| Eire flag – The Irish Flag controversy (1952) | Incidents, Events & Controversies | 1952 |
The Evening Times, 8th January, 1952
Celtic Park Row: Magistrates Want To Meet S.F.A. and League
THE SCOTTISH FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION AND THE SCOTTISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE ARE TO BE INVITED TO MEET GLASGOW MAGISTRATES.
This was announced by Dr Gladys Dewar, senior magistrate, today when she declared – “The sport of football has to be cleaned up.”
The invitation follows the recent bottle-throwing scenes at the New Year’s Day game between Celtic and Rangers at Parkhead during which a number of persons were arrested.
“The Chief Constable must not be left to hold the baby all the time.” said Baillie Dr Dewar.
“If the association and the league do not do something the magistrates will have to act, because we are not going to allow this hooliganism in sport to continue.”
The deputation from the Celtic Supporters’ Clubs, she said, had convinced her that if it was not those affiliated with the clubs who were responsible for the hooliganism.
The magistrates have previously expressed concern over the incidents when the two clubs meet, and today, they heard a report from the Chief Constable Mr Malcolm McCulloch.
In his report Mr McCulloch spoke of the seriousness of such incidents and their possible consequences.
The magistrates were aware at the meeting today that the S.F.A. and S.F.L. officials are also perturbed at the tension which arises whenever Celtic and Rangers meet and it was in the knowledge that those officials would welcome a round-table conference that it was decided to extend the invitation to them.
Celtic Association Deputation
During their discussions the magistrates received a deputation from the National Association of Celtic FC Supporters Clubs.
This comprised the president, Mr Denis McColgan, the general secretary, Mr Patrick Mooney. Mr J McCafferty chairman of the Glasgow Northern Area; Mr H Delaney, secretary of the Southern Area of Glasgow; Mr W Kirk, an executive member.
Mr Mooney acting as their spokesman, declared that his association deplored the incident at the last Celtic – Rangers game and indeed viewed with abhorrence such incidents at any of their games.
His association were willing to offer every possible support to the magistrates to stop such scenes.
“Slur on Celtic”
It was their intention to offer the police every support possible to try to bring about a better understanding between the supporters and the general public.
Mr Mooney asked the magistrates to accept his assurance that his association did not allow its members to provoke incidents and had not been involved in any.
He stressed to the magistrates that the association was doing a most valuable job in helping towards a better social outlook of a large number of its members.
If the magistrates made any decision which might disrupt the association it would be a slur on the good name of Celtic.
Their good members might leave them and the others they were trying to re-educate would slip back into their original condition.
To Meet On Tuesday?
Of the New Year’s game Mr Mooney contended that the people that caused the trouble were responsible to nobody, not even them.
The meeting with the S.F.A. and the S.F.L. is expected to take place next Tuesday.
The Evening Times, 15th January, 1952
Glasgow Magistrates Tell Football Administrators – END CELTIC-RANGERS GAMES ON NEW YEAR’S DAY
”Make Other Matches Ticket Only”
An end to the Celtic-Rangers New Year’s Day games has been proposed by the Glasgow magistrates and is to be considered by the Scottish Football association and the Scottish League.
The proposal was one of several made by the magistrates, acting on advice from the Chief Constable, when they met the S.F.A. and Scottish League officials in a round-table conference to discuss the scenes which periodically occur when Rangers and Celtic meet.
The magistrates also suggested that whenever Celtic and Rangers meet it should be ticket only, with the attendance limited to what the Chief Constable might consider consistent with public safety.
They also propose that Celtic F.C. should be asked to construct numbered passageways at each end of the terracing to facilitate the work of the police and ambulance men.
Also submitted to the football authorities for their consideration was the suggestion that no colours should be displayed which would give rise to feeling.
It was a combined deputation from the S.F.A. and the Scottish League, numbering 14, who met the magistrates.
Proposals Discussed
They included Councillor John F. Wilson, chairman of Rangers F.C., and Mr Robert Kelly, chairman of Celtic F.C.; Mr Harry Swan, a vice-president of the S.F.A; Mr George C. Graham, its secretary; Mr Walter C. Johnston, a vice-president of the league, and Mr J. F. Donovan, secretary of the league.
Immediately after the meeting the members of the S.F.A. Referees Committee adjourned for lunch. Afterwards, at their statutory meeting this afternoon, they began to discuss the proposals.
During the conversations Mr Alan Robbie of Aberdeen commented on the observations by Dr Gladys Dewar, the senior magistrate, who was in the chair, that football would have to be cleaned up.
He wanted to know if she felt that because one or two rowdies at a single game created a disturbance was the good behaviour of the hundreds of thousands at other games to be forgotten.
Baillie Creaney stated that Dr Dewar had then been expressing a personal opinion.
“Heavier Sentences” Remedy
Mr Swan made the point that if the magistrates were so concerned about the disturbances then the remedy to a certain extent, lay within themselves if they imposed sentences consistent with what they felt the gravity of the offence to be.
An assurance was given by Mr Kelly that all the football authorities were as concerned as the magistrates over the disturbances. Their whole desire was to root them out and they were all most anxious to co-operate with the authorities.
After the meeting Dr Dewar said that if something was not done over the football scenes the magistrates would get further powers.
She had been impressed by the evident desire of the members of the deputation to be co-operative. They were most helpful, and she felt certain that the respective governing bodies would manage to do something to lessen the tension that existed when those two teams met.
She disclosed that one proposal which the magistrates had been considering tentatively was that during the Celtic-Rangers meetings license holders should be asked not to sell bottled beer for consumption off the premises.
The Evening Times, 13th February, 1952
Celtic F.C. Told Not To Fly Eire Flag
ROWDYISM AT GAMES WON’T BE TOLERATED, WARN THE S.F.A.
(By Alan Breck)
The Scottish Football Association, in a statement today on the scenes at Parkhead when Celtic played Rangers on New Year’s Day, say that they are resolved that any further outbreaks of a similar nature will not be tolerated – no matter what the eventual outcome may be.
Celtic are told that theirs is the responsibility for the conduct of spectators, and that it is no excuse to say that they employed a sufficient number of police.
Flown For 30 Years
The club have been told that they must refrain from displaying on match days any flag or emblem which has no association with this country or the game.
This refers to the Eire flag, which has flown at Parkhead for 30 years.
The full S.F.A. statement is :-
“The Referee Committee, keeping in view the sporting attitude of the many thousands of spectators that attend and enjoy matches every week, decided that such misconduct as took place at this match, even although it only involved a small proportion of the attendance, is nevertheless bringing the game in Scotland into disrepute, and they are resolved that any further outbreaks of a similar nature will not be tolerated, no matter what the eventual outcome may be.
Celtic’s Responsibility
“They also decided that, as laid down in Article 114 of the association’s regulations, the responsibility for the conduct of their supporters lies on the Celtic club and it will not be accepted as a discharge of that responsibility merely to say that they have employed a sufficient number of police, who in any event cannot take any action until after the misconduct has occurred.
“The Celtic club are instructed to warn this irresponsible section of their supporters by all means available to them that in the event of any further misconduct they may endanger the continuance of matches at Celtic Park for a considerable period.
“With regard to the recommendations made by the magistrates of Glasgow, in so far as they affect matters which come under the purview of the association, the committee recommend the Celtic club to co-operate with the city engineer and the police in the construction of numbered passageways at each end of their ground unless there are structural difficulties which cannot be overcome.
Instructions to Clubs
“The Celtic club are instructed to refrain from displaying on their ground on match days any flag or emblem which has no association with this country or the game.
“The Celtic and Rangers clubs are instructed (1) to take all possible steps to prevent the flaunting of provocative flags or emblems by spectators at these matches: and (2) to discourage by all means in their power any display of sectarian sentiments by club supporters at matches or elsewhere which the committee feel is at the root of the disturbances.
“The committee wish to commend the players of both clubs for their exemplary behaviour on the field despite the incitement and excitement caused by the encroachment of spectators.”
In the match at Parkhead on New Year’s Day fighting broke out on the terraces, bottles were thrown on the track and the police made 11 arrests. Rangers won by four goals to one, and the disturbances broke out after the fourth goal had been scored.
Magistrates‘ Proposal
Subsequently the Glasgow Magistrates Committee conferred with the S.F.A. and the Scottish League and made a number of suggestions.One proposal was that the Celtic-Rangers match should not be played on New Year’s Day. This was turned down by the Scottish League.They felt it would be unfair to disturb the fixture which has for years been regarded as part of the Glasgow’s New Year celebrations.
Heated Exchanges as SFA Discuss Celtic Flag Case
(by Alan Breck)
When the Celtic Flag case came up before the SFA Council today the interested parties – Mr Kelly of Celtic, and Mr Wilson of Rangers – were asked to retire. Mr Wilson, protesting at this procedure, said it was most extraordinary, and asked some questions.
He disagreed with the procedure whereby the decisions of the SFA Referee Committee were sent to the magistrates before the council had approved or otherwise.
Mr Wilson, after the secretary had quoted the powers of the Referee Committee, asked if the Council or the Referee Committee had the powers.
If the Council had no powers over the Committee why bring the Council together at all?
Mr Robbie of Aberdeen, who presided over the Referee Committee which took the Celtic decision said that it was strange that Mr Wilson had not made his objection before.
Mr Wilson said that this was a different matter This was vital to Glasgow and to Scottish Football. Mr Swan, acting president asked Mr Wilson to allow the procedure to go on as in former years. Mr Wilson asked that this procedure should be entered in the minutes. There were some heated exchanges while Mr Wilson was speaking. Mr Kelly the Celtic chairman also protested that he should be asked to leave the meeting. This was a big matter and he had some things to say, and he would say them even if it was his 'swansong' in football.
Mr Swan said he would ask Mr Wilson and Mr Kelly to retire after Mr Kelly had spoken.Finally the Council decided that both officials should remain unless when the vote was taken.
Mr Robbie, in moving the minute said that he did so with great regret. He asked the council not to regard the New Year's Day game as an isolated case. The Celtic supporters had been involved in incidents at Airdrie, Cathkin and Greenock as well as two occassions at Parkhead. Celtic he knew were not condoning this conduct. He did not think Celtic had done all that they could have done. He recalled the incident at Celtic when officials were assaulted.
At that time the Celtic evidence was that the incident did not take place despite the other evidence at Celtic's disposal. At the time Celtic perhaps unconsciously encouraged the unruly element.
Coming to the New Years Day game Mr Robbie said that while the SFA could do their part the magistrates of Glasgow should also do theirs. Referring to the recommendations on flags and emblems Mr Robbie said that where these were calculated to cause trouble they should not be flown. The Committee thought it wise that where a flag had no reference to the game or to the country, it should not be flown. He was sorry Celtic were still flying the flag.
It would be a sorry day if the Council took no action until really serious trouble took place.
Mr Terrie (Hibernian) also of the Referee Committee seconded the motion to approve the minute. It was a feature of all the cases that the Celtic club used the word 'exaggerated'. The Celtic attitude suggested that the club was reluctant to face the facts. He could assure Mr Kelly that the decision of the Referee Committee were just as disagreeable to the Committee as to Celtic. Mr Terrie felt that Celtic could be more cooperative with the Committee. It was unfortunate that there was a feeling of resentment by Celtic officials and that spread to the supporters. Thus a feeling of persecution was engendered. He appealed to Celtic to accept the decisions. Celtic had the sypathy of the clubs
.
Mr Kelly the Celtic chairman said that he had the impression that the Celtic club and not the so-called Celtic supporters were on trial. The question was outside football. The magistrates have the cure in their own hands. From the inception of Celtic the Irish national flag has always been flown. The club had an Irish foundation and the flag had never given any trouble. The Eire flag could not worry Celtic supporters but only non-Celtic supporters. No Eire flag flew at places outside of the city where trouble took place. He moved the rejection of the flag part of the minute.
Mr Kelly recalled that at Ibrox this season despite the calls of Rangers club, banners were carried by their supporters. There was no rule to ban the Eire flag and the Council had no powers to instruct accordingly. The Council would realise that the minute, if carried would be a matter of very great magnitude to the Celtic club.
The Evening Times, 26th February, 1952 The Evening Times, 9th May, 1952
The Evening Times, 2nd August 1952 The Evening Times, 4th August, 1952 The Evening Times, 6th August, 1952
