Green Brigade: thanks for the displays but the show has worn thin

Celtic fans want to talk about players and trophies - not endless attention to the ultras

By Donal Glass

Before we begin, let's get something clear: I'm no stranger to having my voice heard from the stands. I've defended fan groups time and again when they've been wrongly accused or unfairly treated. I've praised the Green Brigade when their inventive displays and passionate atmosphere have enhanced matchdays. But this latest mess, the ongoing controversies, the endless tit-for-tat with authorities—my patience has finally worn thin.

Don't mistake this as blind support for the policing either. Some recent scenes outside Celtic Park genuinely trouble me. Fans being kettled or excessively policed isn’t something anyone should accept passively. Heavy-handed policing tactics must always be questioned and held accountable. Authorities should never feel immune to criticism or scrutiny. But the Green Brigade’s response lately has crossed a line too far, undermining their own credibility in the process.

Publishing pictures of individual police officers online—branding it "pig watch" or whatever puerile term they chose—isn't activism; it’s a cheap and dangerous stunt. If there’s a point to be made, if policing has indeed gone too far, then make it loudly, clearly, and above all, responsibly. Once you descend into provocative personal targeting, your original message is lost in the outrage that follows. You hand ammunition straight to your critics, allowing them to dismiss legitimate complaints about overzealous policing altogether.

I used to understand the Green Brigade’s frustration. Football fans, and Celtic fans especially, have faced enough discrimination and overreach from authorities down the years. We've been kettled, filmed, harassed, and subjected to disproportionate policing simply for turning up to support our club. I get the anger, I get the defiance. But the Brigade has allowed itself to be dragged into a petty war of escalation, forgetting the real reasons we need activism in football to begin with.

The group has always positioned itself as guardians of Celtic’s heritage, defenders of the club’s radical history. Fair enough. But Celtic’s history is also one of solidarity, decency, and knowing where to draw the line. Celtic supporters have a proud legacy of standing against injustice, but this legacy isn’t served by petty provocation. The Green Brigade was founded on noble principles—solidarity, anti-discrimination, and community spirit. That foundation has been tarnished by recent behaviour that seems increasingly about ego, attention, and perpetual confrontation.

And let's be blunt: this continuous controversy is exhausting. Fans are tired of their club becoming associated with negative headlines. Fans want to talk about football, results, players, and titles—not defend yet another inflammatory gesture by a section of their own support. The Green Brigade must realise that when you represent the club’s most visible fanbase, you carry responsibility. Responsibility to behave with dignity, to reflect the club’s best values, and to know when enough is enough.

It pains me to write this because, historically, I've admired their boldness. Celtic Park has always been a vibrant home of expression, a place to stand proudly in defiance when it matters most. But genuine protest has clarity, purpose, and dignity—not the kind of reckless bravado we've seen recently. The Brigade seem increasingly isolated, no longer speaking for the broader support but rather engaged in their own echo chamber.

Sadly, the very real issues at hand—heavy-handed policing, unjust targeting, unfair scrutiny—have become secondary to these unnecessary provocations. We need sober, measured responses to genuine injustices, not childish point-scoring that jeopardises everyone’s safety and drags Celtic’s name through the mud.

The Green Brigade have a choice: reconnect with the broader support, restore their credibility, and return to meaningful protest, or continue down this destructive path of pointless confrontation. For Celtic’s sake, and for their own, I hope they make the right one.