I don’t know about you, but I went to bed angry last night, then I got up this morning even angrier. The non football events at Tynecastle last night will have shocked a lot of people around the world, but let’s be honest, although it was a shock as you watched it, were you really surprised?

Tynecastle has for so long enjoyed the reputation of a difficult and intimidating place to go, the eulogising of the fantastic atmosphere, even Neil McCann was giving that line in the post match summary last night. However, anyone who has ever travelled there wearing the green and white of Celtic, will recognise it far more, for what it was last night. A vile, hateful stadium, with all the worst of bigotry and sectarian bile that can be witnessed in Scotland, outside of the Death star itself.

That the darkness surrounding that ground when Celtic visit, was recognised by Jim Jeffries himself last night, maybe just shows how bad it was. My only thought on hearing him was that maybe his hearing had not been all that before, as it has so often been that way. Before the match there were messages on twitter warning of ambushes etc and imploring fans on the way to the game to take care. They were surely wasteful, as anyone who has been before, knows exactly what to expect.

So where now for Scottish football, or more importantly, where now for Scottish society? Will this latest embarrassing world wide exposure to the levels of hatred and bigotry finally bring them to their senses? There have of course been numerous incidents this season which should have provoked a reaction, but unfortunately there got lost in typical Scottish whataboutery, as they were related to the Glasgow derby games and could be consigned to the old West coast disease. The “postal” issues were Northern Irish items, so again not a Scottish problem.

So will the phone in hosts, the newspaper editors and the opinion writers finally grasp the nettle and take a stand against this. Surely they have to take the lead, get behind Neil Lennon and use him to champion the cause. This is of course not about Neil, but he could become the catalyst, if only there are enough people out there who will genuinely seek a change. So let them all, like the Celtic support, stand firmly behind Neil, and challenge the caustic cancer that sits very firmly within Scottish society. Let Neil become to Irish Racism, what Rosa Parks was to coloured racism, and let’s see if Scotland can lift itself out of this downward spiral of sectarianism and hate.

I for one won’t be holding my breath.

Oh and there was a football match played last night, Celtic won three nil playing as well as they have at tynecastle in a long time. They came out fighting and brimming with confidence and strength, everyone was up for it, it was fantastic. My enjoyment was only briefly spoiled by dwelling on the fact that it came almost exactly a week too late.

Keep the faith!

Hail Hail