Supporters Update | OneFootball

The Club has recently communicated with supporters regarding action taken following a serious incident at the match against Falkirk on October 29.

We also reported that the Club has been called to attend a meeting of Glasgow City Council’s Safety Advisory Group to discuss recent supporter behaviour.

Following investigation of the incident at the Falkirk match, which involved around 100 members of the Green Brigade, the Club took action by applying a suspension of the group for three home matches and three away matches.

As well as informing the group, the Club wrote to our season ticket holders and published a statement for all supporters and a video relevant to the incident, to ensure that all were fully aware of the circumstances which caused us to act. Police Scotland announced that they had commenced an investigation into the disorder.

Many members of the Green Brigade ignored the suspension and attended the home match against Kilmarnock on November 9, having obtained season tickets for other parts of the stadium and then accessing Section 111.

The Club had been in correspondence with the Green Brigade, explaining the Club’s serious concerns regarding their conduct. We sought confirmation that the group will comply with the suspension and, critically, the safety management regulations that all supporters are required to respect and which, of course, the Club is legally obliged to enforce. The Green Brigade has not provided this confirmation.

The Club provided another update to supporters on November 18 explaining these concerns and highlighting its legal obligations with regard to the safety of supporters and everyone working at Celtic Park.

The Celtic Fans Collective released a statement on November 19, saying that it represents a number of supporter organisations, including the Green Brigade, and suggesting dialogue between the Green Brigade and the Club, as well as other steps.

However, this has been made extremely difficult due to recent developments and particularly by threatening behaviour towards members of Celtic staff.

Mark Hargreaves was among representatives of the Club at the Glasgow City Council Safety Advisory Group meeting. Shortly before it started at 2.30pm, North Curve Celtic, a social media account connected to the Green Brigade posted on social media an entirely false allegation that:

'Mark Hargreaves – Celtic FC Head of Safety, Security and Operations – is coordinating a campaign in conjunction with the police – his former employers – to target Celtic fans and their families.'

The post also re-posts an earlier message in which a photograph of Mark Hargreaves is in his Police Scotland uniform. This is not the only example of North Curve Celtic posting images of Celtic employees simply because they have previously been employed by Police Scotland.

The North Curve Celtic post yesterday is a very serious and concerning development, and the Club is carefully considering next steps in the light of these developments.

As a result, the Club is not in a position to address the Safety Advisory Group process and the future management of these issues, including any interaction with the Green Brigade group.

It is necessary to correct any suggestion that Mark Hargreaves or the Club is coordinating any campaign in conjunction with the police 'to target Celtic fans and their families'.

Michael Nicholson, Chief Executive of Celtic, said: “These posts are scandalous. They are designed to intimidate one of our colleagues carrying out his duties on behalf of the Club, and to intimidate the Club. Mark was the subject of further threats and intimidation at the Club’s AGM this morning. Nobody at Celtic should face bullying, threats or intimidation.

“Mark’s role at Celtic is to keep his colleagues, including the players, safe, and the Club’s facilities safe and secure. At Celtic Park on match day, his role is to ensure the safety of all Celtic fans here so that they can enjoy the football. Mark is a lifelong Celtic fan, with a successful career over 25 years in the police.

"We were delighted that Mark joined the Club and we are lucky to have him. The Club cannot and will not accept this bullying and intimidatory behaviour. To have a faceless Internet account make these allegations attacking the professional reputation of someone who is doing his best to ensure the safety of all Celtic supporters and colleagues is cowardly and unacceptable.

“The management of the Rail Seating Section is motivated only by the safety of those in the section and the stadium - nothing else. That is the Club’s responsibility.”

The Club will provide a further update when possible.