The Underground

Football ultras have always been a foreign concept in the UK. Originating in Italy in the 70’s, Ultras have become a staple in stadiums across mainland Europe. But they never really caught on in the UK. Perhaps the hangover from the ‘Casual’ era has lasted a little too long. Working class lads in England, Scotland and Wales are more interested in sniffing their weight in gear, wearing Stone Island and lobbing plastic chairs in city centres. ‘Firms’ have always taken precedence over ‘Ultras’ on the terraces. Till this day, pyrotechnics, choreographed displays and defined political ideologies are seen as ‘doing too much’ by most football fans in the UK.

However, the fans of Glasgow Celtic are not like most football fans in the UK. Glasgow Celtic is a football club deeply intertwined with the politics of both Scotland and Ireland. The club was formally constituted in 1887 by a man named Brother Wilfried. Brother Wilfried, a Marist from County Sligo in Ireland formed the club with the purpose of raising funds for Irish immigrants. Irish Catholic’s were routinely shepherded into Glasgow’s East End, the most deprived area of the city, where they faced poverty and struggle. Since their formation, both the club and their fans have been associated with their Irish roots and the fight against oppression. Irish rebel songs have been a mainstay in the stands of Parkhead for a long, long time.

However, in the summer of 2006, Celtic fans were in serious danger of losing everything that made them so special. In the decade prior to 2006, Celtic Park had undergone major renovations in a bid to keep up with the rapidly modernising game of football. While the renovations may have been needed in a business sense, they had cost the club their soul. ‘The Jungle’, an infamous stand that produced a noise so intimidating, Europe’s greatest often crumbled before it, was no longer. Knocked down almost overnight in 1994, the loss of ‘The Jungle’ was a representation of Celtic’s fortunes on the pitch for most of the 90’s. Forced to watch their bitter rivals across the city, Glasgow Rangers, stroll to 9 league titles in a row, it is perhaps considered the worst period in the club’s history.

For a brief period in the early 2000’s, Celtic regained some respect. 3 League titles and a UEFA Cup Final appearance under Martin O’Neil gave the fans some hope they were returning to the glory days. But something was missing. The club needed a spark, the fans needed their soul back.

What started as meetings between like-minded fans in Glasgow pubs to discuss the dire state of Celtic’s home support, ‘Ultras’ culture and the role of politics within football, eventually led to the formation of a group known as The Green Brigade. The Green Brigade’s name and symbol were first displayed at a Celtic game on the 9^th September 2006. Pittodrie was the venue as Celtic headed north to face Aberdeen. The Glasgow club would eventually run out 1-0 winners thanks to a goal from Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink in the 79^th minute. The Green Brigade displayed their own banner as well as a handcrafted banner in their now signature font which read “God Bless Artur Boruc”. The birth of The Green Brigade and Artur Boruc starting in net for Celtic, what a time to be alive.

While their first outing was an important milestone, it was pretty tame compared to what they would get up to over the next 20 odd years. The newly formed Celtic Ultras quickly established themselves in section 111 of Celtic Park and became a regular sight at both home and away fixtures. From the beginning, their political messaging was clear. They were a Left-Wing, Anti-Fascist group. A rarity amongst football ‘Ultras’ in Europe. Owing to the roots in which their club was founded, The Green Brigade aggressively opposes racism and discrimination whilst standing proudly with those who are most oppressed.

It’s not just their unwavering attitude to standing for what’s right that gives The Green Brigade its reputation. A long-running and violent feud with The Union Bears (Ultras of Glasgow Rangers) has seen both groups come under intense scrutiny by both law enforcement and their own clubs. The Union Bears far-right, loyalist ideologies are polar opposite to the Anti-Fascist, Irish republican stance of The Green Brigade, which has seen the two ‘Ultras’ groups clash both in the stands and in the streets on multiple occasions.

Although running-street battles across the city are a regular occurrence on derby day in Glasgow, it’s often symbolic victories where the most points are scored. Choreographed displays, stolen flags/banners and even on occasion effigies are proudly displayed by ‘Ultras’ on both sides on derby day. Graffiti has also become a significant part of the rivalry. Over the years a number of spots around the city have become a battleground for the warring ‘Ultras’. Both groups often cover their rival’s art with their own messaging that taunts the other side. It is also not unheard of for The Green Brigade and The Union Bears to stake out popular graffiti spots, waiting for their rivals to appear before attacking them.

Perhaps the best example of this ‘symbolic’ point scoring was at Ibrox in 2017. As the two teams walked out the tunnel before a crucial game in the title race, The Union Bears unfurled a banner which read “Three Letters Emblazoned On Our Chest”, a half-decent banner from a group not famed for their choreography. Unfortunately for the Rangers Ultras, there was a leak in their camp (shout out Lloyd Cross) and The Green Brigade had prior knowledge of the banner. Almost immediately the Celtic ultras unfurled their own banner reading “Three Letters Emblazoned On Your Grave” referring to the 2012 financial demise of the original Glasgow Rangers.

While the symbolic aspect of the rivalry plays an undeniable role in Glasgow, as you might expect, violence is where the real bragging rights are earned. The latest incident saw the two groups go viral on social media in December 2024. Hours before the two teams were set to face each other at Hampden Park in the League Cup Final, a video began circulating on Twitter. GB members were seen chasing dozens of Santa hat-wearing, far-right, UB members through Glasgow City Centre before the Scottish League Cup Final. Now that was a sight to behold.

Arranged forest fights have also become more frequent in recent years. However, these tend to feature smaller numbers and are carried out under different names such as the Celtic Active Service Unit and the Rangers Riot Crew.

The rivalry with The Union Bears is not the only long-running feud The Green Brigade is involved in, but unfortunately, this feud is a lot closer to home. Despite their constant nods to the principles in which Glasgow Celtic was founded on, The Green Brigade are not loved by all at the club. Specifically, the board. Since their founding, The Green Brigade have been at constant odds with the executive board at Glasgow Celtic FC. The group’s regular showcases of political messages as well as a handful of confrontations between GB members and stewards/police officers, have seen the club fined by both the SFA and UEFA on multiple occasions.

Despite many of these confrontations being the result of unfair and often heavy-handed treatment towards The Green Brigade, as well as the fact that most of the political messaging on display is in line with the values in which the club was founded, the board has clearly decided that profit is more important than principles. A similar mindset is also applied to their transfer strategy.

A board that stayed true to those principles might provide a little more support when its own fans are being unfairly targeted by law enforcement for its political messaging. After all the only real crime committed was daring to challenge the establishment. However, in line with the board’s mentality of money over morals, they have made multiple attempts to disband the group.

In November 2010, at a home match against Aberdeen, The Green Brigade unfurled a banner protesting the club’s decision to wear a ‘Remembrance Poppy’ on their shirt in a previous match. The banner read “Your Deeds Would Shame All the Devils in Hell. Ireland, Iraq, Afghanistan. No Bloodstained Poppy On Our Hoops”. Although the banner resonated with many fans around Parkhead, the club was quick to condemn the message and pledged to identify and ban those involved. At the end of the 2010/11 season, some fans suspected of GB membership were not sent season ticket renewal forms. As if that would stop them.

In 2013, the group was again targeted after an incident at Motherwell’s Fir Park, which resulted in a few damaged seats and a flare finding its way onto the pitch. The board issued “precautionary” suspensions to 128 supporters, and 250 supporters had their season tickets relocated away from section 111.

Despite the obstacles that their own club threw at them, The Green Brigade continued to be a voice not only in support of Celtic FC but also against all forms of oppression and discrimination. On the last game of the 2011/12 season, as Celtic were crowned league champions, The Green Brigade showed solidarity with Palestinian Hunger Strikers who were unlawfully and inhumanely imprisoned by Israel. They held Palestinian flags and unfurled a banner reading “Dignity Is More Precious Than Food”. A spokesman for the group stated, “We did this in solidarity, to raise awareness and because it’s the right thing to do. We want Palestinians to know we are thinking about them and encourage Scottish civil society to look at the injustice in Palestine.”

In 2016, the group would once again find itself on the right side of history. During a Champions League qualifying game against Israeli team, Hapoel Be’er Sheva, The Green Brigade produced a sea of Palestinian flags before the game. Appalled by this brazen act of terrorism, UEFA fined the club £8,619. In response, the group raised over £176,000 as part of the “match the fine for Palestine” campaign. Every single penny was donated to various charities that support the Palestinian cause.

While football becomes ever more modernised and the UK rapidly hurtles towards becoming a police state where free speech (especially left-leaning free speech) is no longer a basic right, The Green Brigade has been unwavering in its values and principles. In October 2023, Celtic Ultras once again showed their solidarity with the Palestinian people when they waved Palestine flags and sang ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone” in honour of the people of Gaza before a Champions League game against Atletico Madrid. This simple act of solidarity with an oppressed people saw 250 members of the group have their season tickets suspended.

February 2025 saw the Celtic Ultras hit the headlines once more. During a Champions League Game against Bayern Munich. The Green Brigade Ultras held up red cards and unfurled a banner with the message “Show Israel the Red Card”. The message was clear. Ban Israel from all FIFA competitions. The message quickly caught on and football fans from over 30 countries participated in their own “Show Israel the Red Card” protests.

The Green Brigades’ admirable support of the Palestinian cause is not just symbolic. Lajee Celtic is a Palestinian grassroots football club/academy based in the Aida Refugee Camp, near Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank. Founded in 2016, the club was born out of solidarity after the previously mentioned GB display against Israeli team Hapoel Be’er Sheva. Lajee Celtic is more than a football club. It is a symbol of resistance, community, and identity. Operating under occupation, near IDF watchtowers and with the separation wall visible from their stadium, much like Celtic, the club’s existence itself is political. Football has become a way to build unity among Palestinians and raise awareness of their struggle.

The club serves youth through sport, creating hope, discipline, and alternative paths in difficult conditions, while also connecting with the diaspora and solidarity networks abroad. The Green Brigade has been crucial to the continued success of Lajee Celtic. Green Brigade members have spoken at events raising awareness for the club and have also run fundraising campaigns to provide the Palestinian club with proper equipment and facilities.

As The Green Brigade continues in what is now its 20^th season, it is abundantly clear that their values and principles have never wavered. With their non-stop support of the team on the pitch and their willingness to hold the board accountable off it, it is no surprise that The Green Brigade’s existence has coincided with the most successful period in Glasgow Celtic’s history. 15 league titles in 20 seasons, including 9 in a row as well as 5 trebles in that period has seen Celtic dominate Scottish football. But even without the success on the pitch, The Green Brigade’s continuation of Brother Wilfried’s work, fighting discrimination and standing with the oppressed, shows they are a true representation of Glasgow Celtic Football Club, no matter what the board says.