Celtic football boss calls on fans to stop pro-IRA chants

Celtic Football Club took its most significant step yet in attempts to distance itself from sectarianism in Scotland yesterday when it made a direct appeal to fans to stop chanting their support for the IRA.

Ian McLeod, chief executive of the Glasgow side, wrote to 50,000 season ticket holders criticising supporters who sang pro-IRA songs during a minute's silence to mark the 11 September attacks at Motherwell last week. The statement, which called on all fans not to support "bigotry", was the first time that the traditionally Catholic club has mentioned the Republican terror group in connection with its fans.

Fans of Celtic and their Glasgow neighbours, Rangers, have a long history of violent sectarian rivalry despite initiatives to deal with the issue.

Mr McLeod said it was right for the club, founded by Irish immigrants, to be proud of its roots but that there could be no room for political extremism.

He said: "It is of concern that a limited but vocal number within our support seek to use the gathering of Celtic supporters as a way of demonstrating their own separate support for organisations at the extreme of the political spectrum, most notably the IRA."

Mr McLeod said the incident at Motherwell had led to criticism of the club and complaints from its own supporters