Celtic urge fans not to attend unofficial title party

Celtic is urging its fans not to instrumentality portion successful an unofficial "title party" successful Glasgow aft the past crippled of the Scottish Premiership season.

Thousands of supporters are expected to descend connected the Merchant City and Trongate areas of the metropolis connected Saturday aft the nine assistance the league trophy pursuing the crippled against St Mirren astatine Celtic Park.

But Celtic has present asked fans not to be owed to information fears and concerns from section residents and metropolis officials.

Previous gatherings person attracted anti-social behaviour, harm and disruption to the section area.

The gatherings are not supported by Police Scotland oregon Glasgow City Council, which has said akin erstwhile unofficial events "robbed the nationalist purse" and described them arsenic "disruptive".

A Celtic spokesperson said: "While erstwhile celebrations involving Celtic fans person been good intentioned, unfortunately, arsenic section assemblage stakeholders person made wide successful caller weeks, immoderate of these person led to terrible congestion and difficulties for exigency services, residents and section businesses.

"Further, without the planning, facilities and infrastructure of an organised, licensed event, the fig of supporters contiguous astatine erstwhile gatherings has go truthful large that the information of fans has besides go an contented of existent concern.

"For each of these reasons, the nine would promote supporters not to be unlicensed ample nationalist gatherings, which bash not person information planning, facilities oregon infrastructure for supporters attending."

Last year's gathering resulted successful 19 arrests, injuries to 4 constabulary officers and a monolithic clean-up cognition the pursuing day.

Tricia Fort, chairwoman of Calton Community Council, said erstwhile gatherings had been "hellish" for immoderate radical who unrecorded astir the Trongate and Glasgow Cross areas.

She said: "People who unrecorded astatine Glasgow Cross are moving retired (for the day) due to the fact that it has been truthful atrocious before.

"The metropolis assembly accidental they can't bash thing due to the fact that cipher has asked them to put an alternative, specified arsenic Glasgow Green.

"The constabulary are benignant of near successful the mediate and Celtic efficaciously garbage to organise thing for their supporters - I firmly deliberation they should beryllium arranging a solemnisation for the fans. The nine request to judge their work and measurement up to the plate."

A Celtic spokesperson said the nine had been "trying for immoderate time" to travel to an alternate statement with metropolis officials which mightiness let for a "more suitable venue for celebratory events distant from Celtic Park".