Celtic supporter groups refuse to meet club over policing concerns

Celtic fan groups have declined to meet the club over policing issues amid their ongoing efforts to remove several key board members.

The Celtic Fans Collective, a new umbrella group, revealed several supporter groups had rejected an invitation from the club to discuss the findings of a report into concerns over the policing of their last home game with Rangers.

Celtic appointed sports event safety management consultants Fairhurst to carry out an independent review of events leading up to the William Hill Premiership encounter on March 16.

Police secured stop-and-search powers under section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to contain groups of fans ahead of the match.

They later said 90 had been reported to the Procurator Fiscal for non-compliance with the order. Fans were asked to provide names and addresses in order to access the ground.

The Celtic Fans Collective revealed groups including the Affiliation of Registered Celtic Supporters Clubs, Bhoys Celtic, Celtic Supporters Association and the Green Brigade were invited to attend a meeting with the club over the policing of the game.

A statement added: “After months of delay, the club is finally set to release the findings of the independent investigation by Fairhurst.

“In conjunction with the Celtic Fans Collective, the supporter groups have unanimously voted to decline this invitation.

“Until Celtic FC signals an intention to answer all of the questions raised in the open letter and begin to engage positively with the wider support, we have no confidence in meeting with the club under the current leadership.”

The Celtic Fans Collective emerged on Saturday to carry forward supporters’ attempts to force out chairman Peter Lawwell, chief executive Michael Nicholson and chief financial officer Chris McKay, to seek answers over the club’s transfer strategy and to attempt to secure a new vision for the club.

An earlier open letter signed by a number of supporter groups had demanded answers over the club’s transfer strategy and other issues.

Those issues included fan engagement and the match day experience, publishing the results of a supporter survey and issues relating to the publication of the Fairhurst investigation and the club’s response to the policing tactics.

The campaign has included a late entry protest at the recent league game at Kilmarnock and thousands of fans held up posters calling for the removal of the three directors before Sunday’s cup tie with Partick Thistle.