A CONTROVERSIAL pyrotechnics display at Celtic Park last season provoked "serious concerns" from emergency services which posed a "risk to the renewal of a safety certificate necessary for the operation of the stadium".

Details of the concerns emerged in a letter to fans as Celtic decided to close the Green Brigade section of the stadium for the next two matches after "unsafe behaviour" at the last two competitive matches at Parkhead. Those were the last home game of the season against Hearts on May 27 and the Champions League qualifier win against Linfield last week.

There was particular concern about flares being smuggled into May’s clash with Hearts as they celebrated 50 years since the team lifted the European Cup.

One day before the current safety certificate expired club chief executive Peter Lawwell, announced the safe standing area used by the Green Brigade would be closed for two matches. The action was understood to be in response to UEFA disciplinary charges following pro-IRA banners at last week's Champions League qualifier against Linfield.

The Herald: Celtic will close the GB section of the stand for the home games against Rosenborg and Hearts


The club have been asked to explain to by safety officials how they will prevent a repeat of the scenes.

A letter from Celtic to fans explaining the closing of the Green Brigade area explained that the Safety Advisory Group of Glasgow City Council, which licenses Celtic Park and comprises members of the council, police, fire and ambulance services had an emergency meeting after the Hearts game and communicated "their serious concerns to the club, which presented a risk to the renewal of the safety certificate necessary for the operation of the stadium and the capacity of the safe standing area."

It added: "The club has been working with the Safety Advisory Group towards a solution for this season, but the events at the match [against Linfield] on Wednesday night, where there were further serious safety issues within the Green Brigade section, require the club to take immediate action to comply with its responsibilities under the applicable legislation."

Celtic, in a hard-hitting letter to the fans, added that the decision to close the Green Brigade area has been taken "amid serious safety concerns and after discussion with the police" and follows the Hearts and Linfield matches.

The Herald:

"The club considers that the safe standing area of the stadium has been working very well until the final game of the season against Hearts, when large numbers of flares were smuggled in and set off under banners within the Green Brigade section.  This was an incredibly irresponsible and co-ordinated action which could have had tragic consequences."

The fans were told that consideration had been given to halting the Hearts game because of the thick smoke blowing across the stadium and into other sections of the support and "posed a serious safety risk to all those in the stadium".

The Green Brigade area will be closed for tonight's match against Rosenborg and the opening match of the season also against Hearts on August 5.

The fans were told the club will give further consideration to the operation of the Green Brigade section for matches after the Hearts game.

Safety Advisory Group officials are due to meet with club representatives tomorrow (Thursday) to discuss safety certificate renewal for the coming season.

The certificate for the ground expired on July 22 but has been extended to the July 31.

The club had been forced to seek an extension to their stadium safety certificate to allow the Champions League qualifier against Rosenburg at Celtic Park to go ahead tonight.

The council confirmed that safety concerns “created by the use of pyrotechnics at Celtic Park on May 21” have been raised with the club by the safety advisers.