is meaningless to the vandals, flare throwers and obscene chanters.

If you can embarrass your club while the team is 5-0 up then you don’t do sober reflection.

And what’s even worse is that any attempt to draw attention to the supporters’ misbehaviour is always met with a hostility based on a belief that no such incidents ever happened, or could happen, where the Celtic support is concerned.

There are signs of old-fashioned hooliganism returning to Scottish football. A flare was thrown on to the pitch during Rangers’Scottish Cup tie at Falkirk causing damage to the artificial pitch.

Money is a constant source of concern at Ibrox, particularly when serious-minded men-in-the-know don't rule out the possibility of a second insolvency event.

So how regretful should the culprits feel when they see to it that a cheque for damages has to be forwarded from Ibrox to Falkirk?

The answer is they’ll probably feel no remorse whatsoever and they won’t until somebody does something to halt a growing menace.

The Old Firm game used to be a safety valve that was periodically released to take the steam out of a poisonous rivalry.

Now they live separate lives and the result has been the misfits have to release their troublesome instincts in another way.

Confession, they say, is good for the soul. The first thing the majority of decent Celtic fans have to admit 
is they don’t recognise the kind of person they can find beside them today.

I also got a close-up look at Motherwell’s incendiary division last weekend because they were fouling the air, and making a nuisance of themselves, in the vicinity of the press box at Hamilton’s ground.

They go through their dance routines then let off their toys, at which point several people emerge from the crowd to film their smoke-shrouded pals on their mobiles.

Older Well fans, meanwhile, were congregated well away from them and getting progressively more irked by their team’s performance.

They made displeasure known in the traditional, verbally-colourful manner then started to leave before Albion Rovers scored the winner.

But the dance troupe didn’t have any real sense of how badly their team had played due to the fact they didn’t appear to be that bothered by what happened on the pitch.

In the meantime they had caused damage to seats belonging to the club who hosted their game as a courtesy to both Lanarkshire neighbours.

That will cost Well money they shouldn’t have to pay at a time when every penny’s a prisoner.

Those supporters also threw another canister on to the pitch, forcing the people in wheelchairs to take evasive action.

You’d think supporters of a club whose manager was involved in a stadium disaster that claimed the lives of 56 people because of a fire would consider his feelings before setting light to canisters in a stand containing thousands of their fellow supporters. One of the most harrowing conversations I’ve ever had with McCall recounted his memories of that day in Bradford.

The hand-burning sensation he felt when he tried to open his car door two hours after the dead and the dying had been removed to hospital.

The search for his father that ended in a case of mistaken identity when Stuart was pointed in the direction of a man with first-degree burns.

He had only recovered from a deep sense of shock in the hospital ward when he heard his dad whisper: “Son, I’m over here.”

Now McCall is working in an environment where we’ve started to breed our own pyromaniacs.

It is an offence to enter, or attempt to enter, a football ground while in possession of a flare, smoke canister or firework.

Possession of either one carries a custodial sentence if the court believes that’s in order.

So why are so many being allowed to endanger health and safety on a regular basis?

That’s as much of a mystery as the suggestion that McCall has destroyed his own managerial reputation because his team had an off-day in a Scottish Cup tie.

Put that in your canister and smoke it.

SPFL Delegate: “The worst vandalism I have seen inside a football ground”

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/celtic-condemn-fir-park-vandalism-and-pyrotechnics-1-3224558

CELTIC have strongly condemned the behaviour of some of their supporters for the vandalism and pyrotechnics that marred the club’s 5-0 victory over Motherwell at Fir Park on Friday night.

In a statement issued yesterday the Parkhead club said: “Clearly we are appalled by the scenes from last night’s match and the actions of a small minority which have again tarnished the great reputation of the club and our supporters on a night when 
our team produced such a fantastic performance.

“We are currently investigating these events and will update our supporters early next week.”

Around 60 seats were broken in the away end at Fir Park and 18 smoke bombs, three fireworks and a flare were thrown. Alan Dick, the Scottish Professional Football League’s match delegate, described it as “the worst vandalism I have seen inside a football ground”, in his report.

The incidents could represent the tipping point for the Green Brigade. Pictures of broken seats emblazoned with stickers bearing the group’s name were posted on Twitter yesterday, as was a picture of one fan deliberately kicking at a seat and other snaps of supporters covering their mouths to shield them from the effects of smoke bombs. It was reported that some of the seats with Green Brigade stickers had IRA slogans scrawled on them. Another had “f*** Lawwell” written on it – a reference to Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell.

Celtic will be expected to foot the bill for the damage to seats under a reciprocal agreement between clubs but could also find themselves facing a Scottish Professional Football League investigation once the league studies its delegate’s report.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “During the course of the match, 18 smoke bombs, three fireworks, and one flare were set off.

“Significant damage was caused to seats within the ground and we are looking into this matter along with the club to establish the circumstances. There were no arrests made inside the ground.”

As well as being wanton vandalism and hooliganism, these acts seem deliberately designed to provoke confrontation. The Green Brigade have become a magnet for thugs who want to cloak themselves in the garb of “pyro Provos”. The reality is that these juvenile delinquents muddy the waters, using the Irish nationalist dimension as an excuse to get their kicks from anti-social behaviour that, to their glee, puts them on a collision course both with their football club and the authorities.

Celtic attempted to ride the tiger with the Green Brigade. Now it would appear they must seek to slay it. Yet the dilemma is that, if they do, they will give the members of that organisation precisely the martyrdom they seek. In their warped minds, a blanket ban would make them the footballing equivalent of the men they celebrate in their roll of honour paean to the IRA hunger strikers.

The conduct of the Celtic support has regressed markedly in the ten years since their behaviour earned awards from UEFA and FIFA. Some of the fan organisations have chosen to be in denial about that fact. Yet the evidence provided by incidents such as those that overshadowed the club’s trip to Dens Park on Boxing Day and their pre-season friendly in Brentford cannot be challenged. Celtic have a growing and serious problem with a sizeable element of their support. Followers of the club outside of that cabal are no longer willing to tolerate the actions of the serial troublemakers.

The Parkhead side are already facing sanctions from UEFA for a banner displayed during the Champions League match against AC Milan last month which compared William Wallace to Bobby Sands. UEFA, who forbid political statements at games, opened disciplinary proceedings against Celtic for an incident of “non-sporting nature”.