GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - JANUARY 08: Celtic fans during a William Hill Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee United at Celtic Park, on January 08, 2025, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
If you accept the thinking of Scottish philosopher David Hume, every person lives several different lives. The same is true of Celtic Park.
Recently, silence in the stands at Celtic home games has become a major topic of conversation, particularly because of the ongoing ban on the Green Brigade. That silence matters. More importantly, it forces a deeper question. How does this change, and can it be changed at all?
Much of the recent discussion has focused on the old Celtic Park, a ground that disappeared more than three decades ago. Yet the idea of one single, unified “old Celtic Park” does not really stand up. Memory tends to simplify places, but the reality was always more complex.
For those old enough to remember it, the terracing, especially the fabled Jungle, often gets described as a place defined by constant noise and colour. That image exists for a reason. My dad, in particular, still cites the Miracle of 1979, when Ten Men Won The League, as a defining example.
However, my own perspective differs.
I first stood in the Jungle in 1989 and returned regularly until seats replaced the terracing in 1993. After that, I spent most of my time elsewhere on the terraces. Those experiences shaped how I remember the ground.
I do not associate the Jungle solely with unbroken noise and celebration. Instead, I remember quieter nights just as clearly. The club’s decline in the early 1990s loomed large, and the atmosphere often reflected that reality.
Of course, some nights exploded with excitement. The 5–4 “defeat” against Partizan Belgrade stands out, even though I watched it from the Celtic end. Still, many other games passed in relative quiet.
One particular night dominates my thinking.
Celtic played Hearts in a midweek match in 1993 in what felt like a near-empty stadium. The crowd had little to celebrate until a late winner from Andy Payton. The ground did not shake. The noise never truly lifted.
All of this matters in 2026. It is easy to mythologise the past. Old Celtic Park could be remarkable, but it did not deliver intensity and atmosphere every single night.
The same holds true today.
Celtic’s modern challenge is more complicated. Every stadium that has moved to all-seated accommodation has seen a decline in atmosphere. The reasons are obvious. It is harder to sing while sitting. It is harder still when supporters cannot stand together with friends. Terracing allowed groups to form naturally. Fixed seating prevents that.
So what can change?
In the long term, some point towards the idea of a new “Celtic end”. However, that solution brings its own problems, particularly for supporters who would be forced to relocate.
In the short term, the return of the Green Brigade offers a far more immediate answer.
Few supporter groups have generated such intense controversy.
While Celtic existed long before the Green Brigade, conflicts between supporters and those running the club are not new. That said, the Green Brigade undeniably contributes to atmosphere. They represent a small group, yet criticism often overreaches.
Many incidents blamed on them involve people who are not members at all.
Even so, responsibility cuts both ways. The Green Brigade must do more to separate itself from individuals who seek confrontation. Footage showing groups rushing stewards or police undermines their position, regardless of context.
Some argue that Celtic produced noise and atmosphere long before the Green Brigade existed. That is true. However, it belongs to another era and does not reflect the current reality of modern football.
Ideally, songs and noise would rise from all corners of the stadium. Historically, that never happened consistently, and it is important to acknowledge that.
This season presents challenges Celtic have not faced in the modern era. Two genuine title challengers exist. As a result, the club needs every possible advantage.
Players must step up, including those signed before the transfer deadline. At the same time, supporters matter enormously. Opposition managers have already noted that a quiet Celtic Park benefits away teams.
The Bhoys face enough opposition without creating additional obstacles. Those who run the club must give Martin O’Neill and the squad every form of backing available. That includes creating the conditions that allow noise to return to the stands.
Ultimately, Celtic Park needs only one identity right now. A united one. A winning one.
C’mon you Bhoys in green.
Matthew Marr is a Celtic fan and historian, and a long-time contributor to the site. He is the author of the book The Bould Bhoys: Glory To Their Name and runs a series of Celtic history tours which you can check out here.
We definitely dont need any boycots
A fantastic article. The boycott for the Dundee game was well chosen though a bit late in the day for me. I think Nicolson will go now, with a big pay off. With all the grief why would he stay?
The GB now needs to come round the table and talk. I cant see any circumstances where they come back unconditionally.
The fan media is easy to solve also.
Lets see what happens now!
I think the problem for the GB is they are a political group & I’d imagine to a degree the club will want to put approvals on banners &/or limit what they can display.
That will immediately put a stop to their return imo because I don’t think they will back down.
For example if the club said you can come back but only the club, group & Irish flags can be flown would they stop flying the palestine flag?
Likewise I think if they were told they needed banners approved they would push their luck & likely end up kicked out again.
Their absence is so noticeable in atmosphere but they do bring a lot of issues too. They aren’t the angels that the calling for their return signifies.
Jay Celtic were formed and honed by politics, They have always had a Political edge even from the Boardroom. Bob Kelly and his board stood firm when ordered to take down the flag of the Irish Republic in the 1950’s by the SFA, Celtic flew the flag of the Basque country in the 1970/80’s to show support for their struggle against Franco’s Fascist Spain, Celtic refused to play against a team from the USSR when Russia invaded Czechoslovakia in 1968. Politics are so much part of everyday life, that anybody attempting to keep it out of sport, is either unrealistic, or like FIFA and UEFA just having double standards whilst being dishonest and hypocritical.
The present day Celtic Board have lost any connection with the majority of Celtic supporters, I’ve watched Celtic for 75 years, Over the years I’ve seen mass brawls on the old terracings, field invasions and mass fighting on the streets outside of stadiums. with the Celtic Boards of the day leaving any punishments for breaking the law to the police and courts.
I’m against Pyros for obvious health and safety reasons, but there use has been common amongst lots of ultras groups in Scotland, with no other club punishing or suspending those groups.
I dont think the palestinian flag thing is the real issue. Celebrating terror events will never be acceptable to the majority of the support though.
By far the major issue is refusing to be policed. Intimidating cops and Celtic staff will not be acceptable no matter who is running the place. If the GB come to an agreement about this I’m sure they can come back.
I don’t see any chance of resolution with Lucan and Hargreaves stinking the place out…
Lucan DETESTS working class Celtic supporters – The vast majority then…
Hargreaves canny be seen to be ‘weak’ otherwise he’s eternally ridiculed for it – And at the old boys Christmas party knees up where they meet to ‘reminisce’ about how hard they buttoned this one, that one 30 years ago – Weakness won’t cut it…
So the ban will continue till these two are Scooshed outta the place…
Where’s Cerny when ya need him !
Edit – Paragraph 3 Above…
BATONED not fuckin buttoned as it reads !
Clach, it’s predictive text. BATONED is not a word residing in databases accessed by the tech running predictive texting so it reaches for the next similar word and gives it as option.
I remember once, in another digital life, SFA, telling you that if you type the first 5 letters of your username, the system running the predictive text on the Trinity Tim’s sites and you pause after typing the 5th letter’h’, you are given the word option of ‘Coach’
I don’t know the ins and outs of the GB Ban. Was there a rumour Police Scotland are behind it and Celtic Board gleefully then have a reason and a scapegoat?
Shocking that Wilson for his salary can’t grow a pair and engage. I don’t expect Nicolson gives it much thought in his chauffeur driven journeys to and from work on his £800k salary. A bit of compromise on both sides might help but as you say, the fact is Celtic need the GB Noise and Support more than they need the DD Yes Men and Lickspittles of the board.
I am certainly not in favour of a lengthy or continuous boycott, for it would do too much damage to the team. However, on a one-off basis, now and again, a successful boycott as a show of strength from the fans would highlight clearly all of our discontent, and such an action has my full support. Nothing else seems to be working, we are being ignored by the board and it is going to take something radical to cause a stir and promote enough unrest to a degree that will be noticed, but unfortunately it will only be noticed if enough fans stay away, for it has got to be effective. Every Celtic fan has to show solidarity in this attempt to shame the board for it will lead to nothing otherwise, a wasted effort will gain us nothing, just more despair and more anguish from a very disillusioned and sickened support.
Go for it Bhoys and Ghirls.
So we have a board who ban the Green Brigade for what ever reason they see fit and at same time welcome them union bear lowlife scumbags and the their song book to Celtic Park, not good enough and it’s time for Nicholson and Co. to leave the building
Good to have you back Celticforever. You were bang on the money with Nancy.
Great point Celticforever…
It truly does make one feel pure fuckin sick but that’s our Scummy ‘Custodians’ for you…
Thank fuck they get SFA from me cash wise these days…
Clachnacuddin FC benefit instead !
A low attendance at the Dundee SC game might get the attention, in the same way as the ~6,000 attendance back in the 1990’s got the bank’s attention. But let’s not forget that it may have short term consequences – and empty Celtic Park would embolden Dundee and probably confuse Celtic. And it may have consequences beyond that immediate game.
Boycotting this game is a huge mistake which will only have an adverse effect on the team. We all should support
the players at this time despite the board. I think a lot of fans will ignore the invite to boycot especially as a number of new players will be debuting.
The big problem is Desmond and he will not give way to any pressure.
I am afraid that our only hope is a take over from possibly an American institution.
Careful what you wish for.