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Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
Sport
Will Lancaster

Celtic fans display anti-monarchy banner and chant during minute's applause as Sky Sports apologise

Celtic fans were booed by their opposite numbers at St Mirren on Sunday afternoon after an anti-monarchy chant was started in Paisley - with Sky Sports apologising for the ordeal.

Following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II last week, fixtures were postponed last weekend as a mark of respect to the passing of the 96-year-old. This is the first weekend that Scottish football has resumed since, although Celtic, Rangers and Hearts all played European ties in midweek in an early return. Whilst Rangers unveiled a tifo of The Queen and sang the national anthem in their defeat to Napoli, Celtic fans had a banner of their own against Shakhtar Donetsk that read 'F*** the Crown' - much to the dismay of UEFA, who opened a disciplinary investigation into the incident.

Manager Ange Postecoglou urged fans to respect the minute's applause in midweek after the game in Warsaw, and it remained to be seen whether they would follow their Aussie boss in paying their respects to the Royal Family. But that wasn't the case - with Sky apologising after fans unveiled a banner and chanted against the applause.

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"If you hate the Royal Family clap your hands" was shown on a huge banner that stretched across the away end, with fans chanting the same message whilst St Mirren fans applauded to respect the Queen. It was met with boos by the home support, despite Celtic players and staff paying their respects alongside fans of the Buddies.

Furthermore, fans also produced a Michael Fagan CSC flag, which comes as a reference to the man who broke into the Queen's bedroom at Buckingham Palace.

Sky Sports commentator Ian Crocker apologised shortly after the referee's whistle before kick-off as fans expected harmony throughout following Postecoglou's comments in the build-up to the game. "There’s a minute’s applause (on Sunday), we will abide by whatever obligations and responsibilities we have as a football club. We will do that in a respectful manner. We want our supporters to do the same," the Australian said.

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