Saturday’s entertainment was not brought to you by 11 masters of the beautiful game doing their stuff on the pitch. Far from it.
It was all about those pesky kids and if you switch your mind to Scooby Doo mode you can picture Alec Salmonds and his flabby chops being unmasked as the villain after a slap dash chase and some buffoonery.
There seems to be two distinct camps when it comes to the GB. Those who see them as needy adolescents who need the rush of self publicity and are a disgrace to the club they claim to love and those who love what they do but have reservations about their choice of songbook.
Update: It seems that there is a third distinct group. Let’s call them the Partisans who are calling for nothing to change and for the GB to carry on as they are.Â
I never put this group in as before now, and maybe in the aftermath of such a show, they have been silent in any on-line or off-line discussion that has taken place. They are the vocal majority at the moment. Â Â
Salmond’s Law has been discussed and even those with damaged grey matter can grasp that the law is being changed to ensure that we can be tagged the same as them. It’s been admitted to in that expensive house in Embra. It will also capture other fans of the self titled Family Clubs who have a snobby view of us and think that their $h*ts don’t smell.
I have no faith in the justice system to enforce the law. Neither do those that need to enforce it.
The banner above sums it up our situation perfectly but the protest failed to take into account the growing number – I think it is a growing number – of Celtic fans who want certain songs or slogans dropped from the repertoire not because they are illegal but because it’s time to move on.
My take is this. We will lose nothing from our identity if we stop singing certain songs. The GB will play a major part in that.
The protest on Saturday was seen by some as a petulant and selfish act. I fully understand that view. The group could only highlight their view and the problems they face. They weren’t attempting to be a wider voice.
There was also a great deal of hypocrisy in the reaction to the protest inside the stadium. You could hear the sweetie papers rustling and the players shouting before 50mins. The stadium became all singing and all dancing afterwards. Did you not feel like singing before hand?
There also seems to be a lack of understanding about the reason they have been asked to stop the lateral movement. The disappearance of a safety certificate could make that clearer to those who don’t grasp this. I think the GB should be using this to make a play for safe standing returning to the Scottish game. The game in this country needs a revolution.
So what do we do about the Green Brigade? The club and support have embraced them like an outcast Uncle at a family wedding. Glad to see him there but keeping a distance and ensuring he can be disowned if he soils himself and is sick down the bridesmaid.
Saturday was a watershed moment. But what way do we go? Vote in the poll.
[poll id=”42″]
They bring too much atmosphere to be banned
There is nothing wrong with what the green brigade are doing, they are bringing the buzz back to Celtic Park, and that’s exactly what the fans want. Also recently many of the players have come out and said that the crowd are a massive influence in there performances, if it wasn’t for the GB the crowd would not have the amazing atmosphere we are experiencing at the moment.
HAIL HAIL
I don’t think we have a right to ask a group of fans to stop singing songs if they are not illegal. I strongly believe that if they want to put across their political views, in a legal way, then they should receive no impediment. Also what songs do you think certain groups of fans deem as unacceptable? I personally would regard those with an anti-protestant(or other religion) or those which refer to a specific event involving civilians (i.e. ibrox disaster) as unacceptable, and to my knowledge they don’t as a group sing such songs.
I agree but should political protest or celebration really be done at a football ground? Remember that was an argument against the poppy. You can include anything mentions the IRA, no matter in what form as what some may find offensive. Thats what the are targeting me thinks.
Do you think this article is a true representation of the thoughts of the Celtic fans regarding the Green Brigade? If so your an idiot, this article is cringeworthy
No, I don’t think or have suggested that it represents anyones views apart from those I claim to be my own. So, what are your thoughts or are you too idiotic to have any?
What to do with them? What about the reaction to the GB on Saturday, the people who turned up, was that not a poll for you ? Surely that told you all you need to know and is got to be better than any stupid internet poll where any old nutter can vote, I bet the Scotzine nubs will be buying IP addresses just to get votes in.
Hope its the same atmosphere on Thursday.
Maybe the reaction was better than any poll but would the reaction have been the same if they had started singing BOTOB and did you notice that in the Celtic Symphony the silence apart from the GB at the Oh Ah bit? Does that tell me what we need to know?
Also, the reaction maybe says something about the sheep like nature of the home support? See the booing of Samaras….
Forza Green brigade!!! Forza Rhebels! Forza free speech!
I have to agree….. The support at saturdays game showed how they feel. The majority of the 45000 all stood up to show that support. That tells us all we need to know. Hail hail to the GB. !!!! YNWA
On the face of it that was the case. I’m sure the majority of the support are against the new laws and gladly agree with the protest. But…..it’s split nearly 50/50 regarding the repertoire….
i would like to have a face to face conversation with the misguided idiots, who, would like to see the GB disbanded and i suspect take a perverse satisfaction from their current treatment.
I would vehemently contest that it is these people who are the embarrassment to Celtic, complete pigeon’s for the laptop loyal and the current political agendas.
Well done eerrmmm, bhoys, just you do the bigots work for them. Keep up the good work.
i think if they ban this then they should ban the walks that go through towns that dont want them but we get them anyway so this is them singling out gb for special treatment when everybody knows who needs sorted out let them sort the real bigots out hail hail
I think the GB are unique and the powers at be are really unsure how to handle them. Hence this ham-fistedness.
Having listened to Prof. Devine explain that the laws are already in place to punish sectarian acts but the Scottish Police have failed to use them, leaving UEFA to dole out bans/punishments that SFA and Courts have turned a blind eye to. Whether you dislike the songs or not, World Football has never condemned our support so how can some so called Celtic fans .We really should act as one because some young lads are going to be criminalised as some form of equalisation by the new Laws that are to be introduced.
I don’t think the majority of fans are condemning the songs, in fact I’m sure that nearly 100% would have sung them at one time or another. Some feel it’s time to move on and I feel that if we do we don’t lose any of our identity while others lose it all.
For me there is two issues. The songs and the law. I can’t believe that Paul McBride QC reckons that the justice system will prevail with the introduction of Salmonds Law. As you say they fail to use the current powers.
as they say, their songs are not sectarian, and in general not very offensive. the most offensive song we have is go home ya huns but in literal meaning its not that offensive, hun is just a metaphor for a thug…
60000 people doing the huddle is far more dangerous than the so called lateral movement…that is the REAL hypocrisy from Celtic
Same as 50,000 xxxxxl doing the bouncy then?
Absolutely mate..I love both the lateral movement and the huddle but it seems Celtic cant make any money from lateral movement..
which if any in of the repertoire of GB songs are offensive? IRA songs , please get hold on reality . If i were to sing songs in praise of Norwegian or French partisans who fought the forces that occupied their respective countries in WW2 not a word would be said, however if the insurgents being praised in song are Irish – well now that may be a criminal offense.
Say it loud bhoys YNA
Again, the Celtic support are not saying they are offensive but are beginning to question what they have to do with the games we are watching?
That’s the point. Offensive is not being discussed.
Pretty much agree with everything you say here, but they seem intent on not changing the songbook, or listening to anyone else.
Regarding losing nothing from our identity, I think the various videos that did the rounds last season prove that (“Just can’t get enough”, “Glasgow’s Green and White” etc.)
I Fully Stand Along With The Green Brigde any Celtic Fan who wants them Out off Celtic Park Have Look at Your if they Are Told to Go from Celtic Then I hand bye Season Ticket Back cause I’m not Going back to the Days off GS and Mogga no stuff going on at games
It’s a thorny one and seems to have divided the Celtic support. Although I don’t really care one way or the other what songs they sing so long as they don’t stop singing altogether!.
I recall in the days of my plooky youth we used to give it big licks with Sean South and The Soldiers Song etc,I would hate to think I could have been arrested for that as is seemingly being proposed,but in any event I don’t recall anyone being killed by a group of people singing ( Don’t include some rock bands !).
In those far off times they used to belt out The Sash etc and we’d give it laldy with Sean South and then we went home,Nae bother.
Who cares what anybody sings, I am sure there are a great many more things in this world we SHOULD be offended about than people singing.
Take your point and agree to a point. Ask yourself when did Sean South score for Celtic though?
ps: I am being devils advocate here.
I’m a 61 year old supporter who deliberately changed my season book to sit in the front of the Green Brigade. In my opinion Celtic should be encouraging these people and allowing a lot more supporters in their area and Celtic should be taking them to away games free of charge.
To all those people who just want to sit, who don’t want to sing, who don’t want to get behind the team, then please go and take up another sport.
One last thing! You should see the way these young people are treated and victimised by the police and OUR OWN STEWARDS even before they enter the stadium it is nothing short of a disgrace and the Celtic board SHOULD BE ASHAMED.
Keep up the great work GB, I am 100% behind you.
There is no-one disagreeing (ok, a minority) that they are doing a great job but do you think the songbook represents what Celtic are about now?
Update: I have updated the post to represent what is being said and voted for.
You cannot possibly justify a stance of “keep politics out of Celtic Park” when at the very same time the politicians are sticking their noses in.
And for what it’s worth, about 99% of what the Green Brigade sing is to do with Celtic. Hell, they’ve even turned Little Armalite into a Celtic song! More power to them I say.
True, it’s the 1% that is causing the debate.
The GB are fantastic! The atmosphere they generate is electrifying, if it wasnt for them then CP would be like a library at times. I dont give 2 f**ks who they offend, their songs are not illegal, their songs are not secterian, so whats the problem? Celtic Park would be a lesser place without them!
think alot of the animosity towards the GB comes from the fact that as “the best support in the world” we are loathed to acknowledge the fact that we actually need a “singing section”.
The atmosphere at Celtic Park bar European Nights, Rangers games and the odd exception has been non-existent since the completion of the stadium in 1998.
In my opinion games like Saturdays are all the better for their presence.
As an “outsider” I would suggest that they could less insular and prevent splitting the support.
We all remember the days of rival Celtic gangs and more recently (ten years ago) Ajax fans fighting amongst themselves at Parkhead.
Lets hope these scenarios can be avoided and the support can once again be united and vocal with the help of the GB.
I just wish that they would stop singing Discoland.
oo-oo-ay-ay-oo-oo-ay-ay-aaaay…
I like Discoland…….
I’m really tired of listening to this purile romanticism regarding Irish republican ideals. It’s insufferably boring and outdated. I absolutely love the passion that the Green Brigade have brought back to Celtic Park. I’m all for that remaining. However, the politics and the bonehead excuses for singing songs related to the IRA I can do without.
It may be boring to you but you have to respect the right of others to sing about it should they wish to do so..Personally i do not sing “rebel” songs at Celtic anymore as i feel that Celtic in 2011 is now (for better) a multicultural support encompassing many different nationalities,races and religions but i have absolutely no problem with anyone who wish to express themselves in any way they wish..Freedom of choice and expression is their own and as long as the songs are not sectarian or racist then i dont see what the big problem is
oh and for the record, if it wasnt for the green brigade, our support would be non existent at both Celtic Park and away from home such is the poor quality of the product Celtic fans are having to suffer on the park these past few years..At least these bhoys (and ghirls) are enthusiastic regardless of how poor we have become…in a “win, lose or draw” kind of way