Today, media reports suggest that the SPFL have “launched an investigation” into “inappropriate singing” at the Hamilton v Celtic game.
According to The Daily Record, Celtic will now be made to “sweat” as the probe unfolds.
In the way Sevco “sweated” the outcome of a similar case involving the Neanderthal section of their own supporters?
The way other clubs have “sweated” over inquiries involving flares and smoke bombs and other paraphernalia, which the press and governing bodies just love to highlight when they come from Celtic fans but seem oddly unconcerned about when they originate elsewhere?
Exactly what should we be “sweating” for?
Points deductions?
Not going to happen.
Fines?
Celtic will tell the SPFL to wipe their backsides with the citation.
Rules on “strict liability” weren’t introduced; I’m somewhat baffled as to exactly what we’ve got to worry about.
This is the part in the article where I’m supposed to condemn our fans for their singing.
Well, regular readers will know I’m absolutely not going to do that. I’m in favour of free expression, including that of the more reprehensible element of the Sevco support, so my answer to any such charge and demand is the same; “Let the people sing!”
Yet this bothers me just the same.
For one thing, we all know that SPFL match delegates have selective hearing anyway, otherwise they’d be citing Sevco every other week, and it’s the same at the SFA, who made a proper hue and cry over Celtic fans flares and smoke bombs at a Scottish Cup game but said the sum total of nil about similar behaviour by other clubs.
I don’t think flares or smoke bombs belong inside a football ground, but there’s no consistency to their actions.
None.
Which is why Celtic will be about as concerned by today’s news as they would be about a spider in the board room.
Where I get pissed off is that the SPFL and the media are doing the old two-step, trying to further antagonise our club and supporters as if this is actually going to go somewhere. It’s not. The SPFL regulations are toothless and weak, because that’s how the governing bodies wanted them at first and the clubs mistrust giving them additional power anyway, and I don’t blame them.
The match delegate can write whatever he wants in his report; there’s not a person out there who doesn’t know it has zero force or effect.
This issue has been raised, and dismissed, time and time again.
But no-one ever suggested Sevco would “sweat” over the outcome of one.
The simple truth is that the SPFL is powerless to act, and even if there was a body of people out there who were in favour of them doing so I believe they’d lack the bottle.
The current rules are drafted so as to make sure nothing ever gets done; so be it.
Quite why they’re wasting our time pretending otherwise, I do not know.