From our very own war criminal:

"When I became Chairman, I said I wasn’t going to do that. I think you should use the unfurling of the league flag to bestow an honour on someone the club wants to recognise and thank – not automatically just the Chairman. It might occasionally be the Chairman, because we’ve had great Chairmen in the past and I have nothing against their traditions.

“It shouldn’t always go on rank and the status thing. It’s the man and woman who are the gold underneath the stamp. This should be a symbol of our thanks to someone and within a few days of us winning the league this year, I phoned and spoke to Rosemary Burns. I said it would be an honour, in the board’s view, if she would agree to unfurl the flag for us.

“It’s in memory of the fact that she was part of the Celtic family and stood together with Tommy in everything that he gave to this club. It’s a small way of recognising that.

“I hope that this starts a tradition whereby we can bestow such an honour to the great contributors to this club. Some of them don’t have great names or great status. It might be a long-serving supporter or somebody who has overcome great disability, or someone who has raised a lot of money for the Charity Fund.

“It’s not just the great and the good who will get this honour. I hope the board will be able to consult with the supporters, associations and others, and every year we can give the honour to someone. It also means that we need to keep winning the league every year, and that’s another good reason for that.”

Decent gesture from the war criminal and his PLC pals.

Cynical CSC

Well done John Reid, this is an excellent idea, I remember well Fergus picking my old uncle, now sadly departed, to raise the championship flag alongside Tom Boyd and himself, a proud moment for one of our oldest season book holders and a man seriously ill. Only spoilt by the hounding of the press, some well known faces as well wanting negative quotes about Fergus.

Reid will be a fine influential ambassador for our club

john reid has dreams where he unfurls the union jack on top of a pile of iraqi bones

why don't they just get the flag up the pole?

I heard Radovan Karadzic has been pencilled in for the job by his pal John, but he is currently otherwise engaged.

Anybody else think that John Reid is just keen to avoid pelters?

The thought did cross my mind. Saves any split in "the family" and nasty scenes.

Will they be unfurling the flag upside down?

When I saw it, that was the first thing that crossed my mind, hence my earlier post.

I think its a nice touch by the club.

On the plus side Rodovan has let him borrow his false beard for the occasion.

Of course. I am glad that Rosemary has been given this honour but naturally you have retain some cynicism over the move. In a way I wanted John Reid to be at the centre of the flag unfurling (he may still be of course) so it’s a mixture of good and bad for me.

Was that the day your Club's saviour,Fergus McCann was roundly booed and abused by the Celtic fans?

Don't think he was abused, he was booed by a large minority

Wasn't Quinn booed at a similar unveiling?

Not that I have a problem with that, as he is a cock.

Why, you won the league for feck sake?

Nice touch by the club but I was looking forward to booing the war criminal.

Hope people put aside their feelings about Reid, to respect Tommy.

Usually a good day or so it has been the last two years .


Hate the 12.30 kick off, should be 3. Or even 2.

Excellent touch by Celtic and well done Dr John if it was his initial idea.

Hear hear

I bet that's exactly what went through the mind of our very own war criminal.

Given how great a man and supporter Tommy Burns was, I am sure he would fully support those who show their disdain for Reid.

I don't think you can know that. just as easy as me saying I'm sure that Tommy would be happy with anyone that loves our club as much as he did at the helm. Given our wide appeal and fan base, it's better to acknowledge that there are many differences in opinions, but our love of the club outweighs using those differences to cause disorder at the club

Maybe Tommy supported the war?
My advice to you is to leave your poiltics at the gate and support the team.

A bit of healthy disorder shouldn't always be shied away from imo.

Fergus was man enough to face up to his detractors, unlike this scheming coward. Right enough no-one could argue with the gesture re. Mrs Burns but it should be done for the right reasons - and not as part of this reptile's politicking.

Come out and face the music yourself Reid you odious waste of skin!

Tommy Burns was a man who in the past himself was critical of the custodians of our club. I am more than sure he would respect those that did likewise when it was justified as is the case with Reid.

For any Celtic fan to suggest that 'politics should be left at the door' is bewildering. Life doesn't somehow cease and change once you enter Celtic Park.

Yup, I have no problem generally with that statement (Sacktheboard), but it's where to draw the line, I'm all for free speech, but when a small minority, and I'm not pointing at anyone in particular, disrupt football/ enjoyment for their own agenda then the club need to take action. Thankfully I'm not aware that this has been the case at Celtic



I wonder how many of the booers of the bunnet would take it back, what we have today was down to the wee man



Thanksfully IMO that's a minority view amongst Celtic fans, one that you are welcome to have, the protests etc that were organised outside the stadium fell because no one as far as I could see wanted it to continue




I'm sure he would have supported your right to protest, not sure you could can say he would have supported what you were protesting about, I don't suppose we'll know that.

Reid does not seem to be a problem as far as I can see with the overwhelming bulk of our support, happily.



True, but how you express those politics has got to be left at the door, otherwise we might not have enough goalposts for the various agendas to handcuff yourself to, plus I certainly don't not want a anti and pro Reid shouting across me wile I'm watching a game

He may well have and your advice is spot on.

I fully supported the war on Iraq and Afghanistan but what the fcuk that has to do with football I just don't know and it is boring beyond belief to hear people who think that their opinion is the only opinion bleat on about war criminals ad infinitum. These same muppets would probably have said that we should not have gone to war with Germany all those years ago. John Reid was doing his job. End of.

"Needed: Cabinet Minister and Enforcer

At least 3 years experience of being a odious mouth-piece required"

And that's why we need to leave our politics at the door (In as much as we can) otherwise I can forsee a situation with you sitting one side of me, glasnost the other and me with sore ears in the middle

You're funny

Needed: well respected and influential at a high level, needed to repace the former head of teh bank of England

You left out (In as much as we can)

But you had to settle for John Reid

Personally I would not have picked him, I think he was potentially divisive among our support, however it does not seem to be that bad, not sure what the position actually does

So we dont know what Tommy Burns position is regarding the war.
Im not sure if it is wise to pray in aid someone who has tragically died so young to shore up a political position.
There are Celtic fans who support the war those who dont and those who dont care. We live in a democracy if you dont like it vote against the govt. Booing John Reid wont change a thing .Well not in the grown ups world.

I agree that these 'organised' protests are very often hijacked by buffoons, usually one brandishing a 'loud hailer' who will inevitably be the most irresponsible gobshite in attendence.

But Reid needn't believe all his critics can be painted into that category. As a moderate Tim I would nevertheless have appreciated this opportunity to roundly jeer him having kept largely quiet until now. And I think Reid knew full well what was coming from the "small minority" which explains this sneaky stunt involving Tommy's widow.

Shame on him for using her as a political pawn in his doomed bid to escape what's coming to him.



Fergus was always an ambivalent figure (probably what was needed at the time), whereas Reid has very little in the credit column as far as I can see.



Again, just because I had no desire to dress up as a student/crusty and start waving placards and ranting in the street doesn't mean I relish this arse being at the helm of our club.

He can pass the buck and snivvle all he wants but he is a stain on the fabric of the club.

Good point - McCann paved the way for the club that there is now



Funnily enough, Khenny, some people say the same things about other battles that Old Firm fans sing about that happened a lot closer to home




You've posted some shite in the past, but do you honestly expect anyone to beleive this one?

Which was not the case with the couple of anti-Reid protests which took place.


Indeed.

As I said, life doesn’t suddenly go on hold as soon as you enter a football stadium and then suddenly come to life again once you leave it. Fortunately whilst some evidently think this should be the case it clearly isn’t hence why for example, the disgraceful minutes silence for the Queen Mum had to be cut short due to protests from the Celtic support and why I have no doubts John Reid would be met with what he deserves from some of our support. If that upsets some then tough luck.

I very much doubt the war criminal has the same level of feelings for Celtic that Burns did.