Lawwell defends Celtic majority

The Parkhead club face sanction again from UEFA after flares were lit within the travelling support during the Europa League last-32 clash with Inter Milan in the San Siro last Thursday night.

The Glasgow club have now been charged seven times by the governing body in just over three years due to the conduct of their fans in European competition.

Lawwell will resist calls for UEFA's 'strict liability' principles for supporters' misbehaviour to be introduced into Scottish football, saying: "I think it is strict, it can be seen to go against justice as opposed to support justice."

Instead, he called for context while speaking at a press conference at Celtic Park where he announced a new five-year "multi-million pound" kit deal with American sports company New Balance.

When the topic of another UEFA charge was raised, Lawwell said: "It is concerning because it allows Celtic's name to be slurred but there is a context that is missed.

"You can't look at two people and condemn football club.

"We had 3,100 supporters in Milan and there were two (misbehaving fans) and we had 60,000 here for the Milan game and there were none.

"So it is very isolated.

"If you looked around Europe that night I am sure there would have been 100 misdemeanours.

"We are concerned about it because it gives unnecessary and unwarranted bad publicity to Celtic, due to a very small minority.

"We are doing all we can to identify those responsible and will take appropriate action

"If you come to Celtic Park for an event, there is no offensive behaviour, the crowd behave impeccably.

"So you have to put it into context and for Celtic, we find any problem is immaterial, a small problem. We are comfortable."

Celtic have occasionally had trouble with the club's ultras group, the Green Brigade, who closely associate themselves with the Irish political struggle.

While an Irish DNA runs strong through the Parkhead club, Lawwell insists that does not include Irish Republicanism.

"I don't accept that Irish Republicanism is anywhere in Celtic's history," he said.

"I don't recognise Celtic being associated with sectarianism or Irish Republicanism.

"This is a club that since 1888 has welcomed everyone. It has been inclusive, diverse and open to all.

"We have a very small minority who have chants that we would rather not be here.

"Whether or not that is people who wish to have an Irish Republican identity is another matter. It is a complicated issue

"But people who promote a proscribed terrorist organisation are not welcome at Celtic Park and that has been the case forever and it will always be the case.

"But you have to put this into context. This is a very small minority. It is not at Celtic Park.

"If there is a problem it is a very small minority of the away support that we are dealing with.

"If you put that into the context of other matters and other situations, hopefully you will agree it is immaterial."

On the "extremely positive" new deal, described by Lawwell as "our biggest kit sponsor deal ever", he said: "New Balance is a fantastic global brand that will sit along perfectly with Celtic .

"We join Liverpool, Sevilla and Porto - great football brands.

"In a challenging time for Scottish football it still shows the esteem and regard that Celtic are held in throughout the football world.

"There is some degree of negativity around the league but I think with this deal we have shown there is a lot of positivity around this club.

"Celtic is still regarded as a first class, top European and global club and I think this aligns itself to that."