Brendan Rodgers has weighed in on the SPFL’s decision to ban 500 Celtic fans from the club’s next League Cup match at Hampden, following the use of pyrotechnics at recent games.
Celtic, along with other clubs, have been repeatedly warned about flare use, with authorities determined to clamp down on it. The club has already faced UEFA sanctions this season and is currently on a suspended away fan ban in European competition. They narrowly avoided further punishment after a flare was thrown onto the pitch in Aston Villa, which could have resulted in away fans being banned from the Bayern Munich game.
Celtic issued a strongly-worded statement this week, describing the SPFL’s sanction as a “wake-up call”, and Rodgers hopes the message finally gets through.
“Well, hopefully. I have to say the group within our support base, they give us an amazing support. Like I said, the colour, everything that they bring is so good,” as quoted by RecordSport.
“I think it is something, I have to say, that I’m not going to be closed on my thinking on it either, because I know it is in other countries where it is accepted and there is engagement there with supporters to have it.
“But I think normally over here in the UK we deem it as more dangerous than being a part of the colour of the game. I just think if it has a possibility to affect people’s health and put them in any danger, then I just think there are other things that we can do that can still create an amazing atmosphere.
“I’ve seen it so many times, what we can do without the pyro. But, like I said, I, like the other people and many other people within the clubs, we just hope that we can have games that are safe and that supporters can come and really support the team.
“The club have made the statement on it. So, I always want, obviously, our support base to have as many supporters as they can be there, with noise, with colour, with everything. And that’s what makes our support absolutely brilliant.”
The SPFL’s decision serves as another warning to fans ahead of the crucial stages of the season. If further breaches occur, harsher punishments will follow, something both the club and manager are keen to avoid.
The fan groups have stopped using pyro in Europe, after the warning from UEFA in the Dortmund match, so hopefully that can happen here, too. The last thing we want is for Celtic fans to get locked out of watching their team win trophys.
