As Scottish football continues to consume itself from within, how much longer can Celtic be a part of it?
Eric Knott 
Mark Scates - SNS Group/SNS Group/Getty Images
Scottish football is consuming itself.
Anything that is not governed professionally and dilligently tends to do that.
At this moment in time, there is no real governance in Scottish football.
Yes, there is a Scottish Football Association in Mount Florida, but what it’s function actually is, is anybody’s guess.
Football governance doesn’t appear to be part of it’s remit, more like picking and choosing what it wants to govern seems to be it’s M.O.
At this moment in time, the SFA is about as useful as a wheelchair with pedals.
The SPFL provide a similar usefulness when it comes to their ability to deal with issues within the league structure.
We have recently seen the outcome of the Cinch dispute between the SPFL, the Ibrox club and the SFA.
The less said about this the better.
However, the latest development in Scottish football, the decision by more clubs to reduce their away allocations, shows us exactly how toothless the SFA and the SPFL really are.
The reality is, if they wanted to, the SPFL could step in on this issue.
Section 127 of the SPFL’s rules states: “The home club must make provision for the admission of such reasonable number of visiting supporters at every home League Match and Play-Off Match.”
So, if they can step in, then why don’t they?
Well, it’s a story that goes back 5 years.
Firstly, we all know that this has stemmed from the decision made by one club back in 2018.
One that the governing bodies in Scotland choose not to govern.
This club is permitted to ride roughshod over the rules that apply to all other clubs in Scotland.
Simply because the governing bodies are too gutless to deal with them in any meaningful way.
The broader damage they have done to the game in Scotland as a result of their actions in 2018, is really only starting to become apparent now.
This decision came about after Brendan Rodgers master-minded a 3-2 victory over the Ibrox side on their home turf when Celtic were reduced to 10 men in March 2018.
The utter humiliation of such a defeat, and subsequent celebrations in the Free Broomloan end, became too much for the Ibrox faithful to take any more.
Prior to that, there had been plenty of humiliating defeats at Ibrox, the March 2018 episode was the straw that broke the camels back.
The Ibrox club reduced Celtic’s allocation to just 700 tickets, citing prioritising season ticket holders over 7,000 Celtic supporters.
Put simply, it drove them to breaking point to see Celtic supporters celebrating win after win at Ibrox.
So they decided to take that pleasure away from us and to cram us into a corner where they could shower abuse, bottles, missiles and cups full of piss on top of us.
A partisan crowd and an inconsequential quota of Celtic supporters would also afford them a sporting advantage they did not have prior to that.
The Ibrox club, of course, would never be one to try and find a sporting advantage of any description.
I’m not going to go into detail on the current ongoing dispute regarding ticket allocations between us and them.
This has been well covered over the last few days, but suffice it to say, we are not the ones being unreasonable in all of this.
The repercussions of the decision they took in 2018 have finally come home to roost in the last two seasons or so.
Kilmarnock, Hearts and St. Mirren all decided to cut their away allocations.
Now Aberdeen have decided to follow suit by reducing their away allocation to just 300.
One thing I used to say was that while the Scottish game was not awash with money, it was full of soul and passion as a result of the atmospheres at our grounds.
Reducing away support numbers is effectively taking the soul and the passion out of the game.
The one commodity that our game had in abundance is now being stripped away piece by piece, as one club after another decides to adopt the policy introduced by Ibrox in 2018.
And to what end?
Nobody is going to gain from these decisions.
Ultimately, as was very much in evidence last season at Rugby Park, empty stands are going to become a permanent fixture in our game.
Because these clubs consistently struggle to fill their grounds with their own fans.
The irony in all of this is that the Ibrox support, as a result of their club’s short sighted, narrow minded decision, stands to be one of the biggest losers in all of this.
Along with our support, both Glasgow clubs always ensured a big away payday for these clubs.
This is the epitome of you reap what you sow for the Ibrox club.
It just so happens that our support is now collateral damage in all of this lunacy.
You would comprehend these decisions if the clubs in question could fill their grounds with their own support every other week, but they pathetically struggle to do so.
You would also think that the governing bodies would step in here and recognise the damage this is doing to the reputation of the Scottish game.
A reputation that is already a laughing stock to outsiders.
I mean, what league actively supports the promotion of empty stadiums?
Because that’s what the SFA and the SPFL are doing if they are standing idly by and allowing this to happen.
If you’re not a solution to the problem, and this is a problem, you are part of the cause and you are supporting it.
Scotland is seen as a banana republic when it comes to football governance, dependent on drinks companies and betting agencies for sponsorship deals.
Every other league is moving away from these kinds of sponsorship deals, yet the SPFL does not have the foresight to look elsewhere for sponsorship.
If they cannot do that much, how can we expect them or the SFA to step in and call a halt to this latest madness?
While Scottish football burns, the SFA fiddles and the SPFL dithers.
Our game is consuming itself and there is a cancer at the core of it.
This cancer has been allowed to rampage unchecked for years now.
Because of this, Scottish football is going to become like some sort of dystopian football league, with stadiums displaying empty stands week, in week out.
Celtic are the only beacon of sanity in all of this.
The only club that knows how to conduct it’s business in a thoroughly professional manner.
But if the league you compete in continues to decline professionally year on year, and make no mistake, this is what’s happening, how much longer can Celtic be a part of it?
Without damaging it’s own brand?
Because they clearly cannot rely on the governing bodies for leadership in all of this.
It’s their lack of leadership that has resulted in all of this.
Simply because they refuse, no, they are too gutless to govern one club.
And that’s exactly how this cancer has spread.
This coming season could be a defining season for Scottish football.
Lets hope that sanity prevails eventually.
Because right now, the lunatics are running the asylum.
Aodhán Ó Conchobhair 
Very good article… really accurate….Well done.
Totally agree, I have said this for years the old SFA allowed this to happen why because it was and is governed by the other sides comrades, just look at the recent SPFL meeting
As long as the governing bodies continue to get their share of the profits ,they will sit there with hands behind heads ,cracking the funnies to each other in their offices at that monstrosity of a building called Hampden , because it’s a cushy little number . Their attitude being ….why upset the apple cart ? Embarrassing charlatans !
Just put a pair of pants on yer head.
Put 2 pencils up yer nose.
And say wibble…
SFA.
Rule 1.
Paragraph 1.
Section 1.
Let’s tell it like it is, the ibrox club and it’s brethren govern the SFA/ are the SFA.
Not once have the SFA had the balls or even the motivation to sanction them.
Always said that if celtic left scotland i wouldnt support them but i no longer feel this ,its time to leave and the sooner the better
I don’t see a way outta this, our board won’t consider moving south and unless something like an Atlantic League is in the offing, there is nowhere for us to go.
Yes the huns want to see every club go to the wall because of their fckd up thinking about clubs being the reason they liquidated.
I’m willing to bet ma house on these clubs welcoming the orcs in their hordes the 2nd half if the season, but will still lock us out.
The SFA/SPFL have killed the golden goose, have no plans on how to get sponsors for our rigged sport, and you’re right, unless Celtic can get out somewhere, all our clubs will end up, no disrespect, like the league of Wales or Ireland
At The start of your blog Eric you stated the less said about the Cinch dispute with Rangers the better it would be. Why is that. Is it because we had the balls and the nous to take on the SPFL And win hands down. Rangers are doing more than all the clubs in Scotland including Seperate entity FC To get rid of the hierarchy at the SPFL Because of their incompetence but receive no help at all from the rest of the leagues. For your information Eric, the SPFL Are run by placemen of Seperate entity FC.
Who are Seperate Entity FC Billy?? Are they like Sevco? Sorry. I’m a bit stupid when it comes to things like this…
The problem with Scottish football in my opinion is that it can be considered corrupt and it lacks appropriate governance.
Corruption may involve many activities which include bribery, influence peddling and embezzlement and it may also involve practices which are considered legal to some and at best opportunistic to others.
Conflict of interest as an example of the above is a situation in which a professional’s “private interest” interferes with the proper discharge of his duties.
“Private interest” includes financial and other interests of the professional himself, his family or other relations, his friends, the clubs and associations of which he is a member, any person with whom he has frequent social gatherings or to whom he owes a favour or is obligated in any way.
Hence it can be argued that the current SFA and SPL governance systems and structures actually lend themselves to creating the environment for opportunism through conflict of interest which if acted upon can and often does lead to corruption.
It can therefore be argued that the current governance systems and structures are not fit for the purposes intended.
Brain dead billy have you always been a fuckin prick or do you have to practice
Looks like brain dead billy spent to much time in the tiolets dicky gough
I’ve said for years that if the clubs haven’t got the bottle to demand change them the supporters have to do it. The SFA and SPFL are not fit for purpose their only interest is in keeping Ibrox happy, the recent dispute where the SFA allowed Ibrox to sue the SPFL shows where the allegiance of the SFA lies and it’s not the game as a whole it’s to appease an eleven year old club. How can a club who’s so new hold the rest of the clubs by the short and curlies? The other eleven clubs should be saying enough’s enough and demanding that the Ibrox club is sanctioned threaten them with expulsion from the game altogether and watch them back down. That club is only out to even up perceived wrongdoing against them as they feel that the rest of Scottish football demoted them when in fact they were liquidated and died and as per the laws of the game any new club has to start from the bottom tier. You could say they were actually promoted as their are several tiers lower in the pyramid where they should actually have started from. You can’t fix stupidity though and that’s what the Ibrox board are all over, thick as two short planks, their pettiness and arrogance as well as their stupidity is killing the game here and if the other clubs don’t take a stand and demand reform and a tight rein on the Ibrox operation then it could be a terminal blow to the game up here.
I do wish that Celts would stop referring to the away end at Ibrox, as the Free Broomloan. It’s a part of Ibrox Park, FFS. the home of the enemy.
Hail Hail.
Time for a name change for Billy boy I think. Billy bhoy is way more appropriate as you spend more time commenting on celtic blogs than some Tim’s! Or would you prefer Billy bhoy sevco Scotland International f.c?
I recall at the time when the Atlantic League was proposed, some supporters were against it as they wouldn’t be able to attend many away games. Well that reason just went out the window. Time to leave the SPFL Celtic.
The problem for the governing bodies is simply fear for their own safety, numerous times in the recent times officials have had their lives threatened by the neanderthals supporting one club, if the law and order upholders were not cut from the same cloth as the neanderthal support it might be different.
Eric,
You know exactly who seperate entity FC Are.
Bobby,
What a very thought out reply from you. Bet you were the wee guy who sat in the corner at school with the dunces hat on.