added to #50.....
Throughout the early years the Green Brigade had no relationship with the Club. All banners and displays would be taken in as the stadium gates opened for everyone, there was neither prior communication nor access for set-ups and should the materials be refused entry for whatever reason – which happened often – then they would be smuggled in by alternative means. The Group’s clearly stubborn and somewhat militant nature, coupled with its unashamedly political aspect would cause conflict with the Club and other authorities. Such problems still exist to this day.
In spite of this, the Green Brigade continued to grow in number and influence. Squeezed up the very back rows of Section 111 they soon made the area their own by encouraging other fans wanting to join in with the singing to come over and join them. The Club and authorities took issue with this on grounds of health and safety (overcrowding/crowd control) and after a few incidents and clashes the first formal contact from the Club was made to the Green Brigade. A meeting was arranged between both parties where the Club offered to provide the Green Brigade a block of 300 seats within Section 111 which the Green Brigade would be responsible for.
At the start of the 2010/11 season the Green Brigade’s presence at Celtic Park was cemented with their official section. It was the first time that any ultras section of note was seen in the UK and it immediately not only made a massive improvement to Celtic Park but was noticed much further afield. From here the Green Brigade were really able to maximise their potential and went on to create some iconic and memorable tifos and atmospheres whilst making the smaller, run-of-the-mill games a bit more bearable by providing a constant, vibrant atmosphere.
From small acorns....