The Offical Glasgow Celtic thread

[nifan]

I daresay many Celtic fans where killed during the wars.
Perhaps they should choose to remember them with the poppies.

[stiffler]

A gr

Good win on Saturday, under the circumstances, but I was disappointed to see Celtic players wearing poppies on their jersies, given the record of the British Forces in Ireland over many centuries. What would Brother Walfrid say?

"Dr Death" John Reid was apparently at the forefront of pushing for all the Scottish teams to have a poppy on their jersies, I'd say a fair few fans weren't too pleased about it.

A great idea from the chariman....if his plan was to alienate and divise the supporter base.

[T Fearon]

My point here is that Celtic, as a club are at pains to emphasise their non political agenda, and print this in the mission statement in every single home match programme, Celtic View etc. With the team donning poppies I don't see how this squares with the mission statement. I will raise this at next year's AGM

[Doogie Browser]

I was dissapointed to see the Poppies on the jersies too, definitely has Reid's hands all over it.  I would say the overwhelming majority of Celtic's Irish supporters would be against this.  It sets a precedent now also because if they do not do it next year people will be quick to point this out.
On a wider note did all teams in England do this at the weekend also?  Was it a mandatory requirement from the respective FA's or was it individual club's decision? 
Celtic could choose other ways to remember people killed during the wars rather than displaying probably the most divisive symbol prevalent in Irish society today.

[T Fearon]

At Celtic Park last Wednesday night,I saw not one person wearing a poppy, either inside or outside the stadium. The Celtic team wouldn't be permitted to wear Easter Lillies, and it should not be permitted to wear poppies, which are a symbol of unqualified approval of the British Crown Forces. This was a major mistake

[Doogie Browser]

My point here is that Celtic, as a club are at pains to emphasise their non political agenda, and print this in the mission statement in every single home match programme, Celtic View etc. With the team donning poppies I don't see how this squares with the mission statement. I will raise this at next year's AGM

Something of an irony I would have thought, its people who are making an issue of this who are bringing politics into it. Ultimately the wearing of the poppy commemartes war dead of every faith and political view and in particular the two world wars. Those Celtic fans who had a problem with it could have refused to wear Poppies and could have refused to take part in the minutes applause. Instead the way they handled their 'protest' lacked class and was pretty embarrasing for Celtic. The fact that only a tiny minority took part and were booed by large sections of the Celtic support did the fans in general great credit however.

If you think the Poppy is not a political symbol in Ireland you are being very naive, Celtic are fundamentally an Irish sports association and draw the vast majority of its support from Irish people or people of Irish descent who have no affinity with the poppy as an act of rememberance because of the political undertones.  
I have no problem with commemorating people slain in the wars but just think Celtic could have chosen a different method of rememberance rather than emblazoning a poppy on the kit.  Alex Maskey and Tom Hartley displayed appropriate measures of how to do this effectively in recent times as first citizens of Belfast.

[lfdown2]

My point here is that Celtic, as a club are at pains to emphasise their non political agenda, and print this in the mission statement in every single home match programme, Celtic View etc. With the team donning poppies I don't see how this squares with the mission statement. I will raise this at next year's AGM

Something of an irony I would have thought, its people who are making an issue of this who are bringing politics into it. Ultimately the wearing of the poppy commemartes war dead of every faith and political view and in particular the two world wars. Those Celtic fans who had a problem with it could have refused to wear Poppies and could have refused to take part in the minutes applause. Instead the way they handled their 'protest' lacked class and was pretty embarrasing for Celtic. The fact that only a tiny minority took part and were booed by large sections of the Celtic support did the fans in general great credit however.

exactly, perhaps start a new thread and keep the politics of this thread we all know you are right and good at it fearon

[illdecide]

just back into work today from last Tuesday...The game against Utd was good for atmosphere and really enjoyed it, the 2nd half was poor but i understand the reasons for it. It's just a pity we didn't have JVOH and samaras fit as we def could have created more chances hence the Utd pressure...but a draw with Utd is not at all bad with the players we had available, i know at Celtic Park we should settle for nothin less than a win against all teams but when you're using your 8th choice striker to come of the bench then you know your in diffs...

P.S. met Gaoth on the Stena and had a pint. Good lad he his...I was down looking for T Fearon on the London road before the game but no joy...

[Rav67]

I think when they're actually already woven into jersies (much in the same ashion as the way it's practically forced upon anyone who's going to be on British national tv for those 2 weeks every year) it becomes a denial of freedom of conscience and freedom of expression.  It's strange really when you see how far television and big institutions in British society (such as football clubs) usually bend over backwards not to offend people when it comes to religious or racial sensitivities, yet people are left with very little room for manoevere when it comes to the poppy issue.  But I do agree that they could have held the protest with a bit more dignity than they did on Saturday.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

I was dissapointed to see the Poppies on the jersies too, definitely has Reid's hands all over it.  I would say the overwhelming majority of Celtic's Irish supporters would be against this.  It sets a precedent now also because if they do not do it next year people will be quick to point this out.
On a wider note did all teams in England do this at the weekend also?  Was it a mandatory requirement from the respective FA's or was it individual club's decision? 
Celtic could choose other ways to remember people killed during the wars rather than displaying probably the most divisive symbol prevalent in Irish society today.

Blackburn and Arsenal were the only two English teams I noticed with the poppy woven into the shirt. Possibly there were a couple other but certainly not all.

My point here is that Celtic, as a club are at pains to emphasise their non political agenda, and print this in the mission statement in every single home match programme, Celtic View etc. With the team donning poppies I don't see how this squares with the mission statement. I will raise this at next year's AGM

Something of an irony I would have thought, its people who are making an issue of this who are bringing politics into it. Ultimately the wearing of the poppy commemartes war dead of every faith and political view and in particular the two world wars. Those Celtic fans who had a problem with it could have refused to wear Poppies and could have refused to take part in the minutes applause. Instead the way they handled their 'protest' lacked class and was pretty embarrasing for Celtic. The fact that only a tiny minority took part and were booed by large sections of the Celtic support did the fans in general great credit however.

Is this not simply incorrect? I've always been under the impression that the Poppy is a symbol of remembrance exclusively for the dead of the British Army.

[Lamh Dhearg Alba]

Is this not simply incorrect? I've always been under the impression that the Poppy is a symbol of remembrance exclusively for the dead of the British Army.

Its a symbol worn (by some) on Remembrance Day to remember war dead. Of every faith and political view. I have no issue with people who dont want to wear them (Im not wearing one to be honest) but making a political issue out of it at a football match is churlish in the extreme.

As for the odious Dr Reid some people might enjoy this clip from last years Only an Excuse, about 2'10 into it;

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=G7KyEFBHYWQ&feature=related

[Minder]

I read that 7 Celtic players died in WW1, the protest was by knuckle draggers.

[Rav67]

just back into work today from last Tuesday...The game against Utd was good for atmosphere and really enjoyed it, the 2nd half was poor but i understand the reasons for it. It's just a pity we didn't have JVOH and samaras fit as we def could have created more chances hence the Utd pressure...but a draw with Utd is not at all bad with the players we had available, i know at Celtic Park we should settle for nothin less than a win against all teams but when you're using your 8th choice striker to come of the bench then you know your in diffs...

P.S. met Gaoth on the Stena and had a pint. Good lad he his...I was down looking for T Fearon on the London road before the game but no joy...

Were you sitting anywhere near the numpty who ran on the pitch?  I heard that the nearest steward was a lad of about 18-20 who just let him run until stewards from the other side got him, then people in the crowd were giving the useless steward verbals for it and he started crying and had to be "subbed"!

[T Fearon]

Twat was near the corner flag of the North Stand, I was seated round the middle of the same stand. Couldn't believe it and couldn't understand why big Mick didn't stick his boot up his hole. This is inexcusable after what happened last year with Dida, and whoever heads up the stewarding operation at Celtic Park should be held fully accountable. Too many people become stewards simply to get a freebie into games and neither realise nor are equipped to deal with the responsibilities of the role.

[T Fearon]

See Frank Mc Garvey is taking a bit of flack after suggesting that Mc Donald's substitution due to fatigue last week calls into question the training regime at Celtic.