Last night, the press started briefing that BT Sport is considering broadcasting from Celtic Park on every Europa League night, regardless of whether ourselves or the Ibrox club are the team with the home game.
This is in response to the decision to refuse Chris Sutton and Neil Lennon permission to cover the game there in midweek.
BT Sport has used Ibrox’s own excuse against them.
They feel that a ground where their staff’s safety cannot be assured is not a ground they wish to visit; I would have to say that when you consider the vicious war being waged by their fans on the press corps that this is a legitimate concern.
Numerous journalists are obviously now targets for their worst elements.
The reason that this has become so prevalent is that the media, as a whole, allows it. Alone only of the BBC, no organisation has taken a stand against Ibrox up until now and actually followed through on it. It is pretty clear that it’s the only thing they will respect.
BT Sports’ threat is not merely symbolic. It has real word consequences. It sends a message around Europe that a major media organisation believes that Ibrox has a poisonous and perhaps even dangerous atmosphere.
It also suggests that instead of dealing with that, the club panders to the lunatics. On practical terms, it may mean that there are no after-match interviews with the manager and the players, which the sponsors won’t like one bit.
It may seem like a very minor thing in the grand scheme, but it is the first step towards making the Ibrox operation a pariah club until it starts coming back into line.
On top of that, the decision to host every Europa League night at Parkhead is a great idea and sends the exact contrasting message about Celtic Park. That it is a safe space. That the fans are capable of accepting dissenting opinions.
That we are a professional organisation which does not pander to those who scream and stamp their feet.
Eventually, some outlet or another is going to have follow the BBC and simply refuse to play these games.
BT Sport will still be able to show games from Ibrox, but without the pre-match show and the interviews with players it will be a lesser experience for their club and for its supporters, and an enhanced one for Celtic fans as a consequence.
It is to be hoped that this is not an idle threat. BT Sport should set an example for others to follow here, by doing exactly what they say they are prepared to do. Perhaps if they do, others will be inspired to do likewise.
move it to CP and let’s show them how to be good hosts a small parochial inward looking club who’s board know the games almost up vis a vis the tally man coming to collect his £££££ which they don’t have almost time for ice cream n jelly.
If BT can’t get guarantees on staff safety inside the bigotdome then they, BT, should just refuse to show any of their games….that would be a proper and fitting response.
The new club should never have been allowed to be initiated into the Scottish League structure dressed up as the old.
They should have had to be completely re-named, colours changed, crests changed and the home ground name changed.
The new club with no history, should have been presented as such from the start. The Klan would have had no identity to hold onto and dress up as continuation.
Look at the farce going on there today, its so cringeworthy, damning and pitiful that its almost laughable if it were not true.
If they go tits-up again then screw them. No 5-way pish, they can start in the lowland league and work their way up like every other club. If anything proves that Scottish football does NOT need a “Rangers” it’s the Govanites behaviour over the last couple of years.
Make the masons, OO, and sevco proscribed organisations, ban the lot of them and bring Scotland into the 20th century at least!
I’ve been saying the things Cairncross said, from before they were, accepted back into the fold.
They should’ve been made to sign mandates, to agree to all of those things, NO RFC, 5 STARS, and all of the crop that goes with the stench ridden club of theirs.
Alex Salmond wanted to get rid of the OO, and he was told he couldn’t.
Get a life this Country doesn’t dance to that rubbish,
This is the 21st century, not the 17th.
When is someone going to have the balls to stand toe to toe and tell them it’s our way or no way.
Scotland really is pathetic when it’s Government, it’s Police force, it’s Football Authorities and the opposition to Government are all inadequate and cowardly in the face of the problem from one particular club. They do not send out the appropriate message and do not actively deal with the problem. Acknowledging it is not enough. The interesting thing is that the knowledge and awareness of this anti- Irish racism and anti-catholic bigotry in Scotland is spreading throughout Europe, which is quite embarrassing for reasoned and clear-thinking Scots.
As an atheist, I can see quite clearly that the problem source is one particular club and it’s fans, as well as a Scottish Establishment that tolerates and sometimes encourages such behaviour by non-action. We can also see this from the pathetic comments recently of certain divisive Scottish Conservative politicians who exacerbate the situation.
We live in a country which cannot leave the 17th century, never mind enter the 21st century. Truly pathetic.