Celtic ban Daily Record following Neil Lennon article

[ian1964 10,761]

Celtic have withdrawn co-operation with the Daily Record newspaper following a story about their manager, Neil Lennon.

 

The back page of Saturday's edition used the headline "Who's More Hated at Ibrox (is it Lennon or the Taxman?)" ahead of Sunday's Old Firm match.

 

The story compares Rangers fans' views of Lennon with the club's tax dispute.

 

A Celtic statement called the story "inflammatory and offensive" while the paper's sports editor Jim Traynor said the piece was not meant to offend.

 

The article, written by Keith Jackson, also discusses Rangers' ongoing investigation by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs and reports that "the mere sight of Lennon unites and inflames Rangers' senses more than any other".

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For this newspaper to treat the matter in this insensitive and ill-judged manner is astonishing

 

Celtic FC statement

 

Since his arrival as a player - and subsequently as manager of the Glasgow club - Lennon has been the recipient of parcel bombs and bullets in the post, physical assaults and a recent attack from a Hearts fan at Tynecastle that resulted in a custodial sentence.

 

Rangers host Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday in the first encounter between the teams this season.

 

The Ibrox club are in dispute with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs over two separate tax issues.

 

A recent court filing by former chief executive Martin Bain froze £480,000 of the club's assets after a judge agreed there was "real and substantial risk of insolvency" at Rangers, which the club disputes.

 

Celtic released a statement on Saturday criticising the Daily Record's reporting and withdrew all co-operation with the newspaper and its journalists, demanding "a suitable retraction and apology".

 

The statement read: "For this newspaper to treat the matter in this insensitive and ill-judged manner is astonishing.

 

"Celtic has today been inundated with complaints from supporters relating to this story and the club fully understands their feelings on this issue.

 

"There is no question, on the eve of a Rangers v Celtic match to use 'Lennon', 'Hate' and 'Ibrox' in a newspaper headline is extremely irresponsible.

 

"Neil Lennon, his coaching staff and the Celtic players are very disappointed at this reporting and have jointly decided that they will not be co-operating with journalists from The Daily Record.

 

"It is only right that the newspaper delivers a suitable retraction and apology."

Continue reading the main story

 

No-one, I'm sure, thought for a second that they would like to offend Neil Lennon or any Old Firm fans

 

Jim Traynor Daily Record sports editor and BBC Scotland football pundit

 

The Scottish Football Association chief executive Stewart Regan posted a message on the social network Twitter saying: "It would be helpful if newspaper headlines focused on the football rather than referring to 'hatred' ahead of the first Old Firm match."

 

On BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound programme, Jim Traynor insisted the headline was not deliberately intended to provoke Celtic, the club's fans or its manager.

 

"Someone obviously thought it would be a good way to illustrate the main stories of the build-up to Sunday's match," he said.

 

"No-one, I'm sure, thought for a second that they would like to offend Neil Lennon or any Old Firm fans.

 

"Neil Lennon goes to Ibrox and we all know he's not popular.

 

"No matter what anyone is suggesting - rather hysterically on social networking sites - there is no attempt by anyone at the Record, and never has been, to add to Neil Lennon's problems."

 

And later, on BBC Radio Scotland's Your Call, he said: "I am not defending it. I can't defend it.

 

"I would have pulled the headline. I think the headline is wrong.

 

"The paper will be dealing with this properly tomorrow before we address Monday's paper and we will also deal with Celtic's statement tomorrow."

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14961331.stm

[Gazza_8 233]

Celtic are absolutely spot on. The tabloid media think up anything to disrupt a football club then step back and take no responsibility for anything that happens afterwards.

[GovanAllan 0]

So one bad story about them in god knows how long and suddenly the whole of Scotland think the media are scum where have they all been for the last couple of years.

[Gazza_8 233]

So one bad story about them in god knows how long and suddenly the whole of Scotland think the media are scum where have they all been for the last couple of years.

 

Doubtful..

[ian1964 10,761]

As part of the build up to yesterday's Old Firm match the Daily Record used a headline in Saturday's paper (September 17, 2011) which contained the word "hated".

 

This has caused dismay and anger and it was wrong.

 

We apologise for any offence this may have caused Neil Lennon, his family and also supporters.

 

The Daily Record has a history of condemning intolerance in all its forms.

 

Our headline was a misjudgement and it was not intended to stoke up feelings ahead of yesterday's match.

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/football/spl/celtic/2011/09/19/we-are-sorry-86908-23431130/

[Gazza_8 233]

Ha. They finally take some responsibility for their pathetic actions.

 

Won't be long until they do it again though.

[Bluedell 5,679]

I fail to see why it's offensive.

 

It's also hypocritical from a club that does nothing to prevent Lennon attempting to wind up the Rangers fans at every opportunity with his numerous gestures to the Rangers support, his ventures onto the park etc.

 

If Celtic want to stop imflammatory behaviour they should look closer to home.

[Zappa 0]

You just know they're up to something. This will be the start of this season's Lennon threatened and attacked propaganda campaign full of made up stories about viable threats and people being wrongly arrested for show, then never convicted.

[Guest Dutchy]

This 'offended' campaign has been running for years and it always starts with poor wee lemon getting grief.

 

Although I'm not condonning the threats he's had against him, why do reporters not take a deeper, in fact not that deep, look at why he gets this grief.

 

I'm sure the graffitti of him in a noose all over NI was after he said in an interview that he would rather be playing in a all Ireland team. He was booded and threatened from that point on and he also drew the attention of many others. Rightly, wrongly, he's been targetted and is no shrinking violet when it comes to confrontation. My opinion is that he knows exactly what he's doing as it is all part of campaign to highlight bigotry in Scotland against Irish catholics. Orchestrated, in the main by the catholic church.

 

If lemon wasn't a footballer, I'm fairly sure the paramilitaries would have one more member to their 'cause'.