CELTIC have won the FIFA Fan Award for 2017 for a 360-degree display in honour of the Lisbon Lions at an end of season match against Hearts that put the club's safety certificate in doubt.
The Hoops were nominated alongside Borussia Dortmund and FC Copenhagen for their full-stadium tifo display celebrating the Lisbon Lions' historic European Cup triumph fifty years ago.
👏👏👏
— Celtic Football Club (@celticfc) October 23, 2017
It's official! #CelticFC fans are #TheBest in the world! pic.twitter.com/B0JbwUjZ0E
@celticfc officially the best fans in the world 🍀 pic.twitter.com/aVGISK45yx
— Celtic FC SLO (@CelticFCSLO) October 23, 2017
The hardcore Green Brigade fans group created the award-winning display which featured a ‘Lisbon Lions’ motif across the North stand and a European Cup from the Jock Stein Stand opposite a giant 50 emblazoned inside a gold star.
It was set up to mark the five decades since Jock Stein’s men became the first British team to win the European Cup, beating Helenio Herrera’s Inter Milan 2-1 in the final.
Samuel Eto'o was on hand to present the award to club chairman Ian Bankier at the 2017 Best Fifa Football Awards in London.
Mr Bankier gave a speech where he paid tribute to the Lisbon Lions and the importance placed on fan involvement by the legendary Jock Stein.
He said: "It is on behalf of our fans and all the fans across the world that I accept this honour with great gratitude and humility."
It was a later controversial pyrotechnics display by the Hoops Ultras during the same game that provoked "serious concerns" from emergency services which the club said had posed a "risk to the renewal of a safety certificate necessary for the operation of the stadium".
Details of the concerns emerged in a letter to fans as Celtic decided to close the Green Brigade section of the stadium for two matches after "unsafe behaviour" including the last home game of the season against Hearts on May 27.
There had been particular concern about flares being smuggled into the Hearts clash as they celebrated the European Cup victory anniversary.
One day before the current safety certificate expired club chief executive Peter Lawwell, announced the safe standing area used by the Green Brigade would be closed for two matches. The action was understood to be in response to UEFA disciplinary charges following pro-IRA banners at last week's Champions League qualifier against Linfield.
Celtic Park had its annual safety certificate renewed after officials felt the club had taken "proportionate action" to deal with serious concerns from the emergency services about flares set off by fans.
Earlier on Monday, Uefa fined Celtic £8,900 (10,000 euros) after a supporter ran on to the pitch in their Champions League game last month against Paris St-Germain and tried to kick striker Kylian Mbappe.
John Hatton admitted to the attempted assault at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
Congratulations, Celtic! 🍀
— #TheBest 🏆 (@FIFAcom) October 23, 2017
Winners of the FIFA Fan Award 2017 🏆 #TheBest pic.twitter.com/ptGJtKU3PQ
🤳🏆 #CelticFC Chairman Ian Bankier and @CelticFCSLO thank the fans for being #TheBest! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/jZBK0HVfuh
— Celtic Football Club (@celticfc) October 23, 2017
Diego's here to back the Celts for the worlds best fans @celticfc 🍀 pic.twitter.com/HMEmpXI8h3
— Celtic FC SLO (@CelticFCSLO) October 23, 2017
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