Motherwell v Celtic 13/05/2026

[numpty]

If only it were that easy. But you'd soon get neds infiltrating other teams' support just to run onto the pitch to get them an automatic points deduction, so then you'd need another level of bureaucracy to stop them getting in or investigating their allegiances afterwards, and the whole thing becomes unworkable again.

[weeyin]

4 minutes ago, texanwellfan said:

Not sure of what documented rules the SFA have, if any. So are rules being ignored or I there are none, then some need to be put in place. 
ifvthats the case start by points deduction for Celtic now amd henceforth this punishment shall apply to all teams should their fans invade the pitch. Celtic should not go unpunished for these recent pitch invasions. 

I saw the idea of a points deduction being floated, but applied to next season.

If they wanted to take thing seriously, they'd start with a 2 point deduction for this season, given it happened this season.

[Spiderpig]

3 minutes ago, weeyin said:

I saw the idea of a points deduction being floated, but applied to next season.

If they wanted to take thing seriously, they'd start with a 2 point deduction for this season, given it happened this season.

Points deduction for Celtic, as much as i would love it to happen, its the SFA we are talking about. If GrizzlyG had posted that it would have been his best attempt at humour all season.

[twistandshout1983]

I would like to see Celtic getting a points deduction, but do not think that will be happening somehow 

If they dont get any sanctions everyone knows this will continue at grounds next season

[weeyin]

57 minutes ago, Spiderpig said:

Points deduction for Celtic, as much as i would love it to happen, its the SFA we are talking about. If GrizzlyG had posted that it would have been his best attempt at humour all season.

Of course it's never going to happen. I just thought it spoke volumes that when they were even making up a hypothetical scenario it let them keep the title where the cheating occurred.

[Kmcalpin]

Most parties, including the media, are framing it as being a wider problem, to avoid upsetting Celtic and their support, of course. 

[weeyin]

7 minutes ago, Kmcalpin said:

Most parties, including the media, are framing it as being a wider problem, to avoid upsetting Celtic and their support, of course. 

It's much wider. 

Rangers too.

[0Neils40yarder]

9 hours ago, Happy Dosser said:

Yep, a GIRUY to all of us who care about Scottish football. It will never happen but the clubs should unite to force a complete overhaul of the refereeing system in our country. Its cosy and incompetent, self-serving cabal needs to be removed.

I can't remember Jens's exact words in a recent interview but it was along the lines of "Why bother playing football at all when there are decisions like these?"

Our game is rigged for everyone to see now.

£500 these fuds get for sitting in the wee VAR room

[texanwellfan]

1 minute ago, 0Neils40yarder said:

£500 these fuds get for sitting in the wee VAR room

I’m willing to bet you could find a good number of fans that would do a better job of VAR than the officials are doing. 

[weeyin]

I see the EFL have kicked Southampton out the playoff final for multiple breaches related to their spying on the opposition.

Pending appeal, but good to see some actual action taken against actual cheating.

[Happy Dosser]

4 minutes ago, weeyin said:

I see the EFL have kicked Southampton out the playoff final for multiple breaches related to their spying on the opposition.

Pending appeal, but good to see some actual action taken against actual cheating.

"Except for viewers in Scotland."

[Stuwell2]

6 hours ago, numpty said:

If only it were that easy. But you'd soon get neds infiltrating other teams' support just to run onto the pitch to get them an automatic points deduction, so then you'd need another level of bureaucracy to stop them getting in or investigating their allegiances afterwards, and the whole thing becomes unworkable again.

It is that easy, the away club issues the tickets to the away supporters, checking their buying history ie season ticket holders or buying multiple times for home games. No history no ticket. 
Rule for invasion can be more than 10 supporters, taking away to odd idiot who runs on and is usually grabbed by the police or stewards anyway. 

[Kmcalpin]

I 100% agree that it should be done, but thorough checking would be required. However if we take the recent Celtic game, look at the number of away fans in our homestands. They all slipped through the club's net. Procedures would need to be much more rigorous. 

The principle of strict liability has already been established through punishment for the use of pyros; just extend it.   

[numpty]

44 minutes ago, Stuwell2 said:

It is that easy, the away club issues the tickets to the away supporters, checking their buying history ie season ticket holders or buying multiple times for home games. No history no ticket. 
Rule for invasion can be more than 10 supporters, taking away to odd idiot who runs on and is usually grabbed by the police or stewards anyway. 

Ok, so that's already different from the original "Any supporter entering the park" proposal. Now somebody has to count them as well.

Just ask the folk who were having issues trying to buy tickets for the past couple of games how annoying the whole "check their buying history" thing went (and how many folk were still spotted in the wrong end despite the checks). And you'd want every team to do that for every game, even when the ground's only half full? If not, does the 10 person pitch invasion rule still apply to those ones? Etc.

[Spiderpig]

11 hours ago, Kmcalpin said:

I 100% agree that it should be done, but thorough checking would be required. However if we take the recent Celtic game, look at the number of away fans in our homestands. They all slipped through the club's net. Procedures would need to be much more rigorous. 

The principle of strict liability has already been established through punishment for the use of pyros; just extend it.   

Part of the problem is that entering the field of play is not a specific criminal offence in scotland, as it is in England and Wales so its encouraging that the Scottish government have announced that they are looking to change that going forward.

But unless the relevant parties ie Scottish Government,  SFA, SPFL  clubs, police Scotland and local authorities get together and get serious, nothing will change.

[Spit_It_Out]

In England it is an offence to run onto the pitch. It is only an offence in Scotland if you do something when you run on. 

How mental is that!

 

[Kmcalpin]

I get the legal position, but can't clubs or the SFA just ban the culprits? Name and shame. Businesses like shops and pubs can ban customers for whatever reasons they like. 

[numpty]

25 minutes ago, Spit_It_Out said:

In England it is an offence to run onto the pitch. It is only an offence in Scotland if you do something when you run on. 

How mental is that!

In principle, it's probably not that unreasonable. You're not going to get arrested for running onto the stage at a gig or a play, just chucked out by security and banned from the venue. But if you lamp somebody in the process, you're going to get arrested.

That said, although it's not specifically an offence in Scotland, I'm surprised a pitch incursion can't just be considered a breach of the peace, or some other nebulous public order charge.

[Richie]

Its a condition of entry not to enter the field of play etc

There's presumably relatively little the club can do though other than not allowing them tickets.

Little to stop others buying them though and there would be no recourse (unlike a court-imposed banning order)

*InterestingIy football banning orders can cover watching games in the pub etc as welll

[stv]

1 hour ago, Spit_It_Out said:

In England it is an offence to run onto the pitch. It is only an offence in Scotland if you do something when you run on. 

How mental is that!

 

Does giving Derek McInnes the fingers up close and personal not qualify for that then.

[dennyc]

5 minutes ago, Kmcalpin said:

I get the legal position, but can't clubs or the SFA just ban the culprits? Name and shame. Businesses like shops and pubs can ban customers for whatever reasons they like. 

No reason why not. Would be a start. But there has to be a willing. When the top team in the Country, their Manager and their media have spent days trying to play down and justify the actions of their fans at the weekend and earlier I wouldn't hold your breath." All just good natured fun don't you know." "It's all the Police's fault" "No evidence to support the claims" "Never happened"

As a first step we should reduce the away allocation in some cases to a minimum...if any....and place them as far away from the pitch as possible. Does someone really need to be badly hurt before that happens? But as long as money talks I can't see that happening unlike at Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen and even Falkirk that can fill the ground with their own fans. A further 3000 uplift in our home support and we might just about be at that stage. A tough ask. 

Was reading yesterday that Celtic are refusing to fully stump up for the damage their fans caused to the stand, plumbing and electronics at Ibrox. Running into hundreds of thousands of pounds by all accounts. Hiding behind some agreement that a Club only needs to pay a maximum of £50k for any damage do away grounds. SFA approached but stalling and asking the Clubs to sort it out themselves. Court action incoming. Reminds me of the time they held us to ransom when Burrows was in place.

 

 

[Throughthelaces]

1 minute ago, dennyc said:

No reason why not. Would be a start. But there has to be a willing. When the top team in the Country, their Manager and their media have spent days trying to play down and justify the actions of their fans at the weekend and earlier I wouldn't hold your breath." All just good natured fun don't you know." "It's all the Police's fault" "No evidence to support the claims" "Never happened"

As a first step we should reduce the away allocation in some cases to a minimum...if any....and place them as far away from the pitch as possible. Does someone really need to be badly hurt before that happens? But as long as money talks I can't see that happening unlike at Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen and even Falkirk that can fill the ground with their own fans. A further 3000 uplift in our home support and we might just about be at that stage. A tough ask. 

Was reading yesterday that Celtic are refusing to fully stump up for the damage their fans caused to the stand, plumbing and electronics at Ibrox. Running into hundreds of thousands of pounds by all accounts. Hiding behind some agreement that a Club only needs to pay a maximum of £50k for any damage do away grounds. SFA approached but stalling and asking the Clubs to sort it out themselves. Court action incoming. Reminds me of the time they held us to ransom when Burrows was in place.

 

 

Can we not write the club or start a petition to only allocate them the top tier due to safety concerns you know we are a family club after all. Or so they like to say.

[dennyc]

7 minutes ago, Throughthelaces said:

Can we not write the club or start a petition to only allocate them the top tier due to safety concerns you know we are a family club after all. Or so they like to say.

Given the trouble this season and last I would hope the Club Board are already considering this. No doubt the loss of income upwards of £65k per game is a factor.  Hard to gauge how many of those home fans that avoid Old Firm games would be encouraged to turn up if away numbers were greatly reduced. Wouldn't be enough to offset the loss but then again money should not be the driver here. I wonder if anyone from the  Society has expressed health and safety concerns re Celtic games to our Chief Executive? 

I don't think there is any rule dictating that a Club cannot pick and choose which visiting fans should be limited in number. Hearts and Hibs have limited away tickets for most teams in recent seasons but increased the allocation for matches between the two. So no reason why we could not restrict OF, or even just Celtic, but give others the full stand. 

[Mad Dog]

I feel dirty typing this, but seems that Rangers fans have actually been fairly well-behaved at Fir Park. The stairways mostly clear, no reported damage, no pitch invasions (since the play-off). I'd be in favour of giving Celtic the upper tier only and bill them for loss of revenue from the empty seats. We'll stop billing them and open the lower tier when their fans learn how to behave themselves.