I dislike football intensely, I feel that all those with a hand in "the beautiful game" are, to quote Stewart Lee, filthy reactionary scum.

That said, Neil Lennon was wronged and victimised.

This is a thread where people can come and pay tribute to Neil.

Neil; I salute you.  You are a brave man.

the sectarian attack on Neil Lenon has nothing to do with football... it was racially motivated, the fact that it happened during a game and in front of the camera's is  merely coincidential

what's even more baffling is that I hear the man was cleared of the charges, despite admitting assault

I think that's a bit simplistic - in Scotland the football/religious/racial mix creates a lot of confusion - basically, it's idiots using any old excuse to attack each other, for reasons they don't quite understand.  The problem is that Lennon was attacked constantly - and this fellow getting acquitted was frankly astonishing.

the sectarian attack on Neil Lenon has nothing to do with football... it was racially motivated, the fact that it happened during a game and in front of the camera's is merely coincidential

what's even more baffling is that I hear the man was cleared of the charges, despite admitting assault


You see ParisO, the mistake right away was the 2nd word you said.. sectarian. One reason and one reason only he was found as "not proven" was there was no evidence to suggest the attack was sectarian. Thus, they cannot find him guilty of the attack. If the prosecutor had filed charges as "assault" he'd have won the case nfp. His own fault really.

the fact it allowed a legal loop hole to be used however does not excuse the cowardly attack from the hearts fan. Its football for fuck sake, if you get annoyed enough at a cretin like Neil Lennon that you want to actually attack him, I think its time for you stop watching football and go have a wee nap to calm down.

I despise Lennon, but only because I perceive him to be an absolute arsehole of a man, someone that causes a lot of his own problems but is always acting innocent as though he is some poor wee victim, but I dont condone him being attacked.

In a way, Estebano and Neil share a lot of things - both hated by their respective communities thanks to their own arrogance, for one.

Listen, not only am i from Scotland, i also support Celtic (Neil Lennons Team), and i think what John Wilson (Attacker) done to Lennon was absolutely disgraceful, i think that it is shocking that his name got cleared when there was clear camera footage, and there was 16,000 fans as witnesses, as if scottish football wasn't bad enough, we have some protestant to run on to the pitch and attack a man who has had:

10 package bombs sent to his house,

Has recieved death threats,

His 5 year old son has a bodyguard to sit with him in primary school.

His Wife has been attacked by Rangers fans,

It is absolutley disgusting, revolting and shocking.

"we have some protestant to run on to the pitch and attack a man who has had:"

What does his religion have to do with it? ANYONE attacking ANYONE should be prosecuted. You've made the same mistake the prosection made and your needlessly bringing religion into a situation that doesn't call for it. Why is that so hard for people to understand?

I dont like Neil, never have. Hated him when he played for Celtic, still hate him now that he is their manager. I have nothing against Catholics or for that matter even Celtic fans, as I come from a Catholic family that are majority Celtic fans, I just find the man to be an odious bigot himself, and so have no time for him.

I'll repeat again what Will clearly missed, the man wasn't found Not Guilty of attacking Neil Lennon, the Charge of Aggravated sectarian assault was found Not Proven as there was insufficient evidence to support the fact the person attacked for sectarian reasons. The man himself comes from a Catholic backround and has Catholic family, so I find it highly unlikely he attacked Lennon for being Catholic, he attacked purely because he is an idiot (the accused, not Lennon) and obviously couldn't control his hatred for the man.

If he had been charged with Assault, then I find it very likely he would have been rightly found Guilty, instead of Not Proven.

Neil Lennons a THUG

WE ARE THE PEOPLE RFC

"Neil Lennons a THUG



WE ARE THE PEOPLE RFC"





Typical Rangers fan

I stand corrected, I thought there was evidence. Either way its clear it was an unprovoked attack and should of been charged accordingly. Seems the prosecutor was over zealous in filing charges

I've no real views on Neil Lennon himself, neither heard or seen enough of him to form an opinion

"Neil Lennons a THUG

WE ARE THE PEOPLE RFC"


"Typical Rangers fan"

Erm, No. Not a typical fan. If you notice, I'm a Rangers fan. Why is it one person puts forward a well reasoned point, the other just makes a random pointless statement, yet you feel the need to mark one as typical? Says more about you than anything else.

And I agree, ParisO, though it seems it was the Procurator Fiscal that insisted on putting the sectarian charge in, they wanted to make an example of the lad. The accused actually pled Guilty to assault at the sheriff court and the PF put it to trial with the sectarian charges instead, so again, as I said, only those in charge to blame.

Also, something people don't seem to know, the person has been remanded in custody for the last 4 months if what im told is correct, so he's hardly got off lightly. Again though, these facts don't suit the clear agenda, so they're often ignored.

AlabamaWorley- atypical Rangers fan

insightful Seaghan, really insightful

come back to the discussion when you have something meaningful to say

OK I have something meaningful to say. In my opinion, and only my opinion; I would say about 90% of Rangers fan are like MissGooner, and hate Lennon only because of his religion. However there is a minority or as I described atypical group. This 10% of Rangers supporters find it stupid that sectarianism should have anything to do with football. In this group is AlabamaWorley. These figures may not be correct and the minority could be the ones that hate Neil Lennon because of his religion. But in my opinion they are the majority of Rangers fans. I know AlabamaWorley and your self may strongly disagree with me but that's just my opinion.

In saying this the same number of Celtic fans may be as sectarian to Rangers supporters, and hate them purely because of there religion. So I'm not just taking sides here.

In regard to Neil Lennon's attacker being cleared of the charges even after being caught on live TV. As you said PARISo, Baffling.

Who is Neil Lennon?

The problem with Neil Lennon - and Ally McCoist - is that they are both wind up merchants. In the press, on the touchline, they wind up the fans, and almost invite themselves to be attacked. Between them, they are causing a lot of troubles within Scottish football. They wind their players up so much in a derby that it kicks off. they wind up their own fans, and opposing fans so much that it is only going to kick off. For Scottish football to move through this violent period, they need both Lennon and McCoist to step down.

Whilst I am Rangers fan, I do feel sorry for Lennon the way he was treated as a player when he joined Celtic and had to retire after from international football after death threats. but then again, you do something like joining Celtic, you have to be prepared for the consequences.

Dank, are you stark raving fucking crazy?  You accept a job, playing football, for a football club, and you have to accept that there can be consequences, up to and including letter bombs being sent to you?

And McCoist and Lennon "almost invite themselves to be attacked"??  Um, how about blaming the cretins who cannot control themselves?  The *adults* who, over a *game*, decide to attack people? 

Football is truly the last bastion of idiocy.  Ban it.

I would say about 90% of Rangers fan are like MissGooner, and hate Lennon only because of his religion. ????? Just cus io think neil lennon is a thug an wot get over it an when it a put up any thing the said i hate him cus ova his religion ???????

If only Big Jock knew what was happening in Scotland, I am sure he would report it.

what a disgusting discussion it is when it includes both words of 'football' and 'religion' are in same sentence and im shocked while seeing ppl tryin to spout their hates over religion and football..disgusting, cuz i cant stand witnessing ppl`s ignorance

Bit of an odd view there, Luca. No-one here, other than Seaghan, has shown a view that includes religion.

I know there are many many many fans on both sides that dislike the other because of the rivalry we have. Nothing less, nothing more. The idiots that bring religion into it are very much in the minority. Celtic and Rangers both have fans guilty of this.

I havn't saw anything from Ally McCoist that would enrage Celtic fans, right enough. So not sure where DanK is coming from with that, but at the same time Celtic fans will always have a hatred for Rangers top goal scorer of all time. As rightly they should. That has nothing to do with religion, thats simply rivalry. Just like I hate Henrik Larrson, and ive no idea what religion he is, couldnt care less. Though I respected his ability, for his first few years for Celtic he was a fantastic player, until he began diving everywhere... (go on Klasky.. you know you want to reply.)

I also hope that no-one else brings old things like Big Jock into this conversation. Its a sad part of Celtics history, I see no benefit in making mention of it, people should not use such a tragic event as Child molestation as a way of point scoring.

Also, lets not forget here folks. Estebano has no interest in this matter, he clearly thought this would cause an argument among the Celtic and Rangers fans on these streets, pleased to see that no-one has went over the top with their comments. Yet.