Good to see the fans clapping before the match

two things:

The poppy is not a political issue in Britain. So its wrong to say its double standards to promote poppies while asking for politics to stay at the door. Poppies are only political in Ireland, well away from CP.

Republicans would be advised to remember that 6 or 7 generations have of famine Irish descendants have grown up in Scotland and had totally different experiences to those that stayed in Ireland. I would say that 100s of thousands of Irish-descended Scots have fought FOR the British army and other crown forces (WWI, II, national service and later), many for several generatoins in a row, while only a tiny minority have actually fought AGAINSt them. So, take away the politics and you see that poppy remembrance of our fallen in British forces has a lot more to do with reality of Scottish-born Celtic fans than songs of 20th century Irish republican paramilitaries.

 

load of bullshit..

leave the politics at the door unless its pro-british and pro-establishment..

quite a contradiction of celtic even 10 years ago.

 

I have to seriously disagree here... I'm all for Scots-Irish people, just like Mexican-Americans, integrating into their new home but that doesn't include forgetting where they came from. Saying it's not a political issue is just mind-boggling...

 

Not many counterarguements to my points there mate. Poppies are not political except among Irish republicans and they are a tiny tiny minority in the UK, we are based in the UK so why should the small Irish republican tail wag the huge UK dog on the poppy issue in the UK. Its a bit like British protesters coming over to Ireland and protest at Easter and boo lilly waring because the IRA's actions included no-warning pub bombs killing civillins etc. They dont because the republican parades happen in Ireland and its understood that British sensitivities are not the issue when its in Ireland. Its the same with UK traditions in the UK. When they take place in the UK and 98% of the population support it (including most tims BTW) then Irish sensitivities are not very important. When in Rome...

 

The vast majority of the very anti-poppy posters on web sites are not Scots-Irish, they are Irish day trippers to CP from Ireland. Its clear that the vast majority of Scottish born Celtic supporters support the poppy. Jeannie indicated above that the vast majority clapped and very few protested. This is largely (but not entirely) a split between Irish and Scottish supporters.

 

...and bin-lid folk who want to pretend this is northern Ireland

 

Aren't the lilies a celebration of an event... and not necessarily of what the IRA became? That's my understanding of it... but I recognize you guys have much more knowledge on this than I do so I'm just going to make sure before I make a point.

 

I wouldn't have protested, either... I get the feeling that there are a lot more who disagreed with it, but didn't want to give the media an excuse to jump on the club like they love to do.

I hate when people try to connect the club with the IRA and the Republican cause, but I just don't think a football match is the right place to celebrate the military's past. What do you think was going through Cillian Sheridan's head as he put his poppy on? It's a bit like if an American club signed a Russian and then made him display affection towards the American military on Veteran's day... that would just be * weird even though we aren't currently at war with them.

 

The point is the fact that one sect of politics is forbidden.. Irish nationalism.

While British patriotism is embraced by those in power.

Its hypocrisy. End of story.

 

The players were told that they had to wear the jerseys with poppies on them. Now come on. Can you not see it?

 

You are taking the whole thing out of context. I have no problem with you remembering who you want by wearing a poppy. It's your right, but to have Celtic players being told they must wear the poppy jersey is taking away their freedom of choice. Some people on here seem to think freedom of choice only applies when people choose what you approve of.
Making the players wear the poppy jersey is a kick in the teeth to all the Irish fans who have spent their hard earned cash supporting the club from day one.

If the Irish teams wore a token of rememberance to the old IRA or IRB then you'd probably be doing yer nut saying it's disgraceful. It's not only double standards here, it's hypocrisy.

 

Try and understand that we are up in arms about it now because Celtic have never had to wear to poppy before now. It is about freedom of choice. I'm not saying YOU shouldn't wear the poppy if you want, I'm saying that by making every Celtic player wear one the club has basically said a big * You! to those who have witness and suffered British brutality at first hand.
Everyone I watched the Motherwell game with was disgusted that the players freedom of choice had been denied them, even the guys who were wearing poppies themselves.

I'll repeat what I said in an earlier thread. I don't have a problem if someone wants to wear a poppy. I do have a problem with my club flaunting poppies on the sacred Celtic hoops as if to say 'Get it up ye' to the very people who have helped make our club great.

 

You really are unbelievable. It's because it's being stuffed in our faces NOW. How would you know if anyone has protested in the past? The fact is that there is a debate on THIS forum NOW.
NOW being the case in point.
The narrow mindedness of some people in here is disgraceful.

 

the people who walked out after 10 min, you have no idea what it means to even attend a celtic game, i manage to get over about twice a season as that's as much as i can afford as well with work, college and getting mates to come over it's tough also i use to go over with my dad but he has fallen on tough times with an addiction to painkillers, has no job and gets kicked out of mates houses(how did this addiction start? gunshot in the back by you guessed it.....the british army). take celtic for granted over stupid political squabbles as it just proves why you got supporting celtic in the first place, ffs, that's not what celtic is about and you do tarnish the name of the greatest club in the world. get a grip, some celtic players have their own beliefs, their own relations who could be veterans or lost their lives, their own heritage etc. you have no right to tell the players who give blood, sweat and tears for your club to tell them what to do, get a grip

 

Yes but Celtic has to accept that we are no ordinary club. We have a lot of Irish support because we were set up originally to help the poor Iirsh immigrants and therefore it was very insensitive to say the least that Celtic agreed to make the players wear poppy shirts.
If Celtic is so * British why is there a tricolour flying over Celtic Park and not a Union Flag?

 

The point is in the UK poppies are not controversial except too a really tiny amount of people, mainly republicans visiting from Ireland. Only they take offense but with respect its not their turf and not for them to demand changes in another country they choose to visit.

 

Alright, I'll put that point aside just for a second (even though I still disagree) and will re-ask the question as to why on Earth Cillian should be forced to wear a poppy.

 

not every irish person is a staunch republican, you don't know what his opinions on the matter and with most irish people of mine and cillians age
they couldn't give a *.

 

Juat because an American has an Irish flag on his pub doesnt mean its not American. Its a token, a nod to an ancestral connection. Besides it seems from the many debates on the web and reactions at the game that the vast majority appreciated/were indifferent to the gesture and protesters were few. As I said 100s or thousands of Scottish tims have served in British forces, hugely more than have fought against them. That the reality. In Scotland the repubicanism is clearly often posture and reaction to sectarianism anyway judging by the ballet box results and the pro-union voting patterns in catholic Scotland over many many elections. Its not a consistent philosphy at all.

 

bhoymalone... I think what they are trying to say is that Celtic PLC thanks you for your money and your trips to go to the games, but they really don't give a * what you think because you aren't Scottish, and therefore don't care if you are offended.