BBC journalist Tom English has taken aim at Celtic supporters once again.
English, who called Celtic fans “drunk on success” and “bed-wetters” [BBC], acquiesced in January, claiming that supporters may have had a point. In an article for the broadcaster, the journalist claimed that the Bhoys’ “slide into chaos has been remarkable.”
However, he’s back at it. After the departure of Neil Lennon, announced on Tuesday night, English claimed that supporters were ungrateful on social media. Given the herculean task of ignoring the thousands of messages in support of Lennon, English launched into a scathing critique of the Hoops faithful.
He said [BBC]:
“Part of the sadness in Lennon’s demise at Celtic comes from the fact that some fans who once declared that he would never walk alone then went for him when results really turned bad this season.
“Among those who tore into him on social media – their only opportunity to vent given that the stadium gates have been shut – there were no allowances for what he’d done for the club, no special status. Inevitable, of course, given how awful the results were, but bleak none the less.”
Celtic supporters criticised again, or obvious bait?
There’s a glint in English’s eye, we imagine, when he writes these articles. We must admit, we can be quite reactionary on occasion. Perhaps, there’s plenty of mileage in annoying Celtic supporters with articles. God knows, I’ve inadvertently done it myself, and I’m a Celtic supporter.
However, English is using the national broadcaster to air views that completely misread the situation. Yes, Lennon has been criticised relentlessly this season. However, there’s a difference between criticising the man and criticising the manager. If you polled the millions of Celtic fans, would any have not wanted to see Neil Lennon lifting the 10?
After all he’s been through at the club, there wouldn’t be anyone in Green and White who would’ve wanted less than success for Neil Lennon. It’s just that results were poor, the chance to make history will elude us. At times, we looked toothless, clueless and directionless under Lennon. That’s the sad fact.
But English’s narrative here is that the vast majority of fans turned on Lennon as a man. That just isn’t the case. It’s also incredibly misguided to say, as he goes on to in the article, that the same folk holding vigils for Lennon in 2010 are the same ones on his back. It completely ignores the nuances of the horrible situation from that time, when there were genuine attempts to harm the former Celtic manager.
Using that as cannon fodder to lambast the Celtic support goes beyond the pale. Did Rangers supporters “turn their back” on Ally McCoist, or did they not want to see a club legend struggle in a job that became beyond them? What’s the difference?
Or, are we just taking the bait? Was Tom English designed in a laboratory to purposefully wind us up? It’s impossible to say for sure.
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