Celtic supporters will feel vindicated after eye-opening CIES fireworks survey

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Celtic supporters have found themselves at the centre of countless debates surrounding pyrotechnics over the years.

A new survey from the CIES Football Observatory suggests many football fans around the world may share a view that has long existed within sections of the Celtic support.

Celtic fans and pyro have dominated the headlines over the past few seasons and now, it seems that the rest of football share their views on it.

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Celtic supporters know this debate better than most

While 83.8% of respondents called for action against acts of violence by fans, only 32.3% wanted further measures introduced regarding the use of fireworks.

Those figures do not tell us that supporters approve of pyrotechnics. What they do show is that many fans see violence and fireworks as two very different issues.

Few fanbases have faced more scrutiny over pyrotechnics than Celtic supporters.

Given the scrutiny Celtic supporters have faced from UEFA, the SPFL and wider football authorities over pyrotechnics, the findings are unlikely to come as a surprise to many inside the Parkhead support.

Whether through fines, sanctions or public criticism, the issue has followed the club for years. Yet the latest CIES findings suggest many supporters across football do not view fireworks through the same lens as violent behaviour.

The survey result is particularly striking because fans were not rejecting action altogether. The overwhelming majority supported measures against violence.

If respondents were simply opposed to regulation, those numbers would have looked very different. Instead, there is a gap of more than 50 percentage points between the two responses.

That suggests supporters are making a distinction rather than dismissing concerns entirely.

Football authorities may be missing the point

The pyrotechnics debate is unlikely to disappear any time soon, particularly at clubs where supporter culture forms a major part of the matchday experience.

For many Celtic fans, the issue has never been about defending violence or disorder. It has been about whether pyrotechnics should automatically be placed in the same category.

The latest survey indicates that view is not confined to one club or one country.

Results were remarkably similar inside and outside Europe, suggesting a much wider feeling among supporters.

Football authorities may continue to view pyrotechnics as a major issue. However, this survey suggests many supporters have already reached a different conclusion. They see violence as a problem requiring action. Fireworks, clearly, are another debate entirely.