The Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act (20

Not real fans

 

Did they say that?

 

Every time I read Christine Graham I thought every **** meant that wee hun tweeter...

 

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Anyone who thinks that the act is in someway criminalizing fans or is some sort of plan to make it appear 'even-handed' needs to take off the tin-foil hat. Years ago you'd see TV shows where they'd go on about the "wogs next door", or "getting a chinkie for supper", but as time passes it's deemed not acceptable because, you know, it offends people. The same thing is basically the case for ROH. Aye, it was grand to belt it out in the 80s but people now find it offensive when hearing it at a FOOTBALL ground and it's now a no-no.

Stuck in the past, that's all it is. Unwilling to accept that it's a football club and to move on. It's not a vehicle to drive political and social agendas, not to celebrate men who were on hunger strike, not about the liberation and freedom of Ireland.

As someone said yesterday (to this effect): What's wrong with singing songs about Johnstone, McStay, Larsson and Lennox, instead of Sands, Hughes and O'Hara? So what if it's been sung for decades - we, as the fans of Celtic FC, have been asked not to, but there's a small MINORITY of self-righteous supporters who prefer to follow the club because it allows them to keep the massive chip on their shoulder.

The thing none of you seem to understand is that there's actually loads of people who probably hold similar views, but we just manage to not bring them with us when we go to watch a game of FOOTBALL.

 

It just doesnt say too me at all that they are seeking a means of criminalising celtic supporters in particular through this.

Is the contention that what rangers fans may sing and fall foul of the act is deemed sectarian, yet what celtic supporters may sing may be deemed political so therefore not be eligible for prosecution under that section of the Act? If so then, as they note, this - political aspect is dealt with if also deemed to be offensive in other sections of the Act.

A group of BNP supporters singing and displaying banners related to their political beliefs would be held to be offensive - because of the potential offense caused to a reasonable person - - under the Act. A group singing about members of the IRA , INLA may also be deemed offensive - because of the potential offense caused to a reasonable person - under the terms of the Act. That seems perfectly logical and , indeed, reasonable.

 

All the bleating from the fans who are, allegedly, being unfairly treated smacks of nothing more than repeatedly playing the victim card.

I've never once seen any kind of admission of guilt from them, it is always poor stewarding or heavy-handed policing that gets blamed.

The simplest term to describe members of FAC is maladaptive. Their selfishness is counter-productive and petty attempts to garner support like Roll of Honour or The Bobby Sands banner are, in the grand scheme of things, meaningless.

 

Can't argue here as such. As much as I want to. The law is a piss poor draft - shocking it got put on the statute book, as its gotta get through a lot of stages to make it there. Im not making a generalisation about Scottish Asssembly members (if thats their name) but clearly you need to have a mild form of ******ation to be one.

But I dont agree it was an attempt to "even" it up. I think for a long time some Celtic fans have stood by the fact a lot of their behaviour is not "sectarian" as some kind of defence. Songs sung about the IRA (in whatever form) could be taken the wrong way by someone listening at the grounds - or on the TV worldwide. It can bring shame to the club and potentially Scotland as a nation. I know you wont accept that Rebel - and thats your right - but i think it could.

What they should have done was do a bit more consulting and took their time. Maybe engaged with Celtics (and the other clubs) fans. They should also have got decent sports lawyers involved in the drafting. And made it a lot less vague

 

Basically, normal fans who love the club and go for the football will just have to endure those that have ulterior motives for supporting Celtic.

Those that go and sing songs about legendary players will just have to sit and hear others proclaim support by singing songs for dead men affiliated with terrorist groups who starved themselves to death for nothing. Kids who go with their fathers, like many of us did, will just have to sit, try and cheer on their team, whilst others cling to the past and use political agendas and the opportunity to be victims for their own gain.

On that note, i'm done with this. It's utterly pointless continuing this debate. I just have to accept that, no matter the efforts by the club, football authorities or the law, there's always going to be that element amongst the Celtic fans. Sad but there's bigger things in life than whether or not you can sing ROH. Have fun belting it out home and way though

 

Let us agree to call them "Tragic *****boys" from now on.

More concise, accurate and fun that way.

 

You ever wonder who's behind FAC?


The Celtic Supporters' Association, The Celtic Trust, The Green Brigade and the Affiliation of Registered CSCs and Association of Irish CSCs.

Enough Chips on those shoulders to start a new branch of Harry Ramsden's

 

Right enough !

Ive got bigger fish to fry ...

 

Give us Peas.

 

I'm a bit ambivalent about the singing of songs. On the one hand I think people have the right to sing what they want (within reason) but on the other I think it's about time we left all this Irish political baggage behind. It's doing the club no favours and it seems little more than a tired tradition passed on from one generation to the next for no other reason than a certain group's own autolatry.

 

Toys out the pram because they can no longer act how they have in the past.

It isn't about criminalisation or persecution it's their own misapprehension of personal freedoms. The idea that there is some cabal of Holyrood based anti-Catholics is the basest form of victimisation and paranoia.