CELTIC have announced they will close the “Green Brigade section” of their stadium for the next two matches after “serious incidents of unsafe behaviour” at their previous two home games.
The announcement comes a day after Celtic were hit with Uefa disciplinary charges over an alleged ‘’illicit banner’’ and “blocked stairways” during their Champions League victory over Linfield on Wednesday night.
The club also expressed their frustration over a pyrotechnic display during the final game of last season against Hearts.
The decision will affect 900 season-ticket holders in the safe-standing section of the stadium which houses the Green Brigade ultras group.
Chief executive Peter Lawwell told the club’s official website: “The behaviour of fans in the Green Brigade section of the ground at the matches against Hearts and Linfield was a serious safety risk, which has left us with no choice but to take decisive action to ensure safety within the stadium.
“There is no room for debate. The safety authorities and the football authorities make the rules. They also enforce the rules. If the rules are broken, Celtic will be punished again and again.
“There is no hiding place from these realities. Anyone who has Celtic’s interests at heart must surely recognise them and behave accordingly.
“Every club which visits here says the atmosphere is incredible and that is something that we have worked very hard to support and encourage.
“We cannot understand why supporters who are capable of contributing so much that is positive to the club can be so reckless in doing it damage. In addition to the serious safety concerns, we face further Uefa disciplinary action.
“This is not a decision we have taken lightly, but the behaviour of fans in this section is posing a direct risk to the safe operation of the stadium and is also seriously tarnishing the club’s hard-won reputation.
“Dialogue, engagement and communication with the Green Brigade have evidently failed at this time, given the behaviour experienced at these matches, and we are therefore left with no choice but to take action to ensure safety at the stadium.
“We hope that the action we are taking prompts recognition by those fans of the damage being done to the club and that we can resume meaningful engagement with them which would ensure a safe environment within that part of Celtic Park.”
The closure will affect next Wednesday’s first leg of the Champions League third qualifying round against Rosenborg.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers described the sanction as a “wake-up call” to the Green Brigade after Uefa took action over a banner which portrayed an individual in a paramilitary uniform.
Rodgers said: “It’s really disappointing that we are talking about stadium safety and paramilitary banners rather than our progress into the next round of Europe.
“The fans have a responsibility to behave in the stadium and I would urge everyone involved to see the damage this is causing to the club.
“Hopefully this is a wake-up call.
“The players thrive on the cauldron that the fans create at Celtic Park, but there are clearly boundaries that you can’t step over.
“I really hope that the fans take this on board. It would be a real shame if they forced the club to take more permanent action to ... protect the club’s standing in European football, which is what we should all be aiming to promote.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here