Graeme Souness lambasts Celtic fans behaviour during this weekend’s tributes to The Queen 

Graeme Souness insists the behaviour of Celtic fans following the death of the Queen has damaged the club ‘beyond belief’.

The Rangers legend and Sportsmail columnist also believes that major sponsors will now give Celtic a wide berth due to the conduct of some supporters.

A section of fans unfurled an offensive anti-monarchy banner at last week’s Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk in Poland. That was then followed by chants of ‘If you hate the Royal Family clap your hands’ during a minute’s applause for Her Majesty prior to the game against St Mirren last Sunday.

Graeme Souness says Celtic are an unacceptable face of football after behaviour of fans 

Celtic supporters held up banners and made noise during the pre-match tributes to the Queen 

Ange Postecoglou had asked for respect to be shown in his pre-match interviews, although Celtic as a club have declined to make any public statement on the matter.

Speaking on talkSPORT yesterday, Souness claimed that Celtic are now the ‘unacceptable face of Scottish football’.

‘Whatever I say on this, people will say they expect that because I was employed by Glasgow Rangers and I’m a Rangers fan,’ he said.

‘But you try to stand back a bit — and the eyes of the world were on this country in the last ten days.

‘Celtic now have a major problem because if you’re a major company looking to sponsor a team in Britain or Scotland, would you consider Celtic anymore? Not at all.

Ange Postecoglou refused to comment on the fans behaviour in his post-match comments 

‘In the eyes of the world, Celtic are now the unacceptable face of football in Scotland due to a minority of fans.’

Following his call for respect to be shown prior to the game in Paisley, Celtic boss Postecoglou was blunt with reporters and declined to comment on the matter post-match following the chants from supporters.

Celtic are now the subject of a UEFA investigation following the Champions League match in Poland and Souness believes the continued silence from Parkhead powerbrokers is only causing more harm.

He said: ‘By the decision-makers at Celtic being silent on this matter, they’re compounding the problem.

‘This is not just a talking point in Scotland. It’s a talking point throughout the world. They have shot themselves in the foot big-time.

St Mirren were 2-0 winners over Celtic who suffered their first defeat of the season on Sunday

‘It is a minority who are guilty of this but also a minority that are damaging the brand of Celtic — synonymous with being the first British team to win the European Cup, great success and an absolute institution in Scotland — beyond belief.

‘If you’re a Rangers fan, it’s happy days. They want the silence to continue. They (Celtic) are shooting themselves in the foot.

‘They (the club) should have been out days ago condemning this.

‘And for everyone who doesn’t like Celtic, the music is brilliant and (they) want it to keep going.

‘The eyes of the world were on Great Britain and I have to stress it’s a minority. I have pals who are Celtic fans and are condemning this, so why aren’t the club?’

Scotland boss Steve Clarke, meanwhile, hopes the Tartan Army show respect during tonight’s Nations League clash with Ukraine at Hampden.

Dundee United fans were also involved in disrupting tributes before their clash with Rangers 

A minute’s applause is to be held prior to kick-off as the Scots begin a triple-header which also sees them face the Republic of Ireland on Saturday before the return fixture against Ukraine in Poland next week.

Clarke was reluctant to get involved in the fall-out from the games last weekend, with Dundee United fans also disrupting a minute’s silence at Ibrox.

Asked for his views on that match and also Celtic’s game in Paisley, he said: ‘You can ask, but you won’t get one. Because, like I say, I am always very respectful on these occasions and I give the respect that’s deserved.

‘We have got three great games coming up. Let’s move on to the games.

‘I think, for me, I will do my usual and show the respect that should be shown on such an occasion. For other people? I don’t think it is for me to judge.

‘But, hopefully, it goes off and it is a respectful moment before the game.’