Finally, Celtic have swung the axe on the polarizing Green Brigade. No more could their endless wave of shock tactics and penchant for being the center attention be tolerated. Over the best part of a decade, Celtic as a club have tried time and time again with the Green Brigade to meet them in the middle, for a common sense resolution, to agree to disagree. Every attempt has ended in failure. Each time Celtic offered the group an inch, they took a mile. To play on the words of one of Celtic’s most seminal, historic figures – Brian Dempsey, the war is over, the rebels have lost.
Repeated use of pyrotechnics. Repeated offensive and abusive banners. The storming of turnstiles and fire exits to allow more people in. Repeated violence and that’s all before you get to ‘Pig Watch’ on the Green Brigade website. Pig Watch, a feature where they film police officers ‘targeting’ their members who of course have done nothing to attract the attention of said officers in the first place. It’s like kicking a wasps nest then crying when you get stung.
This is a group with an unquenchable thirst for being persecuted against. They thrive and get a thrill out of the perception of persecution, it’s all part of the make believe world they live in where they are on a par with Catholics living in Northern Ireland at the height of the troubles and who faced hell at the hands of the RUC.
The Green Brigade’s wrap sheet is extensive. A myth has already set in, call it denial, call it delusion that Celtic finally decided to call time on them purely as a result of their public expressions of support for the people of Palestine. This is a falsehood and they know it. The waving of a PFLP flag – a terrorist organisation – and their ‘Victory to the resistance banner’ on the day 1500 Israeli citizens, some children, some Holocaust survivors were murdered was merely the straw that broke camel’s back.
Colour and spectacle are undeniably two plus points the Green Brigade have brought to Celtic Park, but Celtic Park wasn’t known for being the type of place you could hear your watch ticking prior to the Green Brigade’s birth. At home and on the road the Celtic support was known for it’s noise.
Travelling Celtic supporters had almost exalted status in England and abroad prior to the Green Brigade. How many times over the years were Celtic welcomed over the border to feature as opposition in some great players testimonial game? Off the tip of the tongue you can name Jack Charlton, Alan Shearer, Ryan Giggs and Garry Kelly. On European jaunts they made friends everywhere.
In Lisbon, the scene of the clubs finest hour, the locals welcomed them with open arms and willed them over the line. Fast forward 36 years to Seville where 90,000 supporters descended on the Spanish city for the Uefa Cup Final. There was one arrest.
How times have changed and how that reputation now lies in tatters. For that, you can thank the Celtic ‘ultras’. A vociferous, over politicized, black and white view of Celtic, Celtic’s history, history in general and society pushed and propogated by those in the ‘north curve’ have seen Celtic go from the revered to the reviled. Where there was once unity, they’ve brought division. In their minds there’s a hierarchy when it comes to following Celtic and they sit at the very top.
Travelling to games dressed in black. Blurring out their faces in photographs where you can quite freely access the unedited version anywhere online. Refusing to speak to the ‘mainstream British press regarding to the current situation’ all points to a small group of narcissistic individuals who take themselves far too seriously, lack self awareness and most certainly do not do self deprecation. In their fantasy world they are a persecuted, underground, illicit, guerrilla group of rebel fighters. In reality, they are merely a narrow minded group who exist purely to stand in direct opposition to their doppelgangers in the Rangers support.
As the great Fergus McCann said when he launched the Bhoys Against Bigotry directive in the 1990’s – “Before you look out the window, take a look in the mirror.” When it comes to the Green Brigade Celtic have acted too late. But as the old saying goes, better late than never.
Calum Maltman
