Kevin Bridges travelled thousands of miles to follow Independiente supporters in Argentina. What followed was an observation that perfectly captures a part of Celtic matchday culture supporters know all too well.
In a clip from his BBC documentary Kevin Bridges: In Search of the Beautiful Game, the comedian recalled joining an Independiente supporters’ bus as the new face among a group of passionate football fans.
What followed was a remark that every Celtic supporter will recognise immediately.
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Bridges admitted he initially planned to keep a low profile on the bus before quickly noticing the similarities with the supporter culture he grew up around.
He said, “As the new guy [on the supporters bus], I decided that I should probably keep my head down, sit near the front, and maybe even stick on an audio book.
“Growing up going to the Celtic games and all that. It’s like on supporters buses. The parallels are, it’s the same characters in it. The guy that’s been drinking way too early. That guy. Why did you know just sell his ticket? Like surely he would have failed a late fitness test.”
The joke works because every supporter knows exactly the type of person he is talking about.
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The documentary explores football cultures around the world, but Bridges’ comment highlights something bigger.
Supporters in Glasgow and Buenos Aires may sing different songs and follow different clubs, but the matchday experience often revolves around the same personalities, traditions and rituals.
That is why the quote resonates so strongly with Celtic supporters. Bridges was not making a generic observation about football. He was describing a scene he had experienced countless times growing up attending Celtic matches.
For all the differences between Scotland and Argentina, Bridges found the same familiar characters waiting for him on a supporters’ bus. Celtic fans will know exactly who he means.
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