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2 April 1998 Edition

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Sportsview: The trouble with Fergus

We wrote a couple of weeks ago on Fergus McCann and the transformation of Celtic from its sorry state four years ago to become one of the biggest clubs in Britain, if not Europe. While in Glasgow for the Hearts game, An Phoblacht heard the fans' reactions to his tenure, the team, Bhoys Against Bigotry and sectarian attacks by loyalists on Celtic fans coming to and from Celtic Park, and the obvious tensions between various members of the club's hierarchy, not least Jock Brown and Wim Jansen.

On the playing side there was no complaint on the reign of `Wim the Tim'. There is anger however when at crucial stages in the season arguments surface in regards to contracts etc. Most recently the conflict between team manager Jansen and general manager Jock Brown has caused consternation among fans. ``Wim Jansen is on the verge of bringing Celtic to the title after a ten-year gap. I would question someone like Jock Brown, who I don't think realises the emotions and situation involved with being attached to Celtic,'' said Martin, a Celtic fan of 25 years from Glasgow.

``At this stage of the season, internal wrangles should be shelved until after we win the league. The winning of the league should be everyone's priority,'' said Liam, another fan from Ireland. Some fans are worried about Celtic's consistency, as was witnessed by their 0-0 draw against Hearts. Points seem to be dropping at home rather than away.

Quite a lot of fans do not agree with what McCann is doing in relation to the so-called Bhoys Against Bigotry Campaign. McCann sees republicanism (a political philosophy supported by a large number of fans) as equalling bigotry. In February a public meeting was called to launch a campaign after attacks on Celtic fans by loyalist bigots in Glasgow. It was founded by Celtic Fans Against Fascism after the murder of a 16-year-old Celtic fan by Jason Campbell and the attempted killing of Seán Connor. McCann has even accused some of the organisations involved in the campaign of sectarianism.

McCann has refused to support the campaign, whose only aims are: Cetic to provide stewards along the London Road to direct and advise fans of safe routes; the right of fans to walk to and from matches free from physical attacks by loyalists; the right of fans under attack to physically defend themselves and; two new train stations nearer to Celtic Park.

As McCann wrote in a reply to the campaign ``the club has serious concerns regarding the motives of some of the factions involved in this event... With reference to your claim that there is no hidden agenda in your campaign, Celtic strongly suspects that there is another not so `hidden agenda' bedded in your campaign and not a healthy one...'' The club and McCann have seriously misread the situation in regards to the whole anti-fascist situation and attacks on fans. He ``believes that anyone associated with republican politics is automatically a bigot and brings shame on Celtic's good name'', says Campaign Against Sectarian Attacks spokesperson Stephen McAlaoise.

The club has stepped up its campaign in recent times to stop the singing of rebel songs, and his ``war against bigotry'' has been taken into Celtic pubs and supporters' buses, with clubs leaving from such pubs or playing rebel music on buses threatened with having their ticket allocation cut. It was even mooted that the Tricolour was to be banned. But fans are continuing to defy this, as the singing of the Boys of the Old Brigade can still be heard at games.

Celtic Football Club are the best football club in the world. It's like a form of socialism - but without the politics, said the great Bill Shankly about Celtic during the Stein era. Stephen McAlaoise of the Campaign Against Sectarian Attacks, writing to An Phoblacht earlier in the year amended this quote to suit McCann and co: ``Celtic Football Club... It's a form of Stalinism - but without the politics.''

BY CIARAN HEAPHEY

An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland