The New Chairman: War Criminal?

By: JT | November 20th, 2007

Normally the Annual General Meetings for Celtic PLC, the company that runs Celtic FC, are rather placid affairs. Not so yesterday. The controversy surrounded the appointment of the new Chairman, Dr. John Reid. While the vast majority of the attendees came to support their club, talk about its future, and vote for the new chairman, a vocal minority also arrived with the full intent of voicing their displeasure with Reid’s association with the club.

WHO IS JOHN REID?

For those who don’t follow British politics, John Reid was Tony Blair’s minister extraordinaire, holding seven different ministerial posts during the Blair premiership. In essence, he was Blair’s fixer, a known surly character who was willing to kick some ass if need be to get a ministry in order. He was never particularly popular with opposition operatives, and quite frequently, with those within his own Labour Party. A Scot, who is a lifelong Celtic supporter and holder of season tickets, Reid’s appointment has raised the ire of some in the Celtic community for a few reasons.

First, he served as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. There are many supporters who just can not stomach the idea that the face of the British government in Northern Ireland will now be leading a club with a fan base diametrically opposed to British rule in the six counties. Despite the fact that Reid was the first Catholic appointed to the post, and his tenure was littered with positive accomplishments, some feel that a former representative of Britain in Northern Ireland should never have a place at the club.

Second, and more importantly, is the charge that Reid is a war criminal (which was expressed vociferously by some Celtic supporters at the AGM) for his involvement in Blair’s decision to go to war in Iraq versus the vast majority of British public opinion, and his staunch defense of that decision against overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Basically, some people view him as the British equivalent of the clinically senile Donald Rumsfeld, though for me that is quite a stretch.

Incredibly, Reid’s involvement in the rush to war and the defense of that policy is not his only brush with the “war criminal” tag. During the Bonsian War of the late 1990’s, Reid struck up a bizarre friendship with Serbian rebel leader Radovan Karadzic, who has since been indicted for war crimes by the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.

Reid admitted to being a guest of Karadzic at a Geneva hotel during the time that the war crimes Karadzic has been charged with took place. That raises the scary prospect that horrific, murderous decisions were made in the other room while Reid was watching Celtic on the television. Reid’s defense is that he was working in his capacity as shadow Minister of Defence in attempting to come to a diplomatic resolution to end the fighting.

MY PERSPECTIVE

Having read a wide variety of thoughts on this situation, including Reid’s own, I have come to the conclusion that this is a positive appointment for the club. There are a number of reasons for this, and the best of them was perfectly articulated by Reid himself, “I do not believe the vast majority of Celtic supporters want that [his political decisions] to be debated within Celtic Football Club. We leave those differences at the door, and the great strength of this club over the years has been precisely that it will not allow sectarian or other divisions to impede the unity of purpose behind those of us who want to see Celtic succeed.”

Celtic has always been known as the Catholic club, or the Irish club. While the heart of the club will always be Irish Catholic, the modern Celtic is so much more than that. These days the Club and its supporters are some of the most welcoming you will find in any sport, anywhere. Come as you are, provided you love the club, and everything will be cool. I’ve probably viewed Celtic matches in a half dozen different pubs/bars around the US of A, and have never failed to receive a warm welcome and some pints on the house before anyone asked a question about my background or where my allegiance to the club comes from.

The tie that binds supporters to supporters and to the club is the pursuit of trophies and great things for Celtic, now and in the future. Leave your political leanings at the door, but bring your scarf and voice. That’s a great philosophy to have, and it isn’t found at every club around these days [cough cough].

The Celtic Football Club was around long before the Iraq War was launched, and no matter how long the quagmire lasts, will be around for many years after. Its bigger than political opinions and misguided friendships, and it should always remain that way.

John Reid’s intellect and drive are legendary, and in the age of marketing a football club as a global brand, could anyone interested in running Celtic have a more powerful, connected Rolodex than Reid? No way. Simply put, the man will be able to make things happen.

It is entirely fair to question Reid’s judgment. By all accounts, Reid is a man of conviction, loyalty, honor and strength. The profiles that I’ve encountered lead me to believe that every decision he made throughout his political career was made with the best interests of his constituency and the British public in mind. The results have not always been what he wanted them to be, but as Chairman of Celtic Football Club, the most we can ask for is a diligent leader who will always act in the best interests of the club, and that is who I believe John Reid is.