Celtic fan shouted sectarian abuse at Killie FC
by - at 2009-05-04 18:53:46

A CELTIC fan who shouted sectarian abuse at Rugby Park has been fined £300 at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court.

Twenty six-year-old Steven McClafferty also faces being banned from Celtic Park after the sheriff clerk was ordered to write to the club giving details of the conviction.

McClafferty, of Hillpark Drive, Glasgow, was found guilty of aggravated religious prejudice by shouting, swearing and making sectarian remarks last October during his team’s 3-1 defeat of Kilmarnock.

He had earlier denied the offence.

Celtic security supervisor Ronald McGregor, 37, said that his attention was drawn to a number of Celtic fans chanting abuse.

“We are told they should not be using words such as were used,” said Mr McGregor, who explained that one of his duties was to monitor the crowd for sectarian chants or songs.

“It could bring the club into disrepute,” he said.

He identified McClafferty as “a sort of ring-leader”.

“He was egging the fans on, starting singing and getting others joining in.”

Mr McGregor, who has worked as a Celtic steward for 18 years, said that he had reported McClafferty’s seat number to his control room and had later been asked to point him out to police.

His fellow steward Joanne Martin, 35, said: “There were three fans sitting together and there was a gentleman who was the kind of ring-leader.”

Identifying McClafferty, she said that he kept up an abusive chant.

McClafferty, a civil engineer, denied using any sectarian language.

He described the behaviour of the fans at Rugby Park as “very much what you see at every stadium and up down the country”.

He said that he had been clapping, cheering and singing “to urge the team on”.

McClafferty admitted that he may have shouted and sworn at some point during the game, but said that any such behaviour related to the action on the pitch or the referee’s decisions.

He told the court: “The police came up to me 10 to 15 minutes into the second half and asked me to go downstairs for a chat, then arrested me and took me to Kilmarnock police station.”

Kilmarnock Standard, 1st May

Sectarian chanting rears its ugly head at Caledonian Stadium
by - at 2009-04-30 14:24:01

MIKE Smith is bullish when it comes to the sensitive subject of sectarianism — an off-the-pitch blight on Scottish football.

The Inverness Caledonian Thistle chief executive insists the club does not have a significant problem with offensive chanting despite police figures suggesting a recent rise in sectarian-related arrests at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium.

"Any suggestion of racism is unacceptable to the club and we don't believe there is any sectarian or racist element within the club's fans," Mr Smith declared.

Statistics obtained by The Inverness Courier from Northern Constabulary show there have been eight arrests for racist or sectarian crime at the ground in the last six months compared with none over the previous five years.

The rise has prompted the preparation of a report to be discussed by senior police and Highland politicians at the Northern Joint Police Board meeting on 13th May.

It is expected to include details of police investigations into three Caley Thistle fans for alleged offensive chanting at SPL matches in Inverness, a probe launched after fellow supporters posted concerns on a fans' website.

Although Mr Smith was unable to comment on the ongoing inquiry, he stressed that match day stewards at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium were briefed to clamp down on any sign of the religious intolerance which blights the sporting rivalry between Celtic and Rangers in particular.

"In the main we don't have an issue with sectarianism in the area and there's only three games a year where it becomes an issue," he said. "It relates to the away side, which is why we work with Rangers and Celtic on that and they are very helpful.

"We pride ourselves on investing time, effort and money into creating an environment for people to feel comfortable in."

Scottish Premier League delegates attend all matches and are responsible for reporting on crowd behaviour, including instances of discriminatory singing or chanting. Evidence of such transgressions is not always straight forward however, as some sectarian songs — such as old time children's rhyme Hokey Cokey — can be open to several interpretations.

Other songs like the 'Famine song' about the Irish potato famine are more recognisable as they contain explicit religious references. A rendition of this particular tune was given by visiting Rangers supporter Keith Fordyce (48), of Paisley, when the Glasgow side travelled north in January. He was arrested outside the ground after being ejected from the stadium for being drunk and later fined £350 and given a football banning order — the first to be handed out at Inverness Sheriff Court — preventing him from going to all games for six months.

Twenty-eight-year-old Paul Sloan of Wishaw was arrested for sectarian singing inside the ground when Celtic visited the city four weeks later — resulting in a £400 fine and a 12-month football banning order, as well as life ban from Celtic Park. Two other Celtic fans are facing similar allegations for their behaviour at Inverness's ground.

Sectarian-related crimes at Caledonian Stadium have suddenly appeared over the last six months. Gary Anthony

Inverness police area commander, chief inspector Julian Innes, congratulated Caley Thistle on its hard line stance and stressed the majority of supporters behaved well, He also believed his officers had raised their own game.

"We've become more aware of what the issues are and how to deal with them appropriately," he acknowledged. "It's fair to say that in the five years Caley Thistle have been in the SPL the knowledge of policing games has improved and developed.

"Crowd dynamics is a very specialised topic and I think what's more important is not the number of fans but the interaction between the fans and stewards. You could have only 10 fans at the ground and if they're intent on trouble, they will cause trouble."

Information from police forces across Scotland shows that the number of arrests at SPL grounds dropped in 2008 over the previous year, a trend Mr Smith believes is largely due to the efforts of the clubs.

There were 21 arrests at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium and its associated vicinity, such as the car parks, compared with 250 at Ibrox and 199 at Celtic Park.

So far this year 16 arrests have been made at Inverness's ground, including 12 for drunkeness. Most of these involved visiting supporters who often admit to police they view the trip north as a day out or weekend away.

The unusually high proportion of drunkenness and breach of the peace related incidents at Caley Thistle's ground means other, more serious crimes like assault, possession of offensive weapons and drugs are rare. There have been only three arrests for assault at the stadium in the last five years.

"If you come to this ground you are in a very safe environment," Mr Smith insisted. "We don't have any violence, any issues with weapons or any teams that we don't get on with."

Inverness Courier, 28th April

Bigotry tarnishes SPL reserve league match
by - at 2009-04-29 10:43:49

WILLIE McSTAY swears Paddy McCourt will be the new Lubo Moravcik - if he gets fit enough to play 90 minutes.

Celtic's reserve team coach insists McCourt could yet make his mark on the title run-in but guarantees he will make a huge impact in his second season at the club.

Cynics may reckon McStay's words were influenced by champagne after the second string beat Rangers at Ibrox courtesy of a superb Simon Ferry volley and lifted their eighth championship in a row.

But McStay knows what he's talking about. After all, this was the man who put Aiden McGeady, Stephen McManus and Liam Miller on the road to first-team stardom.

And while McCourt may not have been at his sparkling best yesterday, the player signed fro Derry City last summer was still the standout act, beating men two at a time for fun while never really breaking into a jog.

However, comparisons with Moravcik were a little over the top. Think Andy Ritchie but a bit slower and you're there.

McStay would love McCourt to get his chance over the remaining five games of the SPL campaign.

If not, he will get an opportunity in August - if by then he can run the length of himself.

McStay said: "Paddy is a real talent.What we have to do is work on his fitness. Once we get him closer to match fitness then something might give.

"Those who come to our games and the fans who watch Celtic TV will tell you Paddy is a delight. Getting him through a game such as this helps. He enjoyed himself.

"Bringing on a fringe player who can help win the title is a big part of our job. It might be Paddy, or someone else, who can provide the spark.

"At the moment I see him coming off the bench because he doesn't have the capacity to play 90 minutes. He has vision, touch and can come on when teams tire.

"Paddy is the type of player you have to free. He's a Lubo Moravcik type. He did well today but in other games he's been magnificent.

"He has the ability, vision, everything really. The only thing lacking is stamina. But what he doesn't lack is self-belief. You wouldn't want a one on one with him. Defenders fear that. Could he have an impact this season? I think so."

So why can't a 25-year-old full-time pro last 90 minutes?

McStay added: "He's never had a constant run. He has an injury affecting the middle of his back and that can crop up again.

"In the close season he will have a programme specific to him so by August he could be a regular."

McStay insisted his players were miles better than Rangers although Ibrox coach Tommy Wilson did highlight how many of his were missing either because they were on loan or being rested for tonight's Youth Cup Final with Hibs.

The goal came in 70 minutes but it always looked like Celtic would win.

Northern Ireland's Andy Little was asked to man-mark McCourt. Tough assignment. He has this way of dipping one shoulder then gliding past his man, then another, then another.

This is one of his problems. Too often he overdoes it.

Rangers had two decent chances in the first half, the best from Steven Lennon when his shot on the turn from 20 yards fizzed over.

But it was mostly about Celtic, McCourt in particular.

One of his best moments came when a back-heel flick took him past Lennon and quick feet took him clear of Little but his shot was wide. He also nutmegged Stephen Forbes with a back-heel.

And he was involved in the goal, drilling a low pass to Niall McGinn who switched play to the left where Ryan Conroy took a touch, looked up and sent his cross to the right of the box where Ferry smashed it first time past Allan McGregor.

Lennon was unlucky not to grab a late equaliser when he robbed Milan Misun and hit a post.

Ferry got a bit excited about his goal. The midfielder has played just four games after being out for three years but he said: "I score goals like that all the time. I don't want the season to end, so I might sign for a pub team in Dundee."

Unfortunately, the singing has to be mentioned. Celtic fans outnumbered the home support by perhaps as much as three to one in the 3000 crowd.

It was a 2pm kick-on a Tuesday afternoon. Yet there were pro-IRA chants, the Billy Boys got dusted off and police ejected a few people from the ground. Only in Glasgow.

Daily Record, 29th April

Crass songlist marrs Rangers victory
by - at 2009-04-28 22:23:25

Rangers’ unlikely heroes earn full marks


Steven Whittaker, Andrius Velicka and Maurice Edu underpinning Rangers' championship challenge? These are strange and fascinating times in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

Walter Smith has watched a bloated first-team squad wither away to a skeleton through injuries, transfers and, in the cases of Andy Webster and Brahim Hemandi, mysterious disappearances this season. With five games remaining, and only a point separating the challengers from the champions, Celtic, the Rangers manager has been oddly soothed by the fortitude shown by his fringe men.

This was no gay gallop in the spring sunshine. John Rankin's ferocious drive in the final minutes ensured a gripping finale; too gripping for Smith's liking as Hibernian, their top-six status secure, scavenged for an equaliser with abandon.

Rangers held their nerve and had their trio of unlikely heroes to thank.
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Whittaker, who has done little in two years to justify his £2m move from Hibs, was in rampant form down Rangers' right-hand side, scoring the opening goal, creating the second and generally tormenting young Lewis Stevenson.

Then there was Velicka, a brooding slab of a striker who makes Kris Boyd look like a carefree athlete. The Lithuanian has scored in his last two outings and, remarkably, could play a significant role in the run-in after falling off the radar since his £1m move from Viking Stavangar in Norway. He was a useful battering-ram against Rob Jones and scored emphatically and in the nick of time, as Kenny Miller unpeeled his tracksuit ready to replace him. Edu embossed a brawny shift with the eventual winner.

So much for the popular myth circulating around Easter Road prior to kick-off that this was destined to be a drab, cautious affair. That theory lasted less than 120 seconds, by which time Whittaker had walloped a dipping volley past an unsuspecting and undemonstrative Gregorz Szamotulski. It set the tone for a feisty frolick.

Hibernian reinforced their midfield with the gangly but imposing presence of Sol Bamba. Rangers, meanwhile, decided that pace would not be a determining factor in the game and, thus, persevered with Velicka beside Kris Boyd, who will have to wait another week to become an Ibrox goalscoring centenarian.

An early goal has a funny way of unburdening the protagonists, a bit like an evenly poised boxing bout that descends into a toe-to-toe tear-up with one unexpectedly dull thud. Hibernian wobbled, hung on the ropes for a spell then re-assimilated legs with brain. It was the equivalent of changing from orthodox to southpaw, a confusing turn of events for the visitors. Rangers have hardly earned a reputation as knockout specialists this season and despite the early goal, were content to toy with the opposition despite inflicting early damage. The danger of preparing for a distance fight is the threat of an unexpected sucker punch.

Thus, after a half-hour of eminently watchable sparring, Hibernian landed one of their own. Whittaker lost the ball to John Rankin, who supplied the lively, cherub-faced Lewis Stevenson. He swung in a cross that caught David Weir and Madjid Bougherra in suspended animation, allowing Fletcher to float in and dispatch a header past Neil Alexander.

It was hardly without warning. Derek Riordan, a caricature of a once fearsome footballer, showed a glimpse of past glory by spinning inside Whittaker only to stab a shot wide. Colin Nish, substituted in strange circumstances before the interval, did not depart without a cameo, stepping inside an arthritic looking David Weir only to be stopped in his tracks by the ubiquitous Whittaker.

With the intimidating presence of Bamba evidently discouraging Pedro Mendes from surging forward, Denes Rosa enjoying a throwback joust with Maurice Edu, and Rankin popping up all over the place, Rangers' central hub became swarmed and, consequently, their forwards detached. With no discernable out ball, Rangers invited pressure. Steven Smith, in only his second start of the season, offered little in the way of invention on the left side of midfield but was still the best hope of adding to the early opener.

His wicked corner kick missed Edu's right boot by an inch; his free-kick headed back across goal by Bougherra and bundled wide by Velicka.

The Lithuanian is not a popular man in these parts. Not content with being a former Hearts employee, his embarrassing brittleness only added to the vilification. He would revel in his role as pantomime villain. Having tried to weave and thread their way through Hibernian, another haymaker did the trick. Whittaker stomped upfield, slid the ball to Velicka and the striker walloped a ferocious shot past Szamotulski, who had about as much chance of stopping it as he did Whittaker's.

The Rangers fans briefly interrupted their crass playlist of The Famine Song and F*** The Pope to acclaim a new and unlikely hero.

The Herald, 20th April

Sheriffs must ban football bigots
by - at 2009-04-16 11:08:21

SHERIFFS SHOULD be more willing to ban football thugs from attending games, Dundee FC’s stadium manager has said.

It emerged earlier this week that only one in 10 banning orders police apply for is actually granted by the courts.

Since the orders were introduced in 2006, police have applied for 482 banning orders.

The majority of these—326—were for violent and disorderly crimes, 128 for sectarian offences and 27 for racist crimes.

Of the cases that have since been disposed, 193 ended in a conviction but less than a quarter of defendants, 43, received a banning order.

There have also been nine cases where police have gone through the civil courts to get a banning order.

Dundee FC stadium manager Jim Thomson said yesterday that although Scotland does not suffer from a lot of football-related violence, sheriffs could do more to help remove hooliganism and sectarianism from the game.

“At the end of the day we are trying to get these people out of football and for me the courts are a better way to do it than the clubs,” he said.

“We have banned a few people for a number of reasons, but a civil order from the courts is far more effective.

“We think the courts could do more.”

Mr Thomson stressed that the large number of applications for banning orders is not a reflection of how the majority of fans behave.

“Clubs and the authorities are far more sophisticated in how they deal with troublemakers but there are those that present themselves who are clearly intent on causing trouble,” he said.

“The club can ban them, but if the court does it then it is far more effective and there are real sanctions if they do break that order.

“We have had a situation where a sheriff wrote to the club to notify us about someone who had appeared on a football-related charge and I thought if you took the time to write to us why not just ban him.

“I would hope that as it develops sheriffs will see it as a useful tool.”

Derek Robertson, a director with city neighbours Dundee United, added, “We’re never complacent but we really don’t have a problem at Tannadice as far as our own supporters are concerned.

“We’d prefer to leave any judicial punishment to police and courts.”

St Johnstone managing director Stewart Duff said he believed banning orders should be used when appropriate.

“Each case should be judged on its merits and if it is appropriate to issue a banning order, it should be. In other cases, a fine may be appropriate,” he said.

Twelve Aberdeen fans have been subjected to banning orders, while 11 Rangers supporters and 10 Celtic fans have also been banned from every ground in Scotland.

Six Dundee supporters are understood to have received banning orders.

Assistant chief constable John Neilson from the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland said he believed sheriffs are still getting used to their new powers.

“When similar legislation was introduced south of the border, we saw the same sort of story around what would appear to be the judiciary not using the legislation,” he said.

“Steps were put in place to address that and we will do something similar to make them more effective.”

Dundee Courier, 15th April

Thugs attack Celtic players house
by - at 2009-03-17 14:26:57

CELTIC goalie Artur Boruc's home was attacked twice by thugs just hours after the Hoops' cup final win over Rangers.

The Polish star's £1.3million mansion grounds were invaded by vandals after Celtic's 2-0 victory in the CIS Insurance Cup on Sunday.

In the first attack, before the player returned to his home, yobs threw a brick through the bathroom window. The second attack came at 1 am while the star watched TV with friends at the detached house in Bearsden, near Glasgow.

His girlfriend Sara Mannei was in the house and a three-year-old girl was asleep in a bedroom.

Last night, Boruc's close friend and financial adviser David McDonald said he, too, had been in the house when the second attack took place.

David added: "We were watching Spanish football in the living room when we heard a loud crash, obviously a window smashing.

"We went through and saw a huge brick had been put through the glass.

"It wasn't a normal brick. It was something they had taken from the garden and much bigger. It would have taken the kind of effort to throw a shot putt to lift it and put it through the window. If the brick had hit anyone inside the house, it would have killed them outright.

"These people attacked the house indiscriminately and didn't care about the consequences.

"We looked out the window and looked around the house but whoever did it had gone.

"I wouldn't say Artur was terrified but he is hugely concerned just now and doesn't want any kind of repeat."

David had watched the game at Hampden before returning to his own home and arranging to meet Artur in Bearsden later.

He said: "I spoke to Artur on the phone and he told me a bathroom window had been done by the time he got home.

"The bathroom is at the back. Whoever did it must have prowled around a bit.

"Artur can handle abuse from Rangers fans while he is playing and there will be the odd time when people may say something in the street.

"But this is something else altogether.

"It's an attack on his house and no one should be subjected to anything like this.

"Whoever did this should be locked up. It was a nasty and premeditated attack.

"A three-year-old was sleeping in the house at the time."

David said police took almost two hours to turn up at Boruc's home to take a statement.

He said: "They said they were really busy. It took until after 2am for them to turn up and they spend half an hour taking a statement from me."

He added: "Artur already has proper security measures at home but he will be thinking about increasing them now. He is a character on the field but he's a very down to earth, decent guy."

The assault on Boruc's home is the latest in a series of appalling incidents in the aftermath of Glasgow derby matches in recent years.

In recent years, former Celtic manager Martin O'Neill's garden was attacked by thugs.

Rangers goalie Allan McGregor's car was twice attacked by vandals and Celtic coach Neil Lennon was left unconscious after being attacked by two Rangers fans, who were jailed last month.

Daily Record, 17th March

Tired old skirmishes stain modern game
by - at 2009-03-14 11:43:42

FOR years now, Celtic and Rangers club officials have been telling their fans that sectarian hatred has no place in modern football - that it is en evil from the dark ages they must repudiate - but it seems the fans haven't been listening.

At recent Old Firm matches in Scotland, sectarian rivalry has been as evident as ever, and nobody expects anything different when Celtic and Rangers meet tomorrow in the final of the Scottish League Cup, which SBS is televising.

As one Glasgow football writer told Square Eyes this week: "It will never go away. Both clubs have taken enormous, proactive steps to cut down sectarianism. They are blameless. Their supporters are not."

There is another view, however. Two years ago, a study by a Glasgow University sociologist, Professor Bert Moorhouse, raised the question of whether the public stance the two clubs have taken against sectarianism was genuine or whether both were secretly content for the sectarian rivalry to continue, since it generated a lot of money. Old Firm sectarianism does have its fascination. Of the sizeable number of Australians who will probably stay up until 1.45am on Monday, Sydney time, to watch the match (hosted by Les Murray and called by England's Steve Banyard), how many would bother if it were just another match between two top Glasgow clubs?

If previous Old Firm telecasts are a guide, viewers will see or hear next to nothing of what is happening in the stands. The crowd will sound noisier than usual, but viewers won't hear the Rangers fans' chants and songs about the Pope nor the Celtic fans' songs and chants about the Queen and the British military.

It is said that only someone raised in Glasgow can understand Old Firm enmity, which is really Northern Ireland sectarianism in reverse. Whereas the Northern Ireland conflict is between native Irish Catholics and Protestants of mainly Scottish and English background, in Glasgow it's between native Scottish Protestants and Catholics of Irish background. Hence the line in one of the Rangers songs: "The famine's over. Why don't you go home?"

Celtic's Australian striker, Scott McDonald, may well play a big role in the match. Over the years, various Australians have played for Old Firm teams, most notably Tony Vidmar, one of a number of Catholics who have played for Rangers since the club lifted its ban on Catholic players 20 years ago. Vidmar had a habit of blessing himself as he ran on the field, but he was quickly advised to stop.

It has been argued the Old Firm rivalry provides a release for sectarian tensions in Glasgow that might otherwise result in violence on the streets. In fact, there hasn't been a murder connected with Old Firm rivalry since 1999, when a Rangers fan fatally stabbed a teenage Celtic fan, who, as he fell to the ground, was reported to have held up his fist and sung the Celtic anthem, Fields Of Athenry, which is about an Irishman transported to Botany Bay.

Moorhouse has called on celebrity supporters of Old Firm teams to join the campaign for tolerance. Gordon Ramsay and Sean Connery (previously a Celtic fan), support Rangers, while Billy Connolly and Rod Stewart support Celtic. Stewart, who also supports Manchester United, another club with Catholic leanings, had these lines in his song You're In My Heart: You're Celtic, United, but baby I've decided/ You're the best team I've ever seen.

Sydney Morning Herald, 14th March

SPL inaction over famine song
by - at 2009-03-12 22:52:00

THE Scottish Premier League has played down suggestions it is poised to take action against Rangers for alleged sectarian chanting by some of their supporters during last Sunday's Old Firm fixture at Celtic Park.

It is understood that SPL match delegate Alan Dick will mention instances of songs and chants, including the controversial 'Famine Song', in his official report on the game which is expected to arrive at the governing body's Hampden offices today.

Dick, the former Motherwell and Partick Thistle secretary, previously reported Rangers supporters to the SPL for sectarian chants during the match against Inverness at the Caledonian Stadium in August 2007.

On that occasion, no disciplinary proceedings were raised by the SPL board following an investigation which noted the "extensive steps" taken by Rangers in campaigning against the element of its support engaging in discriminatory chanting or singing.

Rangers were also informed that a further occurrence of unacceptable conduct on the part of its fans "may lead to a reference to an SPL Commission and the risk of sanctions against the club."

Possible punishments include a fine or even the docking of points, but the SPL last night remained determined not to prejudice their own disciplinary procedure.

"This is all hearsay at the moment," said an SPL spokesman. "We have not seen the match delegate's report which we would expect to receive in the next 24 hours.

"As with a delegate's report from any of our fixtures, if there is an issue with crowd behaviour highlighted, then we will cross-check the details with the police in charge of the match and also speak to the clubs involved.

"We would then write to the clubs for further information before putting it to our board to consider whether there has been a breach of SPL rules."

Rangers made no comment last night.

The Scotsman, 18th February

Rangers fans land club in trouble once again
by - at 2009-02-25 19:10:28

Rangers look set to be brought to task yet again for offensive singing by a section of their supporters during Sunday's Old Firm game at Celtic Park. The match was marred in part by repeated bigoted chanting that emanated from the visiting support, including offensive lines which Rangers have actively spent the past five years trying to eradicate from their supporters' repertoire.

Last night, it appeared likely that the conduct of the Rangers support on Sunday would be included in the SPL delegate's report, which will be written today and sent to the SPL tomorrow. The SPL board has the power to censure a club, or even apply a points-deduction sanction in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, for sectarian behaviour.

The SPL match delegate at Celtic Park on Sunday was Alan Dick, one of the SPL's most respected and seasoned officials, who has been covering games for the governing body since match inspections were introduced five years ago. The SPL match delegate's remit is to report on all aspects of indiscipline at games - both on and off the field - including crowd behaviour.

Dick was unavailable for comment last night, but it is understood that he will include observations about specific songs at Celtic Park in his report. On a number of occasions the visiting Rangers fans were heard to sing about “Fenian bastards” and at least once loudly chanted “F*** the Pope” at the end of a particular song. They also repeatedly sang the so-called Famine Song, an anti-Irish dirge which Rangers have urged their supporters to stop chanting after taking police advice.

In recent years Rangers have been intermittently blighted by a bigotry problem, despite also seeming to make some progress on the issue. Uefa, European football's governing body, punished the Ibrox club in May 2006 for bigoted chanting by fans, and in August 2007 Rangers were the subject of an SPL inquiry after supporters were reported for chanting bigoted anthems during the game away to Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Then came the singing and rioting in the centre of Manchester around the Uefa Cup final in May 2008, an episode which severely embarrassed the Rangers hierarchy. It was after the Manchester incident that Sir David Murray, the Ibrox chairman, was moved to comment: “Some people say we don't do our own PR very well, but how can you do good PR when you look at some of the behaviour of our supporters?”

After Rangers' punishment by Uefa in 2006, the Ibrox club began taking strenuous efforts to deal with the problem. The club launched a “Pride Over Prejudice” campaign which they attempted to introduce to their supporters - with mixed results - and followed that up with a “Bigger Than Bigotry” campaign. Rangers have also introduced a supporters' hotline at Ibrox, urging fans who witness bigoted behaviour inside the stadium to get in touch with the club and report the culprits. If the SPL delegate's report from Sunday does include criticism of the Rangers support at the weekend, it may lead to further trouble for the club.

In August, 2007, the SPL board showed leniency towards Rangers, after taking into account the various anti-bigotry campaigns which the club had launched. But another such report coming before the SPL board may not receive the same compassion.

A spokesman for the SPL said last night: “We cannot and will not comment on our delegates' reports until we have seen them and, if necessary, have then communicated with the club or clubs concerned. But the SPL has laid down its guidelines, and the delegates report back to us on all aspects of the match they are covering, including crowd behaviour.”

The Times, 17th February 2009

Celtic fans banned after sectarian chants
by - at 2009-02-25 18:19:56

THREE Celtic supporters were arrested for allegedly taking part in sectarian chants and songs during Sunday's SPL match against Caley Thistle at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium.

Superintendent Andy Cowie, Northern Constabulary's East divisional commander, said: "As we did in the case of a supporter who was charged with a similar offence earlier in the year when Caley Thistle played Rangers, we will be applying for football banning orders for these individuals."

He said the decision to ban the three fans from future matches would send out a clear message to other supporters about what kind of behaviour would not be tolerated by the police.

Just over 7000 fans attended Sunday's 0-0 draw against Celtic which ended Caley Thistle's eight-game losing streak. It was the Inverness club's first game under new manager Terry Butcher.

Superintendent Cowie said that although 10 arrests were made, most fans had responded well to the face-to-face style of policing.

The Inverness Courier, 02 February, 2009

Nil By Mouth thrown funding lifeline
by - at 2009-02-25 18:05:43

A CHARITY that has been at the centre of the fight against sectarianism in Scotland has been granted a last-minute reprieve following fears its funding was about to dry up.

Scotland on Sunday can reveal that a deal will be agreed this week to keep Nil by Mouth operating for the next three years.

There had been growing fears that the organisation, which was founded in 2000 to combat religious bigotry, would be forced
to fold.

Funding for the campaign group had been due to end in March, but the Scottish Government has agreed a package of around £125,000 to bankroll their work until 2011.

But former First Minister Jack McConnell last night criticised his successor for leaving the axe hovering over the organisation "completely unnecessarily" for months.

Concern for the future of the Glasgow-based charity was such that Nil by Mouth trustees had already met to discuss the legal formalities necessary to shut down the organisation. But a senior Scottish Government source confirmed a deal to safeguard the body's immediate future was imminent. He said: "We have agreed in principle to award funding to Nil by Mouth to take forward a project on addressing sectarianism in the workplace, from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2011."

The charity still has to submit a final funding proposal for the £125,000 grant, but the source said it was little more than a formality.

Lyndsay Hill, Nil by Mouth's campaign coordinator, said: "We are very pleased that a full agreement will be in place soon which will enable the organisation to continue to carry out its important work."

Previously, worried representatives of the charity had spoken of being on a "knife-edge" after months of hearing nothing about their funding.

The organisation has launched poster campaigns and educational sessions aimed at tackling prejudice in hundreds of schools.

Former First Minister Jack McConnell has led calls for the organisation to be saved.

The Labour politician made tackling sectarianism one of the main priorities of his administration. He welcomed the organisation's reprieve, but accused the SNP administration of dragging their feet in facing down sectarianism.

"This is not just good news for Nil by Mouth, but for the whole of Scotland. But I think everybody who has been campaigning against sectarianism would welcome a far clearer and more consistent signal of support from the First Minister. If this allocation is a signal of a change in that approach it would be very welcome indeed.

Scotland on Sunday, 01 February 2009

Famine Song fan sentenced
by - at 2008-12-16 22:54:55

Today, at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court, Sheriff Iona McDonald sentenced William Walls to two years probation and imposed a two year football banning order for a religiously and racially aggravated breach of the peace committed on 9 November 2008 at the Kilmarnock v Rangers football match. This offence involved the accused singing sectarian songs and shouting remarks of a religious and racial nature.

Speaking after sentence was passed, Kilmarnock District Procurator Fiscal, Les Brown (who prosecuted the case in court), said:

"The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service takes all instances of racism and bigotry very seriously. We will prosecute in court all offences which are aggravated by racial or religious prejudice. In this case we worked closely with both police officers who were present at Rugby Park and senior officers to ensure that the full extent and impact of the accused's conduct was put before the court.

"The key witnesses in this case were stewards employed by Rangers Football Club who brought Mr Walls' conduct to the attention of the police. I would like to thank them for the fair and frank manner in which they gave their evidence. Along with the police, we will work with football clubs to seek football banning orders where appropriate to ensure that those who wish to enjoy going to the football can do so without them or their families being exposed to this kind of offensive and entirely unacceptable behaviour which can only provoke disorder and violence."

Assistant Chief Constable John Nielson, Criminal Justice and Territorial Policing for Strathclyde Police, said:

"Strathclyde Police works closely with football clubs to eradicate any racist and/or sectarian behaviour in football - it will not be tolerated. Where any singing, chanting or other behaviour is perceived as being racist or sectarian in nature, we will take postive action. Over recent years, Strathclyde Police has made a significant number of arrests for sectarianism and racist behaviour at football matches and will continue to do so."

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, 16th December

Cash crisis threat to Nil By Mouth
by - at 2008-12-15 22:38:12

A CHARITY which has led the fight against sectarianism in Scotland could fold within weeks because of a lack of Government funding.

Nil by Mouth was founded in 2000 to combat religious bigotry following the murder of a teenage Celtic fan by a Rangers supporter.

The campaign group has been widely praised by politicians of all parties, but will close early next year unless the
Scottish Government renews its funding.

Over the years Nil by Mouth has launched poster campaigns and educational sessions aimed at tackling prejudice in hundreds of schools across the country.

But trustees say a lack of commitment to future funding from the SNP administration has left them with no other option but to consider winding up the Glasgow-based group.

Lyndsay Hill, Nil by Mouth's campaign co-ordinator, confirmed the charity's future was currently on a knife-edge.

She said: "Our current strand of funding from the Scottish Government will see us through until March 21, 2009.

"We are currently in talks with the Scottish Government and have appealed for their continued financial support for our core costs beyond this date. We sincerely hope they will consider our request favourably."

Last week the Scottish Government awarded £412,731 to the Sense Over Sectarianism partnership. The organisation is run by Glasgow City Council and has links to Celtic and Rangers football clubs, the Church of Scotland, the Catholic Church and Nil by Mouth.

Hill said: "Although we are part of the Sense Over Sectarianism partnership we don't benefit financially from it in any way. It is excellent news for them and we welcome the announcement, but it does nothing to end the uncertainty hanging over us."

An insider at the charity admitted they were "extremely concerned" about the future. He said: "We sent a letter to Alex Salmond making a request for a renewal of our core funding and asked for a response by last Friday. That date has come and gone and we are still waiting for a reply. We are desperate to get an answer one way or another.

"A lot of people have said to us, 'Don't worry. They won't let you close.' But unless we get our funding, that is exactly what is going to happen"

The uncertainty over the organisation's future is a matter of concern for former First Minister Jack McConnell, who led a high-profile offensive against sectarianism which he labelled 'Scotland's secret shame'.

McConnell said: "Nil by Mouth is one of those organisations that make life difficult for politicians by telling home truths without fear or favour. But that is precisely why they should continue to be funded by Government.

"Nil by Mouth have helped change the face of Scotland over the past decade and I hope ministers will realise the vital role they have played and back them for a further three years."

The charity's trustees will meet tomorrow and it is understood they will discuss the legal formalities necessary to shut the organisation down. For the past six years Nil by Mouth has received its core funding of £50,000 directly from the Scottish Government and its predecessor, the Scottish Executive.

The charity was founded by Cara Henderson, a young Glaswegian woman who was appalled by the 1995 sectarian murder of a school friend.

Mark Scott, a 16-year-old Catholic and Celtic supporter, died after his throat was slashed in a Glasgow street by Jason Campbell, a Protestant and Rangers fan.

The tragedy led Henderson, then a teenager, to take a stand, which resulted five years later in the formation of Scotland's first organisation dedicated to challenging sectarianism.

In opposition, Labour has accused Salmond of "letting his foot off the pedal" over sectarianism. Labour's justice spokesman Richard Baker said: "Nil by Mouth has played an important role in the progress we have made in recent years. Bigotry and intolerance shame Scotland and Alex Salmond needs to take this issue seriously."

Football For All, an umbrella organisation which aims to tackle discrimination, said the uncertainty over Nil by Mouth sent out the wrong signals.

A spokesman said: "It means bigoted fans are bolstered in their belief that they can break the law with impunity."

In recent weeks Nil by Mouth was praised by Irish MEP Eoin Ryan, who met members of the group during a visit to Scotland. He said: "I was impressed by the work going on in Scotland. There is a real commitment to tackle sectarianism.

"It's impressive as it is not about wagging fingers but is about encouraging good behaviour and healthy lifestyles."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said that a final decision had not yet been made. She said: "We are totally committed to tackling all forms of religious bigotry."

Community safety minister Fergus Ewing said: "If we are to succeed in changing attitudes we need to educate and promote understanding of the hurt and offence these attitudes can cause."

Scotland on Sunday, 14th December

Murray and Reid exchange words
by - at 2008-11-26 18:51:34

David Murray's 20th anniversary as the owner of Rangers will be overshadowed by a row with the Celtic chairman John Reid.

Murray, who this weekend will celebrate two decades at the Ibrox helm, has been upset by Reid's outspoken criticism of "racist" and "bigoted" sections of the Rangers support. The Rangers chairman believes the former defence secretary has breached an unwritten rule by castigating the other half of the Old Firm from a position of authority.

"I think that John has to remember that he's not in the House of Commons now, haggling with people across the chamber," Murray said. "We are now in the west of Scotland, in the world of Rangers and Celtic, and I think we all have a responsibility to act in a sensible manner.

"The fact of the matter is, he can afford to be brave, because he doesn't have to be voted in [to parliament] again. There is a strong argument, especially in the west of Scotland, that for a politician to become a chairman of a football club could be verging on a wee bit dangerous."

Reid hit back yesterday afternoon, issuing a statement which could easily be interpreted as facetious in nature. "We all want to be a little indulgent towards David at the time of his 20th anniversary," he said. "But I am unsure about the points he is trying to make regarding inference and innuendo. I will continue to comment when appropriate without fear or favour. I know we all welcome David's respect for Celtic's traditions and we congratulate him on 20 years."

The Guardian, 20th November

Fans arrested in Subway over sectarian singing
by - at 2008-11-25 14:09:35

POLICE arrested two Rangers fans for allegedly singing sectarian songs on Glasgow's Subway before last week's clash with Aberdeen.

Officers from British Transport Police made the arrests at Ibrox station shortly before the kick off at 3pm.

It's understood the fans were held in connection with two separate incidents on the underground.

A report has been sent to the procurator fiscal and both men are expected to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court at a later date.

The arrests follow a widely publicised crackdown on fans travelling on the Subway.

In July, two Rangers supporters were caught singing bigoted songs before the Champions League qualifier with Lithuanian side FC Kaunas.

The men, both understood to be season ticket-holders, were reported to Rangers, with BTP seeking banning orders.

Chief Superintendent Martyn Ripley, area commander for the Scottish area of BTP, said: "The majority of supporters who attend matches are well-behaved and contribute to the good name of the club, but there is a small minority who can tarnish that reputation."

Transport cops use mini-cameras and audio recorders to monitor crowd behaviour on match days.

Senior officials have also warned that plain-clothes officers may also be used to gather evidence.


Evening Times, 25th November

Man beaten unconscious in sectarian attack
by - at 2008-11-19 22:23:36

A man from Derry who was beaten unconscious in Glasgow after he watched a Celtic football match has said he believes the attack was sectarian.

Kevin Melly's cheekbone was shattered when two men assaulted him after Celtic played Manchester United in October.

He said he has been told there is only a 10% chance the feeling will return to the left side of his face.

"We were just going up to a taxi stop, we were all wearing Celtic tops, and they probably saw the colours."

BBC, 17th November

Famine Song raised in European Parliament
by - at 2008-11-18 18:59:53

An Irish politician agreed to visit Scotland amid growing anger over sectarian singing at football matches.

Eoin Ryan MEP accepted the invitation after hitting out in the European Parliament at fans who chant a song which refers to the Irish famine of the 1840s which killed an estimated one million people.

Rangers fans have been warned they face arrest if they are caught singing The Famine Song, which refers to events that led to a mass migration from Ireland.

SNP MEP Alyn Smith extended the invitation and hopes to involve anti-sectarian group Nil by Mouth, the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council, as well as Celtic and Rangers.

Mr Smith said: "A lot of good work has been done in Scotland to combat sectarianism, on all sides, and I am not going to stand by and watch a limited few mindless thugs damage our special relationship with the Irish."

Mr Smith said he hoped to reassure others that Scotland is committed to ridding the country of the "tiddly toy town poison" in the national game.

He added: "Organisations like Nil By Mouth have been doing some fantastic work in building bridges, and I hope that by introducing them to Eoin we can put right some of the damage that has been done to Scotland's reputation in the eyes of some of our closest friends."

A spokeswoman for Mr Ryan said he was "delighted" to accept the offer. The Famine Song controversy began following an Old Firm clash on August 31 when Irish diplomats raised concerns with the Scottish government over Rangers fans' chanting.

That was followed by the Northern Ireland sports minister Gregory Campbell saying he was unlikely to accept an invitation to Parkhead after pro-IRA chanting by Celtic fans.

Celtic's chairman, former UK cabinet minister Dr John Reid, has previously condemned The Famine Song as being in breach of race relations legislation. Rangers chiefs have asked their fans to stop singing the song.

Fife Today, 18th November

Famine Song campaign taken to Westminster
by - at 2008-11-12 15:54:25

A campaign to stop Rangers fans from singing an offensive song about Scotland's Irish Catholic community reached Parliament on Tuesday.

Respect MP George Galloway tabled a question asking Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy if he would hold discussions with Holyrood ministers on "instances of anti-Irish racism at football matches involving Scottish clubs".

Galloway was referring specifically to a chant known as 'The Famine Song' which has gained increasing popularity among Rangers fans this season and even prompted the club to warn its supporters they could be arrested for singing it.

It refers to the Irish famine of the 1840s which killed an estimated one million people and sparked mass migration to Scotland, and contains the line: "The famine is over, why don't you go home?"

Junior Scotland minister Ann McKechin said she and Murphy had not discussed anti-Irish racism at football matches involving Scottish clubs with the Scottish Government.

She added: "Tackling such issues falls to the Scottish Football Association and Scottish football clubs, in conjunction with the police. Sport and policing are devolved matters."

Rangers received a number of complaints about the song following the Old Firm derby with Celtic in August, prompting them to warn their fans against singing it. But the chant has provoked a wider campaign against it, with Irish diplomats contacting the Scottish government following complaints about the behaviour of Rangers supporters.

Outside the Commons, Galloway - a Celtic fan - said the song was the latest instalment in a long-standing anti-Irish campaign among Rangers fans.

"To be fair to the club, they have tried to clamp down on their fans for behaviour like this, but the fans use a lot of illusion and symbolism," he said.

"As a former Glasgow MP, I have had a lot of complaints from former constituents about it since the start of the season, and bringing it to Parliament is an attempt to get the Scottish Football Association and Rangers football club to come out to have the song banned."

ITV News, 11th November

Celtic’s complex heritage open to distortion and abuse on Armistice Day
by - at 2008-11-12 15:50:53

The so-called Armistice controversy at Parkhead last weekend was a classic reminder of the political and religious complexity of Celtic. There are other clubs in Scotland and Britain who envy Celtic's colourful history and cultural make-up, which make this club a social saga as much as a football team. But Saturday in Glasgow's east end confirmed the downsides that come with such a story.

For their Armistice commemoration Celtic elected to have a minute's applause rather than a minute's silence for Europe's war dead, and the reason was obvious. The club, with some justification, dreaded the thought of a silence being violated by a small minority of dissenters. It was an anxiety, regardless of the political rights and wrongs of such protest, which stemmed from one strand of Celtic's identity, which is an anti-British cynicism rooted in Irish republicanism.

Photographs of the protestors on Saturday confirmed as much. Young men (and women} could be seen wearing Republic of Ireland shirts, and scarves which spoke of the same. In a crowd of 60,000 they maybe numbered 100, and might be cruelly categorisd as "zealots", but they are nonetheless there as a part of the Celtic tradition. And in the specific case of last Saturday they could have severely embarrassed the club.

The wider context of this tradition at Celtic, in its purest form, is perfectly legitimate. The club has profound Irish roots and should rightly be able to celebrate that fact. For many, Celtic as a club represents the Irish community in the west of Scotland, and such decisions as that of Aiden McGeady, the club's Scottish-born winger, to play for the Republic of Ireland, is a further example of the Irish-Scots community.

Just as the Irish community in the USA is celebrated, or the Scots community in Canada is celebrated, so the Irish in Scotland should also be celebrated. Celtic represent the peculiar subjectivity of ethnicity. It isn't for me, you or anyone else to tell Celtic or McGeady what their ethnic make-up is. On the contrary, it is for them to inform us - as McGeady has - what their inner feelings amount to.

But Celtic FC is more complex still. Perhaps as much as a fifth - or maybe even a quarter - of the club's following is non-Catholic, and many Protestants who are Celtic fans hold the club's Irish story in respect. And Celtic's all-inclusive ethos, stated repeatedly about being open to all, regardless of race, creed or colour, is one reason why the club has made impressive strides in rooting out sectarianism in its midst.

All these colourful aspects of Celtic, however, can turn sour when zealotry or ignorance takes over. In the case of Saturday, for example, a political argument (to put this at its most crude) against so-called British imperialism might be legitimate to express for those who want to, but not, surely, to the detriment of the memory of Europe's war dead.

It's not that people at Celtic or elsewhere don't want political freedom of expression. It is when that freedom of expression is abused to such an extent that it insults a wider sense of human decency and respect.

The same applies to the pro-IRA chanting among Celtic's travelling support. The truth is, such chanting offends the vast majority of Celtic fans - Catholic and Protestant - because they once more see it as an insult to the club's sense of all-inclusiveness. The IRA chants embarrass Celtic because they represent a distortion of the club's values. Football clubs are about people, not politics.

Such are the pitfalls of Celtic's complex heritage. Clubs all across Europe, from Barcelona to the Balkans, have their cultural traditions, and Celtic's remains among the most revered. Such sagas only create potential, however, for distortion and abuse.

The Times, 11th November

Artist condemns chants ignorance
by - at 2008-11-09 11:49:37

PETER Howson, one of Scotland’s most celebrated artists, has launched an outspoken attack on Rangers fans who taunt Celtic supporters with a song mocking the Irish potato famine.

The former official war artist in Bosnia, a born-again Christian whose clients include Madonna and David Bowie, said those who sing the so-called Famine Song are “ignorant” and “incredibly stupid”.

Howson said that to use the song to taunt Catholics was “madness” because thousands of Protestants also died in the 1840s famine that killed around 1m people and prompted mass emigration from Ireland.

Howson, himself Protestant, added that his next exhibition would focus on the famine and try to bring people of both faiths together by showing a common bond. “I know there has been a lot of trouble between the Rangers and Celtic supporters because of this,” he said. “There were a huge number of Protestants who died in that famine and for Rangers supporters to sing that song is just madness. It’s just ignorance and incredible stupidity to think that way.”

The Famine Song has been sung by Rangers supporters at matches this season. To the tune of Sloop John B by the Beach Boys, it includes the line: “Why don’t you go home, why don’t you go home, the famine is over, why don’t you go home?”

The song sparked a diplomatic row this year after a Celtic fan heard it at an Old Firm match and complained to the Irish consul-general in London. The consul raised the matter with the Scottish government, resulting in Rangers FC warning its fans they risked arrest if they continue to sing the song.The Rangers Supporters Trust has claimed the chant is not racist and is no worse than any other football song.

Howson was recently commissioned to paint the Martyrdom of St John Ogilvie for St Andrew’s cathedral in Glasgow, the most significant Roman Catholic work of art since the Reformation.

The 50-year-old artist added that he had since been asked by the Archdiocese of Glasgow to produce a series focusing on the famine. Howson said he agreed because he wanted to educate football supporters and school children about the tragedy and show that people of both faiths suffered.

“We’re trying to break up the sectarian thing by having an exhibition about the idea that the famine didn’t just affect Catholics, it affected Protestants just as much,” said Howson.

“It’s about how people tell the difference between a Catholic and a Protestant. The answer, of course, is there is no difference when someone is starving. The whole exhibition is founded on an educational basis. I want kids to come and see that all these stupid things that are happening between the Rangers supporters and Celtic are based on a lie and it’s bigotry.

“My whole aim in life is to draw all religions together, especially Christianity, all the different factions . . . I hate division.”

The exhibition, which is also being supported by Culture and Sport Glasgow, will be staged at the city’s St Mungo Museum of Life and Religious Art between May and September next year.

Howson’s work will be sold after the exhibition and the proceeds will be used to help roof repairs at the historic St Mary’s Church in Glasgow’s Calton area.

The potato famine, which began in 1845, was caused by late blight, which destroyed crops. It led around 1.3m Irish people to emigrate to Scotland, England, Australia and North America.

Tom Devine, professor of history at Edinburgh University, said: “At the UK census in 1851 . . . at the end of the famine we estimate that between a quarter and a third of first generation Irish in Scotland were Protestant. The Protestant counties in Northern Ireland suffered less than the Catholic counties during the famine but it was a non-sectarian crisis and both sides suffered.”

Howson converted to Christianity after a battle with drink and drugs. His current exhibition, at London’s Flowers East gallery, is Harrowing of Hell. One image shows Christ descending to Hell to “save sinners”.

The Sunday Times, 9th November

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