What Green Brigade must do to return at Celtic matches as Old Firm pitch invasion addressed

The Green Brigade have been told what must happen if they want to return to Celtic Park this weekend against Motherwell.

An ultras group, they have locked out the controversial ultras group since early November, following claims of ‘violent and threatening behaviour’ in a late October clash with Falkirk. Amid fan protests against the board, interim Celtic chairman Brian Wilson wants a united Parkhead, that includes the Green Brigade returning to the stadium.

It could possibly occur as early as the Premiership clash versus Motherwell on Saturday but will come with certain conditions though as concerns still remain over the group. Wilson said in an address with Celtic TV: “Well if I can just go through the process. We met with the Green Brigade, it was clear the purpose of that meeting was to have an approach, have a shared approach which allowed us to go to Glasgow City Council Safety Advisory Group and to advocate for the group's return.

Will Green Brigade return to Celtic matches?

“That meeting of the Safety Advisory Group took place about three weeks ago. Celtic made that case and Police Scotland said they were not really prepared to go along with it and the two grounds for that. One was they said that the members of the Green Brigade had continued to attend most games in defiance of the suspensions, so in that respect nothing had really changed. Also that behaviours had not changed and particularly behaviours towards the police and stewarding. Now I'm just reporting that as what the position of Police Scotland was which also became the position of the Safety Advisory Group.

“We met again this week with the Green Brigade, explained this to them to be the position and essentially that the conclusion of that meeting of the Safety Advisory Group was that there were conditions set which would begin again to create the pathway for a return of the full section. Now we've communicated these to them, I think that they should accept them, I think if they accept them then they get into a dialogue about the management of the policing and stewarding of the section and that as I say it creates a pathway to resolving this certainly until the end of the season and then let's look at the whole protocol again.

“So these have been communicated both verbally and in writing and we now await a response. So it is possible but the ball is very much in their court. They are not unreasonable, they are not draconian conditions. They are the conditions which apply to every other part of the stadium but it's really up to them and it's not unilateral as the Green Brigade like to claim that it's a club decision whether we let them back in or not. It's not because it's a matter for police, it's a matter for the Safety Advisory Group and we cannot override the advice that they are giving. I mean it's basically the terms and conditions of season tickets which they do accept.

“It's acceptance of the principle of respecting stewarding and policing arrangements within the section. It's supporting efforts to prevent overcrowding by incursions from elsewhere in the stadium into the section and there's also strong concern from the police about anti-police activities, photographing police, pig watch campaigns and so on within the ground. Now I don't think any of these to say look these are unacceptable behaviours or these are things that can be accepted as the basis of finding a pathway in. I don't think if there's a will to find a solution to this that these are in any way unreasonable but the ball's in their court and they have not yet come back to us.”

Old Firm pitch invasion addressed

Wilson also addressed last Sunday’s Old Firm where both sets of supporters ended up on the pitch after Celtic’s 4-2 win on penalty kicks during the Scottish Cup quarter-final, attracting widespread condemnation of the scenes that unfolded. He said: “It is unfortunate that the events after the game have to some extent detracted or overshadowed the actual result.

“I was frankly disappointed by the chief constable’s comments, as she presumably knows we work closely with Police Scotland. We respect the role of the safety advisory group and when there is evidence of unacceptable behaviours, we act against both individuals and groups. All of that is on the record. Measuring responses by condemnatory statements isn’t really accurate. If this could be resolved by statements of condemnation, it would have been resolved decades ago. It’s actions that matter and the way we handle these experiences as a club and the way others handle these experiences.

“If you’re going to be asking for condemnation, you have to be more specific and I would happily condemn and regret. But the highest profile aspect of this (the chaos) was after the penalties and Celtic had won. What you had there was a euphoric response from our supporters. It is not uncommon. It has happened on numerous occasions this season alone in Scottish football where you have an overspill onto the pitch. That in itself does not usually draw expressions of condemnation. What I would say is that I welcome the SFA’s intention to have a full inquiry. Let’s look at the evidence. If there’s evidence of violence, if there’s evidence of threats of violence, then of course I will condemn that – but let’s look at the evidence before we create maybe a false narrative.”

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