Celtic censure fans over minute’s silence snub

The Celtic players observed the minutes silence for Remembrance Sunday before the match, however some fans chose not to. Picture: PA

Celtic FC have condemned a minority of supporters for “embarrassing” the club after they disrupted a minute’s silence to commemorate Remembrance Sunday.

The Scottish Premiership leaders warned those responsible they were not welcome at future games, while manager Ronny Deila said he had also been left “disappointed.”

The incident took place at Ross County’s Victoria Park ground in Dingwall at the weekend, where Celtic won 4-1to maintain their six-point lead at the top of the league.

Although the majority of away fans observed the minute’s silence before kick off, a minority chose not to, with audible boos from all around the stadium as the game began.

In a statement, Celtic said: “The silence was impeccably observed by the overwhelming majority of our fans as it always is.

“Clearly we are disappointed that a handful of individuals have chosen to embarrass the club and our supporters in this way. These individuals are not welcome at Celtic.”

Speaking after the match, Delia said: “I am disappointed about it – but this is something the club will maybe say something about. Personally, it is disappointing.”

The manager added that the scenes behind the goal where Celtic fans were situated had surprised him, considering the efforts made by the club to stamp out such behaviour.

“Coming from Norway, I don’t know too much about these things, but it is something the club has to deal with,” he added.

It comes as a band of celebrities have lent their support to a campaign encouraging people to observe tomorrow’s two minute silence to mark Armistice Day.

X Factor judges Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, Rita Ora and Nick Grimshaw are among those appearing in a new film by the Royal British Legion to raise awareness about the charity’s annual silence, which takes place at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month and marks the Armistice Treaty, which ended the First World War on 11 November 1918.

The two-minute-long movie by Gary Tarn follows research showing 38 per cent of 1,000 people are not planning to observe the silence, introduced by King George V in November 1919.

Of 18 to 25-year-olds questioned, 67 per cent do not know when Armistice Day actually is, and 29 per cent of the same age group say they are likely to browse the internet during the silence.