• Home
  • /
  • Football
  • /
  • Celtic And Liverpool Fans Are Being Blamed For Football Being Cancelled In The UK

Celtic And Liverpool Fans Are Being Blamed For Football Being Cancelled In The UK

Celtic And Liverpool Fans Are Being Blamed For Football Being Cancelled In The UK
Donny Mahoney
By Donny Mahoney
Share this article

Here we are on a Saturday afternoon in September outside the international window and there's no football in the UK to track thanks to the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Or as some football fans think, because of the fans of Celtic and Liverpool.

While rugby, cricket and ice hockey are played today in Britain, football grounds of all sizes are empty and silent. The decision by the Premier League and the EFL was criticised yesterday, and feels like an even worse idea today.

An inevitable blame game has started and it's interesting to see the supporters of Celtic and Liverpool - two clubs with deep Irish roots - taking the blame for football being called off this weekend in the UK.

Matt Hughes in the Daily Mail among others has confirmed in the last 24 hours that football wasn't cancelled in Britain this weekend only because a lack of security, but because of a fear of embarrassment. Hughes wrote:

Concern that tributes to the Queen may not have been universally respected — and the potential for global embarrassment in the event of any dissent from fans — was a factor in the decision to call off all football in the United Kingdom this weekend.

Fans on social media have read between the lines and assumed that the powers that be in English football are primarily concerned with Liverpool and Celtic fans acting up.

Recommended

Interestingly, in his piece, Hughes cites the chants from Shamrock Rovers fans on Thursday night in Tallaght (though not those at the Hearts game in Edinburgh during the failed minute's silence)

Advertisement

It is true that neither club has indulged in some of the OTT performative grieving of some of their fellow clubs.

Liverpool's tweet of condolence about the queen's death cannot be replied to.

Celtic remain one of the few clubs in the UK not to blacken their Twitter avatar in the wake of Queen Elizabeth's passing.

Neither have released a statement about her passing (which is their right).

However, to see English football fans pile on Liverpool and Celtic supporters for hypothetical disrespect is pretty rich. One recalls the time Chelsea fans ruined the minute's silence held in solidarity with the people of Ukraine after it was invaded by Russia, or the time Chelsea fans ruined the minute's silence for those who died at Hillsbrough, or the time Man City fans ruined a minute's silence for thosee who died at Hillsbrough.

The FA is probably right to expect that a minute's silence for the Queen would not be universally respected.

But the assumption by many that it's clubs with Irish links that would embarrass the British nation is foolish. Recent history tells us many fan bases in England struggle with mature observance of solemn moments. There's no reason to think it would be any different this weekend.

Join The Monday Club Have a tip or something brilliant you wanted to share on? We're looking for loyal Balls readers free-to-join members club where top tipsters can win prizes and Balls merchandise

Processing your request...

You are now subscribed!

Share this article

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. Developed by Square1 and powered by PublisherPlus.com

Advertisement