Fans excluded from talks about Celtic title party gatherings

Glasgow Times

01-05-2025

Authorities are anticipating fans will take over Glasgow Cross when the club is presented with the Scottish Premiership trophy again this month.
Talks between the council, officials from Celtic and Rangers and Police Scotland were held following last year's gathering.
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The Glasgow Times has discovered there was a meeting between the council, Police Scotland and Celtic FC at Celtic Park in February this year.
But there have been no official meetings with anyone representing supporters.
Celtic captain Callum McGregor will lift the trophy on the final day of the league season on May 17, the fourth year in a row the club has been crowned Scottish Champions.
In previous years, following the match, fans have congregated in their thousands at Glasgow Cross and Merchant City, celebrating trophy day.
(Image: newsquest)
Businesses have complained and residents' groups angered at anti-social behaviour from a section of the fans.
The council has asked people to behave if they gather and celebrate responsibly, and a top level meeting was organised by MSP, Kaukab Stewart, in February.
At the meeting were Celtic, Rangers, Police Scotland, Merchant City and Trongate Community Council and Scottish Government. There were no fans reps attending.
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The Glasgow Times asked under Freedom of Information for details of any meetings between Glasgow City Council and supporters' organisations connected to Celtic Football Club in the last year.
We were told: 'There have been no meetings between the Council and representatives from supporters' organisations connected with Celtic Football Club, during the period 1 May 2024 to present.'
Nor has there been any attempts to meet with fans, instead the club has been looking for clubs to engage with their supporters and associations.
The Glasgow Times also asked for details of meetings between the council and Police Scotland to discuss fan celebrations in the city centre.
We were told: 'On 14 February 2025, Council Officers met at Celtic Park with officials from Celtic and Police Scotland to discuss fan celebrations.'
An online meeting was also held between the council and Celtic FC on November 28 last year
The response also stated: 'This has also been discussed on a number of occasions as part of regular operational meetings between Police Scotland and Council Officers.'
Rangers fans gathered in George Square in 2021 when their team last won the league and damage was caused to benches and statues and more than 50 arrests were made.
We asked the same questions for meetings between the council and Rangers fans and received the same response that no meetings had taken place.
An online meeting between the council and Rangers FC took place on October 31 last year, and a meeting took place at Ibrox on February 6.
A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: 'Glasgow is a great sporting city - and fans should have the opportunity to celebrate success.
'However, there can be absolutely no justification for celebrations that lead to the kind of disorder, vandalism and violence that has been a persistent feature of gatherings at Trongate and George Square at the conclusion of recent football seasons.
'We have heard and we share the frustrations of local businesses and people living in these neighbourhoods.
'The council has made it clear during its engagement with clubs and stakeholders that it would be in the best interests of the city, its sporting institutions and above all local communities for all parties to use whatever influence they have to encourage fans not to gather in that manner.
'We have been engaging on this subject, consistently, over recent years – and we will continue to do so right up to the end of this season. At the same time, the council has always been clear that it will support any efforts made by clubs to organise or host sustainable and safe celebrations for supporters.'