Update from Ann

[Hannibal]

http://www.heartsfc.co.uk/news/4010

[Dusk_Till_Dawn]

**** yeah.

 

About time someone spoke like this about Celtic.

[eddiepolio]

Love it! Ann(e) is one classy lady.

[Craigieboy]

 

I felt like we just got our collective asses spanked by Ann.

[skinnybob72]

Surely the Greatest Fans In The World wouldn't wreck the place?

 

Utter Scum.

[lewis2006]

Once we return to the SPL I'd cut Celtics allocation to the bare minimum, regardless if we are selling out the home end or not. Infact I can guarantee the vast majority of ST holders would happily pay an extra ?30 on top of their ST price to subsidise the short fall.

[Skippy Doodle]

Great statement. I for one can relate to the section about children being at the game as I was politely asked to tone down my language in front of a couple of kids in the main stand.

[argyjambo]

http://www.heartsfc.co.uk/news/4010

It is my wish that the Board make the first move by severely curtailing the ticket allocation given to Celtic in future (Cup rules notwithstanding). A much reduced travelling support, should enable the police to identify & arrest those causing the damage/trouble. Yes it may affect us financially, but I am of the opinion that the majority of home fans would rather that than the baying, pseudo-political apologists that we are forced to endure every time they pitch up at Tynecastle.

[:shitwine:]

Great statement. Correctly slaughtering those arseholes that have gotten away with it for too long.

 

A splendid contrast to the famous 'blah blah blah' statement given to Hibs.net a couple of months back

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

:clap:

 

Looking forward to the Septic apologists in the media worming their way round this one.

[the general]

can someone paste it please ... old browser at work wont let me access it :-( 

[Lambo85]

It has gone on for years and we only have ourselves to blame by allowing 3,500 to come into Tynecastle.

 

This has to stop now! We must reduce their allocation by at least half next time we play them.

[18Jambo_dave74]

Great statement from Ann.

 

Hopefully this embarrasses Celtic into commenting on their supporters behaviour, although I won't hold my breath on that.

 

As others have said, from now on we should cut Celtics allocation. I understand the loss of revenue for this but given the way that the club is currently being run I'm sure that this can be overcome.

 

Also important that Hearts fans behave and do not put Ann in a position where she has to condemn any of our supporters actions.

[Juan Jose Carricondo Perez]

Good statement from Ann. No doubt to be met with a load of whataboutery.

 

I'd also take it as a warning to our fans as well that similar behaviour at away games won't be tolerated. (Not saying it currently does though)

[Squirt]

Edit:- Don't need article pasted 3 times on the thread so removed.

[Chaps]

Queen Ann takes no shit.

 

Utter scum that lot really are. Didnt think I could hate them anymore than I do now.

 

A friend of mine almost got hit from a coin, told the stewards and police but all they said was "there's nothing we can do" hopefully they caught the pricks who done it.

[1874robbo]

can someone paste it please ... old browser at work wont let me access it :-(

Ann Budge today gave this latest update to fans following the fourth-round meeting with Celtic in the William Hill Scottish Cup.

 

I feel it is important that I respond to some of the issues that have arisen/emails received following the Scottish Cup tie between Hearts and Celtic on Sunday and I hope this goes some way to offering reassurance that we are totally committed to creating a safe and comfortable environment in which to enjoy the Tynecastle matchday experience.

 

It is important to stress the values and principles we are trying to promote within the club and the behaviour we are seeking to encourage.

 

Many of our fans are supporting our efforts to improve the overall experience at Tynecastle and to create a truly family-focused culture.

 

For this to work, we need to do everything in our power to ensure our opposition on the day also enjoys the experience of coming to Tynecastle. Friendly banter is acceptable - some might even say desirable - threatening and intimidating behaviour between supporters is not.

 

However, we also need our visiting fans to behave accordingly. Based on emails and communications received into the club it would seem both sets of supporters had cause for complaint on Sunday.

 

Sunday past - November 30th - was, of course, St Andrew?s day - a day when we should all be proud to be Scots! Unfortunately, I was certainly not overly proud of some of the behaviour I witnessed and heard about both during and after the game.

 

The match was a disappointing football spectacle for both sets of supporters. However, as football supporters, we know that things will not always go our way on the pitch; we know that players will make mistakes; we know that referees will make calls that we do not all agree with. That is football! It does not justify bad behavior - on or off the field.

 

At Hearts, poor on-field behaviour is scrutinised, disciplined and, where appropriate, punished. The same approach must apply off the field.

 

The police report confirms that one Hearts supporter was arrested at the match for sectarian abuse. That is unacceptable and dangerous. In line with my previous statement of zero tolerance, that individual will not be allowed back into the stadium.

 

The same police report confirms that five Celtic supporters were arrested for sectarian abuse, coin throwing and disorderly behaviour. I hope that Celtic will take appropriate action against those individuals who let them down. Certainly, at Hearts, we will do everything in our power to ensure they are never again allowed into Tynecastle.

 

I was appalled at the vandalism carried out by our visiting supporters on Sunday. Having recently spent significant sums to replace broken seats in the Roseburn Stand, for the benefit, primarily, of our away supporters, I was hugely disappointed to witness the destruction of close to 100 seats. Similarly, the graffiti on walls, tiles, doors - basically all types of surfaces - was quite disgraceful and this is not to mention the damage to toilets.

 

I have discussed all of these matters with members of the Celtic Executive and we are working co-operatively to address the issues. No club should be on the receiving end of such unacceptable behaviour and no club should be put in the position of having to defend such behaviour.

 

The most distressing emails/reports I have received are of intimidation both to fans and to staff from away fans. Everyone gets frustrated when officials and police appear to take little or no action.

 

This is something I will discuss with the authorities but as many of us know, their response is very often influenced by a need not to further inflame a situation. The only real answer is to try to remove those people who cause the problems and who spoil the whole experience for so many others.

 

I was pleased to learn that approximately 20% of the Hearts supporters on Sunday were youths. This is fantastic evidence that we are appealing to the family. The not so good news is that I have received a number of emails/letters from parents stating that their children were terrified/had to be removed part way through the game/were traumatised - and as such would be unlikely ever to want to return to a game. This is appalling.

 

OK. These letters relate to a tiny proportion of the 12,000-plus crowd. The number is unimportant. We want to be a family-oriented club, offering a thoroughly enjoyable matchday experience for both sets of supporters - in a safe and non-threatening environment.

 

I promise that this current management team will do everything in its power to try to make this happen. This includes taking action against our own supporters who let the side down; vigorously pressing other clubs to be accountable for the actions of their supporters and where necessary petitioning the authorities to take appropriate action.

 

I would urge Hearts supporters to stick with us and supporters of other visiting clubs to recognise that we want to offer a welcoming environment at Tynecastle where both teams can enjoy the matchday experience. For Scottish football to survive and develop, we need each other.

 

Let?s look forward to welcoming the Queen of the South supporters to Tynecastle on Saturday.

[redm]

That woman is just wonderful. No sweeping anything under the carpet, no pussyfooting around the Old Firm.

 

Once again, I feel so very fortunate that she's ours. Breath of fresh air.

[Clerry Jambo]

They really haven't changed down the years, scum the lot of them

 

Good statement from Ann

[Nookie Bear]

Once we return to the SPL I'd cut Celtics allocation to the bare minimum, regardless if we are selling out the home end or not. Infact I can guarantee the vast majority of ST holders would happily pay an extra ?30 on top of their ST price to subsidise the short fall.

 

Maybe a better way, and one that would not hit us financially - is to say to celtic: "we ejected 5 fans last time for sectarian reasosn, we are withholding 5 seats for your next visit so that is 5 of your support who will not be able to see your team play."

 

May not sound much but I think it makes the point.

 

It's some statement, by the way. She is brutally honest and forthright and, quite frankly, should be fast-tracked to a much more senior position in the Scottish game.

[jambali]

Good call, Ann

[DETTY29]

Great words.

 

But to take Celtic on, rightly we need to look at our own conduct too.

[Gorgie_Rules]

Brilliantly worded statement from Ann, this sort of behaviour has been going on for years with nobody picking up on it and the authorities doing next to nothing, hopefully the media report this tomorrow

 

 

 

As much as we hate hibs and give them stick their behavior is civilized at Tynecastle compared to that mob, make you ashamed to be Scottish

 

[Chaps]

It has gone on for years and we only have ourselves to blame by allowing 3,500 to come into Tynecastle.

 

This has to stop now! We must reduce their allocation by at least half next time we play them.

We couldn't cut their allocation on Sunday as they're allowed 20% of stadium capacity in cup games.

[maroonlegions]

Cut these animals allocation simple, its not the first time they have destroyed seats in the Roseburn.

[The Apprentice]

That's the 'best fans in the world' for you. An absolute disgrace. No doubt this will get played down by them as well, they've been getting away with this sort of nonsense for far too long.

 

I expect they will fully compensate the club for the damage caused.

[Pistol1874]

Great words.

 

But to take Celtic on, rightly we need to look at our own conduct too.

In spades.

[Uncle Buck]

Ann

[Strachsuit]

Absolutely brilliant statement from Ann. Telling off the tiny minority of idiots we have in our support whilst rounding on the hundreds of scumbags that follow that mob. Hopefully it gets a response from Peter Lawwell (I won't hold my breath) and Celtic start to act upon the reprobates that always visit Tynecastle.

Well done Ann, again.

[Paolo]

I would happily pay an extra ?20.00 each time we play them, and not give them any tickets, on the grounds of safety, and illegal behaviour.

[Nookie Bear]

Great words.

 

But to take Celtic on, rightly we need to look at our own conduct too.

 

Spot on. Ann is not shirking from our own fans' behaviour.

 

Of course, she will have seen this first hand over the years - unlike most owners, she has come from the stands - and has probably wanted to use this opportunity to publicly vent her feelings.

[scott_jambo]

I've pleasantly found hibs and rangers fans this season to have gone about their business around the stadium with a minimum of fuss.

 

The statement sums up all you need to know regarding how these cretins behave around gorgie and of course how they treat our stadium.

[Don Dan]

"I was appalled at the vandalism carried out by our visiting supporters on Sunday. Having recently spent significant sums to replace broken seats in the Roseburn Stand, for the benefit, primarily, of our away supporters, I was hugely disappointed to witness the destruction of close to 100 seats. Similarly, the graffiti on walls, tiles, doors - basically all types of surfaces - was quite disgraceful and this is not to mention the damage to toilets."

 

Unless Celtic cover the total cost of the repairs then I would fully support banning them fro Tyncecasle in the future.

I said after the game that these supporters contain some of the most vile and detestable so called football fans and Ann's statement )rather politely) backs that up.

[heartsfc_fan]

With only 1,200 Rangers fans in the stadium the week before, one feels Celtic should get the same treatment.

[Pistol1874]

That's the 'best fans in the world' for you. An absolute disgrace. No doubt this will get played down by them as well, they've been getting away with this sort of nonsense for far too long.

 

I expect they will fully compensate the club for the damage caused.

They can afford to, but that doesn't address the problem.

 

The fewer of them we have, the better.

[The Internet]

I've pleasantly found hibs and rangers fans this season to have gone about their business around the stadium with a minimum of fuss.

 

The statement sums up all you need to know regarding how these cretins behave around gorgie and of course how they treat our stadium.

 

Indeed. It really is only Celtic fans that could inspire such a statement.

[Debut 4]

I wonder if the Weegie tabloids will be as quick to copy and paste this as they do other trivial stuff from Ann?

[Strachsuit]

I've pleasantly found hibs and rangers fans this season to have gone about their business around the stadium with a minimum of fuss.

 

The statement sums up all you need to know regarding how these cretins behave around gorgie and of course how they treat our stadium.

I agree with you here. Don't often see destruction left after Hibs and Rangers visit but we do every single time this lot come to Gorgie. Look at the damage they did to Motherwell's away stand last year, it's despicable. How long before their club actually come out and criticise them though?

[Dusk_Till_Dawn]

The SFA should squirm when it reads this sort of thing but it won't.

 

Don't ever forget that while UEFA was taking Ra Sellik to task for sectarian banners, the SFA was doing nothing,

[Debut 4]

I've pleasantly found hibs and rangers fans this season to have gone about their business around the stadium with a minimum of fuss.

 

The statement sums up all you need to know regarding how these cretins behave around gorgie and of course how they treat our stadium.

now you've done it, the JKB CSC will be upset.

[Thomaso]

Great statement from Ann.

 

Hopefully this embarrasses Celtic into commenting on their supporters behaviour, although I won't hold my breath on that.

 

As others have said, from now on we should cut Celtics allocation. I understand the loss of revenue for this but given the way that the club is currently being run I'm sure that this can be overcome.

 

Also important that Hearts fans behave and do not put Ann in a position where she has to condemn any of our supporters actions.

 

Not a chance of the Celtic PR machine acknowledging the appalling behaviour of their fans. Stand by for some trumped up media campaign against Hearts fans shortly!

 

They continue to get away with this behaviour and vandalism - recently at Motherwell and at Dundee where the security supervisor said they acted like "basic animals".

 

We had a big debate about Hearts fans keeping away from the game, and whatever the rights or wrongs Ann now needs to cut their ticket allocation to the minimum possible regardless of any financial implication that frankly will NOT cripple the Club.

 

Enough is enough!

[Strachsuit]

"I was appalled at the vandalism carried out by our visiting supporters on Sunday. Having recently spent significant sums to replace broken seats in the Roseburn Stand, for the benefit, primarily, of our away supporters, I was hugely disappointed to witness the destruction of close to 100 seats. Similarly, the graffiti on walls, tiles, doors - basically all types of surfaces - was quite disgraceful and this is not to mention the damage to toilets."

 

Unless Celtic cover the total cost of the repairs then I would fully support banning them fro Tyncecasle in the future.

I said after the game that these supporters contain some of the most vile and detestable so called football fans and Ann's statement )rather politely) backs that up.

They have to by the SFA/SPFL rules.

[skinnybob72]

Reduce their allocation by the number of seats broken each time. They'll soon get a much smaller allocation. Once there are fewer of them we may see more action from the police who will be less intimidated by their number.

[Don Dan]

"I was pleased to learn that approximately 20% of the Hearts supporters on Sunday were youths. This is fantastic evidence that we are appealing to the family. The not so good news is that I have received a number of emails/letters from parents stating that their children were terrified/had to be removed part way through the game/were traumatised - and as such would be unlikely ever to want to return to a game. This is appalling.

 

OK. These letters relate to a tiny proportion of the 12,000-plus crowd. The number is unimportant. We want to be a family-oriented club, offering a thoroughly enjoyable matchday experience for both sets of supporters - in a

safe and non-threatening environment."

 

This makes me feel sick I trust the guilty weren't Hearts supporters.

[redm]

She might have had a belter of a go at Celtic but let's not ignore the fact she's quite ready to have a go at the idiots in our support too. She knows as well as we do that there's a significant difference (certainly in terms of numbers anyway) but you can't take the high ground on these things when we still have wee morons doing their own brand of bigotry too.

 

Arrest them all, ban them all. No matter what colours they're wearing. One bigoted wee ****** is much the same as another to me, couldn't care less if they support the same team.

[Jambo 4 Ever]

Great statement!  Even the bit about the Hearts "fan" never being allowed back - dont need people like that at Tynecastle!

[Jambo 4 Ever]

She might have had a belter of a go at Celtic but let's not ignore the fact she's quite ready to have a go at the idiots in our support too. She knows as well as we do that there's a significant difference (certainly in terms of numbers anyway) but you can't take the high ground on these things when we still have wee morons doing their own brand of bigotry too.

 

Arrest them all, ban them all. No matter what colours they're wearing. One bigoted wee ****** is much the same as another to me, couldn't care less if they support the same team.

Well said! 

[Spencer]

There is something wrong here. This can't have been undertaken by the Celtic "Family". I just won't hear of it.

 

They're the greatest football fans in the universe don't you know. There was 100,000,000,000,000 of the lovely people in Seville and the behaviour of every single one of them was superb.

[Don Dan]

They have to by the SFA/SPFL rules.

I wasn't aware of that, thanks.

[alwaysthereinspirit]

Good for her. Sad that its taken a lady to say exactly what club hierarchy should have been saying for years.

They really are (Celtic fans) for the most part a bunch of cowardly $#itheads.

If we get promoted then it must be time to cut the ticket allocation.