Poppy-wearing Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers awkwardly struggles to answer questions on his team's fans after they chanted pro-IRA songs during Remembrance Sunday silence
- Sections of Celtic's away end were heard booing during the show of respect
- Referee Nick Walsh ultimately decided to cut the minute short at Rugby Park
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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers criticised supporters who loudly booed during a minute's silence held before their match against Kilmarnock on Remembrance Sunday.
Scottish Premiership leaders travelled to Rugby Park and both sets of players joined clubs across the country in falling silent ahead of kick-off. Kilmarnock officials organised the moment of contemplation to pay respects and a reminder was issued to the crowd that the pre-match gesture would take place.
But while the players stood in the centre circle, murmurs were heard in the stands. Kyle Vassell, the hosts' captain, then approached with a wreath, leading to booing from the away contingent. Referee Nick Walsh promptly blew his whistle to signal the beginning of the minute's silence but the jeers and whistles persisted.
The show of respect was cancelled after only nine seconds when fans of the Scottish Premiership champions continued to boo and sang pro-IRA songs.
After the match, Rodgers insisted that those who wished to observed the silence should not have been prevented from doing so but he stopped some way short of an all-out condemnation of the disruptive Celtic fans.
Brendan Rodgers criticised Celtic fans who stopped others from observing a minute's silence
Jeers were audible from the away end as both teams paid their respects in the centre circle
A large banner decrying 'genocide in Gaza' was also held aloft before kick-off on Sunday
'If it's a minute's silence, it's a minute's silence.' The former Leicester City manager told Sky Sports after his side's 2-0 win.
'Of course there is a little bit of issue around that each year for us when you do that, but yeah it's always a difficult one that every year. But thankfully we get the win on the football side and thankfully we go into the break in a really good place.'
Celtic's Green Brigade, a group of anti-establishment campaigners, are believed to have orchestrated several controversial gestures since their formation in 2006.
After the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, a pre-match show of respect was marred by a banner which read: 'If you hate the royal family clap your hands.'
The group also held aloft incendiary messages and banners declaring their support for Palestine after the terror attack in Israel in October last year.
Last month, the Green Brigade alleged representatives were denied entry to a meeting with Celtic CEO Michael Nicholson.
Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes hit out at the 'awful' visiting supporters and revealed his fury with the behaviour.
'Celtic even decided when the minute silence stops. I mean, we don't get these decisions,' McInnes said. 'I thought it was awful. Awful. Why? I'm not going to lie, I'm not a politician or anything, but it's our ground, it's our minute silence.
James McClean stood separate to his Wrexham team-mates observing a moment of silence
McClean taunted the Mansfield fans after having abuse hurled his way following the win
'I don't get why we shouldn't have the wherewithal just to stand and show a bit of respect for one minute.'
On the pitch, Celtic secured an important win courtesy of goals from Callum McGregor and Nicolas Kuhn, which keeps them ahead of high-flying Aberdeen at the top of the table on goal difference.
Elsewhere, Wrexham's Irish footballer James McClean made headlines after he stood separately from his teammates and Mansfield players observing a minute of silence.
The 35-year-old was named as a starter in the clash at the Racecourse Ground on Saturday and decided to stand by his previous decision to not wear a poppy.
Players across the United Kingdom typically either wear an armband featuring a poppy or a shirt with the iconic flower etched into it when playing on the remembrance weekend.
However, as McClean doesn't support the tradition, he instead stood on his own, a few metres away from the group of players who were paying their respects.
During the match, Wrexham supporters chanted that McClean 'hates the f***ing King' just moments after the moment of silence ended.
On Sunday, the 35-year-old posted a statement on his Instagram account this morning after a clip resurfaced of the Wrexham captain comparing British soldiers to 'terrorists'.
He was also spotted back in Ireland on Sunday with his wife Erin McClean, and his son, to watch his former side, Derry, succumb to Drogheda United in the men's Irish Cup Final.
