The Celtic fans having a pop at Rod Stewart last weekend were at least getting into the Christmas spirit nice and early.

Peter Lawwell revealed Celtic fans have cost the club more than €500,000 in UEFA fines as he explained the self-imposed closure of a part of Parkhead for Thursday’s Europa League clash with Rennes.

Celtic have been hit with a 12th UEFA fine in the space of six years with the total bill up to about £170,000.

Twelve men have been arrested over banners that were displayed at the Champions League qualifier between Celtic and Linfield last month.

Celtic have confirmed they will reopen the Green Brigade section of their stadium after Saturday's league opener - but some fans will remain suspended.

Brendan Rodgers has called for the Green Brigade to leave politics out of Celtic Park.

Two Celtic fan groups have urged the club to reverse their decision to decline tickets from Linfield - and asked the Belfast club to consider selling directly to visiting fans.

Celtic 1 Motherwell 1

Celtic 3 St Johnstone 0

Celtic have escaped punishment over an “offensive” banner displayed at Parkhead, the Scottish Professional Football League has confirmed.

Celtic 1 Hibernian 0

Celtic have been fined €50,000 after the controversial Green Brigade group unfurled a banner depicting IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands during last month’s clash with AC Milan.

Celtic are set to find out what action they face over the controversial banners that were displayed ahead of their Champions League clash with AC Milan two weeks ago.

Celtic have made moves to disband the Green Brigade section at Parkhead after labelling events during Friday night’s match at Fir Park “indefensible”.

Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell demanded supporters leave their political views at home after Uefa began disciplinary action against the club over an “illicit banner”.

Neil Lennon believes it is a “shame” the Green Brigade are to be dispersed around Celtic Park after repeated warnings about their behaviour.

Celtic have put the Green Brigade on a final warning after UEFA opened an investigation into the “setting off of fireworks” at Tuesday night’s home Champions League second qualifier against Cliftonville.

Celtic 6 Dundee Utd 2

Celtic 0 Inverness 1

So, “Irish soccer fans are the best fans in the world” — or so we are told endlessly by RTE sports personalities and numerous reporters.

Neil Lennon believes five-goal Gary Hooper is good enough to play in any league in Europe but hopes to keep him at Celtic next season.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has repeated his call for fans to stop the chants that have brought a UEFA charge against the club.

Celtic have belatedly issued season-ticket renewal forms to members of the Green Brigade section of their support – on the basis they refrain from “lateral movement”.

Omar Sinan, Baghdad

An Iraqi militant group claimed responsibility today for shooting down an RAF Hercules transport plane with a missile, killing ten British servicemen and backed up their claim with a video.

A video showing three Italian hostages kidnapped in Iraq has been broadcast on an Arab television station.

An Arab TV station showed a video today of what it said were three Italian hostages in Iraq, with their captors’ threatening to kill them.