The Green Brigade Was Not The Story

SO - they're back. The Green Brigade marched back into Celtic Park on Sunday and, immediately with that sure touch which has made them disliked by all right-minded Scottish football fans, our friends in the mainstream media made them, rather than another impressive win and an Anthony Stokes hat-trick, THE STORY.

 

Heaven forfend that I should agree with that lady, but, the Blessed Margaret Thatcher was never a great believer in giving those of whom she disapproved, what she termed: "The oxygen of publicity". Perhaps the msm should have adopted that stance and concentrated on the main course on Sunday, what happens ON the park.

 

I know several long-term Celtic supporters who are more than a little disparaging about the GB: "A bunch of wee neds in sore need of a good kicking" was one opinion I heard form someone whose membership of the Celtic Family is absolute.

 

However, we have to accept, every Scottish club has its lunatic fringe  in its support - why should Celtic be any different?

 

I can see why Neil Lennon welcomed their return - old trouper that he is, he recognises the positive effect a claque can inject. If (and I don't) you accept the image of Neil Lennon as a Celtic Ultra, only one inside the tent, rather than on the sidelines looking in, there might be a case for tagging him as a potential GB member. No, I think he's cleverer than that, but, in this case, he's playing to the gallery.

 

 

 

TO RETURN to - "That woman". I always thought one of her better ideas, one sold to her by a then Tory MP who was also Chairman of a Football League club - David Smith of Luton I think he was called.

 

He wanted to make membership of a football club compulsory for supporters. Now, this would have been a hard one to pull-off, but, it could have been done. However, the massed ranks of the FA, Football League, SFA, Scottish League and so forth, plus the combined might of the UK football media, killed the notion at birth.

 

But, think of it. If you had to be a member to get into your local club, you would be subject to more discipline -step out of line and you'd be out; however, on the other hand, surely as a member, you would be entitled to a say on how your club was run.

 

Big time football has drifted away from its core audience, the working-class male. Club membership would close that gap and bring both sides together, as well as limiting the power of the meglamanic chairman.

 

On the same theme - some years ago I read a Sports Illustrated piece on the Green Bay Packers of the NFL. The one club which is owned by its fans - the good people of Green Bay, Wisconsin. It made fascinating reading and could be, I suspect, with the minimum of changes to reflect UK law, be a blueprint for genuine fan ownership of a club.

 

 

 

STILL on women, I see Ann Budge, who looks set to be Mrs Hearts, has her own exit strategy already set out. She is looking, at first glance, like a female Fergus McCann.