Bhoycie 
Stu Forster/Getty Images Sport
So the fixtures are out and our first game of the season is Monday, August 3rd.
Champions Flag Day.
A fifth title in a row.
And we are shoved onto a Monday night.
Let that one sink in.
The club have told us in their official statement that it is “outwith our control.”
I get all that.
But something about this one doesn’t sit right with me.
And I’d bet it doesn’t sit right with you either.
Police Scotland apparently cannot support the fixture on a weekend that “co-incides with other events.”
Other events.
What events exactly? I’m guessing the Commonwealth Games?
I sincerely hope it has nothing to do with this Season just past.
Let’s have it right – Celtic supporters CELEBRATED.
Cast your mind back a few weeks.
Final day.
We win the league.
The support spills onto the park.
A celebration. Nothing more.
No assaults, a bit of goading and daftness right enough.
Then think of Ibrox.
Our fans on the pitch celebrating and the home support coming on to attack them.
Two very different scenes.
One set of fans celebrating.
One set throwing flares into the away end.
Yet here we are, both lumped together as a problem to be policed on a school night.
Speculation on my part of course.
But you can’t help connect the dots yourself.
Are we being punished for daring to enjoy our own Title? Course not. But something stinks.
How many Champions get shifted to a Monday night for their own Flag Day?
How many are told the weekend simply isn’t available to them?
How many are then asked to swallow it and say thank you?
I doubt many – if any.
Yep.
The thing is, nobody will ever spell out what these “other events” actually are.
They never have to.
A vague line lands.
Commonwealth games seems likeliest reason I can think of.
The fixture gets buried.
And we are expected to move along.
Make no bones about it, that suits a lot of people just fine.
Think about the line for a second.
“Other events.”
Not a state visit. Not an Olympic final. Not a Royal engagement.
“Other events.”
What a nothing answer.
Spare a thought for the travelling support. They are ALWAYS an afterthought.
Especially our brothers and sisters making the trip over from Ireland.
Boats. Flights. Work on the Tuesday morning.
Now, credit where it’s due – the club did manage to drag the kick off forward to 7.30pm from the planned 8pm.
A small win, granted.
But a 7.30pm Monday is still a Monday.
Disrespect. Plain. Simple.
Flag Day should be a party.
Sunshine. A packed Celtic Park. The flag going up on a fifth in a row.
Instead we get a school night.
A long quiet road home for thousands.
I’ll be honest with you.
If you told me right now that somebody somewhere was popping the popcorn in the microwave over this one and listening to the first few pops with an unhealthy joy – I’d struggle to argue with you.
We deserve better.
The support ALWAYS deserves better.
I’ll be live on The Bhoycie Bus tonight having a wee delve into how our fans are reacting to this.
Whilst we wait for an explanation that will never come – ask yourself who really benefits from our biggest day of the season being quietly buried on a Monday night.
Aye.
Exactly.
Eric Knott 
We should apply to move to the ENGLISH 2 League or even the lower Leagues and them work our way back up. Leave this BACK WATER behind. Everything you say is spot on!
Cheers for reading mate
Maybe there is another one of those nice warm comfortable pleasant and educational Orange Walks taking place on the Saturday to push Celtic’s opening flag day game celebrations to the later Monday evening kick off ? Obviously the Celtic game and ceremony is of lesser importance to the governing bodies compared to ‘other events ? ‘ It’s very much like current events with the SMSM scoops out in Boston allegedly covering Scotland playing in the World Cup where everyone knows the priority story is McInnes being installed as the latest theRangers coacher person . It’s the only story tale in town … naturally .
Calvin Harris at Hampden 1st & 2nd
Look, some bunch of scruffy Murphys went and battered two sets of sons of William into second and third place in the kickball cups of the national sport in this eer Calvinistland.
So no surprise the boys in blue are making us kick off our flag day at 2 am on Monday morning because they have to heavily police a girl guides parade that weekend.
Think of the poor wee Calvinists.
I’m sure if the same thing was happening at ibrox there wouldn’t be a problem in policing it .
Oh there would be a big, a very big problem involving a conflict of interest. Our boys in Bloo (dark bloo with bonnets) would be joining in with the celebrations of the dignified chaps in light Bloo on their inevitable walk to, and demolition of George Square. They have history in this matter. Remember the tainted title? Covid year with no crowds and very little oversight of the MIBs….