DUNDEE, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 25: Rangers away fans during a cinch Premiership match between Dundee and Rangers at the Kilmac Stadium at Dens Park, on September 25, 2021, in Dundee, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Yesterday, Paulina published a piece on this site called The Shadow of the Billy Boys. It looked at something that has been developing across the city for a while now, and which most of Scottish football has preferred not to examine too closely.
Her argument was simple. When supporter movements begin to borrow the symbolism, rhetoric and cultural tone of older extremist traditions, the result is rarely harmless. It carries historical baggage and it has consequences.
Reading it reminded me of something Roger Mitchell said maybe a year ago which, at the time, I dismissed out of hand.
Mitchell warned that Celtic needed to be careful with the Green Brigade because the club had “created a monster.” His fear was that the group might eventually evolve into something resembling the ultras movements seen in parts of Italy.
Those groups have long since crossed the line from organised supporter culture into something much darker. In some cases, they have become deeply embedded in the power structures of clubs. In others they have been linked to racketeering, intimidation and organised crime.
At the time I described Mitchell’s warning in fairly blunt terms. It felt like a mental, batshit idea.
The Green Brigade have always been controversial. They have always been loud, political and sometimes confrontational. But the leap from that to organised crime networks and violent ultras movements running football clubs seemed wildly exaggerated.
Scottish football simply did not look like the kind of environment where that kind of thing could take root. At least, that was the assumption.
What has unfolded over the past couple of years has forced many of us to reconsider how naive that assumption may have been.
Because the ultras scenario Mitchell was warning about has not emerged at Celtic.
It appears to be developing somewhere else. At Ibrox.
Scotland learned not so long ago that Ross McGill, a former leader of the Union Bears, is the man responsible for the gangland war that has been unfolding across Glasgow. That revelation alone should have set alarm bells ringing.
When a figure associated with one of the country’s most visible supporter groups turns up in the middle of organised crime activity, that is not a story that should pass without serious reflection. Yet the wider reaction was strangely muted.
Since then, the Union Bears have continued to operate as one of the most powerful organised factions around the Ibrox club.
Their influence has been visible in several episodes over the past couple of seasons. They were heavily involved in the campaign which ultimately helped push a manager out of the club. Executives have been openly targeted by their protests. They have organised fundraising efforts for members who have ended up in prison.
One of those fundraising campaigns used imagery depicting a Celtic supporter being kicked in the head.
Their tifos and banners have repeatedly crossed lines into imagery celebrating violence. The club itself has been fined over some of those displays. More recently the group has effectively adopted the new manager as a kind of symbolic figurehead, presenting him as the embodiment of their own narrative about the club.
All of this has happened while the media narrative has often tried to draw a contrast between the two sides of the city.
Celtic, the story goes, has been locked in a long running dispute with the Green Brigade. Meanwhile the Ibrox club has been portrayed as enjoying unity between the team, the club and its ultras.
It is a neat narrative. It is also an increasingly misleading one.
The riot which followed the recent cup game offered a glimpse of the reality behind that image of harmony. When a supporter movement grows in influence and begins to define the tone of the atmosphere around a club, the line between passionate support and mob behaviour can disappear very quickly.
Events that day did not appear out of nowhere. They were the logical result of years of escalation. And the real concern is that the story may be entering a far more serious phase.
Because what is emerging around that ultras movement now looks increasingly like something far more troubling than loud and aggressive supporter culture.
The links to serious organised crime have already surfaced. At the same time the political rhetoric circulating within parts of that movement has drifted steadily toward the far right. Immigrants and minorities have increasingly been used as targets for that rhetoric as Paulina pointed out.
That combination should worry anyone who cares about the direction of Scottish football and who prevent harm.
And Mitchell did have one point; across Europe we have seen this pattern before. Ultras groups begin as intense supporter movements focused on atmosphere and identity. Over time some of them accumulate influence and begin to operate as political or social factions within clubs. When criminal elements become involved, that influence can expand rapidly.
Eventually the movement stops being about football altogether.
It becomes something else.
Paulina’s article touches on the historical shadow cast by the Billy Boys and the culture that surrounds that symbolism. That history matters because it shows how easily football identities can become vehicles for darker political ideas. Once those ideas start to mix with organised supporter movements and criminal networks, the results can be extremely difficult to contain.
That is the real lesson of what we are watching unfold.
Roger Mitchell’s warning was about the danger of supporter groups becoming powerful enough to influence the direction of football clubs and dangerous enough to drag those clubs into something much uglier.
At the time he imagined that happening at Celtic and I thought it was absurd then and now. The irony is that events now suggest he may have been looking in entirely the wrong direction.
And what we are seeing today looks far worse than anything he had in mind when he issued that warning.
Scottish independence would’ve ended this once and for all…
They’re now emboldened and strutting around with a menacing swagger…
Celtic supporters and Catholics and People of colour will suffer from them this summer…
It could have as I say all been gone in 2014 they’d have just took their Butchers Aprons to England instead…
Wait till Ireland gains independence they’ll flood Scotland with their cancer then for sure…
Anyway after that Clachnacuddin and the Hoops rant…
HAPPY ST.PATRICK’S DAY TO ONE AND ALL ON THE CELTIC BLOG !
Catholics in Scotland should not be wishing for a United Ireland for the very reason you say. God help the people on the Ayrshire coast if it does happen.
As far as Independence solving a problem, I am afraid the majority non-Irish sympatico will not disappear overnight and may even strengthen their power positions in this little one horse town of a country and who will bring it to task. The media?
We no longer need to sit at the back but it is the wrong bus.
Unfortunately the danger of an extreme right wing government comes from Westminster and the First Past The Post voting system. Any Party getting between 30% and 40% of the total votes cast, can win an over all majority. The Labour Party had an 80 seat majority at the 2024 election with 33% of the votes cast.This could open the way for the Reform Party to win a majority of seats at the next election courtesy of the English vote.
There would be no danger of that happening in an Independent Scotland with our Proportional Representation voting system.
Not being Independent took Scotland out of Europe, and it could land us with an extreme right wing Government at the next Westminster election. The Orange Reform voters here in Scotland will just love that.
Scotland with a measly 57 seats of a 650 seat London Parliament doesn’t have much influence, the UK isn’t a partnership of nations, and it could lead to domination by an extreme right wing England.
A good point micmac but it runs a lot deeper than that.
We need to understand why vast proportions of society are moving towards reform. We have to also realise a lot of people in Scotland are also moving to reform. Many of these people were previously SNP and Labour voters.
Thought provoking article James. The club really need to get a grip of the ultra problem at Ibrox, if not UEFA will hopefully do it for them.
Scotland is too soft on the ultra culture and they get away with murder.
A lot of people on here think our ultras should be allowed back unconditionally and that would be a big mistake. The rules of the stadium must apply to everyone.
My issue with GB is most of us don’t know who they are.No names ever mentioned so transparently and accountability for actions are non existent.
Mr Mojorisin @ 10.30pm…
Celtic winning the title means more to me than any cop taking a bit of lip…
That’s what they’re paid for or certainly partly paid for…
If The Green Brigade being in propels Celtic to the title (let’s be honest our home form has been fuckin well abject without them) then that’s all that counts here…
CELTIC is all that counts here not fuckin cops that hold the hands of current and future gangsters from public realms to Liebrox Stadium on a regular basis !
Clach, that seems to be the policy at Ibrox….the ultras can do whatever they like. It will cause them major issues in the end like james has pointed out.
At CP I don’t see what the problem is with the GB agreeing to stick to the terms and conditions of their season tickets.
If they say they will abide by the rules of the stadium, Celtic FC have said they get back in. It seems it’s more important to the GB to bring down the current board. I’m guessing that is more important to them than winning the league……..maybe they are right, but whoever is in charge at CP, there is going to be rules, I’m not sure they get that.
Micmac @ 11.23pm…
(Political) Post of the year buddy…
C’mon THE SCOTTISH SINN FEIN and Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom !
Cgreen123 @ 10.19pm…
Every Catholic I know in Scotland is desperate for a United Ireland Gaelic Peaceful and Free from Butchers Apron Brit Tyranny…
Every Catholic I know in Ireland is desperate for an Independent Bonnie* Scotland Free from Butchers Apron Brit Tyranny…
(* It will be Bonnie the days these unwanted invading by religion bastards go) !
“Roger Mitchell’s warning was about the danger of supporter groups becoming powerful enough to influence the direction of football clubs …”
Yes, and no doubt threatening officials too. That could explain why some Scottish refs are shite.
“At the same time the political rhetoric circulating within parts of that movement has drifted steadily toward the far right.”
Not true! The Ibrox fanbase has ALWAYS had a large section who support such groups as The UDA, The National Front, The BNP, The UVF and other right-wing hate groups.
As far as Ross McGill goes. I laugh when i read sources referring to him as a “King Pin” and various other similar titles. He’s a wee shitebag ned that could fight for toffey. As most Glaswegians would know, the real “King Pins” and “Godfathers” are rarely ever mentioned in anything other than hushed tones. Such is the fear they generate.
I’m not going to go into detail but i know what real Glasgow gangsters look like and it’s not Ross McGill. These guys have reputations that instil fear at the very mention of their name. Guys who even dress the part, ie; suits and long camel hair coats etc. Not some shitebag ned basking in his self-appointed nickname of “Miami” FFS. Even the Glasgow ‘Polis’ know who the real “Godfathers” and “King Pins” are. And who the useful idiots are.
Clever “gangsters”, for the most part, don’t revel in their names being plastered all over the media. They keep a very low profile. They work on not attracting publicity. unlike glorified neds such as McGill.
Yes, the Ibrox organisation and fanbase have always been linked to right-wing groups. Their history, just like their football, is rancid.
“…that couldn’t fight for toffey.” Not “could” fight for toffey.
FFS! Think i’ll go back to bed and get up again. Start the day properly. LOL
This is my first time posting on a Celtic fan media blog although i am an avid reader of Celtic Blog,Read Celtic Video Celts, Celtic Star and Andy Muirhead. I recall,James, when the Fan Collective was established you said this campaign would be a marathon,not a sprint and could take a few years to achieve the changes the fans want.As the season draws to a close it is looking very likely the zombie board controlled by Dermot Desmond is going nowhere and in all probabilty will still be there at the start of next season and if they are they will still be there at the end of the season.So the question is how do the CFC up the pressure on desmond & co to force change.I believe a big opportunity coming up is the glasgow council elections in May 2027.With the size of the Celtic fanbase I believe the CFC could get people elected to the council.Although I know nothing of the political layout in Glasgow if for example you look at the electoral ward of Calton where google search tells me Celtic Park is situated I believe this could be achieved.At the last council elections in 2022 the electorate in Calton ward was approx. 20,000 the turnout was 6,072 and the quota to be elected was 1,215 Which means 14,000 registered to vote didnt.Who were those people? Could I hazard a guess a large number of these are celtic supporters and their families who have no faith in those standing delivering for their community regardless of whatever party they represent.So with the right processes in place,engaging with those who dont vote ,finding people who are not registered, persauding celtic fans who vote for other parties to lend their vote and with strict vote management would it be an impossible task to garner 8,000+ votes and take all four seats in Calton. If you look at all the other wards its the same thing very low turnout with lots of councillors being elected without reaching the quota.Could the celtic fanbase be engaged and motivated to bring out a large vote in some of these wards?Would it be pie in the sky to say the CFC could return 10 or more councilors? I think not. Of course it isnt just a case of picking candidates putting up posters and waiting for people to come out and vote. it takes a lot of hard work long hours and perseverance.To show how it could be done I will take you on a James Forrest type history lecture to Fermanagh/South Tyrone the constituency famously won by Bobby Sands when on hunger strike and a particular by election on Dungannon council in that constituency.In 1990 Sinn Fein councillor and IRA volunteer Martin McCaughey faced a disbarment process for non attendance after he was wounded in a gun battle where he shot dead two SAS soldiers and went on the run to be treated for his wounds. Shortly after he himself was killed in a SAS ambush.Sinn Fein went into the election in a precarious position in an electoral ward that had 3unionist and 2 SDLP councillors,with low morale and facing defeat.They then brought in a superb strategist by the name of Sheena Campbell.She reorganised the election workers into teams giving them specific areas to cover and very quickly morale lifted as a friendly rivalry developed between the teams as to who could add the most new voters to the registar,find people who hadnt voted before and to flip SDLP voters.Tallys were kept on a daily basis to estimate the potential vote and how much more was needed,On election day the sole purpose of the teams was to get out everyone who had promised to vote Sinn Fein in their designated area. Francie Molloy recieved over 10,000 votes winning by 6 votes.All the election teams joyfully claimed they had found those 6 winning votes but in reality they had all done it together
Sheenas plan became known as The Torrent Stratedy named after the electoral ward where this took place and has become the Sinn Fein template to consistently fight and win elections for the last 35 years Sheena’s background role in this election and increasing importance to Sinn FEin didn’t go unnoticed by British Milatary Intelligence and RUC special branch and on 16th October 1992 shortly after leaving a law lecture at Queens university she was shot dead by a loyalist assassin.
Wouldn’t it be very fitting for her legacy to live on in you anti establishment elements in Glasgow.
James,as you regularly write about your background in politics you could be the person to put together a working group to explore the possibility of running candidates in next years council elections. you already have 250 politically allies in the Green Brigade and as it is looking likely they are going to be banned permanently from Celtic Park let this be their revenge on desmonds zombie board, the safety advisory group and police scotland.Although I do believe by now all glasgow Celtic fans are politically aware.I’m sure you can immediately grasp the potential of having CFC councillors without me having to list them.IF a decision could be taken soon a lot of the heavy lifting could be done over the close season,putting together electoral teams in each ward carrying out a soft canvass to sound out potential support,updating the voting registar for new voters ect to gauge how many candidates CFC could actully run. the elections are only 14 months away better to start now than next January
Mr Mojorisin @ 3.26pm…
I expect a few Labour voters to go to reform and believe Farage’s pathological lies…
Well England did anyway at brexit – Scotland were dragged out – Democracy Dead as The dinasour…
But SNP voters running to Butchers Apron loving bastards…
Why vote SNP in the first place then !
Clach, very few people vote for political beliefs like me and you. For most the well being and prosperity of themselves and family come first. Many rightly or wrongly see illegal immigrants as jumping the queue for health care and housing. That is why people of Scotland will vote for reform in large numbers, however misguided this may seem to us. Many of these people will have voted SNP in the past.
Remember what happened in 1930s Germany.