Yesterday, Celtic supporters made headlines once more as Irish Republican songs filled the air during the Remembrance silence. It was a jarring moment, with the silence cut short—a decision that surprised some, though this was expected.
Year after year, as November rolls around, there’s a predictable wave of scrutiny aimed at the club and its fans over their handling of Remembrance observances. This incident is just the latest chapter in a complex and often contentious relationship with a remembrance tradition that doesn’t always resonate with the backgrounds or values of everyone in the Celtic community.
Celtic remains one of the few clubs that doesn’t display the poppy on its shirts, a stance that’s both praised and criticised. This position reflects not just the club’s identity but also its supporters’ diverse backgrounds, many of whom have roots in Ireland and understandably feel queasy about honouring the British military in the same manner as the rest of the country.
To many, the poppy has a narrow, politicised meaning; to others, it is a voluntary symbol of respect for those lost in conflict. The rightness or wrongness of using a football match to make a statement on this issue is complex, but it’s undeniably a reflection of broader debates over Remembrance’s place in sport.
The Guardian recently ran a thought-provoking article about the poppy’s history in British football, capturing how this symbol, intended for solemn reflection, has instead become something of a litmus test of patriotism.
Particularly over the past decade, the poppy has morphed from an individual act of respect into a public declaration almost universally expected of players, managers, and clubs. The pressure to “do the right thing” and wear it comes largely from right-wing media figures, whose campaigns push the idea that any hesitation or dissent is tantamount to betrayal. What started as a voluntary act has become an annual ritual of judgement, with footballers expected to show their respect in ways that may be at odds with their own histories or beliefs.
For players with strong personal or cultural objections, the decision not to wear the poppy can be a nightmare. James McClean’s name springs to mind immediately. Over the years, he’s endured some of the most vicious treatment in the press and from fans simply because he opted not to wear the poppy. McClean, whose own family has a history tied deeply to Derry and the Troubles, has repeatedly faced insults, boos, and even outright hatred for sticking to his beliefs.
Rather than respecting his personal choice, the media has often portrayed him as ungrateful or disloyal. His story highlights the struggle of many players who feel this enforced loyalty test runs contrary to the sport’s stated ideal of keeping politics out of the game.
That’s the heart of this hypocrisy, isn’t it? Football’s governing bodies are usually adamant about their desire to keep “politics out of sport.” They draw hard lines on displays that they see as divisive, and clubs are frequently fined by UEFA if they’re found crossing these lines.
Yet, when it comes to Remembrance, it seems that certain political displays are not only tolerated but expected, regardless of individual beliefs. Those governing the sport appear to have no qualms about insisting on this annual pageant of poppies and moments of silence, as if to remind everyone where they should stand—politics conveniently set aside.
Ironically, even the Royal British Legion has come forward to say they don’t want the poppy to become a symbol that people feel forced to wear. In their eyes, it should be a matter of personal reflection, not a mandatory show of conformity. And yet, for many, the reality is that the poppy has become a matter of public accountability, one that’s relentlessly policed by those who view any alternative perspective as something akin to treason.
There’s also the moral question of fans choosing to protest these silences.
Some see these acts as deeply disrespectful to the memory of fallen soldiers, while others believe they are justified—an opportunity to highlight the lack of understanding around their cultural and historical backgrounds. In Glasgow, where historical Irish-Catholic links remain part of the city’s identity, the way this stuff is forced on us is viewed as an insult. Should individuals be expected to participate in an act of Remembrance that conflicts with their past and the experiences of their families? To some, the answer is yes—it’s a simple show of respect for lives lost. But to others, it’s an unfair demand to honour an institution they feel has caused direct harm.
Perhaps it’s time to step back and consider if the Annual Poppycock has outlived its place in football. Is it necessary to insist that every player, manager, and fan take part in this collective show, or should Remembrance return to being a private, voluntary gesture?
Would it be so terrible to let players, clubs, and fans choose how they wish to honour—or not honour—the occasion? Perhaps, instead of criticising Celtic, people could consider the question as to whether the time has come to remove this forced display from the sport altogether and let Remembrance find its way back to what it was meant to be: a genuine act of respect, freely given.
Why isn’t UEFA getting involved in this?
They’re quick enough to fine clubs for fans waving Palestine flags.
What is the difference with poppy fascism, which is clearly politically motivated, and the outrageous vulgar displays associated with it? (See Ibrox yesterday)
It was Kilmarnock FCs choice to hold a minute’s silence. If Celtic don’t wish to participate in that or have their supporters interrupt it, perhaps it should consider not taking a ticket allocation for away matches on this particular weekend. Clubs wishing to have this commemoration would lose revenue. Celtic would not have to endure what has now become an embarrassing spectacle. Yesterday’s banner on British Imperialism might have had more impact as a silent protest of one minute rather than as a disruption of that of the host club’s.
Love our club, always will and this is the only time every year I ever feel shame as a Celtic supporter. This situation has its arguments for and against and that’s up tae the individual.. Remembrance day isn’t just about wearin a poppy, it’s about remembering sacrafice. I wear a poppy as a mark of respect. Ah don’t wear one because one particular institution, who can’t have a normal remembrance day without providing a circus tae gain some ‘moral’ high ground, or point score, says I have to. Or because some factions of my own support, for reasons of their own, or through ignorance, say I shouldn’t. We also know, there are certain rivals and media, who eagerly wait on this yearly disruption tae suit their own twisted agendas. I have my own reason for wearing a poppy. More recently and for an example that imo, shouldn’t be forgotten, the sacrafice made and price paid in the second WW, stopping a brutal, fascist regime who, if they had succeeded in their objective, there’s every chance that a lot of us, including these people who disrespect their memory these days, wouldn’t be here today. Wouldnt even have been born. That’s part of the irony. A very sobering thought on its own. If some people don’t want to show respect, it’s up tae them. It’s a democracy. No, I don’t believe this act should be ‘forced’ on anyone. If Celtic Park decides not to participate in rememberance day, then that is their choice.Tho when our support are in attendance at other teams grounds, who do want tae show their respects, have the common decency tae at least stay quiet and don’t disrupt it for others.
I certainly feel no shame.
My grandfather, a lifelong Celtic supporter, volunteered with two of his brothers in WW1 serving iin Egypt and France. One brother died by mustard gas in 1918 serving with the Gordon Highlanders.
Grandfather always refused to wear a poppy because of its links to Haig whom he detested.
My father another lifelong Celtic supporter volunteered in 1939 and served with the Royal Engineers, latterly Airborne, through France in 1940 then North Africa, Sicily, Italy and finally crossing the Elbe in 1945. He lost many comrades and never wore a poppy.
I’m confident that both would have been sickened by this poppy fascism on football tops and enforced displays of ersatz “respect” at sports events.
The proper time for those who wish to observe, as my relatives did, is for two minutes at 11am on the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
The TV Companies should turn off the volume at this enforced “silence” in exactly the same way as they do when sevco is up to its knees in f***** blood wherever their supporters go.
@ biffo67. As ah mentioned. Whether ye respect it or not is up tae you. It’s a democracy. Whether ye feel ashamed or not is up tae you. Tho if we’re at other clubs grounds, where they do want tae show respect. Have the fuckin common decency tae keep quiet. Don’t embarrass the majority of us.
As a Celtic fan who isn’t from Glasgow & my family being entirely Scottish a long way back although there is some Irish in my ancestors which is likely where I drift from the “Celtic” political views or outlooks but I find the fact the SFA still have Celtic play on the Sunday the most bizarre factor of all of this. It’s an easily avoidable controversy.
It would still cause a stir if we played on Saturday but it wouldn’t cause the same up roar.
Personally I don’t care either way for the poppy. I don’t judge people for wearing one or not. I’ve had family who have been in the military in the World Wars are more recently & I have immense respect for them but I like wise understand that this symbol has been politicised by some not for the better of anyone & to many is a mark of remembrance of individuals who were fighting against them or there ancestors.
We are now on international break. Would it not make sense for FIFA to pull forward the international break by 1 week which would allow the British nations to remember there fallen soldiers by wearing the poppy on there countries shirts & every other nation can carry on & take the choice whether they wish to also represent the poppy or not.
Only thing I would say is they would likely need to be conscious of fixtures & avoid having British nations facing either team from the Island of Ireland.
There are a lot more countries out there that should be avoided if that’s the case not just the two teams from Ireland ,and the boys from Northern Ireland would have no problem wearing that shitty poppy anyway
Fair point, I think it would definitely quell a lot of the “controversy” that is mustered over the weekend of remembrance by making it part of the international break.
I haven’t seen much about the fact we don’t put it on the shirt this year so maybe that’s some progress….
I do wish our fans would do something a bit less baity. Silently turn our backs, or hold up banners decrying war/occupation rather than chant etc. It’s not that I disagree with the sentiment, it’s just that we all know how it gets spun.
As for your hope that football will rever to the pre 2010s era where poppies weren’t rooted and scrutinised….wishful thinking I’m afraid. Poppy fest serves a useful purpose for certain sections of society and as long as it does, it’s here to stay. I doubt any fallen soldiers from the Great War or WW2 would be terribly pleased about the quasi-fascist patriotfest it has become.
Bear with me while I delve into conspiratorial thinking
On Saturday, international media reports that the US and UK attacked Yemen. US reports only mention US involvement, but UK involvement would be consistent with previous US/UK cooperation in Yemen (e.g. “UK and US strikes on Houthi sites in Yemen are self-defence, says Rishi Sunak”, BBC Jan 2024). You can see a Reuters report at:
https://www.reuters.com/world/us-britain-launch-raids-yemeni-capital-sanaa-elsewhere-al-masirah-tv-says-2024-11-10/
The Guardian report – which appeared yesterday, and which only mentioned US involvement – has disappeared.
Now call me a party-pooper, but I suspect that it would not have been good for news of a UK bombing raid to appear at exactly the time when the Festival of Remembrance – for the war to end all wars – was being transmitted live by the BBC. So I suspect it was airbrushed. It’s simply hypocrisy (“I’m shocked, shocked”). Much better to have an inquisition on who is not wearing a poppy. I’m broadly in favour of a festival to remember the futility of war, but Remembrance Day, in its current form, is not it!
Never wore a poppy and never will.
Agree that a min silence at football should stop but it will not. Celtic fans need to think of something else, disrupted it plays into the hands of our enemies. We get so much bad press.
I attended a game in England yesterday. I stood gave my respect as the announcer indicated it was for the two wars. When I got to the pub to watch the Celtic game, I had to explain why we disturbed it. Some people do not fully understand what the poppy and the silence is for now, its meaning has been totally lost.
I would like the same to be applied to this Palestinian flag, I would like that to be removed from Celtic park as well, that’s became like a cult. The Palestinian cause seems to be more important to every group of people who are struggling in life. Nobody should be forced into anything, I personally don’t wear a poppy, but I understand the reasons why people do, they fought for our rights today. I also understand people not wearing one as well, but they morons yesterday are an embarrassment. I’m sick of getting tatted with the same brush “ controversial fanbase”. Celtics a club open to all.
Open to all, except “they morons”.
Not so open then.
Giving vocal and visual support to a People facing the choice of leaving their ancestral homes or Genocide constitutes being part of a ‘ Cult ‘ now.
Shows you how much you know or appreciate about the historical background of the Club you profess to support.
Were is the Ukrainian flags ?, did you know that there is Ukrainian refugees living in glasgow, thousands of miles away from there homes, because a nutcase dictator, out of a bond movie is in there country. Were is your compassion for them ? What about the homeless people all over the world. Is it just Palestinians that you support, and no other people who are suffering. I work with Ukrainians and believe me, they would rather be with their loved ones. If you think that was good behavior yesterday, then I’d be looking in a mirror.
Who mentioned Ukrainian flags. I sure as hell didn’t.
If there were any Ukrainian flags on display I would have applauded it
They , the Ukrainian people are the victims of Global powers knocking heads by proxy.
Russia’s Economy is on its knees. It can’t feed itself. It needs new lands for resources.
Ukraine is noted as the breadbasket of the West and that is why Putin is in there plus strategically its nearer NATO Countries.
My original comment was on the Palestinian Flags and in the support of the Palestinian population who are now in exile with little chance of returning home.
I can look in the mirror quite easily and only wish that I was younger and fit so that I could do more to help.
You seem a bit of a crazy mixed up kind of a ghuy, of course there are people all over the World suffering, the Palestinian people have been suffering for nearly 80 years. Millions of them scattered around the World most in refugee camps, around 42,000 civilians killed within the past year, their land stolen and colonised by people from all over the World.
I don’t know if you noticed Ghuy but the USA the EU and the UK are all arming Ukraine as well as arming Israel. Ukrainian refugees have been welcomed all over Europe. People from Gaza are trapped, starving and getting bombed daily, they can’t leave Gaza the borders are closed and Europe the UK and the USA wouldn’t welcome them anyway.
As for the homeless maybe you’ve not noticed but the GB have continually collected for food banks over the years.
It’s still a free country the last time I looked, if the GB and other Celtic fans want to demonstrate their unhappiness at the hypocrisy of the Remembrance coercion by the football authorities, then they are free to do so. For the record I wear the Poppy over Remembrance weekend to commemorate relatives who served in the two World Wars where two of them lost their lives.
I respect the GB for their support of the oppressed and persecuted Palestinian People. Although I’ll probably be commenting soon criticising their use of Pyros.
Yes Celtic are a club open to all, always have been, always will be. Hail Hail.
The fact that the SFA Computer, nae larfin at the back, constantly have Celtic playing on this day, says all that’s needed to understand about their Agenda.
Our Club should refuse to take tickets for away games on this date. If we are at Home on this day then issue no tickets to away fans. Similarly it should refuse Broadcast rights for the day. Thus denying all the ‘curtain twitchers’ their opportunity for manufactured outrage.
As an aside, the World Wars were not fought to stop Fascism. They were fought to preserve the established order of Imperialism
in Europe during the first and eventually to stop a despot and tyrant in the second. It’s a well established fact that England was reluctant to go to war against Hitler as many of our Politicians and Aristocracy had ‘respect’ for what he had achieved in Germany.
It was only when our trade with the Commonwealth was endangered that our Political Leaders opted to stand by our Pacts and Treaties with our European neighbours.
Fascism survived and is on the increase in Europe and Engerlund.
For what it’s worth – I don’t know if I kept the silence or not today…
If I was snoring then I actually accidentally didn’t –
If I was sleeping quietly then I actually did…
But regarding yesterday – Poppy Fest ain’t gonna go away from the football sadly…
It a great stick to beat Celtic FC with and by fuck no doubt they are beating us senseless with that stick today although I’m not contributing financially to The Scummy’s to find out for sure…
This wasn’t anywhere near Parkhead when I started going there in the late eighties thankfully…
However it was there before I ‘chucked it’ as in physical attendance and payment thru the turnstiles…
Did I keep the silence that Celtic (or perhaps The SPFL / SFA) ordered me to…
Yep – For Celtic and the sake of Celtic of course I did –
Did I be upstanding for it – Absolutely no fuckin chance of that…
It’s a free country and the silence maintained bit was the main bit for me to observe for Celtic’s sake on the days at Parkhead…
Unfortunately it has reached England and Celtic are getting a hard time on one of the forums of ma favourite English unfashionable team…
It’s probably not doing us any favours down there and this is where Sevco, The SFA and The SPFL have us over a barrel and are trying to break our backs…
No doubt Celtic will be asked to comment…
I hope we ram it down the throats of The Scummy’s of The Scummy Scottish Football Media big time that Celtic donated £10.000 to Poppy Fest Scotland and Sevco (probably) gave fuck all…
Will The Scummy’s of The Scummy Scottish Football Media report that then…
I very much doubt that The Celtic Blog will be reporting them praising that for sure !
An interesting article. Personally I respect the Armistice Silence but I don’t wear a poppy. The recent conflicts that we’ve chosen to engage in haven’t, in my view, shown the armed forces in a positive light. It seems that the poppy is now a symbol of celebrating war rather that commemorating peace and the fallen of all nations. I don’t have any issue with sticking a pound or two in the collection tins.. the establishment definitely don’t look after veterans regardless of the conflicts that they took part in.
The establishment don’t indeed Ollie after them and neither did The Scottish ? Establishment Club ‘Rangers’ before they died in shame thieving from the very soldiers, airmen and women and Navel personnel that they profess to love…
And of course Celtic help pick up the shortfall by paying HONEST taxes…
And a substantial £10,000 donation EVERY year to Poppy Scotland to spend as they see fit to do so…
No doubt Sevco fans will be creaming themselves to come on Clyde Superscoreboard tonight to condemn Celtic supporters for the disruption to the silence…
I hope should they do a Hoops fan comes and throws their own filth back at them and also tells of how our money is so much better for Poppy Scotland than their ‘symbolism’ will ever be !
For Fucks sake ‘The Establishment don’t indeed LOOK after them not Ollie after them as it reads…
Ah – Hangover Monday’s eh !!!
The fundamental problem for me is the holding a silence. If you disagree and stay silent then you are playing along. If you make a noise then you come across as disrespectful. Better to have a minute’s applause and then those that don’t want to join in and stay silent.
Personally I would have one RD on 11/11 and have it as a public holiday and use it for educational purposes of the horrors of wars.