Nothing could more greatly demonstrate the disparity between Celtic and Sevco fans than the things they appear to care about.
As Celtic sites like CQN have raised substantial sums, five figure sums, in the pursuit of justice over Resolution 12 – more on that later – the Vanguard Bears site has been trying, in vain, to raise £10,000 to “pay for legal defence” in the case of the embarrassing neds who went onto the pitch during the Scottish Cup Final.
So far, after more than 30 days of trying, they’ve brought in little over £4,000 – not even halfway towards the goal they are reaching for.
That page continues to be an embarrassment to their entire club.
A number of their fans have already been arrested in connection with the events of that day; is this site really meeting the legal defence for all of them? £4000 won’t get them very far, and it will actually hinder, rather than help, those who’ve already applied for legal aid.
The stated reasons for the campaign continue to be arrant nonsense too, and that some of the comments on the JustGiving page have echoed this drivel is very telling. Let’s bear in mind that what they are claiming here is that their hooligan element ran onto the park to “protect” their own players; players who had already left the pitch and were in the dressing room.
These people ran onto the park for a fight, angry that their team had just been defeated in a cup final.
There was no egalitarian principle involved here; these idiots were intent on doing damage of their own and it’s as simple as that. It would be amazing if people high up in the stands saw things that no TV footage analysed so far has been able to catch.
The fact they’ve even put this up is ridiculous. Even if their nonsense narrative had been accurate, how do you differentiate between those who are “deserving” cases and idiotic madmen who were simply overcome with anger and up for anything? When a Celtic fan organisation raised money for those who were wrongly arrested in Amsterdam they were pretty clear on adding that emphasis.
Even then, I know there were some issues with people who presented invoices for nonsense such as families going over for the trials and staying in big hotels.
The simple truth is that this campaign is an embarrassment to the many Sevco fans who want this disturbed and deranged element removed from their support once and for all. Those who’ve chosen to embrace it do not represent the wider sweep of their support, who realise that they’ll be better off when these folk are removed from their ranks once and for all.
At best this gives money to lawyers for very little effect; I mean, what exactly is their “legal defence” predicated on? That they were acting as vigilantes? I may not be as up on the law as, say, a qualified barrister but even I know that stuff is illegal. The very act of taking this money could prejudice someone’s case.
They really don’t think things through too well, these folk …
As far as the Requisitioners go, they have been pursuing justice on behalf of the whole of Scottish football over Resolution 12.
Ignore everything you might read about “UEFA won’t investigate Sevco”; that was never the point of the campaign in the first place, and until the issues at the heart of that campaign are resolved this matter is going to run and run.
But the efforts of the fundraisers was truly extraordinary. Celtic fans raised tens of thousands not only for the ads but for the legal costs of those involved. Much of that cash remains, and it can be used to fund the next phase of this thing, with whatever’s left going to charity.
The reasons for raising it are pretty clear cut though; the intention is to hold the SFA to account and that task continues and that job will be done, however long it takes.
In the end, the Celtic supporters are going to get their money’s worth here.
Everything will be accounted for, everything will be laid out, and when the final verdict is in I don’t doubt that our people will think it was well spent.
For those sinking their hard earned cash into “legal costs for neds” … I do wonder what planet they are on and what, other than a ludicrously misplaced sense of “pride” they’re going to get for theirs.