sick bastards

[the wes 7,212]

SPORTS Minister Gregory Campbell is to write to his counterpart in the Scottish administration to make a joint call for firm action against sectarianism at Rangers v Celtic matches. The DUP MP spoke out after he heard allegations that Celtic fans were waving empty pizza boxes at Rangers fans in places including Larne in a reference to the Masserene Army barrack murder of two soldiers who were going out to collect pizzas.

Final

The incident was said to have happened before the Cooperative Insurance Cup Final on Sunday.

Celtic Football Club, Bally-mena Shamrock Celtic Supporters Club, the PSNI, and an SDLP councillor from Larne all said they were unaware of any such taunts.

The game finished 2-0 to Celtic.

Last night Mr Campbell said he had been contacted by a number of people about "pizza box incidents".

"It appears a number of people saw Celtic fans waving pizza boxes at the actual game and a number saw them doing the same at the ferry and at the airport.

"Given the widespread and universal condemnation of the murders it seems a lot of these fans have a lot to learn. I think it is imperative for the club to condemn the incidents and distance themselves from them. Celtic also need to call for anyone with information about the incidents to pass that onto the PSNI."

Reports

Last night a statement from Celtic FC said they had received "absolutely no report or evidence of this incident whatsoever".

"However, as a club open to all since its formation in 1888, Celtic stands firmly against all forms of bigotry and sectarianism".

Mr Campbell said he planned to write to his Scottish counterpart to agree plans to eliminate sectarianism from Rangers v Celtic matches.

"Given the context of what has happened in the last few days, and the sensitivity of the issue, I think it needs to be done."

A PSNI spokesman said no incidents involving pizza boxes had been reported to them.

Rangers fan Robert Purdy contacted the News Letter to give details about his experience of "sectarian Celtic fans waving pizza boxes".

The 25-year-old from Newtownabbey said he was leaving his friends to the boat in Larne on Sunday morning when "a crowd of more than 10 Celtic fans carrying pizza boxes started waving them blatantly in our faces and mocking the death of the two soldiers in Antrim".

"They were shouting things like, 'who ordered the pizza'."

Confrontation

Robert, who was also wearing a Rangers top in preparation for catching a plane to Glasgow for the game, said he was minded to get out of his car and confront the Celtic fans, "only there were too many of them".

"There were around 10, possibly more, in the group. But one of the fellas in our group, who was not wearing any colours, approached the men with pizza boxes to see what they were doing.

"They thought he was a Celtic fan and started talking to him.

[Aesthetic Relic 301]

However, as a club open to all since its formation in 1888, Celtic stands firmly against all forms of bigotry and sectarianism

If find that quote insulting.

Sections of the Celtic support continue to sing pro-IRA songs and its not given a second thought. They were the only club in the UK not to acknowledge the poppy day minutes silence like everyone else, they opted for a minutes applause as it would drown out the jeers. They even had fans turn their backs while the applause was going on. They had a section of their supporters " The Green Brigade" walk out of the stadium in protest and they gathered outside the ground singing/chanting as they do best.

Now dont get me wrong, Rangers also have their idiots and the club has seen its name dragged through the dirt folowing the UEFA Cup Final in Manchester last season when a small minority of empty heads went on the rampage. The "Famine Song" has also been used as a stick to beat the cub with when in reality, the full song that they are quite happy to put up in print is not what is actually sung by the Rangers support. The full song they refer to, I have only heard on youtube and NEVER at Ibrox or at away games. It merely mocks the Celtic supporters who are so wrapped up in their Irish roots. The "Plastic Paddy" as they are refered to by the Rangers support have jumped on the offended bus and claimed this to be a sectarian song when its anything but that.

How anyone can get offended by asking them if they are so proud to be Irish then why dont they go home since the famine is over. They claim its mocking the death of thousands of Irish folk during the potato famine, but if they actually knew thieir history they would know that thousands of protestant folk also died during that time.

As for this Pizza box palarver I find it sickening.

Could you imagine the outrage if a clubs supporters were freely mocking the september 11th bombings or 9/11 ?

The club would be hit with every fine from here to Timbuktu. This is the mentality of a section of the celtic support. They are not all bad, I have celtic supporting friends who are just as sickened by recent goings on in N.Ireland and the attention these sort of things bring to the club.

I could rant all day on this as its a subject which riles me something shocking.