The Celtic Fans Collective have expressed that they are ‘delighted’ with the return of the Green Brigade.
Celtic announced an end to the GB’s ban on Tuesday evening, drawing a curtain on a fan lockout that has been ongoing since November.
The fan group had initially been accused of “unacceptable behaviour” at a home game against Falkirk, being hit with a three-game ban that was later extended indefinitely.
After a long period of statements, disputes and non-updates, Celtic now say a “route has been found” for their return, as the Collective have acknowledged.
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Celtic Fans Collective point to fan engagement after end of Green Brigade ban
The Collective said in a statement on X: “We are delighted that the unjust ban of the Green Brigade has now been lifted
“But this vindictive saga has been extremely damaging and unnecessary.
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“The club communications on this matter have been petty and inaccurate to the very end, demonstrating that the current approach to fan engagement needs to be radically overhauled.”
The tone of the statement has mostly drawn negative reaction on the platform, with fans insisting on the importance of backing the team until the end of the season.
When the Collective initiated a boycott for Celtic’s win over Dundee in February, the ongoing ban was cited as a reason for the decision.
The Tuesday statement on Celtic’s website read: “The Club is pleased to confirm that a route has been found to lift the suspension of the Green Brigade with effect from Saturday’s game against St Mirren.
“On March 27th, at a meeting of Glasgow City Council Safety Advisory Group, the Club again addressed the suspension on the Green Brigade.
“The SAG confirmed that it did not object to the suspension being lifted, subject to three conditions being satisfied.
“These were that all applicable policies will be adhered to, including season ticket terms and conditions; agreement that members will comply with the safety and security operations; recognition that a match-by-match report will be submitted to the Safety Advisory Group, for as long as they deem it necessary.
“We communicated this to the Green Brigade and asked for their unconditional acceptance, as outlined. “They have today responded positively by accepting these conditions, as outlined.”
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The Green Brigade’s Celtic ban: timeline
The GB have been banned from all Celtic matches since November, with an initial three-game lockout being extended indefinitely.
As the ban has drawn on, fans have waited patiently for a resolution, but a Celtic fan boycott against Dundee was called in solidarity with the group.
The Celtic Fans Collective organised the boycott, also demanding the resignation of Michael Nicholson.
Martin O’Neill confirmed a meeting between the club and fans ahead of a European clash with Stuttgart, but this did not result in a resolution.
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