Celtic Fans Collective respond to criticism over close Green Brigade relationship

The Collective’s increasingly bitter dispute with Celtic escalated again this week after the club confirmed it had ceased all collaboration with the group following the tennis ball protest aimed at principal shareholder Dermot Desmond at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

However, the Collective does not have unanimous backing among the Celtic support, with its solidarity with the Green Brigade proving a particular point of contention for some fans.

Quigley has now defended that position, arguing that the Collective had a responsibility to support the Green Brigade following their stadium ban in the same way it stood behind Celtic fan media after the club withdrew its access.

Asked about the criticism on The Cynic, Quigley explained: “The Green Brigade were banned because of their actions as part of the Collective. We talk about Desmond’s reaction on Saturday night, and how wild and petty it was.

“People forget that when the GB were banned following that Falkirk game last November, that was one of the first games that Dermot Desmond had been at for a while. And there was a demonstration outside the ground that night, singing ‘Desmond, Desmond, get to f—-.

“That was the first time he had heard that. Then, all of a sudden, what in my view was a non-incident in the [North Curve] was blown up into this disgraceful scene.

“For me, that was the GB being targeted for their role in the Collective. You’ve then got a responsibility to stand by those people. In the same way, when I was going into these meetings, I was messaging you guys to ask how I can go in on behalf of the fan media.

“I’m not part of fan media, I’m not affiliated with any podcasts. But I saw it as the same thing: fans have been banned from their realm for doing the same thing. We have a responsibility to show solidarity with each other.

“In some cases, the club will use that. I don’t think that’s an excuse not to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with each other.”