Sky Sports forced to apologise as Celtic fans disrupt Remembrance Sunday tribute

Sky Sports were forced to issue an on-air apology after a disturbance in the period of silence ahead of Celtic's trip to Kilmarnock.

Kilmarnock hosted the Hoops in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, fresh from their impressive 3-1 win over RB Leipzig in the Champions League.

After suffering two defeats at Rugby Park last season, Celtic were more than happy to record a 2-0 win courtesy of goals from Callum McGregor and Nicolas Kuhn - returning to the top of the table after Aberdeen's 4-1 trouncing of Dundee on Saturday.

The clash was shown live on Sky Sports but the broadcaster had to apologise pre-match when the Remembrance Sunday silence was interrupted.

Both sets of players lined up opposite one another in the centre circle and Kyle Vassell laid a wreath of poppies on the pitch as part of their tribute.

Kilmarnock and Celtic took part in a period of silence for Remembrance Sunday. Image: Getty

The stadium announcer addressed fans and said "We will remember them" as the commemoration started.

But the silence did not last for long at all as songs could be heard from the Celtic section. According to The Guardian, fans chanted a song about the death of Aidan McAnespie, an Irishman shot by a British soldier at an Army checkpoint in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland in 1988.

David Jonathan Holden, the soldier in question, was initially fined for negligent discharge of a weapon before being found guilty of manslaughter years later in 2022.

Referee Nick Walsh blew the whistle early to end the silence and Sky commentator Ian Crocker said, "Sorry if you were offended by the disturbance to the silence".

Celtic supporters had already raised a banner, which read: "From Balfour to Starmer, the crimes of the empire live on, Britain is committing genocide in Gaza.”

Image: Getty

There were loud boos around the ground when the referee whistled to signal the end of the period of silence.

Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes was not happy with how things played out, commenting: "Celtic even decide when the minute's silence stops. I thought it was awful. Awful. "Why? I'm not going into it, I'm not a politician or anything but it's our ground, it's our minute's silence.

"I don't get why we shouldn't have the wherewithal just to stand and show a bit of respect for one minute."

Reflective moments took place up and down the country, though this was the second year in a row that Crocker had to apologise ahead of a Celtic fixture where the silence was not fully observed.

Prior to chanting, shouting and whistle ahead of a game with Aberdeen at Celtic Park, he said: "Apologies if you were offended that some people just could not stay quiet."