Yesterday, A Section Of Our Support Shamed Itself With Moronic Booing Of The Silence.

There are people who think that a section of our support – the section that couldn’t bring itself to keep silent for one minute – shamed our club yesterday. They did not.

Our club has behaved with great honour and integrity this November, as it does every November.

They kept the poppy off our strips, in recognition of our status as a club that does not restrict itself to a narrow sect or strain of opinion, but they also made their annual donation.

There are some who think that minority shamed our support yesterday. They did not.

The Green Brigade and other fan groups publicised their decision not to be in the stands when it took place, and thus showed the proper respect to the fans who wanted to pay theirs.

They made their point, but not in a manner which brought them discredit.

I applaud the actions of those fan groups, and the club itself. They managed to find a compromise between how strongly they feel on this and respecting what used to be a solemn and dignified tribute, before the spread of poppy fascism and the shameful militarisation of the whole affair. Cannons at Ibrox, for God’s sake? It’s grotesque.

Nevertheless, I know several Celtic fans who have served.

Almost every other has a relative who did or has or still does.

My grandfather on my dad’s side did his service during World War 2, as almost all of the grandfathers of my generation did. The guy who was the closest thing to a grandfather on my mother’s side also did. The club’s statement on the remembrance ceremony paid tribute to the Celtic players who gave their lives in World War I.

That not even this was enough to make people shut their damned mouths for 60 seconds is appalling.

Some of them shouted nonsense about the IRA.

Armchair generals who if you asked them a single question about the Irish War of Independence they couldn’t answer it if you were threatening them with electroshocks.

Sixty seconds of silence in respect of our own former players.

Sixty seconds out of respect for those who died in the two big wars.

Sixty seconds to say a silent prayer for peace if that’s your bag, or for the poor sods of Ukraine.

Or the plight of the Palestinians … pick your own cause for Remembrance Day and honour it.

Or stand checking your phone for a minute.

If you can’t bring yourself to do it, at least don’t kid yourself that you’re anything other than a brainless dolt, a yahoo, acting like a ned for your own satisfaction.

These people see themselves are rebels.

Perhaps the last rebels, the remaining carriers of the flame.

They endure the disgust of their fellow fans, the contempt of the club, the opprobrium of the media because they think they are striking a blow. But for what?

Not for anything the rest of us care about.

They are so like the scum of the right that it astonishes me they can’t recognise that fact.

They are intolerant, bigoted, arrogant and unbelievably stupid.

They did not disgrace our club.

They did not disgrace their fellow fans.

They disgraced themselves.

They highlighted their own disgusting ignorance.