20 Imps and Hoops fans arrested as trouble flares after pre-season friendly
POLICE made 20 arrests following Lincoln City's much anticipated pre-season friendly with Celtic.
Trouble blew up in the lower part of the High Street following the match on Saturday, with both Imps and Hoops fans being arrested.
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A man is treated by medics after being punched to the ground, outside the stadium.
The arrests were for assault, public order offences and one for possession of a flare. As the Echo went to press no one had been charged.
The Echo heard from passers-by in the High Street that a St George's flag was burned outside the Golden Cross and later pro-IRA and anti-military songs could be heard.
Between 2,000 and 4,000 Celtic fans were expected to travel to the city from all corners of the UK, but the total attendance at Sincil Bank was just 3,780.
Dozens of police officers and riot vans were present for most of the day.
The game went largely without incident apart from flares being let off and a scuffle between Celtic fans.
Lincolnshire Police's football intelligence officer PC Andy Pearson said: "It's fair to say it was a challenging day.
"There was some disorder at the Golden Cross pub and some after the match and a lot of that was flared by the inflammatory nature of the songs from Celtic fans. Many of the incidents were fuelled by alcohol.
"Apart from an incident between Celtic fans there were no problems at the ground.
"There were quite a number of police resources deployed and we will be seeking banning orders for those people arrested.
"The majority of the disorder was kept away from the precinct and shoppers, which was a priority."
Earlier in the day, a sea of green flooded the High Street as fans drank at the Golden Cross and the Ritz.
Many of those had travelled from Glasgow to see their hero, Imps manager Chris Sutton.
Tony Clark, 23, of Clydebank, set off for Lincoln at 5am.
He said: "Chris Sutton is my hero and I wanted to see him waving goodbye to the Celtic fans because he never said goodbye.
Sutton is regarded as a Celtic legend having scored 63 goals in 130 appearances at Parkhead between 2000 and 2006.
The striker helped the Glasgow club win three Scottish Premier League titles, two Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups, but many supporters feel he was not given a proper send-off when he departed in early 2006.
Mark Rambo, 23, said: "Chris Sutton is a hero, that's why we are all here."
Charlie Creane, landlord of the Golden Cross, said: "The fans were here just singing and drinking and that's as far as they went.
"I was cleaning up and there were about six Celtic fans leaving when some local youths came up and started taunting them.
"My daughter got caught in the crossfire and got a gash on her head."
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by Scott, Chester
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 11:32PM
“A large percentage of Scotland could not care less about some foreign country because they have a Scottish heritage. They owe nothing to the Republic of Ireland. You cannot have a large Irish heritage nor a small one, you either have one or not. As for singing IRA songs, it is only the minority when they think someone is watching, a little browse through YouTube tells a different story.
Everyone has the right to celebrate their culture, but when that starts dictating what others can and can't do and people get hurt then it is wrong.
Celtic fans have not always been seen as an asset to their club. As with Rangers there have been many instances in the past of their riotous behaviour (Burnley, Hampden Riot, Losing the League at Parkhead, etc,)
Yet again they try to excuse this behaviour by pointing at their rivals and saying "Well we're not as bad as them". This is no excuse. Any fans of any team who cause trouble deserve all they get.
Stop Making Excuses!
Full marks to Jimmy from Norwich, obviously a supporter who realises this has to be about football from now on.”
by Jamie, Lincoln
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 6:57PM
“A large percentage of Scotland, including those who support Rangers, have a large Irish heritage regardless of being born in Scotland or not. If it wasn't for the Republic of Ireland then there would be no Celtic Football Club, I think they have a right to celebrate not only their own Irish heritage but the Irish heritage of their club. With regards to IRA songs, you will find it is a minority of Celtic fans just like it's a minority of football fans who cause trouble at every club across Britain.
As someone correctly pointed out, Celtic fans have always been seen as an asset to their club having won the FIFA Fair Play award and constantly being congratulated by clubs and countries all over the world for their exemplary behaviour.
Unlike their rival Glasgow team, Rangers, who have shown up their club time and time again on a larger scale by causing riots in the streets of Manchester, smashing windows of team buses, sending death threats to Celtic players and vandalising their homes, recieving fines on more than one occasion from UEFA for discriminatory chants, being criticised for bringing religion into football by bringing out an orange away strip, their official match programme being brought into question when it branded rival fans "Scum", having an "Unwritten policy" not to sign any players who were Catholic right up until 1989, and many many more.
And to the chap from Derby who is clearly a Rangers supporter, you have just showed your team up again by signing off with "PATHETIC FENIAN SCUM. why dont you go home?"”
by NitPicker, Lincoln
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 6:10PM
“In response to Mikes post he says Lincoln fans are only interested in high profile English teams, that's quite a shame really isn't it? At least some Celtic fans are prepared to travel to see their team play regardless of who the opposition is. Maybe Lincoln fans could support their own team too one day?
I'm sure there would've been a bigger crowd had Celtic fielded a team not made up of youths but they still looked to have outnumbered our own fans. Some I talked to hadn't heard of Lincoln before Sutton took over the managers job so they weren't here to watch our team.
I did a Google search and saw a story that Celtic travelled to the UEFA Cup final in Seville and took around 80,000 fans with no trouble and even earned the UEFA awards for best behaved fans.
The only bad story I could find was concerning their rivals from South of Glasgow who smashed up Manchester after waving Union flags and singing 'God Save The Queen'. Lucky we didn't get that mob wasn't it? Although some of the less intellectuals who have posted on here would probably excuse that because they're waving the Union Flag while they do it?
I went to the match myself and walked back home through town and I did witness the Celtic fans getting abuse shouted at them but I accepted that as part of City life, we're so inward looking here and can't quite rid ourselves of the Royston Vasey attitude can we?
I've lived in Lincoln a long time and I'm getting long in the tooth but some things never change.”
by LORD CARSON, Derby
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 2:53PM
“not all celtic fans are scum, just that they always seem to atract trouble. they just cant help singing ira songs even though 95% of their fans are scottish (bet they wouldnt admit to that though) most wouldnt even know the way to church either. PATHETIC FENIAN SCUM. why dont you go home?”
by Mike, Hykeham
Tuesday, July 27 2010, 8:04AM
“Forget the English, Scottish or any political aspects.. the fact is a large number of the Celtic travellers (I won't say fans..), came to Lincoln, intent on getting drunk... hence the full pubs from 12 noon.. up for it on an awayday down south.. (the words of some fans I talked to before the trouble..). Therefore with the element of troublemakers (every club has them..), it was a safe bet that as the drinks flowed trouble would follow.
It was also nice to observe that in the ground there was very little trouble, (apart from Celtic fans fighting amongst themselves), as the Lincoln fans didn't retaliate to the provacation being thrown at them... if anything they seemed bemused by the Celtic fans... Obviously away from the ground and with other 'none supporters' this was never going to be the case, as in most cases you provoke and you get a reaction.
As to the apathy from Lincoln fans for this match.. lets take a reality check.. Celtic and for that matter Scottish football is not seen as a major draw this side of the border. Infact it would be interesting to know how many Celtic first team players the average none Scottish football fan could name, let alone reserves and youngsters.
Although the press tried to build it up,, Celtic (or for that matter any Scottish club), are not really seen as a major attraction anymore. There would have been far more interest from the Lincoln fans for nearly any premier league team, or for that matter a local friendly against say, Forest, Leeds or the likes.
You only have to compare the Celtic match to the Friendly against Liverpool reserves a few years back, when the match was a complete sell out.. It was also intersting to note, that I seem to recall the despite 3000+ Liverpool fans being at the bank that night, there was no trouble.. and not even any segregation of fans...
I think that says it all...”