Never knew this??

[MrSmith]

https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/blether-hibs-hero-wanted-celtic-kicked-out-of-league-over-ireland-flag/

History I know nowt about, anyone else?

[Ringothedog]

https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/blether-hibs-hero-wanted-celtic-kicked-out-of-league-over-ireland-flag/

History I know nowt about, anyone else?

It is not true, this is just another part of Celtic and their fans rewriting History.:fuming:

[Liberal Hibby]

Blimey Andy Walker has let himself go!

[green&left]

https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/blether-hibs-hero-wanted-celtic-kicked-out-of-league-over-ireland-flag/

History I know nowt about, anyone else?

It's bull**** and covered quite well on here > https://foot.ie/threads/11886-Hibernian-FC-and-there-place-in-Irish-History?

[Kato]

https://foot.ie/threads/11886-Hibernian-FC-and-there-place-in-Irish-History

http://www.hibs.net/showthread.php?255202-Harry-Swan

[McSwanky]

Interesting article for a local Dundee publication!

[BILLYHIBS]

It's bull**** and covered quite well on here > https://foot.ie/threads/11886-Hibernian-FC-and-there-place-in-Irish-History?
Excellent entertaining and very informative article many thanks for posting

[MrSmith]

It's bull**** and covered quite well on here > https://foot.ie/threads/11886-Hibernian-FC-and-there-place-in-Irish-History?

Very much enjoyed that! Now, wonder why the ET have decided to print these things given some research could easily have set them straight? Hmm??

[Kato]

Very much enjoyed that! Now, wonder why the ET have decided to print these things given some research could easily have set them straight? Hmm??

A Newspaper? Doing research?

The 1970's are on the line and want their journalistic expectations back right away.

[CentreLine]

The "comments" section after the report gives a very precise rebuttal of the story

" 1 Comment
SubscribeRSS

29 minutes ago
Stuart Paterson
Absolute garbage see below:



Briefly that episode in Celtic's history goes something like this. Late 1951 crowd trouble at Parkhead saw a linesman attacked and the SFA put posters up around Parkhead asking fans to behave. In the 1952 New Years Day game Rangers won 1-4, and bottles and stones were thrown by Celtic fans after the fourth goal went in. After this Glasgow Magistrates asked that...

(1) Rangers and Celtic should not play each other on New Years Day
(2) All ticket games only
(3) Numbered passgeways at Celtic Park
(4) That the two clubs should avoid displaying flags which might incite feeling among the spectators

...I'll point out at this time Harry Swan was not a Glasgow Magistrate. The Magistrate's decisions were ratified by the SFA's Referee's Committee (the Chairman of which at the time was Celtic Chairman Robert Kelly), then it was put before the SFA council who ratified those requests. Harry Swan is not even mentioned so far, and it's worth pointing out that both Rangers and Celtic were asked to "avoid displaying flags which might incite feeling among the spectators", and on match days only. During the week they could fly Auntie Aggie's drawers if they wished.

The only part Harry Swan played was while he was acting Chairman of the SFA Council during a meeting when Celtic were disciplined for not obeying the Glasgow Magistrates requests.

Celtic fans have subsequently twisted this story to portray it as some kind of witch-hunt initiated by Swan, when, given the facts it's obvious where the hissy-fit hysteria is coming from, and I'll give you clue - it's not Swan.

I'll warrant that Swan's attitude is well documented, but it's fabricated repetition by paranoics who are repeating paranoic stories which they are just gagging to believe.

Well documented fabricated repetition does not make it a fact. "

[Smartie]

Do any photos of "the harp that was knocked down" exist?

What did it look like, and where was it?

I've often wondered, as it seems to have been in brickwork above something and I can't quite picture it.

[HibeeHibernian4]

Simple answer OP as others have outlined is that you didn't know it because it's fabricated b*llocks made up by the paranoid moonhowlers who dwell in Celtic's support, who are determined to view themselves as the only club who have stuck to their Irish roots.

They are liars and fantasists.

[BILLYHIBS]

Do any photos of "the harp that was knocked down" exist?

What did it look like, and where was it?

I've often wondered, as it seems to have been in brickwork above something and I can't quite picture it.

Image on : Petition: reinstate the harp at Easter Road Stadium website

[McSwanky]

Image on : Petition: reinstate the harp at Easter Road Stadium website

This one I think

http://d22r54gnmuhwmk.cloudfront.net/photos/2/sx/sn/JNsXSnYxoudOojQ-800x450-noPad.jpg

[Iggy Pope]

It's bull**** and covered quite well on here > https://foot.ie/threads/11886-Hibernian-FC-and-there-place-in-Irish-History?

Slov Sam was a regular poster on these very pages back then and before.
Didn’t always agree with what he wrote but certainly cannot find fault in much of this.

[superfurryhibby]

Amazing how this particular myth is still cited, despite being utterly dismanted when considered objectively.

Swan is one the all time great figures in our history. He steered the club from the brink of oblivion to greatness, helping transform Hibs from a near bankrupt side into one of British footballs best known names, pioneering competative European football and re- building the stadium into a remarkable facility for it’s time. Lugton’s book has a good potted history of Swan’s achievement at Hibs.

[AndyM_1875]

This story is like a comfort blanket to some of the more exitable Sellik types.
As has been stated its also been totally debunked.

Re the harp - when the one on the building work came down during necessary renovations to the stadium a new mosaic harp was commissioned from a craftsman in Ireland and it hung in the boardroom till 1965 when Harry Swan died, and it was gifted to his widow. I would guess it is still with the Swan family.

[Ringothedog]

Even more scary for me was that a “Hibs fan” was discussing this in the boozer last week and he was convinced that Swan wanted to change our colours to purple and white, our name to Edinburgh and that the removal of the harp was the start of this masonic conspiracy. I tried to put him right but some people don’t want to listen

[Keith_M]

A Celtc Fan posted a comment, on a negative article about the behaviour of their support, that they had suffered various attacks over the years and cited the example of a Hibs Fan throwing a CS Gas canister at them at Easter Road.

When I posted a comment correcting his version of history, he flatly denied any Celtc Fan would ever do such a thing.

It doesn't matter what you say, they will neither listen nor believe it, if it doesn't fit in with their 'poor wee persecuted Celtc' narrative.

[Ringothedog]

A Celtc Fan posted a comment, on a negative article about the behaviour of their support, that they had suffered various attacks over the years and cited the example of a Hibs Fan throwing a CS Gas canister at them at Easter Road.

When I posted a comment correcting his version of history, he flatly denied any Celtc Fan would ever do such a thing.

It doesn't matter what you say, they will neither listen nor believe it, if it doesn't fit in with their 'poor wee persecuted Celtc' narrative.

It also doesn’t help that their club play on the “being persecuted by the proddy establishment” whenever it suits their pathetic agenda which they feed to their gullible fans on a regular basis.

[NAE NOOKIE]

Ye gods, you don't half read some tripe about Hibs and for some reason Harry Swan, most of which seems to be written from a Celtic perspective and which sadly seems to sometimes be lapped up by a tiny minority within our own support.

FWIW:

1) …. If I had access to the worlds most powerful microscope I still couldn't find my interest in what Celtic as a club or the folk who support them think of Hibs, or what they have to say about the clubs history.

2) … Harry Swan was the greatest Chairman this club has had, or ever will have and there should be a bloody statue of him outside the main stand.

[Mick O'Rourke]

Even more scary for me was that a “Hibs fan” was discussing this in the boozer last week and he was convinced that Swan wanted to change our colours to purple and white, our name to Edinburgh and that the removal of the harp was the start of this masonic conspiracy. I tried to put him right but some people don’t want to listen

I do not know if that was discussed during Swan's time at the club
It certainly was when Tom Hart was at the tiller.
Tom's wife had a preference for Purple
The directors box seats were in that colour
Also the first game Hibernian played in all Purple was against Sporting Lisbon away.


Harry Swan was the most inovative, imaginative and successful boss our club ever had, whatever his failings.
The removal of the Harp was not i believe a sinister move (anti Irish/catholic)
Although many did believe that back then and Harry was to blame.
I remember the song about Harry being sung at games and on supporters buses

"We'll hang Harry Swan wae a rope around his neck"
To the tune of our club song.

Interesting to note that a well know Edinburgh Celtic SC was founded around the time of the Harp removal.

Harry Swan should be publicly recognised by the club for his work.
A footballing pioneer who presided over our clubs best years and initiated so many "firsts" in the game when others were dismissive.

I think the Celtic board or their chairman,mid fifties, said that European Football would not catch on !

Its their lifeblood these days.they would have us know

[Kato]

A Celtc Fan posted a comment, on a negative article about the behaviour of their support, that they had suffered various attacks over the years and cited the example of a Hibs Fan throwing a CS Gas canister at them at Easter Road.

When I posted a comment correcting his version of history, he flatly denied any Celtc Fan would ever do such a thing.

It doesn't matter what you say, they will neither listen nor believe it, if it doesn't fit in with their 'poor wee persecuted Celtc' narrative.

Dunno if you went to the next Celtic v Hibs fixture at Parkhead after that match.

Bedlam - Hibs fans attacked outside before and after the game the post match ambush right outside the ground being particularly tasty.

Something to do with it being Hibs fans fault for the CS gas thing and they were taking "revenge" for one of their fans throwing it among us. Strange mentality as a collective and certainly far weirder then any thought process among Hibs fans.

Saying that it was Edinburgh based Celtic fans who spotted the guy on the CCTV footage down at Leith Polis station.

[Stantons Angel]

A Celtc Fan posted a comment, on a negative article about the behaviour of their support, that they had suffered various attacks over the years and cited the example of a Hibs Fan throwing a CS Gas canister at them at Easter Road.

When I posted a comment correcting his version of history, he flatly denied any Celtc Fan would ever do such a thing.

It doesn't matter what you say, they will neither listen nor believe it, if it doesn't fit in with their 'poor wee persecuted Celtc' narrative.


You are quite right to put the truth to them!

i was right in the middle of this affair and couldnt get my son out of the melee.

he was just wee then and so frightened, the gas making him cough and his eyes run. it was sheer bedlam and folks so hell bent on fighting each other.

If any supporter thought it wise to do this sort of thing in a crowd of people then they deserve to be jailed!

[Smartie]

I know a few people who hold anti-Irish and anti-catholic sentiments. They wouldn't set foot in Easter Road, never mind become club chairman and set about changing Hibs into something different.

It's all nonsense, on so many levels.

[Ringothedog]

Dunno if you went to the next Celtic v Hibs fixture at Parkhead after that match.

Bedlam - Hibs fans attacked outside before and after the game the post match ambush right outside the ground being particularly tasty.

Something to do with it being Hibs fans fault for the CS gas thing and they were taking "revenge" for one of their fans throwing it among us. Strange mentality as a collective and certainly far weirder then any thought process among Hibs fans.

Saying that it was Edinburgh based Celtic fans who spotted the guy on the CCTV footage down at Leith Polis station.

Was that not at the start of the CCS, I remember the bedlam in the stadium, Celtc fans chased on to the park, then the Jungle coming round en masse. Fighting everywhere. Some day!!

[Diclonius]

Imagine Edinburgh v Hearts, purple against maroon. The away team would have to wear their change kit.

Considering Dundee Hibernian went through a complete rebranding and not one but two colour changes, I doubt anyone today would care considering it would have happened 40ish years ago. Glad it didn't happen though.

[NAE NOOKIE]

I do not know if that was discussed during Swan's time at the club
It certainly was when Tom Hart was at the tiller.
Tom's wife had a preference for Purple
The directors box seats were in that colour
Also the first game Hibernian played in all Purple was against Sporting Lisbon away.


Harry Swan was the most inovative, imaginative and successful boss our club ever had, whatever his failings.
The removal of the Harp was not i believe a sinister move (anti Irish/catholic)
Although many did believe that back then and Harry was to blame.
I remember the song about Harry being sung at games and on supporters buses

"We'll hang Harry Swan wae a rope around his neck"
To the tune of our club song.

Interesting to note that a well know Edinburgh Celtic SC was founded around the time of the Harp removal.

Harry Swan should be publicly recognised by the club for his work.
A footballing pioneer who presided over our clubs best years and initiated so many "firsts" in the game when others were dismissive.

I think the Celtic board or their chairman,mid fifties, said that European Football would not catch on !

Its their lifeblood these days.they would have us know

The inference being that this was a group of people to whom the clubs Irish and Catholic identity was more important than its geographical location IE Edinburgh. Their choice I suppose, but I much prefer the fact that being a Hibs fan these days has far more to do with family history for some, geography and perhaps just liking the clubs strip than other factors …. I have to admit that when I started following Hibs I had absolutely no idea about the clubs early history and it was all based on the fact that I was born in Edinburgh*, and yes I liked the strip … who couldn't? :greengrin

* … To this day I'll always be of the opinion that if you are born and live in Edinburgh and you turn your back on the city's clubs to follow one in Glasgow you are a dirty little glory hunting traitor, and I don't give a stuff about your reasons :aok:

[Kato]

Was that not at the start of the CCS, I remember the bedlam in the stadium, Celtc fans chased on to the park, then the Jungle coming round en masse. Fighting everywhere. Some day!!

I think they'd been around a couple of years before then.

Mad just trying to get to the turnstiles.

[Ringothedog]

I think they'd been around a couple of years before then.

Mad just trying to get to the turnstiles.

Mad but fun